Raiders are a playoff contender but are they a playoff team?

The calendar is about to turn to November and the Oakland Raiders are playing meaningful football games.

Save for the 2010 and 2011 seasons when the team went 8-8 in both years, that phrase qualified as an oxymoron as the team is seeking its first winning season since 2002. The Raiders improved to 3-3 with a 37-29 win over the San Diego Chargers but score was not indicative of how much Oakland dominated. The Raiders led 37-6 after three quarters.

Bay Area media and fans alike are using terms like “playoff contender” and “playoff bound.” However, those terms are very different. Are the Raiders a playoff contender? Right now, you’d be crazy to say they are not. Oakland is the No. 7 seed in the AFC and six teams go to the playoffs. Translation, the Raiders are in the mix. Are they playoff bound? Again, Oakland is a substantially better team than it has been for much of the past decade plus but there are ten games left, too soon to make playoff reservations for a team that has not been on the radar.

In their first six games, the Raiders have cleared a couple of significant hurdles that were an albatross in years past. They have won two games on the road, including one in the Eastern Time Zone. Entering this season, Oakland had an 11-game road losing skid and had not won in the Eastern Time Zone since 2009. Another important hurdle the Raiders have cleared, they proved that they can play competitively against an elite club. Cincinnati blew Oakland’s doors off 33-13 in the season opener. The Raiders lost 16-10 to Denver despite keeping the Broncos offense out of the end zone. Cincinnati and Denver are each 6-0.

New England is also an unbeaten team leading its division (AFC East). The Raiders next two opponents, the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers, are each 4-2. The problem Oakland faces is that the AFC South winner gets an automatic berth. That division is awful as Indianapolis leads it with a 3-4 record. While power rankings can be subjective, I would argue that if one were to do AFC power rankings, the Raiders would be ahead of the Colts.

Perhaps the biggest reason to pump the brakes on saying the Raiders are “playoff bound” is that the three teams they have beaten are a combined 5-16. So far, all Oakland has proven is that a) it can beat the teams it is better than and b) can play competitively against higher-end foes. Those are no small hurdles considering where the Raiders have been the last 13 years.

Coming into this season, most people (myself included), viewed the Raiders as a team that will be much improved but will fall short of a playoff berth. However, who says you have to be a slave to the script?

Now, it’s time to get a signature win against a playoff caliber club. The Raiders next three opponents are exactly that. After playing the Jets and Steelers, Oakland hosts Minnesota, which is 4-2 and in playoff contention in the NFC.

Going forward, for the Raiders to have a realistic chance at making the postseason, they need to win two of their next three games. That goal is attainable.

The Jets are a much improved team that has exceeded expectations thanks to a solid defense and an efficient offense. New York will pose a tough test for Oakland. However, there are two factors that could be considered an equalizer for the Raiders on Sunday. The Jets invested a lot of energy against New England, its most heated rival, before losing 30-23. New York also has to make a cross country trip.

Oakland then follows with a trip to Pittsburgh. The Raiders have won the last two meeting but the Steelers will get a lift with the return of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

While Minnesota is a much-improved team, it is 2-8 in road games under second-year head coach Mike Zimmer. One of those road losses includes a 20-3 setback earlier this season against lowly San Francisco.

The opportunity is squarely in front of the Raiders to hasten their arrival to being a playoff team.

Time Out with Natalie Ball (2016 Vintage High senior)

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

Natalie Ball: The things I have enjoyed most about high school sports are the friendships I have made. When you spend so much time with people who like the same sport, it brings you closer together. Some of my best friends I met through volleyball.

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

Ball: My plans after high school are to go to the Napa Valley College and hopefully play volleyball there as well. I want to get my General Ed done there while I decide what field I want to study.

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

Ball: I do not have a set major or field I am interested in, perhaps social work or criminal justice. Working at Disneyland doesn't sound too bad either.

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

Ball: My favorite class at Vintage High would have to be pre calculus. My teacher, Mr. Merkner, is one of the coolest dudes around. He was such an amazing teacher and he made learning fun.

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

Ball: The most influential people in my life would definitely be my parents. My mom played volleyball in college and encouraged me to try it out for myself. My dad has always been my biggest fan. Every time I'd get an ace or a kill, his voice was the only one I could distinctly pick out of a crowd. Hearing "way to go, Nat" or just "Yeaaah!" from him after I got us a point always made me proud. Ever since freshman year, my parents haven't missed a single game, whether I got to play or not. They were always there, cheering for me.

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

Ball: If I could meet any historical figure, I'd want to meet Kerri Walsh Jennings. She's so inspirational and such a skilled player, I'd love to meet her someday.

Time Out with Bruce Crowder II (American Canyon High 2016 senior)

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

Bruce Crowder: Athletics have always been apart of me. I've always been an extreme competitor, and it’s not a trait I will ever lose. The thing I love the most about sports is just how fun it is. When I'm in the game, it’s like I'm in a whole different world, and it’s my escape from everything.

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

Crowder: Hopefully, I can get a sports scholarship to my dream school (Sac State) and play football there. I really wanted to stay local to be close to my family, and also be close to my girlfriend who goes to chico state.

