Time Machine: St. Helena at Middletown football 2004

There are moments that you witness that take you aback. When you witness it in real time, it doesn’t matter if the process was pretty or clean. You simply remember it as a landmark moment for the program.

I have utmost respect and admiration for what St. Helena High football has achieved under current head coach Brandon Farrell from 2011-present, going 43-8 in that span. With a program on solid footing, there’s no reason to believe that success won’t continue. I’ll be sharing memories of those games in the coming years as more time passes.

The 2004 Saints are a team I will never forget, specifically their 21-18 win at Middletown on Oct. 29, 2004.

Setting the scene: St. Helena entered the game 6-1 with its only loss coming in Week 4 against Willits, 12-6. That Wolverines team was the eventual North Central League I champion and reached the CIF North Coast Section Class A title game before losing to Justin-Siena 28-0.

The Saints struggled in the previous four seasons before Ian MacMillan took over in 2004, going 12-29 from 2000-2003 under Kyle Schuh and Bryan Powell. The 2002-2003 teams had players that enjoyed enormous JV success, including a 9-1 season in 2000. Unfortunately, that success at the younger levels did not translate into varsity success.

In May 2004, Powell resigned and MacMillan took over two months later after going 38-12 in five years as Justin-Siena’s head coach including a 26-game winning streak. When MacMillan was hired, there was skepticism about his age (25 at the time) and coming from Justin. At that time, St. Helena and Justin still had elements of a rivalry because of their days in the now defunct Superior California Athletic League from 1986-2000.

MacMillan brought a young and dynamic coaching staff with him that included Mike McNamara and Chris Yepson. MacMillan also brought with him the Houston Split Back veer that Rich Cotruvo brought to Justin beginning in 1997 along with the 3-4 defense that he learned from Braves defensive coordinator Steve Vargus. In 2004, the Saints went 9-2 including a 21-18 win at Middletown.

That St. Helena team was very senior heavy and the next season the roster would turn over very heavily but was led by twins Luke and Eddie McMullen. I will always remember that duo because while they may not have been the most talented players they had great intangibles highlighted by their work ethic.

On paper, the 2004 Saints team might not have been as talented as the previous team but one had the feeling it would win more games because it had a coaching staff with a vision. Going into that season, most people felt St. Helena would go probably 6-4 but count me among several that did not see 9-1 coming.

The true test, however, would come against perennial powerhouse Middletown.

Thumbnail sketch of the game: Saints running back Robert Covey landed continued his record-setting setting by scoring his 20th touchdown with 3:47 left in the game to give St. Helena a 21-18 lead. That score capped off a 14-play, 72-yard drive. With that touchdown, Covey surpassed Tom Blanchfield’s single-season touchdown record, which stood since 1960.

After Covey’s go-ahead touchdown, Middletown drove to the St. Helena 32. On second and seven, Scott Dale and Alex Cortez combined to sack Mustangs’ quarterback Thomas Jackson, who subsequently threw two incomplete passes as Middletown turned the ball over on downs.

The Saints made their mark early in the contest as Carlo Trinchero’s 50-yard run on the team’s first offensive play set up Luke McMullen’s 13-yard touchdown run one play later. St. Helena’s offense, however, botched a couple scoring opportunities later in the contest, failing to score twice inside the Middletown 10.

St. Helena led 14-12 at halftime before the Mustangs took an 18-14 lead with 4:05 left in the third quarter.

Trinchero, who was moved from tight end to running back three games earlier, carried 22 times

for 113 yards.

What it meant: Going into the contest, very few, if any, gave the Saints a chance. Earlier in the season, Covey broke Blanchfield’s single-game record (266) for rushing yards and later broke the single season record. Both marks fell nine years later when Sebastian Segura surpassed both records.

Despite the landmark win, the Saints plateaued after the victory. St. Helena won its last two regular season games (18-14 at Fort Bragg; 20-13 at Kelseyville) but showed signs of vulnerability in both. St. Helena led 18-0 at Fort Bragg and 20-0 at Kelseyville, before holding on to win.

