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KNIGHT FOOTBALL 2007
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS - 1953, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1983
1986, 1987

Knights Not Spoilers
SISKIYOUS FLAGGED FOR 19 PENALTIES
(11/10/07-Shasta College-Jeffrey Jen, Record Searchlight Article) The Eagles have been soaring through the air all season. But game-breaking runs lifted the College of the Siskiyous football team to a 49-26 victory over Shasta at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. The Eagles (6-4) needed a victory to have a chance at a bowl berth. The Knights (1-9) were trying to play the role of spoilers. In the end, Siskiyous had too many weapons offensively for Shasta to deal with. Eagles tailback Jermaine Holmes of Loria, S.C., ran for 255 yards on 28 carries and three touchdowns, including a 72-yard TD run in the first quarter and a 53-yard TD run that finally broke the Knights' back in the fourth quarter. Siskiyous entered the game ranked second in Northern California with 520.2 yards of total offense and were fourth in defense in allowing 289.7. The Eagles finished with 500 yards compared with the 367 by Shasta. "We knew what we had to do in order to get to a bowl game," Eagles head coach Eric Young said. "Shasta came out and added some wrinkles and they did keep us off balance. But our team maintained our focus throughout the game." The Eagles got the fireworks started early when they raced out to stomp on the middle of the Memorial Stadium field, incurring an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty -- before the national anthem. Their defensive line then drew another 15-yarder jumping offsides and hitting opposing linemen en masse on the first Shasta offensive play of the game. "That kind of woke us up," Knights tailback Steve Savage said. "We got worked up over that." It also put the officials on alert, and flags were tossed freely throughout the contest. Siskiyous was flagged 19 times for 189 yards, while Shasta was hit 12 times for 145 yards. Shasta moved the ball, but had key mistakes that short-circuited potential scoring opportunities. An early field-goal attempt was ruined by a high snap, as was a potential fake punt later in the game. Savage pounded his way to 107 yards and three short touchdown runs on 20 carries in his final game as a Knight, but went out with a high ankle sprain late in the second quarter and didn't return. Scott Armstead, in his second start at quarterback since moving over from free safety, completed 17-of-33 passes for 178 yards. But he was picked off four times, three times by Eagles defensive back Edward Smith and once by Will Sinnott. Twice, Armstead was picked off in the end zone. "It is frustrating to have the season end like this," Armstead said. "Definitely, I would like to have all of those interceptions back. Our offense moved the ball, but we didn't take advantage of our chances." His lone touchdown pass was a 16-yard scoring toss to Blake Arrowsmith with 13:45 left in the game, cutting Siskiyous' lead to 35-26. But Shasta was flagged for pass interference on a third-down play on Siskiyous' ensuing drive. A couple of plays later, Holmes busted loose for the 53-yarder that built up the Eagles' cushion again. Siskiyou quarterback Ben Cozad then added a 55-yard scoring run later in the fourth quarter. Siskiyous starting quarterback Matt Jackson went 8-of-17 for 176 yards, but had three touchdown passes in second quarter to stake the Eagles to a 35-19 cushion by halftime. He was picked off once by Knights cornerback Jon Fleig in the second half. The Eagles were able to use their size advantage at wide receiver to good use during that run. Leading 14-12 in the second quarter, Jackson threw to 6-foot-6 tight end Klaus Geier for a 1-yard TD pass with 10:06 left in the second quarter. The Knights responded on Savage's 4-yard scoring run less than three minutes later, but the Eagles drove the ball down the field again, aided by a pair of big penalties from Shasta. This time, Jackson found his 6-foot-7 receiver Demario Ballard in the far corner for a 2-yard scoring toss with 6:20 left. Later in the quarter, he added a 46-yard TD pass to Anthony Young when he caught the Knights on a safety blitz. "Our inability to prevent the big plays and some missed chances doomed us," Knights head coach Craig Thompson said. "They got more athletes with big-play potential they pushed the petal to the floor when they had to." Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228 or at jjen@redding.com.
Laney Tops Knights
SCOTT ARMSTEAD QB FOR KNIGHTS
(11/2/08-Oakland-Oakland Tribune Article-Scott Strain) Quarterback Matt Dardenne threw a
65-yard touchdown pass to Charles Walker on the first play from scrimmage, and the Laney College football team rolled on from there Friday night to defeat Shasta College 44-28. With the victory, the Eagles clinched at least a tie for the Mid-Empire Conference title. Laney (8-1, 4-0 MEC) finishes the regular season next Saturday with a game at Merced College. Merced (2-1) plays at Sacramento City (2-1) today. Dardenne threw three touchdown passes and ran for one as Laney rolled up 374 yards of total offense in the first half to take a
37-7 lead at the break. Shasta (1-8, 0-4) gained 198 yards in the first two quarters, but was undone by four turnovers. Shasta quarterback Scott Armstead, a converted defensive back, threw a 76-yard touchdown pass to Blake Arrowsmith to the tie the game at 7-7, but also threw three interceptions. Laney also had one interception negated by a penalty. After Shasta scored, Laney drove 74 yards in five plays to retake the lead for good. Terjean Saffold ripped off a run of 43 yards and then caught a 16-yard pass to the 5, from where Dardenne threw to Jeremy Mitchell for the TD. Robert Lorenzi then returned an interception of Armstead 34 yards for a 21-7 Laney lead. Early in the third quarter Troy Evans, in his first action in five weeks due to an injury, had an 88-yard punt return called back on a blocking penalty. No matter. Dardenne threw a 71-yard pass to Andrew Allen to the Shasta 19 and then hit Walker with a scoring pass for 28-7. Thomas Porter recovered fumble on the Shasta 48 and two plays later Dardenne scrambled 28 yards for a TD to up the lead to 34-7.
