Time machine: 2000 high school football playoffs: Justin-Siena at Kelseyville

Sometimes you remember a team and community being convinced that a particular season was their time to win a championship, only to have their hearts broken.

In 2000, I made a one and a half hour drive to Kelseyville, CA, (Northern California community with population of about 3,000) two days after Thanksgiving. The No. 5 seeded Justin-Siena High football team was in its first season competing in the CIF North Coast Section after moving from the Sac Joaquin Section. The Kelseyville Indians entered the NCS Class A semifinals as the No. 1 seed.

The Braves, however, stunned Kelseyville 34-21 and one week later completed their journey by beating Ferndale 16-14 for the NCS Class A title, marking their first Section crown in football since 1983.

Setting the stage: Kelseyville finished the season with an 8-2 record and as North Central League I champions. The Indians defeated St. Vincent (Petaluma) 31-0 one week earlier. Kelseyville appeared to have a well-balanced team poised to win its first section title since winning the NCS Class B crown in 1982. The Indians came into the game with a stout defense and a balanced offense led by running back Nate Kinsey and quarterback Brian Hanson.

Justin’s season had peaks and valleys. The season started with a 40-9 win over St. Helena but it was a costly one in losing starting quarterback Steve Andres, who also starred on the baseball team, with a broken femur. The Braves turned to Mike McNamara to run the Houston split-back veer.

Rich Cotruvo was in his fourth season as Justin’s head coach. He had an accomplished head coaching career at Monte Vista (Danville) before coming to Justin shortly before the 1997 season. From 1997-1999, the Braves went 14-17 with one postseason appearance. Through the program was not what most people know it as now, one could tell that a new era had dawned at Justin. Before 2000, Cotruvo strengthened his coaching staff by adding Steve Vargus, Steve Hatton and Jim Costan. All three joined the Braves staff after resigning (or getting pushed out, depending on who one believes) from Vintage High.

That season would also be the dawning of a new era because the Braves would be changing sections. The Superior California Athletic League disbanded and Justin would join the Marin County Athletic League. The MCAL consists of schools twice Justin’s size in enrollment.

Despite Andres’ injury, the Braves were 5-1 but sustained three consecutive losses to drop to 5-4. Justin earned a playoff spot one week later with a 38-0 win at Tamalpais and defeated John Swett 28-7 in the first-round of the NCS Class A playoffs.

Thumbnail sketch of the game: Though high school football in California is a 48 minute game, the complexion of the contest turned early in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 21-21. Kelseyville had fourth-and-goal at the 1. The Indians balked at a field goal attempt. Kinsey tried to run through the middle but Braves’ linebacker Chris Hay stopped Kinsey in his tracks and the Braves took over on downs. Two plays later, Steve English ran around the right side thanks to blocks from Ron Duvall and Isaac Herrera and went 96-yards to paydirt to give Justin a 28-21 lead.

The Braves iced the game with 4:38 remaining when Duvall picked off a Hanson pass that George Tracy tipped at the line of scrimmage. Duvall went 48-yards to paydirt on the Pick Six as a stunned silence beckoned the home Kelseyville crowd.

Justin took the game’s opening drive seven plays for 72 yards capped by McNamara’s 2-yard run. Kelseyville answered with a workman-like 75-yard drive on 14 plays that culminated with Kinsey’s 12-yard run. The Braves took just three plays to answer that score as Ryan Harrison took the ball on a reverse and threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to English, making it 14-6 Justin. The Braves’ offense, however, had three straight possessions with nary a first down.

Kelseyville tied the game at 14-apiece with 7:14 left in the second quarter on Kinsey’s 1-yard touchdown run. Hanson followed by connecting with tight end James Nelson for the two-point conversion. The Indians took a 21-14 lead with 2:49 left in the first half on Kinsey’s 3-yard yard before Justin tied the contest at 21-21 late in the third quarter as McNamara connected with Harrison on a 55-yard catch and run.

What it meant: Though the win over Ferndale one week later was the final step on the journey of winning what was the first of six section titles the program has won under Cotruvo, the road win over Kelseyville was a watershed moment for Justin.

