NAPA VALLEY REGISTER SPORTS SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2019 | B1 SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2019 | napavalleyregister.com | SECTION B CrushersVINTAGE 41, WOOD 0 run past rival Wildcats got the ball again at their scored on a 1-yard run at the end of Zivkovic runs for two own 23-yard line and tried a pitch Vintage’s eight-play opening drive to use their speed in the open field. and on a 20-yard run that capped TDs, returns fumble It went for a touchdown all right the scoring late in the third quarter. for another — by Vintage linebacker Pedja “We worked hard all summer and Zivkovic, who caught the pitch and it felt good to get a little payback ANDY WILCOX turned it into a 25-yard fumble re- after last year. We studied their [email protected] turn touchdown. playbook all summer, just con- After the Vintage High foot- It was perhaps the most back- stantly repping their plays. It’s a ball team took a quick lead in Fri- breaking play of the night by the fun little rivalry we’ve got.” day night’s season opener, Wood Crushers, whose 41-0 victory was The Wildcats — with first-year grabbed some momentum by forc- by the largest margin in the 30- head coach Kirk Anderson and ing two straight punts at Memorial year history of the rivalry. It came one of his assistants, Jorge Ruiz Stadium. a year after a 35-7 shellacking by Chavez, both Napa High gradu- But the second one went only 11 the Wildcats in the first nonleague ates — weren’t ready to give up yet. yards, and the Crushers cashed in matchup of the former Monticello Kemani Curtis intercepted a Jacob with a 30-yard touchdown pass Empire League opponents. Aaron pass and returned it to the from Bill Chaidez to a wide-open “He kept pump-faking it and Wood 45. RICK MANAHAN PHOTOGRAPHY Billy Birdsall early in the second then he pitched it and I was right Vintage’s Pedja Zivkovic, after grabbing a Wood pitch in mid-air, heads quarter.Still with a chance, the there,” said Zivkovic, who also Please see CRUSHERS, Page B4 to the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown fumble return Friday night. JUSTIN-SIENA 35, NAPA 33, MIDDLETOWN 13 PIEDMONT 9 Beers passes Braves past Piedmont KIRK KIRKPATRICK [email protected] The Justin-Siena football team got off to a slow start but still rolled to a 35-9 over the visiting Piedmont on Friday night at Dodd Stadium. Justin-Siena head coach Bran- don LaRocco was pleased after his program defeated the Highland- ers in a season opener, or been even close to beating them, for the first time since 2013. “Not too shabby,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of tough games against these guys and I really re- spect their program. That’s a good team we played tonight.” The Braves had strong perfor- mances on both sides of the ball, DON LEX PHOTOS, LUCKYDUCKIMAGES.COM with junior quarterback Hudson Napa High’s Isidro Rios (7) catches a touchdown pass from quarterback Isaiah Newton behind Middletown defender Justin Urbina as the Beers completing 12 of 24 passes Mustangs’ Tyler Crudo (5) and Tanner Pachie (12) look on Friday night in Middletown. for 212 yards and two touchdowns in his varsity debut. “The first time you play var- sity quarterback, there’s a lot to get used to – like the speed of the game and the other team’s blitz package,” LaRocco said. “It’s hard Grizzlies roll, end skid to replicate what Piedmont does right to Grizzlies all-purpose in practice. But I was proud of the Bowers opens game star Brock Bowers. The Divi- way our line picked up the blitz with 75-yard TD sion 1 college recruit scooped and gave Hudson time to throw.” up the ball and quickly headed Justin-Siena wide receiver kickoff return toward the right side of the Miles Williams had a pair of 50- field. A Middletown defender yard TD receptions from Beers, DANIEL POULTER attempted to take down the and also blocked a punt that he [email protected] 6-foot-4, 215-pound junior, ran in for a 25-yard scoop and MIDDLETOWN — Usually it’s but quickly found himself face score. the Middletown High football down in the grass after a vicious program that bruises and batters hit. Bowers found the corner af- Please see BRAVES, Page B2 opponents into submission, but ter the mighty blow and wasn’t the Mustangs found themselves touched again during a 75-yard on the other end of a beatdown touchdown return. ST. HELENA 46, Friday evening. “I just came out with the Napa High blasted the defend- mindset that I didn’t really want ST. PAT’S 27 ing North Coast Section Division to get tackled or be on the ground 5 champions, 33-13, in a contest at all this