Like most people, I’m trying to wrap my head around the idea of the end of the regular
season for high school football approaching but that’s where the schedule sits.
season for high school football approaching but that’s where the schedule sits.
Week 8 in Napa Valley high school football featured just one winner among the six teams.
In an all-local matchup, the Vintage Crushers blasted the Justin-Siena Braves 48-6. The
Casa Grande Gauchos kept the Napa Grizzlies winless with a 41-27 defeat. The Fort Bragg
Timberwolves upended the St. Helena Saints 30-14 while the Tomales Braves hammered
the Calistoga Wildcats 48-6. The American Canyon Wolves had a bye and visit Casa Grande
on Friday.
In an all-local matchup, the Vintage Crushers blasted the Justin-Siena Braves 48-6. The
Casa Grande Gauchos kept the Napa Grizzlies winless with a 41-27 defeat. The Fort Bragg
Timberwolves upended the St. Helena Saints 30-14 while the Tomales Braves hammered
the Calistoga Wildcats 48-6. The American Canyon Wolves had a bye and visit Casa Grande
on Friday.
Here’s a closer look:
Vintage/Justin-Siena
Looking back: This game was billed as “The Battle of Trower Avenue” but it was anything
but a battle. Vintage imposed its will early and often as it totalled 335 yards rushing,
averaging 14.0 yards per carry. Viliami Schaumkel (four carries, 113 yards, two touchdowns)
and Pedja Zivkovic (five carries 92 yards, two touchdowns) led the assault. Defensively, the
Crushers limited Justin to 108 yards on the ground and put Braves quarterback Barrett
Donohoe (17 of 26 for 152 yards) under duress. Vintage has shown a penchant for being
able to methodically drive down the field but on this night, no scoring drive took more than
six plays.
but a battle. Vintage imposed its will early and often as it totalled 335 yards rushing,
averaging 14.0 yards per carry. Viliami Schaumkel (four carries, 113 yards, two touchdowns)
and Pedja Zivkovic (five carries 92 yards, two touchdowns) led the assault. Defensively, the
Crushers limited Justin to 108 yards on the ground and put Braves quarterback Barrett
Donohoe (17 of 26 for 152 yards) under duress. Vintage has shown a penchant for being
able to methodically drive down the field but on this night, no scoring drive took more than
six plays.
Looking ahead: The Crushers have won six straight since starting 0-2. Vintage is now 6-2
overall and 4-0 in Vine Valley Athletic League. Vintage is ranked No. 25 in both
Prep2prep.com and maxpreps.com polls. The Crushers host Sonoma (3-6 overall, 2-3 VVAL),
which lost to Petaluma 30-12. Vintage will play a Sonoma team whose defense has been its
strength, allowing an average of 20.2 points per game but its offense has been inept, scoring
9.3 per contest. The Crushers figure to be a heavy favorite in this one. Justin (4-5 overall,
1-4 VVAL) has a bye next week and finishes the regular season with a trip to American
Canyon, which is coming off a well-timed bye after a 27-14 loss to Vintage.
overall and 4-0 in Vine Valley Athletic League. Vintage is ranked No. 25 in both
Prep2prep.com and maxpreps.com polls. The Crushers host Sonoma (3-6 overall, 2-3 VVAL),
which lost to Petaluma 30-12. Vintage will play a Sonoma team whose defense has been its
strength, allowing an average of 20.2 points per game but its offense has been inept, scoring
9.3 per contest. The Crushers figure to be a heavy favorite in this one. Justin (4-5 overall,
1-4 VVAL) has a bye next week and finishes the regular season with a trip to American
Canyon, which is coming off a well-timed bye after a 27-14 loss to Vintage.
Napa
Looking back: For the second time in as many weeks, the Grizzlies started fast only to
fizzle. Napa bolted to a 13-0 lead but was outscored 41-14 the rest of the way. One week
earlier, the Grizzlies built a 19-0 lead only to lose to Justin 36-32. The game was tied 13-13
at halftime but Casa Grande scored two mid-third quarter touchdowns to assume control.
fizzle. Napa bolted to a 13-0 lead but was outscored 41-14 the rest of the way. One week
earlier, the Grizzlies built a 19-0 lead only to lose to Justin 36-32. The game was tied 13-13
at halftime but Casa Grande scored two mid-third quarter touchdowns to assume control.
