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• Wal-mart Supercenter debate

• Rodriguez: 'A lot of hope here'

• Wandering marine mammals becoming more common?

• New LUSD trustee ready to make tough budget decisions

• Two area schools still being eyed for possible closure

• Regional Roundup

• Massage business halted for 90 days

• San Joaquin County supervisors approve Morada church expansion

• Delta College police want student government to better account for money

November 2nd, 2009

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

November 7th, 2009

• Lodi High graduate was at Fort Hood

• Lining up for flu shots in Lodi

• Tour packs buses as birdwatchers admire Sandhill cranes

• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks

• Daytime thieves targeting Lodi homes

• Lodi High School rally featured on 'Good Day Sacramento'

• Out of control

• Homicide suspect Anthony Hubbard arraigned

• Regional Roundup

• New Lodi Memorial rule to combat spread of H1N1: Visitors must be older than 16

November 6th, 2009

• Short sales make up nearly half of Lodi market

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi man accused of smuggling drugs, weapons for inmates at state prison

• 'I-5 Strangler' sentenced to 6 terms of life

• Jury convicts Acampo man of torture, assault of his girlfriend

• Young girl is 200,000th person to assemble AIDS, HIV care kit

• Woman in wheelchair struck by car

November 5th, 2009

• A lower Lodi Lake

• Streetside scarecrows

• San Joaquin County considers moratorium on new Williamson Act contracts

• Speakers address Lodi Unified School District budget shortfalls, plea to keep programs

• Armed robbers still targeting Lodi shops

• Regional Roundup

• California voters have final say over $11 billion water bond

• Weekend bus service to continue until Lodi City Council makes decision

• Paul Tebbel shines spotlight on sandhill cranes

• Your complete guide to Sandhill Crane Festival

• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy

• Man wanted in Acampo homicide gives up to San Joaquin County Sheriff's detectives

November 4th, 2009

• Candle fire

• Rep. Jerry McNerney sets telephone town hall for Thursday

• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

• Regional Roundup

• Galt City Council argues over ordinance hiring residents

• San Joaquin County sues state over prison hospital planned for Stockton

• Big win for Allen Baroni in reclamation election

• California sends Democratic loyalist John Garamendi to Congress

• Bicycling father raising awareness of teen suicide

• Lodi City Council weighs raising fares to restore some bus service

November 3rd, 2009

• 500 attend service for Kyle Coumas

• Correction

• Galt considers ordinance that would require city contractors to hire locally

• Regional Roundup

• Have you seen a missing guide dog puppy in Lodi?

• Galt man dies after weekend Highway 12 crash

• Jason Behrmann is top candidate for Galt city manager

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

• Clarification

November 2nd, 2009

• Downtown Lodi trick or treat

• Public Meetings

• Correction

• Kyle Coumas funeral today

• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home

• Regional Roundup

• Group investigates reports of haunting

• Sandhill Cranes Festival comes to Lodi next weekend

• Lamborghini lovers gather for show, fine wine, luncheon in Woodbridge

• Lodi's 'Biggest Loser' Christy Richesin runs 5K Halloween race

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• Bible is entwined with American civic life (135)
• I predict: A conservative tide will rise in 2010 (74)
• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy (70)
• The Treaty of Tripoli hoax (60)
• Universal health care solves big problems (54)
• Stuck in neutral? Hardly! (37)
• Here's what my father knew about the assassination of JFK (35)
• Words from our forefathers (27)
• Majority cannot deprive the minority (25)
• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks (24)

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Lodi's Cody Vaz looks to lead St. Mary's to section title

If Cody Vaz played in the NFL, his numbers — 206 completions on 313 attempts for 3,260 yards and 27 touchdowns with nine interceptions — would be Pro Bowl worthy.

The St. Mary's quarterback, who was born and raised in Lodi, doesn't get any special treatment like pro QBs do, though. On Wednesday, three days before the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship between St. Mary's and Pleasant Grove, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound senior was hard at work in the weight room with the rest of his Ram teammates.

He wouldn't have it any other way. His work ethic and determination to be the best don't allow for days off.

"He is one of those kids that's just intrinsically self-motivated," St. Mary's head coach Tony Franks said of Vaz. "He wants to be a very good football player and he is goal oriented and willing to work at it. The reason he is where he is at now is because he has worked at it."

Vaz also wants to go out on top. Ever since St. Mary's fell 38-36 in the section finals to Napa last year, he's been focused on getting back to the title game. Not even committing to play at Oregon State University prior to his senior season deterred his concentration on his goal.

"Last year we came real close. All the juniors from last season came together in January and started working out and saying we were going to get back to that game and here we are," he said.

This year the Rams are 11-2 and wrapped up another perfect Tri-City Athletic League campaign. Vaz is averaging 250 passing yards per game and is the catalyst behind the mighty Ram offense that averages 451.9 yards and 40.1 points per contest.

St. Mary's High quarterback Cody Vaz practices with a medicine ball at the school's weight room prior to Wednesday's practice. The senior has already made a verbal commitment to play at Oregon State. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)

Franks knows St. Mary's will be challenged by a tough Pleasant Grove defense, but Vaz is confident the Rams can continue to eat up yards.

"We just do what we have been doing — just execute and move the ball up and down the field like our offense can," he said. "The offensive line has been doing a great job this year and I have no doubt they are going to do a great job on Saturday, too. They are basically the key to the game." Outside of Vaz, a large chunk of the squad hails from Lodi, including seniors Scott Copriviza (safety), Jordan Carl (offensive lineman/linebacker), Austin Joshua (defensive back), Gage Miller (offensive lineman), Garrett Haislip (linebacker) and sophomores A.J. Borges (linebacker/fullback), Frank Boyd (linebacker) and Lincoln Boyd (wide receiver). Senior Andy Hurst (defensive back/wide receiver) even makes the commute to Stockton from Galt.

Vaz said the entire St. Mary's squad is close, but the Lodi group has a special bond. They've went to St. Anne's together and have played together their whole careers.

"Those are my best friends. We have known each other for a while and they have played a big role on the team too," he said. "All four years here have been a blast. It's been fun. Not only football, just school wise with some of my best friends who I will be in touch with for the rest of my life."

With a win on Saturday over Pleasant Grove (11-2), the Rams, who are classified as Division II in the state's bowl game selection process, would be eligible, but not automatically qualify for a bowl — the Division II state championship.

Saturday's game, which is slated for 1 p.m. at the University of the Pacific's Stagg Memorial Stadium, could be the final chapter in Vaz's standout prep career. No matter what the future holds, Franks expects Vaz will be in his finest form in the section championship.

"Great players make big plays in big games and this is a big game and Cody has been there now for a couple years," he said. "He knows how to play in these games and we'll be confident and prepared and I expect that we will get the best out of him."