Week 6 Napa Valley high school football around the horn

The week that was for Napa Valley high school football highlighted two teams gearing up.for
a collision course.

The only one that was not victorious involved an all-Napa Valley matchup with American
Canyon defeating Napa 35-7. Vintage motorboated Petaluma 50-7 while Justin-Siena lost to
Sonoma 6-0. St. Helena railroaded Willits 43-15 and Calistoga upended Rincon Valley
Christian 19-12.

American Canyon and Vintage sit tied atop the Vine Valley Athletic League standings and
meet at Memorial Stadium. Here’s a closer look in alphabetical order:  

American Canyon

Looking back: For the third time in as many weeks, the Wolves defense set the tone in their
three game winning streak. As a result, American Canyon is tied atop the VVAL with Vintage
entering the aforementioned showdown on Friday. The Wolves defense limited Napa to 208
yards on 57 plays and recorded eight eight sacks (3.5 by Alec Hoover and 2.5 by Derrick
Conner). In its three game winning streak, American Canyon’s defense has allowed just 114.7
yards, 2.2 yards per play and has generated seven takeaways.

Looking ahead: The Wolves are looking to extend their streak of league titles to seven.
American Canyon won six straight, either sole possession or shared, as members of the now
disbanded Solano County Athletic Conference. The Wolves’ biggest threat stands in their
way. One issue American Canyon will have to be more on point is penalties. In the win over
Napa, the Wolves were hit with 10 infractions for 85 yards.

Calistoga

Looking back: In 1984, Calistoga had a team known as the “Dirty Dozen.” On Saturday, the
Wildcats won despite having just 11 players in uniform as three players were injured and
another was out based on disciplinary reasons. Christian Caldera keyed a strong defensive
effort with two interceptions and several tackles from his safety position as the last line of
defense. The rainy conditions on a grass field also served as an equalizer for both defenses.

Looking ahead: Calistoga enters the North Central League III with a 3-1 record, hosting the
Branson (Ross) Bulls. Branson is 2-0 with wins over Thatcher (Ojai), 34-28, and South Fork
(Miranda), 36-22. South Fork is a common opponent for both clubs. Calistoga lost to South
Fork By that logic, expect Branson to win by 22 points. Actually, don’t, I’m just openly
trolling those who apply the “If Team A beat Team B by X number of points” theory.

Justin-Siena

Looking back: With the exception of one game, a 47-0 loss to American Canyon, the Sonoma
defense has been a headache for opponents. The 3-4 Dragons have given up an average of
16.0 points per contest. Sonoma was a thorn in the Braves’ rearend on Friday. Even more
impressive was that Sonoma gave up just 49 yards of offense despite the Braves having
advantageous field position all night. Justin had drive starts at the Dragons 6, 25, 36 and 39
yard lines but had nothing to show for it. Three interceptions did not help matters.

Looking ahead: Justin matches up against Napa for the first time ever. In one respect, this
game should move the needle except six miles away Vintage and American Canyon meet. By
all accounts, this represents a get right game for Justin’s offense, which averages 30 points
per game against a Napa defense that has yielded an average of 45.3 points per contest. It’s
hard to imagine Justin’s offense having two bad games in a row.

Napa

Looking back: Coming off the bye, the still winless Grizzlies stayed remotely close in their
loss to American Canyon as they trailed 21-7 after three quarters. Granted, the Wolves were
not in danger of losing but the game was not signed, sealed and delivered either. Napa made
a quarterback change going from Gunner Schoeps to Isaiah Newton one week earlier in a
28-16 loss to Sonoma. Newton and the Napa offense showed glimmers of hope but eight
sacks and three turnovers are hard to overcome.

Looking ahead: Five of Napa’s six losses have been by at least double digits and four have
been by North of 20 points. The Grizzlies have given up an average of 45.3 points per game.
Justin has three VVAL losses by less than seven points. The Braves have averaged 30 points
per contest despite Friday’s shutout loss to Sonoma. Justin will be out to prove the whitewash
was an anomaly. Napa is having a bad season but one would think the Grizzlies will show
some intensity in this one.

St. Helena

Looking back: Though the Saints are far from being a great team, they handled business
against a winless team to improve to 4-2. The irony is that the Wolverines outgained the Saints
422-406 in total yardage. The Saints defense set the tone with two Jake Lehman interceptions,
both in the first quarter. Offensively, quarterback Daniel Martinez (21 carries, 130 yards,
three touchdowns) and running back Cody DiTomaso (28 carries, 163 yards, two touchdowns)
did the heavy lifting.

