Lake County loses a great one; Cloverdale gets a home run hire

The old saying is that one person’s loss is another person’s gain. The Lake County Record Bee is about to get a taste of the former. The Cloverdale Revielle will soon get a taste of the latter.

Who does that involve? Brian Sumpter, who is leaving the Lake County Record Bee after 32 years as sports editor. Sumpter delivered this announcement on his Facebook page Saturday, Dec. 3:

“Lake County friends, my last day at the Record-Bee will be Friday, Dec. 30. After more than 32 years on the job in Lakeport, I am stepping down as the sports editor. Beginning in early January I will be the new editor of the weekly Cloverdale Reveille newspaper in Cloverdale. I will be covering local news as well as the sports beat for Cloverdale in my new position. Additionally I plan to continue on as a freelance sports writer in Lake County, though I will not be traveling to the county nearly as often from my home in Cloverdale. I have been commuting to Lakeport from Cloverdale since 1985, a round trip of 70 miles each day over the Hopland Grade. How long I am able to freelance for Lake County sports I cannot say, but hopefully a long time. I can't begin to tell you about all the good friends and acquaintances I've made since taking the sports editor's job at the Bee in late August of 1984. The industry and the job have changed so much since then, I hardly recognize the 23-year-old who former managing editor Ellen Leifeld took a chance on way back when. I've covered some great athletes and teams (yep, the Upper Lake girls basketball teams of the early 1990s were THE best) and worked with a handful of great coaches, not all of whom are still with us. Thanks for letting me serve you all these years, but it's time to be moving down the road a ways.”

I lasted 18 years in the newspaper industry before making a career change to route sales representative for Alhambra Water. That said, I have nothing on Sump.

The great thing about the sports reporting industry is that it is like a fraternity. Sure there’s a competitive aspect when I randomly crossed paths with other sports reporters while covering events. However, the joy of getting to know them as people far overrides the competitive aspect. I have enjoyed getting to know Sumpter throughout the years. Though we may not get together socially due to family lives and distance, I consider him a friend.  

There is only one Brian Sumpter.

The Healdsburg High and San Francisco State University graduate is vacating the Record Bee after 32 years. Sumpter is a picture of dedication and resolve. The dedication part is commuting from Cloverdale to Lakeport (70 miles round trip) five days per week and in his role as Record Bee sports editor, he is a man of many hats — reporter, editor and page designer for five high schools in all of Lake County. He did that for 32 years. The windy Hopland Grade is no joke.

The resilient part came watching his daughter, Sarah, lose her life at 25-years old as a result of brain cancer. The younger Sumpter courageously fought the battle for five years before succumbing in Sept. 2015. No parent should ever have to endure such a fate. My wife and I have three kids (ages 10, 8 and 8). I continually say, “I hope our kids are pallbearers at our funeral, not us being pallbearers at theirs.”

The first time I met Brian was in 1999. I made the trek to Upper Lake from Napa for a Saturday afternoon football game between Calistoga and Upper Lake.

As former Napa Valley Publishing sports editor Randy Johnson can attest, Upper Lake is one of the few places where late October feels like mid-July. The Wildcats won that game 34-19 on the way to a CIF North Coast Section Class B title.

However, the next season (2000), I had more interaction with him since St. Helena High rejoined the NCS, specifically the North Central League I.

Since 2004, when I took over the Upvalley beat, I have crossed paths with Sumpter very regularly.

Like every journalist, Sumpter has written something that has rattled a few cages. Heck, we all have. At his core, however, Sumpter is the quintessential community-oriented journalist that tries to accentuate the positive in a team’s achievements rather than trying to find fault.

He gets it that you can’t cover the Lower Lake Trojans the same way you cover the USC Trojans.

He gets it that you can’t cover the Clear Lake Cardinals like you cover the St. Louis Cardinals.

Other than freelance writing and online journaling, I have no desire to return to the newspaper industry but I can see the appeal of staying in Lake County for 32 years like Sumpter. They appreciate commitment. Good luck finding someone that defines such a term like Sumpter.  

