Trojans try to stay step ahead

A wild card, or more appropriately, a wild dog has emerged in the Sonoma County League football race.

Healdsburg’s Greyhounds, facing back-to-back games against Casa Grande and Petaluma, are right in the middle of what was initially shaping up as a three-team race between the Trojans, Gauchos and Windsor Jaguars.

The big game this week remains Petaluma’s visit to Windsor, but Casa Grande’s trip to Healdsburg also has its share of significance.

As it stands going into Friday night’s encounters, Petaluma’s Trojans are unbeaten both overall (8-0) and in league (4-0). Casa Grande, Healdsburg and Windsor are all a step behind at 3-1 in league. Casa’s only loss was to Petaluma, 40-14. Healdsburg’s only slip was against Windsor, 20-13. Windsor’s loss was to Casa Grande, 31-14.

It makes this week’s games very interesting — and very important.

Meanwhile, St. Vincent steps out of North Central League I South play to host Kelseyville from the NCL I North in an interlock game, while Tomales, with the NCL II championship locked up, plays a tough home game against Salesian from Richmond.

Tough test for Troy

Petaluma High’s Trojans have passed every test so far, but Friday night’s might be the toughest as they take their unbeaten record onto Windsor’s new turf.

Casa Grande pretty well stifled Windsor last week, handing the Jaguars their second loss in eight games, but Windsor has talent and the Jaguars love playing at home, especially now that they have their new all-weather turf in place.

Petaluma will not have to contend with Cameron Erion, who rushed for more than 400 yards against it last season. He is out for the season with an injru. The Trojan defense will still have to contain dangerous senior quarterback D.J. King.

Casa Grande coach Trent Herzog called King one of the best two-way football players in the Redwood Empire. The Jaguars, with Steven Hutchison, Cj Landwehr and King, are capable of putting together time-consuming drives.

But in crunch time, the Trojans will be faced with stopping the threat of King either passing or running, with Jimmy Reed his favorite target.

King and company provide just one more challenge for a Trojan secondary, anchored by Dalton Johnson, Chris Kane, Joe Soares and interception-minded Drew Pawlan.

Every game is big

Casa Grande High’s Gauchos have to do their thing and hope for a little help from either Windsor or Healdsburg as they try to catch Petaluma and gain a share of a seventh straight Sonoma County League championship.

Doing their thing Friday night won’t be easy. Healdsburg is always a tough opponent and playing the Greyhounds on their dusty home turf doubles the challenge. Healdsburg is 6-2 overall, with league wins over Analy (21-7), Sonoma Valley (31-8) and El Molino (41-27) offsetting its lone league loss to Windsor by a touchdown.

The Casa Grande defense, which occasionally has given up a big play, faces two potential touchdown busters in Hounds’ quarterback Killan Collins and running back Dylan Cattalini.

Cattalini ripped up El Molino in a 41-27 Greyhound win last week, rushing for 235 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught two touchdown passes from Collins, who threw for 163 yards, completing nine of 17 passes.

Good news for Casa Grande is that all-league running back Kahlil Keys, who sat out the second half of last week’s win over Windsor, suffered only a deep bruise and is expected to be available Friday night.

A beware game for SV

St. Vincent High’s Mustangs (6-2 overall, 3-0 in league) must beware of looking too far into the future Saturday afternoon as it hosts Kelseyville in a non-league game.

Next week, the Mustangs go to Cloverdale to play for the North Central League I South championship.

Before that, they face a Kelseyville Knight team from the NCL I North that is 3-5 overall and coming off a 42-0 loss to Middletown.

St. Vincent, coming off an impressive 42-0 league win over St. Helena last week, seems to be getting better with every game.

With little except pride riding on the outcome, the Mustangs still need a win to keep their momentum rolling into Cloverdale.

Kelseyville is not without weapons. Running back Steven Grosner can’t match St. Vincent’s 1,000-plus rusher Kris Farinha’s totals, but he has ran for 611 yards this season and scored six touchdowns. Fellow running back Nick Rodrigues has also rushed for six touchdowns.

For pride and practice

With their fourth straight North Central League II championship wrapped up, Tomales’ Braves will effectively be playing for pride and practice Friday night when they host Salesian’s Pride from Richmond.

What a practice it will be.

Salesian comes to Tomales with a 7-1 record and is 4-0 in its Bay Football League. The Pride are quick and offensive minded.

Last week, they defeated Valley Christian, 40-7, and two weeks ago downed NCS Division V runner-up St. Elizabeth, 45-26.

Tomales goes into the game on a roll that has produced six straight wins after the Braves lost two games to start the season.

Tomales has now won four straight championships without losing a league game.