Annual battle for bragging rights returns to Sebastopol on Friday
SEBASTOPOL – One of the most storied high school football rivalries in Northern California will be renewed this Friday, Oct. 27 when the El Molino Lions visit the Analy Tigers in the 53rd edition of the Golden Apple Bowl.
The 2017 battle for bragging rights returns to Sebastopol, with JV and varsity kickoff times set for 5 and 7:30 p.m. respectively.
Last season, the Tigers scored a 55-7 romp over the Lions in the 52nd meeting between the teams, giving Analy a 29-23 edge in the overall series.
Although the Lions will be big underdogs entering the contest again this year, they will have arguably their best chance to hoist the coveted Golden Apple trophy since last possessing it in 2010.
El Molino (2-1, 4-3) is coming off a disappointing 56-21 loss to Petaluma on Oct. 20, but the formula for success against Analy may be simple.
“We just need to play hard, execute and have some luck,” Lions head coach Randy Parmeter said.
The five-time defending league champion Tigers (3-0, 4-3) are fresh off a 51-0 romp over Healdsburg on Friday. Although Analy hasn’t lost an SCL game since the 2011 season, the Tigers won’t fall prey to overconfidence this week.
“The kids definitely still see this as a big game,” Analy head coach James Foster noted. “This rivalry has a lot of history and the players respect that. To win, we just need to stay focused and not let the hype around the game get to us.”
