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One thing that has always benefitted the East Bay Athletic League girls’ volleyball league when they battle in the postseason – they are battle-tested.
Every year it seems like the league is loaded talent-wise, making the regular season a place where teams fight each week just to make it to the playoffs.
This year has been no exception.
Now thanks to the toughness of the regular season, two EBAL teams sit on the edge of making it to the CIF State Championship game in their respective divisions.
Foothill (D-I) and San Ramon Valley (D-II) will play for CIF NorCal titles this Tuesday, with a chance to play for a state title looming for the winners on Saturday.
For Foothill (29-10, No. 5 seed) they will face Redwood (27-5, No. 6 seed) at 6 p.m. at Foothill. The Falcons faced the Giants in the first round of the NCS Open Division, with the Falcons taking the match 3-1.
The winner will play Saturday for the CIF D-I State title against the winner of the Palos Verdes-Santa Margarita match.
For San Ramon Valley (29-9, No. 1 seed) they will face Buchanan (29-12, No. 3 seed) at 6 p.m. at San Ramon Valley. The two teams have not faced off this year.
The winner plays for the CIF D-II state title on Saturday against the winner of the Eastlake-Centennial SoCal final.
Both are there for one reason — iron sharpens iron.
Foothill and San Ramon Valley have played twice this year, with the teams splitting matches. Of course, both matches finished with 3-2 finals.
The Wolves got the regular season match, with Foothill taking the EBAL playoff finals.
The regular season turned out to be a seminal moment for the Falcons. The loss dropped Foothill to 7-4 overall, a mark below the usual standards for the Falcons.
After the loss, Foothill ran off wins in 10 of their next 11 matches and set the tone for the rest of the season.
Throw in teams like Carondelet (25-7, NorCal qualifier), Monte Vista (NCS qualifier), Amador Valley (NCS qualifier) and California (NCS qualifier), and it is easy to see how the regular season makes the teams tournament tough.
NCS football
Open Division
The EBAL is still going strong heading into the second week of the playoffs with four teams still playing.
In the Open Division, top-seeded De La Salle (11-0) will take on No. 2 Pittsburg (10-1) on Friday at 7 p.m. at Diablo Valley College.
It will be a land/sea battle. The Spartans have pounded the ball as usual with 2,732 yards rushing and 49 touchdowns this year.
Derrick Blanch is the leading rusher with 835 yards and 10 touchdowns. Dominic Kelley added 553 yards and 14 touchdowns. Quarterback Toe Faavae has accounted for 492 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Pittsburg is not shy about putting the ball in the air with quarterback Marley Alcantara accounting for 2,139 yards with 32 touchdowns and no interceptions. That’s right — no interceptions.
D-I
The D-I semifinals see No. 3 San Ramon Valley (10-1) hosting No. 5 Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa (10-1).
San Ramon Valley always seems to reload and are doing so with Rhett Thompson at quarterback. Thompson threw for 2,471 yards and 34 touchdowns with only four interceptions.
Owen Scott has been the leading receiver with 65 catches for 879 yards. Evan Economos has 28 catches for 555 yards and nine touchdowns.
Matt Garabaldi has played in nine of the 11 games but has run for 780 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Cardinal Newman’s big time offensive threat is a freshman. Quarterback Tino Tetamoza — a 6-2, 220-pound freshman — has thrown for 1,268 yards and 15 touchdowns against only two picks.
Jamari Gentry rushed for 1,089 yards and nine touchdowns.
Of course, the Wolves counter with linebacker Marco Jones. The 6-5, 245-pound senior that has committed to Texas A&M, leads the team with 55 solo tackles and 51 assisted tackles. He has also had 29 tackles for losses.
D-II
This one sees No. 2 Amador Valley (7-4) hosting No. 3 Windsor (8-3), at a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday night.
The Dons have been an offensive juggernaut this year and have not scored less than 28 points since Sept. 23 when they beat Acalanes 24-23.
The player leading the way is senior quarterback Tristan Ti’a. Ti’a has thrown for 3,039 yards, hitting 76% of his passes and 25 touchdowns with only three interceptions.
If he can’t find a receiver, Ti’a has run for 816 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Anthony Harrington has been on the other end of Ti’a’s passes 69 times for 1,179 yards and seven touchdowns. Kade Robertson has been a big play receiver as he’s caught seven touchdowns with only 21 receptions.
Windsor is led by sophomore quarterback Carter Vose. Vose has 1,025 yards passing and 11 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
Wyatt Morris has 891 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. Hayden Anderson is the top receiver with 31 catches for 655 yards and 10 touchdowns.
D-IV
No. 3 Granada (7-4) travels to No. 2 American Canyon (9-2) in the D-IV semifinals.
The Matadors started the season 2-4, but have not lost since Oct. 4. That’s a perfect 4-0 in EBAL Valley Division play.
Both teams here seem to be run-centric. Granada has three players who have over 300 yards rushing and a fourth at 274 yards. Jack Badger (377 yards), Estevan Duarte (386), and Jaiden Machado have done the bulk of the work carrying the ball. Noach Blake has added 274 yards on the ground.
American Canyon nearly has two 1,000 yard-rushers. Mason or Harrison has been an amazing player this year, running for 982 yards and passing for 916 yards.
Editor’s note: Dennis Miller is a contributing sports writer for the Pleasanton Weekly. This column originally appeared in Tri-Valley Preps Playbook, a weekly sports e-newsletter published by Embarcadero Media Foundation.
