CIF Track and Field in national headlines for all the wrong reasons

Today’s edition is sponsored by The Rose Hotel.

*|DATE:l, F j, Y|*

Welcome to the Playbook!

This week brings the end of the 2024-25 prep sports year! We will be taking the summer off and come back Aug. 26 with a look at the first week of football season.

That is right – only a little over two months before we are back in action!

I wanted to take some time to thank all those that read the Playbook on a weekly basis and help me spread the word so even more can read all about the East Bay Athletic League throughout the 2025-26 prep sports season. Have a great summer and see you soon!

The Big Picture looks at the CIF State Track and Field Championships, an event that drew national news coverage as a transgender athlete won two girls’ state titles as a biological male competing against the girls. One even affected an EBAL athlete. Also reads about how CIF made a mockery of the competition and validated opponents’ feelings of unfairness of a male competing against females.

EBAL Power Rankings end this athletic year with the final polls for baseball and softball. See who ends up on top in the final polls. Hint – it’s the teams that are still playing.

What to Watch has the schedules for the CIF NorCal baseball and softball playoffs. Check back in August for the first football games of the year.

See you in August for another great year of EBAL action from the fall through the spring! If you have any story ideas, contact me at acesmag@aol.com.

From the sidelines,
Dennis Miller, Playbook Editor

CIF Track and Field Championships in national headlines for all the wrong reasons

“The California Track and Field Championships each year is among the best high school state meets in the United States, always seemingly generating future Olympic medalists. Last weekend’s meet was in the national news, but this time it was for all the wrong reasons.”

Power Rankings as of June 2.

EBAL BASEBALL

1. De La Salle (26-4): The Spartans beat Foothill 10-1, then College Park 11-2 to win the NCS D-I title and advance to the CIF NorCal tournament. The top seed in the D-I NorCal event, will play Tuesday, hosting Del Oro.

2. Granada (21-5): Simply put the Spartans are still playing and the Matadors are not, therefore Granada drops to No. 2 in the final rankings.

3. Foothill (21-8): The Falcons fell in the NCS D-I semifinals to eventual champion De La Salle, then in the third-place game to Casa Grande but it was a great season for the Falcons who return a lot of talent next season.

4. San Ramon Valley (15-10): The Wolves beat Cal twice the next to last game of the regular season and will stay No. 4 over the Grizzlies who made an amazing run through the D-III playoffs, taking the title.

5. California (16-11): The Grizzlies put in the D-III playoffs after losing their last four regular season games but made the most of it, running off four wins to take the D-III title. Cal was shown no love by CIF and seeded No. 8 in the eight-team field. Travels to Roseville to play Top-seeded Roseville.

In the hunt: Livermore (15-11), Amador Valley (14-12), Dublin (17-8), Monte Vista (5-19), Dougherty Valley (2-21).

EBAL SOFTBALL

1. Foothill (16-9-1): The one constant for the Falcons throughout the season has been a big offense and it was on display in the NCS D-I third-place game when they got by Livermore 16-3. Shown no respect by NCS and seeded No. 13, the Falcons finished third in D-I. CIF dumps on the Falcons as well and seeds them No. 8 in the D-II NorCal’s. Plays at No. 1 Vanden on Tuesday.

2. Livermore (19-10): The Cowboys fell 9-0 to Casa Grande in the D-I semifinals and then fell in the third-place game 16-13 to Foothill. Nice little run the EBAL playoffs beating Carondelet 14-2, then beating California 7-4 in the finals.

3. Carondelet (15-13): The Cougars lost in the NCS D-II finals to Cardinal Newman by a 12-8 final. They won the EBAL regular season but lost 14-2 to Livermore in the EBAL playoffs. Got seeded No. 3 in the D-III NorCal field and will host Pleasant Valley on Tuesday.

4. California (19-9): The Grizzlies had a great season, but late season losses to Foothill and Livermore dropped Cal in the final rankings.

5. San Ramon Valley (16-8-2): The Wolves closed winning seven of their last eight games, but their season ended in the second round of NCS.

In the hunt: Granada (13-11), Amador Valley (11-13), Dougherty Valley (10-10), Monte Vista (6-12), Dublin (2-17).

Today (June 3)

CIF NorCal Baseball Championships: D-I – Del Oro (8) at De La Salle (1), 4 p.m.; Valley Christian (5) at St. Mary’s (4), 4 p.m.; College Park (6) at Serra (3), 4 p.m.; Los Gatos (7) at Franklin (2), 4 p.m. D-III – California (8) at Roseville (1), 4 p.m.; Lincoln (5) at Fowler (4), 4 p.m.; Kingsburg (6) at Rancho Cotate (3), 4 p.m.; Morro Bay (7) at Carmel (2), 4 p.m.

CIF NorCal Softball Championships: D-II – Foothill-Pleasanton (8) at Vanden (1), 4 p.m.; Central Catholic (5) vs. Liberty (4), 4 p.m.; King’s Academy (6) at Destiney Christian Academy (3), 4 p.m.; Casa Grande (7) at Salinas (2), 4 p.m. D-III – Hillsdale (1) vs. bye; Liberty (5) at Foothill-Redding, 4 p.m.; Pleasant Valley (6) at Carondelet (3), 4 p.m.; Calaveras (7) at Cardinal Newman (2), 4 p.m.

Thursday (June 5)

CIF NorCal Baseball Championships: D-I semifinals – Del Oro-De La Salle winner vs. Valley Christian-St. Mary’s winner, TBD, 4 p.m.; College Park-Serra winner vs. Los Gatos-Franklin winner, TBD, 4 p.m. D-III – California-Roseville winner vs. Lincoln-Fowler winner, TBD, 4 p.m.; Kingsburg-Rancho Cotate vs. Morro Bay-Carmel winner, TBD, 4 p.m.

CIF NorCal Softball Championships: D-II semifinals – Foothill-Pleasanton-Vanden winner vs. Central Catholic-Liberty winner, TBD, 4 p.m.; King’s Academy-Destiney Christian Academy winner vs. Casa Grande-Salinas winner, TBD, 4 p.m. D-III – Hillsdale vs. Liberty-Foothill-Redding winner, TBD, 4 p.m.; Pleasant Valley-Carondelet winner vs. Calaveras-Cardinal Newman winner, TBD, 4 p.m.

Saturday (June 7)

CIF NorCal Baseball Championships: D-I Championship – Semifinal winners, TBD, 4 p.m. D-III Championship – Semifinal winners, TBD, 4 p.m.

CIF NorCal Softball Championships: D-II Championship – Semifinal winners, TBD. D-III Championship – Semifinal winners, TBD.

Poppy Ridge Golf Course blooms anew in Livermore

Saturday marked a rebirth for Poppy Ridge Golf Course, with its redesigned 18-hole track opening to the public after a remarkable 13-month overhaul. The Northern California golf world is abuzz, for good reason…

Pleasanton Preps: Foothill softball and baseball advance to section semis

It’s a big week for the baseball and softball teams at Foothill as the Falcons have advanced to the North Coast Section Division I tournaments.

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.

Sponsored by

You can update your preferences and manage your groups, or if you really never want to hear from us again, including other emails from us you may have signed up for, you can totally unsubscribe from this list.

View this email in your browser

Welcome to the Playbook!

Most Popular

Sign up for newsletters