Eagles and Wildcats Tangle in Regular Season Finale

By Will James
Home Town Sports

The last week of the regular high school football season is upon us; a time when many teams are making a final push toward a possible playoff berth, and in come cases, playing for a conference championship.

Only part of this common scenario will be in place for Access Sacramento’s telecast of the Home Town Sports Game-of-the-Week on Friday evening in Elk Grove.

That’s where a match-up between two perennial Elk Grove powerhouses will unfold, as the Pleasant Grove Eagles take a short ride to Cosumnes Oaks High School to battle the host Franklin Wildcats in a Delta League finale.

Broadcast time Friday night is 7 pm on Access Sacramento, Comcast & Consolidated Communications (SureWest) Cable fChannel 17, AT&T U-Verse Channel 14 and streamed live on the Internet on AccessSacramento.org

The Pleasant Grove football program is undergoing its most volatile period.  Highly-successful Eagles Head Coach, Joe Cattolico (77-25 record), unexpectedly resigned his post just weeks before the start of the 2014 school year.  His successor, Jason Rossow, suddenly underwent major surgery and has missed the entire season and is still recovering on medical leave.  Offensive Coordinator, Russell Gardner was then abruptly thrust into the role of Interim Head Coach.

The coaching crisis and heavy injuries are key factors that drastically disrupted Pleasant Grove’s season.  As a result, the Eagles will limp into Friday’s game with an uncharacteristic 2-4 Delta League record, and just 3-6 overall, marking the Eagles worst season in ten years, and just the second time Pleasant Grove has missed a post-season playoff appearance.

Even so, underdog Pleasant Grove will bring its A-Game on Friday with every intention of playing the spoiler and registering an upset.  To do so, the Eagles will rely on their veterans to lead the way.  Returning all-leaguers, RB Damaree Morris and WR Sedrick Thomas, lead the offense.  DE Andrew Madden and LB Derrick Carrol anchor the defense.

Franklin Head Coach, Mike Johnson and the Wildcats are faced with a singular priority:  A must-win on Friday to punch their ticket to the SJS playoffs.  Failing to do so will end Franklin’s season.

The Wildcats have also been hit hard by injuries.  Starting QB Jacob Lopez and leading rusher Lamar Jackson are injured and doubtful for Friday’s game.  In their absences, QB Matt Allison and RB Patrick Walker will be on the spot to lead the offense.  DL Mitchell Bullough, LB Rahsaan York, and DB Reid Abshear spark the defense.

This game is anything but a formality to close the regular season.  It will be a fierce battle, with a playoff berth and school pride on the line.

By Will James

Home Town Sports Game-of-the-Week

The Sierra Foothill League has long been considered the most competitive league in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section, and with good reason. The imposing presence of five elite programs packed into the seven-team league is impressive, if not intimidating.  Perennial SFL heavyweights include Del Oro, Folsom, Granite Bay, Oak Ridge, and Rocklin.  All five teams occupy positions in this week’s Dimino’s Dozen, the weekly high school football rankings compiled by Hometown Sports Game Analyst, Jim Dimino.  Nevada Union and Woodcreek complete the SFL’s seven-team alignment.  

In recent years,  the Capital Valley Conference has made a case of its own to claim the distinction of being the toughest conference in the SJS.  Five of its seven teams — Antelope, Cosumnes Oaks, Del Campo, Roseville, and Whitney — are legitimate contenders and are currently rated among the Top-17 teams in this week’s Dimino’s Dozen weekly high school football rankings.  Bella Vista and Ponderosa round-out the unfortunate underdog teams in the CVC.

However, the ever-dominant Delta League, which like the SFL has merged its two Delta Divisions into one, and now stands as tough as any league in the entire SJS.  With their reputations among the local football community having preceded them, Elk Grove, Franklin, Grant, Jesuit, Monterey Trail, Davis and Sheldon form a Delta League line-up that reflects an aura of virtual invincibility amid its collection of playoff caliber teams that presently occupy five spots in this weeks Dimino’s Dozen high school football rankings.  Also-ran spoilers Davis and Pleasant Grove complete the Delta membership, which brings us to this week’s story.

Access Sacramento’s television crew is primed to make a first-hand evaluation of Delta League superiority this week, and travels to Elk Grove for Friday evening’s telecast of the Sheldon Huskies vs. Franklin Wildcats clash at Cosumnes Oaks High School. 

This live telecast may be seen on Comcast channel 17, on Consolidated Communications channel 17, and AT&T U-Verse channel 14.  The game will be replayed Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m, and again Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m., and may be seen on the same channels. The game will also be streamed from AccessSacramento.org and the NFHS Network.

Two of the many intriguing highlights of this match-up are the impressive credentials and career accomplishments of two of the most highly regarded head coaches in the entire CIF Sac-Joaquin Section. 

Franklin Head Coach Mike Johnson (Courtesy: SacBee.com)

Franklin Head Coach Mike Johnson is in his 14th campaign with the Wildcats where he has led them to a pair of Delta League crowns in 2009 & 2011.  And before arriving at Franklin, Johnson guided Lincoln/Stockton to the SJS D-1 Championship in 2000 with a 35-28 overtime victory at UOP against heavily favored Elk Grove.

Johnson and his 15th-ranked Wildcats should appreciate playing on their shared home field at Cosumnes Oaks H.S..  Franklin began the season with three impressive victories.  However, Friday they’ll bring a 3-1 mark into the contest after having been dismantled 56-0 by Grant last week. 

