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| • | 2008 State Championship(All States) |
| • | Division II State Championship Recap:Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)37, St. Mary's (Stockton)34 |
| • | Division III State Championship Recap:St. Bonaventure(Ventura) 28, Cardinal Newman(Santa Rosa) 6 |
| • | Open Division State Championship: Recap :Grant (Sacramento) 25, Poly (Long Beach) 20 |
| • | Small School State Championship, St. Margaret's 59, Hamilton 7 |
| • | Division I State Championship: Recap : Centennial (Corona) 21, De La Salle(Concord) 16 |
| • | NBL News and Scores |
| • | State Top 25 Scoreboard .. |
| • | SCL News and Scores...2008 |
| • | PrepNation.com Top 25 |
| • | 2008 USA Today Super 25 |
| • | The most successful high school football team in California history |
| • | NCS CHAMPIONS |
| • | CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONS |
| • | De La Salle History |
| • | De La Salle High of Concord winning streak ends at 151 games |
| • | Most Wins , Career, Same School |
| • | Team National Records, - Offense |
| • | Team - Passing |
| • | Team - Rushing |
| • | Team - Defense |
| • | Individual - Offense |
| • | Individual - Defense |
| • | Special Teams |
| • | Individual - Receiving |
| • | Individual - Passing |
| • | Individual - Rushing |
| • | Top 10 National active winning streaks |
| • | State Championships, Undefeated Teams ,Wins ,Rivalries,Most Overtimes |
| • | Past National Prep champs |
| • | High school football's state championship teams and top players for the 2005 season. |
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Welcome to the home of the
Windsor Jaguars
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State Champions
2008
D-I
Centennial (Corona)(15-0) 21
De La Salle(Concord)(12-2) 16
D-II
Cathedral Catholic(San Diego)(14-0)37
St. Mary's(Stockton)(12-3)34
D-III
St. Bonaventure(Ventura)(14-1) 28
Cardinal Newman(Santa Rosa)(13-1) 6
Open Division
Grant (Sacramento)(14-0) 25
Poly (Long Beach)(14-1) 20
Small School
St. Margaret's (San Juan Capistrano)(15-0)59
Hamilton (Hamilton City)(10-3)7
2007
D-I
De La Salle(Concord)(13-0) 37
Centennial(Corona) (13-2) 31
D-II
Oceanside (12-1) 28
Novato (13-1) 14
D III
St. Bonaventure(Ventura)(14-1) 35
Central Catholic(Modesto)(11-1-2), 21
2006
D-I
Canyon (12-2) 27
De La Salle(Concord)(13-1) 13
D-II
Orange Lutheran (14-1) 42
Palo Alto (12-2) 28
D-III
Oaks Christian (14-0) 27
Cardinal Newman(Santa Rosa)(13-1) 20
Division III State Championship Recap:St. Bonaventure(Ventura) 28, Cardinal Newman(Santa Rosa) 6
St. Bonaventure Defends Title
Seraphs holds potent Cardinal Newman team without a touchdown in CIF Bowl Game Division III championship.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Division III: St. Bonaventure 28, Cardinal Newman 6
SB Stars: DB Joe Luna (10 tackles), Devon Blackledge (89 yards rushing, 1 TD), QB Logan Meyer 140 yards passing, 1 TD.
Storyline: St. Bonaventure wins second straight title…Seraphs don’t allow touchdown against team that averaged 42 ppg. … Junior QB Meyer poise is key.
By Mitch Stephens
MaxPreps.com
CARSON, Calif. – It was mid-September and St. Bonaventure assistant Andy Gibson was driving head coach Todd Therrien a little bonkers.
“We’re better than last year,” Gipson kept singing at practice. “We’re better than last year.”
Said Therrien: “I wanted to kick him in the shins. Can you just let us play it out?”
With a thorough 28-6 victory over a very good and previously unbeaten Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) squad, the Seraphs played it out all right, to their second straight CIF State Bowl Division III crown at the Home Depot Center on Saturday afternoon.
A fast and physical defense kept a team that averaged six touchdowns a game out of the end zone while getting four different players to score.
This was truly a team effort.
USC-bound Patrick Hall (53-yard run), Marcus Langkilde (2-yard run), Devon Blackledge (25-yard run) and Drew Gibson (14-yard pass from quarterback Logan Meyer) all tallied touchdowns for the Seraphs (14-1) who made a serious claim that they are one of the top 20 teams in the country.
Their only defeat was 12-7 to Long Beach Poly, a unanimous top 5 team nationally.
Afterward, Therrien was ready to finally harmonize with coach Gibson.
“I have to give it to (Gibson), he knew it all the way,” Therrien said.
Therrien had a hunch too, largely based on a terrific defense that allowed just 28 points its final four games.
Newman (13-1), making its second state bowl appearance in three years, had a plethora of weapons, came in averaging more than 400 yards per game but mustered just 254, mainly on what Therrien called “dinks and dunks.”
The Cardinals moved the chains, especially in the second quarter when Randy Wright, also the team’s standout quarterback, drilled field goals of 22 and 36 yards.
But the Seraphs secondary of J.B. Dock (five tackles, forced fumble), Troy Hill (five tackles), Tim Bennett (seven tackles) and Joe Luna (game-high 10 tackles) gave up next to nothing after each catch.
Wright, who came in with 2,557 yards passing, 30 touchdowns and a gaudy 15.7 yards per completions, completed 19 of 31 but for only 127 yards. That’s 6.7 yards per reception.
“You can only go so far doing that,” Therrien said. “But once you get into the red zone you can’t dink and dunk any more.”
Newman coach Paul Cronin, a truly innovative offensive coach, knew a truly fast team would give his team troubles. And after watching a week’s worth of film on the Seraphs Cronin cracked, “You wish you drew someone else, someone a little slower. Speed exposes some errors pretty quickly.
“Runs (against teams Newman normally faces) that go for 20 or 30 yards go for 5 or 6 against St. Bonaventure. Completions that normally we get five yards plus five more yards after the catch you just get five yards against St. Bonaventure.”
It just took one breakaway run by Hall to give St. Bonaventure all the points it would needed.
The talented back, who didn’t start on either side of the ball - he’s being recruited as a defensive back – broke through a large hole off the right side, then burst past the Newman secondary for a 52-yard TD run with 2:56 left in the first quarter.
Hall, who started for St. Bonaventure as a freshman, didn’t take his benching to heart.
“I just wanted to help my team win,” Hall said. “(On the TD) It was all blocking.”
A short punt led to a shore field, just 20 yards and the Seraphs needed just three plays to get back to the end zone to take a 14-0 lead. Blackledge ran twice for 18 yards and Langkilde power it home from the 2, giving St. Bonaventure a two-touchdown edge with 21 seconds left in the first quarter.
“We just didn’t play very well in the first quarter,” Cronin said. “That’s going to happen in a game like this. “We played hard and battled back.”
But they couldn’t finish. They went 76 yards to start the second quarter, but like they did all week, the Seraphs tightened up and Wright settled for a 22-yard field goal.
“We don’t like to ever be in that position but once teams get in the red zone, we don’t bend,” St. Bonny senior linebacker Xavier Ramos said.
The Seraphs took control on 25-yard yard touchdown around left end by Blackledge with 4:18 left in the third quarter.
After St. Bonaventure held on downs, the cemented with a 67 yard drive in eight plays capped by a beautifully designed 15-yard inside screen to Gibson for a touchdown with 10:15 remaining.
It was the second touchdown in two years for Gibson, who scored on a key 70-yard touchdown catch in last year’s 35-21 title-game win over Central Catholic (Modesto).
“I had to get in the end zone again,” Gibson said. “This was my last game in high school. To win two state titles is amazing. I couldn’t be prouder of my team and coaches.”
Meyer, an impressive 6-foot-1, 210-pound junior, was particularly sharp hitting 10 of 15 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown. The quarterback spot was wide open but Meyer, the JV starter last year, emerged last spring and was named the starter just before the first game.
Last year Meyer suited up for the state championship game last year, but never imagined playing such an integral part in the 2008 game.
“I just wanted to earn the starting job (in 2008),” Meyer said. “It was a big responsibility and I took it serious. But it was a game-by-game thing. I never even thought about doing this. I’m just glad I could contribute.”
Said Therrien: “Logan’s developed all year long. He doesn’t whine, he doesn’t pout, he just responds and has been a great quarterback all year. I think he has a chance to earn a scholarship.”
As good as Meyer and the offense were, Therrien is clear what the 2008 team will be remembered for.
“Our defense was lights out,” he said. “The secondary is one of the best in school history. The linebacking core is outstanding and the under-rated group is the linemen. From the front to back it’s a great unit. They play hard and together. They’ve been a lot of fun to coach.”
E-mail Mitch Stephens at mstephens@maxpreps.com.
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St. Bonaventure 28, Cardinal Newman 6
Cardinal Newman 0 6 0 0 - 6
St. Bonaventure 14 0 7 7 - 28
First quarter
SB – Hall 53 run (Kirk kick), 2:56
SB – Langkilde 2 run (Kirk kick), :21
Second quarter
CN – FG, Wright 22, 7:19
CN – FG, Wright 36, 0:00
Third quarter
SB – Blackledge 25 run (Kirk kick), 4:18
Fourth quarter
SB – Gibson 14 pass from Lo. Meyer (Kirk kick), 10:15
Team Statistics
First downs: CN 19, SB 17
Rushes-yards: CN 40-127, SB 26-196
Passing: 19-31-0-127, SB 11-16-1-147
Total yards: CN 254, SB 343
TO: CN 0, SB 3
Penalties: CN 2-10, SB 5-40
Time possession: CN 30:06, SB 17:54
Individual Statistics
Rushing
CN, Badger 16-79, Ferguson 13-57, Wright 11-(-9). SB, Blackledge 10-89, Hall 7-78, Scholder 3-21, Langkilde 3-9, Rodart 2-1, Team 1-(-2).
Passing
CN, Wright 19-31-0-127. SB, L. Meyer 10-15-1-140, Kirk 1-1-0-7.
Receiving
CN, Amaral 10-69, Miller 3-32, North 2-19, Badger 2-9, Ferguson 2-(-2). SB Rodarte 4-58, Gibson 3-51, Z. Meyer 1-19, Langkilde 1-7, Ledesma 1-9, Hall 1-3.
Tackles
CN, James 7, Stout 5, Steele 4. SB, Luna 10, Gremaud 9, Bennett 7, Frazier 7, Davis 7.
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St. Bonnie Makes It 2-For-2
December 20, 2008 6:42 PM
Seraphs defeat Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa, 28-6, to win second straight CIF Division III state bowl game.
By Mark Tennis, CalHiSports.com Executive Editor
The way that Ventura County powerhouses St. Bonaventure of Ventura and Oaks Christian of Westlake Village have been going -- and with no end in sight -- maybe they ought to call the CIF Division III State Championship Bowl Game the St. Bonnie-Oaks Division.
After Oaks Christian won in the first year of the bowl games, St. Bonaventure has now won two straight after a 28-6 victory over previously unbeaten Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa on Saturday afternoon at The Home Depot Center.
Head coach Todd Therrian's team has been led by two-way star Patrick Hall and while Hall did have another strong outing, the Seraphs were well-balanced with the play of quarterback Logan Meyer, running back Devon Blackledge and receivers Drew Gibson and Nolan Rodarte.
"CIF (Southern Section title) feels good, but back-to-back state titles is indescribable," Hall said.
"Our mantra has been, whenever we need a big play, go to Patrick," said Therrian, whose 14-1 team lost its only game, 12-7, to Long Beach Poly. "More than anything, however, this team showed it's more than just one guy. Our defense has been playing light outs all season."
Hall made his presence felt immediately. The three-year standout headed to USC first batted away a pass on defense when Cardinal Newman (13-1) tried to convert a fourth down on its first series. Then with 2:56 left in the first quarter, he broke free on his second carry for a 53-yard touchdown. Hall finished with seven carries for 78 yards.
St. Bonaventure took advantage of a five-yard punt to score again later in the first quarter. After Blackledge ran the ball twice down to the 3-yard line, Marcus Langkilde punched it into the end zone and it was 14-0.
Cardinal Newman put together an impressive scoring drive on its third series to prevent an early blowout. The Cardinals didn't get a touchdown, but kept the ball for 15 plays before Randy Wright, also the team's quarterback, booted a 22-yard field goal for their first points of the game with 7:19 left in the second quarter.
The Seraphs then suffered turnovers on their next two possessions, including one that was the type you'd see on NFL follies when a pass ricocheted off the back foot of Gibson and picked off by Teyo Green of Cardinal Newman.
The Cardinals only had 43 seconds left before halftime after getting that turnover, but did push themselves again into field goal range. Wright lined up for a 36-yarder and sliced it through with no time left, keeping his team within striking distance.
In the third quarter, though, instead of Cardinal Newman coming closer or tying the score on its first series of the half, it was the Seraphs who gained more breathing room. They drove 76 yards on eight plays, with Meyer going 4-for-4 and fellow junior Blackledge scoring on a 25-yard run. Blackledge ended with 10 carries for 89 yards.
Meyer then put the game out of reach with 10:15 remaining when he zipped a slant pass to Gibson, who sprinted through the middle of the field and smashed his way into the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown. Meyer hit on two earlier passes to Rodarte in that drive for 32 yards. He ended with 10 completions in 15 attempts for 140 yards.
"We knew we would need to use all three downs and have a lot of third and threes but we ended up getting into more long distance situations than we wanted to," said Cardinal Newman head coach Paul Cronin."Plus, we made too many mistakes, especially in the first half."
Those long distance situations also enabled the St. Bonnie defense to tee off on Wright as he was sacked five times. Senior James Emma and sophomore Cody Kurz both were in on Wright multiple times.
Added Cardinal Newman's Jeff Badger, who rushed for 81 yards on 16 carries and had the hit of the game on defense: "I'm really proud of our team. We were focused all week and we gave it our all. They were just the better team."
Another Newman player who shined was wideout Wade Amaral, who caught 10 passes for 69 yards.
Corrections or comments? Email mark@studentsports.com
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St. Bonaventure's Patrick Hall goes out on top
The defensive back helps the Seraphs defeat Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman for their second straight CIF Division III state bowl championship. He's heading to USC in the fall.
By Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times
December 21, 2008
Walking off the field after his final high school game, St. Bonaventure defensive back Patrick Hall couldn't help but smile as he gazed at the sea of supporters cheering in the stands. After all, how many football players get to be a part of two state championship teams knowing that they'll be heading to USC the next year?
"It feels great to go out like this," said Hall, his taped-on USC grease marks under his eyes. "To get to this point is unbelievable."
Thanks to Hall and his teammates, Ventura St. Bonaventure won its second consecutive CIF Division III state bowl championship Saturday, defeating Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman, 28-6, at the Home Depot Center.
The Seraphs (14-1) capitalized on another trademark defensive effort to keep Cardinal Newman (13-1) out of the end zone, stonewalling three Cardinals drives inside the St. Bonaventure 20. The Seraphs also limited the Cardinals to only one fourth-down conversion in four tries.
St. Bonaventure's stingy defense allowed its offense to build on Hall's 53-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Junior quarterback Logan Meyer completed 10 of 15 passes for 140 yards and junior running back Devon Blackledge finished with a game-high 89 yards and a touchdown.
"It's been a lot of fun coaching a team this good," said St. Bonaventure Coach Todd Therrien, who at 29 has won two Division III state bowl championships in his first two years as a prep football coach. "The linebacking corps has been outstanding and the secondary was phenomenal."
Cardinal Newman Coach Paul Cronin was also impressed by the Seraphs' defense, even though it meant his team would leave a bowl game empty-handed for the second time in three years.
"Any time we got into a third-and-nine or fourth-and-long, we knew it would be tough because of their athleticism," Cronin said. "They're a great team and they showed it."
Cardinal Newman quarterback Randy Wright kicked field goals of 22 and 36 yards in the first half to salvage something from drives that sputtered out in St. Bonaventure territory. Wright also completed 19 of 31 passes for 127 yards, but it wasn't enough.
In becoming the first team to win two CIF division bowl titles, the Seraphs gave up an average of just over eight points a game in the postseason and outscored opponents 165-42. And the one Seraph who played a significant role in both of those statistics was Hall.
Last year, Hall lived in the shadow of Darrell Scott, who took over the starting running back job that appeared to be Hall's before Scott's transfer from Moorpark in the winter of 2007. But everybody knew Hall was a top-level talent, and those suspicions were confirmed when he committed to USC this year.
In the Division II championship game, Tyler Gaffney rushed for 329 yards and five touchdowns -- both state bowl records -- to lead San Diego Cathedral Catholic (14-0) to a 37-34 victory over Stockton St. Mary's. Gaffney had 56 touchdowns (48 of them rushing), tied for fourth all-time on the state single-season list.
Cody Vaz passed for 336 yards and four touchdowns for St. Mary's (12-3).
Correspondent Steve Galluzzo contributed to this report.
austin.knoblauch
@latimes.com
CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC 37, ST. MARY'S 34 CIF STATE DIVISION II FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Rams second to one
Shootout not decided until final minute in a classic in Carson
By Stephen Roberson
Record Staff Writer
December 21, 2008
CARSON - St. Mary's quarterback Cody Vaz and receiver Louie Lechich both had record-setting performances during Saturday's CIF State Division II Championship Bowl Game.
It just wasn't enough.
Cathedral Catholic, the San Diego Section's Division III champion, set a number of records as well in a 37-34 victory at The Home Depot Center, giving the Dons their first state championship.
Cathedral running back Tyler Gaffney - who has narrowed his collegiate choices to USC, Notre Dame and Stanford - rushed for a bowl-game record 329 yards on 33 carries with five touchdowns, also a record.
Vaz completed 31 of 46 passes for 336 yards with four touchdowns, setting the bowl game record for both completions and yards while tying the mark for touchdown passes.
Lechich finished with a bowl-game record 15 catches for 157 yards with two touchdowns. Alex Michaels also caught two Vaz touchdown passes.
"We just wanted to come out and prove we belonged here, and I think we did that," Vaz said. "We played our tails off. We played a great game. It's just unfortunate we came up a little short."
Cathedral finished with 590 yards of total offense, another bowl-game record. With the 451 yards the Rams put up, the teams combined for 1,041 yards of total offense.
Gaffney, who missed one play with an injury during the third quarter, gave the Dons (14-0) the lead for good, 37-34, with a 51-yard touchdown run with 4:45 remaining.
"He's a great running back," St. Mary's Jon Sanguinetti said. "Everything they say about him is real. It's not hype. He's good, he's fast, he's big. We made a couple mistakes where we lined up wrong. We played hard; we just came up short."
Gaffney didn't limit his production to running. After St. Mary's took its first lead of the game, 27-23, on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Vaz to Alex Michaels with 9:38 remaining, Gaffney went to the air.
On the ensuing drive, he completed a 30-yard pass to quarterback Parker Hipp on fourth-and-9 from the St. Mary's 32 on a flea-flicker play called "58 Parker". A facemask penalty moved the ball from the 2 to the 1, and Gaffney punched it in on the next play to give the Dons the lead again, 30-27.
Cathedral coach Sean Doyle considered calling the play earlier in the game, but Hipp convinced him to save it.
"I didn't think it was the proper moment," Hipp said. "But on fourth-and-(9) ... I finally said, 'Coach, this is the time.' "
St. Mary's countered right away on what was initially a gaffe.
Rams return man Chad West caught the kickoff at the 4-yard line and looked down at the 5 and thought it was the goal line. He stopped, realized he wasn't in the end zone - which in high school football is an automatic touchback - and started running.
He didn't stop until he reached the end zone 96 yards later with a touchdown that put St. Mary's in front, 34-30.
Gaffney's 51-yard touchdown run gave the Dons the lead once again and set the stage, potentially, for a game-winning St. Mary's drive.
With nearly 5 minutes to play at the start of the drive, Vaz drove the Rams into Cathedral territory. Then on fourth down, he threw a fade to Lechich near the left sideline that fell incomplete.
Both Franks and Lechich said Lechich was interfered with, but both the junior receiver and the coach took the no-call in stride.
"I thought the (defender) had our receiver's arm, but it didn't happen that way," Franks said. "We didn't get (the flag)."
Said Lechich: "I think we called the right play. We were beating them inside all day, and we wanted to go with a fade right there. I couldn't get my arm up there to grab it, but the (officials) aren't going to decide the game. It just didn't work out."
The resiliency from St. Mary's wasn't lost on Gaffney.
"You have to give them credit," he said. "Third-and-long, fourth-and-1, they kept getting the first downs. ... It definitely made the game fun. As much fun as it is to beat up on a team, it's even more fun to win a game 37-34."
Contact reporter Stephen Roberson at (209) 546-8272 or sroberson@recordnet.com.
Grant more than belongs on same field as Poly
December 21, 2008 4:01 AM
Pacers come through in the fourth quarter to beat favored Jackrabbits, 25-20, and make history for school, city and Sac-Joaquin Section to win CIF Open Division football title.
By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor CalHiSports.com
It took the California Interscholastic Federation 79 years to implement state championship bowl games in 2006 after discontinuing the state format following the 1927 season amid financial concerns.
It took Polytechnic High School of Long Beach even longer, 89 years, to return to a state football championship game. The Jackrabbits were looking to make history as the first program to win CIF state titles in the early era and the modern CIF State Championship Bowl Games, but Grant of Sacramento made history of its own as the Pacers pulled out a thrilling 25-20 victory over the Jackrabbits in front of 14,122 at the Home Depot Center in Carson.