St. Helena entered the playoffs with a 9-1 record but lost 24-14 at John Swett to end the season. The Saints’ roster turned over drastically as 2004 was a senior dominated club. The Saints went 5-5 the following season and then went 7-4 to win the NCL I South title in 2006, the first league crown since the 1978 campaign. MacMillan resigned after 2006 and was replaced by Dave Collinsworth. The Saints went 2-8 in his lone season before landing current head coach Brandon Farrell. St. Helena has gone 57-22 in Farrell’s time as head coach, including 43-5 since 2011.

The two programs have also developed more chapters in this matchup since this game that will also be revisited on this blog.

As far as single moments go, the aforementioned 2004 game is hard to forget even more than a decade later.

Time Out with Nicole Bugna-Doyle (1991 Justin-Siena High graduate)

Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout your life?

Nicole Bugna-Doyle: What I enjoyed most about competing in sports was teamwork. That camaraderie you develop on a team is special. I also really enjoyed practice. That determination to get it right in order to win.  

D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?

Bugna-Doyle: After graduating Justin-Siena, I attended Santa Clara University, where I played club lacrosse. I received my BA in Communications & Television Production and started working in sound design and editing at Skywalker Sound working on feature films.

I moved to Los Angeles to continue working in post production on films and television shows with great people. I got married to John, who I met in college. Still wanting to be active, I started learning martial arts and then competitively kick boxed for a few years until I injured my knee. I stepped away from working in television and film when I became pregnant with twins and had a very rough pregnancy where I almost lost my boys. They arrived early and had a lengthy NICU stay. That sort of experience and stress definitely changes you. I currently work part time for Graham's Foundation which provides support and resources for parents of preemies and micro preemie babies (born 28 weeks or earlier) and live in LA with my husband, John, sons Thomas and Colin and our crazy dog, Murdock.  

D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Justin-Siena High?

Bugna-Doyle: I really enjoyed Sister Maria's English class and have an appreciation of Geoffrey Chaucer's works because of her. Also, Marshall Folletta's History class was great.  He had a great way of engaging everyone in class discussion.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Justin-Siena High?

Bugna-Doyle: It is kind of difficult to pick one. I played both volleyball and basketball all four years at Justin. I am so appreciative for the experiences I had and lessons I learned. A memorable experience was flying to Hawaii to play Punahou High School (we won).  Sightseeing with the team was fun too.

D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?

Bugna-Doyle: Athletics have been apart of my life since grammar school. The discipline, drive and hard work I learned from it has stayed with me. I also think learning sportsmanship has helped me deal when things did not go my way - how to learn from the loss and stay even keel about things. I am definitely not perfect at it but I try.  

D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?

Bugna-Doyle: My mom has been the most influential person in my life and my biggest cheerleader.  

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet.

Bugna-Doyle: When I was in grammar school, I wanted to play basketball because of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and do a hook shot like him. I still think he is one the greatest to ever play the game. Would love to meet him and thank him for the influence.  

Time Out with Kyle Hofmann (Vintage High football head coach)

Vince D’Adamo: What is the No. 1 thing that keeps you coming back to coaching every season?

Kyle Hofmann: It’s the relationship with the extraordinary young men and coaches in our program that drives me everyday. I truly look forward to the opportunity to be with them something like 300 out of 365 days a year.  It is such a blessing to witness their accomplishments everyday on and off the field. I demand so much of their time and energy and they respond with a positive attitude. They make so many sacrifices to contribute to what we are building here at Vintage High School and it doesn't go unnoticed by me. They motivate and increase my desire to be great everyday through their actions.

D’Adamo: Beyond wins and losses, what is your vision for the Vintage High football program?

