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• Leadership prayer breakfast addresses challenges to Christianity

• What's in future for historic Lockeford buildings?

• Hazardous spill of toxic acid from big-rig trailer closes Highway 12

• Residents tired of repeated vandalism on Hutchins Street

• Regional Roundup

February 8th, 2010

• Public Meetings

• Locals pick best, most memorable Super Bowl commercials

• Regional Roundup

February 6th, 2010

• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch

• Meet Larry, Curly and Moe

• Baboon business

• Regional Roundup

• Several Lodi venues let you watch the Super Bowl in style

• Lodi Library celebrates 100 years of serving the community

• Culinary craft

February 5th, 2010

• Kids, teachers help Haiti by collecting pennies for Learning Link

• Lodi, Galt students reach out to help Haiti earthquake survivors

• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam

• Hours of sweat and work go into putting on crab feeds

• Things looking up for state's real estate

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Stray bullet strikes Lodi home; police suspect gang activity may be factor

February 4th, 2010

• Managers at Geweke Toyota answer questions about recall

• Lodi City Council votes to replace play structure at Century Park

• Lodi extends ban on pot shops for another year

• Mokelumne River triathlon set for June

• Family, friends to run half-marathon in memory of Galt family

February 3rd, 2010

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Delta College trustees again collide over stipend committee

• Lodi-area senators Dave Cox, Lois Wolk admit to gifts; Tom Berryhill case pending

• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts

• Galt City Council avoids budget cuts — for now

• New Lodi Memorial Hospital emergency room opens to the public without a hitch

• Bad bugs, weeds are hot topics at Grape Day

February 2nd, 2010

• Big rig plows 7 cars

• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future

• Former Lodian Erica Davis is first paraplegic woman to summit Kilimanjaro

• Jumpers across California

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• No snow leopards, otters for Micke Grove

• McNerney leads in campaign cash

• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen

February 1st, 2010

• Find cuddly alpacas not too far from Lodi

• Public Meetings

• Patients can expect faster, better service when Lodi Memorial Hospital's new emergency room opens

• Man killed by Amtrak train in Lodi

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

• Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (74)
• President Obama's first year (67)
• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future (60)
• Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (49)
• Writer comments on Neely column (42)
• Many reject the politics of 'no' (42)
• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen (31)
• Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (31)

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Lodi Flames in must-win mode against Delta Kings

The last two years, the Lodi High football team has started of its seasons with winning streaks. Last year, the Flames went 4-0 before their first loss. In 2007, they went 6-0 before dropping a game.

This year, Lodi is heading into Week 3 looking for its first win. The Flames will be taking on Stagg in their homecoming game at the Grape Bowl tonight, looking to rediscover an offense that ran wild last year, but hasn't shown its full potential this year.

"We are hurting for a win," Lodi head coach Todd Dillon said. "When you are 0-2, every game is a must win."

With the Sac-Joaquin Section introducing a new playoff system this year, every win counts. Outside of the top two, or in some cases three, teams in each league, there will be eight at-large postseason qualifiers between Division I and II. Those spots will be given to teams with the best overall record, including non-league games. If the Flames are going to make their first playoff appearance since 2005, they need to start winning soon.

Lodi's offense has been limited to two touchdowns and a field goal in losses to Sheldon and Galt this season. With running backs Jordan Perkins, who ran for 1,300 yards and 10 TDs last season, and Alex Santiago, who rushed for 724 yards and seven TDs last season, Dillon is looking for his team to piece together longer drives and do it more often. It won't be easy to do against an improved Stagg team that is off to its first 2-0 start in 10 years.

"Jordan has got to have a good game. We've got to control the ball. We can't get behind and fight back," Dillon said. "We watched the film and it's not that the defenses are doing things to stop us. It's the little things we are doing to beat ourselves."

Tonight the Flames will be without sophomore halfback/linebacker Joey Armstrong, who hurt his knee against Galt and is one of Lodi's leading tacklers. The severity of the injury is still unknown according to Dillon.

The fast and athletic Delta Kings are led by quarterback Aaron Raya, who has completed 20 of 30 passes for 319 yards and five TDs this season. His favorite target has been Demetrius Bishop, who has 12 receptions for 195 yards and two TDs. Delta King head coach Don Norton thinks his offense will have its hands full with the Lodi D.

