Sometimes a change in plan is a good thing even if it involves a more difficult path.
At a recent Solano County Athletic Conference league meeting, officials and administrators agreed to have American Canyon and Vanden High Schools play each other on Friday, Oct. 27, rather than their regularly scheduled games against Fairfield and Vallejo respectively.
The American Canyon Wolves and Vanden Vikings were slated to play each other in a highly anticipated SCAC showdown on Oct. 13. Mother Nature, however, had other plans with wildfires raging throughout the North Bay destroying numerous structures and producing unsafe air quality. As a result several games throughout the the region were cancelled. Various other games around Northern California, however, were cancelled on Oct. 20.
Vallejo Times Herald sports editor Matt O’Donnell wrote a column suggesting that the league forgo the regularly scheduled matchups involving American Canyon and Fairfield along with Vanden and Vallejo. O’Donnell’s column ran prior to the meeting. I can’t quantify if the league’s decision was based on what he wrote but I’ve got to think O’Donnell making his opinion known in the public domain opened some people’s eyes.
One solution would have been to make up the cancelled games, which would have lengthened the regular season and subsequently postseason. The problem is that the fires only affected certain areas because the ones unaffected still played their games. Since football only plays a game once per week, recovery time is a greater emphasis than other sports because of the physical nature. I would have been in favor of making up the cancelled games and shortening the playoff field. At most every level of sport, playoff formats are more watered down than a flat Budweiser.
From a personal and professional standpoint, I’m glad the league made this decision. For openers, there would have been nothing compelling about an American Canyon-Fairfield or Vanden-Vallejo matchup. While I mean no disrespect to Fairfield or Vallejo, those teams are a combined 3-10 overall and have mostly been God awful the past decade while American Canyon and Vanden are a composite 8-6 and have been perennial contenders.
Translation, American Canyon and Vanden likely would have railroaded Fairfield and Vallejo respectively. Sure, I could drum up a scenario like what happened in 2012 but I could also tell you that I’m a psychologist in Romania. To refresh your memory, Vallejo finished 3-7 overall and 3-2 in SCAC but in consecutive weeks beat American Canyon (33-28) and Benicia (28-19). That season, Benicia went 8-4 overall and 3-2 in SCAC and along the way defeated Patteson in the CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div. III playoffs 27-24. American Canyon went 11-2 overall and won sole possession of the SCAC, reaching the semifinals of the SJS Div. III playoffs before losing Oakdale, which reached the State title game.
The narrative before the 2017 campaign was that the SCAC title was going to be a battle between American Canyon, Vanden and Benicia. The reason would have been considered well-founded because one of those team’s has won the SCAC title since 2012, either sole possession or shared. The last time someone else won the SCAC title was 2011 with the Bethel Jaguars taking the crown.
After last night’s proceedings, both American Canyon and Vanden are 2-0 and tied for first atop the SCAC. American Canyon defeated Bethel 41-12 while Vanden boatraced Benicia 52-7.
American Canyon finishes the regular season at Benicia (1-1 in SCAC) on Nov. 4. The biggest reason I like the decision for the change is that with all three teams playing each other, it takes “what if” or “yeah but” out of the equation.
Vanden and American Canyon enter this contest 3-4 and 4-3 overall respectively.
Vanden’s nonleague foes have a combined record of 31-7 with a calpreps.com ranking average of 34.1. American Canyon’s nonleague opposition has a combined record of 28-10 with a calpreps.com ranking average of 20.24. The two teams have one common opponent: Vintage. Vanden handed Vintage its only loss of 2017, 14-0. Vintage defeated American Canyon 28-14. By that logic, Vanden should win this game 42-14. It always works out that way, right? Except the game has to play on the field. Sorry, I never resist the chance to throw shade at those who say, “Team A beat Team B by 17 while Team B only beat Team C by 14. Therefore Team A should beat Team C by 31.”
American Canyon is seeking its sixth SCAC title (solo or shared) in as many seasons before heading to the CIF North Coast Section. The interesting subplot to this game was that last season’s matchup at Vanden featured a Wolves team that was 6-0 and was outscoring teams 328-118, an average of 54.7-19.7. Vanden knocked the Wolves off the ranks of the unbeaten 24-21.
Given the fact that the Wolves were already humbled by starting 0-3, this game had their attention the moment they walked off Corbus Field on Friday. By no means am I suggesting the Wolves were overconfident last season but let’s also be honest, when a team goes 6-0 and wins decisively, it’s human nature to believe your own hype regardless of how much the coaches say all the right things.
Also, while the Wolves have won four straight after an 0-3, they have made enough mistakes that will prove costly against a better team. American Canyon, from coaches to players, know there are no more mulligans.
We should be thrilled we are getting the Vanden-American Canyon showdown after all.
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