This game has also changed the course for both programs. At the time, it was Kelseyville that had the postseason pedigree while the Braves were still in the process of establishing one. While Justin has gone on to experience annual postseason success, Kelseyville has yet to win a playoff game and has only made the postseason four times since 2000.

Time Out with Sophie Bunge (St. Helena High 2016 senior)

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

Sophie Bunge: I have enjoyed the relationships I have formed with people through athletics, forming friendships and crossing paths with people I never would have otherwise.

D’Adamo: What are your plans after high school?

Bunge: After high school, I am applying to many four year universities.

D’Adamo: What might you choose as a major? What intrigues you about going that direction?

Bunge: For majors, I am thinking under a business major with a specialization in either marketing or international business. I have always been interested in jobs that will allow for creativity, but that also have stability and allow me to utilize important leadership skills.

D’Adamo: What has been your favorite class here at St. Helena High?

Bunge: I have really enjoyed AP Psychology this year, as the brain and how it works is really interesting to me, and I like applying the knowledge I learn in the class to the outside world.

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

Bunge: I would say both my parents, my mother and father have been influential to me.

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

Bunge: I would like to meet Claude Monet, as I loved his art and would love to see his garden.

Do yourself a favor -- stay home on Thanksgiving night

Sometime’s it is easy how the simple solution can elude us.

With Thanksgiving just two days away, let’s talk turkey about Black Friday -- or Black Thursday since in 2011 the shopping day for some retail outlets now begins at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Night. For most years, it was common for retail outlets to open at 6 a.m. but in the 2000s the time crept into 4 a.m. Black Friday is commonly known as the biggest shopping day of the holiday season.

The general mood in the media is that Black Thursday is a terrible idea because retail workers should be able to spend the holidays home with their families (and potential shoppers should be home eating with their loved ones instead of out buying stuff). Black Thursday is already getting ugly where workers at stores like Walmart and Target have threatened to strike in past years. There have also been numerous petitions to stop the madness, particularly on social media.

While I am fortunate to have a job now that does not involve working weekends, nights or holidays, I can empathize for the workers. I am definitely of the mind that other than say police, firefighters, paramedics, and hospital employees are among the few that should have to work on a holiday. I can probably think of others but retail workers are not one of them.

One argument I have heard is that the employers should give the workers extra money for working on the holiday. That sounds all well and good but they are no more likely to do that than a drug addict is going to get clean just because it is in their best interest.

However, I think people’s anger over Black Friday becoming Black Thursday is misguided. Too many people place the blame on CEOs, which is ludicrous. Tell me one business owner that is going to turn down the chance to make more money when people are flocking the store in droves. The real problem is the people. The more they keep flocking the store in droves, the more likely the store.

Well, folks. I have the perfect solution to the problem. All that has to happen is for everyone in the United States of America to abide by it. Have every living, breathing soul in the USA choose to stay home on Thanksgiving Night. That would lead to empty stores. You can rant and rave all you want on social media. You can do all the demonstrations you want. You post all of those cutesy Nemes on Facebook. Sorry, folks. That won’t lead to change. You want your message to get through, start effecting a business’ bottom line, like don’t shop there.

Of course, getting everyone to do this is easier said than done. The people that want nothing to do with shopping on Thanksgiving Night are already doing their part by staying at home. On the other hand, the ones that enjoy it are not going to stop any time soon.

Anyhow, do yourself a favor, stay home on Thanksgiving night.

Time Out with Haley Niemi (2016 American Canyon High senior)

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

Haley Niemi: What I have enjoyed the most is getting to meet new people. I was home-schooled for most of my life so coming to public school I didn't know anyone. With playing sports I have gotten to meet a lot of wonderful people I wouldn't have met if I didn't play sports. It's a great way to be social and it's something you can do your whole life.

D’Adamo: What are your plans after high school?

Niemi: My plans after high school are to go to college to become a nurse, and to travel around the world.

D’Adamo: What might you choose as a major? What intrigues you about going that direction?

Niemi: The major I'm going to choose is Nursing. What intrigues me is the fact that I could have a job that could save someone's life. I could greatly impact their lives for the better and that's what I want to do in my life.

D’Adamo: What has been your favorite class here at American Canyon High?