Laney Up Next
ROAD TRIP TO OAKLAND
(11/2/07-Oakland Tribune Article) One more victory. That is what Laney College coach Jay Uchiumi believes it will take to get the Eagles a bowl bid when the regular season ends next week. "We have a shot now, said Uchiumi, whose team leads the Mid-Empire Conference with a 3-0 (7-1 overall). "We need to win one more game to feel secure. Laney will attempt to lock up that victory tonight against visiting Shasta College (1-7, 0-3) at 7. Merced plays at Sacramento City on Saturday, and both are 2-1 in conference. A Laney victory and a Merced loss would assure the Eagles of at least a tie for the conference title. "I told the players 'We control our own destiny,'" Uchiumi said. But first, there is Shasta. Even though the Knights bring up the rear of the Mid-Empire conference, Uchiumi believes his team is not taking the game lightly. "The players know what they have to do," said Uchiumi. "They're not overlooking anybody. Shasta has a pretty good offense. They put up some points against Sacramento City and took a good Butte team into overtime."Running back Steve Savage averages 86 yards per game and has scored three touchdowns. Quarterback Matt Adkins has completed 111 of 188 for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has thrown 12 interceptions. Shasta is averaging 20.6 points per game. The Knights' big problem has been on defense, giving up an average of 37.5 points per game. They have intercepted just two passes. Laney is averaging 38.6 points a game after defeating Sacramento City College 26-21 on Oct. 27. Quarterback Matt Dardenne, who threw a pair of 58-yard touchdown passes against the Panthers, is 121-for-199 passing for 1,891 yards and 20 touchdowns. His top receiver, Charles Walker, has 40 receptions for 801 yards and nine touchdowns. Terjean Saffold has rushed for 626 yards (a 4.7 average) and nine touchdowns on 113 carries.
Knights Comeback Short
RYAN KRUEGER WITH 92 YARD KO RETURN FOR TD
(10/27/07-Sacramento) The Shasta College football team fell short again,
losing to American River 24-13 in Sacramento on Saturday. The Knights
were behind 14-0 at halftime, but found the end zone when Ryan Krueger returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. Shasta struck again early in the fourth quarter when Scott Armstead hit Blake Arrowsmith
for a 10 yard touchdown pass. The Knights (0-3 Mid-Empire Conference, 1-7) travel to Laney College in Oakland on Saturday.
Knights Must Cut Mistakes
EXECUTE FUNDAMENTALS
(10/22/07-Jeffrey Jen-Searchlight) Saturday proved to be quite a day of post game sound bites.The Shasta College football team lost 48-20 to visiting Merced in its homecoming/Hall of Fame game Saturday. Worse was how the game unfolded. The Blue Devils controlled things from the start. The Knights turned things over from the start. Some calls may have gone against Shasta (Steve Savage's fumble, the first roughing the punter penalty on Scott Armstead), but the Knights weren't about to make excuses for their rough performance. "We had players who weren't into the game," Knights head coach Craig Thompson said. Despite the seven turnovers, Shasta moved the ball offensively. Getting Savage back (131 yards, 1 TD) was a plus and quarterback Matt Adkins had a completion percentage of 78.3 (18-of-23). But of Adkins' five incomplete passes, four were interceptions. The defense didn't leave any room for mistakes. Merced came in averaging 261.7 yards of total offense a game. The Blue Devils finished with 515 against the Knights. "It was the worst defensive performance I've seen in the last few years," Thompson said. Merced quarterback Reid Herchenbach seemingly spent all game eluding would-be tacklers. He was sacked three times, but escaped at least five other potential sack situations. Shasta didn't wrap up and missed tackles left and right. Throw in the big plays the Knights gave up and it was a long game. "That ranks among the lowest points for me," Knights defensive coordinator Matt Diskin said. Later, he added, "If I were me, I'd fire me. Regardless of talent, if you don't execute fundamentals, you won't win. We're still making Day 1 mistakes and now we're in the seventh week of the season." The Knights have three games left, road dates at American River on Saturday and at Laney in two weeks, and the season finale at home against Siskiyous. That gives them three chances to alter, if not erase, Saturday's grisly showing. Certainly, the Knights will be hearing about it in practice today. Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228 or at jjen@redding.com.
Knights Fall to Merced
TOO MANY MISTAKES
(10/21/07-Jeffrey Jen Searchlight) The Knights took a turn for the worse at the worst time. Playing in front of a homecoming/Hall of Fame crowd wasn't enough to turn the Shasta College football team's season around as Merced pounded the Knights 48-20 at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Both teams came in thinking a win was possible, but only one played for it from the outset. "They came off the bus and wanted to play right from the start," Knights defensive tackle Adam Doelker said. Offensively, Shasta committed seven turnovers. Defensively, the Knights gave up 34 first-half points and 515 yards, 250 yards more than what the Blue Devils came in averaging. "It's an embarrassing performance to have," Knights head coach Craig Thompson said. "Especially when you have Hall of Fame inductees coming to get recognized." Shasta quarterback Matt Adkins was picked off on the third play of the game on an underthrown ball. Merced (2-0 Mid-Empire Conference, 3-4) promptly marched 77 yards on nine plays, ending on a 33-yard scoring run from David Del Toro. The Knights coughed the ball up three plays later when Steve Savage was ruled to have fumbled and the Blue Devils recovered on the Knights' 33-yard line. Four plays later, Del Toro added a 5-yard touchdown run and Merced was up 14-0 midway through the first quarter. Robert Lee then fumbled on the kick return, but the Blue Devils coughed the ball up when quarterback Reid Herchenbach threw a late pitch on an option and Shasta linebacker Page Morgan recovered. Still, the sequence of events proved to be a microcosm of the game and of Shasta's rapidly deteriorating season. "That was the type of effort that loses games no matter what," Thompson said. "We're climbing up the ladder and then we fall and crash hard. There were turnovers on a team that can't afford them and our defense couldn't tackle." Shasta moved the ball well when it wasn't turning the ball over. Savage returned from a concussion that sidelined him last week to pound out 131 yards on 20 carries, including a 5-yard TD run to get the Knights on the board with 13:34 left in the second quarter. Adkins went 18-of-23 passing for 178 yards, but also tossed four interceptions. The costliest one came at the end of the second quarter. The Knights were trailing 28-14, but had a first-and-goal at the Blue Devils' 4 with less than a minute to go. After two unsuccessful carries by Savage, Adkins threw a quick third-down strike toward Kyle Urbin in the end zone. But Urbin was double covered and Adkins' pass went straight to Merced linebacker Kelsey Mankins for a pick and touchback. As bad as the pass was, it couldn't match Shasta's defense for the first 30 minutes of the game. "Too many big plays, too many mental errors," Doelker said. The capper came when the Knights allowed Merced to go 80 yards in a span of 25 seconds to add one last first-half touchdown thanks to a 32-yard run by Garrett Turner and a 46-yard completion from Herchenbach to Carl Smith. Herchenbach then hooked up with tight end DeAnte Sanders for a 1-yard scoring pass 16 seconds before halftime. "There were blown coverages and assignments all over," Knights safety Scott Armstead said. Shasta had one chance to get back into the game after Jordan Atwell scored on a 6-yard run with 12:49 left in the game to cut things to 34-20. The Knights defense held to force a punt, but Armstead was called for his second roughing the punter penalty of the game. That deflated Shasta and Merced went down the field and scored on Herchenbach's 32-yard TD pass to Smith, putting the game out of reach. Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228
or at jjen@redding.com.
