Sonoma topples Mt. Diablo after falling to Sac, Monty
By Steven Serafini
Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor
With the talented nucleus of last year’s repeat Redwood Empire Mountain League (REML) championship squad having either graduated or now dealing with health issues, the Sonoma Valley High School varsity football team got its 2026 season off to a slow start and were saddled with back-to-back losses, before rebounding in a big way.
After they were edged on the road 18-13 by Sacramento to open the season, then were toppled 42-20 in their home opener by highly motivated Montgomery, the Dragons used a solid team effort in posting a 34-20 victory over visiting Mt. Diablo last Friday night at Bob Midgley Field on the SVHS campus.
Directing Sonoma’s varsity football team are head coach Max Pond and assistant coaches Ian Albrecht, Tony Moll, Casey Moll, Ricardo Reyes, KaVell Jenkins, Tyler Streblow, Michael Fitzpatrick and Nick Pappas.
The 2026 two-time defending league champion Dragons consist of seniors Porter Abodeely, Iñaky Bran, Jake Collins, Joshua Canseco, River Gilardi, Miguel Guzman, Will Harper, Kevin Martinez, Adrian Molina, Chris Murphy, Mason Petersen, Jonathan Sanchez, Thomas Schloessman, Angelo Tellez, Max Trexler, Uriel Gonzalez Vargas, Brayan Vasquez, Johan Zenon and Ezequiel Zuñiga; juniors Keegan Filice, Cohen Filippi, Henry Lawson, Evan Lobato, Dalston Lool, Bryson Mettler, Mason Pucci, Keegan Rowland, Voshco Stapleton and Max Wroblewski; and sophomores Weston Ariza, Johnathan Diaz, Griffith Dickinson, Wylder Gilardi and Luisalexander Jimenez.
Leading the Dragon gridders past Mt. Diablo were quarterback Trexler’s touchdown passes to both Dickinson and Harper, Gilardi’s 100-plus yards rushing and one touchdown, and Pucci’s two touchdown runs.
This season Sonoma has been moved from the REML to the Redwood Empire Bay League (REBL), which also includes Analy, Napa, Tamalpais, San Rafael and Santa Rosa.
The Dragon gridders hit the road for their last two 7 p.m. nonleague games – playing Justin-Siena in Napa Friday Sept. 18, and against Piner in Santa Rosa Friday, Sept. 25. Then, after a bye week they start REBL play by hosting Napa at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9.
Then the Dragons play Analy in Sebastopol at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16, followed by a 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, game against Tamalpais in Mill Valley, before returning home to host San Rafael at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, and then ending their regular season in a 7 p.m. showdown at Santa Rosa on Friday, Nov. 6.
For weekly Tuesday online updates for all SVHS sports visit sonomasun.com.
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