Sometimes you remember a game because no matter how imperfect the process was, the team needed the result to wipe away years of failure.
The 2001 version of Vallejo High football was like many others for the past decade and a half or so: Many regular season wins but several postseason shortcomings. On a mid-November night in 2001 at Corbus Field in Vallejo, CA, the Vallejo Apaches (now Redhawks thanks to the politically correct police) edged the Atwater Falcons 16-14 in the first round of the CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div. I playoffs.
It marked the first postseason win for Vallejo in ten years.
Setting the stage: The Apaches went 9-1 during the regular season, including 8-1 against Monticello Empire League teams. Vallejo tied for first in the MEL with Fairfield but was the higher seed in the postseason based on its 24-7 win over the Falcons in Game 2. The Apaches’ lone setback in the regular season was a 36-32 loss to the Vacaville Bulldogs in Game 5.
The 2001 version of Vallejo was a well-rounded team in outscoring the opposition 35.2-to-17.2. The Apaches were led by Cameron Thurston, who earned Monticello Empire League Back of the Year honors but was also a defensive stalwart. On offense, the Apaches were versatile in that they employed both their 800 package, two tight ends and three running backs, along with the “Playmaker” package, four receivers. The passing game included the connection of quarterback DeMarcus Nelson to wide receiver Warner West.
In the running game, when Thurston and James Parker wasn’t beating teams with power and speed on the perimeter, Devon Geter was gouging teams between the tackles. Like Thurston, West, Parker and Geter were defensive standouts. The former at linebacker and the latter as a ballhawking safety. On the defensive end, Ed Whittington and Steve Batten were a nightmare for opposing tackles and tight ends.
For all of that success, the Apaches’ season was not going to be judged on Games 1-10, it was going to be judged on Games 11 and thereafter.
This game would be played in muddy conditions. Keep in mind, Corbus Field was a natural grass surface before being replaced by FieldTurf in 2003.
Thumbnail sketch of the game: Vallejo led 8-0 with 2:30 left in the third quarter before Thurston’s 4-yard touchdown run and subsequent two-point conversion doubled the advantage to 16-0. The Apaches, however, fell asleep at the wheel thereafter.
Atwater’s Billy Bremen returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards to paydirt. Falcons’ quarterback Matt Granado connected with Cory Fagan for the two-point conversion to shave the lead in half, 16-8. Four minutes later, West muffed a punt deep in Apaches’ territory that Atwater recovered and turned into a Dan Hull rushing touchdown. Fortunately for Vallejo, a wide open Eddie Olivarez dropped the ensuing two-point conversion on a Granado pass.
That dropped pass turned out to be the difference in the game but so too was the Vallejo defense. The Apaches stymied the Falcons’ offense the entire night and if not for special teams’ blunders, Vallejo might have pitched a shutout.
To add further perspective of Vallejo’s defensive prowess, Atwater running back Marcus Jackson entered the game averaging 108 yards per contest. The Apaches stuffed him for 35 yards on 10 carries. Granado had thrown for over 1,200 yards but completed just 2 of 13 passes for 13 yards.
West would enjoy a measure of redemption later. With 42-seconds left in the contest, he intercepted a Granado Hail Mary pass near midfield. From there, the Apaches ran out the clock and sealed the win, breaking a 10-year drought for postseason wins.
What it meant: In the short run, very little, since the Apaches’ season ended one week later with a 21-14 loss to Lincoln (Stockton). In the bigger picture, Vallejo contributed to the MEL’s postseason success. The MEL had not won a postseason football game since 1998.
In 2001, Fairfield would reach the SJS Div. I title game before losing to Elk Grove, which was pushed to the brink in the first-round before losing to Bethel (Vallejo) 22-15.
The 2001 campaign, however, would be Vallejo’s last sniff at greatness. The Apaches went 6-4 in 2002, missing the postseason.
In 2003, the MEL was realigned and Vallejo moved to the Solano County Athletic Conference. The Apaches would go 8-4 the following season and reach the second round of the CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div. II playoffs. On the other hand, Vallejo has gone 31-88 since 2003 and has had just one, non-losing season (5-5 in 2003).
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