By Andrew Ottoson - sports/outdoors reporter
MOSCOW -- Salmon River eeked out a 44-42 win over Tri-Valley during the final moments of their Saturday, Sept. 17, meeting at the Kibbie Dome.
"It was an offensive show by both quarterbacks," coach Charlie Shepherd said. "We took an early lead, but they came back and took the lead in the fourth quarter. When we got the ball back, we had three minutes to try and win it."
When the drive stalled, the Savages set up a passing play to Shayden Wallace, who took a throw from Leighton Vander Esch to convert for the first down. Vander Esch ran a game-tying 5-yarder into the Tri-Valley end zone on the next play.
"They have big corners who were playing up on our receivers, so we split Leighton out wide and asked Charlie to complete the pass," Shepherd said. "That gave us the lead with 23 seconds left."
Tri-Valley threw three times, and the game ended with the Savages tackling scrambling quarterback Rodney Hollan in the open field.
"It was an exceptional effort by Leighton, both offensively and defensively," Shepherd said. "All the kids showed great maturity when we got behind. They were never defeated. We've seen a lot of growth from the start of the season. After losing two close ones, it was great to close one out, finally."
Vander Esch ran for three scores and averaged 4.6 yards per carry on 15 attempts. He also threw for three scores among 27 completions for 442 yards.
Salmon River was again without offensive threat and defensive kingpin Ethan Couie, who again went out with an ankle injury.
"When Couie went out, I thought their power run game would take it to us," Shepherd said. "But our defensive line shut them down to the point they had no choice but to throw."
Shepherd said Couie will be playing through pain for the rest of the season.
Coming -- Salmon River (2-2) will host its homecoming on Friday, Sept. 23, against Council.
"They have a strong run game. They're big and powerful, but young," Shepherd said. "We don't match up with them very well, but if we play well, we can hang with them."
Rio Linda is going to do it the old-fashioned way.
The Knights are playing in the Idaho Classic on Saturday at the University of Idaho's Kibbie Dome.
But unlike Whitney and Vanden, the two other California high schools competing in the showcase event, Rio Linda will bus to Moscow, Idaho, instead of fly.
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/14/3908662/high-school-football-rio-linda.html#ixzz1bG3sIxLb
MOSCOW, Idaho – The quarterback without a scholarship made a statement Saturday.
Chad Chalich had Whitney of Rocklin, Calif., coming and going as the Coeur d’Alene senior quarterback owned the first half as the defending Idaho 5A state champion Vikings (4-0) romped past the Wildcats 55-6 at the Kibbie Dome.
MOSCOW - So close, but so far away.
After battling back to within a point, the Lake City Timberwolves were unable to convert on a two-point conversion as they fell to the Rio Linda Knights of the Sacramento area 20-19 in the Idaho Football Classic on Saturday at the Kibbie Dome.
MOSCOW, Idaho — Even with a loss Saturday, Vanden High football coach LeVon Haynes said he’d do it all again.
As it was, the Vikings fell 35-34 to Highland of Pocatello, Idaho, Saturday at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho, in the second game of the Idaho Classic.
In a game that went back and forth throughout, Vanden (2-1) held its own against a team that plays much of its schedule against out-of-state teams.
“It was very narrow,” Haynes said.
Rio Linda made sure its 16-hour bus ride to Idaho was worth it.
Lamar Bible rushed for three touchdowns and forced a fumble; Jose Ram recovered two fumbles and forced another; and the Knights' defense stopped a game-winning two-point conversion run attempt to beat Lake City of Coeur d'Alene 20-19 Saturday at the Idaho Classic at the University of Idaho.
The trip wasn't as satisfying for Whitney.
Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/preps/archives/2011/09/rio-linda-trium.html#ixzz1bG2lANfJ
MOSCOW — They proved they were the class of the 5A level last year with a state championship.
Now, the Coeur d’Alene Vikings are running through the West Coast.
Coeur d’Alene, which beat Skyview of Vancouver, Wash., 52-14 last Saturday, rolled past Whitney High of Rocklin, Calif., 55-6 in the final game of the Idaho Football Classic on Saturday night at the Kibbie Dome.
In some ways, the Highland High School football team did not know what to expect when it traveled to Moscow to take part in the first ever Idaho Football Classic.
After all was said and done, the Rams left the Kibbie Dome with a thrilling 35-34 victory over the Vanden Vikings from Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, Calif.
