From Register Staff

Napa High School rolled to victory with a 35-7 non-league football win over the visiting Bethel Jaguars Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.

Napa, which improves to 4-0, had one main goal to accomplish when facing the speedy Jaguars: contain quarterback Bobby Guillory.

"The goal was to slow him down," Napa head coach Jerry Dunlap said. "The blackshirts (Napa's defensive unit) did really well."

Napa held Bethel's potent quarterback to just 78 rushing yards throughout the game and 45 passing yards.

Unfortunately for Bethel, its defense couldn't do the same thing to Napa. In the Indians' second offensive series, quarterback Ted LeMasters took Napa from its own 39-yard line into the end zone on a 61-yard run with 5:56 left in the first quarter to put the Indians on the board first, 6-0.

Bethel's Guillory responded with an attempt to get something going for the Jaguars, only to find himself pushed deep into his own territory. On second and 12, Guillory launched a bullet, intended for receiver Anthony Gillespie, but the pass was broken up by Indians' defensive back Nelson Saldivar, bringing up third and 12. Guillory again tried to find an open target downfield and completed a pass to Darnell Grier. But that was about all Napa's defense would give to the speedy senior quarterback, as the Napa defense recovered the first of many Bethel fumbles with 2:41 left in the first. The recovery gave Napa field position with the ball on the 47-yard line and Napa's offense starting to roll again.

LeMasters completed a pass to Brett Wagoner for a 19-yard pickup and a first down, followed by a Gabe Guastucci rushing play to tack on two more yards, bringing the ball to the 31. The Indians used their running game to push deeper into Jaguar territory, and six seconds into the second quarter LeMasters found the end zone again on an eight-yard run. With Linden Fowler's PAT kick, the Indians widened the margin to 13-0.

The Napa defense took its cue accordingly and after the kickoff, Napa's Jason Westerberg recovered the second Bethel fumble on the Bethel 49, giving Napa's offense a chance to score again. The Indians didn't waste any time marching downfield. LeMasters found Dustin Avilla open over the middle for a 20-yard gain. The Indians used their running game again with an Andrew Frasier carry. From the shotgun formation, LeMasters hit Avilla again, while picking up a roughing the passer penalty to tack on more yardage to the Indians' offensive strike. Wagoner ran the ball to the 10 and Frasier barreled through the Bethel defense into the end zone, but a holding penalty brought the ball back out to the 15 and forced Napa to try again. With 7:55 left in the half, LeMasters dropped back to pass and looked to Royce Beaudry, who pulled the pass in for the Indians' score. Fowler's kick was good and the Indians were up 20-0.

Napa's defense took over and right off, forced another Bethel fumble. Guillory recovered and guided an offensive strike of his own. On second and five at the Bethel 27, Guillory found an opening and picked up 30 yards to move the ball into Indian territory at the 43. Guillory found Gillespie open and gained a few more yards. Bethel used its own running game on a Grier running play that went for 23 yards and put the ball at the 16. But Napa's defense only let Guillory get the end zone in sight before Avilla recovered a fumble to stop the Bethel scoring threat and the Indians' offense was at it again.

LeMasters passed to Avilla for a 16-yard pick up. A running play forced a loss of five yards and on third and 17 on their own 34-yard line, LeMasters dropped back to pass. As his arm went into motion, the Jaguar defense knocked the ball loose and recovered the ball. Napa's defense headed back out and three plays later, Napa's Remy Trifforiot recovered a Bethel fumble to give Napa's offense another chance to score.

Fowler picked up a first down on an 11-yard run and LeMasters found Beaudry again for a 41-yard completion. Frasier carried the ball on back-to-back running plays and picked up 11 yards and a first down for the Indians and brought the ball into the red zone. LeMasters picked up 10 yards on a keeper, then looked to Saldivar in the end zone. Bethel was charged with pass interference on the play, and with 26.8 seconds left in the half LeMasters ran into the end zone again, putting Napa up 26-0 going into halftime.

In the second half, Napa continued to silence the Jaguars while picking up another score of its own. Fowler ran up the middle for a 15-yard pickup and ran another four yards. LeMasters added five of his own yards and with a Bethel penalty tacked on, Napa had the ball on the Bethel 37-yard line. Frasier ran the ball to the 26 and Wagoner took the ball 11 more yards to bring it to the 15. With 2:34 left in the third quarter, Napa brought its field goal unit out and Fowler nailed a 32-yard kick, giving Napa a 29-0 lead.

Napa's defense still stood strong in the second half and immediately forced a punt situation on Bethel. Napa took over with the ball on its own 34 before LeMasters hit Saldivar for a good pickup of yards. LeMasters handed off to Fowler, who ran upfield and was forced out of bounds at the Napa 32. Guastucci ran the ball for 13 yards and a first down brought the ball to the 45-yard line. LeMasters pitched to Fowler, who gained yards and two back-to-back 15-yard penalties on Bethel for unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct brought the ball to the Bethel 18. The Indians moved the ball closer to the end zone and Frasier finished the offensive strike with a 1-yard run with 8:50 left in the game, putting Napa up 35-0.

"We put 35 points on the board tonight and were able to get a lot of kids in the game for us. We had a good offensive tempo and the defense played quick and created turnovers. That's what we want to take with us going into next week's game," Dunlap said.

Junior Varsity

* Napa High 44, Bethel 12

Napa picked up its fourth victory of the season. "Our offensive line played well ... led by Chris Rowe, who really stepped up for us," head coach Wayne Harbison said. "Our defensive unit, including Garrick Abernathy, Justin Mensch and Bradley Wallace, did a great job. Our offense also moved the football well."