The win was not only the first for five Northern California teams that traveled South in the first year of the expanded bowl games that included the addition of a small schools and an open division, but the biggest win ever for a Sacramento area prep football team.
"We won this football game because of our character," said Grant head coach Mike Alberghini.
The Pacers were a surprise pick for the open bowl game going up against a Poly team that came in ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 2 in the nation in the ESPN RISE FAB 50, but they came in well-prepared and with confidence fueled by those that felt De La Salle of Concord should have played the Jackrabbits.
The Pacers proved they were more than a deserving selection and scored the game-winning touchdown on a 15-yard touchdown reception by Darvin McCauley to cap a eight-play, 65-yard drive that began with 1:11 remaining in the game.
"They shut down our run and we felt early on we had to go to the pass," Alberghini explained. "We just had the answers. We felt the one thing coming in here is everyone said they're more athletic. Well, we're athletic, too."
The game didn't start out too well for Poly (14-1) as the Pacers drew first blood. On the second offensive possession for Grant (14-0), quarterback Kipeli Koniseti caught Poly cornerback Lazari Middleton looking into the backfield and hit McCauley in stride on an out and up pattern for a 54-yard touchdown with 6:59 remaining in the first period.
The CIF Sac Joaquin Div. II champions had great field position throughout the first half as Poly played its customary game of catch up. The Jackrabbits actually dodged two major bullets as Grant had two great opportunities to put points on the board and came away with zero. Following a fumble on a kickoff return by Poly's Jordan Johnson that Grant recovered at the 20-yard line, the Pacers were facing a fourth and four from the 16-yard line and Koniseti just over shot a wide open receiver who got behind Middleton in the corner of the end zone.
With 1:30 remaining in the first quarter, Poly allowed a 40-yard reception by Ronald Fields in the middle of the field, but its defense toughened up and forced a fourth and 10 from the 15-yard line to cap a eight-play, 65-yard drive that began with 1:11 remaining in the game.
"They shut down our run and we felt early on we had to go to the pass," Alberghini explained. "We just had the answers. We felt the one thing coming in here is everyone said they're more athletic. Well we're athletic, too."
The game didn't start out to well for Poly (14-1) as the Pacers drew first blood. On the second offensive possession for Grant (14-0), quarterback Kipeli Koniseti caught Poly cornerback Lazari Middleton looking into the backfield and hit wide receiver Darvin McCauley in stride on an out and up pattern for a 54-yard touchdown with 6:59 remaining in the first period.
The CIF Sac Joaquin Div. II champions had great field position throughout the first half as Poly played its customary game catch up. The Jackrabbits actually dodged two major bullets as Grant had two great opportunities to put points on the board and came away with zero.
Following a fumble on a kickoff return by Poly's Jordan Johnson that Grant recovered at the 20-yard line, the Pacers were facing a fourth and four from the 16-yard line and Koniseti just over shot a wide open receiver who got behind Middleton in the corner of the end zone. With 1:30 remaining in the first quarter, Poly allowed a 40-yard reception by Ronald Fields in the middle of the field, but its defense toughened up and forced a fourth and ten from the 15-yard line. On fourth down, junior wide receiver Xavier Amey hauled in a pass near the left corner on the end zone but came down out of bounds.
Poly has not been known as an offensive juggernaut in recent seasons, but its offense was just plain anemic in the first half. The ground-oriented Jackrabbits gained a total of six rushing yards and picked up five first downs. It was only a matter of time before a team as talented and tough as Grant capitalized on the Jackrabbits' lethargic play.
Again the Poly defense forced a third and long (15 to be exact), but again Middleton allowed a wideout just enough space to pull down a Koniseti pass as Howard Warren hauled in a 38-yard reception down to the Poly one-yard line. On the next play, Koniseti scored on a quarterback sneak to give Gran a seemingly commanding 13-0 lead with 10:44 remaining in the second quarter.
"Everyone said I'm not a passer," remarked Koniseti, who finished with 236 yards passing on 13 of 26 pass attempts with two touchdowns. "That's all I needed was motivation by the doubters. We may have a lot of different guys on this team, but we have a lot of chemistry and we all speak the same language."
Poly eventually made a defensive adjustment by sliding safety Stan McKay over to right cornerback and placing senior Tylor Showe at McKay's safety spot. The adjustment didn't allow Grant to execute long pass plays, but it still took an extraordinary defensive effort to help Poly get on the scoreboard. With Grant driving once again towards Poly's red zone, all-state defensive end Iuta Tepa not only stripped the ball from junior back Devontae Butler, but actually ripped the ball right from his possession and began rumbling downfield the other way. Tepa actually fumbled on his return, but the ball was recovered by teammate Juwuan Brown at Poly's 35-yard line.
With the Jackrabbits not able to run against Grant's strong defensive front, quarterback Morgan Fannell went to the air. He finally converted on a 65-yard touchdown reception to a streaking Kaelin Clay after misfiring downfield on first and second down. That made the score 13-7 in favor of the Pacers, but the Jackrabbits failed to gain any rhythm offensively. Only another fumble recovery, this one by Corey Walker after Koniseti scrambled and coughed up the ball on third and nineteen play, kept Grant's off-balance and unable to put up any more points in the first half.
In the third quarter, the tables were turned and it was Poly that enjoyed the good field position. On one possession Grant took over at its own two-yard line and escaped with a punt. But on the Pacers' next possession that started at the eight-yard line, disaster struck when Grant had its punt blocked on a surge led by Brown, linebackers Kenny Tuiloma and Matthew Jones. The ball was scooped up and returned six yards for a touchdown by 'backer George Dailey-Lyles to give the two-time CIF Southern Section Pac-Five champions a 14-13 lead with 3:16 remaining in the third quarter.
"I was on the weak side and thought I might have a shot and just went for it," Jones said. "I'm glad I did. I was even happier to see George pick it up."
The Pacers got the break it needed to put itself in scoring position after Poly's special team touchdown when Fennell (11 of 28, 164 yards passing, 1 TD, 1 INT) had a pass picked off. It was returned to the Jackrabbits' 15-yard line by defensive back Marvin Lamb when Johnson, the intended receiver, slipped and the ball floated up in the air for much too long for one of Grant's speedy skill position players not to pick it off.
The Pacers capitalized and took a 19-14 lead when Butler, who finished with 114 yards rushing on 22 carries, scored on a six-yard touchdown run on fourth and inches with 10:36 remaining in the game. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
Poly, accustomed to playing from behind in this year's playoffs, finally found daylight on the ground and answered Grant's score with a 55-yard touchdown run by senior back Melvin Richardson. The 5-foot-10, 210-pound bulldozer, who entered the game with eight postseason touchdowns, accounted for most of Poly's rushing yards on his scoring gallop that gave Poly a 20-19 lead after Fannell over shot a wide open Corey Westbrook on a two-point conversion attempt.
On Poly's other 24 rushing attempts, the Jackrabbits gained 49 yards as their vaunted defense was wearing down from being on the field much too long in the second half.
Poly, the state's all-time winningest program with 684 football victories, was trying to win the school's second CIF state title so it was only fitting that its defense was on the field to perhaps secure the win.
In 1919, coach Eddie Kienholz led Poly to a 21-14 victory over Berkeley at Tournament Park in Pasadena. Similar to Keinholz's team, which allowed just 13 points in its first 11 games heading into the title game with Berkeley, head coach Raul Lara's club was spearheaded by its defense. They allowed a paltry 8.9 points per game heading into the open division bowl against the Pacers, but all that didn't matter as Grant kept it composure and exploited Poly's fatigue in trying to cover McCauley.
Defensive back Darius Williams-Fox was giving the 5-foot-11,180-pound receiver much too cushion and outside of one tackle for loss by Daily-Lyles, the interior defense was not crisp in tackling a relatively fresh Butler on the game-winning drive. Koniseti drove the Pacers down to the 15-yard line of Poly and hit McCauley on a pass where he split Williams-Fox and Showe to score the biggest touchdown in the history of Grant's program.
"I could have done this all year, but we're not a passing team so I sat back and waited for my chance," said McCauley, who finished with eight receptions for 135 yards and two touchdowns. "Coach A (Alberghini) gave it to me tonight and I did what I had to do."
Grant, which came into the game ranked No. 5 in the state, will move to at least the No. 2 spot with its five-point victory when the CalHiSports.com final state ratings for the 2008 football season are released next week.
Centennial of Corona, which recorded a 21-16 over previous No. 3 De La Salle in the Div. I bowl game, could be the team to take over the top spot.
After recording a win of this magnitude, Alberghini and his troops probably won't be worrying much about it after the magnitude of Saturday night's victory is felt when they return home.
"Our defense was worn out," Lara said. "Usually we move the ball in the second half and are able to rest our defense, but Grant did a great job. We were No. 1 and they beat us so I guess they're No. 1 but Centennial is very good, too. We didn't execute, we had our chances, but Grant came to prove something."
And prove they did.
Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com
Another State Title for Coach Welch
December 19, 2008 11:02 PM
St. Margaret's makes quick work of Hamilton in CIF small schools state bowl game in 59-7 win.
By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Carson, Calif. -- For head coach Harry Welch of the St. Margaret's High football team of Rancho Santa Margarita, it was a bit tougher to win the first CIF state bowl game title of his career than the second.
Welch's team dominated in all phases of the CIF Small Schools Division State Football Championship Bowl Game in posting a 59-7 triumph over out-classed Hamilton of the Northern Section at The Home Depot Center.
Scott Kurtz
Harry Welch compared his two state title-winning teams at St. Margaret's and Canyon to loving two sons equally the same.
As a head coach, Welch became the first to earn two state crowns since the CIF began its bowl games two years ago. His earlier title came when the team he previously coached, Canyon of Canyon Country, upset nationally-ranked De La Salle of Concord in the Division I game, 27-13.
"We prepared for what we saw on film and we executed well," Welch said. "We hustle and play hard and we got some breaks early.
The Tartans (15-0) also improved their winning streak to 43 games, giving them a chance next year to pass Oaks Christian of Westlake Village, which had a 48-game win streak that ended last year, for No. 1 all-time in the CIF Southern Section and No. 2 on the all-time state list.
St. Margaret's first game next year will be against fellow small school power Francis Parker of San Diego, a team that was 12-1 this year and returns a major talent in quarterback Deon Randall.
St. Margaret's was a big favorite entering the state bowl game and it only took a few minutes for the Tartans to assume control. They scored on their second possession on a three-yard run by junior John Murayama. Then less than two minutes later following a fumble recovery by David Edwards, it was Murayama taking an inside reverse down the sidelines for a 30-yard touchdown.
Murayama added two more rushing touchdowns and ended with 22 carries for 99 yards. Senior quarterback David Mohinder also led the way with 11 completions in 19 attempts for 228 yards and one score.
"We prepare every week the same," Murayama said. "We thought we were ready to play and we came on strong."
Hamilton (10-3-1) committed six turnovers in the first half, which contributed to St. Margaret's assuming a 52-0 lead. The biggest of those was an interception by Alex Brolick that he returned to the one-yard line just before the end of the first quarter. On the next play, Mohinder snuck into the end zone and any resemblance of a game was effectively over with St. Margaret's ahead by 24-0.
Another factor in Hamilton's poor showing likely was the team's nearly-month-long hiatus after it won the Northern Section Div. III title. The Braves' lone touchdown came with 5:06 left on a 10-yard pass from Brad Lohse to junior Cody Watson.
"The layoff was a little bit of a factor but we did what we could to stay game ready," said Hamilton head coach Mark Cooley. "If we had a little playoff action going like St. Margaret's we might have been a little sharper, but it just wasn't there tonight and we didn't play anywhere near our best football against a real good team."
Corrections or comments? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say.
Centennial pulls out landmark victory
December 20, 2008 3:37 AM
Burfict-led defense and Martinez-led offense lifts Huskies past De La Salle, 21-16, and earns the Corona school its first CIF state title.
By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor,CalHiSports.com
There was a familiar theme in Friday night's CIF Div. I State Championship Bowl Game between De La Salle of Concord, the defending Div. I champs and California state team of the year, and Centennial of Corona, last year's Div. I runner-up.
After losing to Canyon of Canyon Country in the inaugural CIF Division I bowl game in 2006, Spartans' head coach Bob Ladouceur and his club used the stinging 27-13 defeat as motivation to defeat the Huskies in last year's contest, 37-31, and complete an undefeated 13-0 season.
This season, the tables were reversed, as Centennial head coach Matt Logan and his program used that same feeling as motivation throughout this season. That motivation, combined with a group of talented players on both sides of the ball, resulted in a 21-16 Centennial victory before 7,581 rabid fans at the Home Depot Center in Carson.
With the win, Centennial becomes the fourth team in state history to complete a 15-0 season, following Oaks Christian of Westlake Village in 2006, Bishop Amat of La Puente in 1992 and St. Margaret's earlier in the day. Tomorrow night on the same field, Poly of Long Beach will try to join the Huskies as a 15-0 championship team against unbeaten Grant of Sacramento. If the Jackrabbits were to lose, Centennial would be the logical choice to be crowned 2008 CalHiSports.com State Team of the Year.
"Maybe for a brief moment we're up there with them, but they've been like this for 20 years," said Logan if this win puts his program on an elite national level like De La Salle. "We've still got a long ways to go. This is a tremendous benchmark for our program."
The Spartans got the first break of the game when on a fourth and three from their opponents' 40-yard line, the snap on Centennial's punt sailed over the head of Trevor Romaine. He had to fall on the ball and De La Salle (12-2) took over at the 18-yard line after the 22-yard loss. It looked like Centennial was going to hold the Spartans to three points after the miscue as All-American linebacker Vontaze Burfict stuffed De La Salle quarterback Blake Wayne on third and four from the 12-yard line. Burfict ended the game with a team-high nine tackles, three for loss.
Centennial made its second critical mistake of the game when on the ensuing 27-yard field goal attempt, the Huskies were whistled for an encroachment penalty that gave the defending Div. I state champions an automatic first down. Ladouceur's charges took advantage of the gift as junior Terron Williams-Ward carried off left tackle and punched it in from one-yard to give the Spartans a 7-0 lead with 6:57 remaining in the first quarter.
Centennial looked to answer with a score of its own as senior quarterback Taylor Martinez and running back Arthur Burns helped the Huskies move downfield into scoring position with quick darts up the middle and pin-point passes. On fourth and inches from the seven-yard line, Burns easily got the yardage on the outside but he coughed up the ball and De La Salle's Khyri Knowles recovered at the three-yard line. The fumble was Centennial's third big blunder, but the Spartans returned the favor when Wayne dropped back to pass and had a tipped pass picked off by Burfict at De La Salle's 17-yard line. Two plays later, Burns scampered in from four yards out to tie the contest with 2:42 left in the first quarter.
De La Salle, which came into the Div. I bowl game ranked No. 3 in the state and No. 19 in the ESPN RISE FAB 50, was out-gained in total yardage in the first quarter, 139-19, and the Huskies were clearly winning the field position battle so it was just a matter of time before they took advantage.
Martinez's arm and feet helped the two-time CIF Southern Section Inland take the lead near the end of the first quarter. He avoided De La Salle's rush by gaining yards to the outside on broken runs and displayed an accurate ball downfield, not to mention the ability to punt.
Running to his left, Martinez hit wide receiver Geshun Harris on a 33-yard pass reception by out-leaping and out-muscling the De La Salle defensive back for the ball before falling out of bounds at the seven-yard line. After a three-yard rush by Burns, Martinez waltzed into the end zone untouched from four yards out to give the Huskies a 14-7 lead.
"I guess we were just a step ahead of them today," said Martinez, who finished with 290 total yards, including 243 passing on 15 of 21 attempts. "All our hard work and training this summer paid off but we still had to play great for all four quarters to beat these guys."
Although Wayne struggled in the first half and Burfict was dominating the game by blowing up ball carriers and screen plays, Centennial couldn't muster any points in the second quarter and went into halftime holding a precarious 14-7 lead. This despite the fact that the Spartans, usually known for their precise execution on offense, committed five unforced penalties for 41 yards.
Championship-level teams are known for making a statement on the first offensive possession of the second half and that's exactly what the Spartans did. They methodically drove down the field, punctuating a 13-play, 59-yard drive on a one-yard quarterback keeper by Wayne. De La Salle wasn't able to find any creases in the first half, but did find some soft spots in the Huskies' defense on the game-tying drive, the key play a 13-yard reception by junior tight end Carlton Walter that gave Ladouceur's club a first down at Centennial's 17-yard line.
As the game wore on, it was clearly evident Centennial, which came in ranked No. 2 in the state and No. 9 in the FAB 50, had the more talented team, but the Huskies let the Spartans hang around.
On Centennial's offensive possession following Wayne's touchdown, it looked like De La Salle caught the break it needed with 4:51 remaining in the third quarter. Martinez hit wide receiver Ricky Marvray on a deep slant pass and it appeared the UCLA commit fumbled the ball forward in Centennial territory. De La Salle's Michael Dosen fell on the ball, but after a quick conference the referees ruled Martinez's pass incomplete.
The Huskies took advantage of the momentum De La Salle had sucked out of it and later kept the drive alive on fourth and two with a Martinez run around end.
In last year's Div. I game, a furious Centennial comeback fell just short but this time around the Huskies wouldn't be denied as Burns (25 carries, 85 yards, 2 TDs) scored the game-winning touchdown on a two-yard run with 2:25 remaining in the third quarter.
Although there were no touchdowns in the final period, there certainly was excitement as the Huskies had a chance to open the game up against a struggling Spartans' offense. It didn't happen as De La Salle displayed its championship moxie.
The key play that kept the Spartans' hopes alive was a blocked field goal by special teams demon Noah Perio on a 37-yard Trevor Romaine attempt with 3:18 remaining in the game. De La Salle was 70 yards out from a potential game-tying touchdown, but the drive bogged down in Centennial territory. On fourth and five from the 43-yard line, Wayne's pass to Perio was behind the intended target and just out of reach, as the ball fell to the ground and the Centennial sideline erupted.
Wayne struggled with his passing accuracy but gave his usual game effort, finishing with 64 yards on nine of 20 passing while adding 25 rushing yards on 12 carries.
"Offensively we were pretty inept, especially in the first half," remarked Ladouceur, whose club was out gained in total yardage, 299-182. "But defensively we hung in there. We just didn't play a complete game."
The final points came with 5.8 seconds left when Martinez ran out of the back of the end zone for a safety. Even the free kick had high drama, as De La Salle lateralled backwards twice and appeared to have a wall created near the Centennial sideline before it collapsed and the ball-carrier was brought down in Centennial territory to end the game.
With the five-point loss, Ladouceur fell to 1-2 in CIF state bowl games while Centennial secured its highest final state rating. De La Salle's loss also prevented Ladouceur from joining Harry Welch as the only two-time CIF state bowl game winner and also prevented the veteran coach from becoming the state's all-time winningest coach. He finishes the 2008 season with an overall record of 344 wins, 22 losses and three ties.
"I thought they were worthy of all their high rankings and probably deserved to be in the open (division game)," Ladouceur said. "We almost got it at the end. We had it set up and the kids made a good effort."
Most All-Time Career Coaching Victories
344 -- Marijon Ancich, Santa Fe Springs St. Paul, 1961-1981, 1993-2005 & Tustin, 1984-1992 (127 losses, 10 ties)
344 -- Bob Ladouceur, Concord De La Salle, 1979-2008 (current) (22 losses, 3 ties)
338 -- Herb Meyer, Oceanside, 1959-1975 & Oceanside El Camino, 1976-2003 (150 losses, 15 ties)
292 -- Dick Bruich, Fontana, 1977-1998 & Fontana Kaiser, 2000-2008 (85 losses, 4 ties)
290 -- Leo Robinson, Woodlake, 1962-2002 (127 losses, 11 ties)
Note: Dick Bruich just completed his last season at Kaiser. Updated records courtesy of CalHiSports.com State Record Book and Almanac.
Corrections or comments? Email mark@studentsports.com
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Centennial holds off De La Salle
By Chace Bryson
Staff writer,Contra Costa Times
Article Last Updated: 12/20/2008
CARSON With its offense getting minimal success against one of the top defenses in the state, the De La Salle High football team had to rely on its defense and special teams.
And the two units nearly did the job. A desperate kick return attempt on the game's final play ended 34-yards shy of the end zone and Centennial-Corona defeated the Spartans 21-16 in the California Interscholastic Federation Division I state championship bowl game Friday at the Home Depot Center in Carson.
"(Centennial) is a great football team," De La Salle defensive coordinator Terry Eidson said. "We played to the last play of the game. I'm very proud of our kids."
With the score 21-14, Centennial gave up a safety as it attempted to run out the game's final second. As a result, the Huskies had to attempt a free kick with 7.8 seconds to go. De La Salle attempted a return play that involved three laterals. The second lateral managed to get Terron Williams-Ward open down the left sideline. He picked up close to 35 yards before he was forced to pitch it to Ryan McVay, who was brought down at the 34-yard line.
"We've been working (on that play) for about a month," said Eidson, who also coaches the special teams. "We had blockers. But with the speed of (Centennial) it's hard to pull off."
The game was a rematch of the 2007 CIF Division I championship game which De La Salle won 37-31.