Prep Football Showcase Set For Grant High Sept. 2-3
Mike Ray, Gold Country News Services
After nearly five months of planning, everything has been finialized for the first "Smackdown In Sactown" football showcase which locally will feature both Placer and Colfax high schools.
"We're all set to go," said Smackdown organizer Matt Wiliams who in past years as headed showcases played at both Folsom and Del Oro.
"It took some time and coopertation from everyone involved but it's all coming together now," said Williams.
According to Williams, all seven games in the Smackdown will be played at Grant High School. The slate has three games to be played on Friday, Sept. and four on Sat. Sept. 3.
While there are several attractive matchups over the two-day event, the feature tilt on Saturday evening will match-up state and national powers Grant against Long Beach Poly.
"We'll probably have Snoop Dog and possibly M.C. Hammer in the house," said Williams. Rapper Snoop Dog is a graduate of Long Beach Poly.
Tickets for the event are $10 for adults and $5 for high school students and younger. Children ages 6 and under will be admitted free of charge.
Here's the schedule for the Smackdown:
at Grant High School
Fri. Sept. 2
4:30 - Colfax vs. Bradshaw Christian
6:30 - Placer vs. Brookside Christian
8:30 - Del Campo vs. Rancho Cotati (Sonoma County)
Sat. Sept. 3
9 a.m. - Grant Jr. Pacers vs. Fremont
11 a.m. - Yuba City vs. Maria Carrillo (Santa Rosa)
2 p.m. - Franklin (Elk Grove) vs. Bishop O'Dowd
7 p.m. - Grant vs. Long Beach Poly
Grant, Buhach Colony snap up three spots on preseason first team while Elk Grove, Lincoln of Stockton, Pleasant Grove and Whitney all get two
Note: This is the first part of another continuing series in which we will list preseason all-section teams or preseason all-area teams from throughout California. Up Next: CIF Central Section.
With three CIF state bowl game wins in the last three years, the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section has earned a strong bump for its football reputation.
Another sign of the section’s growing strength as a statewide power is the number of Pac-12 level college prospects that dominate this year’s preseason all-section team.
Looking at the big boys up front, in fact, only the massive CIF Southern Section can compare. Four of the five best offensive linemen in the section have offers from Pac-12 colleges while two of the top 25 players in the ESPNU 150 – tackle Aric Armstead and defensive back/athlete Shaq Thompson – are both from the Sac-Joaquin.
Armstead, who has committed to USC, is joined on the first team preseason offense by Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove, Calif.) teammate Mark Jenkins. He rushed for 2,739 yards and scored 41 touchdowns as a junior in leading the Eagles to the Division I section championship.
Thompson, the Cal-Hi Sports State Junior of the Year, had 1,892 yards rushing with 25 touchdowns for Grant (Sacramento, Calif.), but is more highly regarded by colleges as a safety. He is joined on the preseason all-section squad by teammates Charlie Vue (kicker) and Terry Shine (quarterback/running back).
The only other school with three first team preseason all-section picks is Buhach Colony (Atwater, Calif.). All three of the Thunder honorees – Aaron Cochran, Matt Cochran and Aziz Shittu – are linemen.
Several quarterbacks return with impressive totals from last season. Elite 11 camp participant Jake Rodrigues of Whitney (Rocklin, Calif.) passed for 2,039 yards and 21 TDs while also rushing for 1,300 yards and 22 more scores. He has committed to Oregon.
Small school star Tony Rodriguez of Brookside Christian (Stockton, Calif.) didn’t make the preseason section team, but deserves mention for his 3,472 yards passing and 48 touchdowns from last year.
Preseason All-CIF Sac-Joaquin Section
Football Team
Offense
WR D.J. Myart (Inderkum, Sacramento) 5-10, 175, Sr.
TE Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick (Whitney, Rocklin) 6-5, 250, Sr. * Playing Idaho Football Classic
OL Gavin Andrews (Granite Bay) 6-6, 330, Sr.
OL Aric Armstead (Pleasant Grove, Elk Grove) 6-7, 275, Sr.
OL Matt Cochran (Buhach Colony, Atwater) 6-4, 330, Sr.
OL Steven Moore (Elk Grove) 6-7, 265, Sr.
OL Leonard Wood (Monterey Trail, Elk Grove) 62, 295, Sr.
QB Jake Rodrigues (Whitney, Rocklin) 6-3, 205, Sr. * Playing Idaho Football Classic
RB Mark Jenkins (Pleasant Grove, Elk Grove) 5-9, 175, Sr.
