Melee ends Sonoma Valley football season

The homecoming game for Sonoma Valley High School at Arnold Field on Friday, Oct. 18, had a little bit of everything: an energizing go-ahead touchdown in the first quarter, high-flying cheerleaders and a class float parade at halftime, the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen, followed by a dramatic drive for another Dragon touchdown to open the fourth quarter.

But with the score 35-14 in Petaluma's favor, what followed was a series of late hits on the Trojan kickoff returner, and a bench-emptying melee that brought to the field not only players and coaches, but administrators including Sonoma Valley High principal Alberto Solórzano to help quell the combat.

At the end of a lengthy mid-field discussion between officials and the principals (Solorzano and last year's SVHS principal, Jason Mori, who now holds that position at Petaluma) and athletic directors from both teams, the game was suspended with 11 minutes left to play. Referees ejected multiple players who, under league rules, are also ineligible to play the following game against Vintage High School.

Petaluma was given the victory and, just like that, the Dragons season came to an end.

And the Homecoming crowd dispersed, having given the school and the team positive energy on a festive night.

Though during the midfield meeting officials said eight or nine Dragons would be ejected, the final league report indicates that number would be 11. Either number was a deathblow to the game: “Losing 8-9 players and asking remaining players to play in positions they haven't practiced and the intensity of both teams would make for an unsafe game,” said Athletic Director Mike Boles. “The correct decision was to suspend the game which means the score stands,” as a 35-14 win for Petaluma.

But it got worse: ejection from a game automatically means that play is ineligible to play in the following game, and whether it's 8 or 9 or 11 players out for the week, that means next Friday's scheduled season finale against Vintage High will be forfeited.

The Dragons season ended early, and their 2019 record will go down as 1-9 overall, 0-6 in the league.

“It saddens me that this will be what people remember about this year's team and football program. It was a tough year and the kids put in a lot of hard work,” said coach Hervy Williams.

“I want the community to know that we do not encourage or condone the behavior we saw Friday night,” he added. “I tell my guys that we have to better and the bigger man when other teams are taunting them and that they are a reflection of me, the program, the school and the community.”

The Oct. 18 game started out well for the Dragons, as Adrian Alvarez scored from three yards out to cap an opening drive for a touchdown – their first in 13 quarters – and a 7-0 lead. The Dragons kept the momentum going by stiffing the Petaluma run game to four-and-out, getting the ball back and an opportunity to add to their lead.

But Jake Baker threw an interception and from that point on the Dragons focus seemed to be lost. Petaluma scored three times in the rest of the half, most of them coming directly or indirectly for Sonoma penalties and turnovers. When the home school class floats came out for halftime and the Homecoming Court was introduced, the score stood at a more familiar 21-7.

The Trojans added two more scores to open the half, on a run by quarterback Jack Hartman and a pass from Hartman to Ryan Sullivan. (Mario Zarco had scored twice in the second period, their other TD coming on a pass to Gianni Johnson.)

With three minutes left in the third quarter, the Dragons got their fire back. They began a drive on their own 45, and largely on the legs of Alvarez – who finished the night with 153 yards on 19 carries – drove inside the five as the quarter ended.

The last quarter (of the year, as it turned out) began with a second Alvarez touchdown, this on a swingout pass to the left side, from the three-yard line. The Brian Evina extra-point kick was good, and somehow that 35-14 score wasn't so daunting.

Return kicker Evina looped a squib into the secondary, and Gianni Johnson went down to his knee to receive. The first Dragon to reach him hit him too hard, and more quickly arrived to pile on, presumably hoping to force the fumble and take over on offense for a fairy tale finish.

Instead, the 2019 Dragon season came to an abrupt and unseemly end.

“We are forfeiting next week's game against Vintage High School,” said Boles. “We are unable to field a team due to a minimum of 11 players ejected, student athlete safety, and conduct unbecoming of Sonoma Valley High School.”