Wolves put together complete performance in win over Honkers

Thanksgiving may fall on a Thursday but the American Canyon High football team can satisfy its hunger to an even greater extent one day later.

The No. 2 seeded Wolves ushered the No. 7 seeded Yuba City Honkers out of the CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div. III playoffs with a 39-8 win.

“It’s one of those things where it doesn’t happen very often,” Wolves head coach Larry Singer said of the Thanksgiving and football combination. “It’s happened just one other time in school history. We get to do it again and it is just awesome.”

The Wolves will host No. 3 Christian Brothers (Sacramento), which defeated Burbank 21-14, in the semifinals on Friday at 7 p.m. American Canyon reached the semifinals in 2012, losing to eventual SJS Div. III champ Oakdale. In 2013, Christian Brothers, which was the No. 8 seed, upset top-seeded American Canyon 30-27.

Though the Wolves have had bigger victory margins, in the grand spectrum, Friday’s triumph was their most complete win of the season when one considers the quality of opponent.

On offense, the Wolves generated 577 yards of total offense (449 rushing, 128 passing) behind the offensive line of Jonathan Roeder, Lucas Gramlick, Lorenzo Peterson, Paulo Respicio and Nelson Jarquin-Aleman. On defense, the Wolves limited the Honkers to just 264 yards on 62 offensive snaps.

“It was a complete effort all the way around,” Singer said. “I think the boys put together a complete game on offense, defense and special teams. They didn’t get any big plays on us. They didn’t have any really long runs. They are a big, physical team. We don’t get a lot of big boys but the boys we get have passion. They came out and played hard tonight.”

On offense, Andrew Rapacon amassed 168 yards on 18 carries with two touchdowns, coming from 72 and 2 yards away. Quarterback Darren Antes scored on a 25-yard run and threw for two more scores of 40 yards to Lavar Seay and 21 yards to Gamon Howard, Kama Aalona scored on a 85 yard run.

Defensively, Rapacon had three impact tackles (gains of 0-3 yards). Isaiah Abdalla, Eric Gresham, Vaughn Johnson, Alfredo Calderon and Peterson each had one. Carlos Chavarria had two tackles for loss while Peterson, Ethan Hughes and Aalona each had one. Howard added a quarterback sack. Howard and Seay each had interceptions.

“They did a great job of getting hats to the ball tonight,” Singer said. “Being disciplined and wrapping up with their tackles was important. That’s something we’ve struggled with. Everyone wants a woo hit. You have to wrap up, especially against big boys like this that will churn their legs. Hats off to No. 5 (Brenndon Schalowitz). That kid is a tough runner. He can ground and pound.”

Time Machine: 2010 JV football: American Canyon at Oakdale

Junior varsity wins are often looked at as an afterthought but when an athletic program is in its infancy, such victories are celebrated as if they occurred on the varsity level.

In late September 2010, the American Canyon High (American Canyon, CA) JV football team ventured into the Central Valley to face a tradition rich Oakdale Mustang program. Oakdale is in California as far as physical geography but the landscape and community vibe is akin to Mid-America. On this night, American Canyon scored a 28-22 win over Oakdale.

Setting the stage: Despite skyrocketing population through the 1990s and especially the 2000s that eventually reached 19,000, American Canyon did not open its own high school until the 2010-2011 school year thanks to Measure G, which was passed in 2006 thanks to Napa County voters.

American Canyon had two elementary schools and a middle school but youngsters had to go to high school somewhere else. They would scatter to places like St. Patrick’s (Vallejo) or Justin-Siena (Napa) if they went the private school route. If they stuck with public schools, they would go to Napa or Vintage but mostly the latter.

Without getting too editorial, American Canyon kids were often looked at as outsiders on these various campuses. Though the community markets itself as “Gateway to the Napa Valley,” it is not looked upon favorably in some circles. In fact, American Canyon is looked at as a halfway house between Napa and Vallejo in that you either live there because you can’t afford the former or want to escape the latter.

The vibe of the American Canyon community began to change when the school opened its doors in August 2010 because it gave the kids of that town their own identity. There is a big emotional difference for a local kid wearing a shirt that says, “American Canyon” draped across the front as opposed to the name of another school.

On this night, Oakdale’s football program had four SJS titles to its name but the JV team was 0-2. The Wolves entered the contest with a 2-1 record with wins over Pacheco (Los Banos) 34-20 and Gregori (Modesto) 44-26 with a 20-6 loss to Deer Valley (Antioch) sandwiched in between.

