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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 dives into the EBAL basketball and soccer races. After just one league game something became very clear and one thing is certain – it’s going to be the wild west in the leagues this season.
EBAL Power Rankings see some major movement in the boys’ basketball rankings after just one EBAL game. Also, there is a new No. 1 in boys’ soccer. What to Watch has the full schedule of EBAL games for soccer and basketball. The Fast Five visits with Amador Valley boys’ soccer player Jonas Lyions. His favorite quote is the things legends are made of and still has me laughing.
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
Anything can happen in EBAL basketball, soccer this season
One game. That’s all it took for the EBAL basketball and soccer leagues to show that anything can and probably will happen over the course of league play.
Power Rankings as of Jan. 11.
EBAL BOYS’ BASKETBALL
1. De La Salle (15-2, 1-0): The Spartans open EBAL play with a convincing 67-49 win over San Ramon Valley. Still the team to beat in league.
2. Dougherty Valley (13-5, 1-0): The Wildcats took care of business in the league opener, beating Foothill 67-30. They beat Bishop O’Dowd earlier in the week.
3. Livermore (14-3, 1-0): The Cowboys serve notice in their opener beating Amador Valley 74-63. A nice rebound following a loss to San Lorenzo earlier in the week.
4. California (10-7, 1-0): The Grizzlies open league play with a 70-65 win against Dublin. They are 10-7 but have played a brutally tough non-league schedule.
5. Dublin (12-5, 0-1): The Gaels drop their league opener 70-65 at California. Came back with … against Mt. Diablo.
Others: Monte Vista (11-6, 1-0), Granada (12-4, 0-1), Amador Valley (10-6, 1-0), Foothill (10-5, 0-1), San Ramon Valley (7-10, 0-1).
EBAL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
1. San Ramon Valley (13-2, 2-0): The Wolves have been the standard of excellence in the EBAL for a few years now and showed they want to keep it that way with a 58-48 win over Carondelet.
2. Carondelet (13-4, 4-1): The Cougars fall to San Ramon Valley 58-48 in the league opener and now will have to wait until the EBAL playoffs to get another shot at the Wolves.
3. Dublin (11-4, 1-1): The Gaels start the EBAL season by letting the rest of the league know they are the No. 3 team behind the two goliaths with a 57-34 win over California.
4. Dougherty Valley (11-2, 1-1): The Wildcats continue their great season with a 61-26 win over Foothill. They also beat Berkeley 66-22 earlier in the week.
5. California (9-6, 0-1): The Grizzlies open the season with a 57-34 loss to Dublin and drop in the rankings this week.
Others: Monte Vista (7-5), Granada (6-9), Amador Valley (7-7, 1-0), Foothill (6-8, 0-2), Livermore (9-8, 0-2).
EBAL BOYS’ SOCCER
1. Amador Valley (8-1, 1-0): The Dons open EBAL play with a 2-1 win over Livermore, their seventh consecutive win. By virtue of No. 1 DLS losing, the Dons take the top spot for now!
2. San Ramon Valley (6-2-3, 1-0): The Wolves may not have as strong a record as the next three teams but a 2-1 win over De La Salle jumps them to No. 2.
3. De La Salle (5-2-1, 0-1): The Spartans dropped their EBAL opener 2-1 to San Ramon Valley – and drop some spots this week.
4. Monte Vista (6-1-2, 1-0): The Mustangs open league by blowing the doors off Granada in a 4-0 final. Thanks to the impressive opener, they move up.
5. Foothill (5-0-1, 1-0): The Falcons open league play with a 1-0 win over Dougherty Valley.
Others: Granada (6-2-1, 0-1), Dublin (7-2-2, 1-0), Livermore (7-4, 0-1), Dougherty Valley (2-6-1, 0-1), California (0-6-5, 0-1).
EBAL GIRLS’ SOCCER
1. California (6-0, 1-0): The Grizzlies open with a 2-0 win over Dublin – and with a Carondelet loss, the Grizzlies take the top spot.
2. Granada (7-0-1, 1-0): The Mats take out Monte Vista 2-1 to keep their unbeaten season alive. They have given up just three goals in their eight games.
3. Amador Valley (1-0-1, 1-0): The Dons open defense of their title with a 2-0 win over Livermore. Also has a 0-0 tie with Clayton Valley, a team that beat Carondelet Valley 3-1 last week.
4. Carondelet (5-1-3, 1-0): The Cougars are going to drop a few spots after falling 3-1 to Clayton Valley, a team others in the league have played this year.
5. San Ramon Valley (4-1, 0-1): The Wolves drop a tough 1-0 final to Carondelet but will stay in the top five this week.
Others: Foothill (2-0-1, 1-0), Monte Vista (3-1-3, 0-1), Dublin (4-3-1, 0-1), Livermore (5-4-2, 0-1), Dougherty Valley (0-5, 1-0).
Today (Jan. 13)
EBAL girls’ basketball: Amador Valley at Granada, San Ramon Valley at Livermore, Foothill at Dublin, California at Monte Vista, all 7:30 p.m.
EBAL boys’ basketball: Granada at Amador Valley, Livermore at San Ramon Valley, Dublin at Foothill, Dougherty Valley at De La Salle, Monte Vista at California, all 7:30 p.m.
EBAL girls’ soccer: Granada at Amador Valley, Livermore at San Ramon Valley, Dublin at Foothill, Dougherty Valley at Carondelet, Monte Vista at California, all 6:30 p.m.
EBAL boys’ soccer: Amador Valley at Granada, San Ramon Valley at Livermore, Foothill at Dublin, De La Salle at Dougherty Valley, California at Monte Vista, all 6:30 p.m.
Thursday (Jan. 15)
EBAL boys’ soccer: Amador Valley at San Ramon Valley, Dublin at De La Salle, Livermore at Dougherty Valley, Foothill at Monte Vista, Granada at California, all at 6:30 p.m.
EBAL girls’ soccer: San Ramon Valley at Amador Valley, Carondelet at Dublin, Dougherty Valley at Livermore, Monte Vista at Foothill, California at Granada, all 6:30 p.m.
EBAL girls’ basketball: Amador Valley at San Ramon Valley, Livermore at Dougherty Valley, Foothill at Monte Vista, Granada at California, all at 7:30 p.m.
Friday (Jan. 16)
EBAL boys’ basketball: San Ramon Valley at Amador Valley, Dougherty Valley at Livermore, Monte Vista at Foothill, De La Salle at Dublin, California at Granada, all 7:30 p.m.
Pleasanton Preps: Five Dons score in boys’ soccer shutout of San Marin
The Amador Valley varsity boys’ soccer team stayed on a roll with a 6-0 win over San Marin on Saturday.
We interview high school athletes and coaches all the time. Occasionally we ask them questions that have nothing to do with sports. Here’s one:
Name: Jonas Lyions
School and grade: Amador Valley (senior)
Sport: Soccer
Favorite streaming channel and favorite show: YouTube TV/”Entourage”
Favorite genre music and favorite performer: Reggae/Bob Marley
Who is a must follow on social media: Stephen Curry (@stephencurry30)
Favorite fast-food restaurant and meal: In-N-Out/double-double and fries
Favorite quote: “If you’re not first, your last.” (Ricky Bobby, “Talladega Nights”)
Do you have someone you want us to interview? Email us.
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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