Sac City Passes Knights
FACE MERCED THIS SATURDAY @ 1:00 PM
(10/14/07-Sacramento Bee article) Andrew Gardner passed for 255 yards and five touchdowns Saturday to lead Sacramento City College past visiting Shasta 43-27 in a Mid-Empire Conference opener for both teams. Marques Cole and Ahmad Lewis each caught two of Gardner's scores, and Lewis also returned the opening kickoff 88 yards for a score. Andrew Gianuzzi, who had four receptions for 119 yards, also had a touchdown catch. John Gaines rushed 32 times for 100 yards for the Panthers (3-3, 1-0).
Eagles Ground Knights
FALL BEHIND EARLY
(9/30/07-Searchlight Article) Feather River 41, Shasta 12 -- The Knights fell to a 34-0 halftime deficit on the road to the Golden Eagles (2-3). Blake Arrowsmith and Troy Terry scored fourth-quarter touchdowns for Shasta (1-4) in the loss. The Knights have a bye on Saturday before starting Mid-Empire Conference play Oct. 13 against Sac City.
Knights Must Ground Eagles
SAVAGE SHOULD RETURN
(9/29/07-Redding-Jeffrey Jen) The Golden Eagles aren’t an appropriate moniker for Feather River considering the offense it employs. The home opponent for the Shasta College football team in today’s 5 p.m. game loves to run the ball. Then run it again and then some more. Belying the Golden Eagles name, Feather River employs a double-wing offense that gives the ball to a number of backs and where the quarterback may be its most dangerous ball carrier. In the Golden Eagles’ 33-28 win at Siskiyous last week, Feather River ran the ball 66 times for 431 yards. They threw four passes. Quarterback Bret Williamson ran 21 times for 140 yards and 2 TDs, while running back Bryce Neville had 27 rushes for 156 yards and another TD. Though Feather River is 1-3, there is a lot of respect for the 19th-ranked Northern California squad. The Golden Eagles have played a tough early season schedule. They led 33-14 on Siskiyous’ home turf before giving up two fourth-quarter scores. Look for Williamson and Neville to shoulder the load, though Feather River’s leading rusher is running back Tavares Rhodes (259 yards). As a team, Feather River averages 277.9 yards rushing per game. The Knights need a strong, disciplined game from a defense that has allowed at least 400 yards in each of its first four games. Last season, Feather River won at Memorial Stadium in part because of a couple of big runs. When Shasta and Feather River meet, the outcome is usually close, but one that always has gone in the Golden Eagles favor. Shasta has never beaten Feather River. If the Knights hope to change that, their offense must continue the recent strong ground effort and get a bounce back game from quarterback Matt Adkins. Shasta’s leading rusher Steve Savage was knocked out in the fourth quarter of Butte’s game with a slight concussion, but should be ready to go in Quincy. The Knights coaching staff also will try to get the ball into the hands of their receivers a bit more. The key to the game could be turnovers. Both the Knights and Golden Eagles have not done a good job protecting the ball. Feather River has fumbled 18 times this season, losing 14 and are -7 in turnover margin. Shasta is at -6 in turnover margin. Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228 or at jjen@redding.com
Instant Classic, Almost
KNIGHTS LOSE IN FOUR OT'S
(9/24/07-Jeffrey Jen Searchlight) When Butte College running back Kevin Stewart barreled in for a 5-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter to put the Roadrunners up 21-6, it looked like the game Saturday at Memorial Stadium was getting out of hand. But the Shasta College football team came back from 16 down to take Butte, ranked 8th in Northern California, to four overtimes before finally falling. "We were in a dog fight," Knights safety Nate Best said. Shasta can take a lot away from the tough loss, but there are still issues that need to be sorted out. The chief positive is the Knights' effort. Shasta showed it can rally and score. "I'm proud of our team in a way," Knights head coach Craig Thompson said. "They showed a lot of courage in coming back and forcing a good team like Butte into four overtimes." The Knights have their best running game in four years. Steve Savage now has three straight 100-yard games. He was sorely missed when he went out with a concussion in the fourth quarter. There is a good three-receiver group in Brandon Smith, Blake Arrowsmith and Michael Hendrix. Smith had only two catches for 68 yards and a score, but he hauled in a 2-point conversion pass. He let a potential TD catch in overtime slip through his hands, but his presence provides Shasta with a vertical threat. The same can be said for Arrowsmith (who had three catches, 58 yards and a TD). Though Kevin Sutherland handles extra-points and short field goals, the Knights were saving the strong-legged Arrowsmith for a possible longer field goal in overtime. But Arrowsmith never got the chance. The defense had some rough patches, but recovered three first-half fumbles. The Knights also shut down Butte's passing game in the second half. Butte quarterback Ryan Ratekin went 6-of-10 for 99 yards and two touchdowns in the first two quarters. However, he completed 5 of his last 17 passes for 75 yards. "We had to come out better in the second half and take it to them," Best said. Freshman linebacker Page Morgan has been a revelation of special teams coverage, and he made some nice plays on defense for Shasta. He had one of the fumble recoveries with Best and Scott Armstead getting the other two. Other freshmen defenders who fared well were defensive tackle Matt Dermody, linebacker Ryan McDonald, Armstead at safety and cornerback Robert Lee. On the negative side, Shasta's defense is faster, but isn't as smart as the previous two Knights units. One time, Butte got called for holding on a play in which Shasta sacked Ratekin for a 9-yard loss. However, Shasta players took a 10-yard penalty to make it second-and-26, instead of taking the play which would have put Butte in third-and-25. The Knights also did not react well when Butte went for it on fourth-and-24 on the Shasta 35. The Roadrunners came out of a huddle and had three wideouts on far right side, but only one Shasta defender was initially out there. A couple of Knights shifted over late, but the result was Ratekin completing a 34-yarder to Josh Bellamy that set up a touchdown to put the Roadrunners up 28-12 midway through the third quarter. Shasta quarterback Matt Adkins had a rough night. A wet ball and a persistent Butte pass rush may have explained some of his troubles with fumbled shotgun snaps and overthrown balls, but not all of it. The accuracy he displayed against Redwoods was often missing, and a lot of his yardage was because of his receivers. And there was special teams trouble. Kevin Sutherland had his first extra-point attempt blocked and missed his second. Arrowsmith also had a punt blocked and was called down while fielding a low snap. The performance was an improvement overall compared with the Shasta's first two games. But the Knights are still 1-3 and travel to Feather River on Saturday. Soon, improvement won't be enough. More wins must follow for Shasta to turn its season around. Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228 or at jjen@redding.com.