De La Salle (12-2) dominated the first half in the teams' first meeting, but that was not the case on Friday. Centennial (15-0) outgained the Spartans 192-82 in total yards in the first half.
"Our game plan was solid," De La Salle quarterback Blake Wayne said. "Just in the first half we didn't execute as well as we wanted to and we only got 16 points on the board, and that's not going to win a championship."
The Huskies were billed as one of the best defenses in the state, and they proved it. After retaking the lead on a 2-yard run by Arthur Burns with 2:25 left in the third quarter, Centennial forced De La Salle to turn the ball over on down in each of its last two offensive possessions.
The Spatans' best drive moved the ball inside the Centennail 38, but Wayne's pass on fourth-and-five went in and out of Noah Perio's hands and Centennial took the ball over with 1:13 to go in the game.
"They were just real fast," De La Salle coach Bob Ladouceur said. "Their defense was better than our offense. That was just a fact. I thought our defense, though, made enough stops for us to win, but we just didn't follow through offensively."
The teams traded scores in the third quarter with De La Salle tying the game on 1-yard run by Wayne, and Centennial regaining the lead 21-14 with a 2-yard run by running back Arthur Burns.
Both teams capitalized on mistakes for their first scores. De La Salle took a 7-0 lead with 6:57 left in the first quarter by going 18 yards on five plays, a drive which followed a bad snap on the Huskies first punt attempt. Williams-Ward scored the touchdown on a 1-yard dive.
Centennial tied the game with a two-play drive just four minutes later after Vontaze Burfict intercepted Wayne at the De La Salle 17-yard line. Burns scored on a 4-yard run.
The Huskies took a 14-7 lead with eight seconds left in the quarter, driving 51 yards in four plays and scoring on a 4-yard run by Taylor Martinez.
MORE PLAYOFF NEWS TO YOUR LEFT.
Championships 2008
12/13/2008
D-2
#1 Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa, CA)(NBL) 17
#2 Clayton Valley (Concord, CA) (DVAL) 7
D-3
#1 Encinal (Alameda, CA) (BSAL) 35
#3 Novato (CA) (MCAL) 28
D-1
#1 De La Salle (Concord, CA) (EBAL) 34
#3 Pittsburg (CA) (BVAL) 10
Fort Windsor: What a team
From Press Democrat Staff Writer Eric Branch
For obvious reasons, we generally don't delve into junior varsity football at the high school sports blog. However, there are exceptions.
And here's one:
Last summer, seven members of the Fort Bragg junior varsity team attended the the University of Oregon Football Camp. Since they didn't have enough players to field a team " teams scrimmage against each other during the weeklong camp " they forged a team with the Windsor JVs.
Fort Bragg JV coach Roy Mitchell said his players weren't initially thrilled with the arrangement.
"The Windsor coaches ran the team and our guys were thinking they weren't going to be able to play," Mitchell said. "But the Windsor coaches were just fantastic."
Things worked out so well, in fact, that the players were calling themselves Fort Windsor by the end of the camp.
Fort Windsor must have been one heck of team.
This past season, the Fort Bragg JVs went 10-0.
Windsor? The Jaguars went 9-0-1.
Varsity Gridders maul Tigers, 42-7; end season at 4-6
Erion gains 170 yards and four TDs to shatter school rushing record
By Greg Clementi, Sports Editor
When the varsity football Jaguars sit back and reflect on the 2008 campaign, theyll no doubt wonder what might have been.
Windsor was plagued by inconsistency for much of the season, showing occasional flashes of brilliance on the road, while dropping its first four home games.
But the Jags saved their best football for the last two outings, finishing up on Friday with a commanding, 42-7 victory over visiting Analy. The win gave the team a final season record of 4-6 and a third-place mark of 3-3 in the Sonoma County League.
Junior running back Cameron Erion put an exclamation point on what has been a phenomenal year, adding another 170 yards and four touchdowns on the ground to obliterate several WHS rushing records.
For the year, Erion was greased lightening, finishing the season with 1,641 rushing yards and 18 offensive touchdowns- both shattering existing school marks. Along the way, he averaged 10 yards per carry at a clip of about 165 yards per game. Very impressive numbers, especially considering that he sat out the equivalent of two full games during the season.
Windsor senior quarterback Blake Schmidt also finished off a notable year on Friday, running for a personal-best 147 yards on 12 carries, pushing his season rushing total to 285 yards and three scores. Through the air, Schmidt was 111-201 for 1,359 yards and 15 touchdowns, with 11 interceptions.
Big-play receiver D.J. King had a great season in his own right, hauling in 35 passes for 555 yards and eight scores, while rushing for another 102 and one touchdown. King is the heir apparent to the quarterback position next year.
Fridays clash with visiting Analy was the seasons best for the Jags a dominating performance on both sides of the ball.
Windsor served notice on its first possession, as Erion returned a Tiger punt to the Analy five yard line. The play set up the first of four eventual rushing touchdowns by Erion, this one a five-yard burst. Kicker Lee Aranda added the PAT boot for a 7-0 lead.
The Tigers showed promise on their third possession of the opening period, as quarterback David Glass directed a 66-yard march highlighted by a 20-yard pass to Jimmy McCann and capped by a three-yard scoring run by Anthony Giacobbe. Eric Bolen made good on the PAT kick to knot the contest at 7-7.
The Jaguars took charge early in the second quarter, mounting a 68-yard drive fueled by big runs from Erion and Schmidt, and culminating in an 11-yard touchdown dash by Erion for a 14-7 advantage.
Windsors defense forced the third Analy punt of the half, and the Jags returned the favor with another march resulting in a 10-yard scoring burst by Erion for a 21-7 lead.
Jaguar defensive back D.J. King picked off an Analy pass on the ensuing series and returned it to the Tiger 25. The play set up a seven-yard Erion touchdown scamper for a 28-7 bulge at the break.
The carnage continued early in the third period when King hauled in a pass from Schmidt and raced 50-yards to the house for an insurmountable, 35-7 advantage.
The Tigers battled back on their next possession with a pair of pass completions to sophomore Julian Titus-Patino, but Kings third interception of the game would kill the threat. The Jaguars ended the madness with 4:47 left in the fourth quarter when Schmidt called his own number on a one-yard scoring dive for the eventual, 42-7 victory.
Schmidt played arguably his best game of the year with 142 yards rushing and a touchdown, adding one pass completion on three attempts for 50 yards and a score. Erion was virtually unstoppable, rushing 17 times for 170 yards and four touchdowns in just over a half of football. King chipped in 50 receiving yards and one score.
Leading defenders included: King (tackle, 3 INTs), Teddy Van Bebber (5 tackles, 6 assists), Brandon Scott (7 tackles, 3 assists), Kory Langhals (4 tackles, 5 assists, sack), Jordan Winkler (6 tackles, sack), Cody Paz (5 tackles, 4 assists), Jacob Welch (3 tackles, 2 assists, sack), Kyle Yung (3 tackles, 2 assists), Craig Lyman (tackle, assist, 2 sacks), Erion (3 tackles, assist), Chris Michels (4 tackles, assist, sack), Zach Arvig (2 tackles, 3 assists), Scott Phillips (2 tackles, assist), Chris Lowe (2 tackles, 2 assists), Brennen Duke (tackle, assist), Deandre Faaita (tackle, assist), Kevin Meinberger (tackle, 2 assists), Steven Hutchison (tackle, assist) and a tackle apiece from Andrew Cunha, Jason Langhals, Michael Hutchison, and C.J. Landwehr.
Behind the scene at the football seeding meetings
It wasn't a hard sell for Newman and St. Vincent.
By RICH RUPPRECHT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Tuesday, November 18, 2008
One of the most often asked questions regarding North Coast Section postseason is what goes on in the seeding meetings.
Sunday’s football meetings at Walnut Creek served as a good example.
For someone like Cardinal Newman coach Paul Cronin and St. Vincent coach Gary Galloway, the meeting was hardly stressful. Galloway, whose team received the number one seed in Division V, didn’t even attend the meetings. He let his nephews, Justin and Taylor, assistants on the Mustangs’ staff, take his place.
Cronin and some of his assistants attendend the Division II meeting, where 17 teams applied for 12 berths. They expected a top-two seed and received a No. 1.
The selection committee usually includes three school administrators independent from any of the teams applying.
If it seems like those administrators probably don’t know all that much about the teams, it’s the job of the coaches to inform them.
Each coach is given two minutes to talk about his own team, their big wins, how many of their opponents are playoff bound, who they played in the preseason, but they are not allowed to talk about any other team outside of the context of a win or loss. Maybe the most important part of the meeting is when each coach is asked to seed the tournament, who they would put No. 1, No. 2 and so on. It’s put on a board for all the coaches and the committee to see. And if a coach winds up putting a team sixth, that has all second or third place votes, the committee can question that coach on why he placed them where he did, in front of the other coaches.
This year with East Bay and Redwood Empire schools forming a bigger pool some of the divisions have been expanded. Plus, the Division II field included quite a few teams with winning records.
Teams like Petaluma and Sonoma Valley, both 5-5, probably would have made last year’s Redwood Empire format, but this year, .500 records, even with a couple of “big” wins wasn’t good enough to get chosen by the committee.
For some coaches, like Bill Nobles of Anderson Valley, the seeding meetings and there 9 a.m. starts, not to mention the long drive to the East Bay, can be an inconvenience.
Nobles’ team did make it into the Division V playoffs — Anderson Valley lost to league champ Tomales 12-0, easily the closest anyone played the Braves — and opens at South Fork on Saturday night.
Nobles is the pastor at the First Assembly of God Church in Booneville and missed Sunday service to attend the meeting.
While the upper half of the Div. II seeds to figure, the bottom half led to much going back and forth between selection committee memembers and coaches, as they tried to give every team on hand a chance at making a case for their inclusion and then just trying to set the field and seeds in proper order. Some meetings can take four or more hours.
“I went down last year,” said Galloway, whose Mustangs play mainly against Div. IV competition all season and then compete in Div. V. The Mustangs were co-NCL I South champs with Clear Lake and 9-1 overall. The Mustangs also snagged a No. 1 seed last year.
“We’ve got respect for the teams we’ve got to play, but I wasn’t worried,” about the seeding meeting Galloway said. “We had wins against Middletown (the No. 2 seed in Div. IV), Fort Bragg (No. 6 in Div. IV) and Tomales (No. 3 in Div. V).
Galloway has probably been to over 20 football seeding meetings, in addition to basketball and baseball. “I remember when (small school) meetings were held in Ukiah for football and Cloverdale for baseball. The drive wasn’t so bad.”
Cronin, whose team is 10-0, ranked 17th in the state by Cal-Hi Sports and is the No. 3 team in the Bay Area’s Chronicle rankings — behind only De La Salle and Bellarmine — said it wouldn’t have bothered him to have gotten the No. 2 seed.
But 14 of the 17 coaches at the Div. II meeting gave Newman the No. 1 seed and the committee quickly asked for someone to make the motion that the Cardinals be seeded No. 1.
“Sometimes you can look at that (coaches’ seeding) board for too long and it kind of beats you down,” Cronin said.
Cronin is a proponent of the new playoff format involving East Bay Schools, which is the way it was done in the 1980s and early 90s. Plus, there are different schools from the ones an Empire team has played during the season.
“We’re excited about them,” Cronin said of the playoffs.
High school football previews
By RICH RUPPRECHT
PRESS DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Published: Thursday, November 13, 2008
TONIGHT
C. Newman (9-0, 6-0) at Maria Carrillo (5-4, 3-3), 7:30 p.m.
It doesn’t look like anyone will stop the Cardinals on the way to the top seed in the NCS Div. II playoffs. QB Randy Wright has now thrown for 24 TDs with just one interception and rarely throws in the second half. Newman’s defense has allowed six TDs in its last six games. Carrillo has hung on for the most part during an injury-plagued season. The Pumas have lost consecutive games to Montgomery and Ukiah.
Petaluma (4-5, 3-2) at Healdsburg (7-2, 3-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Trojans have lost two straight after opening the SCL with three wins. Sean Sullivan is over 1,000 yards rushing. Healdsburg lost 38-0 last week to Casa, but still should make the Div. IV playoffs. The ‘Hounds usually play well at Rec Park.
Santa Rosa (3-6, 2-4) at Rancho Cotate (8-1, 5-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Panthers have been another team hit hard by injury. Rancho’s only blemish was a loss to Cardinal Newman. Rancho should get a high seed in the Div. II playoffs.
Casa Grande (6-2-1, 4-1) at El Molino (3-6, 1-4), 7:30 p.m.
The Gauchos, who can guarantee an outright SCL title (sixth straight) with a win tonight, are rolling. They have outscored SCL foes in their last four games 143-14. El Molino hasn’t won since the Golden Apple Game and had a bye last week.
Piner (2-7, 1-5) at Montgomery (3-5-1, 3-3), 7:30 p.m.
Piner is coming off a 63-7 loss to the Ranch, while Montgomery won its second straight, handling Maria Carrillo, 45-7. Montgomery’s new offense has generated 33 or more points in the last three games.
Analy (5-4, 1-4) at Windsor (3-6, 2-3), 7:30 p.m.
Analy, too, has been hit by the injury bug, missing key offensive weapon Joey Maloney. Windsor had one of those “Where did that come from?” games last week as Cameron Erion rushed for an Empire record 450 yards and the Jaguars defeated Petaluma, 48-27.
Elsie Allen (1-8, 0-6) at Ukiah (7-2, 4-2), 7:30 p.m.
For the first time in NBL play, the Lobos scored twice in a loss to Santa Rosa last week, while Ukiah lost 46-20 to Newman, despite 133 rushing yards by back Marcos Hernandez and two TD throws by Kyle Morris.
San Marin (3-6) at
Sonoma (4-5), 7:30 p.m.
The Mustangs are 3-4 in the MCAL and have lost to the MCAL’s top teams, Novato, Marin Catholic and Redwood. Sonoma has won its last two against Analy and Petaluma. Nick Fedrick has rushed for over 1,000 yards and receiver Steve Filippi has 957 yards in receptions.
Middletown (8-1, 3-0) at
Lower Lake (1-8, 1-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Mustangs have outscored their last six opponents, 238-15, including four shutouts. Middletown should get a high seed in the Div. IV playoffs. Lower Lake won its first game last week against Willits.
Willits (0-9, 0-3) at
Fort Bragg (7-2, 2-1), 7:30 p.m.
A long season comes to an end for the Wolverines, who consider this game one of the biggest of the season. Fort Bragg’s Jake Cimolino goes after the single-season school rushing record (1,653) tonight; he’s at 1,648.
Clear Lake (6-2-1, 3-0) at
St. Helena (4-5, 1-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Cardinals can seal a NCL I South championship tonight, while the Saints can play the role of spoiler and shoot for a .500 season.
St. Vincent (8-1) at
Kelseyville (4-4-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Mustangs’ defense continues to be the centerpiece of the team, winning last week 7-3 against St. Helena. Kelseyville has been up and down, but does have a 37-21 win against St. Helena.
Upper Lake (4-5, 0-3) at Cloverdale (4-5, 1-2), 7:30 p.m.
Upper Lake stayed close to Clear Lake, losing 20-14 last week, while Cloverdale lost at Fort Bragg, 28-7. Cloverdale also lost to Clear Lake, 32-29.
Point Arena (1-5, 1-4) at Calistoga (3-6, 2-3), 7:30 p.m.
After a win against Laytonville, the Pirates got roughed up by Tomales last week. It appears Calisotga still has a shot at a Div. V playoff berth with a win.
Potter Valley (2-6, 1-4) at Laytonville (1-7, 0-5), 7:30 p.m.
Potter Valley had a week off after a 22-6 loss to Calistoga. Laytonville is coming off a 36-20 loss to Rincon Valley Christian.
SATURDAY
Tomales (6-2, 5-0) vs.
RV Christian (5-2, 4-1) at Montgomery, 2 p.m.
The Braves and the Stan Moody-led Toss Offense is going for an outright NCL II championship. RVC, win or lose, has a shot, like the Braves at the Div. V playoffs.
Regular season wraps up in football,Playoffs are just a week away
By RICH RUPPRECHT
PRESS DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Published: Thursday, November 13, 2008
The final week of the regular season in high school football is already upon us, which also means the playoffs are just around the corner.
The Empire figures to be well represented as the selections and opening matchups with be announced by the North Coast Section following Sunday seeding meetings Sunday morning at Las Lomas High in Walnut Creek.
Cardinal Newman (9-0) wraps up its season tonight at Maria Carrillo and the Cardinals, ranked 15th in the state by Cal-Hi Sports, No. 6 in Northern California and the top Division III state bowl game contender from the north.
The Cardinals are expected to receive the top seed in the newly alligned NCS Division II playoffs. Twelve teams will be selected Sunday and it looks like there will be teams with winning records who may not make the field. Clayton Valley (9-0), Rancho Cotate (8-1), Campolindo (8-1) and Ukiah (7-2) and Casa Grande (6-2-1) appear to be locks. Sonoma (4-5), hosting San Marin tonight and Petaluma (4-5) at Healdsburg tonight, both need wins just to be considered.
Healdsburg (7-2) should have a Div. III playoff spot locked up. Analy (5-4) could use a win tonight at Windsor to make the 16-team playoff field.
Leaders in Div. III are Encinal (9-0), Bishop O’Dowd (8-1), Novato (7-2), Healdsburg, Miramonte (7-2), Piedmont (7-2), Marin Catholic (7-2) and McKinleyville (7-2).
Eight of the 17 teams in Div. IV (401-700 in enrollment) make the playoffs. Unbeaten Ferndale should be in contention for the top ranking. The Empire’s top contenders in this division are Middletown (8-1), Fort Bragg (7-2) and Clear Lake (6-2-1). Justin-Siena, Berean Christian and St. Vincent/St. Patrick could be in the mix.
St. Vincent (8-1), which plays mainly a Div. IV schedule, appears likely to get the top seed in the eight-team Div. V playoffs, while Tomales (6-2), Anderson Valley (6-1) and Rincon Valley Christian (5-2) all would appear to have a good chance of making the playoffs. St. Elizabeth of Oakland won the Class B championship last year against St. Vincent, which is now called Div. V.
Empire's top football players
By RICH RUPPRECHT
PRESS DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Published: Thursday, November 13, 2008
In high school, playoff games are counted in a player’s final statistics.
The 2008 season has had its share of standout players and a few rank among the leaders for NCS schools (assuming the schools submit their stats).
Here are some of the top individual performances by running backs, receivers, quarterbacks and defenders this season:
CAMERON ERION
Running back, Windsor
Erion shot up the rushing leaderboard to No. 1 in the NCS after his 450-yard, five touchdown performance last Friday. Erion has rushed for 1,471 cards on 144 carries.
RANDY WRIGHT
Quarterback, Cardinal Newman
Wright is having a dream
season.
He’s completed 72.5 percent of his passes for 1,807 yards and has thrown for 24 TDs, with just one interception. He’s also rushed for 257 yards and five TDs.
MATT O’BRIEN
Quarterback, Casa Grande
O’Brien has broken the school career passing record with 2,990 yards and thrown for a Casa record 32 TDs.
This season he has completed 58 percent of his passes for 1,274 yards, 17 TDs and just four interceptions.
KYLE MORRIS
Quarterback, Ukiah
Morris has passed for 1,931 yards and 19 touchdowns, and is completing 58 percent of his passes.
CODY ALLEN
Quarterback, Rancho Cotate
Allen has excelled more as a runner than a passer in Rancho’s offense, rushing for 655 yards and nine touchdowns.
He has passed for 587 yards and five touchdowns.
STEVE FILIPPI
Receiver, Sonoma
Filippi ranks among NCS leaders in receptions (57) and yardage (937). He has seven TDs.
SEAN SULLIVAN
Running back, Petaluma
Sullivan has rushed for 1,054 yards and 13 TDs.
JEFF BADGER
Running back, Cardinal Newman
Badger leads the team in rushing (717 yards on just 70 carries) and tackles.
MARCOS HERNANDEZ
Running back, Ukiah
Hernandez rushed for 133 yards last week against Newman and went over 1,000 yards.
MIKE MULAS
Inside linebacker, Sonoma
Mulas is averaging 13.7 tackles per game.
JAMES BERTHINIER
Running back, Montgomery
Berthinier guaranteed himself a spot in the Empire record book last week, running 99 yards for a touchdown against Maria Carrillo.
JAKE CIMOLINO
Running back, Fort Bragg
Cimolino has rushed for 1,648 yards and 22 touchdowns (he has 23 TDs total) with one game remaining tonight against Willits.
STAN MOODY
Running back, Tomales
Moody has rushed for 1,200 yards in just eight games and has scored 122 points.
— Rich Rupprecht
The Press Democrat
Jags run over Petaluma, 48-27 in biggest season win
Running back Cameron Erion sets record with 450 rushing yards
By Greg Clementi, Sports Editor
Will the real Jaguars please stand up?
The varsity football Jags have done their best Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde impression this season, looking like world-beaters one game and egg-beaters the next.
Windsor resembled more of the former on Friday at Petaluma’s Durst Field, running roughshod over a very strong and unsuspecting Trojan squad to record a stunning, 48-27 victory.
Junior running back Cameron Erion led the way for the Jags, churning up 450 individual rushing yards and five touchdowns in a record-shattering performance. The yardage total set a single-game, Redwood Empire record, and Erion’s season yardage total of 1,471 eclipsed the WHS record of 1,398 rushing yards amassed by Eric Hernandez in the 2006 season. The five touchdowns also established a new school standard.