The big challenge for Sumpter in his new job will wearing even more hats. Sure, he will still get to cover sports but he will also have to mix in covering city hall along with managing a staff.

If anyone is up to the task, it is Sumpter. The best news is, he only has to commute 15 minutes round-trip per day rather than at least an hour one-way.

For Lake County’s sake, I hope they find a viable replacement. As for Cloverdale, you have a home run hire.

Here’s the beauty of Sumpter’s career move, unlike many newspaper employees that are dispatched because of archaic technology, he has a chance to continue his passion on his own terms.

Time Out with Ruben Garcia: American Canyon High 2017 senior

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

Ruben Garcia: I love the establishment of athletic dominance over a competitor, growing more physicality and working as a unit with your team.

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

Garcia: My plan is to go to a community college, then transferring to hopefully a CSU.

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

Garcia: Athletic training, as an athlete undergoing injury right now, I hate to see athlete's seasons ending due to injury. It's a great shame for that to happen, so I want to contribute to the prevention/recovery to sports related injuries. Also it keeps me around the sports I love.

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

Garcia: Probably my Sports Med class because of how useful and interesting it is, it will help me when I study athletic training in college.

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

Garcia: No one in my family has really influenced me, I come from a family of many different backgrounds, none of which have influenced me to do anything I aspire to be. My passion for football and athleticism in general has been developed by my own motivations.

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?

Garcia: I'd love to meet someone like Tom Brady, someone who was always overlooked or doubted due to a lack of the flashy athletic image, but has still managed to be one of the absolute best at what he does.

Time Out with Alex Fragoza: 2017 Napa High senior

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

Alex Fragoza: Throughout the seven years of playing football and two years of playing rugby I’ve enjoyed the person it made into. The discipline you get from football and rugby really contributed to the way I act at home and in the classroom. I also really enjoyed building relationships with people, who battled with me for the four years I’ve played football at Napa High, and it’s a really good feeling that they will have my back forever.

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

Fragoza: My plans after high school is too hopefully continue my football career at a university or junior college, or potentially enter the military. As of right now I’m still undecided on what I want to do.  

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

Fragoza: The major I’m choosing is criminal Justice(BS). I choose this major because my ultimate goal is to be a police officer, and to study this field, it will give me advantage from other applicants.

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

Fragoza: My favorite class here at Napa High would have to be physics. I don’t know why but it really connected wit me and I had lots of fun.

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

Fragoza: The most Influential person within my family would have to be my older brother. He always pushed me to be a better person, and pushed me to be the player I am in the field. I’m very thankful for him.

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

Fragoza: I would love to meet Jerry Rice because he is my favorite football player of all time. I would love to get the opportunity to go one on one with him.  

Season-ending loss does not tarnish Wolves 2016 resume

Sometimes a good story does not have a happy ending. Such was the case for the American Canyon High football team.

The No. 2 seeded Wolves’ season came to a screeching halt with a 29-0 loss in Friday’s CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div. III semifinal playoff game to the No. 3 seeded Christian Brothers (Sacramento) Falcons.

Though the loss stings now, and will for a few days if not a few weeks, but as time passes and you get further removed from the defeat, you will remember the many great moments the team produced rather than Friday’s loss.

American Canyon has established its mark in the sport of football since the school opened its doors in 2010. The Reader’s Digest version is in that span the Wolves have gone 49-22. That record is deflated by going 4-6 in 2011 when the program had no seniors and to a lesser degree by going 5-6 in 2015. American Canyon has won five straight Solano County Athletic Conference titles, shared and/or sole possession. The Wolves finished the 2016 campaign going 11-2 and reaching the SJS D-III semifinals, just as they did in 2012 before losing to eventual champion Oakdale.

You hear the phrase so much, “you’re only as good as your last game.”

I agree with that but only to a point. I tend to think that a person’s or team’s resume is the body of work over a period of time. All I know is this, the 2016 American Canyon Wolves were a treat to watch. Well, in my case, cover on a weekly basis.

