Napa Indians Football

It has to end sometime....

2006-11-28T09:42:00.000-08:00

...but I was REALLY hoping it wouldn't be that Friday. A wise man once told me that, "very rarely will your season end on a winning note." Sad, but true. (Way to lighten the mood, self.)

I'm sure it has been a rough weekend for many households. For instance, yesterday was the first day without practice, which I'm sure was hard. It didn't take long before a certain senior that I happen to live with was outside throwing the football around. I think he made it to 4pm before he dragged his poor girlfriend out to play catch.

While the outcome wasn't what we had hoped for, there were some highlights that deserve some recognition and some photo love.

Here are some notes and thought from Coach Mott:

"After film review, it was a game we felt we could of won. We left some plays out on the field. Our character as a team continued to shine, never giving up and giving ourselves a chance at the end of the game. This class of seniors will be sorely missed. The mainstays of the class were incredible competitors. They all came to Napa High highly touted and this core group gave their heart and soul to the football program. It has been an honor to coach them.
We had several underclassmen already in the weightroom working out Monday afternoon. They seem very intent on carrying on the tradition of tough, disciplined football."

That mentality makes me feel somewhat better. My hat's off to the underclassmen for getting back at it. In other news, I'm officially rooting for Vacaville to kick the crap outta Elk Grove this week. Here's something you won't hear me say too often: Go Bulldogs. (Just can't muster an exclamation point--wouldn't want to get too carried away.)

Photos will be up shortly. I figured that since it was the last time for photos (outside of the banquet), I would dedicate a whole post to them. Check back. Also check back for dates and times for the football program banquet. More to come. Just because we're done playing doesn't mean we're done.

What a way to start my Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T14:58:00.000-08:00

If only I could roll out of bed and have coffee and donuts and watch football EVERY morning...

The new photos are here! The new photos are here!

2006-11-20T15:16:00.000-08:00

A little visual of Friday night's win over Jesuit...

(The brains of the whole operation. And I'm not talking about 16 and 10, either. Isn't it funny how you can pick up on sarcasm via the internet??)

Directions to Elk Grove and the Playoff Bracket

2006-11-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

Since we are in fact on the road this week, here are the directions to Elk Grove High School:

Merge onto CA-29 S via the ramp on the LEFT toward VALLEJO/SAN RAFAEL. (7.4 miles)
Turn LEFT onto JAMESON CANYON RD/CA-12. (5.8 miles)
Merge onto I-80 E. (42.5 miles)
Keep LEFT to take US-50 E/CAPITAL CITY FWY toward SACRAMENTO/SOUTH LAKE TAHOE. (5.2 miles)
Merge onto CA-99 S toward FRESNO. (11.7 miles)
Take the ELK GROVE BLVD exit. (0.2 miles)
Turn LEFT onto ELK GROVE BLVD. (0.9 miles)
Turn RIGHT onto ELK GROVE FLORIN RD. (0.5 miles)

End at 9800 Elk Grove Florin Rd Elk Grove, CA 95624-2549, US

Total Est. Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes Total Est. Distance: 75.25 miles

And for those interested parties, here is the bracket for the Division 1 Sac-Joaquin Section football playoffs after the first round (click the image to enlarge)

First round playoff win=Thanksgiving practice!

2006-11-18T20:33:00.000-08:00

Friday night's 56-35 victory over Jesuit means not only are the Indians one step closer to the Section Championship but now we have Thanksgiving practice! On a totally selfish note, I LOVE waking up on Thanksgiving morning and being at the stadium in my sweats, watching practice. And eating donuts. I like that too.

Since it was that win over Jesuit that allows us to engage in those holiday festivities, let's do a little recap.

Not only was it a recording breaking night for the Indians, but to quote Coach Mott, "there were some big time plays from several players." David Gladieux had a TD & 2 huge interceptions (and I hear from a pretty reliable source that the performance of the DBs earned them a dinner) but he also made several key blocks on the perimeter. Kostecka, Boyett, Croxdale and LeMasters didn't play too shabby either.

"These guys made big time plays all night, but don't forget about the O-line and the backs, with their pass protections and the 2 gut check drives at the end of the game," Mott said.

Napa surged in the second half, looking much more energized than Jesuit. "You can attribute the win to our weightroom and conditioning," Mott said. "We wore them down and we came away with a big win because of the hard work put in all year round, down there in that quonset hut."

