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Welcome to the Playbook!
It’s time for another week of the Tri-Valley Preps Playbook, your inside source for all things sports when it comes to the East Bay Athletic League!
I’ve been covering the EBAL since 1985 and know the coaches, players, parents, and athletic staff at all the schools, giving me the inside scoop on what is happening behind the scenes!
Join me each week for some honest feelings about the good, the bad, and the ugly side of high school athletics!
The Big Picture gets everyone ready for the North Coast Section playoffs in volleyball and lacrosse this week! How did our teams do in the seedings, as well as where and when does everyone play.
EBAL Power Rankings have some movement in baseball. Not in the top two spots but a little jumble in the 3-5 spaces.
What to Watch gives you the schedule for the NCS volleyball and lacrosse playoffs, as well as the final week of baseball and softball.
Fast Five this week features Foothill senior volleyball player Casey Collins! Check out his favorite quote and who said it!
From the sidelines, Dennis Miller
North Coast Section playoffs are here. Let’s look at the local brackets
Get ready for the North Coast Section playoffs! Volleyball and lacrosse kick things off this week with the first and second rounds taking place. NCS swimming and diving also takes place this week.
Power Rankings as of April 29.
EBAL BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
1) Foothill (26-6, 13-0): The Falcons wrapped up both the EBAL regular season and the EBAL playoff title with wins over Amador, Monte Vista, Granada last week. Top seed NCS D-I.
2) Granada (22-9, 10-3): The Matadors knocked off De La Salle in the EBAL semifinals but then fell to Foothill in the championship match. No. 6 seed in D-I playoffs.
3) De La Salle (27-10, 11-2): The Spartans were the top seed in the Mountain division but fell at home to Granada in the semifinals. The No. 3 seed in NCS D-II playoffs.
4) Amador Valley (20-10, 7-6): Probably the toughest team to figure out this year as the Dons have shown the ability to play with any team in the section but have also shown they can lose to anyone. They are the No. 7 seed in D-I playoffs.
5) Livermore (18-14, 5-8): The toughest thing the Cowboys faced this year was being in the same division as Foothill and Granada. The No. 8 seed in the D-II playoffs.
On the bubble: Dougherty Valley (5-8, 5-8), Monte Vista (11-20, 5-8), Dublin (7-17, 4-9), San Ramon Valley (7-18, 3-10), California (6-15, 2-11).
EBAL SOFTBALL
1) Livermore (18-4, 10-1): Beat Foothill and Monte Vista, and heading into the last week of league has a comfortable lead for the regular season title.
2) California (12-7, 8-3): Lost a non-league game to Amador but then ran off three wins, including wins over the Danville schools.
3) San Ramon Valley (11-9, 7-4): The Wolves beat Dougherty Valley but then fell to California to end the week.
4) Amador Valley (11-8, 7-4): A perplexing week for the Dons as they go 1-3 and lost both EBAL games last week, falling to Carondelet and Dublin.
5) Granada (10-9, 6-5): The Matadors have put together five-game winning streak and might be hitting their stride at the right time.
Others: Dublin (11-7-1, 5-6), Foothill (10-8, 5-6), Carondelet (7-9, 4-7), Monte Vista (5-11, 3-8), Dougherty Valley (4-13, 1-11).
EBAL BASEBALL
1) Granada (21-1, 10-1): The Mats beat Dublin 2-0 and 4-1 to keep rolling in EBAL play. A split against Livermore this week would lock up an EBAL regular season title.
2) De La Salle (14-4, 8-2): A non-league loss to Jesuit was followed by a sweep of Monte Vista in EBAL play.
3) San Ramon Valley (13-8, 8-3): Beat Amador 5-0 in their lone EBAL game last week. Did drop a 7-6 to Casa Grande in a non-league game on Saturday.
4) Amador Valley (10-12, 5-6): The tough road continues for the Dons as they fell 5-0 to San Ramon Valley, then 4-2 to College Park. Have lost four of their last five.
5) Livermore (13-9, 5-6): Loses 12-1 at Foothill but comes back two days later to beat the Falcons 12-11.
Others: Dublin (9-12, 4-7), Foothill (11-11, 5-6), Monte Vista (12-9, 4-7), California (11-11, 3-8), Dougherty Valley (7-14, 3-8).