Whether as a full-time sports reporter or as a freelance writer, I have covered Wolves football for three seasons. The 2011 and 2015 seasons had their peaks and valleys. The former, you can chalk up to having no seniors. The latter, you can chalk up to having its third coaching change in three seasons from Ian MacMillan to Ernie Lawson to Larry Singer. Since Singer has been with American Canyon since Day One be it as the freshmen head coach, JV head coach or varsity head coach, hiring him made sense. However, asking 17-year old kids to enduring three changes in as many seasons can be unsettling.

I’m not just saying this to be politically correct but all three coaches have sweat equity in the Wolves’ success. Singer is front and center now but as the previous JV head coach has played a role in their development. They also learned under the tutelage of Lawson and MacMillan. I would also be remiss not to mention assistant coaches Chris Yepson, Chris Rapacon, Joe Beachum and Mike Morofsky. Like Singer, they have been with the Wolves from Day One.

The senior class is to be commended. Last season, they stayed the course after a 1-5 start and went 15-3 thereafter. Among those seniors that should take a bow are Darren Antes, Andrew Rapacon, Anthony Gobert, Gamon Howard, Vaughn Johnson, Lorenzo Peterson, Jonathan Roeder, Oscar Lopez, Carlos Chavarria, Nelson Jarquin Aleman, Ethan Hughes. My goodness, I could go all night.

What stood out about this team was that the roster had players that genuinely wanted to be there, wanted to work to get better every week and played with the passion that competitors of the past like like Jon Bade, Chris Seisay, Jomon Dotson, Nate Gutierrez to name a few would have  appreciated.

Was it disappointing to see the season grind to a halt?

Yes. However, when the aforementioned players walk into the gym and see a league championship banner, chances are, they will be talking about the good memories on and off the field, not Friday night’s loss to the Falcons.

I’m not trying to channel my inner Dr. Phil, but if a resume is the body of work over a period of time, the 2016 Wolves have an impressive one.

Sideline slant

I have mentioned before in this online journal that I was a full-time sports reporter for 18 years before I changed career. For the past two seasons, I have been a route sales representative for Alhambra Water the last two years. However, when my former employer (Napa Valley Register) reached out to me before the 2015 season to cover games, I was floored in a good way.

I figured, why not, I would have been going to games as a spectator anyhow. However, running my route that involves physical work for 8-10 hours followed by covering a football game expends a lot of energy. Sometimes more than I imagined. That said, I’m taking this one year at a time. I’m tired now but who knows, by June, I’ll be excited again and say give me another year.

This is my inner Brett Favre.

Time Machine: My Thanksgiving/Black Friday high school football memories

“It’s always a good thing to be practicing on Thanksgiving.” That narrative is a consistent refrain for high school football coaches who are fortunate enough to see their teams play at such time of year. Here in Napa Valley, CA, American Canyon High head coach Larry Singer is preaching that tune.

For the second time in school history, the Wolves get the distinction of practicing on Thanksgiving as they prepare for their CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div-III semifinal matchup against the Christian Brothers (Sacramento) Falcons on Friday at 7 p.m. at Wolf Den Stadium. American Canyon reached this point of the postseason in 2012 only to lose 42-19 to Oakdale, which was the eventual SJS D-III champ.

From 1998-2014, I was a sports reporter for a living. I have since changed careers to become a route sales representative for Alhambra Water but I have not given up writing. I operate this online journal and help my former employer (Napa Valley Register) in Friday nights during football seasons. In the meantime, I have had a chance to cover many American Canyon games in that span. As the Wolves’ postseason game beacons, I thought about another thing -- this will be the eighth time I have covered a high school football game that coincided with Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekend.

Here’s a further look through the years but I guess that means I have been blessed with covering some very good teams:

1998-1999 Calistoga Wildcats: Calistoga reached the CIF North Coast Section Class B title game twice in as many seasons. The first of which was a 25-0 loss to the Tomales Braves in 1998. One week earlier, the Wildcats upset the St. Bernard (Eureka) Crusaders in the muck and mire of Humboldt County.

