Will C. Wood High School faces Napa in showdown of unbeaten football teams tonight

Yes, all games count the same. But that doesn’t diminish the importance of tonight’s football showdown between Will C. Wood and Napa high schools.

Both the Wildcats and the Indians are 6-0 overall, and 1-0 in Monticello Empire League play.

Wood is ranked No. 9 in the Sac-Joaquin Section, according to this week’s Maxpreps.com poll. Napa is No. 10.

A possible victory tonight would give Wood at least a share of the lead in the MEL, and move the Wildcats one big step closer to their first-ever league crown in football.

A victory would also give the Wildcats their first-ever seven-game winning streak to start a season, and tie for the longest winning streak in school history.

Wood won seven straight games after losing its season opener in 2013. The 1997 Wildcats won six straight game to start the year before losing three in a row and missing the playoffs.

If all those possibilities weren’t enough, the Wildcats have another bit of incentive.

“We want revenge,” running back Damon Lewis said simply.

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Prep kickoff: Will C. Wood High School has plenty planned for MEL football opener

It’s youth football night … and a pink out … any maybe one last warm-weather Friday.

Oh yes, and the Will C. Wood High School football team is looking for another big win in what it hopes will be a huge season.

The Wildcats certainly have a lot going on, not the least of which is tonight’s Monticello Empire League opener against Vintage.

Wood will recognize youth football night, with any youngster wearing a local youth football jersey admitted free if they are accompanied by an adult.

The school also will hold a “Pink Out,” with all fans encouraged to wear pink in honor of breast cancer awareness month.

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Will C. Wood High School football team doing amazing things by the numbers

Carlos Meraz has said repeatedly that this Will C. Wood High School football team is “special.”

Halfway through the regular season, the numbers are saying, “very special.”

Meraz and the Wildcats cruised into their bye week with another big-time performance in last Friday’s 55-31 victory over Freedom of Oakley.

The win lifted Wood’s record to 5-0, only the third time in school history the Wildcats have begun the season with five straight victories.

Others have taken notice. Wood jumped to No. 7 in this week’s Maxpreps.com’s Sac-Joaquin Section top 25 rankings, the highest placement ever for the Wildcats.

Meraz is unfazed by the notoriety.

“What’s most important is improving every week,” he said. “We don’t want to get caught up in records. We want to get better as a team each time we play.”

The Wildcats don’t have a chance to play this week after competing a “zero week” game on Aug. 28.

No matter. The break may give their offensive standouts — and area scoreboard operators — a much-needed rest.

Wood is averaging almost exactly 55 points a game, with both the passing and rushing games playing crucial parts.

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Will C. Wood and Vacaville high schools battle to 1-1 boys soccer draw

Will C. Wood High School’s boys soccer team broke a six-game losing streak against Vacaville dating back to October of 2012.

Vacaville ended a scoreless drought that lasted more than four-and-a-half games.

So why wasn’t anyone smiling after Wednesday’s crosstown showdown at Wood?

“That’s kind of the way it is with ties,” Vacaville head coach Nick Omand said after the Wildcats and Bulldogs fought to a 1-1 draw.

“We had plenty of opportunities. We just couldn’t put it in the back of the net,” Wood senior Omar Montano added. “They’re a good team. We just didn’t bring it today.”

Montano had several near-misses, and was credited … depending on who you ask … with the Wildcats’ only goal just 15 minutes into the contest.

Wood’s Keshav Clay took a corner kick from the right side, but the ball went untouched all the way through to the left side of the box. Montano stopped the ball and rifled a shot back through to the right side of the net. The ball appeared to deflect off at least one Vacaville defender and into the net for an own goal … or a Montano goal.

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Will C. Wood High School Photo Site