Looking ahead: St. Helena is in a good place for a return trip to the CIF North Coast Section
Div. V playoffs. The Saints have two games that are well within their grasp, Oct. 12 and 26
home games against Fort Bragg and Lower Lake respectively, both are 2-4. Then they have
two contests that will take a really good performance to win, Friday at Middletown and Oct.
19 at Cloverdale, which are 4-2 and 5-1 respectively.

Vintage

Looking back: The Crushers scored on eight of ten possessions as they blasted Petaluma.
Vintage’s offense pounded Petaluma into submission to the tune of 357 yards rushing. When
Vintage’s offense wasn’t lighting up the scoreboard like a Roman candle, its defense was
shackling the Trojans offense, specifically running back Garrett Freitas. Vintage held the star
Petaluma running back to 25 yards on 12 carries, six attempts went for negative or zero yards.

Looking ahead: It was not long ago when alarm bells were sounded as Vintage was outscored
55-15 in its first six quarters of the season, the first was a 35-7 loss to Wood. The second one
was a 28-27 loss to Acalanes (Lafayette) in which the Crushers trailed 20-8 at halftime. Since
then, the Crushers have been boatracing opponents to the tune of outscoring them 165-50.
Vintage will face a Wolves team that has outscored its opponents 125-23.

+

VVAL football starts a new subchapter

Part of the thrill of forming a new league is preserving long-standing rivalries. Then
again part of the intrigue, or consternation, is forming new ones.

The formation of the Vine Valley Athletic League brought Napa, Vintage,
Justin-Siena, American Canyon, Petaluma, Casa Grande and Sonoma under the
same umbrella. Casa Grande and Petaluma along with Napa and Vintage are two
rivalries preserved.

The former is known as the Egg Bowl but the two teams were not always in the
same league. Before joining the VVAL, Casa Grande was in the North Bay League.
Sonoma and Petaluma were in the Sonoma County League. Napa and Vintage,
which is known as the Big Game, have always been in the same league whether the
NBL or the Monticello Empire League, the former since 1976.

By my own admission, I’m not familiar with how often Sonoma has played either
Petaluma and Casa Grande as nonleague opponents. However, I presume they have
met from time-to-time because of proximity. After all, only 13 miles separate Sonoma
and Petaluma. Before 2018, American Canyon played Sonoma twice, splitting the
two matchups. Napa played Casa Grande seven times in the previous ten years,
winning five of seven. Of the newly formed VVAL teams, Justin had only played
Sonoma, which was in 2002. Vintage played Petaluma twice, winning the 2014 and
2015 contests.

In the Napa Valley circle, Napa and Vintage playing each other is old hat as it has
happened every year since 1972. That rivalry, however, has become uncompelling
despite the great fan support and general attention it draws. Until Vintage broke
through with a 14-7 win last season, this rivalry had the “Napa is the hammer,
Vintage is the nail” feel with Napa winning 14 of the previous 15 matchups. With
Vintage seemingly on the upswing at 3-2 ad Napa trending down at 0-5, could things
be turning the other way? Keep in mind, last season Vintage went 7-3 while Napa
was 3-6.

The newly compelling rivalry is Vintage and American Canyon. I would never go as
far to say that this rivalry will replace Napa/Vintage, it has a natural rival feel. The
latter opened in 2010 but many American Canyon residents attended Vintage before
their hometown school opened. The two met as nonleague foes the previous two
years. In 2016, American Canyon’s speed won out, 42-14. In 2017, Vintage’s brute
force was the winning edge 28-14. The two teams meet for what could be the
deciding game for the VVAL title on Oct. 5. This is a styles make fights type of game
that I will expound on next week at this time.

The Napa Valley centric matchups that have never taken place are Justin vs. Napa,
Vintage and American Canyon along with American Canyon vs. Napa. Though
people have their theories on how the games will play out, the matchups are
compelling for the very reason that they have never taken place. I would love to have
seen American Canyon and Napa square off in say 2012 and 2016. I would love to
have seen Justin and Napa meet in 2004.

Meeting now will not bring resolution to the what if game of those matchups but there
is an emotional side. The winning side will have alums saying, “I told you so.” The
losing side will say, “Big deal, the matchup didn’t happen then.”

Next year at this time, we won’t be having this level of conversation because the
novelty will have dissipated.

Though I no longer have a say since I do not work for the Napa Valley Register
anymore, it will take much of the guesswork out of All-Napa County voting in that
there is a common opponent/competition factor.

