Time Out with Tarantino Pachote: 2017 Justin-Siena High senior

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

Tarantino Pachote: The thing I have enjoyed most about competing in athletics are the relationships that I have built. Some of my closest friends have been made through sports. Nothing brings you closer than tough workouts and long practices. Another thing I have greatly enjoyed is the competition. I am an extremely competitive person and I always want to be the best.

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

Pachote: After high school I plan to attend a junior college and transfer after two years. After school I plan to join the military, specifically the Navy.

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

Pachote: I would be interested in business. I would very much like the opportunity to be successful and have a family, and business is a good way to make money.

D’Adamo: What has been your favorite class here at Justin-Siena High?

Pachote: My favorite class at Justin-Siena has been my economics class with Coach LaRocco. It is a challenging course but I understand the concepts very well and it is fun to learn about local and global economies.

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

Pachote: Two of the most influential people in my family have been my father and my grandfather. My father, Francisco Pachote, grew up in Richmond, California, never knowing his father and living with a young, single mother. He has overcome adversity his entire life. From when he was a kid to now, his work ethic is what has defined him. He has worked incredibly hard for my family. Another greatly influential person in my life is my grandfather, on my mother’s side. He has done more for me than I could ever possibly repay. He is a United States Army veteran, former police officer, former professional baseball player, and former professional men's softball team owner. He is the head of a cooking crew that I am also a member of. This crew does fundraising dinners for the Contra Costa Boys and Girls club. To top it all off he pays for all of the food for the dinners, which often serve 100-400 people.

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?

Pachote: A historical figure I would like to meet would be Marcus Lutrell. He is a former United States Navy SEAL who served in the infamous operation Red Wings. His unit was attacked by the Taliban and could get no support of any kind. After witnessing his best friends and brothers die all around him, he was the only survivor. I would like to ask him what it takes to never quit and and persevere in an situation like he was in.

Time Out with AJ Denna: 2017 Vintage High senior

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

AJ Denna: One thing that I've most enjoyed about competing in athletics is the continuous competition. It has shaped me to be the individual I am today. Another is the camaraderie. I have made friendships that I know will last a lifetime. My teammates are my family.

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

Denna: After high school I plan to attend a four-year university and to continue my football career. I've been playing the game since I was 8 years old, and I don't plan on stopping now.

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

Denna: I would like to study Kinesiology. I want to pursue a career in the field of sports medicine, such as a sports med doctor or physical therapist for a collegiate or professional sports team. What intrigues me about going in this direction is I want to stay involved in sports. And who knows, I might become a coach at my alma mater one day.  

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

Denna: Outside of weight training, my favorite class at Vintage High has to be my Race and Social Justice class that I am currently taking with Mr. Oppenheim. The topics we discuss are current, relevant, and important issues that need to be talked about. It gives me great knowledge on what’s going on in the world today.

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

Denna: Without question my parents are the most influential people in my family. They are both the hardest working people I know, and also my No. 1 fans. They are incredibly supportive and I pray I will become parents like them in my future.

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

Denna: One person I would like to meet is motivational speaker and minister Eric Thomas. I listen to his speeches every Friday before my games. His words are truly inspiring and I strive to live my life by them. "When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe... then you'll be successful." - E.T.

Time Out with Gamon Howard: 2017 American Canyon High senior

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

Gamon Howard: The thing that I enjoy most about competing in sports is grinding with my brothers in the off season and during season, creating that unbreakable bond.

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

Howard: Play Division I college ball.

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

Howard: I would like to major in business. I would like to have my own business. The idea of owning my own company is appealing.

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

Howard: My favorite class at American Canyon High school has to be chemistry. It's interesting learn something different everyday.

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

Howard: My father has been the most influential. My whole family they are the reason I grind everyday.

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?

Howard: I would like to meet Odell Beckham, because I feel like we have the same personality. He dances a lot so do I so I feel like we would have a lot of fun. And because he's a great athlete also my favorite player.