“I wish I had the answer on why we can’t do that every week,” said an incredulous head coach Jason Fayter. “We didn’t do anything new. The line did a great job at the point of attack and we got good blocking from our receivers downfield. Cameron just had an amazing game.”
Amazing may be a gross understatement, since Erion was a threat to go all the way virtually every time he touched the ball.
The game started well enough for the Trojans, drawing first blood on a 27-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Taylen Hinks to receiver Jake Montero for an early 6-0 lead. The Jags served notice on the next possession, as Erion broke loose for an 82-yard scoring bolt to even the game at 6-6.
Erion struck again early in the second quarter, racing 44 yards to the house for his second touchdown. Kicker Lee Aranda followed with the PAT boot for a 13-7 Windsor advantage.
Petaluma answered with four minutes left in the half when 1,054-yard rusher Sean Sullivan busted through a hole and scampered 47 yards for the score to knot the contest at 13-all. A Trojan pick on the ensuing Windsor series led to a two-yard plunge by Sullivan to put Petaluma up, 20-13.
But the Jaguars didn’t blink, as Erion ripped off several big gains to move Windsor into the red-zone late in the quarter. Quarterback Blake Schmidt capped the drive with an 18-yard scoring strike to slot receiver D.J. King to knot the contest at 20-apiece at the break.
“That was a key part of the game,” recalled Fayter. “In other games we’ve played well but had turnovers or mistakes that we didn’t recover from. When we scored on the next series, it gave us a big lift right before the half.”
It was Windsor’s turn early in the third quarter, when Schmidt again hooked up with King- this time on an 11-yard lightning bolt to put the Jags up 27-20. Petaluma answered right back on its next possession, mounting a drive that would result in a five-yard keeper from Hinks to tie the game at 27-all. The Jaguars would finish the period with yet another scoring march, culminating in a 22-yard touchdown dash from Erion for a 34-27 lead at the end of three.
It was all Jaguars in the final quarter, as Erion added scoring runs of 27 and one yard to cap a night for the ages to post an eventual, 48-27 victory.
Erion’s record-smashing effort of 450 yards came on 26 carries. Schmidt finished off a solid night over center with three completions on nine pass attempts for 54 yards and two scores, adding 43 yards on the ground. Other notable offensive efforts were had by: King (7-44 yards rushing, TD, 1-18 yards receiving, TD), Michael Campbell (1-24 yards receiving), and James Reed (1-12 yards receiving).
Top defenders included: Michael Hutchison (9 tackles, 2 assists, sack), Kory Langhals (4 tackles, 5 assists), Kyle Yung (5 tackles, 2 assists, INT), King (4 tackles, 2 assists, INT), Cody Paz (3 tackles, 2 assists), Jordan Winkler (4 tackles, assist), Craig Lyman (3 tackles, 2 assists, sack), Chris Michels (2 tackles, 2 assists), Jacob Welch (tackle, assist, FR, sack), Teddy Van Bebber (2 tackles, assist), C.J. Landwehr (2 tackles, assist), Zach Arvig (2 assists), and a tackle apiece from Erion, Schmidt, Brandon Scott, and Reed.
The Jaguars (3-6, 2-3) can play spoiler in the league finale this Friday when they host the Analy Tigers (5-4, 1-4) in a 7:30 battle in the “Jungle.”
Erion has hard time believing he set Empire rushing record
Newman, Casa closing in on league titles
By RICH RUPPRECHT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Monday, November 10, 2008
The initial reaction to Windsor’s Cameron Erion rushing for a Redwood Empire school record of 450 yards against Petaluma was one of disbelief and amazement.
Disbelief from opposing Petaluma coach Steve Ellison, from Windsor coach Jason Fayter and particularly from the record setter - a 5-foot-11, 165-pound junior.
“Some of the coaches were talking during the game and I heard them say I had something like 350 yards,” said Erion. “After the game they added up the stats and said it was 450 yards. It’s crazy.”
Fayter knew Erion was piling up yardage, especially after running for an 82-yard touchdown in the first quarter. “The yardage kind of snuck up on me,” he said.
Sometimes, the two schools statistics aren’t in line after a high school game, but that wasn’t the case Friday night at Petaluma. Windsor statisticians had Erion down for 446 yards and Petaluma for 450 on 26 carries. The Press Democrat normally goes with the stats called in by the home team.
“That was unbelievable,” Ellison said. “He really put on a show. It was incredible, just unreal.”
“I felt pretty good,” said Erion, who sat out the previous week’s game against Casa Grande with a neck strain suffered in the first series of the El Molino game the prior week. In just over a half, Erion had rushed for 238 yards against the Lions. And in the first game of the season against Redwood, he rushed for 234 yards.
Erion had five rushing touchdowns against Petaluma, Windsor winning, 45-27.
For the season, Erion has rushed for 1,457 yards on 144 carries and scored 13 touchdowns.
Fayter and Erion both credited the Windsor line for opening the holes needed to set a record. Asked about his running style, Erion said, “I like to get behind my blockers, wait a second and then run to the hole.”
Erion said he especially likes running behind right tackle Jacob Welch. “All the linemen really did a good job. I’m proud of them.”
The Cal-Hi state record book, last edited in 2005, lists Ronney Jenkins of Oxnard Hueneme as the state’s single-game rushing record holder with 619 yards (7 TDs) on 30 carries in a 52-34 win against Oxnard Rio Mesa in 1995. Next is Dallas Bernstine of Jesse Bethel of Vallejo, who rushed for 555 yards in a 59-38 win against Vintage of Napa in 2001.
Around the Empire last weekend, Cardinal Newman sewed up a share of the North Bay League championship with a 46-20 win over Ukiah and Casa Grande guaranteed itself a share of the Sonoma County League championship with a 38-0 win against Healdsburg.
Newman (9-0, 6-0)) can capture the NBL outright with a win at Maria Carrillo on Friday and Casa Grande (6-2-1, 4-1) can lock up an outright SCL title (it’s sixth consecutive share or outright) Friday night at El Molino.
Middletown held onto its lead in the North Central League I North with a 56-0 victory over Kelseyville; Clear Lake maintained its one-game lead in the NCL I South with a 20-14 win against Upper Lake and Tomales will be going for an outright NCL II championship against Rincon Valley Christian Saturday afternoon at Santa Rosa High. Tomales defeated Point Arena, 68-6, and Rincon Valley Christian topped Laytonville, 36-20, last weekend.
SCOTT MANCHESTER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT.
Windsor's Cameron Erion rushed for 450 yards on 26 carries and scored five touchdowns last week against Petaluma. Shown here in a season opening loss to Redwood, Erion rushed for 234 yards. The 450 yards is an Empire record.
Remarkable night for Erion rushing
The following blog entry is from Press Democrat..
Petaluma coach Steve Ellison called it an unbelievable performance. Windsor coach Jason Fayter said he was shocked when his assistants told him the final numbers.
Windsor junior Cameron Erion set an all-time single-game Empire rushing record Friday night with a 450-yard night (26 carries) against Petaluma at Durst Field in Petaluma.
The old record was set by T.J. Bird of Cloverdale in 1997, when he ran for 360 yards against Hoopa Valley in the playoffs.
"It was incredible, unreal," said Ellison, whose team has not played bad defense all season.
Erion ran 82 yards for a touchdown to open Windsor's scoring and also had TD runs of 44, 22, 27 and 1 yards, scoring 5 TDs in all.
Fayter said Erion got his yards on all kinds of runs, power runs, stop and start delay runs, broke lots of tackles and just had a night that every high school back dreams of.
Erion didn't play last week against Casa after sustaining a neck injury in the opening series of a win against El Molino the previous week. He rushed for 240 yards in a half that game. He also rushed for 234 yards on 24 carries in a loss to Redwood in the season opener. Fayter said Erion now has nearly 1,600 yards rushing on the season.
Game stats also showed Windsor with 597 yards in offense and Petaluma with 363, nearly 1,000 yards in a high school game.
A pretty remarkable night in Petaluma.
Bob Padecky..
A record to behold
As I was interviewing Cameron Erion about his 450-yard rushing night Friday against Petaluma, I told him about the national high school record for most yards rushing in a game.
"It was by a guy who averaged 594.5 yards a game for his entire senior year," I said.
Erion and Windsor coach Jayson Fayter had the look of amazement.
That would 144 yards more than Erion gained Friday night.
"A guy from New Jersey once ran for 754 yards in 1950," I said. "I don't think they passed the ball much back then."
For those of you keep score at home, his name was John Giannantonio from Netcong, New Jersey. Didn't make it in the NFL.
Varsity footballers fall to Casa Grande
Windsor falls to 2-6; travels to Petaluma on Friday
By Greg Clementi, Sports Editor
The varsity football Jaguars figured to be up against it in their Thursday night clash with Casa Grande- a team with six league championship pennants won in its past seven seasons.
Those fears proved to be well-founded, as the visiting Gauchos exploited a short-handed Windsor squad to post a dominant, 31-7 victory.
The loss dropped the Jaguars to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the Sonoma County League.
The Jags came into the contest at considerably less than full strength, without the services of 1021-yard rusher Cameron Erion, sidelined by a leg injury. The loss of Erion would severely hamper Windsor’s offensive attack, on a night with few highlights for local fans.
The Gauchos struck early, capping a sustained drive with a 24-yard scoring run from quarterback Matt O’Brien to grab an early lead. Casa went up by two scores later in the period when O’Brien hooked up with talented wide-out Matt Nadolski on a 14-yard touchdown pass for a 14-0 lead.
The Gauchos took advantage of good field position in the second quarter, mounting a relentless drive resulting in a two-yard scoring dive by running back Kahil Keys to make it 21-0. Casa effectively put the game away later in the period when O’Brien connected on a 37-yard lightening bolt to receiver Teddy Osmundson. The Gauchos finished off the first-half explosion with a 24-yard field goal by kicker Conner Derby for a 31-0 bulge at the break.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Jaguars managed to avoid the shutout late in the final period when quarterback Blake Schmidt found slot-receiver D.J. King on a 68-yard scoring pass for the eventual, 31-7 Casa victory.
Running back Steven Hutchison did most of the heavy lifting for the Windsor offense, rushing for 78 yards on 21 carries. Other notable offensive efforts were had by: Schmidt (3-11, 89 yards, TD), Michael Campbell (2-72 yards receiving), King (1-68 yards receiving, TD), and Miles Williams (1-15 yards receiving).
Leading defenders included: Deandre Faaita (6 tackles, 2 assists), King (tackle, 7 assists), Kyle Yung (4 tackles, INT), Cody Paz (6 tackles, assist), Jacob Welch (5 tackles, assist), Kory Langhals (4 tackles, 2 assists), Campbell (4 tackles, assist), C.J. Landwehr (3 tackles, assist), Jordan Winkler (2 tackles, 3 assists), Craig Lyman (2 tackles, 2 assists), Chris Michels (2 tackles, 2 assists), Zach Arvig (2 tackles, 2 assists), Michael Hutchison (2 tackles, assist), Luke Johnson (2 tackles, assist), and one tackle apiece from J.J. Mortensen and Aaron Fletcher.
The Jaguars will try and re-group this Friday, when they travel to Durst Field to face the Petaluma Trojans. Game times starting with the JV are 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Primed for the Playoffs
New format could pit Empire teams against East Bay schools
By RICH RUPPRECHT
PRESS DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Published: Thursday, November 6, 2008
With just a couple of weeks left in the regular season of high school football, its time to check out the North Coast Sections new playoff system.
To better assimilate the state bowl games expanded to five games at Carsons Home Depot Center on Dec. 19-20 the NCS did away with Class 3A, 2A, A and B formats and replaced them with five divisions.
Each division has an enrollment limit Division I is 2,001 and above, Division II is 1,401-2,000, Division III is 701-1,400, Division IV is 401-700 and Division V is 400 and below and the football teams fit one of the five divisions.
Schools can still petition the NCS to play up, which Cardinal Newman has done. Its enrollment places Newman in Division III, but the Cardinals will play in Division II because most of the North Bay League teams it plays are Division II schools. Newman petitioned to play up before the start of the season.
The biggest difference in the NCS playoff format is the mixture of East Bay schools with the usual Redwood Empire field of schools from Sonoma County, Marin County, Mendocino County and Humboldt-Del Norte regions.
It doesnt look like many schools with winning records will get bumped from the playoffs, because the biggest division Division III has 31 schools and the biggest playoff field, a 16-team bracket.
Division II, with schools like Newman, Rancho Cotate, Ukiah, Casa Grande, Maria Carrillo and Petaluma, has 26 schools and a 12-team playoff bracket.
Healdsburg and Analy are Division III teams, Middletown, Fort Bragg, Clear Lake and Cloverdale are Division IV, and St. Vincent, Tomales, Anderson Valley and Rincon Valley Christian are Division V. There are eight-team playoff brackets in Division IV (17 schools) and Division V (19 schools).
Probably the biggest difference between this years playoffs and last years are the logistics. Teams have to travel farther outside their areas for games, although dont tell Analy that after back-to-back playoff trips to Crescent City to play Del Norte.
In the 1980s and 90s, when Empire teams played East Bay schools in the playoffs remember Montgomery playing De La Salle? there was always the presumption of superiority by the East Bay. Seeding meetings regularly had Empire schools playing no home games and playing the best of the East Bay early on.
That really shouldnt be the case in the 2000s. Various publications not only have Newman ranked No.1 in Division II, but Rancho Cotate is the third-ranked school, and Ukiah fits in the top six.
Between Newman and Rancho is Clayton Valley; Campolindo and Las Lomas follow the top three. Casa Grande gets honorable mention votes as well. And thats not even close to filling out the 12-team field, which would indicate there may be room for a .500 or slightly better team such as Petaluma or Sonoma, if the Dragons win their last two games.
Healdsburg, at 7-1, ranks among the best NCS Division III schools. The No.1-ranked team appears to be Novato, which played in a state bowl last year, followed by Encinal and Bishop ODowd. Analy (5-3) still has a good chance of making the Division III field.
Middletown and Fort Bragg should be among the best Division IV playoff teams. Middletown won Class A section titles in 2001, 1999 and 1997. Fort Bragg won four consecutive Class A championships from 1993-1996 and a Class 2A championship in 1999.
Another school opting to play up that continues to impress everyone they play is Ferndale, a school of only 158 students. Ferndale is 8-0 and is playing in Division IV. Clear Lake, Cloverdale and St. Helena are also Division IV schools, as is St. Patrick-St. Vincent (6-2) of Vallejo and Salesian.
St. Vincent of Petaluma (7-1) is the only other Empire school besides Newman to receive a state ranking by Cal-Hi Sports, a No.5 spot on the small-schools Northern California list.
St. Vincent, Tomales and Anderson Valley could make the Division V playoffs. The best of the rest of Division V includes St. Elizabeth of Oakland, St. Bernard of Eureka and South Fork of Miranda.
PLAYOFF OUTLOOK The NCS football playoffs begin in two weeks. The format has been changed to five divisions and will include East Bay schools. There will be no Empire schools in the Div. I playoffs. Here are some of the top prospective playoff teams in each of the divisions as well as teams on the bubble:
DIVISION II
Cardinal Newman, Rancho Cotate, Clayton Valley, Campolindo, Las Lomas, Ukiah, Redwood, Maria Carrillo
On the bubble: Petaluma, Sonoma
DIVISION III
Novato, Encinal, Bishop ODowd, Healdsburg, Marin Catholic
On the bubble: Analy
DIVISION IV
Ferndale, Middletown, Fort Bragg,
St. Patrick/St. Vincent, Salesian,
Clear Lake
DIVISION V
St. Vincent, Tomales, St. Elizabeth, Anderson Valley, St. Bernard, South Fork
On the bubble: Rincon Valley Christian
You can reach Staff Writer Rich Rupprecht at 521-5275 or rich.rupprecht@pressdemocrat.com. For more high school sports coverage, read Rupes blog at prepsports.pressdemocrat.com.
Weekend Football Predictions
By RICH RUPPRECHT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Friday, November 7, 2008
FRIDAY'S PICKS
Cardinal Newman 42, Ukiah 21
Should be a lot of balls in the air Friday, but Newmans defense will again be the key.
Casa Grande 31, Healdsburg 7
Gauchos rounding into form at the right time.
Maria Carrillo 24, Montgomery 21
Zack Sheets and Sam Atoe pretty good 1-2 punch. Monty could have lost to Santa Rosa.
Sonoma Valley 28, Analy 14
Dragons repeat last weeks win against Petaluma.
Petaluma 33, Windsor 13
Trojans alway tough at home. Need a win badly to stay in playoff contention.
Santa Rosa 31, Elsie Allen 6
Therman McGowan back, but a leg injury will force him to play QB.
Middletown 35, Kelseyville 7
Mustangs riding a 6-game winning streak and defense playing superbly.
St. Vincent 21, St. Helena 13
Tough loss for St. Vincent last week. Bounce back on the turf.
Fort Bragg 28, Cloverdale 12
Timberwolves running game back in the spotlight.
Lower Lake 27, Willits 13
The Trojans pick up their first win of the season.
Tomales 38, Point Arena 7
The Toss produces a big offensive night under the lights at home.
Calistoga 21, Anderson Valley 20
Picking the Wildcats in an upset.
SATURDAY'S PICKS
Rancho Cotate 44, Piner 6
Cougars defense leads the way.
Clear Lake 21, Upper Lake 13
The Cardinals can smell another NCL I South championship.
Rincon Valley Christian 35, Laytonville 6
The Eagles have just one league loss.
Ranked teams face off Friday
Newman vs. Ukiah, Healdsburg vs. Casa Grande highlight weekend games
By RICH RUPPRECHT
The Press Democrat
Published: Thursday, November 6, 2008
The Press Democrat high school football rankings hint of a couple good matchups with just two weekends left in the regular season.
Casa, winners of three straight SCL games, hosts No. 4 ranked Healdsburg Friday. Casa is ranked No. 5.
No. 1 ranked Cardinal Newman (8-0, 5-0) hosts No. 3 Ukiah (7-1, 4-1) Friday night at 7 p.m.
Newman dismantled Rancho Cotate last week, 42-7, but The Ranch is still ranked No. 2. Rancho Cotate has a three-point victory against Ukiah. Ukiah has one of the top passers in the Empire, senior Kyle Morris.
Newman, still Cal-Hi Sports No. 1 ranked Division III team in Northern California this week, is also ranked 17th in the state by Cal-Hi Sports.
There are playoffs still in the future, but football experts looking into their crystal balls are looking at Newman and St. Bonaventure as the likely matchup for the state bowl game in Div. III.
St. Bonaventure (7-1) lost to the No. 1-ranked team in the state, Poly of Long Beach, in a very close game, earlier this season.
In another big game Friday, No. 4 Healdsburg (7-1, 3-1) visits red-hot No. 5 Casa Grande (5-2-1, 3-1) at Petaluma. Casa has won three straight league games in convincing style.
Healdsburg, Casa Grande and Petaluma, which was upset last week by Sonoma in overtime, are all tied for the Sonoma County League lead at 3-1.
In the small-school rankings St. Vincent, which lost to No. 4 Clear Lake, 8-7, maintains the No. 1 ranking because of wins against No. 2 ranked Middletown and No. 3 Fort Bragg.
St. Vincent lost when they stopped Clear Lake inside their five-yard line, but then had a snap to their punter go over his head and out of the end zone for a safety.
Clear Lake has lost to Middletown and Fort Bragg. Clear Lake, however, has the inside track, on a North Central League I South championship, which the Cardinals also captured last year.
Middletown continues to play outstanding defense and got 100-yard rushing games from Jake Davis and Tyler Ownen and a 100-yard passing game from Matt Outen in its 22-8 win at Fort Bragg. Timberwolves 1,000-yard rusher Jake Cimolino rushed for over 100 yards.
Middletown is in the drivers seat to win the NCL I North.
Kelseyville (4-3-1) is No. 5 ranked and plays at Middletown Friday.
You can reach Staff Writer Rich Rupprecht at 521-5275 or rich.rupprecht@pressdemocrat.com. For more on high school sports, read Rupe's blog at http://prepsports.pressdemocrat.com.
RANKINGS Large schools
1. Cardinal Newman (8-0)
2. Rancho Cotate (7-1)
3. Ukiah (7-1)
4. Healdsburg (7-1)
5. Casa Grande (5-2-1)
Small schools
1. St. Vincent (7-1)
2. Middletown (7-1)
3. Fort Bragg (6-2)
4. Clear Lake (5-2-1)
5. Kelseyville (4-3-1)
High School Football predictions
By RICH RUPPRECHT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Friday, October 31, 2008
FRIDAY'S GAMES
Cardinal Newman 31, Rancho Cotate 14
Too many weapons for Newman and a precision passing attack.
Ukiah 27, Maria Carrillo 20
Could be a game of big plays; rain could hurt Wildcats passing game.
Montgomery 28, Santa Rosa 20
As bad a season as the Vikes have had, they dont want to lose to their intra-city rival.
Petaluma 21, Sonoma 14
A league championship at stake for the Trojans, but Sonoma is tough at Arnold Field.
Healdsburg 33, El Molino 13
Greyhounds still in the SCL hunt and have played well defensively all season.
Middletown 21, Fort Bragg 14
Should be a dandy. Just hope its not too sloppy at Timberwolf Stadium.
