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NCS/Les Schwab Tires Football Championships Open Division

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After three quarters of even football, Windsor’s defense held Analy in the final quarter to pull out a 38-31 victory and notch the Jaguars’ first North Bay League-Redwood division victory.

“It was back and forth,” Windsor coach Brad Stibi said. “Analy showed up to play and played us tough. They scored on special teams and hit us with some deep balls, and they were able to score when they needed. But our ground game was too strong.”

Windsor quarterback Nick Pariani threw for three touchdowns and ran for a fourth to lead the Jaguars (3-3, 1-0).

Pariani hit Mickey Contreras for two touchdowns and Landon Estrela for another. Lorenzo Leon also scored on the ground for Windsor.

After Windsor took a 10-7 lead in the first, Analy (2-4, 0-1) rallied and led 24-17 at the half, thanks in part to a field goal right before time expired.

Windsor put together a strong drive early in the third and tied it at 24 with 8:34 remaining in the quarter. The Jaguars held strong in the fourth while scoring twice to put it out of reach.

“We came out in the third and were able to score to tie it up,” Stibi said. “From there our offense really got going.”

He said the Jaguars’ offensive line made some improvements over last week that made a difference for Pariani. The junior connected on 13 of 19 pass attempts for 236 yards.

“He’s more of a pocket guy, but tonight he was able to find his strengths and was able to do what we asked of him,” Stibi said.

Leon rushed for a team-high 132 yards, while Contreras had 135 yards on 6 catches.

“We let Analy in the game and let them stay in the game,” Stibi said. “Too many mental mistakes was the reason for that, and we need to eliminate that next week.”

The varsity football Jaguars climbed back into the win column on Friday in the annual Homecoming Game against visiting Montgomery, throttling a talented Viking’s squad with a great defensive effort to claim a 14-0 victory.

The win was just what the doctor ordered from a Windsor standpoint, snapping a three-game losing skid in the pre-league finale, while improving its season record to 2-3.

“We came into the game with our backs to the wall and we knew it was a must-win game,” Jags head coach Brad Stibi said. “Our game plan was to manage their athletes by getting to the quarterback and we were successful.”

The Jags will enjoy a bye in the schedule this week before kicking off the league campaign in the Oak Division at Analy on Sept. 28. The Tigers (2-3) are coming off a 14-7 win over El Molino in the 54th Golden Apple Bowl.

“The bye this week is good timing and will allow us to heal up,” Stibi noted. “Analy can be a threat with their pass game so we will have to be ready for that. Offensively we need to continue to improve and really establish our identity.”

Defense steps up 

Windsor was locked in a defensive battle for the second straight game on Friday, effectively controlling the line of scrimmage with a swarming defensive effort. The Jags, who finished with four sacks and three interceptions in the game, set the tone early with a strong pass rush that clogged running lanes and allowed few receivers to get open.  

Windsor drew first blood in the opening quarter when quarterback Nick Pariani engineered a drive resulting in a rushing touchdown from Jeremiah Pignataro. The Jags went to halftime locker room up 7-0.

Following a scoreless third quarter, Windsor iced the contest in the final period with another drive culminating in another scoring run from Octavio Vega en route to a 14-0 win.    

Pariani finished up a workmanlike performance with 5 completions on 18 attempts for 39 yards passing, while back-up quarterback Billy Boyle (2-4, 30 yards passing) also saw a few snaps. Leading rushers were Lorenzo Leon (13-90 yards), Vega (8-32 yards, TD), Nick Landeros (4-22 yards), Pariani (3-11 yards), Boyle (1-7 yards) and Pignataro (5-6 yards, TD). Top receivers were Jake Seivers (2-30 yards), Mikey Contreras (1-21 yards), Leon (2-17 yards) and Landon Estrela (1-10 yards). Otis Cain made good on both extra point kicks.  

