Sports
Football: Benicia Looks to Clinch Outright SCAC Title
After last year's three-way tie, the Panthers look to take the league for themselves.
Returning Starters: 16 (8 offense, 8 defense)
Top Offensive Players: Andrew McNeese, QB; Austin Carr, RB; Ryan Wheat, WR; Peter Reyes, WR; Ray Cibrian, C.
Top Defensive Players: Hayden Mauch, LB; Ryan Salas, LB; Chris Dadson, DE; Brad Adams, DT.
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Rising star: Austin Carr, junior, RB.
Team Strengths: Quarterback, Andrew McNeese.
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Areas to Improve: Overall development and maturity.
Mark the Calendar: "Every game is a big one. Each week becomes more important than the next," Holden said.
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Benicia High football coach Craig Holden isn't expecting any easy games this season.
He knows one bad night against any team can cost the team a shot at winning the Solano County Athletic Conference title.
Holden also knows anything can happen Friday nights and whether his team is on the field against a small school such as Vacaville Christian or its co-Solano County Athletic Conference champions — Rodriguez and Vanden — each game will matter.
"We just want to come to any field, and I respect the other coaches, but I want to win," Holden said.
The Panthers bounced back last season after a back-to-back losing campaigns in 2007 and 2008 and have now had winning records in four of the last six years.
After beating Patterson in the first round of last year's San Joaquin Section playoffs, Benicia fell 40-39 to Patterson.
"Any loss is tough. We went for two and the win and we didn't get it (against Patterson)," Holsen said. "No different than the loss to Alhambra in week two or the loss to Vanden in week seven."
Forget sharing anything this season though, Holden wants that title for the Panthers alone.
With the returning starters he has on offense, it can be said that Holden is confident his team can take the crown.
Quarterback Ryan McNeese goes into his senior campaign following a stellar 2009 season, throwing for 2,972 yards and 35 touchdowns. Although he lost a pair of 1,000-yard wide receivers, he still feels the team is a good group.
McNeese wants another shot at Vanden, the team that handed Benicia its lone league loss last season. The 47-14 lashing in Fairfield cost the Panthers the outright SCAC title.
"They just played a really good game and that cost us the league championship," he said.
Holden also expects junior running back Austin Carr to excel after his jump from junior varsity this year and so far this season, he has. Carr ran the ball ten times for 149 yards and three touchdowns in Benicia's 45-14 blowout of Justin-Sienna.
"We're expecting good things from him. He's a strong runner, he has speed and works hard," Holden said. "I haven't seen a weakness from him. I'm hoping he can continue to improve and get better."
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Schedule
9/3 Benicia 45, Justin Siena, 14
9/9 7 p.m. @American (Fremont) at Washington High School
9/17 7:30 p.m. @Armijo
9/24 7:30 p.m. Wood
10/1 7 p.m. @Vacaville Christian
10/8 7:30 p.m. @Vallejo
10/15 7:30 p.m. Vanden
10/22 7:30 p.m. @Hogan
10/29 7:30 p.m. Rodriguez
11/05 7:30 p.m. Bethel
