Week 4: Napa Valley High School football around the horn

It is commonly believed that when league play begins in high school
sports, the seasons become defined. After all, postseason fates are often
decided based on how teams fare against league foes. 

Four Napa Valley high school teams opened the league portion of their
schedule on Friday night. In the Vine Valley Athletic League, the
American Canyon Wolves and Napa Grizzlies overmatched their
opponents. The former whitewashed the Petaluma Trojans 34-0 and the
latter pasted the Sonoma Valley Dragons 62-19. The Justin-Siena Braves
lost to the Casa Grande (Petaluma) Gauchos 41-34. In the North Central
League I, the St. Helena Saints remained unbeaten by defeating the
Kelseyville Knights 48-27. 

The Vintage Crushers and Calistoga Wildcats each had bye weeks. The
former hosts Casa Grande on Friday while the latter takes on Potter Valley
in a home contest. 

Here’s a closer look in alphabetical order:

AMERICAN CANYON

Looking back: Throughout its school history that spans one decade,
American Canyon’s hallmark has been its explosive offenses. While the
offense did not disappoint on Friday, the defense put the clamps on the
Trojans. The Wolves yielded just 54 yards on 36 plays and have given
up only 36 points in five games. The Trojans registered just one net yard
of offense in the first half. While the Trojans offense was stuck in neutral,
Ezekiel Anderson spearheaded American Canyon’s offense with 129 yards
on 11 carries and two touchdowns. James Larson, Vinnie Espejo and
Kaave Gaviola also found the end zone. 

Looking ahead: The Wolves are 5-0 for the first time since 2016. That
season, American Canyon went 11-2 reaching the CIF Sac Joaquin Section
Div. III semifinals. While it’s a long way to extrapolate how 2019 will
transpire, the Wolves have big goals on the table. American Canyon hosts
Sonoma Valley on Friday. In last year’s matchup, the Wolves overwhelmed
Sonoma 47-0. The Dragons are 1-4, having lost its aforementioned game
to Napa. Speaking of Napa, which has a bye, American Canyon will travel
to Memorial Stadium for what figures to be a pivotal VVAL contest. 

JUSTIN-SIENA

Looking back: Things looked promising in the early going thanks to two
first quarter touchdown passes with Hudson Beers connecting with Miles
Williams (86 yards) and Solomone Anitoni (88 yards), giving the Braves a
13-0 lead. The Gauchos, however, replied with 27 unanswered points.
Beers completed 17 of 36 for 358 yards, two touchdowns and two
interceptions. On the rushing side, Noah Young had 112 yards on 13 carries
and a touchdown. Blake Hoban also reached the end zone for Justin.

Looking ahead: To use a baseball term, the Braves have had warning track
power since joining the VVAL. Including Friday’s loss to Casa Grande,
Justin has gone 1-6 against VVAL counterparts with four of those losses by
seven points or fewer. The Braves (4-1) host Petaluma on Friday. The
Trojans enter the contest with a 1-4 mark with its lone victory coming
against winless Santa Rosa. In last year’s meeting, the Trojans dealt the
Braves one of their one possession losses, a 31-28 defeat. 

NAPA

Looking back: Road games at Arnold Field in Sonoma have a throwback
appearance -- grass field that is a combination, baseball and football venue.
The Grizzlies recorded their first VVAL in school history. The league formed
last season, in which Napa was winless. The Grizzlies put the game out of
reach immediately, scoring 27 points in the second quarter on the way to a
41-6 halftime lead. Six different Napa players reached the end zone with
Brock Bowers scoring four followed by Benito Saldivar, Chris Horton, Cole
Rasmussen, Trey Dennis and Isaiah Newton each scored once. Newton also
threw four touchdown passes. 

Looking ahead: Napa enters its bye week with a 4-1 record, more wins
than the previous two seasons combined. The Grizzlies return to action on
Oct. 4 when they host American Canyon in what amounts to a pivotal game
in VVAL competition. Before the season, it was generally believed that the
VVAL race would come down to reigning league champ Vintage and
American Canyon with Napa potentially being in the mix. The Grizzlies can
put themselves smack dab in the picture with a win. American Canyon won
last year’s game 35-7 with the Wolves scoring two fourth quarter touchdowns
to seal the win. 

ST. HELENA

Looking back: Kelseyville drew first blood with Jacob Jensen’s 25-yard
touchdown run but it was all Saints thereafter in Lake County. The three-
headed monster rushing attack of quarterback Daniel Martinez (22-187-2),
Cody DiTomaso (20-157-1) and Ivan Robledo (9-130-3) befuddled
Kelseyville. Wide receiver Jake Mendes connected with George Cutting for
a 22-yard touchdown pass. The pivotal moment came late in the first half
with St. Helena leading 22-13. The Knights reached the Saints 5-yard line
but turned the ball over on downs. The Saints answered with a 95-yard
scoring drive. 

Looking ahead: For the first time since 2015, the Saints have opened the
season 4-0. Though St. Helena will face stiffer tests in the future, health
permitting, an NCL I title is on the table as well as potentially a deep run
in the North Coast Section Div. VII playoffs. The Saints last league title
was in 2014, when they won a share of the crown with Fort Bragg.
St. Helena will travel to Lake County again on Friday, when it visits Clear
Lake (Lakeport). The Cardinals (1-3) lost 20-6 to Willits. The lone Clear
Lake score was a 25-yard interception by Travis Howe.