The Blackshirts played well and were putting hits on Jesuit, especially in the second half. "The defense found a rhythm in the second half, but they were also able to make some things happen on broken plays. They were able to create something out of nothing," Mott said. "Hayden Campo made a big contribution in our cover 2 package and it's nice to see him healthy and playing back to his standards."

And while we're on the subject of the team's health, Mott says this could very well be the healthiest the team has been all season. Linden Fowler and Gabe Guastucci played a fair amount of the game and it was nice to see them mixing it up. Hopefully with another week of rehab, those two will be able to contribute even more this coming week.

"Jason Westerberg was able to come back after turning an ankle he showed a lot of heart in the second half and will need some mending this week. We have bumps and bruises which is normal this time of the year. We need to get rest and ice our booboos," Mott said. (Yes, he really said booboos.)

Unfortunately for the kids, icing comes in the form of an ice BATH. One word--YIKES!

Over the past couple years, Turkey Day practice has become a great tradition and Mott, along with the of the Indians invite everyone to come see the team practice at the stadium Thursday morning @ 9 AM and the team prepares for Elk Grove the next night.

Elk Grove is a Wing-T team who is very effective at running the football.

"They are a very good football team, but who isn't this time of the year?" Mott said. "We will have to play physical and smart-- cut out some of our mental penalties and continue to hold on to the football. Tackling is of the utmost importance. We have to have guys willing to stick their nose in there and make good tackles. We need to get 11 to the football and help each other be great defenders."

So, Friday night in Elk Grove and directions will be up shortly. The Jesuit game was just plain fun to watch, minus the referees. Who knew that the team from the MEL would be treated like the red-headed stepchild of the section last night? The game also had a few moments of note off the field. Like for instance, when Jesuit--the all-boys school--started chanting "We've got God! " which was met with the NHS rooting section chanting back, "we've got girls! " I got a few laughs from that. And I hope the band comes to Elk Grove on Friday night. Hint hint.

I will put some pictures up from the game early this week for our viewing pleasure so check back.

And with that, I hope to see everyone on Thursday morning. Throw on your Napa Football sweatshirt (you know you all have like five) and don't worry about getting all spruced up because I'm just wearing my pajamas.

Go Indians!

The All-League list is here!

2006-11-16T10:13:00.000-08:00

Coaches from the Monticello Empire League met on Tuesday night to decide who was selected to All-League. Congratulations to the following Indians:

1st Team Offense:
QB: Ted LeMasters
RB: John Boyett
Tackle: Miguel Figueroa
Center: Scott Johnson

1st Team Defense:
Linebacker: Jake Croxdale
D-Line: Ryan Barragan
DB: John Boyett

2nd Team Offense:
TE: Jason Westerberg
RB: Jake Croxdale
Guard: Robert Butler

2nd Team Defense:
D-End: Jeremiah Luke
Linebacker: Jason Westerberg

Honorable Mention Offense:
WR: Ryan Kostecka
Guard: David Smith

Honorable Mention Defense:
DB: David Gladieux

And congratulations to John Boyett, who was voted by the MEL coaches as PLAYER OF THE YEAR!

You gotta love a Big Game win!!

2006-11-10T13:36:00.000-08:00

How much does beating Vintage ROCK???

Let me remind you:

Yea, pretty much the best.thing.ever.

The Big Game atmosphere was absolutely AWESOME and we were in excess of 8,000 people! Max capacity at Memorial Stadium and a sea of blue and gold is fabulous.

There is so much to build on for next week--the Indians played so well. That VC fumble recovered by Napa 2 plays into the game led to our first TD and the scoring barrage began.

There will definitely be more to follow in the coming days, as I plan to ride this victory out for as long as possible...

Big Game Rally & Bonfire

2006-11-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

One thing is for certain...

2006-11-08T10:20:00.000-08:00

...these boys did NOT go hungry!
Never have I see so many tri-tips consumed...there was salad and pasta and bread and potatoes and that doesn't even cover dessert! There were brownies and heaping piles of cookies! The Big Game team dinner was wonderful and the boys were all very well-behaved and very polite! (Good job boys!)

It's Big Game Week!

2006-11-07T08:58:00.000-08:00

This is quite possibly my favorite week of year. The weather is crisp (perfect football weather), everyone comes out to watch the game, my mom plays the NHS Tomahawk War Chant while making dinner (totally not joking about that either) and there are events all week for the boys.

Here's a quick look at what's on the books for this week:

Tuesday night- team dinner around 6ish

Wednesday night- Big Game Rally and Bonfire at NHS. This starts around 7pm in the gym.

