FOOTBALL TEAMS READY FOR RIVALRY
Michael Holst and George Duenas are very familiar with the Tokay-Lodi football rivalry.
Today at the Grape Bowl at 7:15 p.m., Holst’s Tigers and Duenas’ Flames will take to the field in the Tri-City Athletic League finale and the city championship for a 46th consecutive year. Tokay will be on the visitor’s sidelines and Lodi is the home team.
“We are excited to take part in the cross-town rivalry,” Holst said.
Added Duenas, “Big rivalry games like this are unique. It doesn’t matter what each teams record is, you are going to get a hard fought game from both sides.”
This will be the last time Tokay will play at the Grape Bowl. Next season, the Tigers will play all of their home games on their oncampus that is near completion. The all-weather track and field and electronic scoreboard have been installed in the last two weeks. The 47th annual contest will be played at the on-campus stadium — with Tokay as the home team — in 2019. Tokay will open the 2019 season with non-league games at Patterson and Bear Creek before playing its first home game against Stagg.
Tokay (0-4 in the TCAL, 09) has kept the city championship trophy at its campus the last two years. Last year, the Tigers rallied in the final minutes of the fourth quarter for a 19-14 win. Lodi (1-3 in the TCAL, 2-7) last won the trophy in 2015 with a 22-9 victory. The Flames have only won this rivalry this decade a combined three times, three years ago and back-toback in 2011 and 2010.
There’s no secret each team would like to end the regular season with win, which leads to bragging rights for at least 365 days. A Tokay win would be its only one to enjoy this season, and keep the trophy at the campus. A Lodi win would bring the trophy back to its campus.
Holst and his Tigers are ready to take on a Flames squad that has averaged 21.3 points per game on offense this season behind a strong running game. Leading the Lodi attack are fullback Larry McDowell III (629 yards and six touchdowns), quarterback Logan Stout (451 yards and nine touchdowns) and running backs Angelo Zazzarino (388) and Myles Lozano (388).
The Flames also have a deep threat in Colton Stout (251 yards receiving) and slot back Niko Cabrera, plus Pappas and tight end Isaac Bishop.
“Lodi is good at chunking the ball down the field, running traditional Wing-T concepts out of pistol,” said Holst of the Flames. “Good Wing-T teams counter what you are doing defensively with the next play in that series. Those plays are designed to complement each other. McDowell is a big back (6-foot and 205 pounds) and runs the ball hard, (Logan) Stout is an athletic quarterback who throws a good ball, Lozano is a good athlete and Bishop is a talented kid as well.”
Holst is fine revealing his Tigers’ point of attack in today’s game.
“Our goal is to force takeaways and play great defense in the red zone and goal line,” Holst said. “We have to be physical, tackle well and read our keys.”
At times on offense where they have finished drives for touchdowns or field goals, the Flames have also been guilty of shooting themselves in the foot; penalties and turnovers have been the thorn on their side.
“The kids have been really working hard and continued to work hard this week,” Duenas said. “We are confident in our game plan and excited for (tonight).”
The Flames’ defense has been lit up for 31.6 points this season. That gives some optimism for the Tigers, who have been shutout the last two games; St. Mary’s posted a 490 win over Tokay on Oct. 19 and Lincoln 50-0 on its own field on Oct. 12. The last time the Tigers scored points was Oct. 5, when West posted a 5528 win. Tokay has averaged only 11.5 points per game. Its defense has given up 54.5 points per game.
“I’m very proud of our players for sticking out a tough season and continuing to work hard in practice daily,” Holst said. “It’s not easy to continue to trust the process when the scoreboard every Friday night doesn’t reward you. Everybody wants to win this game, but the you have to deserve to win by having a great week of practice and by taking care of business on Friday night.”
Tokay will have its offensive players ready for today’s game. Quarterback Jacob Varney, who was moved up from the Tokay junior varsity squad during pre-season, has completed 36 of 79 passes for 524 yards and four touchdowns.
Leading the Tigers’ rushing game is fullback Nathan Branco, who has 581 yards rushing and five touchdowns. Joseph Fillippini has accounted for two touchdowns, while Varney and Johnny Craggs, have one touchdown each.
Rivalry has changed
Once upon a time, Holst and Duenas wore Tokay and Lodi football uniforms. But they never squared off against the other.
In 2001 and ‘02, Holst started at tight end and linebacker on the Tokay football teams that finished with winning records. He graduated in 2003.
“For me, high school football was a big deal,” recalled Holst. “My senior year was the Fog Bowl vs. Lodi (that Tokay won 21-0). We won amidst a shroud of fog that covered the Grape Bowl field.”
Duenas was a starting offensive/defensive lineman on the 2004 and ‘05 Lodi football teams. The 2005 squad won the San Joaquin Athletic Association title and advanced to the second round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs. Duenas is a 2006 graduate.
“The games I played were very competitive,” Duenas remembered. “Both teams played hard. We lost by junior year 14-7, and my senior year we won 21-20, after being down 20-0 at halftime. Both games were physical.”
The rivalry has changed since Holst and Duenas’ high school and college playing days.
“Most of the players know each other,” Holst said. “One major difference was that players back then grew up playing for either the Lodi Huskies (Tokay) or the Lodi Cardinals (Lodi). It was simple back then and not a lot of people played with each other and then played against each other in high school.”
Social media websites Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have also played a role in high school football and athletics this decade. New youth football programs in Lodi are part of that culture change as well.
“It seems as if every player knows someone on the opposing team,” Holst said. “And since we’ve had a slew of youth tackle football teams in town, a lot of players now were football teammates at one point.”
Lodi and Tokay are ready to close out the season. But only one on a winning note.
“In the last 10 years, I’ve been coaching there have been a lot of really great games and others that weren’t so close,” Holst said. “Our kids still want to beat those guys across town.”