Regardless of outcome, one way or the other, history will be made at Memorial Stadium in Napa on Friday night.
The historical mark is that Vintage and American Canyon High will play each other for the first time in football. Though the matchup was determined long before, it became maxpreps.com/internet official in March. For deeper historical significance:
In a sense, you can say the matchup is long overdue given that American Canyon opened in 2010 while Vintage opened in 1972. When it comes to intra-Napa Valley rivalries, it begins and ends with the annual Napa-Vintage matchup. Though the game itself will always draw huge admission numbers, the rivalry has lost its luster mainly due to Napa’s dominance. The Indians have beaten Vintage 12 of the last 13 years, mostly in dominant fashion.
While I would never suggest that American Canyon will replace Napa as the Crushers’ rival, this is what is planned to be an annual matchup that presents an opportunity for another one to develop. Unlike previous Napa Valley rivalries, not named Napa-Vintage, this one is likely to have staying power.
You had a small school version of Napa-Vintage with the Vine Bowl when St. Helena and Justin-Siena met as well as St. Helena-Calistoga. Those matchups, however, are ancient history today. St. Helena and Calistoga have both existed for over 100 years but only played 46 times with St. Helena leading the all-time series 32-10-4. Do the math, that is less than half of the years. They have only played twice since 1989, St. Helena won both matchups going away 37-0 and 45-6 respectively. The biggest thing that contributed to the St. Helena-Calistoga series fading was that in 1985, the Saints joined the CIF Sac Joaquin Section and were in the same league as Justin. In turn, St. Helena’s rivalry emphasis turned away from the Wildcats and toward the Braves.
The Justin-St. Helena series later became known as the Vine Bowl. Though St. Helena won six of the first nine matchups from 1971-1979 and had a three-game winning streak from 1996-1998, the series edge is in Justin’s favor, 19-12 to be exact. In 2000, both St. Helena and Justin joined the North Coast Section but different leagues. The Braves went to the Marin County Athletic League. St. Helena rejoined the North Central League I. After 2001, the Vine Bowl series ended as both programs went in opposite directions. The two teams were in the same playoff bracket in 2011-2013 but never crossed paths.
As for today, St. Helena’s rivalry emphasis has shifted to Middletown and Fort Bragg. Calistoga has changed leagues too many times for me to count in which case, they do not have a clearly defined rival.
The closest thing American Canyon has to a rival in the Solano County Athletic Conference is Benicia, partially because the two communities are demographically similar but also are one high school towns. However, outside of those towns, does the rivalry raise your antenna?
With Vintage and American Canyon being in different leagues, there is still a separation factor but teams do not have to be in the same league to have a rivalry. It is also not out of the realm of possibility that American Canyon could be joining Vintage and Napa in the Monticello Empire League. Yours truly is already lobbying for such:
Both teams enter Friday’s game on a high note, having won their season opener. Vintage was a 36-2 winner over Bethel in Dylan Leach’s debut as Crushers head coach while American Canyon was a 41-8 winner over Woodland. However, given the quality of opponents, it’s hard to evaluate how good Vintage and American Canyon are at this point. I don’t mean that disparagingly but I doubt we’ll see Bethel and Woodland playing football on Thanksgiving weekend. However, you cannot control the opponent in front of you but to these teams’ credit, they took care of business and are 1-0.
This game is also an opportunity for both teams because the light will be on them. Think about about it, which other game in the Napa Valley is going to move the needle like this one? Napa, which whitewashed Casa Grande (Petaluma), plays a highly touted Rocklin team that narrowly lost to Grant (Sacramento) 21-20. The Indians are Ticket No. 1 in the Napa Valley but that game would move the needle at Memorial Stadium but not as much at Rocklin. Sure you’ll have interest but how many casual fans are going to fight the hot mess traffic on Interstate 80?
Justin-Siena hosts a highly-touted club at home, Sacred Heart (San Francisco). The Braves lost Brandon LaRocco’s debut as head coach, 48-14 to Piedmont. Sacred Heart defeated Terra Nova (Pacifica) 27-14. However, since Justin is a private school with students and alums outside of Napa, unless you are a Braves alum living in Napa, that game won’t move the needle.
St. Helena plays a Saturday afternoon game at Sir Francis Drake (San Anselmo). Since the Saints are a NCS Div. V, that game has ramifications because Drake is Div. IV. With a win, the Saints can boost their playoff seedings. Calistoga hosts Laytonville but not unless you are a Wildcats alum, does 8-man football raise your antenna? I am the last person that would disparage an Upvalley matchup since I spent over a decade covering St. Helena and Calistoga. I love both schools and both towns from here to the end of the Earth but St. Helena/Drake and Calistoga/Laytonville is kind of “meehhhh.”
American Canyon/Vintage, however, that game should pique your interest. Granted, until further notice, both teams are from good to very good but not elite. This game, however, intrigues me because it is a chance to see something new. In our world, people don’t like things that are new. This one though, bears watching.
Burgundy & Gold of Vintage vs. the Black & Gold of American Canyon. Where else would you rather be?
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