Despite the memorable 1998 campaign, the loss to Tomales left a sour taste in the Wildcats’ mouths as they returned 17 of 23 starters one year later. Calistoga went 9-2 in 1999 with the two defeats coming by a combined total of five points. In the title game against St. Bernard, Calistoga fell behind 18-8 at halftime before rallying for a 22-18 win.

2000 Justin-Siena Braves: Justin entered the season having left the SJS with the Superior California Athletic League having disbanded. The Braves joined the Marin County Athletic League, where they have been since 2000. Justin visited No. 1 seeded Kelseyville as the No. 5 seed.

I remember driving to Lake County and walking into the gate, Kelseyville fans were convinced Y2K was their season to win a NCS Class A title. The Braves, however, reached into their chest cavity and ripped their hearts out with a 34-21 win.

2001 Vallejo Apaches: They are known as the Vallejo Redhawks now thanks to political correctness but I digress. The 2001 season was Vallejo’s last sniff at greatness. The then Apaches went 9-1 in the regular season and scored their first postseason win since 2001 in defeating Atwater 16-14.

One week later, the ride would end with a 21-14 win over Lincoln (Stockton). That game proved to be the last high school football game in Vallejo quarterback DeMarcus Nelson’s career. Nelson committed to Duke University in May of his sophomore season on a basketball scholarship, therefore bypassing football for the remainder of his career at both Vallejo and Sheldon (Elk Grove), where he transferred after his junior season.

2002 Jesse Bethel Jaguars: From a Jaguar standpoint, there is very little about the SJS D-II 35-7 semifinal loss to Granite Bay to remember as far as the game is concerned.

What I do remember is marvelling at the journey of Bethel opening its doors in 1998-1999. I also remember the Jaguars amazing ascent from 2-8 in its first varsity season to 8-3-1 two years later and a Monticello Empire League II title. Though I don’t like emphasizing individuals over team, Dallas Bernstine is by far the best high school football player I covered on a week-to-week basis.

2012 and 2014 St. Helena Saints: With the exception of this year’s American Canyon team, my most vivid memories of high school football teams I covered were these Saints. I spent 10 years on the Upvalley beat and knew the likes of Charles Bertoli, Richard Hoppe, Alex Quirici, Joey Brink and Danny Brink, Gannon Laidlaw, Jack Preston, Robert Archer, Austin Cia and Mark Martin to name a few since youth sports. It was fun to watch them grow into stars in high school.

Hoppe is bar nine the best high school quarterback I covered on a week-to-week basis. He prepared and could read defenses better than any quarterback at the high school level I saw.

In 2012, the No. 6 seeded Saints upset the Salesian (Richmond) Pride 29-25 in the NCS D-IV quarterfinals despite Hoppe leaving the game with a mild concussion. One week later, Hoppe was a game-time decision against San Marin (Novato). The Saints lost 32-26 despite Hoppe’s two touchdown passes.

In 2014, St. Helena reached the NCS D-V title game only to lose 14-7. One week earlier, however, and two days after Thanksgiving, the Saints travelled to St. Bernard and pillaged the Crusaders 37-14. I have never seen a defense bufuddle an offense quite like the Saints, who spent the day rushing three defenders and dropping eight. St. Helena raced to a 24-0 lead with Archer’s 82-yard interception return being the knife to the throat.

Black Friday special in AC -- more playoff high school football

The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday because it is the busiest shopping day of the year.

The American Canyon High football team, which has black and gold in its color scheme, will be shopping for a victory that would send them to the CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div-III title game for the first time in school history. The Wolves enter the game ranked 12th in the maxpreps.com SJS poll (accounting for all divisions). American Canyon and Christian Brothers are tied for No. 25 in the Prep2Prep.com poll (also accounting for all divisions).