So Close, Yet So Far
RALLY FROM 16 POINTS DOWN
(9//23/07-Jeffrey Jen) So close — yet so far away. The Shasta Knights and Butte Roadrunners football teams battled for 60 minutes and four extra sessions, but there can be only one winner. Anthony Conner dove over the pile for a 1-yard touchdown run at the end of the fourth OT to lift Butte past Shasta 40-34 on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Shasta overcame a 16-point second half deficit, but fell one play short of getting its first victory over the rival Roadrunners in nine years. Instead, Butte won for the seventh time in a row in the series, but this was by far the closest during that stretch. The Knights had a couple of chances to pull off the upset, but its final drive in regulation fizzled at midfield. Both teams failed to score in the first two overtime sessions. Roadrunners kicker Nick Hedrick went wide left on a 26-yard field goal in the first OT and then kicked a 33-yarder wide right at the end of the second. Meanwhile, Shasta had Blake Arrowsmith waiting to try a long field goal in place of regular kicker Kevin Sutherland. But Knights quarterback Matt Adkins was intercepted in the first two overtimes. Conner scored on a 10-yard run to start the third OT, but Butte quarterback Ryan Ratekin’s pass fell incomplete on the mandatory 2-point try starting after every touchdown from the third overtime on. That gave the Knights a chance at the outright win when Adkins hit Sutherland for a 2-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal. But Adkins rolled out to his left and threw incomplete in the end zone on the 2-point try. The redshirt freshman was a savior in last week’s victory over Redwoods, but had some less stellar moments against Butte. In the fourth OT, he fumbled a shotgun snap and also threw three incomplete passes that kept the Knights from putting any more points on the board. Adkins finished 11-of-33 for 180 yards and two touchdowns, a 21-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Smith in the second quarter that cut Butte’s 15-point lead to 21-12, and a 38-yard scoring strike to Arrowsmith with 26 seconds in the third quarter. His 2-point conversion pass to Oscar DeAvila then made it a one possession game, 28-20. But Adkins also had those two picks and fumbled the snap on several critical occasions. “We only had two balls, so they were getting real slippery,” Adkins said. “But I would love to have those snaps back.” Given another chance, Butte had the most of it. They kept giving the ball into Conner’s hands. He rushed seven times in the fourth OT, the final one over the top though he did his damage elsewhere. “We went with smashmouth football in overtime,” Roadrunners offensive coordinator and Burney High School alum Robby Snelling said. “We were real effective getting Anthony outside. The line did a good job blocking and he was making some nice reads, so we stayed with it.” The Knights were hurt by not having starting tailback Steve Savage in overtime. Savage went over the century mark rushing for the third straight game, carrying 25 times for 148 yards, including a 3-yard TD run on Shasta’s opening possession of the game. But he suffered a concussion in leading the Knights to the eventual game-tying touchdown. Jordan Atwell finished the drive with a 1-yard scoring run with 6:16 left in the game to cut Butte’s lead to 28-26. Adkins then lofted a pass to Brandon Smith for the 2-point conversion. Shasta had one last drive in regulation with 1:35 left on its own 20. Shasta got to its 47 and Adkins lofted a pass to Smith around the Butte 25, but the receiver didn’t see it until the ball fell incomplete. In the second OT, Adkins nearly hit with Smith on a TD pass, but the ball went through his hands in the end zone. “We had our chances to win it,” Smith said. “It felt good about how we played, but it is still a tough loss.” Shasta travels to Feather River for its final game before Mid-Empire Conference play. The Knights don’t return to Memorial Stadium until Oct. 20 in their Hall of Fame game against Merced. Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228 or at jjen@redding.com.
Knight Key is Offense
MIGHT BE RAINING AT GAME TIME
(9/22/07-Jeffrey Jen-Searchlight Article) Fresh of its first victory in a year, the Shasta College football team must deal with another emotional roller coaster when rival Butte arrives for today's 6 p.m. game at Memorial Stadium. While the Knights view the Roadrunners as rivals, it has been a hammer and nail relationship. Butte has won has won all but one meeting since a 9-9 tie in 1988, including a few years when the teams met twice. The lone Shasta triumph was a 38-24 win Oct. 31, 1998 at Memorial Stadium. Since then, the teams have met six times. From 1999-2003, the Roadrunners outscored the Knights 219-76 over five games, an average of nearly 44-15. Following a two-year period when the teams didn't cross paths, Butte came out 14-8 victors on its home turf in 2006. Both the Knights and Roadrunners have struggled with Butte finishing 2006 with a 2-8 record, Shasta at 1-9. Both have reached that win total already this year entering today's game, which marks the Roadrunners' first appearance at Memorial Stadium since 2002. Shasta is coming off a 38-35 win over College of the Redwoods, while Butte may be arriving in bad mood after losing 34-29 to Reedley. A Knights key is how well an offense continues to improve. Matt Adkins threw for four touchdowns against the Corsairs, while Steve Savage recorded his second straight 100-yard rushing effort. Brandon Smith, who corralled a 61-yard touchdown pass from Adkins against Redwoods, is the leading receiver with 14 catches for 202 yards. Shasta has more depth at the skill positions and will look to get wide receiver Blake Arrowsmith, and running backs Jordan Atwell and Kevin Sutherland more involved against the Roadrunners. Though the Knights have made big offensive strides, the defense needs a vastly improved effort if Shasta harbors any hope to beat Butte. Shasta has allowed 476 yards defensively so far this season. Missed tackles have been a sore spot for the Knights all season and that can't happen against the wealth of talent Butte brings. "For us to even have a chance, we can't afford to miss any tackles," Knights defensive coordinator Matt Diskin said. The Roadrunners will be led by Pleasant Valley High School product quarterback Ryan Ratekin. The former Viking has had a strong early season in completing nearly 60 percent of his throws for 576 yards and a healthy 7-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Top targets include Taylor Clements (13 catches, 211 yards, 3 TDs), another Vikings product, and Josh Bellamy (11 catches, 128 yards, 3 TDs). Butte is also strong on the ground behind running backs Danny Campos (263 yards, 3 TDs) and Alex Green (173 yards, 2 TDs). The Shasta offense may need to accelerate its learning curve against a strong Butte defense, one that Knights coach Craig Thompson describes as "scary." Butte already has 14 takeaways (10 fumble recoveries, four interceptions), 14 sacks and three blocked kicks this season. Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228 or at jjen@redding.com.