Thursday night- do I seriously need to make mention? So the gates open at 4pm and I would highly recommend getting tickets prior to the game. The school's activities office is selling them all week. THIS IS A NAPA HOME GAME so all NHS Sports Booster Club passes and reserved seating will be honored. In case anyone cares, VHS reserved seats will be honored, but their booster passes for entry will not.

With the game coming up on Thursday, we control our own destiny. "We have to win to insure that we make playoffs," Coach Mott said. "They are a big physical team. We need to play to our level and put ourselves in a position to make plays. Everyone needs to do their job. Their record doesn't matter. This game has a lot of emotion behind it so there is no telling what will happen."

Go Indians!

Winning is much more fun!

2006-11-07T08:45:00.000-08:00

If there is one thing that I enjoy going into Big Game Week with, it is a win over Armijo. Despite some horrible calls by the refs (which, not to worry, as any good fan would, we made sure they knew they had made the wrong call--what kind of spectators would we be if we didn't??) Napa looked good. They shut out those "other" Indians in the second half and put good pressure on their QB.

Coach Mott was pleased with the defense. "The pass defense continues to improve and the run defense did a great job again this week."

The offensive line also controlled the line of scrimmage, which always makes a QB's sister happy. Jake Croxdale has a solid offensive performance and John Boyett looked good on defense. I especially like when he picks off the ball for an INT then runs it back for a TD. Ryan Barragan looked good and Jason Westerberg had his best game of the year, according to Mott.

That all being said, let's take a photo recap then we can get right down to it with Big Game Week.

We have Armijo on the road tomorrow...

2006-11-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

Napa High will have their hands full tomorrow against Armijo. The field will be wet and it will be cold, bundle up!

Armijo plays on their own campus. Here are directions to the stadium:

Merge onto CA-29 S via the ramp on the LEFT toward VALLEJO / SAN RAFAEL. (7.4 miles)
Turn LEFT onto JAMESON CANYON RD / CA-12. (5.8 miles)
Merge onto I-80 E. (3.8 miles)
Merge onto CA-12 E toward RIO VISTA / SUISUN CITY. (2.5 miles)
Turn LEFT onto PENNSYLVANIA AVE. (0.5 miles)
Turn RIGHT onto W TEXAS ST. (0.5 miles)
Turn LEFT onto WASHINGTON ST. (<0.1 miles)

End at 824 Washington StFairfield, CA 94533-5541, US
Total Est. Time: 29 minutes Total Est. Distance: 21.69 miles

Photos from Fairfield

2006-10-27T11:09:00.000-07:00

Remember last week when we rolled over Faifield? That was fun. Let's do it again this week.
Speaking of Fairfield, I may have taken (and when I say may have taken, I mean I definitely did take) close to 300 photos. Here are some visual highlights from last Friday.

The Indians take on Fairfield Friday...

2006-10-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

...and here's how to get there. Keep in mind that traffic through Jameson Canyon on a Friday can sometimes make you feel like poking your eyes out, so make sure to leave early!

Merge onto CA-29 S via the ramp on the LEFT toward VALLEJO / SAN RAFAEL. (7.4 miles)
Turn LEFT onto JAMESON CANYON RD / CA-12. (5.8 miles)
Merge onto I-80 E. (7.2 miles)
Take the AIRBASE PKWY / WATERMAN BLVD exit toward TRAVIS AFB. (0.1 miles)
Merge onto AIR BASE PKWY. (0.7 miles)
Take the NORTH TEXAS ramp toward BUSINESS DISTRICT. (0.1 miles)
Take the NORTH TEXAS ST ramp. (<0.1 miles)
Turn LEFT onto N TEXAS ST. (0.2 miles)
Turn RIGHT onto CEMENT HILL RD. (0.1 miles)
Turn RIGHT onto E ATLANTIC AVE. (<0.1 miles)
End at 205 E Atlantic AveFairfield, CA 94533-1626, US
Total Est. Time: 30 minutes Total Est. Distance: 22.81 miles

Directions to Will C Wood for the freshmen game tonight

2006-10-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

The Freshmen play Will C Wood tonight. The field is on the campus of Vacaville High..just follow the stadium lights!