Kelseyville 33, Lower Lake 13
The Knights have shown the ability to score, while Lower Lake hasnt.
St. Vincent 14, Clear Lake 13
It has been that kind of season for the Mustangs, who rely a lot on defense for wins.
Cloverdale 24, St. Helena 22
Cloverdale has come close a few times; tonight the Eagles hold on.
Tomales 40, Anderson Valley 20
Two undefeated teams in NCL II, but the Braves Toss offense is tough to stop.
Calistoga 25, Potter Valley 20
Wildcats have shown more offense of late.
Upper Lake 20, Willits 7
The Cougars get back on the winning track.
Rincon Valley Christian 21, CSD 13
Eagles bounce back from two-point loss to Anderson Valley.
SATURDAY'S GAME
Piner 28, Elsie Allen 6
The Prospectors pick up second win of season.
Varsity footballers maul Lions, 31-7
Jaguars snap three-game losing streak; host Casa tonight
By Greg Clementi, Sports Editor
Pride and desperation can be very powerful motivators for a football team.
The varsity football Jaguars had both factors on the line on Friday at El Molino, helping to propel the team to a dominant, 31-7 victory.
The clash in Forestville was a must-win situation for Windsor, entering the game with a disappointing, 1-5 overall record and winless at 0-2 in the Sonoma County League.
It was time to put up or shut up.
The Jaguars responded with one of their best all-around performances of the season, combining an outstanding effort on both sides of the ball to spoil the Lions Homecoming Game.
Junior running back Cameron Erion continued his assault on opposing defenses, churning up 238 yards on 23 carries and three touchdowns in another terrific performance. The league-leading Erion reached a big milestone in the game, pushing his rushing total to 1021 yards for the season.
The offensive line played outstanding, opening up some huge holes, noted Jags head coach Jason Fayter. When you rush for 357 yards, you know youre getting good blocking up front.
The Jags served notice on their second possession on Friday, as quarterback Blake Schmidt hooked up with receivers Michael Campbell and Kyle Yung on big gains to move the ball into the El Mo red zone. The drive resulted in a 15-yard touchdown burst by running back Cameron Erion, followed by a Lee Aranda PAT boot for a 7-0 Windsor lead.
The swarming Jaguar defense, led by pass-rushers Kory Langhals, Michael Hutchison, Jacob Welch, Jordan Winkler, Cody Paz, and Chris Michels, forced the Lions third punt of the opening quarter. Erion returned the favor on the next offensive series with a 46-yard scoring dash for a 14-0 Windsor advantage.
The Jags threatened an early blow-out in the second quarter following an Erion interception at the Lions eight yard line. Schmidt, employing an effective mix of run and pass, led the team on a 92-yard march culminating in another six-yard touchdown scamper by Erion for a decisive, 21-0 bulge at the break.
Windsor went to work on the clock in the third quarter, relying on a strong push from its offensive line to keep the chains moving. The Jags effectively squashed any Lion upset hopes late in the third period, ripping off a 50-yard, six-minute drive that ended with a two-yard scoring burst by Steven Hutchison for a 28-0 advantage.
The Lions mounted their best drive of the night early in the fourth quarter, as quarterback Tony DeMarco engineered an 80-yard march, highlighted by long completions to receivers Rhodes Wroth and Joe Douglass. DeMarco capped the drive on an outstanding, 16-yard touchdown run on a fourth-down play to make it a 28-7 ballgame.
The Jags ate up the remainder of the clock with an impressive march, ending with a 35-yard field goal from Aranda en route to a 31-7 victory.
Schmidt turned in a solid night under center, completing 11 of 18 passes for 125 yards, and added 16 yards on the ground. Other top offensive efforts included: Erion (23-238 yards rushing, 3 TDs), Steven Hutchison (17-103 yards rushing, TD), Campbell (3-51 yards receiving), Yung (1-37 yards receiving), C.J. Landwehr (3-24 yards receiving), and Miles Williams (2-12 yards receiving). Aranda was a perfect, 4-4 on PAT kicks, and added a season-best, 35-yard field goal.
Top Windsor defenders included: Michael Hutchison (5 tackles, 2 assists, 2 sacks), Welch (3 tackles, 3 sacks), Winkler (4 tackles, 2 assists, sack), Cody Paz (4 tackles, 2 assists, sack), Yung (4 tackles, assist), Deandre Faaita (3 tackles, 2 assists, INT), Teddy Van Bebber (3 tackles, assist), Landwehr (2 tackles, INT), Michels (tackle, sack), Langhals (tackle, 2 assists, sack), Zach Arvig (tackle, assist), Aaron Fletcher (tackle, assist), Campbell (tackle, assist), Erion (tackle, INT), and one tackle apiece from Jason Langhals, James Reed, Brandon Scott, and Craig Lyman.
The Jaguars will host Casa Grande in a rare Thursday night game tonight (Oct. 30) at 7:30 p.m. The frosh kick off the triple-header at 3 p.m.
Crista Jeremiason / The Press Democrat, Casa Grande's Matt Nadolski goes up for the ball as Windsor's C.J. Landwehr puts pressure on him during the first quarter of the game held at Windsor High School, Thursday Oct. 29, 2008. Nadolski scored to bring the score to 14-0.
Gauchos continue on dominant roll
Casa Grande 31, Windsor 7
Casa has outscored foes 95-14 in past three games; defense has yielded 7 points in 11 quarters
Eric Branch
PRESS DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Published: Thursday, October 30, 2008
Not long ago, the Casa Grande football team, winners of six of the past seven Sonoma County League titles, didnt have the look of a champion.
What a difference two weeks can make.
In its third consecutive dominant performance, the visiting Gauchos throttled Windsor 31-7 on Thursday night as quarterback Matt OBrien tossed two touchdown passes and ran for another.
The victory was the latest bit of evidence that Gauchos have put their 21-14 loss to Petaluma in its SCL opener behind them. Far behind.
In the following three games, the Gauchos (5-2-1, 3-1) have outscored their opponents 95-14. Their defense has allowed just seven points in the past 11 quarters.
Casa Grandes roll began two weeks ago when it trailed Analy 7-6 at halftime. They responded with 23 consecutive second-half points in a 29-7 win and havent looked back.
After the first half at Analy, we challenged the kids at halftime and they responded, Casa Grande coach Rick OBrien said. Practice has been great. They are really focused. We put ourselves in a little bit of a hole as far as the playoffs. So our goal was to win out and every week is another challenge.
Actually, the challenge never materialized Thursday against the overwhelmed Jaguars (2-6, 1-3).
After their first four offensive possessions, the Gauchos led 28-0 with 2:55 remaining in the second quarter and had outgained Windsor 230-49.
Casa Grande took the opening kickoff and scored four plays later on OBriens 24-yard scamper. OBrien capped their next possession a six-play, 55-yard march with a 19-yard strike to wide receiver Matt Nadolski.
Four minutes later, tailback Kahlil Keys finished a nine-play, 55-yard drive with a 2-yard run. Finally, OBrien lofted a 37-yard pass to Teddy Osmundson to give the Gauchos a 28-0 lead.
We thought we had a good game plan, Windsor coach Jason Fayter said. But they are pretty damn good.
OBrien completed 13 of 21 passes for 164 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He also added 39 yards on three carries. OBrien has tossed 15 touchdowns six to Nadolski and four interceptions this season.
At halftime against Analy, we all talked about how we had to win every game if we wanted to be one of top teams in the Empire, Matt OBrien said. Every since then, weve kind of turned it on.
The Gauchos led 31-0 at halftime before taking their foot off the gas pedal in the second half.
The Jaguars scored on Blake Schmidts 68-yard pass to D.J. King with 2:22 remaining.
Casa Grande will host Healdsburg (6-1, 2-1) next week in a game that could have SCL title implications. Petaluma (4-3, 3-0) is in first place in the SCL and will host Healdsburg on Nov. 14 in its regular-season finale.
You can reach Staff Writer Eric Branch at 521-5268 or eric.branch@pressdemocrat.com.
BOX SCORESCL
AT WINDSOR
Casa Grande 14 17 0 0 31
Windsor 0 0 0 7 7
CG Matt OBrien 24 run (Conner Derby kick)
CG Matt Nadolski 19 pass from OBrien (Derby kick)
CG Kahlil Keys 2 run (Derby kick)
CG Teddy Osmundson 37 pass from OBrien (Derby kick)
CG Derby 24 FG
W D.J. King 68 pass from Blake Schmidt (Lee Aranda kick)
Rushing, CG Keys 18-66, OBrien 3-39, Nadolski 1-33, Kyle Smith 9-31, Conner Waggoner 3-19. W Steven Hutchinson 21-72, Schmidt 4-6, Brandon Scott 2-0. Passing, CG OBrien 13-21-1-164. W Schmidt 2-11-1-71. Receiving, CG Waggoner 5-34, Osmundson 4-74, Matt Gallo 2-27, Nadolski 2-26. W King 2-71.
Records: CG 5-2-1, 3-1; W 2-6, 1-3.
Run Stopper - El Mo's Buck Skalicky (14) brought down Windsor ball-carrier Steven Hutchison in the Lion's 31-7 loss to the visiting Jaguars on Friday. - Photo by Greg Clementi
Casa, Windsor in important SCL game tonight.........
Only one high school football game " Casa Grande at Windsor " has been switched from Friday, Halloween night.
The game will be played at Windsor tonight, with the varsity scheduled to start around 7:30. Windsor athletics director Gene Sandwina announced the change over a month ago, saying the Jaguars preferred not to play on Halloween. Casa Grande agreed to the switch.
Both Sonoma County League schools are coming off league victories, Casa Grande defeating Sonoma, 35-0, and Windsor defeating El Molino, 38-7.
Casa Grande is 4-2-1, 2-1 in league and Windsor is 2-5, 1-2.
Newman-Rancho, status quo in next week's rankings?
No. 2 Fort Bragg hosts No. 3 MIddletown on Friday
By RICH RUPPRECHT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008
If ever theres going to be a switch of teams at the top of the large school football rankings, it will be next week.
Thats because the biggest game of the regular season No. 1 Cardinal Newman at No. 2 Rancho Cotate is Halloween night at Rohnert Park.
Both teams are 7-0 and 4-0 in league. Cardinal Newman has been the top-ranked team since the start of the season and solidified its position in the preseason with wins against Central Catholic of Modesto, Del Oro of Loomis and Palma of Salinas.
Rancho Cotate has been ranked No. 2 since the start and is coming off its closest victory, a 35-32 win at previously unbeaten and still No. 3 ranked Ukiah. Rancho Cotate scored on a long pass play in the final minute to pull out the win.
If Newman wins on Friday, the Cardinals, who are the favorite from Northern California to reach the state Division III bowl championship game, keeps its No. 1 ranking. If Rancho wins, the Cougars move to the top.
Petaluma is now ranked No. 4 after a 45-7 romp over Analy. Petaluma (4-3) is the only undefeated team in the Sonoma County League (3-0) and plays at Sonoma Valley Friday.
Tied for fifth in the rankings are Healdsburg (6-1, 2-1) and Casa Grande (4-2-1, 2-1). Healdsburg has lost to Analy and still must play Petaluma. The Greyhounds host El Molino Friday. Casa Grande, coming off a 35-0 win against Sonoma, lost to Petaluma and needs help to win or share its sixth consecutive SCL crown.
The small school rankings also could change after this weekends games.
No. 1 St. Vincent (7-0, 2-0) plays at No. 4 Clear Lake (4-2-1, 1-0) Friday in an NCL I South game.
No. 2 Fort Bragg (6-1, 2-0) hosts No. 3 Middletown (6-1, 1-0) Friday night in a key NCL I North contest.
Kelseyville (3-3-1, 1-1) jumped back into the rankings at No. 5 following its 47-0 win against Willits.
Large School Football Rankings
1. Cardinal Newman (7-0)
2. Rancho Cotate (7-0)
3. Ukiah (6-1)
4. Petaluma (4-3)
T5. Healdsburg (6-1)
T5.Casa Grande (4-2-1)
Small School Football Rankings
1. St. Vincent (7-0)
2. Fort Bragg (6-1)
3. Middletown (6-1)
4. Clear Lake (4-2-1)
5. Kelseyville (3-3-1
Jaguars fall to Healdsburg Greyhounds, 25-14 at Homecoming
Windsor slips to 1-5; travels to El Molino this Friday
By Greg Clementi, Sports Editor,The Windsor Times Sports
The varsity football Jaguars were in a giving mood on Friday in the annual Homecoming Game against visiting Healdsburg. Unfortunately the Jags proved to be a bit too hospitable, dropping a mistake-prone 25-14 decision to the Greyhounds in the 10th meeting between the teams.
The loss pushed Windsors season mark to 1-5, and 0-2 in Sonoma County League play, while the Greyhounds improved to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in the SCL.
There was nothing flashy about the annual clash between North Bay rivals now known as the Grape Bowl, as the teams waged a battle in the trenches that featured its fair share of hard hits, but would ultimately be decided by turnovers.
The Jaguars took advantage of an early Hounds miscue when safety D.J. King picked off a pass thrown by Healdsburg quarterback Zach Shippey and returned it to midfield. The Jags mounted a two-minute drive resulting in a five-yard touchdown burst by running back Cameron Erion. Kicker Elias Aranda added the PAT boot and Windsor led 7-0.
Windsor was sniffing blood on its next possession, but Greyhound defensive back Ian Gallagher picked off a pass from Jags signal-caller Blake Schmidt to kill the drive at the Healdsburg three yard line.
The Hounds caught a break early in the second quarter when a mishandled snap on a punt attempt gave Healdsburg the ball at the Windsor 20. The opportunity produced a 24-yard field goal from Colin Brown and a 7-3 ballgame.
Healdsburg cashed in on another miscue on the Jaguars next possession, as Hounds cornerback Tom Belli picked off a pass deep in Windsor territory. The play resulted in a 20-yard scoring strike from Shippey to a leaping Paul Wilson. The PAT kick was good and the Greyhounds led 10-7.
With the defense stiffening, Healdsburg capped a 16-point second quarter explosion when Wilson found pay-dirt again on a nifty, 14-yard run after catch to give the Hounds a 16-7 advantage. The Jaguars made the most of their final possession of the first half, as big runs by Erion and King would set up a one-yard scoring dive by Schmidt to cut the deficit to 16-14 at the break.
The Greyhounds gained separation early in the third period after a sensational, fourth-down grab by receiver Caleb Rummonds gave his team a first down at the Windsor four. Running back Andy Phillips finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown burst and a 23-14 bulge. The Hounds capped the offensive fireworks when a bad snap on a Windsor punt produced a safety.
Neither team could move the ball consistently in the final period, as Healdsburg hung on for a 25-14 win.
Schmidt turned in an impressive night directing the newly employed option offense, churning up 64 rushing yards on 10 carries, while amassing another 41 yards through the air. Other notable offensive efforts included: Erion (12-139, TD rushing), King (3-49 yards rushing, 3-13 yards receiving), Miles Williams (3-15 yards receiving), and James Reed (1-9 yards receiving).
Top defenders were: Kory Langhals (10 tackles, 5 assists, 2 sacks), Michael Hutchison (8 tackles, 6 assists), Kyle Yung (5 tackles, 4 assists), Jordan Winkler (6 tackles, 4 assists), King (6 tackles, assist, Int.), Zach Arvig (3 tackles, 5 assists, sack), Jacob Welch (5 tackles, sack), Erion (5 tackles), Cody Paz (3 tackles, 2 assists), Chris Michels (2 tackles, sack), Teddy Van Bebber (tackle, 2 assists), Craig Lyman (tackle, assist), and one tackle apiece from Steven Hutchison, Brandon Scott, and Schmidt.
The Jaguars will try to re-group this Friday when they take on the El Molino Lions (3-4, 1-2) in Forestville. Kickoff times beginning with the JV are 5 and 7:30 p.m.
High school football previews
By RICH RUPPRECHT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Thursday, October 23, 2008
TODAYS GAMES
Rancho Cotate (6-0, 3-0) at Ukiah (6-0, 3-0), 7:30 p.m.
This is the first of some key NBL matchups which should help determine an NBL champion. Rancho Cotate is big and fast and has maybe the top defensive line in the Empire. Ends Jonathon Torres and Anthony Alicea are very active and quick. Rushing the QB is crucial because Ukiahs Kyle Morris is one of the top passers and has 13 TDs throwing in six games. Ranchos triple option offense has also been clicking the last two weeks, led by QB Cody Allen and quick running back Brian Dworkin. Ukiahs defense has given up yardage in the middle of the field, but also has come up with 18 turnovers in six games. Marcos Hernandez has rushed for 700 yards and Kyle Mayfield and Gabe Ott have caught four TDs in a single game.
Cardinal Newman (6-0, 3-0) at Montgomery (1-4-1, 1-2),
7:30 p.m.
The Cardinals were more than a little impressive in last weeks 40-0 win against Santa Rosa, their third consecuitve NBL game in which they didnt allow a point. Newmans offense has been potent all season, but now the defense seems to be fine tuning its game. And its not just a couple of players leading the way. On offense QB Randy Wright has thrown for 19 TDs with just one interception. Receiver Wade Amaral is working on a streak in which hes caught three TD passes in three consecutive games. Montgomery has struggled offensively most of the season, but did score 20 points last week against Ukiah. QB Max Heller threw two TD passes. One wouldnt think this game would be close, but a Newman-Montgomery contest always stirs the competitive juices.
Analy (5-2, 1-2) at Petaluma (3-3, 2-0), 7:30 p.m.
As one can tell by league records, this is a huge game for the Trojans, the only undefeated team in the SCL, and coming off a bye. Analy gave Casa a battle, until the Gauchos went on a fourth quarter scoring tear last week. Analy is trying to get back on the winning track, having lost the previous week to El Molino. Petaluma has played opponents close all season and its option offense appears to be at its best, with scatback Sean Sullivan leading the way. A win by Analy would certainly tighten the SCL.
Sonoma (2-4, 2-1) at Casa Grande (3-2-1, 1-1), 7:30 p.m.
Another crucial SCL matchup, the loser would pick up a second league loss and in all likelihood fall out of SCL contention. Sonoma defeated El Molino last week as Nick Fedrick rushed for 100 yards and three scores. QB Jake Powers threw for 110 yards. Casa Grande rediscovered its offense in the fourth quarter against Analy, winning 29-7, on the strength of three Matt OBrien TD throws, two of which went to three-sport standout Matt Nadolski. Casas defense held Analy to just one TD and linebacker Makana Garrigan ran back an interception for a TD.
Piner (1-5, 0-3) at Santa Rosa (1-5, 0-3), 7:30 p.m.
Piner is coming off a 28-13 loss to Maria Carrillo, while Santa Rosa fell to Newman, 40-0. Logan Stiles and Japh Burns have both had their moments at QB for Piner, as has running back Jabari Young. Santa Rosa continues to run the single wing, led by Jaden Rosselli and Darryl Thomas. Lineman Chris Smith is also in the backfield and has been used as a blocker of late.
Windsor (1-5, 0-2) at El Molino (3-4, 1-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Jaguars trailed by just two points at halftime against Healdsburg last week, but didnt score thereafter and lost 25-14. A highlight for Windsor was Kory Langhals with 16 tackles and two sacks. El Molino fell behind early at Sonoma, scored in each of the last three quarters and lost 30-20. El Molino QB Tony De Marco threw for a pair of TDs.
Fort Bragg (5-1, 1-0) at Lower Lake (0-6, 0-0), 7:30 p.m.
Jake Cimolino and Cody Lowe each rushed for two TDs in Fort Braggs NCL I North opening 62-19 home win against Kelseyville last week, coach Jack Moyers career 200th win. Offensive linemen Josh House and Antonio Renteria have helped open holes for the Wolves potent running game. Lower Lake, defending NCL I North champs, has lost its offense in recent weeks, being shut out in its last three games.
Middletown (5-1) at St. Helena (4-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Mustangs have shut out their last three opponents while scoring 125 points in the same span. Tyler Owen and Eric Tomko have proven an effective 1-2 ground attack. QB Matt Outen attempted just four passes last week and still threw for 101 yards, including two TDs to Dillon Galusha. St. Helena also favors the run and is coming off consecutive wins against Willits and Upper Lake.
Cloverdale (3-3, 0-1) at Clear Lake (3-2-1, 0-0), 7:30 p.m.
This looks like a good NCL I South contest. Cloverdale gave unbeaten St. Vincent a run last weekend, before being shut out in the second half and losing 20-14. Casey Berry led the Eagles with a TD reception, 10 tackles and a fumble recovery. Clear Lake handled Lower Lake 47-0 and junior QB Ryan Richardson threw for two TDs and Jared Ashworth had two TD receptions.
Willits (0-6, 0-1) at Kelseyville (2-3-1, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Wolverines got manhandled by Middletown in a league opener last week and has had trouble finding the end zone. Kelseyville lost at Fort Bragg, 62-19, but Mike Duman had a rare triple, running for a TD, passing for one and catching a TD pass.
RV Christian (3-1, 3-0) at Anderson Valley (4-0, 4-0),
7:30 p.m.
This is an important game in the NCL II. RV Christian lost its first game last week to St. Bernard of Eureka, 34-16. The Panthers had its closest game of the year, a 30-28 win at Point Arena, in which Anderson Valley trailed 22-6 at the half. Jordan Bright ran for three TDs after intermission.
