Golden Empire

League Standings

		Overall				League
	School	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	PF	PA
1.	Capital Christian	7	3	0	.700	6	0	362	217
2.	Highlands	5	5	0	.500	4	2	200	207
3.	Lindhurst	4	6	0	.400	4	2	143	253
4.	Marysville	3	7	0	.300	3	3	184	239
5.	Golden Sierra	3	7	0	.300	3	3	175	304
6.	San Juan	1	9	0	.100	1	5	99	373
7.	Encina	1	9	0	.100	0	6	107	273

Player Stat Leaders

	Passing	Rushing	Receiving	Tackles	Sacks	Interceptions
1.	James Lee- Capital Christian- 139/218, 2,220 yards, 29 TD/8 INT	Angel Vega- Lindhurst- 179 car, 1,066 yards, 6 TD	Paul Roberson- Capital Christian- 48 rec, 815 yards, 13 TD	Cameron Rasouili- San Juan- 123	Kris Denman- Highlands- 7.0	Robert Garvin- Highlands- 4
2.	Nick Highberger- Golden Sierra- 81/169, 1,029 yards, 8 TD/12 INT	Keith Johnson- Capital Christian- 138 car, 951 yards, 6 TD	David Oates- Capital Christian- 32 rec, 624 yards, 6 TD	Michael Barabin- Marysville- 101	Dan Johnson- Golden Sierra- 5.5	Jake Hannah- Golden Sierra- 4
3.	Chant Deforest- Marysville- 58/139, 841 yards, 6 TD/9 INT	Michael Barabin- Marysville- 169 car, 917 yards, 8 TD	Jake Hannah- Golden Sierra- 28 rec, 456 yards, 4 TD	Dylan Mullins- Capital Christian- 100	Angel Vega- Lindhurst- 5.0	Oscar Brown- Highlands- 4
4.	Dedric Blackman- Highlands- 59/119, 760 yards, 8 TD/7 INT	Tre'vonn Tyler- Encina- 158 car, 775 yards, 4 TD	Stephen Paxton- Lindhurst- 28 rec, 433 yards, 5 TD	Edgar Guzman- Lindhurst- 85	Anthony Vega- Lindhurst- 4.0	Jim Hansen- Golden Sierra- 3
5.	Az Sutton- Lindhurst- 45/86, 746 yards, 4 TD/10 INT	Dedric Blackman- Highlands- 91 car, 689 yards, 11 TD	Jim Hansen- Golden Sierra- 27 rec, 381 yards, 2 TD	Jordan Winje- Golden Sierra- 82	Kirby Siemens- Golden Sierra- 4.0	Cody Barsam- Capital Christian- 3
6.	Kahlan Robinson- Lindhurst- 37/83, 534 yards, 4 TD/8 INT	Jordan Heines- San Juan- 136 car, 614 yards, 3 TD	Blake Rodeman- Marysville- 19 rec, 372 yards, 3 TD	Tre'vonn Tyler- Encina- 77	Joe Rodland- Highlands- 4.0	David Oates- Capital Christian- 3
7.	Eli Folau- Encina- 43/113, 465 yards, 3 TD/8 INT	Oscar Brown- Highlands- 88 car, 572 yards, 6 TD	Aaron Munday- Lindhurst- 17 rec, 265 yards, 1 TD	Jim Hansen- Golden Sierra- 76	Jason Piparo- Golden Sierra- 3.5	Alan Tahara- Lindhurst- 3
8.	Jordan Heines- San Juan- 20/41, 131 yards, 0 TD/2 INT	Robert Garvin- Highlands- 74 car, 516 yards, 6 TD	Mike Gloudeman- Capital Christian- 19 rec, 258 yards, 2 TD	Cody Barsam- Capital Christian- 76	Uto Lamano- San Juan- 3.0	Fernando Mendoza- Marysville- 2
9.	Andre Lup- San Juan- 15/38, 101 yards, 1 TD/6 INT	Eli Folau- Encina- 82 car, 498 yards, 5 TD	Edward Johnson- Lindhurst- 17 rec, 228 yards, 5 TD	Angel Vega- Lindhurst- 76	Jakari Wright- Encina- 3.0	Matt McKain- Golden Sierra- 2
10.	Michael Barabin- Marysville- 3/3, 81 yards, 0 TD/0 INT	Jim Hansen- Golden Sierra- 89 car, 488 yards, 5 TD	Mike Harvey- Highlands- 10 rec, 192 yards, 2 TD	Drew Reid- Capital Christian- 75	Ben Alvarez- Lindhurst- 3.0	Eli Folau- Encina- 2

