Benicia High’s varsity football team makes its second straight trip to Corbus Field in Vallejo when the Panthers take on the host Bethel Jaguars on Friday night in a pivotal Solano County Athletic Conference match-up.
The Panthers lit up Corbus Field last Friday, scoring a season-high 54 points in a blowout win over Vallejo. It was the fourth straight victory overall for the Panthers (4-3, 2-0 SCAC), who would like to enjoy that same sort of success Friday against the Jaguars (3-4, 1-1 SCAC).
“I love Corbus Field,” said Benicia head coach Craig Holden. “Our kids usually play well there. Hopefully we come out with the same passion and enthusiasm we’ve shown in the last four weeks.”
The Panthers have been magnificent since opening the season with three losses. Benicia has outscored its last four opponents 174-27, though those victories came over teams with a combined record of 5-23.
“You still have to go out and handle business no matter who you play,” Holden said. “Those teams had athletes capable of making things interesting, but we were able to contain them and do the things we’re supposed to do. We’re moving in the right direction and the results have been positive. It’s been a fun month and we hope to continue driving forward to the finish line.”
Benicia has had success in recent years against Bethel, winning four of the past five meetings, including a 21-19 victory at Corbus Field last season. Bethel leads the all-time series, 6-5.
“It’s always a fun battle,” Holden said of the Benicia/Bethel rivalry. “We look forward to it.”
The Jaguars have been wildly inconsistent this year. Bethel opened the season with a win over Oakland Tech, then lost consecutive games to San Marin, St. Mary’s and Vintage. The Jags opened the SCAC season with a 28-20 loss to Vanden but rebounded nicely last week for a 28-6 win at Fairfield.
Senior quarterback Elijah Summerize (jersey No. 17) leads Bethel’s offense, which primarily likes to keep things on the ground. Summerize and running backs Malichi Dawson (No. 21) and Denage Wheeler (No. 10) are all breakaway threats, and 6-foot-6 senior tight end Gabe Martinez is a big passing target.
“They’re definitely a formidable opponent,” Holden said. “They have some speed and can make you pay if you miss a tackle. They have a lot of guys that we have to contain.”
Benicia played well on both sides of the ball last week against the Redhawks. The defense came a 68-yard touchdown run away from their third straight shutout while the offense had six different Panthers score touchdowns.
“We’ve been able to spread the ball around and give lots of kids looks,” Holden said. “It’s nice to see everyone getting involved.
“We feel we got our losses out early and we don’t want to lose another game. These remaining three games are the only ones that matter now.”
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