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Welcome to the Playbook!
It is time for another week of the 2025-26 prep sports year! The Playbook takes you inside the East Bay Athletic League, writing about outlooks, updates and insights into all the sports, along with profiles of athletes, and opinions regarding controversial issues in high school sport.
The Big Picture looks at the Toyota U.S. Open Swimming Championships where the EBAL was well-represented led by Luka Mijatovic of Foothill. The 16-year-old junior captured an individual title, recording a top 12 time for any American swimmer all-time.
EBAL Power Rankings debut the first basketball rankings of the season! Look for the first soccer rankings next week.
What to Watch has the schedules for some early basketball games, as well as some non-league soccer games. CIF State Football Regional Games have been played, and matchups have been set for the CIF State Bowl Games. See the results of the regionals and the games for state titles this weekend!
If you know of a great story or have any questions, please reach out either by email at acesgolf@aol.com or by phone at 925-200-0719.
From the sidelines,
Dennis Miller, Playbook Editor
‘I have a lot more to prove’: Foothill’s Mijatovic crushes age group record at U.S. Open
It has been a given that at some point 16-year-old Foothill High junior Luka Mijatovic would be the face of distance swimming in the United States. That day may be now…
Power Rankings as of Dec. 9.
2025-26 EBAL BOYS’ BASKETBALL
1. De La Salle (3-1): Only loss came to Marin Catholic in a 64-60 final. Nice wins over Justin Siena (55-43) and Christian Brothers (64-46).
2. Dougherty Valley (2-1): The Wildcats dropped their opener to Clovis North but came back to beat Concord and Lodi. Always in the mix.
3. Dublin (2-1): The Gaels are allegedly down this year but romps over Galt and Modesto, with a tight 56-49 loss to Modesto Christian, say otherwise.
4. Amador Valley (2-3): Has the talent to be ranked higher but had to deal with injuries in the 77-28 loss to St. Ignatius.
5. California (2-2): The Grizzlies suffered a head-scratching loss to Carlmont at the Riordan Showcase. There is some talent here.
Others: San Ramon Valley 1-1, Monte Vista 3-1, Granada 3-1, Foothill 2-0, Livermore 3-1.
2025-26 EBAL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
1. Carondelet (8-1, 2-0): The Cougars have only lost to a team from Arizona thus far. Is this the year they beat SRV?
2. San Ramon Valley (4-1): The Wolves suffer a tough 55-50 loss to St. Mary’s. As usual there is top-notch talent up and down the roster.
3. California (4-3): The Grizzlies would be the best team in several leagues in the area but are stuck with two of the best in NorCal in their league.
4. Dublin (2-1): Big blowouts over Manteca and Mountain House show the firepower the Gaels have on the roster. Loss to Carondelet is nothing out of the ordinary.
5. Dougherty Valley (3-1, 0-1): The Wildcats lone loss this far is to Carondelet in an early EBAL game.
Others: Monte Vista (3-2), Granada (3-3), Amador Valley (2-2), Foothill (3-2), Livermore (1-3).
Today (Dec. 9) – Boys’ basketball: Amador Valley at Mt. Eden, 7 p.m. Kimball at Dublin, 7:30 p.m. Girls’ basketball: Clovis at San Ramon Valley, 6 p.m. Foothill at Castro Valley, 7 p.m. California at Kimball, 7:30 p.m. Boys’ soccer: St. Mary’s at Dublin, 7 p.m.
Tomorrow (Dec. 10) – Boys’ basketball: California vs. Leland, at Los Gatos Tournament, 5:30 p.m. Castro Valley at Foothill, 7 p.m. Benicia at De La Salle, 7:30 p.m. Girls’ basketball: Rancho Cotate at California, 7 p.m. Boys’ soccer: James Logan at Livermore, 6 p.m. Girls’ soccer: Heritage at Foothill, 6:30 p.m. Irvington at Granada, 7 p.m.
Thursday (Dec. 11) – Boys’ basketball: Granada vs. Campolindo at Huber Classic, 4 p.m. California vs. Evergreen Valley at Los Gatos Tournament, 5:30 p.m. Weston Ranch at San Ramon Valley, 6:30 p.m. Girls’ basketball: Dublin at San Ramon Valley, 6 p.m. Liberty at Monte Vista, 7 p.m. Carondelet vs. Konawaena at Nike Iolani Invitational (Hawaii), 8 p.m. Boys’ soccer: Fremont at Monte Vista, 6:30 p.m. Girls’ soccer: American at San Ramon Valley, 7 p.m.