Thumbnail of the game: Though the two programs were miles apart with established tradition, the giddiness with which American Canyon celebrated might as well have been a playoff game.

The Wolves clung to a 28-22 lead but Oakdale threatened when facing third and 9 at the AmCan 19. Robert Wilkes intercepted a pass to clinch the win for the Wolves. Earlier in the same drive, AmCan appeared to have the Mustangs stopped when Chris Seisay broke up a Eddie Machado pass on fourth and 7 from the Wolves 47. American Canyon, however, was flagged with its second sideline warning of the game which amounted to a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct infraction to keep the Oakdale drive afloat.

In the earlygoing, the Wolves looked poised for a trip down Easy Street as American Canyon took a 22-0 lead in the first half as quarterback Justin Corpus opened the scoring with a 13-yard run. Justin Miller added the two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead.

Wilkes extended the Wolves' edge to 14-0 on a 5-yard TD run, and American Canyon made it 22-0 on Corpus' 77-yard pass to Chris Seisay, who recorded three grabs for 104 yards. The pair connected on the ensuing conversion with 2:39 left in the first half.

Oakdale, however, clipped the lead to 22-14 at the break - and did so in short order — as Joshua Watts posted scoring runs of 37 and 3 yards. One of those scores came after an American Canyon fumble gave the Mustangs the ball at the American Canyon 31.

Oakdale later tied the game at 22-22 with four minutes left in the third as Jordan Miller scored on an 11-yard run and added the two-point conversion.

The Wolves responded with 58 seconds to go in the quarter as Jomon Dotson reeled off a 42-yard scoring run. The conversion failed. Dotson was the Wolves leading ground-gainer with 89 yards on five carries while Miller did some heavy lifting with 50 on 16 attempts.

Defensively for the Wolves, Bailey Gardner and Derrick Hughes had fumble recoveries while Miller and Riley Williams teamed up on a tackle for lost yardage. Dotson added a solo stuff.

What it meant: From a head-to-head standpoint, very little. The two programs met in the SJS Div. III semifinals two years later with Oakdale returning the favor, beating the Wolves 42-19 on the way to beating Vista Del Lago (Folsom) 22-9 for the title.

This win, however, for American Canyon is as remembered as a JV win could ever be. Entering Friday, SJS Div. III playoff home game against Yuba City, American Canyon is 48-21 against varsity foes since 2011.

In the 2016 version of the SJS Div. III playoffs, the Wolves are the No. 2 seed while Oakdale is the No. 1 seed. Could a future meeting be on tap? Stay tuned.

Time Out with Dylan Martin: 2017 St. Helena High senior

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

Dylan Martin: I love competition and that is one of the biggest reasons that I found myself playing sports year round. One thing I have really enjoyed throughout high school is playoff football. It is just a fun time of year, with holidays rolling around. Nothing brings out the competition in me like playoffs, I love the win or go home aspect to it. In high school I have also loved competing against the same people year after year, it’s fun to develop relationships that are strictly sports based.

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

Martin: After high school I plan on attending a four year university. Some of my top schools are: Syracuse University, University of Oregon, University of Connecticut. I can’t wait to start a new chapter in my life. Although I will not be playing sports for a college, I do plan on playing as many intramural as possible.

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

Martin: In college I plan on majoring in Sports Management or Business Management. I just figured that I spent so much of my life invested in sports that it would be silly not to apply myself academically with something I know, understand, and am passionate about. I love sports and I love business. I have always been been a numbers guy, so the idea of studying basically the numbers and mechanics that go into the sports industry seriously excites me.

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

Martin: My favorite class that I have taken in high school would have to be Anatomy and Physiology with Mr. O’Connor. Although it was one of the hardest classes that I have taken at Saint Helena high school it was an incredible experience. As we studied different parts of the body and their functions, we dissected cats so we could make visual connections. On top of it all Mr. O is the man, he makes the class very exciting.

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

Martin: For me the most influential family member in my life is my grandmother Alice Martin, my dad’s mother. Alice died when I was very young, and I really never got to meet her. However, there are nothing but good things to say for Alice. She was so resilient in her fight with cancer, and to me she was just as strong of a competitor as any athlete.

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?

Martin: I would love to meet Michael Jordan, he is such an incredible competitor. I just want to pick his brain and talk about how he was able to find so much motivation. I would absolutely love to talk to him about “Flu Game”. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to play a full basketball with the flu, and not only play but to lead his team to a victory. Ever since I was a little kid I loved Michael Jordan. I remember always watching Michael Jordan highlights on youtube. My dad also had a DVD set of a ton of Jordan highlights including some of his most iconic games. I would love to be able to talk to a competitor as great as Michael Jordan. He has been an idol to me most of my life.