Tomales (3-2, 2-0) at Potter Valley (2-4, 2-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Braves, coming off a bye, own two one-sided league wins. In a win against Calistoga, Stan Moody ran 12 times for 251 yards and four TDs, including a 75-yarder. Potter Valley didnt play last week, but the previous week it edged Point Arena 13-6 on two TD runs by Matthew Moore.
Point Arena (0-4, 0-4) at Laytonville (1-5, 0-4), 7:30 p.m.
The Pirates played one of their best games against Anderson Valley last week, but couldnt hold the lead. DJ Egger ran for three TDs and passed for another. Laytonville lost to Calistoga last week, 42-26, despite four TDs by Granville Fox (two rushing and two receiving).
SATURDAYS GAMES
Maria Carrillo (4-2, 2-1) vs. Elsie Allen (1-5, 0-3) at SRHS,
7:30 p.m.
The Pumas havent been at full strength in weeks, but have still managed to post a couple of NBL wins. Last week, with Matt Hart running for 95 yards and two TDs and Terry Reid adding 92 yards and a TD, Carrillo defeated Piner 28-13. Elsie Allen has endured a rough opening three weeks of league, having been outscored 184-0.
Upper Lake (3-3, 0-1) at St. Vincent (6-0, 1-0), 2:30 p.m.
After beating Lower Lake and Kelseyville, the Cougars have lost consecutive games to Middletown and St. Helena. The Mustangs defense came up big again last week, shutting out Cloverdale in the second half and overcoming a 14-0 halftime deficit. Kris Farinha had a 75-yard fumble return for a TD and Cullen Carroll had 14 tackles.
High school football roundup
High school football roundup
Greyhounds improve to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in the SCL with victory over rival
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Friday, October 17, 2008
Healdsburg gets past Windsor, 25-14
Healdsburg improved to 6-1, and 2-1 in the Sonoma County League, with a 25-14 victory at Windsor (1-5, 0-1).
The Jaguars jumped to a 7-0 lead on Camerion Erions 7-yard run in the first quarter. But after Colin Brown kicked a 24-yard field goal to get the Greyhounds on the board, the Healdsburg combination of quarterback Zach Shippey and Paul Wilson combined for two touchdown passes in the second quarter.
Windsors Blake Schmidt scored on a short run to cut the score to 16-14 at halftime, but the Jaguars would not score again. Healdsburgs Andy Phillips went in from a yard out, and the Hounds wrapped up their scoring with a safety when an errant snap flew over the punters head and into the end zone.
Erion ran for 134 yards on 12 carries. Dillon Cattalini had 91 on 19 attempts for Healdsburg, while Shippey completed 12 of 21 passes for 125 yards.
AT WINDSOR
Healdsburg 0 1 6 9 0 25
Windsor 7 7 0 0 14
W Cameron Erion 7 run (Lee Aranda kick)
H Colin Brown 24 FG
H Paul Wilson 17 pass from Zach Shippey (Brown kick)
H Wilson 14 pass from Shippey (kick failed)
W Blake Schmidt 1 run (Aranda kick)
H Andy Phillips 1 run (Brown kick)
H safety, bad snap in end zone
Records: H 6-1, 2-1; W1-5, 0-2
Rushing: WCameron Erion 12x134, Schmidt 10x64, DJ King 3x49. HDillon Cattalini 19x91.
Passing: HZach Shippey 12-21, 125.
Notable: WKory Langhals 10 tackles, 6 asst, 2 sacks.
SONOMA 30, EL MOLINO 20
Sonoma jumped out to a 16-0 lead in the first quarter, then hung on for the win. Nick Fedrick had three touchdown runs for the Dragons. Tony DeMarco threw a pair of scoring passes for the Lions.
AT SONOMA VALLEY
El Molino 0 6 6 8 20
Sonoma 16 7 0 7 30
S Nick Fedrick 2 run (kick failed)
S Sam Wallace 32 field goal
S Fedrick 3 run (Wallace kick)
EM Tony DeMarco 15 pass to Chaz Mathias (kick failed)
S Jake Powers 25 pass to Jessie Bojarsky (Wallace kick)
EM DeMarco 5 pass to Rhodes Wroth (pass failed)
SFedrick 1 run (Wallace kick)
EM Mike Pierson 20 pass to Cole Parmeger (Pierson pass to Rick Franchesei)
Records: El Molino 3-4, 1-2; Sonoma 2-4, 2-1
SPassing: Jake Powers 10-16-110 yards; Rushing: Nick Fedrick 20-100, 3 TD; Receiving:Steve Fillippi 9-95; Leading Tackler: Michael Mulas 13.
UKIAH 37, MONTGOMERY 20
At Ukiah, Ukiah remained unbeaten and senior quarterback Kyle Morris threw for four touchdowns, all four to Kyle Mayfield as the Wildcats won on homecoming.
Ukiah, ranked No. 3, is now 3-0 in the NBL and 6-0 overall.
Montgomery (1-4-1, 1-2) took a 6-0 lead on a 64-yard TD run by Alex CuidadReal, but Ukiah answered with a 15-yard TD pass from Morris to Mayfield and kicked the PAT.
Ukiah scored the next two TDs on Morris throws. Mayfield also had TD catches of 10 and 30 yards. Gabe Ott added a 20-yard field goal for the Wildcats.
Max Heller threw a pair of TD passes for Montgomery, 30 yards to James Berthinier and 16 yards to Josh LaFontaine.
Marcos Hernandez also had a rushing TD for Ukiah.
AT UKIAH
Montgomery 6 7 0 7 20
Ukiah 7 14 9 7 37
M CuidadReal 64 run (pass failed)
U Mayfield 15 pass from Morris, (Ott kick)
U Mayfield 38 pass from Morris (Ott kick)
U Mayfield 10 pass from Morris (Ott kick)
M James Berthinier 30 pass from Max Heller (Spann kick)
U Marcos Herndandez 1 run (kick failed)
U Ott 20 field goal
U Mayfield 30 pass from Morris (Ott kick)
M LaFontaine 16 pass from heller (Spann kick)
JV Ukiah 33, Montgomery 7
Rancho Cotate, also undefeated, plays at Ukiah next Friday.
RANCHO 58, ELSIE ALLEN 0
It was all Cougars as they improved to 6-0 on the year, 3-0 in the NBL. Rancho Cotate scored eight rushing touchdowns, including three by Brian Dworkin and two by Anthony Bernard.
AT RANCHO COTATE
Elsie Allen 0 0 0 0 0
Rancho Cotate 7 21 9 21 58
RC Brian Dworkin 6 run (Eduardo Farias kick)
RC Anthony Bernard 3 run (Eduardo Farias kick)
RC Dworkin 11 run (Farias kick)
RC Cody Allen 15 run (Farias kick)
RC Eduardo Farias 38 FG
RC Dworkin 37 run (kick failed)
RC Wayne Capers 17 run (Farias kick)
RC Bernard 4 run (Farias kick)
RC Steven Morales 20 run (Farias kick)
Records: EA 1-4, 0-3; RC 6-0, 3-0
RC Rushing: Dworkin 11-122, 3 TD; RC Passing: Allen 5-10 86 1 Int; RC Receiving: Dworkin 2-59
Jaguars to host hounds for homecoming
Windsor hungry for victory in 10th annual Grape Bowl
By Greg Clementi, Sports Editor
Local football bragging rights will be on the line this Friday, Oct. 17 when North Bay Rival Healdsburg invades the Jungle in the annual Homecoming Game.
Kickoff times for the JV and varsity are 5 and 7:30 p.m.
The much-anticipated clash, also known as the Grape Bowl, is the 10th meeting between the teams, with the Greyhounds leading the series 8-1.
Last year, the Hounds pulled off a miracle finish to notch a 23-19 victory at Recreation Park. Windsors lone win in the series came in 2006 when they cruised to a 27-7 win.
The Jaguars enter this years game fresh off a bye week, with an overall record of 1-4, and 0-1 in the Sonoma County League. Windsor, led by head coach Jason Fayter, features a strong offensive unit that includes senior quarterback Blake Schmidt and talented juniors; running back/DB Cameron Erion, and receivers/DBs D.J. King and Michael Campbell. Lineman Kory Langhals is a force on both sides of the ball for the Jags.
The Hounds will be led by senior quarterback Zach Shippey, senior running back/LB Andy Phillips, and senior receivers/DBs Dante Fountain and Caleb Rummonds. Travis Paasche and Placido Lopez are the leaders in the trenches for Healdsburg.
The Greyhounds come in with a 5-1 mark on the season and 1-1 in the SCL, having posted a 29-22 win over Sonoma last week.
A packed house is expected in Windsor this year, with Kaiser Park also available to handle overflow parking. To avoid traffic congestion, fans are strongly encouraged to arrive early.
The halftime ceremony will feature the crowning of Homecoming royalty from each class.
Rankings..................
Newman, Rancho, Ukiah remain 1-2-3 in rankings
Undefeated St. Vincent still No. 1 in small schools
By RICH RUPPRECHT
Published: Wednesday, October 15, 2008
The top-three of both the large-school and small-school football rankings remained the same this week. Its the bottom of the rankings that have seen a bit of movement of late.
LARGE SCHOOL RANKINGS
1. Cardinal Newman (5-0)
2. Rancho Cotate (5-0)
3. Ukiah (5-0)
4. Analy (5-1)
T5. Healdsburg (5-1)
T5. Petaluma (3-3)
SMALL SCHOOL RANKINGS
1. St. Vincent (5-0)
2. Fort Bragg (4-1)
3. Middletown (4-1)
4. Kelseyville (2-2-1)
5. Cloverdale (3-2)
Cardinal Newman (5-0), whose toughest league games should be in the final three weeks of the season, posted its second consecutive shutout, 49-0 over Piner, and remained No. 1 ranked.
Newman is also the top-rated Division III school in Northern California by Cal-Hi Sports, ahead of two schools it defeated, Palma of Salinas and Central Catholic of Modesto.
Rancho Cotate (5-0), which played well in a 41-19 win against Maria Carrillo, remained the No. 2 ranked large school and Ukiah (5-0), which prevented a two-point conversion near the end of the game and edged Santa Rosa 21-10, holds the No. 3 spot.
Upset wins by Petaluma against Casa Grande and El Molino against Analy shook up the bottom of the rankings.
Analy (5-1) stayed at No. 4, but Healdsburg (5-1) and Petaluma (3-3) are now tied at No. 5.
El Molino defeated Analy, 21-19, in the Golden Apple Game and Petaluma came from behind to knock off Casa, 21-14.
The upsets also tightened the race in the Sonoma County League. Petaluma, which has its bye week, is the only undefeated school in the SCL and is 2-0. Analy, Healdsburg, Sonoma and El Molino are all 1-1 and Casa Grande and Windsor are 0-1.
The top of the small school rankings also remained the same.
St. Vincent (5-0) stayed at No. 1, Fort Bragg at No. 2 and Middletown No. 3. Following a win over Cloverdale, Kelseyville moved up to No. 4 and Cloverdale is No. 5.
St. Vincent blanked Lower Lake 28-0 and opens North Central League I South plays Cloverdale (3-2) Saturday afternoon at home.
Fort Bragg (4-1), with coach Jack Moyer going after his 200th career win, hosts Kelseyville (2-2-1) Friday night in an NCL I North opener.
Fort Bragg defeated Clear Lake, 28-6, last week and Kelseyville defeated Cloverdale, 22-16.
Middletown (4-1), which shut out Upper Lake, 35-0, hosts Willits Friday night in another NCL I North opener.
High school football weekend predictions
October 17, 2008
Rancho, Newman should both win as Halloween matchup nears
By RICH RUPPRECHT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Friday, October 17, 2008
Each Friday, Press Democrat Staff Writer Rich Rupprecht predicts the weekend's Empire football games. Disagree with his picks? Let us know about it at sports@pressdemocrat.com
FRIDAY'S GAMES
Cardinal Newman 38, Santa Rosa 13
Dont see a repeat of last years close game. Newman has way too many weapons.
Rancho Cotate 49, Elsie Allen 0
Rancho rolls and Halloween night matchup with Newman draws closer.
Ukiah 21, Montgomery 13
Wildcats get it done, but wont be easy. Still some life in the Vikings.
Casa Grande 27, Analy 14
It has been four weeks since Gauchos last win. Matt OBrien steps up.
Windsor 28, Healdsburg 21
Yes, Healdsburg beat Sonoma and Sonoma beat Windsor, but the home team gets the nod in this rivalry game.
Sonoma Valley 28, El Molino 21
Dragons are better than record shows. Lions woke up in a big way last week in Golden Apple Game.
Fort Bragg 33, Kelseyville 12
Timberwolves appear to have a date with Middletown for NCL I North crown.
Middletown 35, Willits 0
Its the same result as the Mustangs last two games.
Clear Lake 18, Lower Lake 14
Two of the best small school teams, hit hard by graduation. Lower Lake hit harder.
Calistoga 27, Laytonville 13
Warriors getting better, but so are the Wildcats.
SATURDAY'S GAMES
Maria Carrillo 33, Piner 14
Pumas banged up, but still a lot of firepower.
St. Vincent 22, Cloverdale 8
Eagles seem dangerous, especially in a league opener, but Mustangs defense has been among the best in Empire.
Upper Lake 27, St. Helena 21
Yes, the Cougars were shut out by Middletown last week, but they surprised Kelseyville the week before.
Potter Valley 26, Point Arena 12
Bear Cats steal one on the road.
Rincon Valley Christian 28, St. Bernard 27
Very good matchup and RVC hoping to stay unbeaten.
SCOTT MANCHESTER / The Press Democrat
Windsor's DJ King intercepts a Redwood pass and returns it for a touchdown on Sept. 6. Rich Rupprecht gives the nod to Windsor on Friday night, at home against Healdsburg.
High school football weekend predictions
RUPE'S PICKS
Each week, Rich Rupprecht picks the winners for the weekend's Empire football games
By RICH RUPPRECHT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Friday, October 10, 2008
FRIDAY'S PICKS
Rancho Cotate 31, Maria Carrillo 13
The Ranch has only given up 23 points in four games.
Montgomery 27, Elsie Allen 6
The Vikings’ offense comes alive.
Cardinal Newman 48, Piner 7
No one has come close to shutting down the Cardinals.
Ukiah 28, Santa Rosa 12
Wildcats can pass and run, although Panthers have only been out of one game.
Casa Grande 23, Petaluma 17
Gauchos have won the last five Egg Bowls. Don’t overlook the Trojans.
Sonoma 21, Healdsburg 20
Dragons’ offense had its best game last week against Windsor.
Analy 33, El Molino 13
Tigers have won the last 11 Golden Apple Games.
Fort Bragg 31, Clear Lake 7
The Timberwolves’ Power I running game looking pretty good.
Cloverdale 27, Kelseyville 14
Eagles’ only loss to Middletown; hard to stop Cloverdale’s ground game.
St. Helena 28, Willits 12
Saints have shown ability to score; Wolverines haven't.
Tomales 38, Calistoga 17
Braves still the favorites of the NCL II and tough at home under the lights.
Anderson Valley 40, Laytonville 6
Panthers have two league wins already
SATURDAY'S PICKS
St. Vincent 27, Lower Lake 12
No. 1 Mustangs play well at home, especially on defense.
Middletown 38, Upper Lake 7
Two 3-1 teams, but Middletown has been putting away opponents.
Point Arena 22, Potter Valley 13
Pirates at home and looking for first win.
Jaguars torched by Dragons, 35-21 in SCL grid opener
Jaguars torched by Dragons, 35-21 in SCL grid opener
Jags in bye week; host Healdsburg on Oct. 17 in Homecoming Game
By Greg Clementi, Sports Editor
The varsity football Jaguars opened the Sonoma County League campaign on a sour note on Friday, falling to the Sonoma Dragons, 35-21 on a mud-soaked Arnold Field.
The league-opening match-up at Sonoma figured to be a good one, as the Dragons entered the game with a winless, 0-3 mark on the season, while the Jags came in at 1-3 overall. As it turned out, Sonoma had Windsor right where it wanted them-laying in the weeds and ready to ambush.
The Jaguars had no answer for the Dragon’s potent ground attack, as running back Nick Fedrick scored four touchdowns, churning up a whopping, 206 yards on the night. Sonoma used the rushing success to control the clock and the scoreboard, on a night when deteriorating field conditions would dictate offensive strategy.
The Dragons drew first blood in the opening quarter, capping a solid drive with a one-yard scoring plunge from Fedrick for a 6-0 lead. Sonoma went up by two scores early in the second period when Fedrick scampered in from three yards out, adding a run for the two point conversion and a 14-0 advantage.
The Jags got on the board midway through the second quarter when quarterback Blake Schmidt finished off a Windsor drive with a one-yard touchdown dive. Lee Aranda followed with a successful PAT boot to cut the deficit to 14-7. Sonoma capped the first-half fireworks with another five-yard touchdown burst by Fedrick for a 21-7 bulge at the break.
With field conditions worsening by the minute, the Dragons effectively put the game away in the third quarter when Fedrick found pay-dirt for the fourth time on a 29-yard scoring dash to put Sonoma up by three touchdowns. The Dragons later added a 28-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Jake Powers to receiver Andrew McGunagul for a 35-7 bulge at the end of three.
To their credit, the Jags clawed back in the final period to score on a 59-yard lightening bolt from Schmidt to slot receiver D.J. King to make it 35-14. Schmidt later hooked up with wide-out Michael Campbell on a 60-yard bomb for the eventual final score of 35-21.
The Jaguars (1-4, 0-1) have a bye this Friday before resuming league action at home on Oct. 17 against Healdsburg in the Homecoming Game. Kickoff times for the JV and varsity are 5 and 7:30 p.m.
High school football weekend previews
October 9, 2008
By RICH RUPPRECHT
PRESS DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Published: Thursday, October 9, 2008
Rancho Cotate (4-0, 1-0) at Maria Carrillo (3-1, 1-0), 7:30 p.m.
High school football weekend predictions
Defensive quartet sparks Ranchos success
A key league game between two of the upper-echelon NBL schools. Rancho Cotate rediscovered its option offense last week in a 33-0 win against Montgomery. The Cougars defensive line of Anthony Alicea, Jonathan Torres, Adam Murray and Budd Guinn spent much of the night in the Vikings backfield. Ranchos strength has been stopping the run. Eduardo Farias broke his own school record with a 53-yard field goal. Maria Carrillos defense also came up with key plays in its 26-14 comeback win against Santa Rosa. Two backs Zack Sheets (100 yards) and Sam Atoe (130 yards) showed the running strength of the Delaware Wing-T. Sheets also came up with a 75-yard interception return for a TD and Matt Hart scored on a 22-yard fumble recovery and a run.
Analy (5-0, 1-0) at El Molino (2-3, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.
Although there have been some close scores in the game for the Golden Apple, Analy has won the last 11 contests in the series. The Tigers defense came up big again last week in shutting out Healdsburg in rain and mud at home. Analy has cut down markedly on turnovers from last year and it has paid off with the defense not spending an exorbitant amount of time on the field. El Molino has been hit recently by injuries, although soph QB Mike Pierson continues to throw well.
Petaluma (2-3, 1-0) at Casa Grande (2-1-1, 0-0), 7:30 p.m.
Casa Grande owns a five-game winning streak in the Egg Bowl, which is now 8-8 since the two Petaluma schools started playing for the Golden Egg Trophy. The cross-town rivals have actually played one another since 1974. Casa, a five-time defending champ of the SCL, is coming off its first loss, 28-10, to a very good Napa team. Petalumas triple option rolled in a 57-0 win against El Molino last week. Casa likes to throw the ball, while the Trojans have stayed with the ground game most of this season.
Piner (1-3, 0-1) at Cardinal Newman (4-0, 1-0), 7 p.m.
The early part of Newmans NBL schedule wasnt expected to be nearly as difficult as the Cardinals preseason. Quarterback Randy Wright threw for five TDs against Elsie Allen, including three to Wade Amaral. Newman remains the top-ranked Division III team in Northern California, ahead of Palma and Central Catholic, teams it has beaten. Piner lost 47-7 to visiting Ukiah last week after winning at El Molino.
Ukiah (4-0, 1-0) at Santa Rosa (1-3, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Wildcats continue to improve, showing a balanced offense with QB Kyle Morris (6 TD passes in two games) and RB Marcos Hernandez (averaging over 100 yards a game). Ukiahs defense, while not physically big, has shown an ability to stop opponents inside the 20. Santa Rosa has been wracked by injury but still play hard. The Panthers held a 14-0 lead against Carrillo before fading in the second half.
Sonoma (1-3, 1-0) at Healdsburg (4-1, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Dragons picked up their first win last week against Windsor, 35-21, while Healdsburg lost its first against Analy, 17-0. Sonoma back Nick Fedrick rushed for 206 yards and four TDs. Healdsburgs defense continues to play well. This is a key SCL contest.
Elsie Allen (1-3, 0-1) at Montgomery (0-3-1, 0-1), 7:30.
Elsie Allen ran into a buzzsaw named Cardinal Newman last week, a week after snapping a 21-game losing streak against Richmond. Montgomery has had trouble scoring out of its Pistol Offense, and was shut out last week at Rancho Cotate. Monty is hungry for a win, its best game to this point being a 0-0 tie with Casa Grande.
Clear Lake (2-1-1) at Fort Bragg (3-1), 7:30 p.m.