Leading defenders included Ben Smith (8 tackles, 2 assists, 2 sacks), Cristian Sanchez (5 tackles), Cy Soltanizadeh (4 tackles), Oscar Mayorga (3, 2, sack), Pignataro (3,1), Estrela (2 tackles), Vega (1, 2, 2 INTs), Leon (1, 2, sack, INT), Christian Jernigan (2, 1), Aryan Charaniya (2 tackles), Estrela (2 tackles), Contreras (1, 1) and a tackle apiece from Austin Jacob and Seivers.

Jaguars come up short in 13-10 grid loss to Santa Rosa

Windsor comes home to host Montgomery this Friday

The varsity football Jaguars continued a challenging pre-league stretch on Friday at Santa Rosa, coming out on the short end of a defensive battle to fall 13-10.

The setback was the third straight for Windsor after an opening game win over Casa Grande, dropping their season record to 1-3.

The Jags will be out for redemption this Friday, Sept. 14 when they host the Montgomery Vikings in the pre-league finale at Kirkpatrick Stadium. Kickoff times for the JV and varsity are 5 and 7:30 p.m.

Jags fall in heartbreaker

Windsor’s third straight setback was perhaps the hardest to take following blowout losses at the hands of Freedom and Del Oro, giving up a late lead in Friday’s clash with the Panthers.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Jags cashed in on a 39-yard field goal from kicker Otis Cain for a 3-0 lead at the half. 

The battle for field position raged on in the third quarter, with neither defense yielding points in another scoreless period. The Panthers took a brief 7-3 lead on a 2-yard burst from running back Jayvee Long early in the fourth quarter, but Windsor quarterback Nick Pariani answered with a short drive culminating in a 15-yard scoring run by senior running back Octavio Vega to re-take the lead at 10-7.

The Panthers mounted the winning march midway through the final period when quarterback Trevor Anderson hooked up with receiver Roman Correa on a key 50-yard completion. The play set up a 25-yard scamper from Long to put the Panthers back up by three. 

The Jaguars made a late march inside the Santa Rosa red zone, but the threat would fall short as the Panthers hung on for a 13-10 win.

Vega led all Windsor running backs with 75 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. Other top backs included Jeremiah Pignataro (7-30), Nick Landeros (4-13) and Pariani (1-3).

Leading defenders included Vega (11 tackles, 2 assists), Pignataro (7, 1), Ben Smith (6,1), Lorenzo Leon (5, 2), Cy Soltanizadeh (5, 2), Aryan Charaniya (4, 2), Jake Seivers (4, 1, INT), Oscar Mayorga (3, 3), Mikey Contreras (3, 1), Landan Estrella (3, 1), Christian Jernigan (2 tackles), Nolan Hardie (1, 1), Cain (1 tackle) and Austin Jacob (3 assists).   

With his football team down 10-6 in the fourth quarter, Santa Rosa High School quarterback Trevor Anderson took the snap on third-and-eight, knowing this could be a crucial play against a tough Windsor defense.

He spotted Roman Correa on the post and connected for a 50-yard gain, advancing the Panthers well into Windsor territory with about six minutes left in the game.

“That completely flipped field position and we took it from there,” Santa Rosa coach Russell Ponce said. “Trevor threw a perfect pass to Roman. That was key play of the game.”

Running back Jayvee Long finished with a 25-yard rushing touchdown to put Santa Rosa on top, 13-10.

The Jaguars, though, threatened on their final drive, marching downfield to within Santa Rosa’s 20-yard line.

“They got down in the red zone but we stopped them. They had a guy open and our kid made a play on. It was close but we stopped them,” Ponce said. “Both teams played really well, and classy.”

The first half was a defensive battle that ended with Windsor up 3-0. Both teams moved the ball well, neither team penetrating.

“But our run started picking up in second quarter and we felt confident going into the half,” Ponce said. “In the second half, it turned into an old-school slugfest. Both teams ran the ball really well.”

Long scored both of the Panthers’ touchdowns, a 2-yard run early in the final quarter and the game-winning rush after the key pass play.

