El Mo to host Santa Rosa; Analy will entertain Windsor
The much anticipated North Bay League football season will kick off this Friday, Sept. 28, when teams in the Oak and Redwood divisions take the field in their respective openers.
The six-time defending Sonoma County League champion Analy Tigers will open the inaugural Oak Division campaign against Windsor in the friendly confines of Chip Castleberry Stadium, with the varsity kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.
Other teams in the ultra competitive Oak Division are Cardinal Newman, Rancho Cotate, Maria Carrillo and Ukiah.
The Tigers (2-3) are fresh off a bye in the schedule, following their 14-7 win over El Molino in the 54th Golden Apple Bowl on Sept. 14, but will enter the league opener with a sense of urgency on Friday.
“We’re looking forward to getting into league play,” Analy coach James Foster said. “Having the bye last week really allowed us to focus on all the little things, and we can’t wait to get back on the football field. Windsor is a good team, and it should be a competitive game.”
The Tigers have been led by senior quarterback Nic Visser, a strong-armed quarterback that can also do damage on the ground. Other top offensive threats are running back Kaden Fox and receivers Garrett Lua, Kolby Elledge and Tyler Nebozuk. Leading defenders are Vince Willis, Austin Burnham and Danny Chidester.
The defensive-minded Jaguars (2-3) emerged from a tough pre-league schedule in similar fashion, coming into Friday’s game with the same sense of urgency.
“This is absolutely a must-win game, but every game from here on out is a must win,” Windsor head coach Brad Stibi said. “Having last week off was definitely a key and allowed us to recover from the preseason.”
Lions ready to roar
El Molino (1-4) is also coming off a bye in the schedule and will open the NBL Redwood Division with similar designs on a playoff berth in November. Friday’s home match-up with a much-improved Santa Rosa squad is arguably the toughest the Lions will face in league.
Santa Rosa (4-2) is off to its best start in years, with big wins over Analy, Petaluma and Windsor to date. The Panthers possess a high-octane offense that has produced an average of about 28 points per game.
“We should be able to move the ball on them, but the big question will be if we can slow down their offense,” El Mo head coach Randy Parmeter said. “They are big and physical.”
El Mo should be buoyed by the return of junior quarterback Jalen Hall, who sat out most of the last two games with a leg injury. Top offensive players for the Lions have been all-purpose back Sam Wilson-Mietz and receiver/QB Wyatt Stringfellow. Defensive leaders include Chase Nicholls, Deddy Coshnear and Colman Hayes.
The JV kick off the action at 5 p.m., followed by the varsity game at 7:30 p.m.