Clear Lake absorbed its first loss, decisively last week (34-0) to Middletown. Fort Bragg is ranked No. 2 among small schools and has displayed a very effective power running game so far. Last week, in a 35-7 win at St. Helena that the Timberwolves broke open late, back Jake Cimolino rushed for 304 yards and three TDs on 22 carries.
Cloverdale (3-1) at Kelseyville (1-2-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Eagles bounced back from their only loss (Middletown) and defeated Lower Lake, 35-0. Chayton Osmon rushed for 114 yards on 15 carries and scored two TDs. Kelseyville squandered an 18-0 lead and lost at Upper Lake 30-18. Troy Davis had 150 rushing yards at the half and finished with 176.
St. Helena (2-2) at Willits (0-4), 7:30 p.m.
St. Helena has lost to Kelseyville and Fort Bragg after opening the season with wins against Calistoga and Lower Lake. Morgan Densberger accounted for the Saints only TD against Ft. Bragg with a 70-yard run. Willits dropped a 14-2 game to No. 1 St. Vincent in the rain and muck at Willits. The Wolverines have scored only 10 points in four games, and four of those have come on safeties.
Calistoga (1-4, 0-1) at Tomales (2-2, 1-0), 7:30 p.m.
Calistoga couldnt hold a lead and lost to league foe Rincon Valley Christian, 28-13. Tomales easily won its NCL II opener at Laytonville, 40-0.
SATURDAY
Lower Lake (0-4) at St. Vincent (4-0), 2:30 p.m.
What a difference a year has made for the Trojans, who posted their first winning season in 10 years last season, won the NCL I North and made the 2A playoffs. The Trojans are young and coming off that 35-0 loss to Cloverdale. The Mustangs are doing everything right so far this year, including scoring twice in terrible weather conditions at Willits and winning 14-2. Kris Fainha rushed for 149 yards on 29 carries and scored two TDs. The Mustangs are off to their best start since a 10-2 league championship season in 2005.
Middletown (3-1) at Upper Lake (3-1), 2:30 p.m.
Middletown would appear to be the better team on paper, but theres something about this Cougars team that keeps surprising. Middletown had two runners Eric Tomko and Tyler Owen rush for over 100 yards last week in a shutout of Clear Lake. A solid offensive line has helped make the running game work. Upper Lake fell behind Kelseyville 18-0 and won 30-18. Turnovers helped spark the win as well as back Joe Barnes, who rushed for 111 yards and had a touchdown. QB Brandon Mendoza threw for 128 yards.
I Sincerely Apologize......
September 28, 2008
I apologize for not removing an inappropriate posting from the message board. Due to concerns from several parents we will no longer be hosting a message board on this site. The message board was intentionally meant for players and fans to communicate. The site was made by Bart Buckner and not the coaching staff or Windsor High School. The website was created so fans and players could look up stats, game results, football info and anything else related to football...
Sincerely , Bart Buckner..
Newman, Rancho, Analy open league with shutout wins...
By RICH RUPPRECHT
The Press Democrat
Published: Monday, October 6, 2008
The opening weekend of the North Bay League and Sonoma County League in high school football showed that Cardinal Newman, Rancho Cotate, Ukiah and Maria Carrillo are in the hunt for a league championship, while Analy’s big win against Healdsburg has projected the Tigers into the running for an SCL crown.
Cardinal Newman (4-0) easily defeated Elsie Allen, 63-0, as quarterback Randy Wright threw for five touchdowns, three to Wade Amaral.
Rancho Cotate (4-0) blanked Montgomery, 33-0, in its NBL opener at home. Brian Dworkin had TD runs of 23 and 22 yards and Eduardo Farias kicked a 53-yard field goal.
Maria Carrillo (3-1) overcame a 14-0 deficit to defeat Santa Rosa, 26-14, in the first night game ever at the Rincon Valley school with Matt Hart scoring two TDs, one on a 22-yard fumble return, and Zack Sheets returned an interception 75 yards for a TD and rushed for 100 yards.
On Saturday, Ukiah (4-0) won its NBL opener, 47-7, at Piner. Quarterback Kyle Morris threw for 266 yards and three TDs, Marcos Hernandez caught a TD pass and rushed for another and safety Gabe Ott returned an interception 70 yards for a score.
In the SCL, Analy (5-0) won the battle of the unbeatens with Healdsburg (4-1), 17-0, on a sloppy Karlson Field in Sebastopol Friday. Analy’s defense came up big yet again and Isias Alcantar rushed for a TD and QB David Glass passed for another.
Sonoma Valley opened SCL play by picking up its first win of the season, 35-21, over Windsor. Nick Fedrick rushed for four TDs and wound up with 206 yards rushing on 26 carries for the Dragons. Linebacker Michael Mulas also had 13 tackles.
Petaluma won its SCL opener with a 57-0 blanking of El Molino at Durst Field Friday. Sean Sullivan rushed for three TDs, including scoring runs of 41 and 51 yards and finished with 173 yards on the ground on just 13 carries. Sophomore QB Mike Pierson threw for 146 yards for El Molino.
Casa Grande (2-1-1) lost at Napa, 28-10, and opens SCL play Friday night when it hosts Petaluma. Matt O’Brien threw for 142 yards for Casa and came up with his fifth interception of the season on defense.
The top-three ranked teams in small school all won, St. Vincent (4-0) defeating Willits, 14-2, Fort Bragg (3-1) won at St. Helena, 35-7, and Middletown (3-1) blanked Clear Lake, 34-0.
Kris Farinha rushed for both St. Vincent scores and finished with 149 yards on 26 carries on a muddy Willits field.
Jake Cimolino rushed for an Empire season-high 304 yards on 22 carries and had TD runs of 72, 36 and 41 yards for Fort Bragg.
Eric Tomko rushed for 161 yards on 20 carries and Tyler Owen added 121 yards on the ground for Middletown.
Chayton Osmon rushed for 114 yards in Cloverdale’s 30-0 win against Lower Lake and Upper Lake overcame an 18-0 deficit to defeat Kelseyville Saturday at the Cougars’ homecoming. Cloverdale and Upper Lake are both 3-1.
Upper Lake tailback Joe Barnes rushed for 170 yards and QB Brandon Quetza-Mendoza had a big second half throwing.
All the NCL I games continue as interlock, not league games.
In North Central League II play, Tomales and Rincon Valley Christian remained unbeaten in league. Tomales topped Laytonville, 40-0, Friday and RVC scored all its points in the second half to overcome a 13-0 halftime deficit and defeat Calistoga, 28-13.
Jordan Bright ran for three TDs and two 2-point conversions to lead Anderson Valley to a 42-0 win against Potter Valley.
Jaguars fall to Maria Carrillo, 30-24 in pigskin clash
Windsor falls to 0-2 in pre-season; travel to Santa Rosa Saturday
By Greg Clementi, Sports Editor
The varsity football Jaguars remain in search of their first win of the fall campaign this week after dropping a hard-fought, 30-24 decision to visiting Maria Carrillo on Saturday. The loss left Windsor with a record of 0-2.
The Jags will be looking for redemption this Saturday, Sept. 20 when they travel to take on the Santa Rosa Panthers. Kickoff times for the JV and varsity are 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Friday’s home opener with Maria Carrillo was a lesson in frustration for the Jaguars, with their offense displaying a quick strike capability, but whose special teams and defense has struggled mightily in each of the team’s first two games.
The Pumas took full advantage of poor Windsor kickoff coverage again Friday, utilizing good field position to start multiple scoring drives.
The game started well enough for the Jags, as quarterback Blake Schmidt used a good mix of run and pass to direct a 79-yard scoring march on Windsor’s opening drive. A completion to wide-out Michael Campbell and long runs by running back Cameron Erion set up a seven-yard scoring pass from Schmidt to Erion. An Elias Aranda PAT boot gave the Jags a 7-0 lead.
The Pumas came right back just two minutes later when they used a short field to mount a six-play, 58-yard drive, capped by a 27-yard scoring run from running back Sam Atoe. Windsor’s Steven Hutchison blocked the PAT kick and Windsor led, 7-6.
Maria Carrillo took a lead they would not relinquish late in the first quarter on another scoring march resulting in a 19-yard burst from Zach Sheets. The Jags stuffed the try for the two-point conversion and the Pumas led, 12-7 at the end of one.
The Jaguars were on the march early in the second period when Schmidt hooked up with Campbell on a long pass to the Puma six yard line. The Jags were forced to settle for a 22-yard Aranda field goal, cutting the deficit to 12-10. The Pumas capped the first-half scoring with another five-yard scoring burst from Atoe to put Carrillo up 18-10 at the break.
The Pumas gained separation in the third quarter, using a strong push from their offensive line to score on a three-yard run by Sheets. The PAT kick failed and the Jags trailed 25-10. Windsor stayed within striking distance on its next possession, as Schmidt found Campbell on a 29-yard scoring strike to make it a 24-17 ballgame at the end of three.
The Pumas effectively put the game on ice late in the fourth quarter when Sheets found pay-dirt on an 11-yard run. The PAT kick was blocked by Jacob Welch, but Carrillo led 30-17. Windsor answered quickly on the next series on a short drive resulting in a 16-yard scoring pass from Schmidt to DJ King. The Pumas held off a Windsor come-back bid to escape with a 30-24 win.
Schmidt turned in a solid game for the Jags, connecting on 20 of 39 pass attempts for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Other strong offensive performances were had by: Erion (20-114 yards rushing, 4-42 yards receiving, TD), Campbell (3-101 yards receiving, TD), King (7-51 yards receiving, TD, 1-1, 53 yards passing), Miles Williams (5-40 yards receiving), and James Reed (1-29 yards receiving).
Varsity footballers power past Santa Rosa, 49-7
Jags get first season win; host Castlemont this Friday
By Greg Clementi, Sports Editor
The varsity football Jaguars left little to chance on Saturday in their pre-season clash at Santa Rosa, pounding the host Panthers into submission, 49-7 before a packed house at Ernie Nevers Field.
Windsors convincing victory came on the heels of two close pre-season losses to Redwood and Maria Carrillo, providing a huge relief to a team with playoff aspirations.
We werent that far away the first couple of games and it was nice to finally put it all together, said Jags head coach Jason Fayter. Santa Rosa is not a bad team, but we were just hitting on all cylinders on offense.
Windsor senior quarterback Blake Schmidt orchestrated the offensive fireworks against the Panthers, amassing 181 yards through the air, including three touchdowns. Junior all-purpose back D.J. King also turned in his best outing of the season, hauling in five passes for 128 yards and three scores.
Junior running back Cameron Erion continued to churn up big chunks of real estate, gaining another 198 yards on the ground on 13 carries and a pair of touchdowns. In three games, the durable Windsor back has racked up 546 yards rushing, easily the best in the Redwood Empire this season.
The Jags wasted no time in establishing dominance on Saturday, scoring five touchdowns in a first-half offensive explosion. Windsor got the party started on their third possession of the game when Schmidt found King on a 14-yard scoring strike, followed by a Morgan Rennie PAT boot. The Jags continued the assault when Schmidt hit wide-out Michael Campbell with a 12-yard scoring pass, with King running in the two-point conversion.
Erion capped an early second-quarter drive with an 18-yard burst, followed by a reception by James Reed for the two-pointer. Erion added another 16-yard touchdown scamper, and later ripped off a big gain to set up a 35-yard scoring pass from Schmidt to King for a commanding, 35-0 lead at the break.
There was no let-up after intermission, as Erion raced 75 yards to the house for another Windsor score early in the third quarter. King replaced Schmidt in the fourth period and finished off the scoring with a nine-yard keeper en-route to a 49-7 win.
In addition to Windsors big three (Schmidt, Erion, and King) on offense, other strong efforts were had by: Campbell (4-40 yards receiving, TD), Reed (2-21 yards receiving) and Michael Hutchison (1-11 yards receiving).
Top defenders were: Zach Arvig (11 tackles), Edgar Canchola (10 tackles), Kyle Yung (10 tackles), Kory Langhals (8 tackles), Jacob Welch (8 tackles, sack), Chris Michels (6 tackles), Jordan Winkler (5 tackles), Campbell (2 tackles, 2 INTs), Deandre Faaita (5 tackles, INT), Michael Hutchison (4 tackles), Erion (4 tackles), Zach Schlief (4 tackles), King (3 tackles), Steven Hutchison (3 tackles), Rosendo Castro (3 tackles), Aaron Fletcher (2 tackles), Craig Lyman (2 tackles), Brandon Scott (2 tackles) and one tackle from Brennen Duke.
The Jags (1-2) host Castlemont of Oakland this Friday, Sept. 26 in the final pre-season game. Kickoff times starting with the JV are 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Jags frosh beat Trojans, 35-15 in season grid opener
By T.J. Van Bebber, Special to the Times
The game did not start off too well for Windsors returning defensive coordinator Brad Whitmore, but it ended well enough for the Jaguar offense on Sept. 18 in a 35-15 frosh football win over Petaluma.
The Trojans scored on their first possession on a 61-yard run and added the extra point. The Jaguars then mounted a seven-minute drive, but coughed up a fumble. The first quarter ended with Petaluma up by seven points.
Windsor forced a punt and went to work with the offense led by quarterback Christian McAlvain. With less than one minute to go in the first half Jerad Leon busted a 12-yard run for Windsors first score of the season. The Jags were unable to get across the line for the two-point conversion. With only seconds left on the half time clock, the Trojans went to the air and Windsors Stevie Delucchi picked it off, jetted into the end zone for a defensive touchdown. The Jags completed the two-point conversion and the first half ended with Windsor ahead by seven points.
The Jags marched down after the kick-off and scored on a six-yard pass to receiver Taylor Biaggi. Windsor then got the two-point conversion. Petaluma quickly responded with a touchdown of their own with a couple of minutes left in the third quarter.
Windsor kept rolling in the fourth quarter, scoring two rushing touchdowns; one from Leon and the other from McAlvain from 14 yards out. Windsor went for the one point conversion and made one out of two.
Im proud of these 43 boys, theyve been working hard during the summer and kept it up when we got pads on, said head coach T.J. Van Bebber. We got to play the 5th quarter and got to look at a lot of players that are up and coming.
Next up for the frosh Jags is a game at Sonoma on Oct. 2.
September 19, 2008
By RICH RUPPRECHT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Each Friday, Press Democrat Staff Writer Rich Rupprecht makes his predictions for the weekend's football games. Agree or disagree? Let us know about it at sports.pressdemocrat.com.
FRIDAY'S PICKS
Rancho Cotate 35, Jesse Bethel 21 A reverse of last years game. Rancho should come closer to matching up in quickness.
Petaluma 24, Ukiah 21 Call it an upset special. Cant see the Trojans offense sputtering three straight weeks.
Sonoma 20, Vallejo 19 Two teams from different sections, but Dragons defense comes alive.
Fort Bragg 44, Upper Lake 12 The Timberwolves are drawing raves from area coaches.
Lower Lake 33, St. Helena 21 The Trojans scored against John Swett; just couldnt stop them.
Tomales 34, Emery 12 Braves get Toss offense untracked this week.
Cloverdale 28, Willits 8 Eagles looked good in opener against Elsie Allen.
Clear Lake 23, Kelseyville 12 Cardinals lost a lot to graduation, but rolled over Pierce.
Woodland Christian 33, Laytonville 7 The Warriors improved in loss to Potter Valley, but still looking up.
Point Arena 13, Anderson Valley 12 Pirates are young, but Panthers didnt even field a team last year.
SATURDAY'S PICKS
Del Oro 31, Cardinal Newman 28 Newman will find a way to keep it close and may even pull off the upset.
Casa Grande 27, Maria Carrillo 24 Could be a lot of offensive firepower in this one and remember Carrillo plays well at home.
Healdsburg 28, Piner 18 The Greyhounds pulled off a stunner last week against Riordan. Piner still looking to get untracked.
Windsor 33, Santa Rosa 21 Jaguars running game has been very good; Santa Rosa still untested following Richmond game.
El Molino 38, Elsie Allen 14 Lions missing Tony DeMarco, but looked good in close loss to Fortuna.
Analy 44, Burton 12 Tigers whipped the San Francisco school last year and had just two wins. Already have two wins this season.
Middletown 14, St. Vincent 13 Usually a defensive struggle when the two meet. I will say the Mustangs win.
Calistoga 21, Millennium Charter 6 Wildcats get first win in third game
Rincon Valley Christian 33, Potter Valley 13 After unable to play last week, the Eagles come out running and throwing.
Jags fall to Redwood, 28-21 in grid season opener
The Windsor Times Sports
Erion runs for 234 yards; Windsor hosts Maria Carrillo Friday
By Greg Clementi, Sports Editor
The varsity football Jaguars did everything but declare victory in their 2008 debut on Saturday, dropping a 28-21 decision to the host Redwood Giants.
The season opener in Larkspur was contested on a brutally hot day, testing the will and stamina of both teams. Despite the 100-degree field temperature, the combatants combined for over 750 yards in total offense- including 416 for Windsor.
Jaguar junior running back Cameron Erion did the bulk of the damage for the Jags, ripping off 234 yards on 24 carries against the top-ranked defense in the Marin County Athletic League. Unfortunately for the Jags, Redwood’s Joe Klemme was nearly as impressive, gaining 187 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in a duel of two outstanding backs.
Despite the loss, there was no shortage of great offensive efforts for Windsor, including that of senior quarterback Blake Schmidt, who threw for 176 yards and a pair of scores. Junior receiver Miles Williams added 98 yards on five receptions, while junior slot receiver DJ King hauled in four catches for 38 yards.
“Cameron ran tough and our O-line did a pretty good job, but we made too many mistakes in the game,” said Jags coach Jason Fayter. “We had over 400 yards in offense and only scored two offensive touchdowns- and that’s just not good enough.”
The Jags drew first blood midway through the opening quarter when defensive back DJ King stepped in front of Redwood quarterback Ryan Russell’s pass and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown. The PAT kick failed and Windsor led 6-0.
Windsor dodged an early bullet when the Giants blocked a punt to give them the ball at the Jag’s 10 yard line, but Redwood would cough up a fumble on the ensuing series (recovered by Chris Lowe) to kill the threat.
The Giants got on the board early in the second period when Klemme broke loose for a 65-yard touchdown scamper. The successful PAT boot gave Redwood a 7-6 lead at the break.
Redwood used another in a series of long kickoff returns to start the third quarter, setting up a short drive to grab a 14-6 lead. But Erion put the Jaguars back in business on the next series, bouncing to the outside on a 92-yard scamper to the Giant’s one. The run set up a four-yard scoring pass from Schmidt to junior wide-out Michael Campbell. King hauled in the pass for the two-point conversion and the game was knotted at 14-apiece.
The Giants took advantage of another short field to regain the lead, as Klemme capped the drive with a seven-yard scoring burst for a 21-14 lead. A Redwood interception early in the fourth quarter would eventually lead to a five-yard touchdown run by Andrew O’ Dorisio for a 28-14 bulge.
The Jags refused to go quietly however, using Schmidt’s arm and Erion’s legs to methodically drive for the game’s final touchdown. A leaping grab by Williams would keep the chains moving, leading to an 18-yard scoring strike from Schmidt to King for the eventual, 28-21 Redwood victory.
In addition to the outstanding numbers put up by Erion, Schmidt, Williams, and King, other offensive leaders included: Campbell (3-16 yards receiving, TD), and James Reed (1-18 yards receiving). .
Defensive standouts included: Cody Paz (7 tackles, 4 assists), King (3 tackles, 3 assists, INT, TD), Kory Langhals, (5 tackles, 4 assists), Kyle Yung (4 tackles, 3 assists), Teddy Van Bebber (2 tackles, 4 assists), Jacob Welch (2 tackles, 4 assists), Zack Arvig (4 tackles, assist), Lowe (2 tackles, 3 assists, FR), Campbell (4 tackles), Erion (2 tackles, assist), Michael Lopez (tackle, 2 assists), Reed (tackle, assist), Michael Hutchison (tackle, assist), Jordan Winkler (tackle, assist), Rosendo Castro (2 tackles), Aaron Fletcher (tackle, assist), CJ Landwehr (2 assists), and a tackle apiece from Zack Schlief, Edgar Canchola, Deandre Faaita, and Craig Lyman.
The Jags will host visiting Maria Carrillo this Friday, Sept. 12 in the home opener. Kickoff times for the JV and varsity are 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Silver linings found in Windsors loss
September 7, 2008
REDWOOD 28, WINDSOR 21
Erion rushes for 234 yards on 24 carries; Schmidt throws two touchdowns
By Eric Branch
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
LARKSPUR They couldnt find a way to win, but the Windsor Jaguars discovered several reasons for optimism Saturday afternoon.
In a stifling season opener played in temperatures hovering near 100 degrees, Windsors defense melted in the second half en route to a 28-21 non-league loss to Redwood.
The sting of defeat, however, was dulled by a few promising varsity debuts against the Giants, a program returning plenty of experience from last years run to the Class 3A playoffs.
Windsor junior tailback Cameron Erion rushed for 234 yards on 24 carries and junior wide receiver Miles Williams had five catches for 98 yards.
But their contributions werent enough to overcome Redwoods fearsome rushing attack.
Windsor had just one turnover and five penalties impressive numbers for a season opener but coach Jason Fayter pointed to several subtle breakdowns as the difference in the game.
I felt good about a lot of stuff we did on offense, Fayter said. We just had some bad timing on blown assignments on critical third- and fourth-down plays. We had an opportunity to win the game, but it just didnt happen.