The hurdle the No. 2 seeded Wolves (11-1) will have to clear Friday is the No. 3 seeded Christian Brothers Falcons at Wolf Den Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff in the semifinals. The last time the Wolves played this deep into the postseason was 2012, losing 42-19 at eventual champion Oakdale. Speaking of Oakdale, the top-seeded Mustangs host No. 5 seeded Merced on Friday.

The Wolves have a score to settle with Christian Brothers. In 2013, the No. 8 seeded Falcons reached into American Canyon’s chest cavity and tore its heart out with a 30-27 upset over the top-seeded Wolves. Though revenge can be an overplayed angle, that is recent enough to resonate. The current seniors were freshmen at the time. Though they were JV players, they were in the program. Assistant coaches Chris Rapacon, Chris Yepson and Joe Beachum were members of then head coach Ian MacMillan’s staff and remain members of current head coach Larry Singer’s staff. At that time, Singer was the Wolves’ JV head coach.

However, once the ball is kicked off, the revenge angle goes out the window. From there, it’s a question of which team executes its game plan and scheme better. Sure, that notion sounds trite but self-inflicted wounds become magnified at this stage of the season.

The Falcons enter this game 10-2, losing their first two games to Manteca and Jesuit (Carmichael), 39-6 and 25-7 respectively. Manteca is the No. 1 seed in the SJS D-IV bracket while Jesuit is the No. 4 seed in the SJS D-II bracket. Christian Brothers has won ten straight since those defeats by an average margin of 39.8-17.6. The Falcons defeated No. 14 Cordova and No. 11 Burbank in the playoffs 30-20 and 21-14 respectively.

American Canyon, meanwhile, has spent the 2016 boat-racing teams by an average margin of 50.7-19.8 with the lone hiccup being a 24-21 Game 6 loss at Vanden. The Wolves offense has resembled a rushing version of the Greatest Show on Turf in amassing over 4,000 rushing yards in 12 contest engineering by quarterback Darren Antes. The running backs have akin to the pick your poison approach between the speed and shiftiness of Anthony Gobert and Kama Aalona along with the freight-train approach of Andrew Rapacon.

The Wolves have also shined defensively but because this unit has played with monster leads, it is easy to overlook them. The positive sign for American Canyon was that its tackling, which has been spotty, was much better in Friday’s quarterfinal win, 39-8 over Yuba City.

American Canyon’s defense will have to be on point against a diversified Falcons attack. Christian Brothers’ quarterback Tyler Vander Waal (178-291-23-7-2,630) spreads the ball around to receivers Matt Marengo (61-983-6), Spencer Webb (36-597-4). The Falcons running game has a by committee approach as Jamarri Jackson poses as a two-way threat. Jackson has 69 carries for 511 yards and eight scores. As a receiver, he has 27 grabs for 467 yards and five touchdowns. Carlos Stahl (43-302-4) and Aarmon Euwing (64-258-9) also receive ample carries.

The team the Wolves faced that is most similar in this approach was Wood (Vacaville), which American Canyon beat 71-36. Granted, at 5-5, Wood is not in Christian Brothers’ galaxy but quarterback like the Falcons with Vander Waal, Wood had Carson Strong leading a diversified attack. Wood threw the ball 27 games per game compared to Christian Brothers’ 24 times per contest. The only difference is that Wood was less committee oriented in its ground attack with Daniel Macfadden and Christian Catlin accounting for 91.4% of the Wildcats’ rushing yardage.

In that game, the Wolves offense offset Wood’s diverse attack by scoring on 10 of 11 possessions. Though Wood’s offense gained 402 yards of offense, it took 69 plays to accomplish that feat. This game is similar, Christian Brothers will get its yardage, the key is making the Falcons burn up 8-12 plays to try scoring.

Another advantage for the Wolves in this contest is the special teams. Gobert has three kickoff returns for a score while Aalona has a kickoff and punt return for a score. Having a dangerous return man is an advantage even if the opponent tries to kick away from them because it can create field position edges.

The teams have one common opponent -- El Camino, which earned the No. 15 seed in the SJS D-III playoffs and competes in the Capital League with Christian Brothers. American Canyon beat El Camino 64-42 to open the postseason. Christian Brothers beat El camino 37-27.