Hofmann:  My vision for the Vintage football program is for it to be a catalyst to breed success for these young men in their lives throughout high school and beyond. I can’t wait to see them in the years to come graduating from college or trade schools, getting married, being great husbands and fathers, and eventually being positive role models in our community.

D’Adamo: Besides the Xs and Os of coaching, how important is it to be able to relate to kids?

Hofmann: I think it’s extremely important. X's and O's can only take you so far. It’s investing in these young men's lives on and off the field that ultimately means the most. As I'm getting older and hopefully wiser I can feel my role transitioning from more of an "older brother" to somewhat a father figure in the lives of those that are needing it. Getting to know each individual player as much as possible and being able to communicate with them is huge is determining what each one needs.

D’Adamo: Within your family who have been the most influential people?

Hofmann: My parents were hands down the most influential members of my family. They never accepted anything other than my best from me. They both led my brother and I by example in everything. They are both extremely intelligent and combine that with relentless hard work.

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet.

Hofmann: I think it would be Nick Saban, the head football coach at Alabama. I just wish I could totally immerse myself in his life for like a year. He finds a way to be the best leader of an football organization while not compromising his family time or values.

Time Out with Randy Keen (2012 Napa High graduate)

Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout your life?

Randy Keen: What I enjoy most about competing in athletics is the constant need to better myself. I always want to be the best and perform the best for my team. Competing in athletics holds you accountable in the fact that if you don't fully prepare, you will fail and that is a very important life lesson.

D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?

Keen: Since graduating from Napa High School in 2012, I attended Napa Valley College for two years where I played baseball for the Storm and received an Associates degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences. After my sophomore season of baseball I was selected to both the All-Conference and All-Northern California baseball teams for my play that season. After my two years at the JC I received a scholarship to continue both my education and baseball career at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri. I have completed my junior year and I will beginning my senior year shortly. I am majoring in Kinesiology.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Napa High?

Keen: My favorite class at Napa High would have to be weight room because I learned how to lift and how to push myself with the help of my coaches. Although it wasn't an "educational class" I believe I learned how to keep myself healthier when my athletic career is over.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Napa High?

Keen: This is a tough one because baseball is my first love, but beating our cross-town rival, Vintage, in Big Game Football my senior year is probably my favorite Athletic moment at Napa High.

D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?

Keen: I believe I have grown exponentially since graduating high school. I now live 2,000 miles away from my family with only my girlfriend, Roni, and my dog, Kalel. We are both working, attending school, and learning to be independent on our own. I attribute most of this growth to  athletics because like I said in the first question if you do not fully prepare for what life has in store for you, you will surely fail. Athletics have taught me that you must give everything in life your full effort and go above and beyond to be successful and happy.

D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?

Keen: I would say the most influential people within my family would be my parents, my girlfriend, and my girlfriends mother. My parents, Glenn Keen, Tina Payne, and Joe Payne, pushed me to be my best and supported me through all of my decisions. They let me fail in order to learn, but they also helped me through my mistakes. My girlfriend, Roni, is a very influential person in my life because she has supported me for the past five years. She dropped everything and moved with me away from her family and friends to help support me on this amazing adventure we share together 2000 miles away from home. I wouldn't be able to do it without her. Also Roni's mother, Sue, is a very influential person in my life because she has been through hell and back and continues to be a loving, supporting, stubborn, mother to anyone and everyone who needs one.

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet.

Keen: Jackie Robinson. This man had to play baseball at the highest level with the highest amount of pressure imaginable and succeed when everyone around him expected him to fail. He stayed composed and strong through it all and changed the game of baseball forever. I struggle with my composure now and then when I am on the baseball field and I am under no where near the pressure he was, so I would like to ask him how he was able to do it and what drove him to be so successful.

Time Machine: Running scout team as a media member, it was fun

Sometimes you have to share things that you never had a chance to write about in print. Well, I’m about to share took place before I had a Facebook account. I was going to write a column about it but I relented because I felt it was too personal and would have overshadowed the success that St. Helena High fall sports teams were experiencing at the time. However, I can share it guilt free since I have left the newspaper industry as a career. However, I still contribute to my former employer as a freelance writer and as a blogger.