My favorite class at American Canyon High would have to be Culinary. I have taken all three years of the class and I have greatly enjoyed every year of it.  

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

Niemi: The people that have been most influential in my life would have to be my parents, because they have showed me that hard work pays off. Time and time again they've shown me to keep my head up even in my darkest hour, because there's always light at the end of the tunnel.

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports, that you would most like to meet. What would intrigue you about meeting him or her?

Niemi: A historical figure I'd like to meet would be Serena Williams.  What makes me want to meet her is the fact that she works so hard to see the results she wants. She shows fans that if you work hard at something you can achieve that dream.

Sports reporting not just fun and games

Regardless of profession, don’t you get annoyed with certain labels that come with people associated with the profession? Or do you simply accept them as par for the course?

Though I happily escaped the newspaper industry slightly less than a year ago for a career as a route sales representative for Alhambra Water, I still love writing enough to stay involved. Throughout my 18-year career in sports journalism, I had the opportunity to cover every level of sport from Little League to the NFL. The pay was poverty level but I couldn’t imagine myself being happier doing anything else -- or so I thought for many years.

Due to a combination of industry changes I was not on board with coupled with interference of family time, three years ago, I began my exit plan. I trained to get my Class B driver’s license. For two years, I worked part-time as a bus driver for the Springs of Napa and Beau Wine Tours. The former is a retirement home in Napa, CA, while the latter is a luxury transportation company in Sonoma, CA. The extra money was nice but long term multiple employment coupled with family life was going to have diminishing returns.

Fortunately, I have just one job right now. Though the job is physical and up to 55 hours per week, it is Monday-Friday, no weekends, no evenings, no holidays -- and much better pay.

I still keep my hand in the pot with writing through this blog and by helping my former employer on Friday nights during football season.

There’s one statement I heard on more than a few occasions, be it in newsrooms or just in general, that became a pet peeve. Within some newspapers, radio or TV stations, sports has been mockingly called the “toy department.” For starters, I think anyone who has ever used such a description is ignorant at best and an elitist at worst. True, sports journalists do not concern ourselves with serious problems, in the grand scheme of things, and nor do we solve all of the world’s problems.

Sometimes, I hear the statement “Gee whiz, you get to go to games for free.” At which point, I say, “Teachers get into their classrooms for free,” and “Doctors go into their operating room for free.” So, yes, sports journalists should get into games free.

What they cover matters just as much as what anyone else in the newsroom covers. There are people who “only” read newspapers because of sports. There are also people who “only” watch a newscast because of sports because sports coverage has grown in importance as sports have grown in wealth, power and influence.

If you want to say that sports journalists do not concern themselves with “serious” topics, I’ll buy that but the notion of “the toy department” is way off base.

In fact, I would even beg to differ that sports reporters do not deal with serious topics. Granted, it might not be every day, but look at matters such as Major League Baseball players using performance enhancing drugs or any random NFL player running afoul with the law.

Sports journalists are like any other reporters, in that they must find a story rather than just rely on press releases or information given by the team or school they cover. Their stories also involve verifying facts and that part of the job can be a little murky just like a news reporter encounters in their beat.

My biggest issue with anyone calling sports “the toy department,” is, well, there are many, but I’ll start with the fact that they face more intense deadline pressure than news reporters because sporting events take place much close to deadlines (i.e. covering Friday Night high school football). In the process, they are also expected to uphold the same journalistic standards as any other news reporter in the process.

They also work more nights and weekends and sacrifice more time away from their families than anyone in the newsroom, if not the entire newspaper. I do not address this topic looking for anyone to play a violin. Lord knows, no one makes them do what they do.

Title IX through my lense

As a former sports reporter, I received many compliments along with slings and arrows. It comes with the territory.

One that I received semi-regularly from mothers and daughters was, “Vince, I want to thank you for caring about girls sports as much as you do boys sports.”

I appreciate the sentiments, and yes I have my beliefs but I never thought of doing things any other way in my 18 years as a sports reporter. Football followed by boys basketball are the bellcow of any high school athletic program (college too for that matter) but when it comes to celebrating success I’m all for it, regardless of whether the sport is football, basketball, soccer or badminton.