Knights Need Streak
TOUGH GAME THIS WEEK
(9/20/07-Jeffrey Jen Searchlight Article) Saturday marked the end of a year of futility for the Shasta College football program. That nine-game losing streak finally got put to bed with a 38-35 victory Saturday over College of the Redwoods. Even better, an 11-game losing skid at Memorial Stadium was halted. The Knights' last home victory before Saturday: a 16-7 win over American River on Nov. 6, 2004, more than two seasons ago. Shasta won in a close game and Knights head coach Craig Thompson had his first Gatorade bath in, well, awhile. As even Knights defensive players noted, it was a bit of a role reversal. Where the defense has done decently enough the past couple of down years, the offense has struggled. Saturday, it was the offense that bailed out the D. After a decent first half where the lone Redwoods came on a long touchdown run, Shasta gave up 28 points over the final 30 minutes. For the second week in a row, the opposing offense changed things up in the second half. Two weeks ago, Mendocino used a running quarterback out of the spread to take a come-from-behind win at Memorial Stadium. Last weekend, Redwoods went to a short passing game and proceeded to rip the Knights for 205 second-half passing yards. This time, however, the Shasta offense came through. Three times, Redwoods cut the lead to a field goal in the second half. The Knights offense scored a pair of touchdowns, doing things that have been absent in recent seasons. One is the big play, courtesy of a 61-yard touchdown pass from Matt Adkins to Brandon Smith. Another is the ability to consistently run the ball. Shasta did that well enough in the first half to grab a 24-7 lead. A third is the ability to sustain a drive. In the days prior to the Redwoods game, Thompson didn't mince words about Shasta's offensive tendency to go south for a few possessions each game where it moves backwards for three straight plays to the point of a fourth-and-25 situation. Aside from a bad handoff on the first play of the second half, which led to a Redwoods touchdown that started the Corsairs comeback and an interception by back-up quarterback Matt Hagert, there weren't many offensive blunders. Part of it has to do with settling on a quarterback. With Will Camy's dislocated left should possibly ending his season, Adkins knew he was the go-to guy. As a result, he went from struggling to get a play off to a four-TD effort. "I just got a whole lot better simply by getting most of the reps in our practices," Adkins said. The redshirt freshman also alluded to changing the mentality in the locker room. He has watched how Knights teams struggled in "trying not to lose the game." Instead, he made sure he led the offense in an effort to win it. So, now there Shasta's offense is starting to look better, but its D is starting to fall apart. While the win has helped the team's confidence level, the schedule is only promises to get harder. Rival Butte College, which is looking formidable after going through a 2-8 season in 2006, is up on Saturday. After that is an 0-3 Feather River team that has played a tough schedule before a difficult league season where four of the six Mid-Empire Conference teams are ranked in the top 16 in Northern California. All six MEC teams won this past weekend. So, starting 6 p.m. Saturday when the Roadrunners arrive at Memorial Stadium, the Knights can show how much it learned from breaking the drought. Reporter Jeffrey Jen's notebook runs every Thursday. He can be reached at 225-8228 or jjen@redding.com.
Knights Top COR
24-7 HALFTIME LEAD EVAPORATES
(9-15/07- Shasta College-Jeffrey Jen) When Vincent Gianfrancesco's 40-yard field goal attempt fell short, the Knights could finally celebrate their first win of the season. Matt Adkins threw four touchdown passes in his first start to lead the Knights to a 38-35 victory over College of the Redwoods at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. He completed 14-of-22 passes for 211 yards. Shasta's defense struggled after taking a 24-7 lead into halftime, giving up four second-half touchdowns. The Knights allowed 471 total yards on the game. But Adkins and the rest of Shasta's offense bailed them out, with running back Steve Savage running 30 times for 141 yards and a score. And the defense did make a late stand, forcing the Corsairs to try a field goal with six seconds left to tie the game. Gianfrancesco's kick was on the mark, but the ball bounced a
few yards shy of the goal posts.
Knights With New QB
SHASTA WILL RUN
(9/15/07-Shasta College-Jeffrey Jen Searchlight Article) Last week, the Knights were beat by a running quarterback. Shasta College may again face a scrambler operating out of the spread formation this week when College of the Redwoods comes to town for today's 6 p.m. game at Memorial Stadium. Like the Knights, the Corsairs are struggling at 0-2. Redwoods has been outscored 126-7 against Northern California heavyweights Siskiyous and Santa Rosa. So, both teams are in sore need of a win. Shasta is coming off a 17-13 home loss to Mendocino and also will be without quarterback Will Camy, out with a dislocated shoulder. Matt Adkins, a redshirt freshman from Arcadia High School, will get his first start for the Knights. He was edged by Camy in the preseason, but Shasta coaches said there wasn't much of difference between the two. Adkins saw some game action in the first two games of the season, completing 9-of-17 for 90 yards. He faces a defense that was ripped by Santa Rosa in the passing game, even though Redwoods considers its secondary to be a strength with safeties Kollin Hancock and Collin Humphry leading the way. Shasta will run the ball, something the Knights had success with last week, and will be going against an undersized Corsairs defensive line. Redwoods uses various of offensive formations, including some four-receiver sets. However, the Corsairs usually go that route to give running back Lyndon Rowells some open space to operate. Running the offense is Keoki Burbank, who was a receiver last year before making a switch to quarterback. Burbank struggled throwing the ball early this season, completing 19-of-50 for 242 yards this season, but he also is a bit of scrambler. His backup Sergio Allen is the fastest Corsair on the team. Top receiving targets for Redwoods include 6-4 Alex Renner, Antonio Morton and Nevin Blankenship, a transfer from Humboldt State. Both teams come believing they can notch their first win. It may come down to another close contest, something Shasta hasn't fared well with in the past. Its lone close win was last year's 28-21 victory at Redwoods. Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228 or jjen@Redding.com.
