|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Believe it or not, there are problems with going undefeated in the regular season and hanging a banner for a league title. You become the target the following season for all the teams you beat.
Such is the case for the Foothill High football team this year. For the second straight week the Falcons were beaten by a team they had vanquished the previous season.
Foothill opened this season dropping a 38-24 game to San Leandro and then, last Friday, fell 28-15 to California to fall to 0-2 on the season. Last year, the Falcons easily handled both of those teams.
When I talked with coach Matt Sweeney before the season, one of his biggest concerns was the revenge motivation other teams would have for the Falcons.
Through two weeks, it has come true and it doesn’t get any easier or Foothill this week as they host Monte Vista, arguably one of the best teams in Northern California.
The Mustangs are loaded everywhere, with at least three players headed to play Division I college football. Quarterback Jake Haener – the son of KTVU news anchor Julie Haener – is rated by some publications as the top QB in all of Northern California and will head to Washington next season.
It is a daunting task for sure and Foothill is staring at an 0-3 start, but if there is staff and group of the players that can rebound, it is Sweeney and his Falcons. The team played better in week two, even taking a 7-0 lead after driving the field after the opening kickoff.
Some of the positives I took away from the game were the play of running back Jadon Gonzaga and quarterback Ben Wooldridge. Gonzaga ran hard and well, giving the team optimism for the running game.
Wooldridge showed me ton of composure throughout the game despite being targeted for at least three late shots by Cal defenders. Two were called, with one missed. Yet the junior quarterback in his second year as the starter, kept getting back up and going after it.
Amador Valley also fell to 0-2 following a 34-21 loss to Deer Valley. The Dons fell behind 28-7 and had to play catchup the rest of the game. Amador now gets Dougherty Valley this week and should find the going a bit easier.
Dougherty Valley, playing its first season in the EBAL, is 1-1 on the season, limping past Las Lomas 12-7 before getting handled 36-12 by Berkeley in their second game.
Having known first-year head coach Danny Jones for a while now, I can guarantee the Dons will also be stronger as the season goes on. Putting in a new system takes time, but I fully expect Amador to be a force by the middle of the season.
WATER POLO
The Amador Valley girls’ water polo team moved to 2-0 on the season with a convincing 12-1 win against Northgate last Tuesday, Aug. 30.
Seniors Mia Battilega, Talia Florio and Lauren Milligan were the three lead offensive contributors. The Dons’ defense played strong in holding Northgate to the lone goal. Defensive efforts were led by Talia Florio and senior Lauren Coching who combined for 11 of the teams 17 steals.
In the JV match, the Dons fell 7-3. On the boys side for Amador, the results were a mixed bag as they took on Northgate.
The varsity team fell 9-8, while the JV team was able to take home a 13-7 win.
It was a good day for the “Jack’s” on the team. Jack Miller led the varsity with four goals, Jack Kost paced the JV team with five goals.
++
Coaches: For Fall athletic program coverage, make sure to have a team representative e-mail your weeks results by each Sunday to me at acesmag@aol.com/