Home opener doesn’t go quite as planned as Napa gets routed by East Union
By Kyle Foster, photo courtesy of Don Lex (LuckyDuckImages.com)
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
Despite losing 55-12 to East Union-Manteca on Saturday night Napa coach Tom Petithomme was happy with the growth he’s seen from his team so far in the young season.
“We keep getting better every week, even though the score doesn’t show it, but we do we make progress and we’ve just got to keep fighting you know,” the first-year head coach explained. “Kalani is a great receiver he had two touchdowns tonight, he’s one of our leading receivers and he’s one of our biggest targets and we’re going to keep aiming at our targets and just keep getting better you know?”
East Union (1-1) scored early and often on the night, but their two scoring plays that were the most exciting came on rushes of 35 yards or more. With 2:09 left in the first half Raylen Carter scampered into the end zone on a 35-yard touchdown rush, which gave the Lancers a 29-6 lead. In the third quarter with seven minutes and six seconds left on the clock Tealan Gaines scored on a 49-yard rush to bump the East Union lead to 49-6.
The Grizzlies (0-2) had both of their touchdowns come on passes on the night. With 6:16 left in the first quarter senior quarterback Gunner Schoeps found fellow senior Kalani Posey for a 17-yard touchdown pass.
With nine ticks left in the game the two again hooked up this time for an explosive 81-yard touchdown connection.
“You know as a play maker as a receiver I just do my thing, you know,” Posey explained of how he’s so explosive. “I know when a corner can’t guard me; I know when a corner can or I just know when I have a good opponent against me, but if I know he can’t guard me I’m going to tell coach (Petithomme), I’m going to let him know.”
Posey had two catches on the night for 98 yards, and two touchdowns to lead the receiving effort. Gunner Schoeps was 8-for-22 passing for 170 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Napa’s top rusher was Isaiah Newton who carried the ball 14 times for 46 yards; Chase LaRue rushed nine times for 23 yards as well.
East Union’s leading rusher was Leo Bonilla who rushed nine times for a smooth 155 yards. Lancers quarterback JoJo Espinosa was 5 of 7 for 99 yards. He also threw an interception.
Both teams turned the ball over twice on the evening.
Even until the bitter end of this one Napa had their starters in trying to make something happen, which is a test to the team’s resilience.
“This team doesn’t have any quit,” Petithomme said. “These guys they go out there and they leave it all on the field.”
The Grizzlies will make the long three hour trek to Grass Valley next Friday night to face Nevada Union. Next week East Union will host Bear Creek of Stockton.
“It’s a haul,” Petithomme explained of the ride to Grass Valley. “We’re going to leave early and have lunch on the road and then we’ll get up there and just do the best we can. Have a great week of practice and make progress and you know just keep fighting.”
East Union 27 Napa JV 6
The Napa JV fell to 0-2 on the season after their loss on Saturday night.
They’ll also play at Nevada Union next Friday night.
Croxdale’s Jersey Retired
Jake Croxdale, a 2008 Napa High graduate, had his No. 11 jersey retired prior to Saturday night’s game. His jersey is the third number in Napa High football history to be retired.
Croxdale was a part of Napa’s 2007 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship team.
In the 2007 season Croxdale received All-Metro by the Sacramento Bee, which is a high honor.
The players who wore the No. 11 recently include Sean Madigan in 2017, Austin Spinelli (2016), Cal Bard (2015), and Kiel Brown (2014). Troy Mott, Napa’s most winningest head coach also wore the number.
