Trailing Redwood High 22-13 in the fourth quarter, a lifeless Justin-Siena football team clearly needed a miracle to come from behind and keep its North Coast Section playoff hopes alive.

CLEAR LAKE — The Clear Lake High School football team ran away from St. Helena in the second half of Friday night’s 27-3 win over the Saints.

VACAVILLE — Maybe the Napa High football team will use what it saw on the other side of the ball Friday night as motivation to prepare better in the offseason.

The Napa High School boys soccer team avenged last fall’s season-ending playoff loss to Franklin with a 2-1 Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I opening-round win in Elk Grove on Friday afternoon.

Just a sophomore who was more into basketball and soccer, Jenna Joske didn’t think she had what it took to reach the state cross country meet as her first season of competitive running was about to end.

For the first time in Napa High water polo history, the Indians’ boys have advanced to the second round of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.

The injury-plagued Storm lost Luis Orozco to a broken arm and were forced to play most the match with just 12 healthy players.  Yuba went on to knocked Napa Valley to 0-11 in Bay Valley Conference play.

Zack Pawloski ran for five touchdowns, leading Vintage ( 5-3-1 overall, 3-1 Monticello Empire League) to a win in Friday night's game at Napa Memorial Stadium. The MEL championship will be on the line when Vintage and Napa meet Nov. 13 in the Little Big Game.

STANFORD — Toby Gerhart and Stanford did to the Oregon defense what the Ducks did a week ago to Southern California, opening up the Pac-10 race with a program-defining victory.

GREELEY, Colo. — Former Napa High running back Jake Croxdale rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns and Sacramento State took a 31-0 halftime lead and held on for a 38-35 win over Northern Colorado on Saturday.

GREELEY, Colo. — Former Napa High running back Jake Croxdale rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns and Sacramento State took a 31-0 halftime lead and held on for a 38-35 win over Northern Colorado on Saturday.

First Quarter

SAN FRANCISCO — Alex Smith and Vince Young have crossed paths on several occasions at NFL functions. They’ve offered each other some encouraging words during the difficult times, like after each lost his starting job.

The Napa Valley College women’s basketball team lost a pair of games in the Mission Tournament to open the season Friday and Saturday.

It was a record-breaking night for running back Zach Zuniga and the Vintage Crushers, who got their first win of the 2009 high school football season.

The annual dinner for the Napa chapter of Ducks Unlimited will be held this Saturday, Nov. 7 at the Napa Elks Lodge. Cocktails begin at 5 p.m., and at 7 p.m., their famous prime rib dinner will be served, including fine wines from Gauge Winery.

Here we go with our annual installment of how did this guy make an NBA roster, Version 2009

Here’s a look at the latest local angling action:

Duane Cole said he felt he was on the menu when a mountain lion confronted him while he was hunting in the Elkhorn Mountains near Boulder, Mont. on Oct. 26.

Cece Mitchell of Napa reported that the annual Mitchell/Fitch fishing derby at Lake Almanor was “a bust” this year, but 3-year-old grandson Hunter Mitchell helped his dad Jason land a 2-pound, 13-ounce trout.