Fasten your seat belts. It should be a good ballgame.

See ya Friday.

Wolves notebook: Spectacular plays break Yuba City's will

Every game has various scenarios that can be considered turning points. On the surface, the No. 2 seeded American Canyon High football team was clearly the superior team in a 39-8 win over the No. 7 seeded Yuba City Honkers in Friday’s CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div. III playoff win.

The numbers would strongly suggest as much as the Wolves outgained Yuba City in total yardage 577-264. There were three plays in the game that while they did not change the outcome, they changed the complexion. To be fair, at this stage of the season every play is magnified:

Scenario No. 1: American Canyon leads 6-0 late in the first quarter and is forced to punt on its own 6 yard-line. Yuba City is set to get advantageous field position but gets called for roughing the kicker. Wolves get new life and march down the field with quarterback Darren Antes completing the drive with a 25-yard scoring run. The roughing the kicker call was legitimate as Wolves punter Lavar Seay was mauled. However, Yuba City goes from potentially taking the lead to trailing 13-0.

Scenario No. 2: Trailing 13-0, Yuba City takes advantage of an Antes fumbled snap and converts it into a touchdown with Brice Rogers scoring from 1-yard away followed by a Brenndon Shalowitz’s two-point conversion, making it 13-8. Suddenly, Uncle Mo was wearing a Yuba City jersey.

On the ensuing drive, Antes lofted a pass that appeared to be intercepted by Yuba City cornerback Keith Halsey. However, American Canyon wide receiver Gamon Howard ripped the ball out of his hands like a thief in the night. The two players went to the ground and continued to wrestle for the ball but since it was joint possession, the tie goes to the offense. American Canyon retained possession and later scored with Andrew Rapacon hammering across the goal-line from 2-yards out, making it 20-8 Wolves.

Scenario No. 3: Midway through the third quarter, Wolves lead 26-8 with the ball at their own 15 after forcing a punt. Antes fakes the ball on a dive play to Rapacon, runs to his right with Kama Aalona following him as the pitch man. Antes was getting tackled and on his way to the ground as he pitched the ball at the last possible instant. Aalona fielded the pitch and raced 85-yards to paydirt.

Antes pitching at the last possible second was like several throws NFL Hall-of-Famer Brett Favre made. Your first thought is, “What are you thinking!” The next thought is, “Great play!”

“The boys were saying, that’s (John) Madden stuff,” Wolves head coach Larry Singer quipped. “I don’t play video games so I have no idea what they are talking about but they are dynamic playmakers.”

Wolves showing an “all in” mentality

With the win, American Canyon advances to the semifinals of the SJS Div. III playoffs for the second time in the school’s six-year history. Offensively, this team has a pick your poison mentality whether it’s Rapacon, Aalona, Anthony Gobert, Antes, Gamon Howard or Lavar Seay. There is also only one football.

“It’s a testament to (American Canyon assistant) coach Chris Yepson and what he’s been able to accomplish with our offense,” Singer said. “We have so many playmakers. Everybody is trying to do what’s best for the team. Nobody is out here saying, I need more touches.”

“As coaches, it’s hard when you get into this part of the season and the boys are not into it, it is hard,” singer said. “Now, it’s easy. It’s great watching a ton of film and putting things together because we know these guys are going to come out to play. We just told them their schedule for next week. They’re like, OK. We’re ready to go.”

Wolves honor Wallace

Before the contest, Dennis Wallace was honored in a moment of silence. Wallace, who was a Stanislaus County deputy sheriff, was killed in the line of duty on Sunday in Hughson, CA, about 10 miles from Modesto, CA. Wallace also served as a youth soccer coach and refereed high school football games in the SJS. He also served as a liason between schools and law enforcement.

Sideline slants

• American Canyon is now 11-1, tying the school record for wins in a single season, set in 2012.
• Since starting 1-5 under Singer in the first six games in 2015, the Wolves have gone 15-2 since that stretch.