Prep Blog

Sac-Joaquin Section football playoff scores, Round I

2009-11-21T06:11:05Z

Here's a look at some of the Sac-Joaquin Section Playoffs
Week 1
Division I
Nevada Union 62, Napa 12
Tracy 55, Enochs 24
Los Banos 27, Modesto 26
Burbank 25, Lincoln-Stockton 23
Monterey Trail 59, Pitman 21
Sheldon 20, Oak Ridge 17
Pleasant Grove 28, Franklin 7
Vacaville 49, Grace Davis 0

Note: Two mild surprises here if you base things on seeding with Sheldon rallying to beat Oak Ridge in El Dorado Hills. Oak Ridge had not lost since Week 3 against Grant. Burbank, a week after a strong showing against Grant, beat Lincoln-Stockton to set up a great matchup at Monterey Trail in Round II. Eric Niedeberger had four scores for NU, which continues to roll (and continues to batter Napa when the teams play in the playoffs).

Division II
Grant 65, Tokay 0
St. Mary's 49, Buhach Colony 0
Del Oro 42, CBS 13
Granite Bay 56, Sacramento 0
Folsom 42, Woodcreek 7
Fairfield 45, Rosemont 17
Atwater 18, Stagg 13
Rocklin 35, Elk Grove 7

Note: All the heavies rolled, as expected. The wind and rain was not an issue because there was no wind and rain after kickoff. Grant defense was superb, as was Devontae Butler with 201 yards on 15 carries.

Division III
Inderkum 47, Rodriguez 7
Vanden 48, Yuba City 14
Del Campo 36, Pioneer 0
Casa Roble 35, Manteca 28
Oakdale 36, Natomas 0
Sierra 59, Mira Loma 6

Note: Great rally and win for Casa Roble, the defending champion, at Manteca.

Division IV
Lincoln 49, Livingston 15
Sonora 20, Whitney 7
Placer 50, Foothill 14
Calaveras 18, Dixon 14
Modesto Christian 64, Colfax 7

Note: There will be a new champion in D-IV as Whitney fell at Sonora. And the upset here was Calaveras winning at Dixon.

Oak Ridge snaps Nevada Union's run, becomes first school to win titles in three divisions

2009-11-20T09:04:34Z

The end didn't come with a bang, but rather a whimper.

Nevada Union, for the past eight seasons the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I girls volleyball kingpin, is no longer a defending champion. That honor instead goes to Oak Ridge, the defending D-II champs who came into The Pavilion at UC Davis and handed the Miners their first section playoff loss in a decade.

"I could not be more proud of my Oak Ridge family," said Trojans coach Becky Potter, who in two years has them to two titles.

Oak Ridge is now the first school in the section's history to win volleyball titles in three different divisions as the Trojans won the D-III crown in 2002 and D-II titles in 2005 and 2008.

The Trojans were able to stifle the double-barrel outside attack of junior Ellie Selleck and the Miners' lone senior Abbie Miraldi while utilizing its own formidable outside duo of Kayla Berringer and Katie Vaughn.

The teams split their prior two meetings with Oak Ridge claiming a four-set home victory on Sept. 30 while the Miners swept the Trojans in the semifinals of the St. Francis Super 8 on Halloween.

"Two months ago we wouldn't have won that third set, and it would have gone four or five," Potter said. "Now they refuse to lose and I couldn't ask for anything more."

Photo: Oak Ridge senior middle blocker Sarah Horning and junior outside hitter Katie Vaughn block a swing from Nevada Union sophomore middle Jenna Britton during the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I girls volleyball championship match on Thursday night at the UC Davis Pavilion. Photo courtesy of Drew Horning.

Farewell to regular season: Crabtree has monster game for Center

2009-11-20T09:03:15Z

With the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section football playoffs to kick off tonight, we wanted to mention a standout performance that failed to be reported to us during last week's final round of regular-season play.

Center senior running back Dylan Crabtree rushed for 342 yards and all four touchdowns on 44 carries in Center's 28-21 win over Cosumnes Oaks.

