On Saturday, January 24th, 2009 Justin will play in a charity football game for Justin-Siena sports. Here's part of the article written in the Napa Valley Register today!!
Click here to read the article in it's entirety.
Click here to read the article in it's entirety.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Nunley hopes to spark offense at QB
The big question mark for the Wild Dogs will be their offense, which committed five turnovers in last year’s game.
But the team has big hopes for new quarterback Justin Nunley, a 2001 Vintage grad who was his alma mater’s varsity offensive coordinator two years ago before moving to Boise with his wife, Brenda.
He said they went there for a chance of scenery after living in Napa all their lives, but didn’t like the economy there.
They moved back, his wife got her job back at a winery, and he’s pursuing a teaching credential at Sonoma State.
“I played quarterback for 14 years, so hopefully it’s like riding a bike,” Nunley said.
“Ben’s letting me call my own plays, stuff we ran at Vintage, which is something I’ve always wanted to do. I’d like to throw the ball a little and try to keep Conrad from getting hurt. I want to be prepared and not embarrass myself. Hopefully we get a big turnout and raise a lot of money for Justin-Siena.”
Alvarez was the focus of last year’s offense, carrying nine times for 58 yards in the first quarter before an ankle injury forced him to sit out the rest of the game.
It appeared he might score the game’s first points, but his fumble was returned 90 yards for a Wolfpack score instead.
“We’ll probably run some play-action,” Nunley said. “Hopefully we can score more than six points this time.”
That will be more likely with the Wild Dogs’ new receiving corps.
Along with the talented Scott Cassinerio will be Graeber — “he’s more of a natural receiver and really good at it,” Nunley said — and 2007 Vintage grad Vince Pappas, a former three-sport standout who stands 6-foot-3.
Also in the mix is 2005 Napa High grad Kevin Robledo, who quarterbacked the 2004 Indians before playing for Eastern Arizona College, Santa Rosa JC and, this past fall, NCAA Div. II Chowan University in Murfreesboro, N.C.
“These are probably the best receivers I’ve ever played with in one group,” Nunley said.
“They each bring something different to the field. Vince is a specimen and I coached him and Robledo, and I played with Graeber at Solano and we made it to a bowl game.”
Nunley also complimented the offensive linemen, whose average age is about 50.
“It’s really awesome to see guys like Rick Daniels playing,” said Nunley, who coached with Daniels.
“The offensive linemen are really into it. It’s nice to see when older guys stay in shape, and not just playing old-man softball.”
Nunley expects the 58-year-old Cassinerio to be more of a factor this year after he spent much of the second half as a cheerleader last year.
“Ben’s been going up the gut a lot in practice this year,” Nunley said. “He’s in really good shape.”
Rick Daniels said the Wolfpack will be much younger overall again, though, and have practiced daily since early December for their upcoming season.
“They beat us in the second half last year and lot of it was our own mistakes, and maybe the shape we were in,” he said.
“But (middle linebacker and former Justin-Siena varsity defensive line coach) Brenden Shanks is running the defense and he knows his stuff and we have an actual quarterback this year, so we think we have a little better chance than last year.”
Ben Cassinerio said last year’s game raised about $3,000.
The Wild Dogs’ 35-man roster also includes 1998 Justin-Siena grad and current Braves varsity offensive line coach Brandon LaRocco; 2007 Justin grads Matt Meyer and Matt Galles; 2006 Vintage grads Jim Callahan, James Caston, Will Magro, Tim Scheidecker, Mike Tillitson, Yariv Vigo and Thomas Woods; and ’07 Vintage grad Greg Meza.
Semi-pro football game Saturday at Justin
The NorCal Wild Dogs, a tackle football team made up of players ages 18 to 58, will battle the Woodland Wolfpack in an exhibition game at Justin-Siena High School on Saturday.
Kickoff is set at 1 p.m. for the second annual showcase. Woodland won last year, 17-9.
The Wild Dogs roster includes current football coaches and former players from Justin-Siena, Napa and Vintage high schools, as well as players from other Bay Area semi-pro squads such as the NorCal Lawmen and Gladiators.
The game will be played by college rules, with 15-minute quarters.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for kids ages 12 and under, and are available at the gate only.
All proceeds will be donated to Justin-Siena sports programs.
