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We are now through the early part of the 2023-24 Fall sports season with the football teams getting through the first three weeks of the season, with flag football and volleyball getting through the first week of the East Bay Athletic League season. Let’s take a run through the three sports and see where we stand.
Football
Through the first three weeks of the prep football season, there are some things that have crystallized.
One, San Ramon Valley has picked up where they left off, making a run to the CIF State 2-A Bowl game where they fell in overtime.
The Wolves have started 3-0, with all three wins convincing ones over some decent football teams.
SRV beat St. Ignatius Prep 42-14 to open the season, then dumped Acalanes 44-21, and finally beating Elk Grove 45-7. This week brings McClymonds to town and as usual, they are loaded.
The Warriors – runners-up in the CIF State 2-AA title game last year – have outscored their two opponents 85-0. Obviously, the San Ramon Valley offense will be the most prolific unit Mack has faced this year. Last year the two met in an epic 45-42
McClymonds win. The game is set for Friday at San Ramon Valley with a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Two, as good as San Ramon Valley is, winning the EBAL Mountain division is not a given. Clayton Valley is 1-2 but are playing their usual brutally tough preseason and us usual, the Eagles will be ready for EBAL action. Last year they went 2-3 in non-league, then took the Mountain title, including beating SRV 42-28.
Monte Vista is now in its second year with coach John Millard and looks loaded. The Mustangs started 3-0 and outscored their opponents 132-41.
California looks like a team that on any given night can pull off the win.
Three, Amador Valley, now in the Valley division, will be loaded for the final five games of the regular season and could make a deep run in NCS.
The Dons are 2-1, but are playing without their top quarterback and center, as cousins Tristin Ti’a and Paul Ti’a are sitting five games after transferring from Granada last spring.
It was a tough as advertised defense that held powerhouse El Cerrito to only 14 points, then shutout Campolindo before getting it done in a 14-12 win over Acalanes. It will be interesting to see how the Dons D fares against the high-powered MV offense this week.
Four, Granada and quarterback Quinn Boyd have seemed to find their footing after losing 42-3 to Monte Vista to open the season. The Mats figure to be one of two teams that might pressure Amador Valley in the Valley. After getting only three in the opener, the Mats have come with 77 points in the last two. The AV-MV game this week will give us a clearer picture of the Valley division.
Girls’ Volleyball
We are one week into the season, but it looks like the top two teams overall are Amador Valley and Foothill.
The Dons sit at the top of the Power Rankings right now by virtue of their two-set match over the Falcons in the season opening tournament.
Amador has a pair of losses this year, losing tournament matches to Redwood (they beat Redwood earlier in tournament) and Pitman.
Since the loss to Amador, Foothill has not lost and is 10-1. They also had a 3-0 win over Branson, the defending CIF State champ.
San Ramon Valley appears to be the top of the Mountain division, but the Wolves fell to Foothill in the first EBAL game by a 3-1 final.
Make sure to circle September 19 and October 17 on your calendar as those are the dates of the Amador-Foothill regular season matches.
Of course, the two will likely see each other in the EBAL and North Coast Section playoffs, and perhaps the CIF NorCal tournament.
Girls’ Flag Football
We have seen the first week of the inaugural season of the EBAL Girls’ Flag Football season come and go, and it appears the girls are taking a page from the boys’ this season.
San Ramon Valley appears to be the team to beat as the Wolves rolled to four straight wins to open the season, beating Campolindo, Freedom, Amador Valley, and Benicia by a combined 100-20.
A rematch with Benicia saw the Wolves lose their first game by a 14-6 final. The Panthers are 3-1 with wins over California (26-6) and Amador Valley 28-0.
I am going to venture out and watch the Foothill vs. Monte Vista game on Tuesday at Foothill to see first-hand this new and popular sport.
Riordan football loses
Archbishop Riordan, a San Francisco private school that had several high-profile football players transfer into the school before the season, dropped its first game of this year.
The Crusaders fell to St. Bonaventure of Venture 24-14 at home on Saturday, September 9. The loss dropped Riordan to 2-1, while St. Bonaventure improved to 2-2.