Crabtree finished the season with 1,329 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns. Center, which finished 3-7, did not advance to the postseason.

Experience, poise carry St. Francis to 10th section title

2009-11-20T07:52:21Z

Nerves can be a funny thing.

No one is immune to them, but in certain situations teams rise to the occasion, while others can be consumed by them.

Such was the case on Thursday night as St. Francis seized the moment, and momentum, in sweeping Rocklin in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II girls volleyball championship match, 3-0 (26-24, 25-13, 25-21) at The Pavilion on the campus of UC Davis. The win gives St. Francis its 10th volleyball section title and marked the third straight year the Troubadours defeated Rocklin in the section playoffs and the second in a title match.

"We've worked really hard this year," said senior outside hitter Kacey Clark, who had eight kills. "Everyone is on the same page and we know what we're capable of."

Clark's service lifted the Troubadours, who erased an 18-15 deficit late in the first set to take it 26-24, in the second set as she served up three aces as part of a 10-0 run that inflated their lead from 6-3 to 16-3, effectively taking any momentum Rocklin had and putting it on the St. Francis side of the net.

"It's disappointing because we were playing so well," Thunder coach Dave Muscarella said. "The pressure of this game got to some of our younger players."

Pressure is something the Troubadours know all too well. Last year, coming off a thrilling win in the semifinals at Rocklin, St. Francis was riding high on emotion only to have sharp tack by the name of Oak Ridge burst its bubble with a convincing sweep in the section final. In the ensuing year, St. Francis coach Alynn Wright said, her Troubadours have done a lot of growing.

Particularly the middles, juniors Mary Clark and Zoe Nightingale.

"They're both such great competitors," Wright said. "They push each other every day to be that much better."

Clark and Nightingale were stellar once again Thursday night, patrolling the net and keeping the Thunder's sophomore outside duo of Katelyn Ivy and Cailyn Prewitt for the most part in check and erasing the bitter taste last year.

"We've used that (as motivation) all year," said Nightingale who had 12 kills and five blocks.

Lyana Perez had a match-high 22 assists for the Troubadours.

Woodcreek resurrection leads to playoffs and shot at mighty Folsom

2009-11-20T04:30:05Z

No matter how they do Friday night at fourth-seeded Folsom in the opening round of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs, No. 13 Woodcreek already has had a remarkable season.

Although it is one of only four teams in the 76-school playoff field with a losing record, few would argue against the 4-6 Timberwolves being among the loaded, 16-team Division II field.

Woodcreek finished in a three-way tie for third with Granite Bay and Del Oro to earn a playoff spot in the Sierra Foothill League, arguably the section's toughest. They also beat two of the area's top teams in Del Oro and Del Campo.

But for awhile, it looked as if the Timberwolves were headed for a repeat of 2007, when they went 0-10, rather than last year's breakthrough campaign in which they made the football playoffs for the first time in school history. Woodcreek went 6-6 and advanced to the D-II semifinals, losing to eventual Open Division state bowl champion Grant.

This season, Woodcreek started 0-3, losing to Casa Roble, Placer and Bear River. The 35-34 loss to the Bear River was the toughest to take. The Timberwolves failed to make a two-point conversion run and missed a field goal late in the game that could have won it.

"That start shook us up a little, considering our high expectations and good feelings coming from 2008," Woodcreek coach John Hildebrand said. "We kind of hit rock bottom. To overcome such a slow start is pretty awesome."

Woodcreek lost league games to Rocklin and Granite Bay without senior running back James Nunley, the team's heart and soul. He's battled and assortment of dings, including a slight shoulder separation suffered in a 16-7 must-win over Roseville in Week 9 that secured a playoff berth for the Timberwolves.

Those are the only two games he has missed in 11 years of football, Hildebrand said.

"I almost had to wrestle with him to keep him off the field against Rocklin (a 28-0 loss)," Hildebrand said. "We've climbed on his back a lot this year."

