Sonoma gridders fall to Vintage, Coach Bob Midgley steps down

Midgley was varsity coach the past six ?seasons|

The Sonoma Valley High Dragons Friday were the latest victims pounded by the first-place powerhouse Vintage Crushers in a Vine Valley Athletic League matchup.

And not only did the Dragons lose the game, they also lost their coach as Coach Bob Midgley announced after the game that he was stepping down.

The first half was contested entirely on the Dragon side of the field as Vintage ran off to a 49-0 halftime lead. Sonoma didn’t get the ball past their own 35-yard-line in the first half.

“Vintage was bigger, faster and better than we were. They look like the VVAL champion,” Midgley said. “They are fundamentally sound and well-coached. We were outmatched.”

Vintage, started the season 0-2 but has turned it around with seven consecutive wins and is assured at least a tie for the inaugural VVAL title with one league game to play.

Sonoma was able to avoid the shutout with a 98-yard kickoff return by Andrew Beatty late in the fourth quarter to make the final score 56-6.

Sonoma Valley finished its season with three straight losses, including four of the last five. The Dragons finish with a 3-7 overall mark and a 2-4 VVAL record.They will finish in fifth place.

“We lost a lineman (in the middle of the season) and haven’t been the same since. We are not a very deep team (only 21 rostered players),” said Midgley, who stepped down after the game as coach after six years at the helm of the Dragons’ varsity program.

“Of course I am sad; I love coaching. I love this team,” he said. “After 29 years of coaching, I just need some time to myself to take care of a few things.”

Midgley, a Sonoma Valley High alum, was also the athletic director before stepping down earlier this year.

In his six years as the Dragons head coach, Midgley compiled a 22-35 mark.

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