Franklin needs a victory to even its Delta League record, and will rely heavily on an offense that predominately features its running game that produces more than 200 yards per game.  The passing attack chips in with slightly more than 100 yards per game.  Until last week the ‘Cats offense had been considered explosive, averaging 45 points per game. through its first three games before being blanked by the Pacers. 

Sophomore QB Nico Regino has completed better than 50% of his passes to account for 6 TD and just 1 int.  Regino has three excellent receivers including Juniors Brady Johnson and Jalen Lampley, and Senior Tariq Glenn.  This trio has totaled 14 catches for 301 yards.

The Wildcats rushing attack is keyed by 3-year starter and 2-way (FB/LB) player, Kaderro Tamondong, who averages 7.5 yards per carry with 2 TD.  Three outstanding Juniors provide a deep stock of RBs for the Wildcats. Taejon King, Lampley, and Zack Upshaw have motored for 459 yards. and 8 TD.

LB Tamondong is Franklin’s top tackler with 42 stops in four games. Defensive linemen Joaquin Quenga, Eugene Lopez, and Christian Joyner-Hill, and DBs Marriye Shephard and Ryan Ortez are important run-stoppers for the Wildcats. 

After eight highly successful years as the Pleasant Grove Head Coach and a 2-year hiatus from the coaching lines, Joe Cattolico returns to the sidelines as head man for the Sheldon Huskies.  His impressive resume while guiding the Eagles includes four Delta League titles and a 2010 SJS D-1 Championship.

Cattolico has returned and is on a mission, opening the season with 4-straight wins including an impressive 27-22 victory over Monterey Trail last week.  His career W-L record is 77-25.

Sheldon QB Chance LaChapelle

The Huskies score at a rate of 45 points per game, with an excellent balanced attack that totals 250 yards. per game on the ground, and 173 yards per game in the air.  Senior QB Chancellor LaChapelle leads the way with nearly 700 yards. passing and a completion efficiency of 78%, while throwing 7 TD with just 1 Int. 

RBs Graylon Lindsey, Vonathan Allen, and Alex Cook have combined for nearly 900 yards. rushing with 9 TD.  Cook is a double threat as a WR, who teams with Izaiah McFalls and Brandon Erwing to form a solid trio that has clicked for 26 receptions totaling more than 650 yards and seven TD.  

The Huskies unleash a stingy defense that allows just 14 points per game.  The Sheldon defense has come up with six takeaways, having recorded four interceptions, two fumble recoveries plus eight sacks.  Defensive lineman Ravontae Holt, LBs Erwing, Oscar Gutierrez, and Allen, and DB Cook are the Huskies’ leading tacklers, recording more than 150 stops.  

With these two coaches in place, motivation in abundance, and a high level of emotion swirling around the stadium Friday evening, this game will draw a major crowd, and should reflect heavy intensity and an atmosphere of playoff magnitude.  This one will be a real show.

by Will James

Hometown Sports

As if there wasn’t already enough storied history between two of the more recently established high schools in the Elk Grove Unified School District, Friday evening’s Delta League showdown between Monterey Trail and Franklin will surely add more heavy substance to the growing football tradition of these friendly foes who have waged famous battles since first engaging each other in 2010.

Access Sacramento‘s Game of the Week may be seen on Comcast cable channel 17, Consolidated Communications cable channel 17, and AT&T U-Verse channel 14.  The game will also be streamed on AccessSacramento.org and the NFHS Network.

This live telecast marks the eighth meeting between the two neighboring schools beginning in 2010; a pair of start-up programs that have been assembled and developed with a stellar sense of pride by two of the most highly regarded coaches in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section.  

Veteran Franklin Head Coach, Mike Johnson, and his #8 Wildcats (4-1) hold a distinct advantage in the overall series, having won five of the seven battles by decisive margins.  However, T.J. Ewing’s 15th-ranked Mustangs (3-2), who won a wild 37-36 thriller in 2010’s inaugural meeting in 2010, and broke a five-game losing skid last year with a clutch effort that produced a 28-26 win.  

Both Monterey Trail victories against Franklin have come on its home field; an advantage the Mustangs will not enjoy Friday evening.  Franklin has already registered an impressive win over Grant in Week-4, before being edged 28-24 last week in the final seconds at Sheldon for its first loss of the season.

Monterey Trail executes the deceptive, run-heavy Veer Offense as well as any team in the SJS.  Though rather one-dimensional with minimal passing production, the Mustangs create frustration and virtual havoc against opposing teams with it’s ball/clock control capability that remains one of the most impressive features of the Veer.

Junior QB, Zach Larrier is the trigger man for the Mustangs’ Veer.  He has rushed and passed for better than 600 yards and 7 TD.  Junior RB, Jehiel Budgett, has rushed and received for more than 600 yards and 5 touchdowns.

The Mustangs’ defensive line is sparked by Wayne Doroen whose 34 tackles include six for losses.  The linebacker trio of Aztlan Lopez, Andrew Almonte, and Marcus Jones are excellent run-stoppers who have combined for 165 tackles.     

The Wildcats also feature a run-dominated offense, which sophomore QB, Brandon Rundgren, has capably engineered thus far.  Rundgren has fully utilized the outstanding rushing combo of seniors Daniel Ross and Jalen Lampley who have combined for 743 yards and 11 touchdowns.  Despite drawing heavy coverage as the only notable Wildcats’ receiver, senior WR Brady Johnson is having an excellent season, averaging 18.5 on 13 receptions for 241 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Much of the attraction of this game is the unpredictability factor that generally produces generous portions of suspense, intrigue, and crowd-pleasing Delta league drama.  This match-up easily falls into the don’t-miss-it category.