It was the first week of October 2006 as I was covering the Upper Napa Valley sports beat, specifically St. Helena and Calistoga for the St. Helena Star and Weekly Calistogan. The beat also involved coverage for the Napa Valley Register, our parent publication.

During football season, the Register runs football preview capsules on each of the games as well as a feature story involving one of the schools. The latter was done on a rotating basis. To that end, it was St. Helena’s week so I chose a feature on Saints’ running back David Fanucci. Ian MacMillan, who was St. Helena’s head coach from 2004-2006, brought Fanucci up to varsity as a sophomore and by the time he was a senior morphed into a 1,000 yard rusher along with backfield mate John Hudson. That season, the Saints won the North Central League I South championship for their first league crown since 1978.

St. Helena was 2-2 entering its game at Lower Lake on the heels of consecutive losses (32-28 to Fort Bragg and 15-13 to Willits). The Saints were also limping on the injury front as the team was down to just 16 players entering its aforementioned road game at Lower Lake. At the time, the Saints coaching staff was mostly made up of guys in their 20s that would be part of the scout team.

One day leading up to the game, it had rained in St. Helena so MacMillan had moved practice inside the gym so as not to further risk more injuries. So, I stopped by practice to interview both MacMillan and Fanucci. The former looks over in my direction and asks with a sly grin on his face, “Vince, are you doing anything right now?” I responded with, “You need me to run scout team?” So he nods his head and the kids were egging me on to do it. So, I took the plunge.

I played football and ran track in high school school but, at the time, I was 34 years old. I was active in pilates at the time but cardiovascularly I was not in the best shape. Luckily, this was not a practice involving pads.

So I played the role of Lower Lake wide receiver Kevin Freeman. On running plays, I came off the line of scrimmage aggressively to make downfield blocks. On passing plays, I ran routes without tipping off what they were. There were a few times where I reached down low to catch passes, rolling on the gym floor in the process. The big moment came when I was lined up against Dre Gomes. I ran a post-corner route, Gomes bit hard on the post and I beat him to the corner. Sorry, Dre.

I proceeded to playfully talk smack to the kids and say, “You better get someone to cover me, Dawg! You got an old man beating you downfield!” It produced a good sense of levity. So I tell MacMillan, “Hey coach, I only used up three years of eligibility in high school, you got another jersey?”

Suffice it to say, my legs were sore for about a week but it was a fun experience and I feel like it brought out a different element of the relationship I had with the kids and coaches.

The Saints went on to beat Lower Lake 34-7 that week and I’m pretty certain that I had more receptions and yards that day in practice than Freeman had in the game.

When I became a cynic about preseason strength of schedules

Isn’t strange how sometimes we can remember how our beliefs on certain subjects changed? When a team’s schedule, most specifically NFL and to a lesser extend college football, is released before the season, you hear fans and media alike talking about what team’s schedule is easy or difficult.

I was at a recent birthday party for a classmate of two of my kids. I went to school with the birthday boy’s father and our families have known each other since Moby Dick was a minnow. OK, I’m not that old but you get the idea. Anyhow, I was talking to a fellow who is an Oakland Raiders’ fan. The Raiders were once a proud franchise that has fallen into the abyss. Since reaching the Super Bowl in 2002, the Raiders have lost at least 10 games in 10 of their last 12 seasons. Oakland had consecutive 8-8 seasons in 2010 and 2011.

If you are scoring at home, based on 2014 regular season records, the Pittsburgh Steelers have the most difficult schedule in 2015 while the Atlanta Falcons have the easiest. The Raiders, meanwhile have the seventh most difficult slate based on 2014 records.

However, it got me thinking, do preseason schedule rankings really have any correlation on translating success for the ensuing season? Who knows. It can work or not work both ways.

