Petaluma rolls over Napa in VVAL football

Petaluma raced to a commanding lead in the first half to ease past visiting Napa, 41-22, Friday night. The Trojans took a 28-0 lead by intermission on Senior Night and coasted to their sixth win, clinching a winning football season.

Most of the damage by Petaluma was on the ground as the Trojans rolled up 282 total yards in the first half by getting a big inside push up front from tackle to tackle. Running backs Colton Prieto and Garrett Freitas both took advantage of the solid blocking to eclipse the 100-yard mark by the end of the contest.

Freitas, the leading Trojan ground gainer for the season, got off to a slow start, but he finished with 157 yards on 10 carries, while the hard-working Prieto ran for 139 yards on 14 tries from his fullback position. It was the most productive running game for Prieto this season.

The Trojans completely dominated Napa on both sides of the ball in the first half. Things might have been more lopsided if Petaluma had not turned the ball over on a couple of occasions on fumbles.

The win moves the Trojans (6-3 and 3-2) into a tie for third place in the Vine Valley Athletic League with rival Casa Grande. The two teams will decide that deadlock on Saturday afternoon in the annual Egg Bowl at Ellison Field.

Prieto set the tone for the game on the second Petaluma ball possession when he suddenly sprung free through a big hole in the Napa front and galloped 67 yards for a touchdown. He was quickly in the secondary before any Grizzly recognition, and it was a foot race the rest of the way.

Touchdowns by Derrick Pomi, Cole Powers and Freitas followed, and coach Rick Krist was able to move a number of players in and out of the game before the final horn.

Freitas finished with two touchdowns, including a 52-yard bolt in the second half. The elusive senior was very difficult for the Grizzlies to corral once he got into the open field. Freitas continues to be the leading league rusher with an average of 10.1 yards per carry.

Napa came back in the second half behind quarterback Isaiah Newton and running backs Chase LaRue and Kalaini Posey to put 22 points on the board against alternating Trojan defenders. The Grizzlies proved again that they can move the ball with the slippery Newton at the controls. Posey, a late-season convert from wide receiver, turned on the jets on a 56-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Petaluma moved the ball 48 yards in eight plays to close out its scoring early in the fourth quarter. A 14-yard run by Pomi got the ball close. Powers dove in for the touchdown from the 2-yard line to end the drive.

Daxton Hogya connected on all but the final PAT try for the Trojans. His six points gives him 39 for the season.

Nick Ayers did a little bit of everything for the Trojans. He made five stops on defense, including a sack, caught a 16-yard pass from Powers and punted for nearly 37 yards per attempt to pin Napa deep in its own territory.

Freitas, Nick Siembieda and Cole Koches also had strong defensive efforts with multiple tackles for the Trojans.

Brock Bowers had two sacks and an interception for the Grizzlies (0-9). Napa will face cross-town rival Vintage to end its season on Friday.

The Napa junior varsity team punished Petaluma, 49-7, in the preliminary game.