Merge onto CA-29 S via the ramp on the LEFT toward VALLEJO / SAN RAFAEL. (7.4 miles)
Turn LEFT onto JAMESON CANYON RD / CA-12. (5.8 miles)
Merge onto I-80 E. (13.3 miles)
Take the ALAMO DR NORTH exit toward MERCHANT ST. (0.4 miles)
Merge onto ALAMO DR. (0.1 miles)
Turn RIGHT onto MERCHANT ST. (0.4 miles)
Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto WEST ST. (0.4 miles)
Turn LEFT onto W MONTE VISTA AVE. (<0.1 miles)
End at 100 W Monte Vista AveVacaville, CA 95688-3829, US
Total Est. Time: 36 minutes Total Est. Distance: 28.92 miles

League opener wrap up

2006-10-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

Despite it being Monday and the beginning of a new week for the Indians, there are a few things the team should feel pretty good about in regards to the Wood game.

Coach Mott was very pleased with the team's approach to the game on Friday night.
"Our players were walking on air," Mott said. "We had several big hits and we played a physical football game."

Mott recognized the play of the special teams squad, whose efforts led to a huge blocked punt and the opening kick return. There was also a punt return for a TD and Linden Fowler kicked
the ball very well.

The offense had some big plays in the passing game. "I've been waiting for this to happen," Mott said. "Our run defense was superb. We gave up some in the air including a broken coverage that has to be cleaned up but that is what this week is for."

In looking for Friday night's contest at Fairfield High School, Mott emphasized that the team needs to keep rolling. "We will need energy for the game Friday night. It is going to be cold and windy. The atmosphere won't match a Friday game at Memorial so all you parents bring blankets but don't forget the horns and cow bells either!"

Fairfield has some great athletes-- they have solid receivers and a key running back with some speed. "We must get hats to the football and stop big plays. We must be disciplined. Fairfield had two players kicked out of the Vintage game last week. Our kids will talk with their play and not their mouths," Mott said.

Fairfield runs some wing-T offense but will also spread out and throw the ball downfield to their big play WRs. They are fast and athletic on defense so Napa will have to play well for four quarters to win. "They are better than their 1-4 record indicates. Again it's league and we cannot have a bad night," Mott said.

Big Homecoming Win!

2006-10-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

Napa definitely handled Wood in Friday night's homecoming game! A 63-32 victory was a good opportunity for lots of kids to get some PT.
It was Coach Mott's hope that the team wouldn't overlook Wood despite their 3-2 record going into Friday night. "It is important for us to continue to progress we can't afford set backs while in league," Mott said. "Because it is homecoming, our players' focus will be tested with parades, rallies and halftime entertainment."
Gabe Guastucci was back in action this week but in a new role. The coaching staff moved him to defensive end, a position they hoped will put less stress on his hamstring and a place where they felt they needed some speed and quickness.

We will have more post game notes later in the week. Fairfield is up next and we will be traveling to the Falcon's Nest on Friday night. Directions will follow shortly.

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM COACH MOTT:
We have grade checks before the Vintage game (November 9) so parents-- stay on your kids to excel in the classroom.

A look back at Skyline

2006-10-14T23:28:00.000-07:00

Before we get into the boat race that was the homecoming game against Wood, Skyline deserves a little attention, since there was so much hype surrounding that contest.

This was definitely our first taste of the cold football weather! Friday night in the Oakland Hills yielded excellent results for the Indians but Coach Mott sees past the W in the win column.
"The best thing about the win in Skyline was how our team came together. It is exactly what I was looking for. Skyline is a team that is a lot better than their record would reflect. To go into a such an environment and for the kids to come together really shows their development."
Despite the win, there were some areas for improvement. "Our defense played well and our special teams made a positive impact, but their were some areas we want to examine in practice. Our offense got beat by quicker and stronger players because our pad level was high. The coaching staff hopes to fix that because when we go against bigger, faster teams we have to win our battles with technique."

As for pictures, the lights at Skyline were worse than at Memorial (didn't think that was possible) so pictures were hard to come by.

More on the Will C Wood game next...

A few thoughts on Woodcreek and a look at Skyline

2006-10-05T22:22:00.000-07:00

Before we move on to tomorrow night's contest against Skyline in Oakland, let's take a quick look at Woodcreek. Putting that many points up against a team like that deserves some attention, no?
It was all about defense, according to Coach Mott. The blackshirts held a pretty good RB to just seven yards going into the second half and he finished the game with only 47 total yards. Not too shabby! The defense played great and they were physical. Mott pointed out that after a performance like that, they were especially deserving of their blackshirts.

