Napa Valley high school football around the horn

Do you you ever have one of those high school football weekends where you don’t see a game but you still want to share thoughts with other?

This would be one of those weeks. I did not cover a high school football game due to a prior family commitment but I sneaked looks on my twitter feed in between sips of fermented grape juice and caught up on in-depth reports of the proceedings when I got home. All I can say is, from North to South in the Napa Valley, it was a very compelling Friday. Here is a closer look in alphabetical order:

American Canyon Wolves (1-3)

The Wolves needed Friday’s 42-29 win over the Wood (Vacaville) Wildcats like a dog needed a bone. Welcome the addition of Vintage transfer Eddie Byrdsong, who via CIF rule was not eligible to play until Friday. Byrdsong’s presence awakened American Canyon’s offense, which entered the game having scored 50 points (14 the previous two weeks), from its slumber.

Byrdsong’s sledgehammer running style gives the Wolves flexbone veer an ideal fit at dive-back while allowing Brenden Johnson and Kama Aalona to move in space, where they can use their speed. Byrdsong had 107 yards on 19 carries and two scores. Aalona added 105 yards on 11 carries. Johnson compiled 38 yards on seven carries with two touchdowns. Quarterback LaVar Seay connected on 8 of 10 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns, both to Robbin Brown.

The most impressive aspect was Asa Wondeh gouged the Wolves to start the game with a 93 yards kickoff return and a 55 yard run, both touchdowns, but the Wolves rebounded.

Looking ahead: The Wolves suddenly look like a team that can right the ship. Vanden and Benicia would be their most significant hurdles but there is not a remaining game the Wolves cannot win. Does that mean they run the table? No but each game is within reach. Offense has awoken. Defense and special teams need to follow suit.

Calistoga Wildcats (4-0)

If you are scoring at home, process this for a moment: 234-96. That is the total that Calistoga has outscored its foes, including its 50-40 win over Anderson Valley-Boonville. Granted, evaluating eight-man football is a different animal because the field dimensions are shorter but what the Wildcats have done to date is impressive in Year III of Mike Ervin Part II.  

This game had another twist, as in it became the Apple Cup, which in prior years was Anderson Valley and Mendocino. The latter, however, did not have enough players to field a team.

The Wildcats had three rushers surpass the 100 yard barrier: Flavio Fernandez, Jesus Mendoza and Jasiel Flores.

Looking ahead: With one hurdle having been cleared in Boonville, another one awaits. Calistoga hosts Rincon Valley Christian (Santa Rosa), which is 2-1 including a 35-0 win over Anderson Valley. RVC has been a thorn in Calistoga’s posterior region throughout the years. Sorry Coach Ervin, I had to steal your line.

Justin-Siena Braves (0-4)

If you are a Braves fan, there’s no complaints with how the defense played. You give up just 14 points, you should expect to win. The problem is, for all intents and purposes, Hercules defense pitched a shutout because the lone Justin touchdown was a 40-yard interception return from Ronald Caretti.

With that theft, Justin led 7-0 and for the most part held Hercules in check. The problem was, the Braves offense moved the ball well from time-to-time but any significant chances they had to score were stonewalled.  

Looking ahead: Though Justin remains winless, the next two weeks represent winnable opportunities against San Rafael and Novato. Like the Braves, both teams are 0-4. The rest of the slate thereafter with the exception of Drake is tough sledding.

Napa Indians (1-3)

Given the ruggedness of the nonleague schedule, I’m not surprised at the current record after Friday’s 14-13 loss to Nevada Union (Grass Valley). Defensively, Napa has played very well in yielding just 63 points in four contests, thus giving them a puncher’s chance to win every game. One of Nevada Union’s two touchdowns came via special teams.

The offense, however, has been another matter, scoring just 48 points in four contests but even that number is skewed because 28 came in a 28-13 win over Riordan (San Francisco).

Brandon Herter’s 3-yard scoring run cut the lead to 14-13 with two minutes remaining. Napa head coach Jesus Martinez opted for the two-point conversion and the lead rather than kicking the extra point to tie the game, which came up short.

Looking ahead: Stringent tests against Pleasant Valley (Chico) on Friday and against Monticello Empire League favorite Vacaville on Oct. 20 will make getting North of .500 a tough climb. The next question is the status of starting quarterback Caden Cortese, who left the contest with an injury.

St. Helena Saints (2-1)

One week removed from losing to Kelseyville in their North Central League I opener, the Saints started like a house of fire on the way to a 41-20 road win over the Cloverdale Eagles.

The Saints defense, which has been retooled under first-year defensive coordinator Steve Vargus, recorded seven quarterback sacks for the game and 12 tackles for loss in the first half. Casey Walker starred both on offense (18 carries, 168 yards, three touchdowns) and defense (two sacks).

The two teams had similar yardage totals, 344 for St. Helena and 314 for Cloverdale. The Saints, however, maximized their output better in averaging 8.4 yards per point compared to Cloverdale’s 15.7.

Looking ahead: Barring an unforeseen set of circumstances, the Saints should be 3-1 after playing St. Vincent (Petaluma) on Friday at home. The Mustangs are 1-3 and have been outscored by the opposition 115-37. The revealing tests come later against Middletown and much improved clubs like Lower Lake and Clear Lake.

Vintage Crushers (3-0)

If you are a Vintage Crusher fan, times are exciting. For the second time in as many weeks, the outcome of a game rested on a two-point conversion as Vintage defeated Woodcreek (Roseville) 22-21, rallying from a 21-0 deficit.

Quarterback Isaiah Garcia connected with Zach Geary for two touchdowns, the second of which capped a 75 yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown, making it 21-20 with 5.6 seconds left in the game. Rather than kick the extra point and tie the game, Vintage head coach Dylan Leach went for two and the win. Garcia rewarded that faith by scoring. Speaking of Leach, this quote is legendary:

“In those situations, we don’t go for the tie around here. I proved that to the team last year against Wood, when we won it at the last second on a two-point conversion. I just told the team, ‘That’s not my attitude, that’s not my environment, that’s not what I grew up knowing. I grew up in Crusher football where we go for two.’”

In many years of the recent past, this would have been a game where a 21-0 deficit becomes a 42-7 loss. I honestly don’t know the last time Vintage started 3-0 but I know it has not happened this century.

Looking ahead: The Crushers are buying what Leach is selling. The last time Vintage finished a season better than 6-4 was 2000, when they went 8-3 under then first-year head coach Les Franco. The Crushers close their nonleague slate at home against Lincoln (Stockton) Friday and at Vanden on Sept. 29.