It’s recollections like that which make me think of Title IX. So what exactly is Title IX? Well, in the simplest of terms, it was established in 1972. The basic premise behind the ruling was, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

When I first arrived on the Upvalley beat for my first stint in 2004, I learned that on a local level the one and only Donna McCornack played a vital role at St. Helena High.

Talk to many St. Helena High graduates and they’ll tell you that McCornack was an influential figure in their lives as a teacher and/or coach. In the latter role, she coached the St. Helena volleyball from 1972-1989. During that time, the Saints won two CIF state championships (1982 and 1984), seven league titles, five section championships and two more state runner-ups.

McCornack, however, is legendary in the North Bay and the Coastal Mountain region in Northern California because she was instrumental in leading the charge for equality in girls sports. She fought vigorously for the inclusion of all girls teams in the North Central League I.

When McCornack was a student at St. Helena High, she quipped, “Our choices were cheerleading and marching band.” Keep in mind, she graduated in 1965.

McCornack made that very statement when I interviewed her for the St. Helena Star the night of the Saints Athletic Association Fajita Fest in 2005. McCornack was the guest of honor that night at the annual dinner that raises funds for St. Helena High athletics.

As a 18-year veteran of the sports journalism industry before exiting in December 2014, sometimes interviews are a blur, but what McCornack said that night resonates with me to this day.

As a 43-year old, I believe I can offer a unique perspective.

I am a first-generation American with both of my parents coming (and I quote Archie Bunker): “To These Here U S of A Nation States!”

From It-Ley. Well, Italy. My dad’s side settled in Napa, my mom’s side in St. Helena. My mother was the oldest of three and graduated in 1957.

Oddly enough, her younger sister (who I still proudly address as “Auntie” before her name) attended St. Helena High within the same time frame as McCornack and became a cheerleader. Well, my grandmother in her broken English would say, “Ma, Vince, she was a ponpon girl.” However, you talk to women of that generation, being a cheerleader was an accepted reality.

Little did I know but several years later as the youngest of five children I would witness how important Title IX would become.

One of my older sisters graduated from Napa High in 1982 and wanted to try out for the soccer team. Mind you, this was before the days of girls soccer teams. That scenario meant she had to play on the boys team. Suffice it to say, the idea of a girl even thinking she could play sports with boys did not go over well at all.

My sister has told me on a few occasions how the boys would get overly physical when competing in practice or games, essentially trying to get her to quit. Well, something strange happened, my sister lasted the entire season and earned the respect of her peers.

What I am most trying to suggest is that three things are equally true, and this is a broad generalization. For openers, your 60-and-over crowd of females (a least a segment) did not think anything of having their options being limited to marching band and cheerleading. On the other hand, your 25-and-younger crowd does not know any other scenario besides females having a largely uninhibited opportunity to play sports.

As for my crowd (ages 40-50), that was the era when girls playing competitive sports was picking up speed but not as en vogue as it is now.

To truly understand the premise of Title IX, however, it is not just about girls having the opportunity to play sports. It was about them having the opportunity to compete in sports on a more level playing field.

Throughout my years of covering females competing in athletics, there are definitely a few that would more than adequately compete well against the boys but that number is few and far between. Therefore, Title IX has opened up some avenues for girls to compete in sports that might not have otherwise even attempted to do so.

Time Machine: 2005 St. Helena High baseball

Sometimes you remember just how much you graded a team on a curve. Things like that happen when teams go 23 years before enjoying a winning season and 17 years between a non-losing campaign.

The 2005 St. Helena High baseball team broke that kind of ground. The Saints entered their season finale on May 21, 2005, scheduled to host Fort Bragg in a Saturday doubleheader. St. Helena entered the day with a 9-7 record and needed a twinbill split to ensure its first winning campaign since 1982.

The Saints won the first game 5-0 behind Zac Brookman’s complete-game, five-hit shutout in which he struck out two and walked three. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning until Sebastian Heil’s two-run ground-rule double. Greg “Cadillac” Quirici later blasted a three-run homer. The Saints lost the nightcap 3-2 despite a solid combined pitching performance of Alex Wignall and Eddie McMullen. Quirici was nicknamed “Cadillac” by St. Helena native Ray Particelli due to his speed, or lack thereof.