On offense, the Indians had two 100-yard rushers and the credit goes to the play of the O-Line, according to Mott. Scott Johnson blocked an amazing 77%. Ryan Kostecka and Ted LeMasters were on the same page, changing two pass routes at the line and turning them into big plays. Ryan Barragan played great at nose guard. John Boyett led the defense with 19 tackles. Once again, special teams played a part with a blocked kick from Stuart Chester and two 2-point conversions. One while running the infamous waterpick play and another on a fake P.A.T.

What we're facing tomorrow night:
The Indians are beginning to get healthy with the return of Linden Fowler and David Gladeiux. They are still trying to get Gabe Guastucci healthy and Jeremiah Luke is questionable for this week's match up. Skyline is big and fast and much better than their 1-3 record.

Coach Mott is really loving the season. "I am enjoying watching some of our players grow up before my eyes. Tommy (Wilcoxson), Stuart (Chester), Brett (Fraiser), Carlton (Garza), David (Smith) and Justin (Ruffino) are playing like they can help put us in contention at the end. I can't wait to see how good we can be in another 3 weeks."

And on that note, Go Indians!

Directions to Skyline

2006-10-03T21:52:00.000-07:00

Here are directions to Skyline High School in Oakland...kick off is at 5:15 for the JVs and 7:30 for Varsity, so make sure to leave yourself plenty of time. With Friday Bay Area traffic, you never know!

And remember, the Freshmen take on Vacaville at home on Thursday...kick off is 6:00!

Merge onto I-80 W toward SAN FRANCISCO. (24.7 miles)
Take I-580 E toward ALAMEDA / SAN JOSE / DOWNTOWN OAKLAND / HAYWARD / STOCKTON. (1.4 miles)
Merge onto CA-24 E toward WALNUT CREEK. (3.3 miles)
Merge onto CA-13 S toward HAYWARD. (4.3 miles)
Take the REDWOOD RD exit toward CARSON ST. (0.1 miles)
Turn LEFT onto REDWOOD RD. (1.3 miles)
Turn RIGHT onto SKYLINE BLVD. (0.3 miles)
Turn LEFT onto BALMORAL DR. (<0.1>Total Est. Time: 59 minutes Total Est. Distance: 51.66 miles

The Woodcreek Game in Photos

2006-10-03T21:39:00.000-07:00

Indians scalp Vallejo

2006-09-24T19:34:00.000-07:00

That was a headline from my senior year when we beat Vallejo in basketball. It most definitely applies here. Napa ruined Vallejo's homecoming with a 49-28 win. Some of you may have read the Napa Register on Saturday morning and may have been confused by the opening quote from Coach Herlocker. That is because that wasn't what he said. His words were, "we made their homecoming queen cry." Makes a little more sense huh?
At any rate, it was a fun game to watch and we saw a lot of kids get some PT (playing time) so that was cool.
Coach Mott had a couple of key things to say about Vallejo. The exciting part for him was seeing some new players really step up, namely Kevin Ruestle, Stephen Oja, Kyle Green, and Stuart Chester.
He was very impressed with the second team O-Line played and he even went so far as to say that they played as well, if not better, than the starters. (Nothing like a little competition, eh boys?) Robert Butler graded out as an A for the game as did Scott Johnson. (For those of you unfamiliar with how a lineman is graded, it's based on blocking percentage after watching the film.)
Once again, Napa's special teams made an impact with a 2-point conversion, a successful onside kick and 5-6 PAT outing. One downfall was a kick return we gave up but the Indians turned right around and returned Vallejo's kickoff for a touchdown. Napa also aired it out a bit and had some key plays with their passing game.

Friday's opponent, Woodcreek, is from Roseville. They are in the same league as Granite Bay and they are very quick on offense and defense. They are 2-1, with wins over Davis and
Bear River from Grass Valley and they fell to Casa Robles in Week 1.

Napa is looking forward to a tough game and will most likely be without Linden Fowler, Gabe Guastucci, Carlton Garza, and Jeremiah Luke. However, that will just mean more opportunities for others to shine including Justin Ruffino, who the Indians brought up from the JVs and played well vs Vallejo.

Kick off is at 7:30 for the Varsity and 5:15 for the JVs at Memorial Stadium.

Here are some photos from Vallejo High...