Too Many Mistakes
BETTER THAN SCORE INDICATED?
(9/10/07-Jeffrey Jen-Searchlight Article) The Knights were better than their first week score indicated. But they still aren't good enough to get a W. It was too much of a familiar sight as the defense was run ragged and the offense sputtered enough to allow Mendocino to come away with a 17-13 victory Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Shasta was flagged for uncharacteristic personal foul calls too many times in the process. That was the ugly in the loss to the Eagles.
Here's the good and bad.
Good -- Shasta's offensive line controlled the trenches for much of the second half. Shasta gave up six sacks in the first half, none in the second half. Also, the Knights ground out 122 yards rushing in the second half alone. With hard-nosed runners such as Steve Savage (104 yards) and Jordan Atwell (6 rushes, 38 yards, 1 TD), any decent hole will net yardage.
Bad -- For much of the first half, the line was overwhelmed. Quarterback Will Camy took two horrible sacks for losses of 15 yards and 18 yards.
Good -- Camy threw some good balls. He hit Blake Arrowsmith in stride for a 42-yard pass play in the first quarter that set up a field goal and later connected with Arrowsmith again for 32 yards. In all, he was 7-of-14 for 119 yards, and the lone interception wasn't his fault. He hit a wide open Michael Hendrix -- only the ball bounced off Hendrix's face mask and went up 10 feet in the air, where Mendocino's Gary Miller had a leaping pick.
Bad -- Unfortunately, Camy may not be in uniform for a while. Late in the third quarter on a third-and-11, he scrambled up field and tried to bang into three Eagles defenders for a 7-yard gain. He came away holding his arm and the early prognosis is a separated shoulder, meaning Camy could be out
for up to six weeks.
Good -- Arrowsmith has been the most impressive player in a Knights jersey so far this season. Against Mendocino, he caught five passes for 89 yards. But his presence was really felt on special teams. He punted six times for an average of 41.3 yards, including a long of 52. Even better, he had punt returns of 34 and 35 yards. The 34-yarder could have been 20 yards more if not for one of those personal foul calls against Shasta. Kevin Sutherland hit field goals of 22 and 37 yards, but he missed from 37 in the fourth quarter. Still, it is safe to say that the kicking game and special teams are in much stronger shape this
season for Shasta.
Bad -- Those personal foul calls. Knights coach Craig Thompson counted five of them and an unsportsmanlike conduct call against Shasta for the game. That is way too much and way too undisciplined for a Shasta team that is struggling to break into the W column.
Good -- The Knights, who are prone to giving up big plays, allowed Mendocino only one play of 30 yards or more. As a unit, Shasta tackled much better with defensive tackle Dylan Hall, cornerback Jon Fleig and safety Scott Armstead having strong games. Defensive backs Robert Lee and Randy Gibson also played well. Fleig and Gibson had interceptions.
Bad -- The captain of the defense is sophomore safety Nate Best, who forced a fumble in the first quarter. But Best also had back-to-back personal foul calls in the third quarter that handed Mendocino 25 yards, leading to an
Eagles field goal.
Good -- The 3-3-5 defensive scheme to slow Mendocino's spread offense worked well. Though tons of yards were given up, the Eagles did most of its damage between 20-yard lines, not in the red zone.
Bad -- Eagles freshman quarterback Jake Laudenslayer running the QB option from the shotgun position was a great change-up by the Mendocino coaching staff. He finished with 85 yards on 13 carries and the game-winning touchdown, all in the fourth quarter.
Bad -- The final result. When's the last time Shasta won a close game?
Good -- Shasta gets winless Redwoods at home Saturday. The Corsairs were the lone team Shasta beat last year. Redwoods has been outscored 128-7 in its two games this season. Sounds like the right opponent is arriving.
Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228 or at jjen@redding.com.
Knights Fall to Mendo Runs
SECOND EAGLE QB KEY
(9/8/07-Shasta College-Jeffrey Jen Searchlight Reporter) The Knights handled Mendocino's spread passing game. Unfortunately, the Eagles had an impressive fallback option in Jake Laudenslayer. The freshman quarterback scampered for a 14-yard touchdown run with 8:09 left in the game to lift Mendocino past host Shasta College 17-13 at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. While it was a much better performance for the Knights (0-2), the result seemed too similar to many of last year's close shaves. "It was a lot like last year," Knights coach Craig Thompson lamented. Shasta had a chance with four minutes left in the fourth quarter. But on a fourth-and-8 play at the Eagles' 23-yard line, Blake Arrowsmith took a swing pass from quarterback Matt Adkins and was hauled down five yards shy of a first down. The Knights defense, run ragged by the spread offense earlier in the game, couldn't prevent Laudenslayer from running for first downs to salt away the clock. Mendocino gained 406 yards, albeit on 87 plays. Starting quarterback Cody Manguso was 20-of-34 for 195 yards and threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to 6-foot-3-inch wide receiver Steve Joachim for the game's first score with 5:59 left in the first quarter. But Manguso also was picked off twice and sacked four times before getting lifted for Laudenslayer in the fourth quarter. A 42-yard completion to Arrowsmith from starting Shasta quarterback Will Camy led to a 22-yard field goal by Kevin Sutherland with 3:20 left in the first quarter. The Knights responded well in the second half. Another Camy-to-Arrowsmith connection of 32 yards led to a Sutherland 37-yard field goal to cut the Eagles' lead to 7-6. But Shasta's defense played undisciplined and gave up three personal foul penalties on Mendocino's next drive, resulting in 40 yards. In the end, the Knights held the Eagles to a 26-yard field goal by Rico Montez-Do-Oca. "We were undisciplined and had too many personal foul penalties," Thompson said. "It's tough to overcome 15-yard penalties like those." Then Shasta committed to the run and its struggling offensive line took over. The Knights went 70 yards on eight plays to grab a 13-10 lead on Jordan Atwell's 3-yard TD run with 7:19 left in the third quarter. Atwell and starting tailback Steve Savage accounted for 58 of those yards on the ground. "We finally started to come together and create a push," Knights center Erik Rehm said. "We didn't really change anything at halftime. We just saw how they were lining up their linebackers and talked about our assignments." After gaining no yards in first half, Shasta finished with 122 yards on the ground. Savage ran 22 times for 104 yards. The Knights defense was stopping the spread when Mendocino went to Laudenslayer aft er Jon Fleig picked off Manguso late in the third quarter. The freshman responded by directing a 15-play, 80-yard drive in which he ran seven times for 64 yards. The drive ended with him dancing into the end zone on the right sideline. "They caught us trying to rush three D-linemen and took advantage of that," Knights defensive lineman Dylan Hall said. "I don't know what happened. One moment we were ahead, but then they came back on us." Shasta couldn't respond, especially after Camy went down with a dislocated shoulder late in the third quarter. Shasta, in dire need of a win, hosts College of the Redwoods at 6 p.m. Saturday. Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228 or jjen@Redding.com.
