“It’s always a good thing to be practicing on Thanksgiving.” That narrative is a consistent refrain for high school football coaches who are fortunate enough to see their teams play at such time of year. Here in Napa Valley, CA, American Canyon High head coach Larry Singer is preaching that tune.
For the second time in school history, the Wolves get the distinction of practicing on Thanksgiving as they prepare for their CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div-III semifinal matchup against the Christian Brothers (Sacramento) Falcons on Friday at 7 p.m. at Wolf Den Stadium. American Canyon reached this point of the postseason in 2012 only to lose 42-19 to Oakdale, which was the eventual SJS D-III champ.
From 1998-2014, I was a sports reporter for a living. I have since changed careers to become a route sales representative for Alhambra Water but I have not given up writing. I operate this online journal and help my former employer (Napa Valley Register) in Friday nights during football seasons. In the meantime, I have had a chance to cover many American Canyon games in that span. As the Wolves’ postseason game beacons, I thought about another thing -- this will be the eighth time I have covered a high school football game that coincided with Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekend.
Here’s a further look through the years but I guess that means I have been blessed with covering some very good teams:
1998-1999 Calistoga Wildcats: Calistoga reached the CIF North Coast Section Class B title game twice in as many seasons. The first of which was a 25-0 loss to the Tomales Braves in 1998. One week earlier, the Wildcats upset the St. Bernard (Eureka) Crusaders in the muck and mire of Humboldt County.
Despite the memorable 1998 campaign, the loss to Tomales left a sour taste in the Wildcats’ mouths as they returned 17 of 23 starters one year later. Calistoga went 9-2 in 1999 with the two defeats coming by a combined total of five points. In the title game against St. Bernard, Calistoga fell behind 18-8 at halftime before rallying for a 22-18 win.
2000 Justin-Siena Braves: Justin entered the season having left the SJS with the Superior California Athletic League having disbanded. The Braves joined the Marin County Athletic League, where they have been since 2000. Justin visited No. 1 seeded Kelseyville as the No. 5 seed.
I remember driving to Lake County and walking into the gate, Kelseyville fans were convinced Y2K was their season to win a NCS Class A title. The Braves, however, reached into their chest cavity and ripped their hearts out with a 34-21 win.
2001 Vallejo Apaches: They are known as the Vallejo Redhawks now thanks to political correctness but I digress. The 2001 season was Vallejo’s last sniff at greatness. The then Apaches went 9-1 in the regular season and scored their first postseason win since 2001 in defeating Atwater 16-14.
One week later, the ride would end with a 21-14 win over Lincoln (Stockton). That game proved to be the last high school football game in Vallejo quarterback DeMarcus Nelson’s career. Nelson committed to Duke University in May of his sophomore season on a basketball scholarship, therefore bypassing football for the remainder of his career at both Vallejo and Sheldon (Elk Grove), where he transferred after his junior season.
2002 Jesse Bethel Jaguars: From a Jaguar standpoint, there is very little about the SJS D-II 35-7 semifinal loss to Granite Bay to remember as far as the game is concerned.
What I do remember is marvelling at the journey of Bethel opening its doors in 1998-1999. I also remember the Jaguars amazing ascent from 2-8 in its first varsity season to 8-3-1 two years later and a Monticello Empire League II title. Though I don’t like emphasizing individuals over team, Dallas Bernstine is by far the best high school football player I covered on a week-to-week basis.
2012 and 2014 St. Helena Saints: With the exception of this year’s American Canyon team, my most vivid memories of high school football teams I covered were these Saints. I spent 10 years on the Upvalley beat and knew the likes of Charles Bertoli, Richard Hoppe, Alex Quirici, Joey Brink and Danny Brink, Gannon Laidlaw, Jack Preston, Robert Archer, Austin Cia and Mark Martin to name a few since youth sports. It was fun to watch them grow into stars in high school.
Hoppe is bar nine the best high school quarterback I covered on a week-to-week basis. He prepared and could read defenses better than any quarterback at the high school level I saw.
In 2012, the No. 6 seeded Saints upset the Salesian (Richmond) Pride 29-25 in the NCS D-IV quarterfinals despite Hoppe leaving the game with a mild concussion. One week later, Hoppe was a game-time decision against San Marin (Novato). The Saints lost 32-26 despite Hoppe’s two touchdown passes.
In 2014, St. Helena reached the NCS D-V title game only to lose 14-7. One week earlier, however, and two days after Thanksgiving, the Saints travelled to St. Bernard and pillaged the Crusaders 37-14. I have never seen a defense bufuddle an offense quite like the Saints, who spent the day rushing three defenders and dropping eight. St. Helena raced to a 24-0 lead with Archer’s 82-yard interception return being the knife to the throat.
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