Directions for this week

2006-09-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

Here are directions to both the Frosh game at Heritage High School in Brentwood, as well sa to Vallejo for th JV and Varsity on Friday night. (**Side note: all directions are from Napa so double check them if you happen to be coming from out of town)

Heritage High School
101 American Ave, Brentwood, CA 94513-4604

Merge onto CA-29 S (13.2 miles)
Merge onto CA-37 E toward I-80 / SACRAMENTO / SAN FRANCISCO. (1.9 miles)
Merge onto I-80 W toward SAN FRANCISCO. (3.4 miles)
Take the I-780 exit toward I-680 / BENICIA / MARTINEZ. (0.1 miles)
Take the I-80 W exit on the LEFT toward BENICIA / MARTINEZ. (0.1 miles)
Merge onto I-780 E toward I-680 / BENICIA / MARTINEZ. (6.2 miles)
Merge onto I-680 S via EXIT 7B on the LEFT toward MARTINEZ / SAN JOSE. (5.2 miles)
Merge onto CA-4 E via EXIT 53 toward ANTIOCH / PITTSBURG. (15.6 miles)
Take the LONE TREE WAY exit toward A STREET. (0.1 miles)
Merge onto LONE TREE WAY. (3.0 miles)
Turn RIGHT onto DEER VALLEY RD. (3.0 miles)
Turn LEFT onto BALFOUR RD. (1.4 miles)

End at 101 American Ave, Brentwood, CA 94513-4604, US

Total Est. Time: 1 hour, 4 minutes Total Est. Distance: 54.57 miles

Directions to Vallejo's Corbus Field:
840 Nebraska St, Vallejo, CA

Merge onto CA-29 S toward VALLEJO / SAN RAFAEL. (15.0 miles)
Turn LEFT onto NEBRASKA ST. (0.5 miles)
Total Est. Time: 23 minutes Total Est. Distance: 16.31 miles

**As a side note to visiting Corbus, I'm pretty sure they make you go through metal detectors there so leave all your pocket knives and other such items in the car.

See you on the road!

Recap of Granite Bay

2006-09-19T20:11:00.000-07:00

Well, a few days have gone by and I guess we should look at the Granite Bay game once more then look forward to next week.

While no one likes losing, there were a few high points Coach Mott wanted to cover:

There were some solid individual efforts from David Gladieaux and Brett Fraiser who were getting in the mix.

After the Del Campo game, the kids knew they needed some extra conditioning. They realized their physical weaknesses and accepted their conditioning regiment all week and took it with open arms, but what's more is that they improved.

It was also nice to have Gabe Guastucci back, even if in a limited role. In his first game back, he made an impact and contributed to the game. Napa's kick return team also played well and put the Indians in great field position. Once again, Napa was also perfect in PATs...5-5 this year!

On the flip side, there were some things to work on and the Indians will be busy at practice this week.
Napa did not play fundamentally sound on defense and will need to keep the penalties down. They had 95 yards in penalties against Granite Bay. There were also some key injuries to some of the seniors that have been instrumental in Napa's play.
As long as the Indians believe in their ability all game long, they should be golden all season. They started to see it at the end of the Granite Bay, but they need to carry it out for all four quarters.

Napa has Vallejo on Friday night at Corbus. The Indians are looking forward to continuing the long standing rivalry with Vallejo, something that is very important to the alumni at NHS. Napa wants to make some big plays on special teams, improve their fundamentals on defense and work on getting 11 hats to the ball. Napa should have Hayden Campo back and are looking for Guastucci to take on a bigger role. Coach Mott would like to see some more of the juniors step up and make plays.

So, that being said, let's all look forward to Vallejo because it really is a fun rivalry that has been going on for some time. Kick off is 5:15 for JV and 7:30 for Varsity...don't be late! And to tide everyone over for a couple days, here are some photos from Friday night.

After looking at what I took this past week, I think now would be an appropriate time to mention that I am totally open to photos if anyone has them.

Directions to the Freshmen game and to Corbus for Friday's contest will be up tomorrow. Check back...

Photos from Del Campo

2006-09-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

The photos are finally up! It took a little time to sort through the 175 images that I took (for those of you that know me, I'm sure you're not surprised at that number) but there are some good ones in there. Here's what I got:

Gotta give it up for the JVs showing the Varsity players some love in the second half!

That's all for now...more to come with Granite Bay tomorrow night!

Napa at Del Campo

2006-09-09T20:56:00.000-07:00

According the win-loss column, Saturday was a great day for the Indians, since they beat Del Campo 30-29. But if you were one of the people sitting in that Sacramento heat on Saturday, you know that there is more to the story.