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

Crowder: I want to pursue becoming a Paramedic Fireman. I know that Sac State has an amazing paramedic program hopefully I can get into the school so I can further pursue my dream job. I've always been fascinated by the medical field and helping people and with my mom being an RN I've been around the medical field all my life. I couldn’t see myself confined to a single building, and being a true athlete at heart I crave a team, and a close family bond, so being a paramedic fireman is just the perfect endeavor for me.

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

Crowder: My favorite class would have to be Anatomy. I love learning about the human body, and what makes it tick. Learning all of the medical and anatomical terms are always so much fun to learn about, because i can have conversation with my mom, or just say the simple things about the human body in a very complicated way.

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

Crowder: With sports it’s always been my dad and sister. My dad has always been Superman to me. In any circumstance he has been in he has always been Superman to me, and I have always strived to be his legacy. Now my sister, she is an amazing athlete. One of the best I've ever seen. It has always been "Oh! You're Taylor’s little brother." So I have always been my sister’s little shadow. Being put in the situation it was only right to soon break away from being a shadow and make my own name. Now my mom, she has always been my best friend, my anchor, and yes, I am a bonified mommas boy. My mom has taught me so much about myself and who I want to be.

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

Crowder: I would really like to meet Emmett Smith, he has always been a football legend to me, and someone who is all around a cool person, and one more person I would like to meet Harry Houdini I love magic.

Time Out with Alexis Mezzetta (2003 Justin-Siena High graduate)

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

Alexis Mezzetta: By far what I have enjoyed most about competing in athletics has been the camaraderie and the tradition that goes into being a part of a team. The games are of course the rewarding part but I truly fell in love with the process of being a part of team. All the practicing, planning, team and relationship building is what makes athletics so special. I also enjoy the rituals and traditions that teams make up and create for themselves.

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

Mezzetta: After graduating from high school, I went to UC San Diego where I got my degree in Biology (Pre-Med) and was a part of the Women's Basketball program there for four years. When I graduated I was hired as an Assistant Coach at UCSD. I was there for four years until I moved on to coach at Loyola Marymount University (WCC Conference) in Los Angeles for three years. I was just hired at University of the Pacific, also in the WCC Conference, and will begin my first season with the Tigers.

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

Mezzetta: I have a few favorites: I enjoyed all my classes with Mr. Morrish because he was a unique individual. His classes were like theatre; you never knew what you were going to expect and the students had so much respect for his differences. I also enjoyed my Physics class. I remember building a lot of projects and testing them out near Senior Lawn. It was not an easy class but I enjoyed the class interaction. He was also a baseball fan and if his team was winning the tests seemed a bit easier and we all knew it. I think it was my Senior year that his favorite baseball team won the World Series. Let’s just say that was a great year.

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

Mezzetta: I think my favorite moments at Justin-Siena were competing in the playoff games. It is that special time of year that you wait for all year long after all your hard work. My favorite moment on the floor was actually when I was in 8th grade competing for St. Francis and playing for Mike Boles where we won the 8th grade tournament. Most of the players we competed against went on to attend Justin-Siena, became my high school teammates and are still my friends today. I will never forget that tournament and the moment that we won.

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?

Mezzetta: Athletics has made me who I am today. It is not even about the fact that I still work in athletics but that athletics provides you with unique tools to tackle anything in life that comes your way. All of my work ethic and time management skills have come from having to balance athletics and academics. Bruce Halverson and Mike Boles molded me into the woman that I am today. I would not be who I am without all their guidance, faith in me, and pushing me every day to be my best.

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

Mezzetta: Both of my parents have been very influential in my life. They always had high standards for me which I enjoyed and took as a challenge. My mom has this way about her where she is able to turn any situation into a personal challenge. She can also turn a negative situation into a challenge. I believe she has passed along this quality to me. My parents were not sports fans originally. Although they rarely missed a game they never watched sports on TV, knew any terminology, nor once did Mom or Dad throw a ball around or go outside and shoot hoops. The only person in the family who truly enjoyed sports was my Grandfather (mother's dad). He loved baseball and football and I fell in love with the way he loved sports.

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

Mezzetta: I am not sure but maybe Babe Ruth because it was such a different time. My grandfather talked about this time in baseball often and I think I would like to sit down with him to just hear the stories.

Time Out with Katia Beckmann (2016 St. Helena High senior)

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

Katia Beckmann: The thing I have enjoyed most about being involved in athletics is the things your learn about yourself, such as how well you can do something under pressure, and what you can accomplish if you really want to, through each sport and each season.

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

Beckmann: My plans after high school are not crystal  clear as of now, but I am applying to three CSUs and thinking about Shasta College and playing volleyball there.

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

Beckmann: I have no clue what I want to study.

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

Beckmann: My favorite class would have to be Science and Media with Mr. (Chris) O'Connor because I enjoy how we talk about things that we don't learn about in any other classes. Such as global warming and the sides to it, and pollution as well as population, and just things that are rarely mentioned or considered in a high school student's life.

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

Beckmann: My grandmother has been the most influential person in my life. She is always there to give me good advise and help me accept the truth about things.

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?

