League play heating up for boys’ volleyball, baseball and softball

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Welcome to 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 looks inside some of the spring sports and they near the end of the regular season. What lays ahead as teams will get ready for the EBAL playoffs, followed by the North Coast Section championships.

The EBAL Power Rankings see little change, even with the top-ranked baseball team Granada suffering its first loss of the season.

What to Watch details another week of a full EBAL slate. Some big games this week for all the sports.

The Fast Five visits with Livermore softball player Annie Polaski. Her must-follow on social media is one of my favorite pro athletes, and I have a dog named after him as well.

That’s it for another week of the 2023-24 Tri-Valley Preps Playbook! Got a great story idea? Let me know at acesmag@aol.com! Have a great year and I look forward once again to seeing how our local athletes compete!

From the sidelines,
Dennis Miller
Playbook Editor
sports@pleasantonweekly.com

League play heating up for boys’ volleyball, baseball and softball

Amador Valley was able to do something no other EBAL team had been able to do so far this year, and that was beating Granada.

Power Rankings as of April 15.

EBAL BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL

1) Foothill (21-6, 10-0): The Falcons stay unbeaten in league sweeping Dublin and Livermore. Hosting their tournament, the Falcons went 3-1, losing to Castro Valley.

2) De La Salle (25-8, 9-1): After going 4-2 in a tournament over the break, the Spartans came back with a sweep of San Ramon Valley and Dougherty Valley.

3) Granada (17-6, 8-2): The Matadors knocked off California and Dublin and will move up one spot this week.

4) Amador Valley (19-8, 6-4): Missing some key players, the Dons dropped a match to Livermore, then came back to beat San Ramon Valley. Over the weekend, Amador ran off a 5-0 mark to win the Falcon Invitational at Foothill.

5) Dougherty Valley (4-5, 4-5): At this point no team in the EBAL seems intent on putting a stranglehold on the No. 5 spot.

Others: Livermore (16-13, 3-7), San Ramon Valley (5-17, 1-9), Monte Vista (10-15, 4-5), California (6-11, 2-7), Dublin (5-16, 2-8).

EBAL BASEBALL

1) Granada (17-1, 6-1): Fell from the unbeaten ranks with a 5-3 to Amador Valley but rallied with an 8-2 payback to end the week.

2) De La Salle (10-3, 4-2): This insane offensive explosion the Spartans have been putting on continued with a 28-2 win over Foothill. If you’re counting, that’s 69 runs in the last three games.

3) San Ramon Valley (12-5, 7-1): The Wolves fire out of break with a sweep of Dougherty Valley, a win over California in between.

4) Amador Valley (9-9, 4-4): The Dons gave Granada its first loss of the season, then turn around and get beat by the Mats 8-2. There is talent there but lacking consistency so far.

5) Livermore (11-7, 3-5): Swept Dublin coming out of the break, the Cowboys are 5-1 in last six games.

Others: Dublin (8-9, 3-4), Foothill (9-8, 3-3), Monte Vista (9-7, 2-5), California (8-9, 2-6), Dougherty Valley (6-11, 2-5).

EBAL SOFTBALL

1) Livermore (13-4, 6-1): The Cowboys came back after Spring Break, and it was business as usual as they beat San Ramon Valley 6-4 and Dougherty Valley 5-0.

2) Amador Valley (8-5, 5-2): The Dons have won four EBAL games in a row, coming back from Spring Break to beat Cal 5-1 and San Ramon Valley 9-1. Takes a jump up a spot this week.

3) San Ramon Valley (7-8, 4-3): Fell to Livermore 6-4, then Amador Valley 9-1. Takes a drop this week.

4) California (8-3, 5-2): Lost to Amador Valley 5-1, then rallied with wins over Dublin (4-1), and Foothill (8-7).

5) Dublin (9-5-1, 3-4): Beat Carondelet 7-0 but then fell 4-1 at California. The Gaels are holding to No. 5 for now.