The other half of the equation is newspaper recognition. I know that sounds trivial
but one narrative that I heard more than a few times in my days at the Register were
the heavy fixation of Napa/Vintage coverage. I don’t mean this to be a troll but it sells.
Justin beating Terra Linda or American Canyon beating Bethel is not going to carry
the same horsepower. People don’t want to hear that but it’s true. Now, Justin and
American Canyon can get recognized for their achievements just by osmosis.

In a sense, American Canyon had that benefit for years in the Vallejo Times Herald
because it was in the SCAC with two Vallejo schools and Benicia.

To that end, the VVAL begins another subchapter.

Week 5 Napa Valley football around the horn

Week 5 of Napa Valley high school football teams could be described as Happy Days and we
don’t mean Richie Cunningham.

Three of the four teams that took the field were winners. Napa and Calistoga did not play.
The former had a scheduled bye week.

American Canyon and Vintage each throttled their opponents, 47-0 over Sonoma and 44-0
over Casa Grande (Petaluma) respectively. St. Helena defeated Clear Lake 25-14 while
Justin-Siena fell to Petaluma 31-28. American Canyon and Vintage meet on Oct. 5 for what
could be a pivotal showdown in the Vine Valley Athletic League.

Here’s a closer look in alphabetical order:

AMERICAN CANYON

Looking back: Trips to Sonoma are like a step back in time: football field mixed with a
baseball diamond and a grass field. The Wolves, however, threw Sonoma back about a
century. Sonoma recovered a fumbled American Canyon kickoff at the Wolves 16 to open the
game but turned it over on downs. One could make the argument that if Sonoma took
advantage of the early miscue, perhaps the game becomes more competitive. However, you
can’t ignore getting outgained 425-8 in total yardage. The Dragons achieved just one first
down, which was on an American Canyon penalty. American Canyon rolled up its yardage
total without having an 100 yard rusher.

Looking ahead: Though the Wolves schedule has featured better landing spots than their
brutal nonleague slate, American Canyon appears to be righting its ship at the right time.
The Wolves host a winless Napa team that had a bye. The Wolves offense went to a no
huddle approach on three of their first four possessions against Sonoma. Could a similar
approach be in store to get a stumbling Napa team on its heels?

JUSTIN-SIENA

Looking back: For the second time in as many weeks, the Braves showed they could go
toe-to-toe with a large school in its new league. However, Justin finds itself 0-2 in the
VVAL despite two losses by a combined four points. The Braves had no answer for Petaluma
running back Garrett Freitas, who had 232 yards on 20 carries and three touchdowns. Braves
quarterback Barrett Donohoe completed 14 of 26 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns.
He also scored on a 62 yard run. For the second time in as many weeks, Justin dug itself a
two-touchdown hole only to fight back and fall short.

Looking ahead: Justin gets what appears to be a good landing spot, which is a trip to
Sonoma. The Dragons entered Friday’s matchup against American Canyon riding the crest
of a two-game winning streak. Sonoma, however, crash-landed with a 47-0 loss to the Wolves
in which it was outgained 425-8 in total yardage. If the Braves want even a decent seed in the
CIF North Coast Section Div. IV playoffs, they can’t let this game slip.

ST. HELENA

Looking back: The win was no work of art but it was a crucial one nonetheless for a Saints
team that has visions of a return trip to the NCS Div. V playoffs. St. Helena’s defense, which
had been beset by big plays, pitched a shutout in the second half after trailing 14-6 in the
second quarter. The Saints also did not allow a 16-play game-opening drive by Clear Lake
that resulted in a touchdown after chewing up nine minutes affect them. The defense’s heavy
lifting gave the offense a chance to give the Saints the lead for good.

Looking ahead: While St. Helena is far from being a great team, it gets what appears to be a
favorable landing spot with a road matchup at Willits. The Wolverines are 0-5 and have been
outscored 189-79. Willits also lost 32-13 to a Clear Lake team that was shutout three weeks in
a row. For the Saints, the task is simple. Get to Willits safely and avoid mistakes.  

VINTAGE

Looking back: The Crushers looked exactly like the team they have tried to build in the
offseason, they may not be the most athletically gifted team but they can maul opponents with
the best of them. Vintage led 8-0 after one quarter before scoring 22 unanswered in the second
quarter and it was game, set, match for Casa Grande. The Crushers won with an age old
football adage: run the ball and stop the run. Vintage outrushed the Gauchos 422-31. This
performance came against a Gaucho team that features multiple linemen that weigh North of
300 pounds.