Obviously, Napa put 30 points on the board, so that is definitely a positive. Here's how the Indians came about posting those 30 points:

Linden Fowler got the Indians on the board first with a rushing TD and the two point conversion gave Napa the 8-0 lead in the first quarter. While on defense, John Boyett knocked the ball loose and Jeremiah Luke recovered the fumble for the second Napa score. A PAT kick from Steven Oja put Napa ahead 15-0. At the start of the third quarter, Napa drove the field and Boyett took the ball in the end zone for the third Napa TD. He finished the series by carrying the ball in for the 2 point conversion. Almost seconds later, Napa's Stuart Chester recovered a fumble on the kickoff and got Napa the ball again. Ted LeMasters found Boyett for a long touchdown pass. Oja's kick was good and Napa led 30-0.

So, 30-0 and we're all feeling pretty good. Unfortunately, so was Del Campo, who did their damage to the scoreboard in the second half. 29 unanswered points later, the Indians hung on to win.

Since it was the first game of the season, there were some good things and some things that could use a little work. But that's what film and another week of practice is for. Here are some of the positives and negatives, according to Coach Mott:

Positives:

-The offensive line played well and dominated up front and allowed us to take big chunks in the running game

-Scott Johnson, David Smith, Robert Butler, Carlton Garza, Miguel Figueroa and Jason Westerberg allowed us to control the clock and helped us pick up big first downs in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

-Our defense had a big goal line stand capped by a big play on fourth down by John Boyett.

-Our special teams had several big plays on the day including a fumble recovery on the kick off team, a blocked PAT by Ryan Kostecka, and we were 100% successful in PAT attempts (2-2 kicking, 2-2 on the waterpick).

-Offensively, Jake Croxdale ran the ball well and Boyett made several big plays including a TD receiving and a TD running.

So let's review: 1st half? Good. 2nd half? Could use a little work. Here are some more thoughts from Coach Mott:

-The Indians need to get in shape and condition so that when they physically get tired, they don't break down mentally. Tackling will improve when we get in shape and can play four quarters of black shirt football.

Obviously there are things to work on, but it is only Week 1. It would be a safe bet to say they will be having extra hard workouts this week before taking on Granite Bay at home on Friday. Granite Bay beat Pitman (Turlock, CA) 17-8 on Thursday and Napa will have to play four solid quaters of football in order to seal a victory over the Grizzlies.

Side note- stats will be posted shortly, as soon as I get the info from the team statistician and I will throw a few photos online as well. MaxPreps.com was at the Del Campo game and has a photo gallery up, and the Napa Register was also there (I know, I was impressed too. Not only an away game, but a Saturday away game!) so they probably have a few online to browse through.

Haven't you always wanted to see your name in lights?...

2006-09-08T22:08:00.000-07:00

...So to speak.

Ladies and gentleman, we have celebrities among us!

As you drive around Napa this football season and if you happen to come up on a Napa Vine city bus, check out the back banner...you may see some of our local football players staring back at you. Specifically, Linden Fowler, John Boyett, Scott Johnson and Tommy Wilcoxson.

Scott Rachfal of R. Scott Photography took the following picture for the Vine artwork. Now tell me this photo doesn't rock?

Directions to Del Campo

2006-09-05T22:25:00.000-07:00

Here are the directions to Del Campo High School in Fair Oaks, from Napa.

Take 29 South to 12 East through Jameson Canyon
Merge onto I-80 E. (56.5 miles)
Take the MADISON AVE exit- EXIT 96. (0.4 miles)
Keep RIGHT at the fork to go on MADISON AVE. (2.7 miles)
Turn RIGHT onto DEWEY DR. (0.6 miles)
End at 4925 Dewey DrFair Oaks, CA 95628-4402, US

Total Est. Time: 1 hour, 19 minutes Total Est. Distance: 74.37 miles

4 way scrimmage photo recap

2006-09-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

Here are some action shots to get all of us fans through until our first game on Saturday at Del Campo. (Yes, I know they are a little blurry, but in my haste to get to the stadium in time for the freshmen scrimmage, I forgot my good camera lense. I promise there will be better ones on Saturday. In the mean time, feel free to write a letter to the school district about how poor the lights are in the stadium. Trust me, it will help immensely.)

Directions to Del Campo will be posted this week, prior to the freshmen game on Thursday.

Blue Gold Scrimmage Photo Recap

2006-08-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

These photos were taken on Saturday at the Blue Gold Scrimmage. Special thanks to Matt Stewart for letting me use his awesome camera.

Don't forget, the 4-way scrimmage is going to be on Friday at Memorial Stadium and it's a triple-header!! The Frosh start at 3:30, followed by the JV then the Varsity.

