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In the illustrious athletic history of over 100 years at Amador Valley High, the school has won championships in a number of sports.
There have been league titles, section titles, Northern California titles, and even state championships.
There have even been a few teams that were ranked No. 1 in the United States come the end of a season.
Amador has justifiably earned the nickname “School of Champions”. But there had been one title missing — North Coast Section champion in football.
There have been plenty of league titles but no Amador football team winning an NCS title. The Dons have been to the title game four times but lost all four times.
That’s not the case anymore.
With a 42-18 win over Bishop O’Dowd last Friday, this year’s Amador varsity put themselves into the record books.
“Being the first team to win one for our school is special,” Amador coach Danny Jones said. It’s special for the school, the program and the kids.”
After talking with Jones before the season, there seemed to be a different feeling to the season. At that point Jones felt his team was going to be pretty good, if — and it was a big if — the team could get healthy.
The injuries, along with a brutal non-league schedule, put the Dons behind the eight-ball early, starting out 1-3.
It wasn’t all bad in the early going as the most prolific passing duo in not just in the East Bay Athletic League, or even NCS emerged in quarterback Tristan Ti’a and receiver Anthony Harrington.
Heading into the O’Dowd game, Ti’a had amassed almost 3,500 yards passing, accounting for 29 touchdowns and only four interceptions.
Harrington in the span caught 78 passes for 1,400 yards and 11 touchdowns.
“We were struggling early,” Jones said. “I became pass happy because we were successful doing it.”
But Jones and his staff knew they needed to be more balanced if they were going to make the postseason.
“I thought if we could just make the playoffs we could do some damage,” Jones said. “We just need to get there.”
Consecutive wins over Acalanes, Foothill and Campolindo on the field, as well as an unexpected win by forfeit over El Cerrito for the Gauchos using unauthorized players, put the Dons at 5-2 heading into league and had Amador sitting playoff eligible.
A 29-28 loss to San Ramon Valley in the league opener was followed by a game Amador needed and got, beating Monte Vista 32-28.
Then came the game of the year when Amador fell 54-48 to California in overtime. It was a loss, but it was then Jones knew good things were coming.
“After we lost to Cal, I knew we were headed to the D-II playoffs,” Jones said. “I knew this team had what we needed. We had taken advantage of it, and I knew we played a tougher schedule than any D-II team.”
The first playoff game started much the way the season had been on offense for the Dons. Ti’a was 17-of-19 for 328 yards and four touchdowns. Harrington caught eight passes and all four touchdowns as the team beat Las Lomas 42-21.
But while the passing game continued to be the star, the running game continued to improve, and it wasn’t just the incredibly athletic Ti’a but a few players.
The Dons had 263 yards rushing against Cal, then in the NCS game against Windsor on a rainy and windy night, Amador went for 449 yards on the ground in the 38-29 win.
Ismael Duenas was the star with 305 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns.
In the thumping of O’Dowd in the finals, Duenas went for over 150 yards and the Dons also got some big runs by Vince Maiorana.
It was like it was a new offense.
“It has given the team the confidence that we can run or pass,” Jones said. “The last two games we have had to rely on it.”
Standing in the way for the Dons to play the winner of Murrieta Mesa vs. Frontier for a state title on Dec. 13 at Long Beach Community College is a date with McClymonds this Friday (Dec. 6).
The Dons can make more Amador history football history as NorCal champion.
As for McClymonds, the Warriors have played in a number of NorCal and state final games in the past, but they seem to be a tad bit off this year.
They are 10-4 this year with three of the losses coming outside the Oakland Athletic League. I find it almost hard to believe that McClymonds got the home game over the Dons.
The records are almost identical, and the Dons had a much tougher schedule.
Common opponents with Amador are San Ramon Valley where Mack fell 51-14, and Bishop O’Dowd — a 28-14 win. For perspective, Amador fell 29-28 to San Ramon Valley and beat O’Dowd 42-18 in the NCS final.
Jones and his team are just happy to still be playing.
“We’ve looked at the NCS games as just getting another game,” he said. “Now it’s a chance to get one more game.”
And a possible berth in the CIF 3-AA Championship game Dec. 13 in Long Beach.
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.