Looking ahead: The first six quarters of the season, Vintage was outscored 63-15. From that
point on, the Crushers have outscored foes 117-35. It’s safe to say that Vintage is performing
like the team most people (myself included) thought they would be. The Crushers visit
Petaluma on Friday. The Trojans are a triple option team. The key for the Crusher defense will
be staying sound with assignments.

+

VVAL football strength in the eye of the beholder

Weak league. Strong league. At every level of sport, people have their opinions on the
matter.

In my experience, I find every league, conference or division to mostly be the same in that
you will find quality at the top and lack of quality at the bottom. What ultimately determines
the strength of such is the quality among teams in the middle. That is how one can separate
when it comes to comparing leagues.

With one week of Vine Valley Athletic League football in the books, it is a reminder of the
league strength being in the eye of the beholder.

The formation of the VVAL took place in 2017 when Napa, Vintage and American Canyon
vacated the CIF Sac Joaquin Section for the North Coast Section. Those three schools
joined the Vine Valley Athletic League with Justin-Siena, Casa Grande, Petaluma and
Sonoma. Napa and Vintage were in the Monticello Empire League. American Canyon was
in the Solano County Athletic Conference. Justin had been in the Marin County Athletic
League. Casa Grande was in the North Bay League while Petaluma and Sonoma were in
the Sonoma County League.

Napa, Vintage and American Canyon (and their fans) welcomed the move because it means
no more trips East on Interstate 80. No more playoff matchups against Sacramento or other
Central Valley schools that feature areas that are growing while Napa is not. Justin welcomed
moving to the VVAL because it meant no more trips through three counties for road games.
Casa Grande, Petaluma and Sonoma (and their fans), however, were not so welcoming of
the move in part because, from their perspective, they would be playing larger schools with
sizeable rosters.

Casa Grande actually has the second largest largest enrollment in the league with 1,973
behind Napa (1,980) and ahead of Vintage (1,973), American Canyon (1,564), Petaluma
(1,355), Sonoma (1,293) and Justin-Siena (530). According to maxpreps.com, football roster
sizes go as follows: Vintage (47), Petaluma (37), Casa Grande (36), Justin-Siena (33), Napa
(28), Sonoma (19). Justin is the lone private school of the lot.

Personally, I believe school enrollment and roster size are misleading and borderline
meaningless stats when it comes to determining a team’s success. I’ve seen plenty of small
schools that are perennially competitive and plenty of large schools that are Humpty
Dumpties.

Though it is a small sample size, Sonoma County holds a 2-1 over Napa County in football
after one week of VVAL action. American Canyon defeated Petaluma 43-16 while Sonoma
beat Napa 28-16 and Casa Grande defeated Justin 36-35 in a thriller. Vintage had a bye.
On Friday, Casa Grande visits Vintage, Petaluma visits Justin and American Canyon travels
to Sonoma. Napa has a bye.

Relevant to the strength of the league, I have had conversations with media members,
coaches, etc. I have heard everything from the league being weak to filled with parity to
exceedingly difficult. By my observation, I see a few teams that are decent and/or good but
none that are great.

The strength of the league, however, is in the eye of the beholder. From a Vintage or Napa
standpoint, the league strength appears limiting because there is no Vacaville or 2002-2016
version Napa, which has gone from good to bad in the blink of an eye. From an American
Canyon point of view, Vintage is about on par with Vanden, which was the Wolves biggest
threat in the SCAC. From a Justin point of view, the VVAL is about on par with the MCAL
but no team is of the quality of Marin Catholic. From a Casa Grande viewpoint, the good
news is that no team in on Cardinal Newman;s level but for Petaluma and Sonoma, the top
end of the league will likely prove to be better than Analy.

I read a column recently in the Petaluma Argus Courier from their longtime sports reporter,
John Jackson. The column was a synopsis of the Petaluma schools first games of the 2018
season. Within the column, Jackson something to the effect of “they got away with mistakes
this week but they won’t get away with them in the VVAL.” As if the league was a high
school version of the Big 10. That feeling seems to be the prevailing one in Sonoma County.

However, you have to look at Vintage, Napa, American Canyon and Justin for what they are
not what they were. Napa’s elevator has gone from good to bad without stopping at
mediocre.Vintage appears to be building something sustainable under third year head coach
Dylan Leach but these are not Burl Autry’s Crushers from the 1970s. American Canyon has
at times been dominant in its brief history but Chris Seisay is not walking through that door,
neither are Jomon Dotson or Jonathan Bade. At Justin, Brandon Larocco appears to be
gaining better footing in his third season as head coach after replacing long-time success
Rich Cotruvo. How successful Larocco’s Braves become long term remains to be seen.

VVAL strength, however, is in the eye of the beholder.