American Canyon Wolves football clinches league title

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American Canyon football team Nov. 1 — American Canyon Wolves before the Nov. 1 game. *Shotss Media photo @kshotss_ photo*

For the first time in eight years, American Canyon Wolves football has clinched a league title. It came off a 48-7 victory over the Petaluma’s Casa Grande Gauchos, a team that before Saturday night hadn’t lost to a league opponent in close to three years.

The Wolves defense had another great night, bending but not breaking, and allowing 295 yards of offense but also forcing multiple turnovers. This included a timely interception at the goal line by #14 Jamar Choyce Jr., and botched snap that turned into a fumble recovery and touchdown for #22 Jona Budu, and a forced fumble by #10 Isaac Anderson in the red zone which was recovered by Jamar Choyce Jr.

Offensively the Wolves nearly couldn’t be stopped. The team didn’t punt the ball a single time throughout the night, largely because of the running game that Head Coach Marcellus Holmes attributes to the “Great Wall of AC.” In other words, the offensive line.

Amassing a solid 387 yards rushing over the course of the game, and 2,462 yards across the season so far, it is pretty clear to see that the line has been outstanding so far. Even more so when you see that sophomore quarterback Kameron Hunter has only been sacked twice all season.

Led by team captains Caden James and Sam Escobar-Montoya, the unit has gelled well and gotten better each week with coaching from O-Line Coach Ian Anderson. The linemen together have amassed 107 pancake blocks throughout the year — almost triple the national average — demonstrating physical dominance over their opponents.

Coach Anderson was extremely proud of his group, stating, “No line-no shine! Like Sirius, the American Canyon offensive line shined brightest on Saturday night. From the opening drive this group took the field like The Great Heathen Army! Seniors Caden James, Sam Escobar, Adrian Ducut, and Sean Byron lead the charge, but super-sophomore Gabe Palma was the ‘Dog Star’!”

He especially praised sophomore Gabe Palma, stating, “Gabe was out in front of the attack on Saturday. The sophomore has been great all year but probably had his best game [Saturday].”

With the win Saturday night, the Wolves improved to 8-1 on the season, and 5-0 in league. The Gauchos fell to 4-5 on the season, and 4-1 in league.

The Varsity Wolves travel to Larkspur this next weekend to take on the Redwood Giants [3-2] and cement themselves as the sole league title holder with a win. The game takes place Nov. 8 at Redwood High School, with JV kickoff at 11 a.m. and Varsity kickoff at 2 p.m.