This is the fifth story in a series featuring nonleague schedules for
Napa Valley high school football teams. Today, the focus is the
St. Helena Saints:
The decade of the 2010s has been a fun time for St. Helena High football
fans.
fans.
Then the second half of 2016 and entire season of 2017 season happened.
After going 52-8 from 2011-2015, the Saints went 6-5 and 3-5 in each of
the following two seasons. The previous season, the Saints were 5-2 before
losing three of their last four. Last season, the Saints bounced back on some
level in going 7-5, beating Hoopa Valley 48-22 in the CIF North Coast
Section Div. V playoffs and along the way getting head coach Brandon
Farrell his 100th career victory.
After going 52-8 from 2011-2015, the Saints went 6-5 and 3-5 in each of
the following two seasons. The previous season, the Saints were 5-2 before
losing three of their last four. Last season, the Saints bounced back on some
level in going 7-5, beating Hoopa Valley 48-22 in the CIF North Coast
Section Div. V playoffs and along the way getting head coach Brandon
Farrell his 100th career victory.
Farrell enters his 12th season as the Saints head coach. There is a lot of
optimism entering this season and the next couple. Part of the shiny outlook
revolves around the backfield foursome of Luis Robledo, Ivan Robledo and
Cody DiTomaso at running back and Daniel Martinez at quarterback. Ivan
Robledo was called up from the JV team as a freshman and rushed for 439
yards on 48 carries and six touchdowns in two playoff games.
optimism entering this season and the next couple. Part of the shiny outlook
revolves around the backfield foursome of Luis Robledo, Ivan Robledo and
Cody DiTomaso at running back and Daniel Martinez at quarterback. Ivan
Robledo was called up from the JV team as a freshman and rushed for 439
yards on 48 carries and six touchdowns in two playoff games.
The other part of the optimism is rooted in the JV program going 18-2 the
previous two seasons under head coach Ian MacMillan, who was the Saints
varsity head coach from 2004-2006. MacMillan had multiple coaching stops
since that time before returning to St. Helena. While JV success comes with
no guarantees on the varsity level, in this case since Farrell’s program is a
proven commodity from the top on down, one would be inclined to think
that success is translatable.
previous two seasons under head coach Ian MacMillan, who was the Saints
varsity head coach from 2004-2006. MacMillan had multiple coaching stops
since that time before returning to St. Helena. While JV success comes with
no guarantees on the varsity level, in this case since Farrell’s program is a
proven commodity from the top on down, one would be inclined to think
that success is translatable.
In the North Central League I, Middletown has been the consistent contender
for multiple decades under Bill Foltmer with various other teams taking turns
challenging them. St. Helena has been that team throughout much of the 2010s.
The rest of the NCL I has become more competitively balanced as well. The
Saints figure to be one of the horses right in the midst of winning the race.
for multiple decades under Bill Foltmer with various other teams taking turns
challenging them. St. Helena has been that team throughout much of the 2010s.
The rest of the NCL I has become more competitively balanced as well. The
Saints figure to be one of the horses right in the midst of winning the race.
Before each high school football season, one of the most comical things to
listen to is fans, parents and even coaches talking about their team’s
strength of schedule or someone else’s lack of schedule strength.
Each time I hear such sentiments I ask myself, “OK, and what
exactly are you basing your statement on?” Is it last year’s record?
Is it based on how many starters a team has returning? Even though
an opponent is subpar now are you basing it on remembering them
as a powerhouse?
The formula used for breaking down the nonleague is looking at
last season’s record and the collective mark of the past five seasons.
In addition, what are that team’s trends within the five-year period?
Is that record skewed by one really good or bad season? The problem
with solely going by last season’s record is that one season does not
transfer to the next?
St. Helena has three nonleague games before embarking into NCL I
competition. The Saints nonleague foes went 20-14 in 2018 and have
compiled a 77-78 mark over the last five seasons. Here’s a closer look:
competition. The Saints nonleague foes went 20-14 in 2018 and have
compiled a 77-78 mark over the last five seasons. Here’s a closer look:
AUGUST 23
VS. ST. PATRICK’S (VALLEJO)
The Bruins have been very checkered the last five seasons in going
36-28. In a two-year stretch from 2016-2017, St. Pat’s went 24-5. In
2016, the Bruins went 13-3 and were crowned CIF State champions,
winning the 6-A Bowl Game. The 2018 version though was a distant
cousin of those aforementioned teams going 6-6. St. Helena and St.
Pat’s had numerous matchups as members of the disbanded Superior
California Athletic League from 1986-1999. The two teams met in
the 2014 NCS Div. V playoffs with St. Helena winning 3014.
36-28. In a two-year stretch from 2016-2017, St. Pat’s went 24-5. In
2016, the Bruins went 13-3 and were crowned CIF State champions,
winning the 6-A Bowl Game. The 2018 version though was a distant
cousin of those aforementioned teams going 6-6. St. Helena and St.
Pat’s had numerous matchups as members of the disbanded Superior
California Athletic League from 1986-1999. The two teams met in
the 2014 NCS Div. V playoffs with St. Helena winning 3014.
AUGUST 30
VS. SIR FRANCIS DRAKE (SAN ANSELMO)
Though it is a nonleague contest against what has been a below-average
club, this game carries importance for the Saints because they are Div.
VII and Drake is Div. V. If St. Helena wins, that would bolster its
postseason resume. The Pirates compete in the Marin County Athletic
League and have struggled mightily the last five years in going 12-37,
eight of those wins came in two seasons, each being 4-6 campaigns in
2015 and 2018. The two teams have played in each of the last four years
with the Saints going 4-0, winning by an average score of 38.5-16.0.
That average is skewed by last year’s 26-23 win.
club, this game carries importance for the Saints because they are Div.
VII and Drake is Div. V. If St. Helena wins, that would bolster its
postseason resume. The Pirates compete in the Marin County Athletic
League and have struggled mightily the last five years in going 12-37,
eight of those wins came in two seasons, each being 4-6 campaigns in
2015 and 2018. The two teams have played in each of the last four years
with the Saints going 4-0, winning by an average score of 38.5-16.0.
That average is skewed by last year’s 26-23 win.
SEPTEMBER 6
AT WINTERS
The Warriors are a Div. IV team that competes in the Sacramento Valley
League out of the Northern Section. Winters has gone 39-19 the previous
five years, including 10-2 last season. The two school have met four times
in that five year span with the Saints going 3-1 with wins in 2014 (33-20),
2015 (15-14) and 2016 (32-24). Winters defeated the Saints 49-21 last
season. The two teams were slated to meet in 2017 but that contest was
cancelled because of the California Wildfires.
League out of the Northern Section. Winters has gone 39-19 the previous
five years, including 10-2 last season. The two school have met four times
in that five year span with the Saints going 3-1 with wins in 2014 (33-20),
2015 (15-14) and 2016 (32-24). Winters defeated the Saints 49-21 last
season. The two teams were slated to meet in 2017 but that contest was
cancelled because of the California Wildfires.
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