RB Josh Miguel (Escalon) 5-9, 175, Sr.
RB Sean Tow (Union Mine, El Dorado) 5-7, 160, Jr.
PK Charlie Vue (Grant, Sacramento) 5-8, 170, Sr. *Playing in Grant’s Smackdown in Sactown
Defense
DL Aaron Cochran (Buhach Colony, Atwater) 6-8, 310, Jr.
DL Maile Fainu (Burbank, Sacramento) 6-4, 240, Sr.
DL Charles Howard (Lincoln, Stockton) 6-5, 305, Sr.
DL Aziz Shittu (Buhach Colony, Atwater) 6-4, 275, Sr.
DL Pio Vatuvei (Patterson) 6-3, 265, Sr.
LB Alex Bertrando (Del Oro, Loomis) 6-3, 205, Sr.
DB Jaquari People (Merced) 5-9, 170, Sr.
DB Deon Ransom (Elk Grove) 5-9, 175, Sr.
DB Marcus Rios (Cosumnes Oaks, Elk Grove) 6-0, 170, Sr.
P Devan Barkley (Lincoln, Stockton) 5-11, 165, Sr.
Multi-Purpose
QB/DB Joey Armstrong (Lodi) 6-0, 180, Sr.
QB/RB Mitch Samson (Casa Roble, Orangevale) 6-0, 170, Sr.
QB/RB Terry Shine (Grant, Sacramento) 5-9, 160, Sr. *Playing in Grant’s Smackdown in Sactown
RB/DB Shaq Thompson (Grant, Sacramento) 6-1, 200, Sr. *Playing in Grant’s Smackdown in Sactown
RB/KR Dalemaria Williams (McNair, Stockton) 5-8, 175, Sr.
DB/KR Ryan Wood (Stagg, Stockton) 6-1, 175, Sr.
Second Team (Alphabetical)
WR/DB Josh Adams (Pleasant Grove, Elk Grove) Jr.
LB Cameron Buell (Casa Roble, Orangevale) Sr.
WR Dylan Collie (Oak Ridge, El Dorado Hills) Sr.
RB Justin Davis (Lincoln, Stockton) Jr.
QB/RB Cole Farrow (Rio Linda) Sr.
OL Eric Flores (Enochs, Modesto) Sr.
DB Gabe Humphers (Nevada Union, Grass Valley) Sr.
LB Craig Jones (Central Catholic, Modesto) Sr.
QB Brendan Keeney (Granite Bay) Sr.
RB Casey Lambert (Roseville) Sr.
PK/DB Justin Martin (Oakdale) Sr.
DB Tyler Munoz (Enochs, Modesto) Sr.
WR Corey Palin (Whitney, Rocklin) Sr.
LB Jordan Owensby (Franklin, Elk Grove) Sr.
WR Ryan Rogero (Tokay, Lodi) Sr.
DL Ewing Simmons (St. Mary’s, Stockton) Sr.
PK Jon David Smith (Oak Ridge, El Dorado Hills) Sr.
DL Tony Vincent (Escalon) Sr.
PK/P Marcus White (Pleasant Grove, Elk Grove) Sr.
One of the biggest upsets in California history and likely the most important victory in Sacramento-region history will be re-set early in the 2011 football season.
According to the Sacramento Bee, perennial national power Long Beach Poly which has sent more players to the NFL than any in the nation, will take on Grant (Sacramento, Calif.) as part of the California Football Classic on Sept 3.
Grant's Shaq Thompson will return
next season as one of the nation's
top recruits.
Grant defeated Poly 25-20 for the 2008 CIF Open Division Bowl championship at the Home Depot Center in Carson, costing the Jackrabbits a possible mythical national championship.
According to the Bee, the Grant-Poly contest will be the marquee contest of a two-day, six-game showcase, put on by the event organizer Matt Williams.
The site for the game has yet to be decided – likely either Sacramento State, Sacramento City College or American River College.
Grant (13-1 last season) opens the season the week before against CIF Division II Bowl Champion Folsom, a team it defeated 49-14 to start the 2010 season but was eliminated by with a 41-20 defeat.
The game ends any speculation that Grant was headed to Dallas to play in the annual Herbsteit Classic at Cowboys Stadium.
Grant will return one of the nation's top all-round players Shaq Thompson. Poly, winners of 18 Southern Section crowns, is coming off a disappointing 8-3 season.
"We're going to find out how good we are pretty fast," Grant coach Mike Alberghini told Bee writer Bill Paterson.