WINDSOR — After a lackluster first half that left them trailing 14-7 at halftime, the Windsor Jaguars came out with a sense of urgency in the third quarter and turned the tables on visiting Casa Grande, ultimately winning 30-22 in the opening game of the 2018 high school football season.

In their opening drive of the second half, the Jaguars pounded the ball through the Gauchos’ defense, scoring on an 11-play drive, 10 of which were rushing plays.

Lorenzo Leon powered through the middle for a six-yard score with 7:31 left in the third quarter, followed by Otis Cain’s point after to tie the game at 14.

Leon ran the ball four times on the drive, while Jerimiah Pignataro and Octavio Vega each ran three times in the drive.

Windsor coach Brad Stibi, making his debut in charge of the Jags, had high praise for his rushing corps.

“Lorenzo Leon ran the heck out of the ball,” he said. “Octavio Vega was looking good. Pignataro was a third threat.”

The Jaguars were a different team to start the second half, he said.

“That’s what we were waiting for. We just decided to play,” he said.

After Casa went four-and-out on its next drive, Windsor continued its momentum, spurred by a 20-yard punt return by Landan Estrella and a 12-yard run by Leon.

Leon scored again on a 13-yard rush. Cain’s point after gave Windsor a 21-14 lead and a clear sense that the Jaguars could win the game.

“It’s not just one guy; it’s the whole team,” Vega said. “When someone gets hyped, everyone gets hyped.”

Then the punt snap was high, soaring well past the kicker and out of the end zone, resulting in a safety and two points for Windsor, giving the Jaguars a 23-14 lead nearing the end of the third quarter.

The rushing trio of Leon, Vega and Pignataro again led the Jags on another 11-play scoring drive midway through the final quarter. Vega had runs of 9 and 8 yards before Pignataro scored on a 4-yard run with 5:51 left in the game.

Cain’s point after gave Windsor a 30-14 lead.

While that may have felt like a commanding lead, Casa didn’t lie down.

The Gauchos’ combination of quarterback Jadon Bosarge and wide receiver Dominic McHale connected on 20- and 12-yard plays before teaming again on a 5-yard touchdown.

That pulled Casa to 30-20. A two-point conversion, again from Bosarge to McHale, made it 30-22 and put the Gauchos within striking distance with 3:47 left.

Windsor, however, drew out the last three minutes, with Pignataro and Leon bearing the burden again. After whittling down the clock to 32 seconds, the Jags turned the ball over on downs at the Gauchos’ 32-yard line.

Casa aired it out but Bosarge couldn’t connect for enough yardage to threaten.

Windsor is now 1-0 and Casa Grande 0-1 in non-league play.

Windsor High School Boys Football Team Info

Windsor High School School Info

Windsor High School School Info

MaxPreps high school football Game of the Week: No. 19 Folsom looks to end No. 18 De La Salle's NorCal dominance

No. 18 Spartans haven't lost to Northern California team since 1991.

More than 8,000 fans figure to jam modest Owen Owens Stadium to see if a Northern California team can finally break the stranglehold on a talent-rich region that has thoroughly been dominated by one of the nation's most famous programs.

"They are the measuring stick," Folsom coach Kris Richardson said. "They've proven to be one of the top programs in the country for more than three decades. But we've been pretty good too for a while."

The Bulldogs have been better than good for the last 10 years, going a combined 131-13 with three state titles.

Through the leadership of Richardson, former offensive coordinator and now Capital Christian coach Troy Taylor and a superb youth feeder system, Folsom has produced such stars as current Miami Dolphins safety Jordan Richards and University of Washington quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Jake Browning

Utilizing a high-octane spread attack, the Bulldogs have shattered scoring and statistical records by developing ultra-efficient quarterbacks, highlighted by the prolific pocket passer Browning (16,697 three-year career passing yards, 229 touchdowns).

There have been equally productive dual-threat quarterbacks like 2010 MaxPreps Player of the Year Dano Graves (7,691 career passing yards, 1,868 rushing yards, 152 total TDs), Tanner Trosin (6,364 total yards, 69 TDs his senior year) and Jake Jeffrey (5,168 total yards, 61 TDs).