Tuesday, April 30
North Coast Section Volleyball – First round (seeds in parentheses)
D-I (all matches at 7 p.m.): Foothill (1) vs. bye; Berkeley (9) at Clayton Valley (8); Pittsburg (13) at Heritage (4); San Leandro (12) at James Logan (5); Castro Valley (2) vs. bye; Deer Valley (10) at Amador Valley (7); Liberty (3) vs. bye; American (11) at Granada (6)
D-II: El Cerrito (9) at Livermore (8); Benicia (14) at De La Salle (3)
North Coast Section Lacrosse – Boys first round (seeds in parenthesis)
D-I: Marin Catholic (1) vs. bye; Foothill (9) at Casa Grande (8); Monte Vista (4) vs. bye; Clayton Valley (12) vs. Marin Academy (5) at San Rafael High; Redwood (2) vs. bye; Tamalpais (7) at Berkeley (10); De La Salle (3) vs. bye; Piedmont (11) at San Ramon Valley (6)
D-II: San Rafael (15) at Livermore (2)
Girls’ first round (seeds in parenthesis)
D-I: San Ramon Valley (1) vs. bye; Tamalpais (9) vs. Marin Academy (8) at San Rafael High, 5 p.m.; Las Lomas (13) at Carondelet (4), 7 p.m.; Novato (12) at Amador Valley (5), 7 p.m.; Redwood (2) vs. bye; College Park (10) at California (7), 7 p.m.; Rancho Cotate (14) at Marin Catholic (3), 5:30 p.m.; Berkeley (11) at Monte Vista (5), 7 p.m.
EBAL Softball (all games at 4 p.m.)
Livermore at Amador Valley; Foothill at Dublin; Granada at San Ramon Valley; Monte Vista at Carondelet; California at Dougherty Valley
Wednesday, May 1
EBAL Baseball (all games at 4 p.m.)
Livermore at Granada; Amador Valley at Foothill; California at De La Salle; San Ramon Valley at Monte Vista; Dougherty Valley at Dublin.
North Coast Section Diving at Concord Community Pool (all day)
Thursday, May 2
North Coast Section Volleyball – Second round
Boys’ D-I: Clayton Valley-Berkeley winner at Foothill; Heritage-Pittsburg winner vs. James Logan-San Leandro winner; Amador-Deer Valley winner at Castro Valley; Granada-American winner at Liberty
D-II: Northgate-Windsor winner vs. Livermore-El Cerrito winner; De La Salle-Benicia winner vs. Redwood-Arroyo winner
North Coast Section Lacrosse – Boys’ second round
D-I: Casa Grande-Foothill winner at Marin Catholic, 5:30 p.m.; Marin Academy-Clayton winner at Monte Vista, 7 p.m.; San Ramon Valley-Piedmont winner at De La Salle, 5 p.m.
D-II: Livermore-San Rafael winner vs. Cardinal Newman-Novato winner
Girls’ second round
D-I: Marin Academy-Tamalpais winner at San Ramon Valley, 7 p.m.; Carondelet-Las Lomas winner vs. Amador-Novato winner; California-College Park winner at Redwood, 5:30 p.m.; Marin Catholic-Rancho Cotate winner vs. Monte Vista-Berkeley winner.
EBAL Softball (all games at 4 p.m.)
Foothill at Amador Valley; Granada at Livermore; Dougherty Valley at Dublin; Carondelet at California; San Ramon Valley at Monte Vista.
Friday, May 3
North Coast Section Swimming Trials at Concord Community Pool (all day)
North Coast Section Tennis Singles/Doubles: At La Cantera Tennis Club, Santa Rosa, 10:30 a.m.
EBAL Baseball (all games at 4 p.m.)
Granada at Livermore, Foothill at Amador Valley, De La Salle at California, Monte Vista at San Ramon Valley. Bye — Dublin, Dougherty Valley.
Saturday, May 4
North Coast Section Swimming at Concord Community Pool (all day)
North Coast Section Tennis Singles/Doubles at La Cantera Tennis Club (Santa Rosa), all day
Pleasanton Preps: Foothill boys capture second EBAL volleyball title in a row
The Foothill boys’ volleyball team clinched its first back-to-back East Bay Athletic League titles since the 2006 to 2007 seasons by beating Granada and Dougherty Valley last week.
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 (School): Casey Collins (Foothill)
Nickname: Case-man
Sport: Volleyball
Year in school: Senior 2024
Favorite late-night food: Cinnamon Bread
What are you watching on Netflix: Suits and Swat
Who is a must follow on social media: San Francisco Giants
Go to hype song: Orange Soda (Baby Keem)
Favorite quote: “Love yourself first and everything else falls into line.” (Lucille Ball).
Do you have someone you want us to interview? Email sports@pleasantonweekly.com.
Be a Sport!
There are many ways to get involved and get the word out about local athletes and teams!
Send photos of your athlete! to sports@pleasantonweekly.com and get a $10 Amazon gift card.
Post game scores, highlights and photos to acknowledge the hard work of your team and athletes here.
When and where will games, meets and matches be? Tell interested community members here.
Have questions? Email sports@pleasantonweekly.com.
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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