Time Out with Anthony Gobert: 2017 American Canyon High senior

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

I've started playing football at a very young age being influenced by my older, Robert Wilkes, an American High School graduate. He was an outstanding football player, loved to show off his skill on the football field and I couldn't wait to perform just like him. I was very competitive, never liked losing especially hanging around older family members like cousins, uncles, and family friends that usually hung around my brother. I was just the tag along. My older brother had been my only opponent until I was old enough to join a team, therefore that came with a lot back and forth trash talk, while playing the game or whatever it was that we battled. When I finally became of age, I joined the same youth football team, and that’s where I found myself. I built great friendships, also brotherhoods with many different people, I learned how to take a lost and move on to the next opponent during the football season, and I definitely became a lot more open-minded and outspoken also being a three sport athlete playing baseball, and basketball too. So one of my favorite things about competing in athletics all my life was competing with the same guys I work my butt off with throughout the week until game-time and coming together the day of the game to fight together, better yet, win.

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

Gobert: After high school, the one thing I look forward to is continuing my education at a college that fits me, academically, environment wise, and also has a football team with a coaching staff & brotherhood willing to welcome me on to the team, and push me like I've been there for years.

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

Gobert: Although I have just walked into my senior year and time does fly, I have not made a choice on exactly what I want to major in. I've recently asked a bit about psychology knowing that I can comfort others, being a very respectful young man with a kind heart who hates to see people down, even at their lowest peak, I still make effort to reach out and bring someone up if I could. I know psychology has a lot to do with talking to others, maybe even counseling so I thought about looking into that.

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

Gobert: My favorite class has got to be my 10th grade humanities class. That year, my two teachers Mr. Brown, and Mrs. Devincenzi had took their time with me, helped me manage my time, pushed me to get the work done and to stop being lazy, and expected nothing but my best effort the whole year. Mr. Brown had became something like a mentor for me, when I felt like I couldn’t do it, or I felt like I couldn’t make it being at my lowest peak in life, he made sure to reach out to me and let me know that there are possibilities, and that it isn't the end to your journey.

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

Gobert: With the little family I have here where I stay, the only one's making an effort to stay on top of me and make sure I’m headed down the right path is my mother first and foremost, my grandmother secondly who has been their just as much. My uncle Douglas Young, Vintage High School graduate, also quarterback of the football team around 1993-94 has always made sure to communicate by phone offering me all these different things he'll make sure to get me if I did what he asked in school. That was a great way to push me because I loved getting new things. My uncle Troy and his wife, my beautiful Auntie Monique Bell also gave me words of motivation making sure I stayed on top of my school work and everything else that came along with it.

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?

Gobert: I'd like to meet rap artist Nipsey Hussle, I am inspired by this guy not because of what he does but what he's been through and the strength he's managed to build up over time. He was raised in a rough environment, ended up gang banging, but later down the line found himself. He was his own person, he ended up investing in his own clothing company, and believed in everything he started, and hustled to finish it. That’s a strong-minded individual and I want to know what gave him the strive and momentum and boost in confidence.

Time Out with Jake Van Zandt: Napa High 2017 senior

Vince D’Adamo: What have you enjoyed most about competing in athletics throughout your life? Jake Van Zandt: I love the competitive nature. It has always been a thrill to me. When it's game day for either football, basketball, or track I always strive to do my best and give it all. I also love the people that I've met throughout the years; both coaches and friends. Great people with bonds that'll last in the future. D’Adamo: What are your plans after high school? Van Zandt: I plan to go to college, with hopes of getting into Cal Arts in LA; which is a liberal arts school. D’Adamo: What might you choose as a major? What intrigues you about going that direction? Van Zandt: As a major, I wish to go to into animation, since it's a liberal arts school, but the specific major I would like to learn there would be: character design. Animation has always intrigued me, ever since I was a little kid I loved cartoons. Then I found out I wasn't half bad at drawing and over the years I've developed that skill more and just love to do it. My dream is to have my own cartoon show. D’Adamo: What has been your favorite class here at Napa High? Van Zandt: My favorite class at Napa High has been Honors English 10, my sophomore year. Along with that class helping me get better at writing, it also taught me important life lessons. It also includes my favorite teacher at Napa High, Mr. Paterson. D’Adamo: Within your family who have been the most influential people? Van Zandt: My mom, my great grandma Sybil, and my Grandma Margaret. They've always been well involved with everything I do and always give me the best support. D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports, that you would most like to meet. Van Zandt: I would love to meet Dwayne Wade, because he is my favorite athlete in all sports and he seems like a chill guy.