The best of the dual-threat lot might be senior Kaiden Bennett, a strong-armed, super elusive and yet disciplined 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior, who last year who passed for 4.731 yards and 57 touchdowns and added 1,218 yards and 16 scores.

He led the Bulldogs to a 16-0 record and a CIF Division I-AA state title, all while piling up 770 total points and 493 yards per game.

Bennett is one of 15 returning starters, but unquestionable the most important.

"At every level — NFL, college or high school — you face a quarterback who can throw and run equally well, it's very difficult to prepare," De La Salle 35-year defensive coordinator Terry Eidson said. "(Bennett) is a handful.

"The last time we faced them they had Jake Browning. Obviously, he was pretty special. So is Bennett but in a different way."

Said Richardson: "If there's no one open after all his progressions, Kaiden knows what to do. He has great instincts. He's a playmaker."

It helps to have one of the best receiving corps in the country, led by 6-4, 210-pound, 5-star Clemson-bound senior Joe Ngata, who had 81 catches for 1,777 yards and 26 touchdowns last year.

"He's a specimen," De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh. "We've seen a lot of good kid over the years. The kid at Centennial-Corona (Javon McKinley) and Mater Dei (Amon-Ra St. Brown) were special. (Ngata) is every bit as good. He's big and strong and fast and he blocks well, too."

Said Eidson: "If you're going to Clemson, you're probably pretty good."

It doesn't stop there. The Bulldogs have three more outstanding receivers — Cj Hutton, Elijhah Badger and Parker Clayton — and a superb running game, led by Ngata's brother Daniyel Ngata, (5-9, 190), who accounted for 1,241 yards and 18 touchdowns last season as a sophomore.

"They're really good," Alumbaugh said. "They have a lot of team speed, great receivers, a great quarterback and the line and defense is super solid. They're defense is really under-rated largely because their offense scores so quickly. They're every bit as good as they're cracked up to be."

The Bulldogs were really good in 2012 and 2013 also, but De La Salle handled them pretty easily.

This Spartan team is athletically on par with those squads, but not as experienced.

They feature two 4-star recruits, linebacker and running back Henry To'oto'o and Isaiah Foskey, both third-year starters. The defense, with seven returning starters, is the team's strength, but what has Alumbaugh excited is the young talent, led by sophomore quarterback Dorian Hale.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound left-hander got in 10 plays during last year's state championship game, and predictably looked raw. In Friday's scrimmage, however, he looked sharp, elusive and poised.

A team that has run roughshod on opponents with its vaunted veer attack might attack more by air on Friday with receiving threats like Lu-Magia Hearns, Erich Storti and Grant Daley.

"We have plenty to worry about with their running game alone," Richardson said.

Shamar Garrett, To'oto'o, James Coby along with Hale and an always smallish but strong and effective line will give Folsom plenty to tackle.

"They're the blueprint of how to practice, how to prepare, how to win," Richardson said of De La Salle. "We think we're one of the very best teams in the state and we know they are. It' a great game, a great measuring stick."

A victory and then Folsom might be the benchmark. About half the anticipated crowd will make the 70-mile trek from Sacramento County to Concord.

"They were lined around our track six- or seven deep," said Eidson, recalling the biggest crowd at Owen Owens, a 1992 game with Pittsburg the last Northern California team to beat the Spartans in the 1991 North Coast Section finals at the Oakland Coliseum. "Everyone showed up for the rematch."

The Spartans won the rematch that year to start a national record 151-game win streak. Against Northern California opponents, they've never looked back.

On Friday, they figure to be looking at their equal.

Said Richardson: "We can't wait to test ourselves Friday night. I want us to play fast, loose and just put it all out there."