Setting the stage: After going 2-18 in 2004, head coach Bryan Powell, who was also the football coach for two seasons, resigned. The Saints then turned to Joe Densberger, who is a 1980 St. Helena High graduate. Densberger, who is the current Saints varsity basketball coach, has spent most of his high school coaching career in basketball.

Though the team got progressively worse under Powell the previous season, the Saints entered the season with a good roster foundation led by a talented core of players from the previous year’s JV team that included but was not limited to the twin pairing of Luke and Eddie McMullen.

Densberger had a built-in familiarity with most of the players from either coaching them in basketball or little league. He also brought in Brent Koen and later Bill Connelly as assistant coaches.

Thumbnail sketch of the season: St. Helena started that season about as inauspiciously as a team can begin -- 10-1 loss at Middletown and a 25-0 loss to Justin-Siena in five innings. The latter went undefeated that season on the way to winning the CIF North Coast Section Class A title.

The Saints then bounced back to win four straight games -- 5-4 over Vallejo, 18-0 over Calistoga in five innings, 3-0 over St. Vincent (Petaluma) and 10-2 over Tomales. In the win over Vallejo, St. Helena trailed 2-0 early in the contest but scored four runs in the fourth inning highlighted by Brookman’s two-run triple. Vallejo had the tying run 90-feet away but the Saints escaped with the win.

The win over St. Vincent proved significant because it meant the team surpassed its win total from 2004. Not to mention, the win highlighted by a most impressive complete-game, three-hit shutout from Brookman who struck out three batters and only threw 71 pitches. What made Brookman’s performance even more impressive was that the Saints led 1-0 until the top of the seventh before scoring two insurance runs.

The Saints, however, would lose five of their next seven to drop to 6-7. St. Helena would need to win four of five to record its first winning season since 1982 and three of five to have its first nonlosing campaign since 1988 (the Saints went 13-13 that season).

St. Helena would go on to win four straight including the aforementioned 5-0 win over Fort Bragg in the lidlifter of a doubleheader. The Saints entered the twinbill with wins over Clear Lake (8-1), Cloverdale (8-2), and Lower Lake (11-1).

What I remember most about the day of the Fort Bragg doubleheader was interviewing three members of the 1982 team (Tom Johnston, Dan Beltrami and Tim O’Leary) during the game. I had set up time to interview them beforehand because I was confident the Saints would get at least a split of the doubleheader. The 1982 Saints went 9-7 but closed the season losing four straight.

What it meant: The 2005 season did not generate any immediate momentum as hoped as the Saints had losing seasons from 2006-2010. Densberger was forced out after 2006. Kirt Brower coached the team in 2007 before Dan Parker’s stint lasted from 2008-2009. Brandon Farrell, who is the Saints football coach, took over from 2010-2012. Darrell Quirici has been the coach ever since that time.

St. Helena achieved three consecutive CIF North Coast Section Div. IV playoff seasons including a 9-2 win over Fortuna to give the Saints their first postseason win since 1978.

Time Out with Jorge Polanco (Calistoga High 2016 senior)

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

Jorge Polanco: What I enjoyed most about competing in sports has to be the feeling before the game. Nothing comes close to the feeling of the butterflies before every single game. I could be either extremely confident about the game or nervous and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference, I would get into this zone and just live there till the last whistle blew.

D’Adamo: What are your plans after high school?

Polanco: After high school I plan on attending a four-year university. I am uncertain where I want to go or if I want to continue playing football. Most likely I will go to Sac State and try to be a walk-on to the team.

D’Adamo: What might you choose as a major? What intrigues you about going that direction?

Polanco: I'm going to study Physical Therapy, mostly in hopes I could still be around sports for the rest of my life. I also like knowing why something hurts especially after games and I feel cool when I'm able to fix or treat whatever is wrong.

D’Adamo: What has been your favorite class here at Calistoga High?

Polanco: Government and Econ. with Mr. (Ben) Hartelt. I enjoy the way Hartelt teaches and he always finds a way to bring whatever he is teaching to life.

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

Polanco: My father is the most influential person in my family. He has taught me that if I want something bad enough I will work till I achieve or get whatever it is.

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports, that you would most like to meet. What would intrigue you about meeting him or her?

