Benicia High’s varsity football team finds itself homeless this season due to complete reconstruction of Drolette Stadium. The on-campus stadium isn’t expected to be ready before next spring at the earliest, leaving the Panthers with 10 consecutive road games for the 2016 campaign.

Head coach Craig Holden says his Panthers aren’t bothered by having no home games on the schedule.

“We haven’t even talked about it,” said Holden, who isn’t sure how Benicia High will celebrate Homecoming without a home. “We’re just gonna take it week by week and play each game. We don’t really care where we play at.”

Benicia’s season starts Friday night at Granada – a team that went 6-7 overall last season but made it all the way to the North Coast Section Division II semifinals. Granada scored a combined 127 points in two playoff victories. Four of Benicia’s five non-conference opponents reached the postseason last year, so the Panthers will be tested early and often in unfriendly confines.

“It’s a tough start for us for a pretty young team, but we want to play high-caliber teams that will get us ready for league and hopefully the playoffs,” Holden said.

The Panthers are coming off two consecutive Solano County Athletic Conference co-championships but must replace SCAC offensive co-MVPs Riley Pitkin at quarterback and co-MVP Jason Shelley at receiver, as well as SCAC Back of the Year Alex Osterholt. Benicia lost 16 seniors from last year’s 8-4 squad and has 16 veteran players returning.

“The kids we’re replacing them with are more than capable of getting the job done,” Holden said.

Taking over at quarterback is the coach’s son, senior Devin Holden, who completed 20-of-36 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in limited time last year. Holden is a returning All-SCAC First Team safety, and Panther coaches must decide whether to play him at only one position regularly – or both.

“He’s just a good athlete and his feet and his arm give us a good chance to win the game,” coach Holden said. “He keeps plays alive with his feet and he has enough arm strength and ability to get the ball down the field if we need to. He just needs to develop awareness at the varsity level and settle down, and that should happen early on.”

Battling for the starting quarterback job is fellow senior Joseph Lee, a transfer student from Georgia. Lee is still learning the playbook but is a solid athlete who will find a place on the playing field somewhere.

Senior Cavon Etter rushed for 333 yards and five TDs last season despite being hampered by injuries and was an All-SCAC Honorable Mention. Also look for incoming twins Jalen and Jeremiah Lane to get significant carries.

Senior receiver Kyani McFall, an All-SCAC Second Team selection last year, was third on the Panthers in receptions and second in receiving yards. McFall and senior Justin Williams are both dangerous taking end-runs from the slot receiver position. Mario Ferreira caught 17 passes for 182 yards last season, and seniors Matthew Larks and Xavier Judkins are receiving threats.

The offensive line is anchored around returning starter Brian McRae and senior tackle Will Portello. Cody Williams, pulled up from the JVs, will likely start on the line, with Mark Shafer (American Canyon transfer), Johnny Thymiakos, Jack Manoukian, Trae Crummie and Tre’Verre Stone also seeing time in the trenches.

Junior Koe Alava has All-SCAC potential at inside linebacker and is the key to Benicia’s defense. The Lane twins, McFall, Thymiakos and Dimitri McLen round out the linebacking corps. Larks and Etter are the cornerbacks, with Judkins and Holden at safety. Kyle Lane and Justin Williams are also capable defensive backs.

Two soccer players – Cody King and Shahin Parandeh – are competing for the kicking duties.

The Panthers didn’t look particularly good during a multi-team scrimmage at Corbus Field last Saturday night, but Holden doesn’t seem to be worried.

“I’m excited about this season,” Holden said. “We have some athletes who can make a difference and we have some excitement in our program. We’re two-time defending league champions and we’re looking to put a third one on there.”