Mendocino Tonic?
GOOD DEFENSE AND BALL CONTROL KEYS
(9/8/07-Redding-Jeffrey Jen Searchlight reporter) The Knights get an unusual opponent for their home opener -- Mendocino College and its spread offense. Both teams are coming off big losses to top-ranked foes last week. The Shasta College football team was flattened by No. 12 Sierra 52-7 on the road. The Eagles fell at home 70-40 to No. 5 Santa Rosa. Both will be looking to rebound in a big way in the 6 p.m. game today at Memorial Stadium. There will be no secret as how Mendocino is going about it -- through the air. The Eagles employ a spread offense that features four or five-receiver sets, and sometimes with some new wrinkles. "Watching the game film with Santa Rosa, they did some things I've never seen before," Knights defensive coordinator Matt Diskin. "They do double passes and sometimes they line out one lineman on the wing and have only four linemen on the line." That presents a challenge for a defense that got rolled over -- repeatedly -- in the season opener. Diskin will change his defense around to get more backs on the field to counter the spread formations. Mendocino will be led by sophomore quarterback Cody Manguso, who completed 21-of-41 for 239 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions against Santa Rosa. Smallish Kyle O'Donnell, all 5-foot-7, 160 pounds of him, was his top target with eight catches for 130 yards and two scores. One thing Shasta must avoid is a shootout with the Eagles, so ball control is key for the Knights' success. Mendocino allowed 485 yards defensively against the high-powered Bear Cubs, so Shasta's offense should have an opportunity to move the ball. How effective the Knights are will determine what kind of a game it will be. Knights coach Craig Thompson said there will be no major changes on offense. In a blow to Shasta, freshman running back Ryan Krueger, who scored the lone touchdown against Sierra, is out with a high ankle sprain. The Knights have a stable of backs and sophomores Steve Savage and Jordan Atwell and freshman Kevin Sutherland are expected to split the carries. Will Camy will get his second start at quarterback, but Thompson said backup Matt Adkins should see time as well. More importantly is the team's psyche after a first-game drubbing. "This is a young team that doesn't have a whole lot of confidence right now," Thompson said. "We've been working all week long to try and change that." Playing at home could be the boost Shasta needs. Mendocino is the first of three straight opponents the Knights face in the comfy confines of Memorial Stadium. Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228 or jjen@Redding.com.
Heat & Wolverines Too Much
120 DEGREES ON FIELD TEMPERATURE
(9/1/07-Rocklin-Searclight Staff) The opener was more brutal than expected. The Shasta College football team struggled all game in a 52-7 blowout Saturday at Sierra College. The Wolverines came in ranked No. 16 in the California Community College coaches poll and looked even better. After grabbing a 14-0 lead, Sierra struck twice in the final five minutes of the first half to go up by four scores. Shasta barely avoided a shutout with freshman running back Ryan Krueger's 13-yard run with 3:58 left in the fourth quarter. Sierra outgained Shasta 578 yards to 212 in the Knights' worst loss in nearly two years. Krueger got 43 yards on seven carries. Will Camy, in his first start, completed 11-of-19 passes for 56 yards. Brandon Smith led Shasta receivers with five catches for 42 yards. Sierra had a field day with big plays throughout the game. Wolverines quarterback Kevin Will went 12-of-17 for 237 yards and three touchdowns. Carl Moore caught nine passes for 166 yards and two scores, and Almon Muldrow added 107 yards and a score on 12 carries. The Knights host Mendocino College at 6 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Bounce Back Year?
SPEED THE CURE ALL?