"There defense is very physical and plays hard. I think this will be a low scoring game," he said. "Playing Lodi in Lodi has always very tough for Stagg."

Stagg's defense is also playing well, having recorded nine sacks and seven fumble recoveries so far this season.

Tokay at Weston Ranch

In the second installment of a showdown that pits two Tokay High alumni against each other, Tokay will be looking for another win when it travels to Weston Ranch tonight.

Tokay head coach Louis Franklin, who graduated from Tokay in 2000 and got his first teaching and coaching jobs at Weston Ranch, beat Mike Hale, a 1995 Tiger grad who is running the Cougars' program, 40-26 last year. It's a friendly rivalry for both coaches, who are family friends.

"I look forward to this game each year because we get an opportunity to go against another former Tiger record holder and MVP in Mike Hale," Franklin said.

Hale feels the same way.

"I never thought I would be in the position to be coaching against them, but it's good. It's a friendly rivalry," Hale said. "The biggest thing will be (Franklin's) offense vs. our defense. He has a good offensive line and is a very gifted guy in calling the offense."

The Tigers (2-0) will be gunning for the same result this year with a bulked up offensive line and running back Patrick McCarthy, both of which have helped the Tigers average 363 yards per game.

Tokay is hurting with injuries this week and running back Durrell Butler and lineman Josh Tenborg will be sidelined, as will quarterback Seth Siddle-Mitchell, who also missed last week. Safety/wingback Nico Antolin's play will be limited.

Franklin believes his team's ability to control the line of scrimmage, as well as the defense's ability to make open-field tackles, will be key if Tokay wants to beat Weston Ranch (1-1).

"They are an extremely athletic team. I know most of the seniors because Mike and I coached them as freshmen when they went 7-2-1," Franklin said. "The kids play hard and are well coached by Mike and the other coaches."

Galt at Valley

After knocking off two Division I teams in the last two weeks, Galt will face a fellow Division II team for the first time this year when the Warriors take on Valley tonight at Cosumnes River College.

Coming off its first victory over Lodi High in five years, Galt head coach Richard Maberto said the Warriors are pumped up and have had high-energy practices all week.

"The kids are fired up. The coaches are fired up. It was a big one for us," Maberto said of Galt's 19-7 win last Friday.

The Warrior defense has only allowed one touchdown in 96 minutes of play this season. Galt's had success pressuring the ball, averaging five sacks a game and limiting McNair and Lodi's ground games to an average of 128 yards per game.

While the Warrior defense has been solid, the offense only put up 160 yards on Lodi. Maberto said Galt has been focusing on its offensive game plan.

"The defense has been doing great. If it isn't broken, don't fix it," Maberto said. "On offense we have to work on trying not to do too much." Valley (0-2) has been outscored 84-18 so far this season. The Vikings have been in the rebuilding stages for the last few years and haven't won more than three games in the past five seasons.

"We are still going through a growing process," Valley head coach Preston Jackson said. "The biggest thing we are looking to get out of the game tomorrow is to measure our progress and development."

Foresthill at Elliot

For the first time ever, Elliot Christian will be playing at Warrior Stadium in Galt and the Eagles will be looking for their first win of the season when they take on Foresthill tonight.

Both teams enter the contest with 0-2 records. After a tough 20-0 loss to Turlock Christian last week, where the Eagles lost a few players to injuries, Elliot has been shuffling its offense around to make up for its losses.

With running back Michael Wick and tight end Robbie Freed sidelined for at least a week or two, Elliot has pulled Roman Butler off of the line and will put him in the backfield. He'll be sharing snaps with Russell Hausauer, who was also injured against Turlock, but recovered nicely. The Eagles also changed their offense, simplifying it to accommodate all the personnel changes.

"To change your offense in only one week, I am anticipating mistakes, but we just have to try and limit them," Elliot head coach Dean Davis said. "We are feeling confident going into the game even though we are missing two of our guys."

The Wildfires edged the Eagles 17-10 last season, but Davis thinks Elliot can settle the score this year.

Contact reporter Joelle Milholm at joellem@lodinews.com.