Top 10 Games of the Week

1. De La Salle (Concord), 11-2 in 2017
Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. Folsom
Update: The Spartans have towered over Northern California, going a staggering 373-5-2 since 1984 (and 441-25-3 overall since 1982 with 21 unbeaten seasons). DLS has a 290-game unbeaten streak against NorCal teams (north of Fresno) since 1991 and has won 26 consecutive NCS titles and 30 since 1981. In a word: Wow. The Spartans have perhaps their best defense in 10 years, fast and ferocious, led by All-American candidate and national recruit Henry To'oto'o. Other recruits include DE Isaiah Foskey, DT Beau Tagaloa and LB Jhasi Wilson. The quarterback depth includes Dorian Hale and Jack Fulp.

2. Folsom, 16-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson
Next: vs. De La Salle
Update: Fifteen starters return from a 16-0 CIF State Division I-AA title team, none more electrifying than WR Joe Ngata, headed to Clemson, and QB Kaiden Bennett, who passed for 4,431 yards and 57 touchdowns and ran for 1,218 and 16 in 2017. The DL includes Tyler Hardeman, Deshawn Lynch and Chandon Pierre. Folsom is 113-9 this decade with six section and three CIF State title teams (and two 14-1 teams that lost to De La Salle in the 2012 and 2013 NorCal Open finals, since dropped).

3. Pittsburg, 9-3
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: vs. Clayton Valley Charter
Update: The Pirates lost to De La Salle in the NCS finals, beat Granite Bay in a NorCal final and nearly won the CIF State Division I title, losing a 21-point lead in a 28-21 loss to Narbonne. So there's motivation for perhaps the school's most talented team perhaps ever. QB Trey Turner is back from a knee injury, and the defense is led by LBs Jack Lacy and Jaden Tauanu'u.

4. Jesuit (Carmichael), 10-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Marlon Blanton
Next: vs. Folsom, Aug. 24
Update: The school opened in 1963 and never have the storied Marauders fielded such a remarkable 1-2 national recruit punch with RB/CB Isaiah Rutherford and LB/TE Laiatu Latu. They head 13 returning starters, including QB Hank Harvego, RB Jackson Canaan and LB/DE Cade Brownholtz. Two losses last season were to Folsom, including the playoffs.

5. Serra (San Mateo), 13-2
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Patrick Walsh
Next: vs. Serra (Gardena), Aug. 25
Update: The Padres won the WCAL, CCS, NorCal and CIF State titles last season and return QB Luke Bottari, who passed for 2,850 yards and 26 touchdowns. RB David Coker (701 yards rushing, seven scores) also returns. A showdown at Pittsburg looms on Sept. 8.

6. Liberty (Brentwood), 11-2
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Ryan Partridge
Next: vs. Vacaville
Update: The Lions won their first NCS championship, rolling Freedom 37-0. Back for more is QB Jay Butterfield, WR Sione Vaki and RB Tyerell Sturges-Cofer, who ran for 1,128 yards in 2017.

7. St. Mary's (Stockton), 11-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: vs. Pittsburg, Aug. 24
Update: QB Noah May is back, as are speedy receivers Joe Fontes, Jamar Marshall and Asar-Alim Moore for a team that lost to Folsom in the Section Division I finals under a coach who has led a powerhouse.

8. Saint Francis (Mountain View), 12-4
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), Aug. 24
Update: After winning the CIF State Division I-A title, the Lancers return a lot on defense, including DE Joshua Pakola and DB Evan Williams. But not in the mix, reportedly, is star running back in senior Darrell Page, who rushed 2,294 yards and 23 touchdowns in earning Bay Area New Group Offensive Player of the Year honors.

9. Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 11-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: vs. Lincoln
Update: The Trojans have won four section Division II titles since 1998 and reached the D-I finals twice since 2012, so they naturally target another championship run. The next QB star is Matt Jenner, who came off the bench to sparkle in the playoffs last season. OL Zachary Welch is headed to Nevada.

10. Del Oro (Loomis), 8-6
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jeff Walters
Next: vs. Amador Valley
Update: The Golden Eagles reached a section final for the 18th time last season, having won five since 2005. Eighteen starters return for another run, led by three-year starting WR/DB Dawson Hurst and LBs Tatuo Martinson and Charlie Rogers.

11. Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 8-3
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. Pittsburg
Update: The Ugly Eagles had banner seasons end in the last two NCS Open Division playoffs to De La Salle, and now CVC opens against powerhouse Pittsburg. The strength on defense is with LBs Cade Carter and Dusty Mitchell.

12. Valley Christian (San Jose), 9-3
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: vs. Wilcox (Santa Clara)
Update: Two losses last season were to Serra, which went on to win a state title. The size and talent comes especially from LB Judaea Moon, OL Zack Gieg and TE Skylar Loving-Black.

13. Freedom (Oakley), 9-3
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Andrew Coakley
Next: vs. Turlock
Update: The league includes ranked Pittsburg and Liberty for first-year coach Coakley, who replaced Kevin Hartwig. RB Giles Jackson ran for 1,586 yards last season and QB Joey Aguilar (2,501 yards passing) also returns.

14. Granite Bay, 12-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jeff Evans
Next: vs. Monte Vista
Update: The Grizzlies are aiming for their 20th consecutive playoff berth since opening in Placer County in 1996, and they won their sixth section title in 2017, beating Del Oro. RB/LB Jacob Ellis and linemen Bryce Van Order and Joseph Young lead the way.

15. Placer (Auburn), 13-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Foothill Valley
Coach: Joey Montoya
Next: vs. Pleasant Grove
Update: The Hillmen have been winning since the 1930s. Coach Montoya returns 17 starters from a CIF state finalist. The line is strong with tackles Joey Capra (headed to Oregon) and Blake Baughman (Nevada).

16. Menlo-Atherton (Atherton), 7-5
Section: Central Coast
League: Peninsula
Coach: Adhir Ravipati
Next: vs. Bellarmine Prep
Update: Two years after reaching the CIF 3-AA title game, here come the Bears again. They are led by national recruits in LB Daniel Heimuli and Noa Ngalu, who has committed to Washington.

17. Marin Catholic (Kentfield), 12-1
Section: North Coast
League: Marin County
Coach: Mazi Moayed
Next: vs. Campolindo (Moraga)
Update: The Wildcats are defending section champions in Division III and reached another NorCal title game. The next quarterback star is Gaven Cooke, and the top lineman is Jamar Sekona.

18. Central Catholic (Modesto), 10-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. Clovis West
Update: Superbly coached and tradition rich with CIF state titles in 2012, 2013 and 2015, the Raiders are poised for more. The leaders include RB/LB D'Angelo Bellamy, QB Dalton Durossette and RB/DB Dawaiian McNeely. An early game against De La Salle will be telling.

19. Manteca, 12-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Mark Varnum
Next: Lathrop
Update: The Buffaloes have the talent and tradition to three-peat as section champions under first-year coach Varnum.

20. Vacaville, 7-4
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Coach: Mike Papadopoulos
Next: vs. Liberty
Update: The Bulldogs are one of the storied programs in this section, starting with late, great Tom Zunino, a 200-game winner whose son-in-law has been in charge since 2005. The Bulldogs live to run and schedule tough.

21. Oakdale, 12-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Trent Merzon
Next: Sonora
Update: The Mustangs were top ranked by The Modesto Bee for all of the 2017 season until falling to Manteca in the section finals. Graduation cleared out a lot of starters but this is a storied program, having won the CIF State Division III-A title in 2016.

22. Shasta (Redding), 12-2
Section: Northern
League: Eastern
Coach: JC Hunsaker
Next: at Corning, Aug. 24
Update: The Wolves in 2017 won their first section title since 19839 and third overall, and then it reached the CIF State 3-AA finals. Devastating fires have rallied the region, and high school football helps soothe, much like the fires that ravaged the Napa Valley regions last fall. The offensive line returns Blake Blomquist and Kupono Kealiinohomoku with David Rivera as an up-and-comer. A handful of backs must fill the void left by Seth Park and Vinnie Smith.

23. Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 10-3
Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Coach: Paul Cronin
Next: vs. Fortuna
Update: The next star QB could be Jackson Pavitt, who will look for WR Jake Woods, in an effort to reach a section final for the fourth consecutive season. This has been a powerhouse program since the 1970s, when the Cardinals once held the state record for consecutive wins.

24. McClymonds (Oakland), 14-0
Section: Oakland
League: OAL
Coach: Michael Peters
Next: vs. Marin Catholic, Aug. 24
Update: The Warriors have won back-to-back CIF State 5-AA championships and boast a 25-game winning streak in making for one heck of a small-school powerhouse. The leader is RB/LB Jarmar Julien and LB Javanz Dornners.

25. Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland), 9-3
Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda
Coach: Napolean Kaufman
Next: vs. Kennedy (Fremont), Aug. 23
Update: The Dragons include Stanford commit and four-year starting RB Austin Jones. He ran for 1,560 yards and 23 scores last season and has 4,897 yards and 62 scores in his prep career.

Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and on Facebook: sacbeepreps and on Instagram: JoeDavidsonMedia

FRIDAY

(all kickoffs 7:30 p.m. unless noted) Cardinal Newman at Fortuna

Analy vs. Santa Rosa

Rancho Cotate vs. Sacramento

Casa Grande at Windsor

Montgomery vs. Petaluma

Ukiah vs. Willits

Sonoma Valley at Cloverdale

Healdsburg vs. Drake

Piner at Rodriguez

Kelseyville at Stellar Prep, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY

El Molino vs. St. Bernard, 2 p.m.

St. Helena at Arcata, 7 p.m.

After more than a year of discussions among high school coaches, athletic directors and principals, the new Sonoma County sports league alignments will make their debut season with football games Friday night.

Twelve teams from the new North Bay League’s Oak and Redwood divisions and three Sonoma County members of the newly formed Vine Valley League will open non-league play in nine games from Fairfield to Fortuna.

Most teams are familiar with their opening opponent, having played against each other in old configurations of the North Bay League or the now-defunct Sonoma County League. But come league play in a few weeks, some matchups will be brand new.

“It’s definitely a big change for us,” Analy coach James Foster said. “We have a completely different schedule, in terms of trying to win a league championship. It should be exciting.”

Early in 2017, three Napa County high schools — Napa, Vintage and American Canyon — asked the governing California Interscholastic Federation for permission to withdraw from the Sac-Joaquin Section and move to the North Coast Section, which includes Sonoma County schools and those farther north.

The Napa County schools said they wanted less travel time for their student-athletes but also more balanced competition.

Following multiple meetings, arguments and compromises, the NCS and CIF agreed, leading to a realignment that eliminated the SCL, created the new seven-team Vine Valley League and turned the NBL into a 12-team, two-division “super league.”

The biggest changes are for Petaluma, Casa Grande and Sonoma Valley, which moved to Vine Valley and will play against American Canyon, Justin-Siena, Napa and Vintage.

Alignments in the NBL will change by sport, designed to create competitive equity among large athletic powerhouse schools and generally smaller, less successful programs. The composition of the divisions, created after looking at the level of competition in individual sports over a five-year period, will be reconsidered every two years.

NBL commissioner Jan Smith Billing credited athletic directors with understanding other schools’ needs, not just their own.

“I met with all the fall-season coaches and they are also going into it with an open mind,” she said. “Some are very excited. Some are a little nervous about switching and playing other teams.

“I’m sure we’ll have glitches, but we’re giving it two years. We’re giving it a good shot.”

For the three teams headed to the Vine Valley League, it will mean a big change in travel. Petaluma football coach Rick Krist quipped that his team will no longer face heavy Highway 101 traffic, but Highway 37 slowdowns instead.

But he said he was generally pleased with the new league.

“When it first came out, I think there was a lot of community concern” about having to play the Napa schools, he said. “They are big schools. There’s a mismatch in some cases. In football, numbers mean a lot. Maybe not in baseball or basketball or noncontact sports. But it might when we are going to be facing teams with 50-60 kids on the sideline when we have 39.”