Time Out with Carlos Chavarria: 2017 American Canyon High senior

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

Carlos Chavarria: I love competing in the sport and I love grinding to get better at my position, but the thing I loved the most was the bond that I have created with my teammates. I can honestly say that I love those guys and I know they love me too. We have grown to be a family and we not only play the game of football because we love it, but also to play for each other.

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

Chavarria: My plan after high school is to go to a state or community college and major in something that will allow me to do something I've always had a passion for doing; helping people.

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

Chavarria: I might choose kinesiology as a major because I am very interested in the body. I've always been a pretty smart kid but I would have to say that learning about the body's anatomy and physiology is the only thing I enjoy learning anymore. It just really fascinates me.

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

Chavarria: I have two top classes that I have enjoyed while going to high school and those classes are: Anatomy and Physiology and Sports Medicine. These are two classes that have given me a wider range of knowledge about the body and I just enjoy learning in both classes.

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

Chavarria: I would say that the most influential person in my family would have to be my grandmother. She truly is a person with a loving and kind soul. She has done so many good things in her lifetime and impacted a lot of lives along the way. She has also helped me when I was in need and I can honestly say that I love that woman to death.

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?

Chavarria: I would say that a historical figure that I would like to meet is a former football player named Inky Johnson. He has not made history in the game of football but he makes history even time he gives a speech and influences the lives of others. I've never really had any good role models in my lifetime so far but I would say that he is the closest thing to it and honestly, he has impacted my life in a few different ways. He has taught me that respect is the key to everything, even though he didn't directly state this, and respect will get you far in life. He is a brilliant and influential person and I love what he stands for.

Football playoffs on tap for Napa Valley high schools

Playoff football season is underway in the Napa Valley with four teams (if you factor in Calistoga’s Redwood Bowl) punching their tickets to the postseason.

For the Sac Joaquin Section, American Canyon drew the No. 2 seed in the Div. III bracket and will host El Camino, which is the No. 15 seed on Thursday. Napa garnered the No. 8 seed in Div. I and will host Sheldon (Elk Grove) on Friday. Both are 7 p.m. kickoffs. The SJS moved all football playoff games to Thursday night because of Veterans Day falling on Friday but games can be moved to Friday if both schools agree to it.

For the North Coast Section, St. Helena drew the No. 10 seed and will travel to No. 7 Ferndale on Saturday for a 1 p.m. game.

Here’s a closer look:

American Canyon

For the Wolves, this position is similar to 2013 entering the postseason. Except American Canyon fans hope for a different outcome. That season, the Wolves went 9-1 and entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed. American Canyon struggled to beat No. 16 El Dorado (Placerville) before losing to No. 8 Christian Brothers (Sacramento) 30-27.

Fast forward to 2016, American Canyon is 9-1 and has sealed its fifth consecutive Solano County Athletic Conference title (sole possession or shared). The Wolves enter the postseason as the No. 2 seed and, like 2013, is seeking a deep postseason run. Oakdale is the No. 1 seed. El Camino, which competes in the Capital League, went 6-4 overall and 3-2 in league play. The Eagles’ wins came against teams that had a combined record of 13-47. The four losses came against foes with a combined mark of 26-14.

Napa

Despite a 2-3 start before Monticello Empire League play, the Indians rebounded to win their eighth MEL title since 2002. It should also be dually noted that one of Napa’s nonleague defeats came against Pittman (Turlock), 7-6. Pittman is the No. 7 seed in Div. I and will host Monterey Trail. The winner of the Napa-Sheldon game likely plays at No. 1 seeded Folsom, which hosts No. 16 Kennedy (Sacramento).

Sheldon, which competes in the Delta League, finished the season 7-3. Like most 8-9 matchups, the tail of the tape would indicate two evenly-matched teams. For openers, both teams finished 7-3. The Huskies seven wins came against teams with a combined record of 26-44. Sheldon’s three losses came against teams with a composite mark of 19-11. Napa’s seven wins came against teams with a combined record of 25-45. The three defeats were against teams with a combined mark of 20-10.

St. Helena

Exactly one decade later, the two programs meet again in the postseason. In 2006, Ferndale defeated the Saints 18-14 in a game that to this day is remembered for controversial calls. That game, however, matters none today as the current seniors were in second grade at that point. St. Helena enters this postseason heading in the wrong direction, having dropped three of its last five games after a 4-1 start. The Saints have lost their last two, 24-0 to Middletown and 50-44 to Clear in a game that saw the Saints cough up a 16-point second half lead.