Time Out with Austin Connolly: 2013 Justin-Siena High graduate

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

Austin Connolly: The greatest aspect of playing sports while growing up was the friendships I made and mentors I learned from. I began playing football at seven years old and continued to play every fall for the next 11 years up to winning the North Coast Section (Div. IV) championship my senior year of high school. I believe the relationships I created on the field with teammates and coaches had one of the greatest impacts on creating the person I am today but of course while growing up I didn’t view these relationships as such. They were simply my best friends who I could compete with in practice, and next to in the games. The bonds created while going through drills and conditioning are unlike any other relationships I have had outside of sports.

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

Connolly: After graduating from Justin-Siena I have attended the University of Redlands where I am currently in my senior year. I am majoring in Global Business with a minor in Mathematics and a focus on Chinese language.

In the spring of my senior year, my mother and I launched a patented plush toy where one squeezes the stomach called NightBuddies. Our first trade show was at the San Francisco Gift fair but since then we have attended tons of trade shows including the New York Toy Show, the largest toy trade show in the world. During my junior year, I designed the toys on adobe illustrator while conferring with the factory in Shenzhen, China for months until we had the opportunity to visit the manufacturing site. That day was where I knew I wanted to return to China to learn the language and culture.

During my sophomore year, I applied for and received a scholarship to fund a language intensive summer program as well as a petition to study abroad my entire junior year of college. As a result I left from San Francisco on June 10, 2015 and spent the next fourteen months in Beijing, China studying Mandarin Chinese. During the summer in 2015 I studied at the Duke in China language intensive program, then in the Fall and Spring I studied at Beijing Foreign languages university with IES study abroad program. In the spring, I received an opportunity to work part time in the Foreign Commercial Services at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China while intensively studying Chinese. Through my hard work, I was invited to continue working at the Embassy full time this past summer. My experiences abroad in China have shaped my life and the way I view the world immensely. The ability to be a student as well as work full time gave me a greater understanding of the culture, and language of China as well as business practices and international relations.

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

Connolly: I will have to say any of the three classes I had with Mr. Carpenter, the math teacher. Prior to having him as a teacher, I thought mathematics was the most difficult subject in the world but the way he taught math changed my world. His teaching style of demanding attention from students, offering retakes during study time, and explanation of topics allowed the subject to click in my brain. My experiences in his class opened up opportunities to continue studying mathematics in college.

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

Connolly: My athletic favorite moment at Justin-Siena was probably one of the worst plays I committed during my time on the field. It was late in the North Coast Section Championship game my senior year with the score still close. I was soaked from the rain and stood around our twenty yard line to return the punt from the opposing team.

After a great punt by the other team’s kicker that sent the ball into the air for what seemed like forever and I dropped the ball through my arms. The other team recovered it on our twenty or thirty yard line. It was such a great mistake to me at that moment that I was numb to what actually had just happened. I got up and the coaches pulled me in and don’t worry, just keep grinding at the rock. I went to the defensive huddle and my teammates looked at me and said we’ll get it back. The other team pushed us back to around the two yard line but we held them up to a fourth down. On this fourth down play, the running back came out to my side where I contained him and forced him inside into the pile. At some point he fumbled the ball and we recovered. My teammates held me up when I was at my lowest. That is what Justin-Siena football was about. The coaches of that team taught us more than just a sport. They taught us how to hold your friends up in a time of need. They taught us to shrug off a mistake and to keep working at your goal with relentless effort. They taught us to trust and to love.

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?

Connolly: Would it be crazy to say that I am a completely different person? Not in the way of opposite to my prior personality in high school but the way I view life and the world has either changed or become more permanent in my beliefs (not to say that nothing is up to change). My experiences in college and more recently in China has allowed me to mature into a person with a greater appreciation of the support and opportunities I have been given. I believe with a constant appreciation of what I have has allowed me to stay motivated to give the same support and opportunities to my own family one day.

Family, friends, and football is the foundation of who I am today. The habits I learned from football growing up has propelled me to where I am today. Some of the greatest lessons I have learned through football include a relentless work ethic, respect for all others, preparation is the key to success, learn from your mistakes, and to love “the game”. “The game” after high school football is now simply my life.

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

Connolly: I can’t choose just one person. Every person in my family both immediate and more distant has had an influence on me for the better.

