Vintage breaks out all the tricks as they roll past Napa to historic Big Game victory
By Kyle Foster, photo courtesy of Don Lex (https://luckyduckimages.zenfolio.com/)
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
Coming into Big Game, we knew history would be made since it’s always new history being written. However, Friday night’s Big Game between Vintage and Napa High Schools was quite historic in many ways.
The fact that Big Game has reached its 50th contest was historic in its own right. However, when Vintage crushed their crosstown rival Napa 70-7 history had also been made. That history was the largest margin of victory in any Big Game in the rivalry’s history.
The win also guarantees Vintage (6-3 overall, 5-1 Vine Valley Athletic League) a share of the league title.
“It means everything,” Vintage head coach Dylan Leach said of winning Big Game. “It doesn’t matter what’s going on and any types of records, any types of things. Big Game is is like in our goals – that’s in our top three goals every year, so what a great opportunity. These kids came out, executed, played their hearts out, and really happy for a lot of guys.”
For the Crushers, the story of the game was the senior running backs. However, Diego Davis was the leader of all of them during Big Game. He ended up being named Great American Rivalry Series Big Game MVP.
“I cannot say enough about Diego Davis,” Leach said of the senior. “I think he’s underrated. In the college world, I hope he gets a chance. He has a work ethic like nobody else I’ve seen – just an absolute monster, and hopefully, he’ll get an opportunity to go play in college.”
Davis had his first score coming on a 57-yard touchdown run. But his biggest play of the night was an 85-yard pick-six. Davis ended the night with 96 yards rushing on just four carries.
“Whenever your defense is shutting people down and scoring themselves, then that’s a that’s a plus,” Leach said of the defensive score by Davis. “It’s always a good thing.”
The Crusher also got solid outings from seniors Dylan Smith, Mo Schaumkel, and Tytan Bradley.
Schaumkel had two scores on the night. One was on the ground, with the other being a 59-yard touchdown pass from Bradley off of a flea-flicker. Speaking of trick plays, Justin Ray took a toss from Bradley and found Nate Materne for a 65-yard score.
Smith had two scores from nine and seven yards out and finished the night with 123 yards on 13 rushes. Meanwhile, Bradley finished the night with a touchdown pass and a four-yard rushing score. Bradley rushed for just 25 yards on three carries. Through the air, he had 67 yards while completing 2 of his 3 passes.
Napa (0-9, 0-5 VVAL) scored their lone touchdown of the game when Yovani Palma connected with Christoph Horton for a three-yard score with 2:52 left in the first half.
“When we execute, we play Napa football what I’ve been preaching all year, we’re not a bad team,” Napa High head coach Askari Adams said of his team’s scoring drive. “But was especially tonight, it just wasn’t consistent.”
Both teams will have different agendas ahead of them when the regular season concludes next Friday night. Napa will look to get its first victory of the season when they host Sonoma Valley at 7 pm.
“We got one more game, seniors last game, you know, so you know, we got 17, so it shouldn’t be hard to get them pumped up for the week,” Adams said of the season-finale with Sonoma. “You know, you’re getting pumped up for the week. I mean, this is a tough one for them, so we’ll do what we can. But they’ve got to come ready to practice on Monday.”
As for Vintage, the regular season comes to an end after Big Game. They will have their league bye next week before they await their faith in the CIF North Coast Section playoffs.
“We’re just gonna keep showing up to practice until someone tells me I can’t,” Leach said of the bye week ahead before playoffs. “So these guys will put their time in, they’ll go work in. We’re gonna show up man. We’re gonna go out and play until someone tells me that we’re not in.”
The win by Vintage makes the Big Game all-time series 29-19-2 in favor of Napa. However, Vintage has now won the last five Big Games. This was the first time in Big Game history there had been two Big Games in one calendar year. This was also the first time Vintage was the visitor in an even-numbered Big Game.
In the other VVAL contest Friday night, Justin-Siena beat American Canyon 31-22.
