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Before every high school sports season, a team will always set goals.
It can be to win your league, win a playoff game or some can look at winning half of your games. Goals change from team to team,
Win a state title? Maybe a handful of teams can look at lofty goals — but when your school has yet to win a section championship, it is probably unlikely you can rationalize that title.
But it happens, and following a 44-33 win over McClymonds on Friday night to claim the CIF D-3 AA NorCal regional title, the Amador Valley Dons find themselves in the CIF State title game.
The championship game is set for this week against Frontier of Bakersfield at Long Beach Community College. Game time is 8 p.m. Friday (Dec. 13).
What were the goals the Dons set before the season?
“They’re pretty much the same every year,” Amador Valley coach Danny Jones said. “Win league, beat Foothill, team GPA of 3.0, everyone eligible and a playoff run.”
What about for a state title?
“Being in the state title game is amazing — it’s like a dream,” Jones said. “I am so excited for the kids.”
Getting there was no easy task. Going on the road into a tough environment, with a number of players sick — some missing the game with others throwing up on the bus.
The game started with both teams scoring on their initial drives, with Dons scoring first, then McClymonds, and with over six minutes left in the first quarter it was 8-6.
“That first drive was easy,” Jones said. “I was surprised; we were able to run the ball down the field.”
The Dons have made going for two an art form, and another successful one made it 8-0 Amador. McClymonds came right and scored but missed their attempt and the game stood 8-6 Amador.
From that point on, the game changed for some time.
It turned into a game that worried me. Over the last 40 years, I have watched teams from the East Bay Athletic League fall to teams from the urban area in the postseason.
You can’t simulate the speed of a team like McClymonds, making the first time you face them in person a major adjustment.
On defense the Dons were getting in spots that worked in the EBAL, but not against Mack, resulting in the running back jumping containment resulting in big runs.
On offense, defenders were able to get around the edge on the pass rush, forcing issues for quarterback Tristan Ti’a.
Sometimes teams can adjust and succeed. Some can’t and end up losing.
“It took us about a half,” Jones said of adjusting to the Mack speed. “They got up those two possessions and we just couldn’t stop them.”
But after some early trouble, the Amador offense found its gear and Mack’s defense couldn’t stop Amador either.
Finally, the game changed in two McClymonds plays.
With the Dons trailing 33-30 after cutting into an 11-point lead in the third quarter, Amador kicker Ethan Ling hit the ensuing kick short and toward one sideline. The Mack returner misplayed the ball, and it headed toward the sideline.
Getting first to the loose ball, but with Amador’s kick coverage team breathing down on him, the returner compounded his mistake by intentionally swatting the ball out of bounds.
By the time it was sorted out, Mack was starting first-and-10 from inside the Warriors’ one-yard line. The defense, fired up by the events, gave up only a yard in three downs forcing Mack to punt from its own endzone.
The Dons had a first-and-10 from the Mack 33, but stalled a little, facing a fourth-and-two. Mack jumped offsides, giving Amador a first down.
A few plays later on a first-and-goal from the 8-yard-line, Ismael Duenas found the endzone for the Dons and they had a 38-33 lead with 5:33 to play.
“We’ve been working on our special teams, and we have been getting better,” Jones said.
The gifts didn’t end.
On the next kickoff, Mack’s return man slipped after catching the kickoff, leaving the Warriors starting at their own 4.
A little bit later, with Mack facing a fourth-and-four, the Warriors went for it. A Mack receiver got behind the Amador defense but dropped the ball for what seemed to be a sure long touchdown, instead turning it over on downs.
“He was gone,” Jones said of the receiver. “We got another break there.”
But that’s OK. You have to play well to win in the playoffs, but a little bit of luck helps, often making the difference between two good teams.
Duenas made the Warriors pay for this mistake as well, finding the end zone, making it 44-33 with 3:22 left.
After the Warriors moved to the Amador 28, the Dons’ defense came through again and closed out the game when Gabe Gyamfi picked off a Mack pass to start the celebration.
Now comes the fun — and of course work — in playing for a state title.
“It’s going to be great,” Jones said. “We are heading down Thursday morning and staying two nights. We’ve got a full itinerary for Thursday. This is a business trip: We’re not taking the boys to Disneyland; we are going to play for a state title.”
What about the students that packed buses to McClymonds? They deserve to be part of it as well. The Amador students have always traveled well.
Rumors as early as Saturday were talking about deals trying to be worked out for student buses to go. I say give the kids off on Friday so they can board buses and get down to the game.
It’s a Friday so it will be a mess in terms of traffic. Let the kids get on the buses between 10-11 a.m. so they can make it to Long Beach for the 8 p.m. kickoff!
The buses can head home right after the game. The students do it for Disneyland grad night, but this one would be more fun and more memorable.
Amador boys’ basketball
The Dons knocked off McClymonds 48-24 and Antioch 61-46 to move to 5-0 on the season.
In the win over Mack, Jaylen Smith led the way with 18 points, while Chad Krueger had eight points and his brother Kasen Kreuger had seven.
Against Antioch, Kasen had 23, with Chad adding 15 and Smith with 14.
Correction: A prior version of this story listed an incorrect opponent for Amador Valley in the upcoming state championship. Frontier beat Murrieta Mesa in the CIF D-3 AA SoCal Regional to earn a spot in the state title game on Dec. 13. The Pleasanton Weekly regrets the error.
Editor’s note: Dennis Miller is a contributing sports writer for Embarcadero Media Foundation’s East Bay Division. To contact him about his Pleasanton Preps column, email acesmag@aol.com.
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