Others: Foothill (10-4, 4-3), Carondelet (5-7, 2-5), Granada (5-7, 3-4), Monte Vista (4-7, 3-4), Dougherty Valley (3-10, 0-8).

Tuesday, April 16

EBAL softball (all games at 4 p.m.): Amador at Monte Vista, Foothill at Dougherty Valley, Granada at California, Dublin at San Ramon Valley, Livermore at Carondelet.

EBAL volleyball (all games at 6:30 p.m.): Livermore at California, Granada at Foothill, Amador Valley at Dougherty Valley, Dublin at San Ramon Valley, De La Salle at Monte Vista.

EBAL tennis (all matches at 4 p.m.): Dublin at California, Amador Valley at Foothill, Granada at San Ramon Valley, Dougherty Valley at Monte Vista, Livermore at De La Salle.

EBAL boys’ lacrosse (all games at 7 p.m.): Amador Valley at Dougherty Valley, San Ramon Valley at Dublin, Livermore at Monte Vista, De La Salle at Granada, Foothill at California.

EBAL girls’ lacrosse (all games at 7 p.m.): Dougherty Valley at Amador Valley, Dublin at San Ramon Valley, Monte Vista at Livermore, Granada at Carondelet, Califif0rnia at Foothill.

EBAL golf (all matches at 3:30 p.m.): Granada at Foothill, Amador Valley at Dublin, Monte Vista at Livermore, California at San Ramon Valley, De La Salle at Dougherty Valley.

Wednesday, April 17

EBAL baseball (all games at 4 p.m.): Foothill at Granada, Dublin at Amador Valley, De La Salle at San Ramon Valley, Monte Vista at Dougherty Valley, California at Livermore.

Thursday, April 18

EBAL softball (all games at 4 p.m.): Dougherty Valley at Amador Valley, San Ramon Valley at Foothill, Carondelet at Granada, Monte Vista at Dublin, California at Livermore.

EBAL volleyball (all games 6:30 p.m.): San Ramon Valley at Livermore, De La Salle at Granada, Foothill at Dougherty Valley, Monte Vista at Dublin, California at Amador Valley.

EBAL tennis (all matches at 4 p.m.): California at San Ramon Valley, Dublin at De La Salle, Monte Vista at Foothill, Dougherty Valley at Granada, Amador Valley at Livermore.

EBAL golf (all matches at 3:30 p.m.): Livermore at Amador Valley, Foothill at Dublin, Granada at San Ramon Valley, Monte Vista at De La Salle, California at Dougherty Valley.

Friday, April 19

EBAL baseball (all games at 4 p.m.): Granada at Foothill, Amador Valley at Dublin, San Ramon Valley at De La Salle, Dougherty Valley at Monte Vista. Bye: Livermore, California.

EBAL boys’ lacrosse (all games at 7 p.m.): Dublin at Amador Valley, Dougherty Valley at Monte Vista, Granada at San Ramon Valley, California at Livermore, De La Salle at Foothill.

EBAL girls’ lacrosse (all games at 7 p.m.): Amador Valley at Dublin, Monte Vista at Dougherty Valley, San Ramon Valley at Granada, Livermore at California, Foothill at Carondelet.

Pleasanton Preps: Remembering my friend, former Foothill coach Randy Isaacs

Randy Isaacs was part of the fabric of Pleasanton. Those of us who grew up here and were fortunate to stay and work in the town helped mold what has made Pleasanton such a special place for all of us.

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): Annie Polaski (Livermore)

Nickname: Poosk

Sport: Softball

Year in school: Senior (2024)

Favorite late-night food: Frozen Yogurt

What are you watching on Netflix: “Suits”

Who is a must follow on social media: Nick Bosa (@nbsmallerbear)

Go to hype song: Party in the USA (Miley Cyrus)

Favorite quote: “Make sure your worst enemy is not living between your own tow ears,” (professional surfer Laird Hamilton)

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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