Celebration worthy events often require regathering one’s focus in short order.
For the American Canyon High football team, that moment has arrived. If you are a Wolves’ fan, there are many reasons to feel good as the team enters its regular season road finale against the Benicia Panthers at Drolette Stadium on Friday.
For the sixth time in as many seasons, there will be a Solano County Athletic Conference banner hanging in the gym. The only question is, will it be sole possession or shared? Make no mistake, Wolves players and coaches want the former. Greed is often viewed as a dirty word in the English language but for American Canyon this time, greed is good. American Canyon ensured itself no worse than a tie for the SCAC title with Friday’s 27-20 over the Vanden Vikings. I have covered several Wolves football games the past three years but I’d have have to look long and hard to find a more jubilant bunch after a win.
The excitement was justified.
The Wolves are 5-3 overall, winners of five straight, and 3-0 in SCAC. Benicia and Vanden, whose overall marks are 6-2 and 4-4 respectively, are 2-1 in SCAC. With a win over American Canyon, Benicia can create a three-way tie for the league title. Vanden hosts winless Fairfield on Friday. The Wolves will learn of their CIF Sac Joaquin Section playoff fate on either Saturday or Sunday after the game at Benicia. American Canyon will most likely be in the D-III bracket.
This is a week the Wolves coaching staff and players would be best served taking a page out of the Gregg Popovich book. Popovich has coached the San Antonio Spurs to five NBA titles in his 19 seasons at the helm. Popovich, who is one of the best coaches in NBA history, frequently uses the term “appropriate fear” when his team is seemingly in a position of advantage. Don’t get the wrong idea, appropriate fear does not mean you are scared of your opponent. It simply means you are smart and respect your opponent along with realizing nothing will come easy.
If there ever was an example of how one cannot use the common opponent theory, it was last season. American Canyon boat-raced Benicia 63-21 as the game reached running clock status. The Wolves improved to 6-0 entering the following week against Vanden. The Vikings then knocked American Canyon off the ranks of the unbeaten with a 24-21 win. Vanden players celebrated as if they won the Super Bowl. Given the excitement of the moment, it’s hard to blame them. One week later, however, while American Canyon was taking care of business beating Bethel 55-21, Benicia -- yes, that same Panther team the Wolves railroaded -- beat Vanden 36-28 to forge a three-way tie atop the SCAC. Yes, that same Vanden team that beat the Wolves one week earlier.
As for the 2017 edition, Vanden blasted Benicia 52-7. Yes, that same Viking team the Wolves just beat. Based on the common opponent/A leads to B theory, the Wolves should beat Benicia 52 points. Do I believe that will happen? No. I just never resist throwing shade at Jabronis that actually apply that theory.
This game also holds historical significance because both teams are leaving the SJS for the North Coast Section but will also be in different leagues. To no surprise, American Canyon, Vanden and Benicia has been a compelling three-way rivalry in football along with several other sports.
I hope the teams continue to play each other as nonleague foes but that’s another discussion for another day.
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