Logan Hess hurt his shoulder in the first round of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs last week.

Hess, Napa High School’s top running back, went into Friday night’s quarterfinals with a slightly separated left shoulder. He pushed through the pain, giving as much as he could to Napa’s ball-control offense.

But when someone landed on his shoulder after a one-yard run early in the third quarter, Hess was slow to get up and left the game as he aggravated the injury. He didn’t return in Napa’s 33-13 loss to Laguna Creek-Elk Grove on a cold, foggy night at Napa Memorial Stadium.

“I was just trying to play through it,” said Hess, who went into Week 12 of the season with 1,355 yards rushing.

“It was hurting all game. I was trying to give my team all I had, because I know this is the playoffs and you can’t take anything for granted.

“It’s a shame that things didn’t turn out the way we wanted them to.”

Napa (10-2 overall) turned the ball over an uncharacteristic seven times as its 2008 season came to an end. The Indians carried a nine-game win streak into the game and were the defending Sac-Joaquin champions.

On its eight first-half possessions, Napa had three turnovers, punted three times, turned it over on downs and got a 1-yard touchdown run from Charles Boyett, capping a 68-yard drive in seven plays.

Napa, the Monticello Empire League champion, drove from its 33-yard line to the Laguna Creek 35 in the second quarter.

But the drive stalled when the Cardinals stopped Hess short of the first down marker on a fourth and 2 with 3:02 to go and Laguna Creek leading 21-6.

“My offensive line was the most fantastic line you could ever ask for,” said Hess. “That’s what made our team this year. It was an honor running behind those guys.”

Hess had a 13-yard run on Napa’s first play from scrimmage and Clinton Gorsuch completed a 57-yard pass to Charles Boyett, giving the Indians the ball at the Laguna Creek 11. But Napa turned it over on a fumble at the Cardinals 10.

Mistakes haunted the Indians.

“Things just didn’t fall our way tonight,” said David Smith, a defensive lineman, who recovered two fumbles. “I think everyone gave it their all, they never quit. We kept fighting until the end. It just wasn’t our night.

“You’ve got to play a complete game. The second round of the playoffs, there’s always going to be a good opponent.”