(8/31/07- Jeffrey Jen Record Searchlight) Two rough seasons back-to-back can be the start of a nasty, downward spiral. That's why the Shasta College football program is looking for a bounce-back year in 2007. The Knights need to show that strides have been made from a 2-8 campaign in 2005 and 1-9 season last year. Shasta was more competitive last season than in 2005, but spent much of the early season losing close ballgames. "The last two years, as far as wins and losses were concerned, it left a bad taste in my mouth, in all our mouths," Knights coach Craig Thompson said. "You have to find a way to bounce back and hopefully we can do so this year." Thompson and his staff made speed a priority in both recruiting and in offseason conditioning to meet that end. They continue to tap into new recruiting areas such as Hawaii to replace older ones usurped by other programs. The result has been more speed at offensive skill positions and special teams coverage units. Yet, Shasta still has to overcome some hurdles starting with a difficult season opener: at Sierra at 1 p.m. Saturday. The most pressing concern is the Knights' lack of offensive charge. In the past three seasons, out of 72 junior college programs in the state, the Knights have ranked 55th, 66th and 56th in total offense. The expected starting quarterback against Sierra will be redshirt freshman Will Camy, a product of Chico High School, with Matt Adkins as the top backup. Fullback Jose Valenzuela and tailback Steve Savage are returning starters in a loaded backfield. Savage has been injured in recent weeks, so freshman Kevin Sutherland of Burney gets the Sierra start. But, other backs in the mix include freshman Ryan Krueger of Reno and sophomore Jordan Atwell, a transfer from Asuza Pacific and a West Valley product. The receiving group appears significantly upgraded. Michael Hendrix is back after starting last year, but the arrival of Anderson's Blake Arrowsmith and Brandon Smith, and Central Valley's Oscar DeAvila adds speed to the unit. Sophomore Kyle Urbin is the top tight end. "With these receivers, we have a chance to stretch the field more, something we haven't been able to do the last couple of years," Thompson said. The offensive line took a huge hit when all-league left tackle Todd Hansen didn't return, but Thompson believes he has a decent mix of sophomores and promising freshmen, such as the new left tackle in 6-foot-3, 335-pound David Fogle, to form a serviceable line. The defense is real strong in the secondary with starting safety Nate Best back and another sophomore Jonathon Puletasi at free safety. Sophomore Jon Fleig and freshman Robert Lee lead a deep group of cornerbacks, an area where Shasta hasn't had this much depth or speed in years. Weakside linebacker Jersiah Tuisamatatele returns and sophomore Gary Boubon (6-1, 230) has grabbed the strong side, giving the Knights experience outside to go with freshmen Ryan McDonald and Aaron Paahana in the middle. The defensive line has been hit by injuries this season with defensive tackle Michael Wiley (shoulder) and freshman defensive end Niko Kuyper (knee) out for the first game with injuries. Sophomore tackle Dylan Hall (6-2, 270) and end Conrad Davis (6-4, 245) anchor the unit. After Sierra, Shasta has three home games, including one Sept. 22 with rival Butte that could help the Knights to a fast start. Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228 or at jjen@redding.com.
Knights Scrim Yuba
OPENER @ SIERRA 9/1
(8/22/07-Jeffrey Jen Searchlight) After two weeks of practice against fellow green jerseys, the Shasta College football team is ready to take on an opponent -- even if only in a scrimmage. Shasta College hosts Yuba College at 3 p.m. today at Memorial Stadium. The score is unimportant, but a host of position battles could be decided. The 49ers are expected to be big in the trenches as usual, but the Knights coaching staff is more concerned with how its own players play and execute. With an 84-man roster, Shasta coach Craig Thompson plans on solidifying his starting lineup based on how things fare at the scrimmage. "We're going to be pretty vanilla on offense and not give away too much," Thompson said. "We're looking to see which guys can step up and compete. Those who can play with a high level of intensity can move into starting spots, those that don't, can move out of them." Coming off a 1-9 season, Shasta coaches looked to get faster in the offseason. Quarterback is one of the key battles to watch with three redshirt freshmen -- Matt Adkins, Will Camy and Matt Hagert -- battling with true freshman Kevin Ross of Durham. Adkins and Camy lead the pack, but all four should see some reps today. There are other issues for the Knights, namely the offensive line. There is depth a wide receiver and running back, but that increases the battle for the starting job for the Sept. 1 opener at Sierra College. On defense, the linebacker and cornerback slots are up for grabs. "It will be good to just hit someone in different color jerseys," Knights cornerback Jon Fleig said. "We're getting sick of only pounding each other." While Yuba should prove to be a barometer, Shasta is still focused on what lies ahead. Another week and a half of scrimmages remain before the season opener. However, the starters and top backups will receive a vast majority of the reps by then. "Everything we're doing is preparing for Sierra and Sept. 1," Knights tight end Kyle Urbin said. Reporter Jeffrey Jen can be reached at 225-8228 or at jjen@redding.com.
Promise for 2007
FASTER FOOTBALL KNIGHTS
(8/11/07-Jeffrey Jen Record Searchlight) Every year about this time student-athletes file in for physicals at Shasta College. So begins another season. The Knights football team takes the field today and soon other teams follow. Basketball teams begin conditioning classes soon, though their seasons don't begin for another three months. The dawn of the 2007-2008 school year offers a chance to catch up on some Knight programs. Start with football. The Knights went through a rough 1-9 campaign in 2006. The upside: There is only one record worse, so the law of percentages says they should improve. That alone isn't good enough, though. This season is important for a program in a tailspin -- a bounce-back year is almost a must. There are a number of Shasta sophomores looking to do just that. The defense, which fared well last season until the unit got worn down, returns a host of players from last year's squad. A telling stat is the 677 plays the defense was on the field for, the second-most in the state. So, while the Knights ranked 43rd in total defense (330.4 yards per game), they were 22nd in allowing 4.88 yards per play. The main issue with Shasta is offensive improvement. The offensive line has progressed, but the quarterback spot remains a question. Head coach Craig Thompson said he sees better talent surrounding whomever emerges as the Knights signal caller. "I'm pretty optimistic about this year, especially on the offensive end and on how much improved we are at receiver," Thompson said. While, football needs a bounce back, there are no such worries for Knights volleyball. Coming off a 25-7 season, an undefeated run through the Golden Valley Conference and a trip to the state tournament, there's plenty of good vibes in Kelly Brazil's program. She must replace five starters, however, including a two-time all-Northern California outside hitter in C.J. Neathamer. So this season may start out as rebuilding year. The only starter returning is middle hitter Bethany Curran. As for Shasta College hoops, the women's team reached the 20-win plateau last year and have a few starters returning. After mining the local area for key players in recent years, Jerry Brown went a little further out to grab some promising players for 2007-2008. The early word is the team won't lack for size, and will be more athletic -- especially on the wings. The team may be even deeper and pre-season practice could produce some interesting battles for playing time. Finally, there is the Shasta College men's basketball team. After a losing campaign, things may be better. The team returns several experienced players and also welcomes back some older returnees in Trevor Ray and 7-foot-1 Garrick McDowell. But, Knights coach Kele Fitzhugh pulled off a real coup in recent weeks. Trinity High School product Jamien Jones, an all-section pick, brings some athleticism to the wing but a bigger scoop is 6-10 Derek Oestreicher. After redshirting at New Mexico, the Liberty Christian product was looking to transfer. However, if he transferred to another Division I program, he would have sit out another year. Instead, the "Big O" is returning to the north state to play for a year. Needless to say, the Knights will be big this year and that could possibly translate to a big year. Reporter Jeffrey Jen's notebook runs every Thursday. He can be reached at 225-8228 or jjen@redding.com.

(Printable copy of the football schedule)