Looking ahead: What has been a historically bad season for Napa ends in two weeks and
finding a victory is going to be an uphill climb for a Grizzlies team that is 0-8. The last time
Napa struggled to this magnitude was 1992, when it went 1-9. The Grizzlies visit Petaluma
(5-3 overall, 2-2 VVAL) and take on aforementioned league-leading Vintage.
finding a victory is going to be an uphill climb for a Grizzlies team that is 0-8. The last time
Napa struggled to this magnitude was 1992, when it went 1-9. The Grizzlies visit Petaluma
(5-3 overall, 2-2 VVAL) and take on aforementioned league-leading Vintage.
St. Helena
Looking back: The night started in promising fashion for the Saints as linebacker George
Cutting recovered a fumble on the Fort Bragg 27-yard line on the game’s opening series.
St. Helena drove to the Timberwolves’ 2 before quarterback Daniel Martinez threw on
interception. The Saints, however, rebounded from that wasted opportunity to take a 14-6
halftime lead but Fort Bragg outscored the Saints 24-0 in the second half thanks to four St.
Helena turnovers after intermission. Four turnovers in a half are hard to overcome for any
team but especially a mid-level one.
Cutting recovered a fumble on the Fort Bragg 27-yard line on the game’s opening series.
St. Helena drove to the Timberwolves’ 2 before quarterback Daniel Martinez threw on
interception. The Saints, however, rebounded from that wasted opportunity to take a 14-6
halftime lead but Fort Bragg outscored the Saints 24-0 in the second half thanks to four St.
Helena turnovers after intermission. Four turnovers in a half are hard to overcome for any
team but especially a mid-level one.
Looking ahead: The Saints fall to 4-4 overall, 2-3 in North Central League I and have lost
four of their last six since starting the season 2-0. St. Helena is vying for a CIF North Coast
Section Div. V playoff spot and seeking the 100th career victory for head coach Brandon
Farrell. The possibility for the latter will be a tall order next week as the Saints visit
Cloverdale (6-2 overall, 4-1 NCL I). The Eagles beat Clear Lake 41-27. St. Helena finishes
the regular season with a home game against last place Lower Lake.
four of their last six since starting the season 2-0. St. Helena is vying for a CIF North Coast
Section Div. V playoff spot and seeking the 100th career victory for head coach Brandon
Farrell. The possibility for the latter will be a tall order next week as the Saints visit
Cloverdale (6-2 overall, 4-1 NCL I). The Eagles beat Clear Lake 41-27. St. Helena finishes
the regular season with a home game against last place Lower Lake.
Calistoga
Looking back: For the second time in as many weeks, Calistoga was handed a decisive
loss. The wildcats especially had no answer for Tomales quarterback Brady Woodward,
who rushed for 108 yards on 20 carries. He capped off the opening drive with a 1-yard
touchdown run and it was curtains for Calistoga. The ensuing drive lasted just two plays
after a Calistoga touchdown led to another Tomales score. The Braves outgained
injury-ravaged Calistoga 248-39 in total yards. Tomales scored on all but one drive, its last
when running out the clock.
loss. The wildcats especially had no answer for Tomales quarterback Brady Woodward,
who rushed for 108 yards on 20 carries. He capped off the opening drive with a 1-yard
touchdown run and it was curtains for Calistoga. The ensuing drive lasted just two plays
after a Calistoga touchdown led to another Tomales score. The Braves outgained
injury-ravaged Calistoga 248-39 in total yards. Tomales scored on all but one drive, its last
when running out the clock.
Looking ahead: The season that looked so promising has taken a turn for the worse as
the Wildcats fall to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in NCL III. In its first five games, Calistoga outscored
its foes 151-72 during a 4-1 start. In their last two games, both loss, the Wildcats have been
outscored 82-24, one of the two coming against the co-leader of the NCL III, Branson). The
road gets no easier when Calistoga hosts Stuart Hall (San Francisco), which is tied with
Branson atop the league. The Wildcats finish the season at winless Roseland Prep (Santa
Rosa).
the Wildcats fall to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in NCL III. In its first five games, Calistoga outscored
its foes 151-72 during a 4-1 start. In their last two games, both loss, the Wildcats have been
outscored 82-24, one of the two coming against the co-leader of the NCL III, Branson). The
road gets no easier when Calistoga hosts Stuart Hall (San Francisco), which is tied with
Branson atop the league. The Wildcats finish the season at winless Roseland Prep (Santa
Rosa).
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