My father has always shown me how to get ahead in life through hard work and respect. The line he has always told me is to be respectful and gentlemanly. My mother has shown me how to follow my dreams with passion and hard work. As an entrepreneur she has shown me a window into the business world. I have seen how much of a grind the entrepreneurial world is but through the lessons my mother has taught me I know it is a viable path in life.

My brother is the combination of my parents teachings in a younger, more relatable person. He has shown me a work ethic unparalleled to peers as well as a work life balance. During my sophomore year of college, I had the opportunity to watch him work part time at Matthew’s Real Estate firm while completing an accelerated MBA at Chapman University.

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

Connolly: Ralph Lauren. He’s taken so many risks, a true american icon who’s lived the American dream.

As league play beacons, Wolves can clear big hurdles early

It is often said that when a high school or college team enters league and/or conference competition, that is the time where seasons get defined as successes or failures.

With regard to the 2016 version of American Canyon High football, the Wolves will have a chance to define themselves right away as they enter Solano County Athletic Conference games. American Canyon, which is 5-0 and has outscored its foes 265-97, will face its two biggest hurdles the next two weeks to win another SCAC title. The Wolves are in their sixth varsity football season and have won four straight SCAC titles (solo or shared). The smart money here says there’s a good chance the Wolves make it five, be it shared or sole possession.

American Canyon will host Benicia on Friday, Oct. 7, and will visit Vanden one week later on Oct. 14. Benicia and Vanden are both 2-3 but don’t be fooled, both are a genuine threat to the Wolves. To use a baseball analogy, American Canyon has not only hit the ball out of the park, it has reached the upper deck with tape-measure shots. Highlighting the five wins were blowout victories over reigning CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div. III runnerup Inderkum (54-19) and Wood (71-36). Both teams tormented the Wolves last season with Inderkum beating American Canyon 43-6 and Wood getting the upper hand twice, 70-33 in the regular season and 59-33 in the SJS Div. II playoffs.

The Wolves aforementioned 5-0 record has come against foes that have amassed a 12-13 record. Armijo’s 1-4 mark, however, skews that record. Benicia and Vanden are each 2-3. The former has been outscored 106-84 against teams that have compiled a 11-14 record. Vanden, however, has outscored its opponents 141-67 against teams that have a combined 16-9 mark. The Vikings are no joke.

When you’re 5-0, there are far more things to celebrate than lament. Keep in mind, the Wolves were 1-4 last season at this time. However, it was the Wolves last game on Sept. 23 that had head coach Larry Singer see enough negative things to get his team’s attention during the bye week. Yes, American Canyon blew Armijo’s doors off 57-20 but you can’t just look at the final score and assess a team’s performance.

Though Armijo recorded its first win of the season on Saturday, 30-0 over Fairfield in a battle of two winless clubs, the Indians are struggling for a reason. However, on the first drive Armijo marched right down the field and scored to go ahead 6-0 over the Wolves. The Indians lined up in the wishbone formation and ran right at the Wolves. American Canyon, however, more than recovered in scoring 29 unanswered points. Watching that game, one came away with the feeling that American Canyon played down to Armijo’s level. Wolves head coach Larry Singer said as much after the game.

“We could have played better today,” Singer said. “The bye comes at a perfect time. It doesn’t matter how many points you score. 57 is great but we left a lot out there. I didn’t do a good enough job getting the defense ready for facing a team running right at us. They put up 20 points running the wishbone. I thought I was watching old Big 12 games again.”

Being a Kansas State alum, Singer would know what an old Big 12 game looks like. As a Nebraska alum, so would I. Such an effort does not matter against a subpar team like Armijo, a similar performance though probably gets you beat against Benicia or Vanden. However, things things are equally true: a) One game does not always transfer to the next, b) Each game is its own entity and c) The Wolves were playing at such a high level before the Armijo contest that they were bound to take a step back.

Never mind that Benicia and Vanden are both 2-3, these are high alert games where as a fan/media member as a hobby/truck driver for a living, I encourage you to take a “pump the brakes” approach. I’m not just saying this because I cover the Wolves during football season but I believe they are superior to both teams. However, both are good enough to beat American Canyon if it is not on point but coming out of a bye. I expect a well-prepared Wolves team on Friday and against Vanden. What that translates into the win column who knows but I think you’ll see a different team than the one that played Armijo.