Team Stats

	Total Offense	Passing Offense	Rushing Offense
1.	Capital Christian- 418.0 ypg	Capital Christian- 225.0 ypg	Highlands- 193.6 ypg
2.	Lindhurst- 304.6 ypg	Lindhurst- 132.2 ypg	Capital Christian- 193.0 ypg
3.	Marysville- 288.2 ypg	Golden Sierra- 127.9 ypg	Highlands- 192.8 ypg
4.	Highlands- 269.6 ypg	Marysville- 95.4 ypg	Lindhurst- 172.4 ypg
5.	Golden Sierra- 267.0 ypg	Highlands- 76.0 ypg	Encina- 154.4 ypg
6.	Encina- 200.9 ypg	Encina- 46.5 ypg	San Juan- 148.8 ypg
7.	San Juan- 173.4 ypg	San Juan- 24.6 ypg	Golden Sierra- 139.1 ypg
	Total Defense	Passing Defense	Rushing Defense
1.	Marysville- 279.5 ypg	Encina- 87.6 ypg	Marysville- 190.9 ypg
2.	Capital Christian- 299.5 ypg	Marysville- 88.6 ypg	Highlands- 205.6 ypg
3.	Lindhurst- 309.1 ypg	Capital Christian- 88.6 ypg	Capital Christian- 210.9 ypg
4.	Encina- 317.9 ypg	Lindhurst- 90.9 ypg	Lindhurst- 218.2 ypg
5.	Encina- 335.0 ypg	Highlands- 112.3 ypg	San Juan- 231.5 ypg
6.	San Juan- 344.4 ypg	San Juan- 112.9 ypg	Encina- 247.4 ypg
7.	Golden Sierra- 381.4 ypg	Golden Sierra- 119.2 ypg	Golden Sierra- 262.2 ypg

Schedule/Scores

Week 1 Scores
Marysville 6, Wheatland 22...Lindhurst 6, Live Oak 21
Capital Christian 29, Bear River 14...San Juan 6, River City 40
Golden Sierra 7, Amador 27...Highlands 34, Millenium 7
Encina 0, West Campus 11

Week 2 Scores
Marysville 6, Yuba City 29...Lindhurst 0, River Valley 40
Capital Christian 21, Modesto Christian 49...Golden Sierra 0, Argonaut 55
San Juan 6, Mira Loma 39...Encina 0, Stone Ridge Christian 6
Highlands 7, Antelope 29

Week 3 Scores
Capital Christian 21, Monterey Trail 48...Golden Sierra 14, El Dorado 41
San Juan 6, Rosemont 54...Encina 46, Cristo Rey 0
Marysville 6, Gridley 21...Lindhurst 21, Wheatland 48
Highlands 13, Hogan 32

Week 4 Scores
Highlands 17, Lindhurst 7...Capital Christian 55, San Juan 0
Marysville 35, Golden Sierra 14...Encina 6, El Dorado 47

Week 5 Scores
Marysville 34, San Juan 0...Highlands 27, Golden Sierra 24 (FORFEIT-GS WIN)
Capital Christian 42, Encina 13...Lindhurst 0, Bear River 32

Week 6 Scores
San Juan 8, Highlands 28...Golden Sierra 8, Lindhurst 16
Encina 10, Marysville 40...Capital Christian 20, Placer 48

Week 7 Scores
Encina 0, Golden Sierra 36...Marysville 0, Lincoln 35
Capital Christian 42, Highlands 0...Lindhurst 35, San Juan 13

Week 8 Scores
Golden Sierra 30, San Juan 14...Colfax 31, Highlands 14
Capital Christian 41, Marysville 19...Lindhurst 17, Encina 14

Week 9 Scores
Whitney 40, Golden Sierra 22...Highlands 26, Marysville 20
Capital Christian 42, Lindhurst 6...San Juan 34, Encina 10

Week 10 Scores
Capital Christian 49, Golden Sierra 20...Encina 7, Highlands 34
Mesa Verde 48, San Juan 12...Lindhurst 35, Marysville 18

2009 CNS SPORTS GOLDEN EMPIRE AWARDS

LEAGUE MVP: JAMES LEE, QB, CAPITAL CHRISTIAN
OFFENSIVE MVP: PAUL ROBERSON, WR, CAPITAL CHRISTIAN
DEFENSIVE MVP: CODY BARSAM, LB, CAPITAL CHRISTIAN
BEST LINEMAN: DAN JOHNSON, OL/DL, GOLDEN SIERRA
ELITE 20: Stephen Paxton, WR/DB, Lindhurst; Edgar Guzman, LB/TE, Lindhurst; Angel Vega, RB/LB, Lindhurst; Saul Cuevas, OL/DL, Lindhurst; Ben Alvarez, OL/DL, Lindhurst; Tre'vonn Tyler, RB/LB, Encina; Uto Lamano, OL/DL, San Juan; Cameron Rasouli, RB/DL, San Juan; Jordan Heines, QB/LB, San Juan; Michael Barabin, RB/LB, Marysville; Adam Paul, OL/DL, Marysville; Blake Rodeman, WR/DB, Marysville; Dedric Blackman, QB/DB, Highlands; Robert Garvin, RB/DB, Highlands; Oscar Brown, RB/DB, Highlands; Dan Johnson, OL/DL, Golden Sierra; Jim Hansen, WB/S, Golden Sierra; Jake Hannah, WR/S, Golden Sierra; Kirby Siemens, WB/LB, Golden Sierra; James Lee, QB, Capital Christian; Paul Roberson, WR/DB, Capital Christian; David Oates, WR/DB, Capital Christian; Cody Barsam, LB, Capital Christian; Dylan Mullins, LB, Capital Christian; Josh Giacoma, DL, Capital Christian.

TEAM/UNIT AWARDS
BEST OFFENSIVE BACKFIELD: LINDHURST
BEST OFFENSIVE LINE: CAPITAL CHRISTIAN
BEST RECEIVING CORPS:   CAPITAL CHRISTIAN
BEST DEFENSIVE LINE: MARYSVILLE
BEST LINEBACKING CORPS: HIGHLANDS
BEST DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD: CAPITAL CHRISTIAN

2009 GOLDEN EMPIRE ALL-LEAGUE AND AWARDS

MVP: James Lee, Capital Christian.
MVP Offense: Angel Vega, Lindhurst.
MVP Defense: Cody Barsam, Capital Christian.
MVP Lineman: Adam Paul, Marysville.
Coach of the Year: Karl Zierhut, Capital Christian.

All-Leaguers:
OFFENSE: James Lee, QB, Capital Christian; AZ Sutton, QB Lindhurst; Jim Hansen, RB, Golden Sierra; Angel Vega, RB, Lindhurst; Tre'vonn Tyler, RB, Encina; Keith Johnson, RB, Capital Christian; Jake Hannah, WR, Golden Sierra; Stephen Paxton, WR, Lindhurst; Paul Roberson, WR, Capital Christian; David Oates, WR, Capital Christian; Drew Reid, TE, Capital Christian; Dan Johnson, OL, Golden Sierra; Tyler Carpenter, OL Lindhurst; Joe Rodland, OL, Highlands; Mark Dunne, OL, Capital Christian; Jiwoo Kim, OL, Capital Christian; Fred Maier, OL, Capital Christian; Brandon Greenly, K, Capital Christian;
DEFENSE: Oscar Brown, DB, Highlands; Robert Garvin, DB, Highlands; Karndeed Johl, DB, Marysville; Paul Roberson, DB, Capital Christian; Jordan Heines, ILB, San Juan; Edgar Guzman, ILB, Lindhurst; Dylan, Mullins, ILB, Capital Christian; Colton Nelson, ILB, Highlands; Blake Rodeman, OLB, Marysville; Andrew Orr, OLB, Capital Christian; Cameron Rasouli, DL, San Juan; Ben Alvarez, DL, Lindhurst; Rodger Simonson, DL, Marysville; Tyler Holmes, DL, Capital Christian; Josh Giacoma, DL, Capital Christian.

NO CINDERELLA STORY HERE: LINDHURST FALLS HARD

November 21, 2009

After looking so impressive in their season finale, a 35 to 18 victory over long-time rival Marysville, it was thought that Lindhurst could be one of those teams that happened to peak at just the right time and create mayhem in the playoffs. Mariposa High School, however, quickly put that ridiculous idea to bed with a 34-0 shutout victory in their first round playoff matchup.

Mariposa scored a quick 13 first quarter points on a pair of Cody Christopher touchdown runs and never looked back. The Lindhurst defense fought hard and kept Mariposa out of the end zone throughout the entire second quarter, but the Lindhurst offense failed to sustain a single drive the entire game, putting an unfair amount of pressure on the defense. In the second half the Blazer D simply got worn out and the Mariposa running game took control. Grizzlies running back Cody Christopher ran in his third and fourth touchdowns of the day AJ Hall put one in from one yard out to seal the deal. As a team, Mariposa rushed for an impressive 294 yards, with Cody Christopher gaining 238 on 24 carries. Mariposa quarterback Jarrett Leonard completed 4 of 6 passes for 45 yards, but was harassed by a relentless pass rush all game. He was intercepted once and fumbled the ball four times, though every one was recovered by his own team!

-Justin Cruise

FIRST BIG LEAGUE GAME OF THREE: IS HIGHLANDS FOR REAL?

October 20, 2009

The Highlands Scots are 4-2, and 3-0 in Golden Empire league play. Behind quarterback Dedric Blackman, a nice stable of running backs, and an aggressive defense, the Scots have established themselves as a very real threat in the Golden Empire league title race. This week, however, they will be tested in a battle that may very well determine who is to win the league championship this season. The Scots will travel to play Capital Christian (3-3) this friday night. Don't let the record fool you, this Capital Christian team is very good. Their three losses have come against Modesto Christian (6-0), Placer (6-0), and Monterey Trail (5-1) and they can surely brag about their week win win over Bear River. While the play of the Highlands Scots has certainly been commendable up to this point in the season, they will have their hands full this week. After playing four tough games this season, do not expect Capital Christian to be in awe of a Highlands defense that has allowed just 107 points in six games, second best in the league behind Marysville (102). No, quarterback James Lee (91/145, 1,257 yards, 13 TD/5 INT), running backs Ketih Johnson (392 yards, 3 TD), Dylan Mullins (287 yards, 3 TD) and receivers Paul Roberson (33 rec, 545 yards, 7 TD) and David Oates (22 rec, 341 yards, 2 TD) will not be intimidated when they have had a considerable amount of success against Monterey Trail, Bear River and Modesto Christian. Expectthe Scots to give it their best, but come up short against a Capital Christian team that is simply too powerful, offensively, for any team in this league to beat.

LEAGUE PLAY STARTS; CAPITAL CHRISTIAN, HIGHLANDS, MARYSVILLE SET THEMSELVES APART WITH WINS

October 6, 2009

With big wins to start off 2009 Golden Empire League play, Capital Christian, Highlands and Marysville have set themselves apart from the rest of the league.

CAPITAL CHRISTIAN 55, SAN JUAN 0
Although there were some bright spots in this game for the Spartans, Capital Christian probably established themselves as the league favorite with this dominant performance to open league play. The Cougars scored at will and controlled this game from start to finish with a well-balanced offense that is second to none in the Golden Empire. The only weak spot in the Cougars' armor seems to be their run defense. San Juan, although they did not score a point, did manage to run for more than 200 yards. In week one, the Cougars did a decent job in holding a tough Bear River team to 171 rushing yards, but week's two and three were disasters. Modesto Christian gained 244 rushing yards in a 49-21 win over the Cougars and Monterey Trail amassed a ridiculous 446 rushing yards in their 48-21 victory. Clearly, if the Cougars are to fight for a league championship, they must do something about their porous run defense!

MARYSVILLE 35, GOLDEN SIERRA 14
Marysville got their first win of the season over a Golden Sierra team that quite honestly cannot seem to slow down anybody. Indians running back Michael Barabin rushed for 240 of Marysville's 387 total rush yards and the Marysville defense held their own against the section's most unique offense. Golden Sierra coach Terry Cox has long been known for his unorthodox offensive formations, and this year's edition is no different. It is similar to his double-wing, double tight "Cox Box" of the past, except that he has moved one tight end out as a wide receiver and the other into the backfield as a sort of second fullback. No matter how tricky Cox's offense is, Golden Sierra is simply plagued by a lack of numbers. With so few kids on the team, there are a number of troubling issues that arise...but through their unique scheme Golden Sierra is effectively maximizing their talent. Marysville, on the other hand, is certainly talented enough to repeat as league champs, even though they lost a ton of players from last year's section championship team.  Their early season problems have been offensive, but after scoring 35 points this week they might be in the process of turning things around. If they are, then watch out!

HIGHLANDS 17, LINDHURST 7
Highlands High made a big statement this week with a hard-fought win over Lindhurst, proving that they will be a force in the fight for league supremacy this season. Although Lindhurst is winless, there are several reasons to be impressed with Highlands' win. First, Lindhurst is a perennial force in the Golden Empire League and Division VI in general. Last year, this same Lindhurst team advanced all the way to the section championship game, falling to Marysville. Second, the Blazers have not won a game this season, but a lot of that is due to the toughness of their schedule. They WILL be a tough Golden Empire squad that will win its fair share of games. Finally, the Lindhurst offense has been impressive all season, even in losses. In three games, Lindhurst established a nice trio of weapons in QB Kahlan Robinson (472 yards, 3 TD), RB Angel Vega (283 yards, 1 TD) and especially WR Steven Paxton (12 rec, 202 yards, 3 TD). So...for Highlands to come out this week and beat a team that A. Is a perennial power in the Golden Empire and made it all the way to the section championship last season, B. was 0-3 but had played a difficult trio of opponents and will certainly be a force in the league, and C. Has a potent and balanced offense that was averaging 305 yards per game is very, very impressive.

Next week should be another week where these "big three" get a chance to flex their muscles, as none of them faces one another. So it will be a couple of weeks before we truly get a chance to learn more about these teams and get an idea about who will likely take the league crown.

-Justin Cruise


BIG WIN BY CAPITAL CHRISTIAN BRIGHT SPOT IN OTHERWISE DISAPPOINTING FIRST WEEKEND FOR LEAGUE

Sept. 12, 2009

The Capital Christian Cougars got a monster win over Bear River to open up the season. The Bruins, a perennial play-off power, were certainly the favorites entering this weekend. In fact, if you asked 100 local high school football fans to make predictions on all of the Golden Empire's games this week, it is probable that the Bear River game prediction would have been the closest to unanimous...in Bear River's favor. However, the Cougars cared little about what others' expectations might be; they just showed up and came ready to play.

The Cougars were without question the better prepared and more disciplined team, as the statistics clearly show. Bear River was frequently penalized and turned the ball over 5 times, while Capital Christian really made just one mistake, a fumble by WR Paul Roberson.

The Cougars offense rushed for 273 yards, led by Keith Johnson's 164 on 16 carries. Cougars QB James Lee threw for 114 yards and 1 TD and ran for 53 yards and 2 TDs.

Still, it was Capital Christian's team discipline that was the ultimate difference. The same could not be said for league powers Marysville and Lindhurst, who lost to Wheatland and Live Oak, respectively. To make matters worse for the league, San Juan and Golden Sierra really struggled against non-conference foes in 7-27 and 6-40 losses.  All in all it was a disappointing week for the Golden Empire league, with the exceptions of Capital Christian and Highlands, who had an impressive 34-7 victory over Millenium of Tracy.

-Justin Cruise