Beckmann: I would want to meet Martin Luther King Jr., because I would like to try and see his thoughts and feelings straight from his mouth about the issues at the time and his frustration at what was happening. And how he coped with it, as well as how he seemed so collected during his speeches. As well as what he thought would be good solutions, no matter how different or extreme they might have been.

Time Out with Sophia Sakopoulos (2016 St. Helena High senior)

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

Sophia Sakopoulos: I have enjoyed the team aspect of playing sports the most. It is so interesting to see how, over the summer and season, the individual players form relationships and cohesion on and off the court. It becomes like a little family and it is so fun to be able to play alongside good friends on the court.

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

Sakopoulos: I am planning on going to a four year university after high school. I am applying to many schools all over the country and so far I have no top school. I am pretty open to many schools and I am so excited to start that chapter in my life.

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

Sakopoulos: I would like to study neuroscience and possibly become a trauma surgeon. The brain is so complex and mysterious and it is amazing to me how little we actually know about it. I would also like to be a trauma surgeon because it would never be boring and the human body is an amazing feat.

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

Sakopoulos: My favorite class at SHHS has been anatomy and physiology with Mr. O'Connor because it was so hands on with the car dissections and I really liked learning about the human body. It is applicable and makes total sense.

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

Sakopoulos: My mom has been the most influential person in my life because she is at the top of her field and yet continues to learn and grow as an individual and as an academic. She travels around the world doing talks and presentations about her passion and that is something I really admire.

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?

Sakopoulos: I would really like to meet Serena Williams because not only is she a world-renowned athlete, but she also advocates for many charities. She uses her fame and wealth for good reasons and I really respect that. I think all famous people should do that.

After a rough start, Wolves have a chance for strong finish

After defeating the Vanden Vikings 31-20 on Friday night at Wolf Den Stadium, the 2015 season has a much different feel for the American Canyon High football team heading into Game 8 than it did after dropping to 0-4 with a 70-33 loss to the Wood (Vacaville) Wildcats on Sept. 18.

The Wolves still have three more hurdles to clear if they want a chance for a return trip to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Div. III playoffs but after winning two of their last three contests, postseason participation is a legitimate conversation. American Canyon recorded its first win of the season on Sept. 25 in defeating El Camino (Sacramento) 34-31 before heading into the bye week.

While any win is great, I’m of the mind that a win heading into the open date helped the team’s psyche if nothing else because confidence can be fragile, particularly with high school student-athletes. Coaches and players can say all the right things about staying positive but at some point constantly losing, especially in decisive fashion, wears on you mentally.

Though the Wolves lost to Benicia, 35-28, in the Solano County Athletic Conference opener on Oct. 9, you had the feeling that the season was ready to turn in American Canyon’s favor. Like most any coach, Wolves head man Larry Singer will preach the “one game at a time” mantra. There’s nothing wrong with that approach because it’s the coach’s job to make certain that players don’t get too high when they win and not too low when they lose. However, as a fan/career changed media turned water truck driver, I can look ahead.

American Canyon is now 2-5 overall and 1-1 in SCAC. The Wolves are likely out of mulligans if they want to reach the postseason but going forward, here are some positive signs if you are a Wolves fan.

Their two toughest SCAC opponents (Benicia and Vanden) are in their rearview mirror. Though losing to Benicia hurts, the Wolves got a split between the Panthers and Vanden. The Wolves last three opponents (Bethel, Fairfield and Vallejo) have a combined record of 6-15. Granted, Bethel skews that record somewhat because the Jaguars are 0-7. However, even if you eliminate that mark, one can look at all three of these games as ones American Canyon has a realistic chance to win.

In just a short time, five years to be exact, American Canyon football has built a winning tradition.

Earlier this season, as in just a few weeks ago, one had to wonder if that tradition was headed the other direction. To add further perspective, between 2011-2014, the Wolves had gone 32-12 under Ian MacMillan (2011-2013) and Ernie Lawson (2014). Singer, who had been the Wolves JV head coach since 2011 after one season of coaching the freshmen team, was elevated to head coach after Lawson resigned.

Hall of Fame NFL head coach Bill Parcells coined the phrase, “you are what your record says you are.” I agree with that to a point. Factually, it’s a true statement but sometimes records have to be evaluated differently and the 2015 Wolves to date would fall into that category.

With the 2015 Wolves’ team, the nonleague schedule resembled Murder’s Row highlighted by Inderkum, which is 8-0 and the SJS D-III runnerup. The Tigers have outscored foes by an average score of 46-12, including a 43-6 win over American Canyon. In addition, Wood, which has been a perrenially mid-to-low level team in the Monticello Empire League, has taken a step forward. Even with Friday’s 38-21 loss to Napa, the Wildcats are still in the picture in the MEL title race. Wood is 6-1.

In the first couple of years, the Wolves did not play nonleague foes of this caliber outside of playoff games. In addition, American Canyon had three players (Chris Seisay, Jonathan Bade and Jomon Dotson) that went on to play at Div. I colleges. It was like a perfect storm, have a few difference makers, some winnable games and generate momentum.

Speaking of momentum, the Wolves have it on their side now. It’s up to them to maintain it.