Friday (Dec. 12) – Girls’ basketball: Bishop O’Dowd at San Ramon Valley, 4 p.m. Boys’ soccer: Granada vs. Gonzalez, 3 p.m.
Saturday (Dec. 13) – Boys’ basketball: King’s Academy at Amador Valley, 3 p.m. Girls’ basketball: Campolindo at Dougherty Valley, 7:30 p.m. Boys’ soccer: Amador Valley at Liberty, 2 p.m. Girls’ soccer: Foothill at Clayton Valley, 2 p.m.
CIF STATE 2025 FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
Open Division – De La Salle vs. Santa Margarita, Dec. 13 at Saddleback College, 8 p.m.
Division I-AA – Semifinals North: Folsom 42, Riordan 38. South: Cathedral Catholic 42, Los Alamitos 21. Championship: Folsom vs. Cathedral Catholic, Dec. 12 at Saddleback College, 8 p.m.
I-A – Semifinals North: Central East 55, Pittsburg 36. South: Pacifica 42, Granite Hills 35. Championship: Central East vs. Pacifica, Dec. 13 at Saddleback College, 3:30 p.m.
II-AA – Semifinals North: St. Mary’s 31, Serra 24. South: Bakersfield Christian 24, La Habra 21. Championship: St. Mary’s vs. Bakersfield Christian, Dec. 12 at Saddleback College, 4 p.m.
II-A – Semifinals North: Sonora 41, Woodcreek 14. South: Rio Hondo Prep 26, Sante Fe Christian 21. Championship: Sonora vs. Rio Hondo Prep, Dec. 13 at Saddleback College, 11:30 a.m.
III-AA – Semifinals North: St. Ignatius 17, Monte Vista 14. South: Ventura 35, Arroyo Grande 28. Championship: St. Ignatius vs. Ventura, Dec. 12 at Fullerton UHSD Stadium, 8 p.m.
III-A – Semifinals North: McClymonds 42, Roseville 34. South: Kennedy 35, Carson 33. Championship: McClymonds vs. Carson, Dec. 13 at Fullerton Stadium, 7 p.m.
IV-AA – Semifinals North: Sutter 21, Ferndale 7 South: Barstow 13, Immanuel 12 Championship: Sutter vs. Barstow, Dec. 12 at Buena Park Stadium, 8 p.m.
IV-A – Semifinals North: El Cerrito 20, Menlo Atherton 16. South: Beckman 46, Hillcrest 40. Championship: El Cerrito vs. Beckman, Dec. 13 at Buena Park Stadium, 7 p.m.
V-AA – Semifinals North: Bishop O’Dowd 23, Chico 20. South: Christian 27, Valley Christian 13. Championship: Bishop O’Dowd vs. Christian, Dec. 12 at Buena Park Stadium, 4 p.m.
V-A – Semifinals North: Calaveras 35, Miramonte 7. South: Bishop Union 47, South Gate 28. Championship: Calaveras vs. Bishop Union, Dec. 13 at Fullerton Stadium, 3 p.m.
VI-AA – Semifinals North: Lincoln 28, Gradley 20. South: Valley Center 30, Valley View 19. Championship: Lincoln vs. Valley Center, Dec. 12 at Fullerton Stadium, 4 p.m.
VI-A – Semifinals North: Winters 26, Minarets 12. South: Morse 57, Grace 40. Championship: Winters vs. Morse, Dec. 13 at Buena Park Stadium, 3 p.m.
VII-AA – Semifinals North: Redding Christian 22, Middletown 18. South: Woodbridge 13, San Fernando 0. Championship: Redding Christian vs. Woodbridge, Dec. 13 at Fullerton Stadium, 11 a.m.
VII-A – Semifinals North: Balboa 38, Piedmont Hills 10. South: South El Monte 56, Santee 7. Championship: Balboa vs. South El Monte, Dec. 13 at Buena Park Stadium, 11 a.m.
Pleasanton Preps: Star Foothill swimmer Mijatovic commits to University of Texas
In the end it makes sense. The best swimmer our area has ever seen commits to the best college program and arguably the greatest coach of all-time. It’s a perfect match.
Dennis Miller is a veteran sports writer and editor, covering sports in the Tri-Valley for over 35 years. In addition to being the editor of Tri-Valley Preps Playbook, he has written a weekly column for Pleasanton Weekly and PleasantonWeekly.com, “Pleasanton Preps,” since 2011. Email him at sports@pleasantonweekly.com.
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