season,” Bowers said. that wasn’t close from start to “So I came with that mindset. Saints pull finish. That was my first varsity win The Grizzlies not only dis- here and it’s just great because I patched the Mustangs at Bill feel like it’s good to get the ball Foltmer Field, named after the rolling early. We had to pick up an away from legendary coach who began his early win, so that’s good.” 34th season at the Middletown The whole Napa sideline helm, but snapped a two-year, rushed down the field to cele- St. Pat’s 11-game losing streak. brate, and the mood was set for Napa started its season about the evening. GUS MORRIS Napa High’s Brock Bowers returns the opening kickoff 75 yards for a as well as it could have hoped. [email protected] touchdown at Middletown on Friday night. A low, line-drive kickoff went Please see GRIZZLIES, Page B4 ST. HELENA — Standing near the center of Bob Patterson Me- morial Field late Friday night, a hoarse Brandon Farrell was any- AMERICAN CANYON 40, DEER VALLEY 8 thing but at a loss for words. The St. Helena head coach talked about his football players’ tenacity, fight, perseverance and Wolves avenge loss playmaking, all of which he had just witnessed in their season opener. to Deer Valley, 40-8 Behind a brutal rushing attack and a number of timely defensive PATRICK GORDON batted by fellow junior Ronald plays, the Saints downed visiting [email protected] Hamilton for a touchdown with small-school powerhouse St. ANTIOCH — The Ameri- 5:32 remaining in the first quar- Patrick-St. Vincent, 46-27, to can Canyon High football team ter. get their 2019 campaign off to a went to Deer Valley for its sea- The Wolves put 40 unan- resounding start. son opener Friday night and swered points on the board be- “So proud of the kids,” Farrell came away with a convincing fore Deer Valley was able to re- said after talking to his team. 40-8 win, thanks in large part spond. “We battled, we practiced, we to strong performances from Eschenburg, a senior quar- scrimmaged and we felt good Vance Eschenburg and Ezekiel terback, showed his ability with about ourselves, and in the back Anderson. both his arm and legs. He had of our minds you know that when The first scoring play of the a pair of first-down scrambles PATRICK GORDON PHOTO you get into a game like this, we night came courtesy of Ander- during a second-quarter scoring American Canyon’s Ezekiel Anderson, second from right, celebrates son, a linebacker and running with Kekoa Wilson (25), Vinny Espejo (4) and Alijah King (28) after his M 1 Please see SAINTS, Page B2 back who intercepted a ball Please see WOLVES, Page B2 pick-six in the first quarter. B2 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2019 SPORTS NAPA VALLEY REGISTER NFL Rookie safety Abram makes big impression on Raiders JOSH DUBOW The players see that. He doesn’t Abram. We are going out here and than that, yeah, he backs it up,” evident when they drafted him 27th Associated Press act like your typical rookie.” we’re just a team. What year you Burfict said. “So, you can talk as overall out of Mississippi State and ALAMEDA — Johnathan Abram Abram is just what the Raiders are in doesn’t really matter, how much as you want as long as you then immediately gave him the No. is making a big first impression on need on defense, a player that can you can help this team win, that’s back it up.” 24, previously worn by Woodson the Oakland Raiders. help give a unit that has struggled all that really matters.” Abram has done that so far, and Hall of Famer Willie Brown. The first-round rookie safety in recent years an identity through Middle linebacker Vontaze Burf- emerging as the starter at strong He has already impressed one of had a starring role on the debut his hard-hitting and aggressive ict, the leader of the defense based safety for Oakland. He had two those predecessors before playing episode of “Hard Knocks,” fired play. on his experience and knowledge tackles in 14 snaps in the exhibi- his first real game. up the fans with a pregame visit Abram and Oakland’s other of the system having played for tion opener against the Los Ange- “I told him, ‘that edge you have, to the “Black Hole” in Oakland’s rookie first-rounder, defensive end Guenther in Cincinnati, said he les Rams. man, don’t lose it.’ There’s a lot of first exhibition game and has been Clelin Ferrell, have quickly become has never seen rookies emerge as The Raiders are hoping Abram people with a lot of opinions of him a loud presence with his hitting leaders on a rebuilt defense despite quickly as leaders as Abram and can provide the difference-maker right now.