Polanco: I would like to meet Patrick WIllis. He is my all time favorite players of the game he is unlike any other to ever step on that field.

Time Out with Kenneth Dotson (2016 American Canyon High senior)

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

Kenneth Dotson: I enjoyed playing football because I'm very competitive and I also like playing with my team and working as a team to get the job done and also trying to be a champion and get a ring.

D’Adamo: What are your plans after high school?

Dotson: I will be going to college to get a degree for sports analyst media and will be playing football at the next level.

D’Adamo: What might you choose as a major? What intrigues you about going that direction?

Dotson: My major will be broadcasting sports media and I feel like I talk a lot. I feel like since I played football and know a lot about it I can talk about it on TV.

D’Adamo: What has been your favorite class here at American Canyon High?

Dotson: I really don't have a favorite class I go to get an education and play football so I can take care of my family.

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

Dotson: I would say my parents.  

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports, that you would most like to meet. What would intrigue you about meeting him or her?

Dotson: I'm my own favorite figure I try to be the best and stay the best I'm my own favorite player.

Time Out with Ashley Vogen (2016 Vintage High senior)

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

Ashley Vogen: What I have enjoyed most about competing in athletics throughout my life is getting to know new people and having a chance to compete and watch myself improve throughout my sports seasons. There is nothing better than looking back at where you started and knowing how much better you have gotten.

D’Adamo: What are your plans after high school?

Vogen: I'm not quite sure at what I'm going to do after high school as far as college is concerned but I know I am staying close and focusing on my weighting career.

D’Adamo: What might you choose as a major? What intrigues you about going that direction?

Vogen: I'm not sure what I am going to choose as a major but I know my dream job would be to be a weighting coach and getting to see kids get stronger and improving in their sports from weightlifting. I would also get to be around something I love so much everyday.

D’Adamo: What has been your favorite class here at Vintage High?

Vogen: My favorite class at Vintage High has been leadership because I learned that you can't please everyone no matter what, and everyone has different opinions on everything. And I love being involved with everything going on at school.

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

Vogen: All of my family has been so supportive of me, but the most influential person to me is my dad because he is such a hard worker and wants to make sure I'm the same way, and he has been there for me with everyone of my sports and will always try to help me become better athlete and person.

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

Vogen: I would love meeting Stephen curry because he is such an amazing athlete, but mostly because he is such a nice and humble person. Also who is such an inspirational person to me, that I was lucky enough to meet this year in Minnesota, is Mattie Rodgers. She is such an amazing lifter and is a very big role model for me because of how hard she works in the gym and she is not only strong physically, but strong mentally.

Time Out with Nate Gutierrez (American Canyon High 2016 senior)

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

Nate Gutierrez: The thing that I have enjoyed most about competing in athletics throughout my life is the thrill I get when I compete. There is nothing like strapping on the pads and going out and playing a football game, and there is nothing like lacing up the cleats and putting on the glove and playing a baseball game. It's something I’ve done all my life and hopefully something I can continue doing.

D’Adamo: What are your plans after high school?

Gutierrez: My plans after high school have not been fully decided yet. I do plan on going to college, whether it be a four year or two year, and hopefully that plan involves athletics as well.

D’Adamo: What might you choose as a major? What intrigues you about going that direction?

Gutierrez: The major that I might choose is criminal justice, which has always been an interest to me. I have several law enforcement officers in my family and it is something that has always caught my attention.

  

D’Adamo: What has been your favorite class here at American Canyon High?

Gutierrez: My favorite class at American Canyon High would probably be statistics. I have always been pretty good with numbers and it is a course that I have always found interesting.

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

Gutierrez: The most influential person in my family is my dad. He has gone to every single sporting event that I have ever been it and he is someone I look up to. He has not only taught me how to be a better athlete, but how to be a better person as well, and that is the reason why I am so thankful for him.

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

Gutierrez: A historical figure that I would most like to meet is Ray Lewis. Growing up and seeing him play had always influenced me to play to a certain level. I’ve probably seen all of his motivational videos and they always get me going before a game. Also the reason I would like to meet him is because what he has done off the field. You see all of these videos of him violent on the field, but off the field he is a great man and an even better father.