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Welcome to the Tri-Valley Preps 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 wraps the winter season as San Ramon Valley made deep runs in the NorCal D-I boys basketball playoffs. Then roll into the busy spring season with baseball and softball getting into EBAL play this week!
The EBAL Power Rankings feature the final basketball rankings, then offer the initial baseball, softball, and volleyball power rankings.
What to Watch has the full slate for the EBAL spring sports as league is underway!
The Fast Five visits with Foothill softball player Kyla Springer. Her quote sums up the perfect attitude for athletes today!
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
San Ramon Valley’s incredible run ends in boys’ basketball state championship game
For the second year in a row, the East Bay Athletic League sent a team to the CIF State Division I boys’ basketball championship game, as San Ramon Valley squared off with St. John Bosco and ultimately fell 78-62.
Power Rankings as of March 11.
FINAL EBAL BOYS’ BASKETBALL
1) San Ramon Valley (29-8): Edged Granada 58-55 to win the CIF Northern California title, but then fell 78-62 to St. John Bosco in the State Championship. Still, was the best public school team in California!
2) Granada (26-4): Lost in the NorCal finals 58-55 to end another great season, missing by one game of advancing to the State title game for the second straight season.
3) Dougherty Valley (21-11): Season over.
4) De La Salle (24-6): Season over.
5) Dublin (24-10): Season over.
Others: Monte Vista (22-8), Foothill (18-12), Amador Valley (17-12), California (12-15), Livermore (7-20).
1) San Ramon Valley (28-3): Season over.
2) Carondelet (29-7): Reached the D-I NorCal finals but fell to Bishop O’Dowd 48-47.
3) California (25-6): Season over.
4) Monte Vista (18-12): Season over.
5) Dublin (16-12): Season over.
Others: Foothill (20-9), Amador (5-20), Granada (7-20), Dougherty Valley (5-18), Livermore (3-22).
EBAL BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
1) Foothill (8-2, 2-0): Strong start to the season for the Falcons with their only two losses coming to a loaded Santa Cruz team (3-2) and Sanger in a tournament semifinal.
2) Amador Valley (10-3, 2-0): The Dons and the Falcons stood on top of the EBAL and NCS last year and it looks like much of the same this year. Lost to Northgate 2-1 in a tournament, and Bullard of Fresno in another tournament.
3) De La Salle (9-5, 2-0): Dropped a pair in a tournament in the Fresno area and fell to Campolindo and Sanger as well. Dispatched of California and San Ramon Valley in the first week of league.
4) Livermore (6-1, 1-1): The Cowboys have come out strong with their lone loss coming in the first week of league when they fell 3-1 to Amador Valley.
5) Granada (7-2, 2-0): The Mats are a traditionally strong EBAL team and that is the case again this year. Did have a 2-1 loss to San Ramon Valley in a tournament but started league with wins over Dougherty Valley and Monte Vista.
Others: San Ramon Valley (4-9, 0-2), Dougherty Valley (1-1, 1-1), Dublin (1-6, 0-2), Monte Vista (1-7, 0-2), California (0-4, 0-2).
1) Livermore (3-0): The Cowboys have started with three wins and have shown at various times, good offense, strong pitching, and solid defense.
2) Amador Valley (2-1): A slip up in the Dons first game — a 3-2 loss to Tracy — but rebounded with a pair of wins over San Ramon Valley and Clayton Valley.
3) Foothill (4-0): It’s early but the Falcons have been pounding the ball, scoring double digits in four of their six games. Lone loss came to a solid Freedom team.
4) Granada (1-2): The Mats are an enigma already. Opened with a big 5-3 win over Freedom but then fell to James Logan and Vintage. I am expecting big things as the season goes on.
5) California (2-1): The defending NCS D-I champs, the Grizzlies return their core group of players and should be moving up the ranks as the season goes on. Beat Vintage and Arroyo, lost to Alameda.
Others: Dougherty Valley (2-1), Dublin (1-1), San Ramon Valley (2-2), Carondelet (0-1), Monte Vista (0-1).
1) De La Salle (3-1): The lone early loss was 3-2 at St. Mary’s of Stockton, always a very good program. The Spartans are always one of the favorites and could be the team to beat this season.
2) Granada (5-0): The Mats bats were on fire through the first five games. The big question is, will the pitching keep pace with the explosive offense. If they do, will be one tough out.
3) Amador Valley (4-2): The Dons look like a talented and deep team this year. Can score runs by the bundle, and the pitching seems solid.
4) Livermore (5-1): It is early, and they haven’t played the toughest schedule, but they are winning the games they are supposed to.
5) Monte Vista (2-1): Not sold yet, but the Mustangs have taken two of their three games. A traditionally strong program, expect them to be in contention.
Others: San Ramon Valley (2-3), California (3-3), Dublin (2-3), Foothill (2-3), Dougherty Valley (1-4).
Tuesday, March 12
EBAL Softball
All games at 4 p.m.
Granada at Dublin, Livermore at Foothill, Dougherty Valley at San Ramon Valley, California at Monte Vista, Amador Valley — bye, Carondelet — bye.
EBAL Volleyball
All games at 6:30 p.m.
Livermore at Foothill, Dublin at Granada, Amador Valley at Monte Vista, San Ramon Valley at California, De La Salle at Dougherty Valley.
EBAL Tennis
All matches at 4 p.m.
Foothill at California, Dougherty Valley at Dublin, Granada at Amador, Livermore at San Ramon Valley, Monte Vista at De La Salle.
EBAL Golf
Amador Valley at Foothill, Livermore at Granada, California at De La Salle, Monte Vista at San Ramon Valley.
Wednesday, March 13
EBAL Baseball
All games 4 p.m.
Livermore at Dougherty Valley, Granada at San Ramon Valley, De La Salle at Amador Valley, Dublin at California, Monte Vista at Foothill.
EBAL Swimming/Diving
All meets at 4 p.m.
Granada at Dublin, Livermore at Foothill, San Ramon Valley at Dougherty Valley, California at Monte Vista, Amador Valley at DLS/Carondelet.
Thursday, March 14
EBAL Softball
All games at 4 p.m.
Foothill at Granada, Dublin at Amador Valley, San Ramon Valley at California, Dougherty Valley at Carondelet, Livermore — bye, Monte Vista — bye.
EBAL Volleyball
All games at 6 p.m.
Dublin at Livermore, Amador Valley at Granada, De La Salle at Foothill, California at Monte Vista, Dougherty Valley at San Ramon Valley.
EBAL Tennis
All matches at 4 p.m.
California at Dougherty Valley, Amador at Dublin, Foothill at De La Salle, Granada at Livermore, San Ramon Valley at Monte Vista.
EBAL Golf
California at Amador Valley, Foothill at Monte Vista, Dougherty Valley at Granada, De La Salle at Dublin, San Ramon Valley at Livermore.
Friday, March 15
EBAL Baseball
All games 4 p.m.
San Ramon Valley at Livermore, De La Salle at Granada, Dougherty Valley at Amador Valley, Foothill at California, Monte Vista at Dublin.
Pleasanton Preps: Dublin Leprechauns welcome new manager for upcoming season
David Aceron has been named the manager for the Dublin Leprechauns as the team is getting ready to start the 2024 Pecos League…
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): Kyla Springer (Foothill)
Nickname: Ky
Sport: Softball
Year in school: Senior (2024)
Favorite late-night food: In-N-Out
What are you watching on Netflix: Gilmore Girls
Who is a must follow on social media: @buzzfeedtasty
Go to hype song: Circo Loco (Drake, 21 Savage)
Favorite quote: “There may be people with more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you.” (Derek Jeter)
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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