I can, however, tell you when I first became a cynic of that argument was 1999, which was my first season covering the Raiders for Silver & Black Illustrated. First, to set the scene, the Raiders went 8-8 in 1998, which was Jon Gruden’s first season. Oakland was slated to play road games at Green Bay and Minnesota to start the season.

In 1998, Green Bay went 11-5 before losing 30-27 to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Game. That game was one of the most exciting postseason games of all time. Minnesota went 15-1 in 1998 only to lose in the NFC Title Game 30-27 in overtime to the Atlanta Falcons.

That said, I remember going into training camp in 1999, the running conversation of fans and media was to the effect of, “my goodness, the Raiders will start 0-2,” or “if the Raiders can somehow go 1-1.”

Here’s what happened, Green Bay rallied to beat the Raiders 28-24 as future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Brett Favre engineered one of his 45 game-winning drives in his career. Favre connected with tight end Jeff Thomason for a 1-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds remaining.

One week later, the Raiders went to Minnesota and beat the Vikings 22-17.

So let’s fast forward how the 1999 season played out not only during these two weeks but throughout the season. Oakland and Green Bay each went 8-8. Minnesota went 10-6. So based on the outcome of the season for those teams and the outcome of the games, there’s no reason the Raiders shouldn’t have gone 1-1, even 2-0.

All I’m saying is that strength of schedule best takes into account what happened last year, not what will happen this year. Translation, what “was” is not always what “is.”

Time Out with Lee Erby (Vintage High 1999 graduate)

Vince D'Adamo:  What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout your life?

Lee Erby: I really enjoyed the camaraderie that sports provides. In the moment it’s hard to understand the impact sports will have on your personal life, but it is blatantly apparent when you list your friends years later. I can thank competitive sports for some of the most impactful friendships I have today. Even for those teammates that I may not keep in contact with on a continuous basis, the moment I see them it’s like we’ve talked every day. I’ve truly been blessed to have been able to be a part of a sport that allowed for these relationships.

D'Adamo:  What have you been doing since graduating from high school?

Erby: Since high school I’ve been focused on achieving personal/professional goals:

1.    Played basketball at CSU-California Maritime Academy and received a B.S. in International Business & Logistics

2.    Began working at Merrill Lynch as Financial Advisor (2007) and am now in a management role (Regional Sales Manager) overseeing 62 Financial Advisor across the East Bay and Nevada.

3.    Received my MBA from Saint Mary’s College of California in 2011

4.    Became an uncle to a future NBA (Kaidyn 2 years old) and WNBA (Makayla 1 year old) First Round pick.

5.    I’ve been searching for my future wife (kidding)! 

D'Adamo: What was your favorite class at Vintage High?

Erby: Governmet/Economics

D'Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Vintage High?

Erby: I enjoyed all three years I participated on the Varsity team, in particular the time with my teammates/coaches (conditioning, practicing, and games). My favorite moment doesn’t surround a personal event for me just rather the time I got to spend with my teammates/coaches. I was fortunate to play with a great group of guys.

D'Adamo:  How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?

Erby: I feel that I’ve grown tremendously since high school and I believe a large portion of that came from the life lessons I learned from my coaches (Russ Critchfield and Mike Flohr). With athletics you have to learn how to deal with both victory and defeat. You also learn that hard work will make you successful if you’re willing to stay committed to something. I’d also attribute my faith, family, and friends as key reasons for my growth.

D'Adamo:   Within your family, who have been the most influential people?

Erby: I’ve been fortunate to have the support of my entire family.  I have loving parents, caring step parents, exceptional younger siblings, and a extended family that’s always been there for me.  I’m truly blessed.

D'Adamo:  Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet.

Erby:  I’d most like to meet both of my grandfathers.  Unfortunately, they both passed away before I was born; I’d be curious to be able to hear their stories and learn from their life experiences.