Napa starts fast in rout of Petaluma
By Kyle Foster, photo courtesy of Don Lex (LuckyDuckImages.com)
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
With Big Game XLVIII (48) coming up next week, the Napa High football team needed a good showing for momentum.
That’s exactly what they got on Friday night as they walloped Petaluma 49-7.
But, Napa coach Richie Wessman was wanting to see a fast start from his team. He also got that as they jumped out to a 49-0 lead before the half.
“They came in with the best focus they’ve had,” Napa coach Richie Wessman explained. “We started fast, which has been something that we’ve we’ve struggled to do. And you know, in the first half we played a complete game and all three phases.”
The Grizzlies (7-2 overall, 4-1 Vine Valley Athletic League) scored only 20 seconds into the game when Benito Saldivar took his first carry of the game to the end zone for a 60-yard touchdown.
“Well, to start with the coach told us to start off fast because we haven’t been doing that for these previous games,” Saldivar said. “ So, (the) coach told to start off fast and that was my objective. So, I did that.”
It didn’t take Saldivar long to find the end zone again when he took his third carry of the game to the end zone as well but from 59 yards away with 9:08 left in the first quarter.
With 6:11 remaining in the first quarter, Trey Dennis reached the end zone from four yards out to give Napa a commanding 21-0 advantage.
The Grizzlies ended the first quarter in grand fashion when Isiah Newton found Brock Bowers for a 78-yard touchdown.
Newton found the end zone using his legs as well when he scampered in from 59 yards out with 9:12 left in the half. Newton ended the night with 76 yards on two carries. He also found Bowers for another touchdown with 3:57 left in the half to give Napa a 35-0 lead, but on that touchdown play, Bowers weaved in and out of Petaluma defenders to find the end zone. Newton completed all three of his passes on the night for 111 yards.
Napa’s final score of the game came when Saldivar again found the end zone, this time on a 12-yard run with only 1:10 left in the half. Saldivar ended the night with 143 yards on five carries.
“He’s been fantastic,” Wessman said of the junior running back. “The O-line is doing a great job of making holes. You know, and it helps when we have as many threats as we do. And he’s just done a great job once he gets the rock and o-line gives him a hole I mean, he’s phenomenal.”
The lone bright spot for the Trojans (2-7, 1-4 VVAL) came when Dante Ratto punched it in from a yard out with 9:41 left in the contest. A big reason why Napa got out to such a big advantage early was that Petaluma turned the ball over four times as well.
“We continue to get better in all three phases of the game each and every week,” Wessman pointed out.
Both teams will end the regular season next week against their crosstown rivals. Petaluma will visit Casa Grande in the Egg Bowl on Saturday at 3 p.m. As for Napa, they visit Vintage in what will be the 48h edition of Big Game against Vintage at 7 p.m. next Friday night at Napa Memorial Stadium. It will be spirit week at both schools. Last year, Vintage won 69-14 en route to its first league title since 2005.
Napa leads the all-time series 28-17-2 over Vintage, but Vintage has won the last two. At halftime of next week’s game, the schools along with Hanlees of Napa Volkswagen will also give away a car. The J.V. game will start at 4:45 with varsity to follow. The stadium gates will open at 4 p.m.