Blue Gold Scrimmage

2006-08-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

The annual Blue-Gold Scrimmage is on Saturday beginning at 9am. This is the first peek at the 2006-2007 Indians squad so come out and see what's going on!

Players, Coach Mott will be having a BBQ at his home following the scrimmage. I have $5.00 that says someone will end up in the pool, NOT of their own choosing.

Important Dates!

2006-08-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

Grab your pen and pencil as I have some very hot-off-the-presses dates to jot down and one of these dates includes Blue-Gold Scrimmage info...

PLAYERS: This is official word from Coach Mott--
Monday, August 14- You are in helmets!
Thursday, August 17- Practice begins at 2pm in FULL GEAR
Saturday, August 19- MANDATORY practice.
Saturday, August 26- The annual Blue-Gold Scrimmage will be held at 10am on Saturday, August 26. Word on the street is that there is a BBQ to follow. More on that later.

Now let's talk Gold Cards. First of all, amazing job selling, guys! You almost DOUBLED last year's total and raised $11,000 for the football program this year! I'm sure there will be prizes involved so check back for the latest.

More to come, we're just gettin' started....

Attention Football Parents!

2006-08-08T20:51:00.000-07:00

Each season the Athletic Booster club divides the football game concession duties between all the NHS Athletic programs. So each sport gets a game to work the booths and the assigned football team date is October 13. We are looking for 20 volunteers between 4:45-7:15 to man BOTH concession booths. We need volunteers over the age of 18 please! Please keep in mind that this is during the JV game, so you will be done in time to watch the Varsity play. Please contact Sheri Steen at sheris@embassynapa.com or leave her a message at 252-8539.

2006 Schedule

2006-07-29T00:16:00.000-07:00

It's that time again and can I just say...FINALLY!

I'm working on the football program and one of the fine features of said program is putting the schedule in it, so I figured what is more appropriate for a first post, eh?
Here's my disclaimer: this is totally subject to change and I make no promises, but it did come from the coach, so here's hoping.

Friday, September 1
4-way jamboree at Memorial Stadium--you know, the time when they divide the field up in half and Vintage takes one side and we get the other and two other teams to be named later come over and we scrimmage for a bit.

SATURDAY, September 9
This is a Saturday game ladies and gentleman! The JV will kick off at 11am and the Varsity at 1pm. A Saturday morning game is code for "go to bed early on Friday."
Napa opens on the road at Del Campo High School in Fair Oaks, California. Del Campo was 8-3 last year but they were 6-0 in league play. The Cougars got knocked out by Rocklin in the second round of playoffs.
NOTE: Directions to the away game sites will be posted as soon as I determine which schools play on their actual school sites and which schools have off site stadiums.

Friday, September 15
The Indians take on Granite Bay at home. The Grizzlies play against teams like Nevada Union (boo) and Grant so each season there is stiff competition between the three teams for a league title. This promises to be a great contest. Also highlighted at this game will be the NHS Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony. This year's inductees will be honored at half time of the varsity game.

Friday, September 22
Napa travels to Corbus Field in Vallejo to take on the Apaches in one of the oldest MEL rivalries. Napa's decisive 42-14 win last season added to poor Vallejo's loss column. The Apaches struggled at 5-5 last year (3-2 in MEL) and oh yea, the Indians smoked them in the passing league this year. Just FYI.

Friday, September 29
The Indians will host Wood Creek High School. The team from Roseville was also 5-5 overall last year (4-3 in league).

Friday, October 6
The Indians will travel to Skyline. Yes, we have to go to Skyline. The Titans were 4-6-1 last season (4-1 league record) and they tied Bethel 6-6 last season.

Friday, October 13
Will C Wood will come to Memorial Stadium this season after Napa pounded them at their own homecoming last year, 66-21.

Friday, October 20
Napa will go to Fairfield this year, upon the Falcons return to the MEL. Poor Fairfield was only 1-9 overall last year (1-4 in league with that lone victory over Hogan).

Friday, October 27
Vacaville is coming to town and is always a thorn in the Indians' side. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that by this point in the season, this is sure to be a deciding league game.

Friday, November 3
Napa will play Armijo in Fairfield this season in the MEL's version on the Windy City. Dress warm.

Friday, November 10
Napa hosts cross town rival Vintage. Big Game 36. Need I say more?

So, then there's playoffs, but it's a wee bit early to go there yet. We'll post some more as the season progresses, but since it's only deadweek right now, it's too early for anything good. So there you go.

Enjoy your week off boys, it's all business from here on out.

And in case you need a reminder, here's a little 2005 post season inspiration: