Solano County

Schedule/Scores

Week 1 Scores
Vanden 35, Armijo 0...Rodriguez 21, Vacaville 58
Bethel 14, Ygnacio Valley 29...Vallejo 57, Balboa 20
Benicia 41, American 20...Hogan 62, Allen 2

Week 2 Scores
Sonoma Valley 28, Vallejo 14...Vanden 36, Vintage 0
Hogan 18, Armijo 33...Benicia 21, Alhambra 41
Terra Linda 21, Bethel 33...Rodriguez 11, Franklin-Elk Grove 30

Week 3 Scores
Vanden 57, McClatchy 14...Bethel 20, St.Patrick/Vincent 21
Hogan 32, Highlands 13...Rodriguez 22, Fairfield 36
Vallejo 21, Napa 40...Benicia 48, Armijo 13

Week 4 Scores
Vanden 33, Dixon 10...Bethel 20, Vintage 6
Rodriguez 14, Deer Valley 42...Vallejo 13, Fairfield 14
Benicia 51, Wood 35...

Week 5 Scores
Vanden 34, Will C. Wood 3...Bethel 0, Monterey Trail 39
Hogan 24, McClymonds 12...Rodriguez 29, Armijo 0
Vallejo 7, Deer Valley 28...Benicia 62, Fairfield 42 

Week 6 Scores
Vanden 40, Bethel 14...Benicia 38, Vallejo 7
Rodriguez 30, Hogan 20

Week 7 Scores
Vanden 47, Benicia 14...Bethel 36, Hogan 28
Rodriguez 14, Vallejo 0

Week 8 Scores
Vanden 43, Vallejo 13...Rodriguez 39, Bethel 20
Benicia 56, Hogan 8

Week 9 Scores
Vanden 48, Hogan 14...Benicia 28, Rodriguez 17
Bethel 21, Vallejo 18

Week 10 Schedule
Vanden (8-0, 3-0) @ Rodriguez (4-4,3-0)
Hogan (2-5, 0-3) @ Vallejo (1-7, 0-3)
Benicia (6-2, 2-1) @ Bethel (3-5,1-2)
 

THE BIG GAME

October 23, 2009

This will be the game to determine the 2009 Solano County League champion.  It is a battle between one unstoppable offense and an immovable defense.  Something has got to give this weekend as the undefeated Vanden Vikings (6-0) host the Benicia Panthers (5-1).

The Benicia Panthers have averaged 43.5 points per game behind an efficient passing attack.  QB Andrew McNeece has been impressive, completing 101 of 153 passes for 1,620 yards and 20 TDs with seven interceptions.  His top targets, Chris Mamon (29 rec, 653 yards, 9 TD), Cory Fisher (30 rec, 558 yards, 8 TD) and Fernando Murdock (24 rec, 227 yards, 3 TD) form as dangerous a group of receivers as one could find.  The Panthers also have a capable running attack, spearheaded by Elayzer Coleman (300 yards).

However, the Panthers will be facing a Vanden defense that has surrendered just 41 points in six games this season and has pitched three shutouts.  The strength of the Vikings' defense is, in fact, their back seven.  With an athletic group of linebackers and one of the section's very best defensive backfields (led by safeties Deone Bucannon and Sean Phillips), this will be the ultimate test for the Benicia Panthers' explosive passing attack.



VIKINGS TO FACE BIG TEST NEXT WEEK

September 27, 2009

The Dixon Rams (3-0) have started the 2009 season off with a bang, ripping off three consecutive wins and looking better and better each week. The Vanden Vikings (3-0) have been equally impressive, shutting out their first two opponents 35-0 and 36-0 before pounding McClatchy 57-14 this week. The two undefeated squads will go head to head this friday in one of week four's monster matchups.

It is hard to say how this one will likely play out. Dixon has looked fantastic on both sides of the ball, but so have the Vikings. As far as the statistics go Vanden's offense has the slight edge, averaging 408.34 yards/game (271.67 ypg rushing) to Dixon's 396.33 yards/game (208 ypg rushing). With regards to quarterback play, Dixon's Jeffrey Anderson has produced more yards (30/50, 565 yards, 3 TD/2 INT), but Vanden's Ben Scott has been a little more efficient and thrown for more touchdowns (25/39, 411 yards, 6 TD/3 INT). Both offensive lines are good, as evidenced by the high rushing yardage and relatively few sacks allowed by both teams, and both teams have dynamic backfields that use multiple backs to carry the load. All in all I would say that these two teams stack up evenly on the offensive side of the ball.

Defensively the Rams have been good, but the Vikings have been ridiculous. In their first two games, the Vikings shutout Vintage and Armijo, respectively. Both of these teams have gone on to prove that they have decent offenses, with Armijo scoring 33 points and gaining 307 yards in a win over Hogan the week after being shutout by Vanden and Vintage averaging 20 points and nearly 300 yards a game, not including the 36-0 disaster against the Vikings. After two weeks, the Vikings were allowing just 72.0 yards per game (14.5 ypg rushing) and had not surrendered a point! These fantastic defensive numbers, including their streak of shutouts, would have remained intact had the Vikings not put in their backups and surrendered 14 fourth quarter points to McClatchy.

All things considered, this should be one of the most exciting games of week four. These two teams are outstanding on both sides of the football and are physical and well-disciplined too. There will be some great athletes all over the field friday night, but the winner of this game will be the team that can control the line of scrimmage and that makes the fewest mistakes. This one could go either way.

-Justin Cruise