Football notes: James Fotofili has brain surgery, Mater Dei coming to town
Bouncing around the football regions — from a fallen local football star, to ambitious prep scheduling with Mater Dei coming north, to Ian Book accolades, to the “Last Chance U” docuseries that includes a peek at all regional junior college programs.
Fotofili hurt
University of Nevada linebacker James Fotofili, who played at Grant High School, suffered serious injuries after a hit-and-run car accident in Sacramento last week.
Said the Nevada athletics department in a release Sunday: “James suffered a skull fracture as a result of the incident and has been hospitalized in Sacramento. Earlier today, James underwent a procedure to reduce swelling in his brain. According to his family, the procedure went well and James is on his way to a full recovery.”
A GoFundMe page was created to help cover medical costs. As of Monday night, it had raised $23,204 of its $50,000 goal.
The GoFundMe page reads in part that Fotofili was “driving home (to Sacramento) to visit his brothers’ grave site when he was a victim of a terrible road-rage accident. When James decided to get out the car to check on his baby boy in the back seat, the same man involved in the road rage drove by and hit him with his car and fled the scene, putting James in critical condition. ... I ask you to please keep James in your prayers, pray for a healthy recovery, and pray for the doctors operating on him to do their job to the best of their ability. Thank you.”
Fotofili’s aim was to earn a starting job on defense heading into the scheduled season opener in Reno against UC Davis.
Mater Dei coming to town
The last time Mater Dei competed in Sacramento, it was in the biting cold and and unforgiving wind at Sacramento State, with a ton to play for.
In the CIF Open Division state championship game to cap the 2017 season, the Monarchs of Orange County rolled famed De La Salle of Concord 52-21 at Hornet Stadium. There was discussion of postponing that game due to intense weather, but Mater Dei took a 16-0 season. That team had 19 college recruit prospects.
Mater Dei has detractors, as it has become a haven for incoming transfers. Mission Viejo coach Bob Johnson said earlier in 2017 playoffs after losing to the Monarchs that Mater Dei was “the best team money could buy.”
Mater Dei will return to this region on Jan. 29, when it will visit Cosumnes Oaks for a nonleague game in a schedule pushed back to the winter months under the new CIF sports calendar in an effort to buy time against the spread of the coronavirus. One can hope that there will be a game in January and the weather in Elk Grove is favorable.
Mater Dei the following season will host Cosumnes Oaks in Santa Ana. This upcoming season, the Wolfpack will start with defending Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champion Oak Ridge, Monterey Trail and Manteca before taking on Mater Dei — unless the coronavirus stalls or cancels it all.
Ian Book watch
Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book of Oak Ridge roots is on two preseason watchlists as one of the country’s elite quarterbacks,
After passing for 3,034 yards and 34 touchdowns last season, Book landed on the 2020 Maxwell Award that goes to the best player in the country and the Davey O’Brien Award list that recognizes the top quarterback in the land. Book will be a three-year starter this fall, or winter, or whenever the season plays out.
Book was also named the No. 1 important player by BlueAndGold.com
‘Last Chance U’ includes local JC programs
The docuseries “Last Chance U” that kicks off its fifth and final season this week on Netflix follows Laney College of Oakland throughout the 2019 season and includes a peek at four regional football programs.
This is good viewing, certainly if the trailer offers a glimpse.
JC football always has storylines, heavy on athletes who have been overlooked, underrecruited or who were academic misfits and led by coaches who champion their cause to jump start collegiate careers.
The series takes an inside look at Laney College, its community and its spirited old coach, John Beam. It touches on social injustice concerns and includes a scene in which Laney coach John Beam brings in an Oakland police officer to talk to the team. The officer asked how many Laney players had been unfairly treated by law enforcement, in their eyes.
Most every player raised a hand. The scene later includes the police officer tending to a pregnant woman who was shot and killed in Oakland.
The first episode includes a scrimmage at Sacramento City College and a home game against Modesto. The second episode includes a game at American River College, and the series concludes with a late November JC bowl game loss to Sierra, 21-14. Laney won the state JC championship in 2018 in finishing No. 1 in the country but slipped to 6-5 last season.
Spoiler alert: Laney lost to Modesto 33-20 and to ARC 15-10.
This story was originally published July 28, 2020 at 5:00 AM.