Trailing 14-6 early in the third quarter, the Jaguars rallied on Erions 92-yard run, which set up a 4-yard scoring pass from Blake Schmidt to Michael Campbell. Schmidt then connected with King on a two-point conversion to tie the score at 14.
The Giants response was powerful.
Led by tailback Joe Klemme (23 carries, 186 yards, 3 TDs), Redwood scored on its next two drives, a pair of odes to power football.
The drives covered 107 yards and featured 13 plays, 12 of them runs. After tailback Andrew ODorisio scored on a 5-yard blast, Redwood led 28-14 with 7:29 left and had left no doubt about who controlled the line of scrimmage.
When our linemen are doing their job, theyre fun to watch, Redwood coach Jim Nelson said. We call them Kahunas.
Equally fun to watch was Erion, a shifty runner who ripped off three gains of at least 20 yards against a defense returning seven starters from a unit that allowed an average of 204.9 yards a game last year.
Erion, who had 143 yards in the second half, held up in the heat. And he credited his post-practice routine for his stamina.
After the rest of the team leaves practice, Windsors offensive linemen must stay to run wind sprints for 30 minutes. During summer practices, Erion began joining his linemen for the extra half-hour of exhaustion.
I just decided Id run with the line, Erion said. I know the lines got my back and I wanted them to know Ive got theirs.
In his second year as a starter, Schmidt completed 15 of 29 passes for 176 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Schmidt connected with King on an 18-yard scoring pass with 35 seconds left to trim the deficit to 28-21. King opened the scoring with a 43-yard interception return.
Schmidt also found Williams for completions of 30 and 39 yards, the last of which Williams leaped high for and landed hard on his left shoulder. Fayter said Williams might have dislocated the shoulder, but didnt know about the extent of the injury.
Box ScoreNon-league
AT LARKSPUR
Windsor 6 0 8 7 21
Redwood 0 7 14 7 28
W D.J. King 43 interception return (kick failed)
R Joe Klemme 63 run (Jake Anderson kick)
R Klemme 6 run (Anderson kick)
W Blake Schmidt 4 pass to Michael Campbell (Schmidt pass to King)
R Klemme 7 run (Anderson kick)
R Andrew ODorisio 5 run (Anderson kick)
W Schmidt 18 pass to King (Morgan Rennie kick)
Rushing, W Cameron Erion 24-234, Schmidt 1-(-3). R Klemme 23-186, ODorisio 5-36, Tony Bricca 1-4, Ryan Russell 7-(-4).
Passing, W Schmidt 15-29-1-176. R Russell 4-9-1-76.
Receiving, W Miles Williams 5-98, King 4-38, Campbell 3-17, James Reed 1-19, Erion 1-5, Landwehr 1-(-3).
Record: W 0-1, R 1-0
Windsor's Cameron Erion dives for extra yardage against Redwood in first half action at Redwood High School in Larkspur on Saturday September 6, 2008.
Windsor's DJ King interceps a Redwood pass and run it in for a touchdown to put Windsor ahead 6-0 in the first quarter at Redwood High School in Larkspur on Saturday September 6, 2008.
High school football previews
Press Democrat Staff Writer Rich Rupprecht takes a look at some of this weekend’s most intriguing football matchups:
SCOTT MANCHESTER / PD Vikings' fans had a lot of cheer about last season. Will they be cheering after Friday night's home opener against Grant?TONIGHT
Grant at Montgomery, 7:30 p.m.
Grant would be an excellent test for any school, but a season opener against a Montgomery team switching to a new offense would seem to favor the Pacers, who averaged over 40 points a game last season, while going 7-4. Just about all Grant’s skill players are returning, including quarterback Kipelli Koniseti and receiver Howard Warren. Montgomery returns running back/defensive back James Berthinier and has switched receiver Derek Klomhaus to quarterback.
Terra Linda at Analy, 7:30 p.m.
Terra Linda lost 18 to graduation from a team that went 6-6 and reached the NCS 2A title game (a loss to Novato). This year’s team is inexperienced, but has skill at quarterback (Chris Migdal) and wide receiver (Casey Maloney). Maloney should be a name called frequently by the Karlson Field PA announcer. Joe Maloney caught 49 balls last year from returning quarterback David Glass (nearly 2,500 yards passing). Analy is looking to improve on last year’s 2-8 record under new head coach Dan Bourdon.
Healdsburg at McKinleyville, 7:30 p.m.
These two teams had polar opposite seasons in 2007. Healdsburg went 10-2 and tied for the SCL championship. McKinleyville went 0-9 and finished last in the Humboldt-Del Norte Little Five. Healdsburg returns its entire offensive line and hopes to unleash its running game. Travis Paasche was a two-way all-league lineman for the Greyhounds last season.
SATURDAY
Windsor at Redwood (Larkspur), 1 p.m.
The Jaguars lost a lot to graduation, but do return QB Blake Schmidt. Windsor finished 5-5 and didn’t make the playoffs last year, in part because Redwood defeated the Jaguars 21-20. Redwood lost its first three games last season and then went 7-1, losing to Cardinal Newman in a 3A playoff opener.
Petaluma at Washington (Fremont), 7 p.m.
Washington plays in the tough Mission Valley League and went 5-6-1 last season, deceiving, because the Huskies managed two playoff games, losing to a strong Pinole Valley team, 35-28. Washington also tied San Ramon Valley and defeated Newark Memorial. Petaluma went 5-6 last year, but returns 1,000-yard rusher Sean Sullivan and looks to have a sold corps of running backs and receivers for its triple-option offense.
El Molino at Berean Christian (Walnut Creek), 1 p.m.
Berean Christian went 4-6 last season, but lost its last four games to good teams — Salesian, Sacred Heart Prep, Kings Academy and St. Elizabeth. El Molino went 2-8, winning preseason games against Elsie Allen and Piner. The Lions return 1,000-yard running back Tony DeMarco.
Byrnes (S.C.) opens season atop Super 25 rankings
2008 SUPER 25 RANKINGS
Super 25: Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.) opens the season at No. 1 in USA TODAY's prep rankings
1. Byrnes, Duncan, S.C. (15-0)
Returning starters: 17. Outlook: The Rebels, coming off their fifth 5A title in six years, have 38 seniors returning but two key players are juniors, running back Marcus Lattimore and quarterback Chas Dodd. Lattimore rushed for 1,884 yards and 26 touchdowns last season while Dodd threw for 3,202 yards and 32 TDs. Tough schedule includes games with Georgia runner-up North Gwinnett (Suwanee), Lincoln (Tallahassee) and defending Florida 2B champion Pahokee. Next: Opens Aug. 29 at North Gwinnett.
2. Trinity, Euless, Texas (15-1)
Returning starters: 11. Outlook: The defending 5A champions return RB Dontrayevous Robinson (17 rushing TDs, 6.5 yards a carry), QB Denarius McGhee 1,800 yards passing) and their top tackler, LB Elikena Fieilo. They've gone 40-3 the past three seasons. Tough games include John Curtis (River Ridge, La.) and Allen. Next: Sept. 1 vs. John Curtis.
3. Gateway, Monroeville, Pa. (11-2)
Returning starters: 15. Outlook: Has most of its offensive and defensive lines intact. Top players include two who have committed to Ohio State, WR Corey Brown and LB Dorian Bell, and OL Colin Rodkey, who has committed to Indiana. The Gators also have a three-year starter at QB, Rob Kalkstein, and three juniors who are Division I prospects — G Mitch DeVall, LB Delbert Tyler and CB Dayonne Nunley. Next: Aug. 29 vs. Penn Hills (Pittsburgh).
4. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (12-0)
Returning starters: 12. Outlook: The Ironmen are loaded on offense, with eight returning starters, including all-state QB Brett Knief, along with RBs Tony Jones and Dillon Romain, plus three offensive linemen. Will face one of the toughest schedules in the country with games at No. 18 St. Xavier (Cincinnati) and No. 7 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.). Next: Sept. 13 at No. 18 St. Xavier (Cincinnati).
5. Long Beach Poly, Long Beach (13-1)
Returning starters: 11. Outlook: The Jackrabbits won the CIF Southern Section last season and open at last year's top-ranked team, Miami Northwestern. Top players include RB Melvin Richardson, who ran for 1,316 yards and 15 TDs, and QB Morgan Fennell. Next: Aug. 30 at Miami Northwestern.
6. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale (14-1)
Returning starters: Seven. Outlook: The defending 5A champs are in a good position to repeat with plenty of incoming talent. Because the Saints outscored opponents by an average of 28 points, reserves saw plenty of playing time last season. Returnees include senior QB Ryan Becker, Junior RB Giovanni Bernard and TE Gabe Holmes. Aquinas also has two returning players who are sons of former NFL players, WR Duron Carter, son of Chris Carter and DB Cody Riggs, son of Gerald Riggs. Next: Aug. 30 vs. Elder (Cincinnati) in Cincinnati.
7. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (13-0)
Returning starters: Seven. Outlook: The Spartans are looking to win their third consecutive California Division I title. Will play host to No. 4 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.). Arizona recruit RB Kylan Butler rushed for 1,006 yards and 20 TDs while Blake Wayne, a part-time starter at QB, also returns. Next: Sept. 13 at Junipero Serra (San Mateo).
8. Armwood, Seffner, Fla. (13-1)
Returning starters: Nine. Outlook: State 4A runner-up has nine players who have been offered Division I or I-AA scholarships, including DL Ryne Giddens, who had 21 sacks last season, LB Petey Smith and DB Angelo Hadley. Will face early test on Sept. 5 at Plant (Tampa). Next: Aug. 29 vs. Lake Gibson (Lakeland).
9. Carmel, Ind. (13-2)
Returning starters: 12. Outlook: Led by 6-4, 215-pound QB Morgan Newton, the defending 5A champion Greyhounds will be tested early by Cathedral (Indianapolis) and Center Grove (Greenwood). Last season, Newton passed for more than 2,000 yards and ran for more than 900. Other key players include RB Kurt Freytag and DB Joe Rippe and C Joey Barnes. Next: Saturday vs. Cathedral (Indianapolis).
10. Brentwood Academy, Brentwood, Tenn. (11-2)
Returning starters: 12. Outlook: The spread offense should improve with the return of QB Cody Nelson, who threw for 1,500 yards on a state runner-up team, along with heavily recruited DE/TE Thad McHaney and OT Alex Bullard, a Notre Dame commit. Plays a tough game at Prattville, Ala., on Sept. 26. Next: Friday vs. Independence (Thompsons Station).
11. Rockhurst, Kansas City, Mo. (13-0)
Returning starters: Nine. Outlook: The defending 6A champions have plenty of talent back, including Illinois recruit QB Nathan Scheelhaase, who passed for 1,861 yards and 20 TDs and ran for 917 yards and 14 TDs last season, and WR Keith Langtry, who had 11 TD catches. Rockhurst has a tricky schedule that includes Kansas 6A champion Hutchinson, which has won 28 in a row, Blue Springs South (Blue Springs), the Missouri 6A champ two seasons ago, a game at Mullen Prep (Denver) and a game vs. Minnetonka, Minn. Next: Aug. 31 at Blue Springs South (Blue Springs).
12. River Hill, Clarksville, Md. (14-0)
Returning starters: 13. Outlook: The defending 2A champions are 48-4 during the past four years and have two 1,000-yard rushers returning, Michael Campanaro and Malek Redd. Luke Hostetler, nephew of former NFL QB Jeff Hostetler, is the starting QB. Next: Sept. 5 at Atholton (Columbia).
13. Lowndes, Valdosta, Ga. (14-1)
Returning starters: 14. Outlook: The Vikings, who have won three of the past four 5A titles, are now are in the same 5A region as 4A champion No. 22 Northside (Warner Robins). QB Khary Franklin, DB Gerald Demps, a FSU commit, and senior RB Greg Reid, a Florida commit, will help the Vikings compete. Next: Aug. 29 vs. Woodland (Stockbridge).
14. Madison County, Madison, Fla. (13-1)
Returning starters: 16. Outlook: The defending 2A state champions return almost fully loaded, led by Florida State commit RB Chris Thompson and RB Cory Akins. The two combined to rush for 50 TDs and more than 3,600 yards last season. The return of two-way lineman Jacobbi McDaniel, an FSU commit and the No. 2 DT in the class of 2009, according to rivals.com, and LB Cortez Akins mean the Cowboys are strong on both sides of the ball. Next: Sept. 5 vs. Independence (Charlotte).
15. Oscar Smith, Chesapeake, Va. (13-1)
Returning starters: 15. Outlook: The Tigers averaged 43 points a game last season and have junior QB Phillip Sims, who passed for 3,000 yards and 33 TDs, returning. Oscar Smith's defense, which allowed only four points a game, has eight starters returning, including all-state players LB Jerod Askew, Virginia commit LB Perry Jones and DT Evan Hailes. Next: Aug. 29 vs. Booker T. Washington (Norfolk).
16. St. Ignatius, Cleveland (8-3)
Returning starters: 13. Outlook: With nine offensive starters back, including the entire offensive line, QB Andy Holland should have it easy finding WR Mike Myers and TE Brendan Carozzoni. The Wildcats will be tested early vs. Glenville (Cleveland) and late October by No. 18 St. Xavier (Cincinnati). Notre Dame commit WR/DB Dan Fox anchors St. Ignatius' defense Next: Saturday vs. Glenville.
17. Skyline, Issaquah, Wash. (14-0)
Returning starters: 12. Outlook: The defending 3A champions open with the Oregon 6A champion, Sheldon. The Spartans won six state titles under Steve Gervais but have a new coach in Mat Taylor. They should be in good shape offensively with junior Jake Heaps, possibly the top underclassman QB in the country, and all-state WR Gino Simone along with WR Kasen Williams. The defense, which led the state in fewest points allowed last season, is led by DT Rob Tramonte. Next: Sept. 6 at Sheldon (Ore.).
18. St. Xavier, Cincinnati (15-0)
Returning starters: Four. Outlook: The Bombers lost a lot of key players but have Luke Massa back at QB and plenty of talent in the wings. DE Patrick Muldoon, LB Pete Lees and LB Luke Kuechly lead the defense while OT Matt James anchors the offensive line. The Bombers have a tough schedule that includes No. 4 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), Cathedral (Indianapolis), No. 16 St. Ignatius (Cleveland), Prattville, Ala., and Trinity (Louisville). All but the Trinity game will be in Cincinnati, however. Next: Friday vs. Colerain (Cincinnati).
19. Centennial, Corona, Calif. (13-2)
Returning starters: Nine. Outlook: State Division I runner-up last season may be even better with the addition of transfers, junior LB Brandon Brown, OL Elijah Baltavich and QB Taylor Martinez. The Huskies have plenty of D-I talent, including LB Vontaze Burfict, a USC commit, WR Ricky Marvray and DL Will Sutton, son of ex-Los Angeles Ram Mickey Sutton. Will play at Mater Dei (Anaheim) on Sept. 19. Next: Sept. 12 at Chaparral (Temecula).
20. Stone Bridge, Ashburn, Va. (14-1)
Returning starters: 12. Outlook: The 3A champion Bulldogs return key talent from the defensive line. Stone Bridge has four players who have committed to ACC schools. DL/TE Zach Thompson and LB Mike Olson are expected to sign with Wake Forest while DL/OL Brian Slay has committed to N.C. State and DL/OL David Wang has committed to Virginia Tech. QB Patrick Thompson, who threw for 2,500 yards and 30 TDs, and DB/RB Daniel Allen, hurt for much of last season, also are highly coveted recruits. Matt Custer, a talented lineman, transferred from Loudoun Valley (Purcellville). Next: Aug. 29 vs. West Springfield (Springfield).
21. South Panola, Batesville, Miss. (15-0)
Returning starters: 10. Outlook: Yes, the Tigers lost some key players, including RB Tig Barksdale, a program that has won 75 consecutive games and five consecutive 5A titles can't be easily dismissed. South Panola will be tested by a schedule that includes Apopka, Fla., Tupelo and Olive Branch. LB David Conner, an Auburn commit, anchors the defense along with LB Marvin Burdette and DE Kendrick Strong. Next: Aug. 29 at Vicksburg.
22. Northside, Warner Robins, Ga. (15-0)
Returning starters: 10. Outlook: The 4A state champs jump to 5A but have two of the most recruited players in the state, DE Abry Jones and LB Eric Fields. DB K.J. Morton, LB Darius Ivey, QB Joe Scott and TE Evan Arthur lead the rest of the returnees. The Eagles will have a difficult schedule, including Florida 4A champion Booker T. Washington (Miami) and 5A champion and No. 13 Lowndes. Next: Aug. 29 vs. Perry.
23. Highlands, Fort Thomas, Ky. (15-0)
Returning starters: Six. Outlook: The defending 5A champs have their nucleus intact, including RB/DB Josh Conner, who rushed for 1,700 yards last season, all-state WR/DB Austin Collinsworth, son of NFL great Chris Collinsworth, DT Brandon Roller and QB Tony Guidugli, an all-state player as a sophomore last season. Next: Aug. 29 vs. Ryle.
24. Lake Travis, Austin (15-1)
Returning starters: 11. Outlook: The defending 4A champions have plenty of firepower back on offense, led by two Texas commitments — senior QB Garrett Gilbert, who passed for 52 TDs and almost 5,000 yards last season and 6-5, 275-pound OT Paden Kelly. Another big returnee is WR Cade McCrary. Chad Morris, who was 49-10 at Stephenville, replaces Jeff Dicus as coach. Next: Aug. 29 vs. Westwood (Austin) in San Antonio.
25. Parkland, Allentown, Pa. (15-1)
Returning starters: 15. Outlook: State 4A runner-up has nine starters back on a defense that had seven consecutive shutouts last season. Jaleel Clark, a DB-WR, is a returning all-state player, as is DE/TE Clint Miller. The team's offensive line averages 260 pounds. Tough schedule includes St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia) and Liberty (Bethlehem, Pa.) in the first two weeks. Next: Aug. 29 vs. St. Joseph's Prep.
***
USA TODAY's Super 25 football rankings were compiled by Jim Halley. Among criteria considered are a team's strength of schedule, quality of wins and quality of players.
Jags ready to challenge for SCL title
September 5, 2008
The Windsor Times Sports
Windsor opens pre-season campaign at Redwood on Saturday
By Greg Clementi, Sports Editor
The varsity football Jaguars should return to the upper-echelon of Sonoma County League teams this fall, if early projections hold up.
Windsor will field one of its largest and most athletic teams ever, with outstanding team speed and talent at the skill positions.
Head coach Jason Fayter returns for his sixth year at the helm, hopeful of improving on last years 5-5 varsity team. A solid core of returnees and the addition of 20 more athletes from last seasons undefeated JV squad, should spell success for the Jags.
This is a very tough league, but we definitely expect to be in the hunt for the SCL title, said Fayter. We might not be quite as strong on the O-line as last year, but Id say our overall speed and athleticism is better.
Key skill-position players include senior quarterback Blake Schmidt, junior running backs Cameron Erion and Steven Hutchison, junior receivers; DJ King, Michael Campbell, Miles Williams, and CJ Landwehr.
Manning the offensive line are: left guard Kory Langhals, center Rosendo Castro, right guard Chris Lowe, right tackle Michael Lopez, and left tackle Jordan Winkler.
The Jags have suffered a rash of recent injuries to their defensive line, but hope to have most of their kids back by mid-season. Senior defensive end Chris Michels will be a key pass-rusher when he returns from a broken hand.
The linebacking corps will feature a combination of Winkler, senior Kyle Yung, Michael Hutchison, juniors Teddy Van Bebber, Cody Paz, and Zach Arvig. The defensive backfield will consist of cornerbacks; senior Aaron Fletcher, Landwehr, Erion, and safeties; senior Deandre Faaita, King, Williams, Campbell, and Steven Hutchison.
Junior Morgan Rennie returns to handle the kicking chores.
The Jaguars kicked off the pre-season on Saturday with a scrimmage at Sir Francis Drake in San Anselmo, flashing signs of brilliance on both sides of the ball. Windsor used a balanced offensive attack to score six touchdowns- three rushing and three receiving. The Jags also had another pair of scores nullified by penalties.
We looked pretty good, but its hard to say because we dont know how strong Drake is this year, said Fayter. One big positive was that we came out of the scrimmage healthy.
The Jaguars will begin the season in earnest this Saturday, Sept. 6 in the pre-season opener at Redwood in Larkspur. Game times for the JV and varsity are 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Windsor will host Maria Carrillo in the home opener on Friday, Sept. 12.
2008 Jaguar JV/
varsity football
schedule
Sept. 6- Windsor @ Redwood, 10 a.m./ 1 p.m.
Sept. 12- Maria Carrillo @ Windsor, 5/7:30 p.m.
Sept. 19- Windsor @ Santa Rosa, 5/ 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 26- Castlemont @ Windsor, 5/7:30 p.m.
Oct. 3- Sonoma @ Windsor, 5/7:30 p.m.
Oct. 10- Bye
Oct. 17- Healdsburg @ Windsor, 5/7:30 p.m.
Oct. 24- Windsor @ El Molino, 5/7:30 p.m.
Oct. 30- Casa Grande @ Windsor, 5/7:30 p.m.
Nov. 7- Windsor @ Petaluma, 5/7:30 p.m.
Nov. 14- Analy @ Windsor, 5/7:30 p.m.
Nov. 21- NCS playoffs
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