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Last week the Big Picture went in depth on the Livermore Stampede and how it is arguably the best prep softball tournament in Northern California.
This week we are here to announce Livermore High went 5-0 in the tournament and won the title of the Championship flight.
The Cowboys beat Casa Grande (11-2), Eagle (5-3) and Sheldon (7-0) to finish first in their pool. In the semifinals they took down South Bay powerhouse Willow Glen 1-0 to advance to the championship game.
In the championship game, they faced another traditionally loaded team in Saint Francis and took the title with a 2-1 win.
Kaci Norton, who was our Fast Five participant two weeks ago, was picked as the Most Valuable Player of the Stampede.
Norton gave up seven hits, one run and struck out eight batters in the semis and final.
In the championship game, Laine Macosky (our Fast Five three weeks ago) had a home run for the Cowboys, and she scored the lone run in the semifinals. Gianna Willes drove in the game winning run for Livermore in the semifinals.
Back to EBAL play
Spring break has come and gone. Now it’s getting down to the grind for the East Bay Athletic League spring sports teams as we head into the second half of the league season.
Some of the sports have seen some separation as we head down the stretch, but mainly separation in terms of the top teams and the bottom teams.
Let’s look at boys’ volleyball, softball and baseball.
Softball
As the teams headed into break, Livermore (5-0) was on top with San Ramon Valley (5-1), Carondelet (3-1) and Granada (4-2) just back. California (2-2), Monte Vista (2-3) and Amador Valley (2-3) are in the next group. Dublin (1-4), Foothill (1-4) and Dougherty Valley (0-5) round out the league.
Livermore, fresh off winning the Livermore Stampede, still has some very tough games left, facing matchups with San Ramon Valley, Carondelet, California and a rivalry game with Granada to end the season.
San Ramon Valley might have the most accommodating schedule left, facing games with Livermore and California as the lone top four teams left.
Carondelet has two games against California, as well as one game with Livermore and Granada each.
Granada has games with Cal, Carondelet and Livermore among their final games.
Boys’ volleyball
Heading into break, San Ramon Valley (7-0) was on top with Dublin (6-1), Livermore (6-2), Foothill (5-3) and De La Salle (5-3) chasing.
California (4-4) and Granada (4-4) make up the midpack, with Monte Vista (1-7), Amador Valley (1-7) and Dougherty Valley (0-8) rounding it out.
Anything is possible at this point as the top teams have shown the ability to beat each other, be it in league matches or tournament play.
San Ramon Valley has the lead and the most favorable schedule remaining, as the Wolves have Dublin and De La Salle as their lone matches against the upper tier teams.
Dublin has some work to do as the Gaels have games with Granada, SRV, Livermore and Foothill still to play.
Foothill has a load left as well, as the Falcons have a pair of matches with Livermore and one with Dublin among their second half schedule.
Livermore has two games left with Foothill and single matches against Dublin and Granada.
Baseball
Due to tournaments and such, most teams have a majority of their league season still to play.
De La Salle and Foothill both sit at 3-0, with the Spartans seeming to be the team to beat as they have yet to lose a game on the field this year. The only three losses on the De La Salle schedule came via the forfeit after the team violated school rules. In their three EBAL wins they have combined to outscore their opponents 25-1.
Foothill and its talented group of seniors have done everything asked this year in EBAL play, but the Falcons’ three wins have come against three teams with a combined 1-10 mark.
Granada is 3-1 with the lone loss coming to Dublin. The wins have come against teams with a combined 3-7 mark.
Dublin is 2-2 with the wins coming over Granada and San Ramon Valley and the losses to De La Salle and Amador Valley.
Monte Vista has beaten Amador and San Ramon Valley, with their lone loss coming to Granada.
San Ramon Valley is 2-2 with the wins over Cal and Livermore, but the losses have come against Monte Vista and Dublin.
Amador also sits 2-2 with the losses coming to Monte Vista and Dougherty Valley. The wins came against Dublin and California.
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. To sign up for free, visit here.