Then again, it may reduce blowout wins like Petaluma benefited from in the SCL last football season: 56-6 vs. Sonoma Valley, 50-19 vs. Piner, 56-21 vs. El Molino and 63-21 vs. Elsie Allen.

“It’s a huge challenge. Definitely, playing in the SCL there were times we had mismatched games. I don’t think that’s going to happen this year,” Krist said.

“This year we’re facing some of the best. They’re going to learn some things about themselves.”

Analy’s Foster said some of his players also are looking forward to a more challenging league. The Tigers went 5-0 last year in the SCL, a 48-32 win against Petaluma their only taxing contest.

“They see that some of the teams we play against are kind of the elite of the teams in this area,” he said. “They’re excited to play that competition. A lot of the teams in our league are teams we scheduled in the preseason before.

“But now the games will mean something.”

In addition to Analy, the Oak Division for football includes Cardinal Newman, Maria Carrillo, Rancho Cotate, Ukiah and Windsor. Last season, Cardinal Newman (5-0) and Rancho Cotate (4-1) dominated the NBL, while Analy (5-0) and Petaluma (4-1) ruled the SCL.

The Redwood Division includes Santa Rosa, Piner, Montgomery, Healdsburg, Elsie Allen and El Molino.

“We wanted to make it the best possible solution for the kids,” Smith Billing said, “so that the kids had a positive experience when they went out to compete, they had confidence that ‘We could maybe win this event,’ instead of ‘Yeah, we’re going to get slaughtered again.’”

Section officials encouraged schools to schedule non-league games with their historic rivals, too, to continue those long traditions.

Santa Rosa will travel to Petaluma to play the Trojans in The Big Game on Aug. 24. The oldest high school rivalry in Sonoma County dates to 1892, when Santa Rosa and Petaluma were the cities’ only public schools.

• By Greg Clementi, Sports Editor
• Jul 3, 2018

Former defensive coordinator takes over for Ballatore

READY TO ROLL — Longtime assistant coach Brad Stibi will succeed Kevin Ballatore as the new head football coach of the Windsor Jaguars.

The Windsor High School administration didn’t have to look far to fill their vacant head varsity football coaching position, tapping former defensive coordinator and longtime assistant coach Brad Stibi to lead the program.

Stibi succeeds Kevin Ballatore, who stepped down this spring after one season at the helm.

A former standout player in high school before going on to play at Sacramento State College, Stibi has been a fixture in the local football coaching ranks for nearly two decades.

After spending 10 years coaching at various levels in the Windsor Knights youth program, he spent several seasons with the WHS JV team before joining the varsity as an assistant, serving as the defensive coordinator under both Tom Kirkpatrick and Ballatore.

Football family

The Stibi name has been synonymous with Windsor football for more than a decade, with sons and WHS graduates Blake, Brady and Brett all coming through the ranks to star for the Jaguars.

Since taking the reins, coach Stibi’s first order of business was to convey a desire for continuity and commitment for a program that has had four head coaches in the past five seasons.

“I’d like to establish some stability in the program and create a good environment for the kids,” he said. “I want our players to work hard and have fun.”

The new head coach hit the ground running this summer, combining regular team weight training sessions with participation in the seven-on-seven league at Santa Rosa Junior College and the El Molino passing league.

Stibi has already assembled most of his coaching staff, naming veteran youth coach Rich Evans as his offensive coordinator.

“Rich and I coached together for years in youth football and he’ll establish his own style of offense,” Stibi noted, hinting that more emphasis may be placed on running the ball this season.

“I believe the most successful coaches adapt their style of play to the players they have, putting kids in a position to be successful.”

With league realignment taking effect this fall, Windsor has been placed in the competitive Oak Division, along with Cardinal Newman, Rancho Cotate, Maria Carrillo, Ukiah and Analy. The preseason will be equally tough, with the first three games coming against Casa Grande, Freedom and Del Oro.

“It’s going to be a challenge but I’m looking forward to it,” Stibi said.

Kirkpatrick: "Best victory of the year, no question."