Like St. Helena, Ferndale went 6-4. The Wildcats compete in the Humboldt Del Norte Little 4. For what it’s worth, the two teams have one common opponent, Willits. Ferndale beat the Wolverines 62-30. St. Helena beat Willits 72-28.

Calistoga

The Wildcats otherwise successful season ended with a thud on Saturday, losing 56-12 to Rincon Valley Christian (Santa Rosa) in the Redwood Bowl. Calistoga made its move to the North Central League III last season. That league plays 8-man football. After several peaks and valleys playing 11-man football, the Wildcats opted to move to the 8-man league in 2015 at least for the foreseeable future.

Though Calistoga has the enrollment, about 220 students plus or minus a few, and the roster size to play 11-man football, finding a nearby league where it can be consistently competitive is another matter. Eight-man football probably is the best option. The Wildcats have gone 11-5 since making the move.

Vintage

The Crushers finished season No. 1 of the Dylan Leach era going 5-5. Though losing 35-0 to Napa in the Big Game marked the 11th straight rivalry game defeat, Vintage would appear to be in a position to trend up either next season or the following.

Leach replaced Kyle Hofmann last March. The fact that Leach will have a full offseason to lead the program his way should already be a plus. When 14-18 year old youngsters go into an offseason knowing what to expect, it makes a difference. Couple that with the fact that the Crushers JV and freshmen teams each went 8-2. The reasons for optimism are well-founded, getting them to translate to success is another matter.

Justin-Siena

The Braves finished up the first season of the Brandon LaRocco era going 3-7. Injuries didn’t help but Justin went from good to bad without even stopping at mediocre. In the previous 19 seasons with Rich Cotruvo as head coach, the Braves went 144-74 with six NCS titles and were twice the runner-up. This past season, the Braves lost six games by double-figures, five by 20 or more points and three by 30 or more points. With a JV team that went 6-4, the question becomes can the Braves get back to respectability?

Time Out with Joel Zapata: 2017 Vintage High senior

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

Joel Zapata: What I enjoyed most about competing in athletics is the hard work aspect of it and also improving my performance on and off the field.

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

Zapata: My plans after high school is going to Napa valley college and going through their police program.

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

Zapata: Actually, it is majors, note the plural. I will choose in college is criminal justice and business. Reasons why I want to go that direction is because in the future my plan is to be CHP officer, something I've always wanted to be. The  business major is more of a backup if things don’t go the way its supposed to go.

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

Zapata: My favorite class here at Vintage High is history. I chose history because I find it fascinating knowing how things are the way they are today.

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

Zapata: Definitely my mom and dad, I owe them everything. They give so much support, and they're always there helping me become a stronger individual and athlete.

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?

Zapata: An individual that I would like to meet is Dwayne Johnson. Why I'm intrigued about meeting this individual is because he's been an inspiration to me as long as I can remember, and the things he has accomplished to get where he is at today.

Time Out with Lorenzo Peterson: 2017 American Canyon High senior

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

Lorenzo Peterson: I have enjoyed the thrill and excitement of playing sports throughout my life and the friendships I have made.

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

Peterson: After high school I plan to  play baseball at either a junior college or a four year college. While in college I will complete the courses required for me to become a fire inspector.

D’Adamo: What might you choose as a major?

Peterson: My major in college will be Fire Science.

D’Adamo: What intrigues you about going that direction?

Peterson: I like to help people and solve problems. I will be able to look a fires and determine, how the Fire started, and where it started.  I will take classes to be a paramedic first.  Working as a paramedic will allow me to pay for college and work on my long term goal which is to be a Fire Inspector.    

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

Peterson: My favorite subjects are Government and Economics. This class gives you information about the levels of government and their responsibility to the public and the importance of voting.  We have discussed life skills such as paying bills and budgeting.

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

Peterson: The most influential person in my life would be my dad (Wayne Petersen) he is always giving me advice and food for thought.  My dad is a hard working man.  He has shown me what it takes to be a dad and husband.  

My oldest brother he always has words of encouragement and criticism.  His words helps me get through difficult times during sports and life.  

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?  

Peterson: I would like to meet Jackie Robinson. He played many sports during a time which he was not accepted by certain people.  He was challenged  physically and emotionally.  We would talk about how to remain positive in such a negative situation.