Against Roseville he carried 42 times for 283 yards, including 12 times in the Timberwolves' winning touchdown drive. It's also the drive in which he banged up his shoulder.

The 5-foot-11, 178-pound Nunley is one of those rare kids who has played four varsity seasons. He has carried the ball an amazing 735 times for 4,279 yards and 43 touchdowns.

"That's what I love about James," Hildebrand said. "He's built more like a scat back. But in addition to the moves, he has the toughness and the ability to finish runs."
And the stamina and courage to keep going when tired and hurt.

"When you have a kid that carries the ball 42 times and keeps asking for it even at the end, you have someone special," Hildebrand said.

Hildebrand decided to hold him out of the 34-10 loss to Granite Bay last Friday because the shoulder was still tender and a playoff berth already was secured.
That resulted in a nice bonus.

Junior Blake Cervantes, a 6-2, 185-pound defensive back and wide receiver moved over to running back and gained 133 yards on 27 carries behind the Timberwolves undersized but tough interior line of guards Sean Boyle (6-foot, 190 pounds) and Sam Klein (5-9, 208) and center Blaine Wickstrom (5-8, 175).

Woodcreek will need good games out of both Nunley and Cervantes, plus some timely passing from senior quarterback Matt Mazzuca, to carry out a pretty simple game plan - keep the ball away from Folsom's high-powered offense as much as possible.

"We've done our best when Matt's had his best games," Hildebrand said.

Mazzuca was 10 for 16 for 140 yards and a touchdown in the 27-23 win over Del Campo and 10 of 14 for 124 yards and two touchdowns in a key 28-6 win over a then 5-1 Oakmont team. The senior, who didn't play last year to focus on baseball, threw no interceptions in those two games.

"Sometimes I see him make a mistake or be a little late on something and wonder what could have been had we had him for two years," Hildebrand said. "But at the same time, he's taken every snap and taken some hellacious hits. When he's on, we have a nice balance."

But that might not be enough against a team like Folsom, which is averaging nearly 48 points and 500 total yards per game.

"No one quite runs the spread like Folsom," Hildebrand said. "They are at a whole other level. When most offenses run middle screens, they're looking to pick up maybe five or 10 yards. Folsom's screens go for 80-yard touchdowns."

Woodcreek's defense has played solidly through most of the season.

The senior leaders are all-league defensive end Cameron Stettner (eight sacks) and defensive back Nick Stephenson. Junior defensive back Geordan Nunley, James' younger brother, and linebacker Jason Stewart also have been standouts.

"We don't have the greatest record, but we believe in ourselves," Hildebrand. "By the same token, we are going to have to play our best game by far to beat Folsom."

Latest bowl rankings have Grant, Rocklin, St. Mary's on top

2009-11-20T02:56:52Z

A look at the CalHiSports/ESPN bowl rankings for Northern California schools. And keep in mind that only section champions are eligible for a bowl invite, meaning out of Grant, Rocklin, St. Mary's, Del Oro, Granite Bay and Del Oro only one reaches a bowl as all compete in Division II.

Division I North
1. (1) Grant (Sacramento) 10-0 def. Burbank (Sacramento) 40-22
2. (2) De La Salle (Concord) 8-2 def. California (San Ramon) 49-10
3. (4) Bellarmine Prep (San Jose) 8-1-1 def. St. Ignatius (SF) 18-11
4. (6) Nevada Union (Grass Valley) 9-1 def. Davis 56-0
5. (7) Tracy 10-0 def. Lodi 52-7
6. (8) Deer Valley (Antioch) 10-0 def. Heritage (Bentwood) 31-18
7. (3) Amador Valley (Pleasanton) 8-2 lost to Foothill (Pleasanton) 31-21
8. (9) Granite Bay 8-2 def. Woodcreek (Roseville) 34-10
9. (10) Vacaville 9-1 def. Wood (Vacaville) 54-13
10. (11) Monte Vista (Danville) 7-3 def. San Ramon Valley (Danville) 42-7
11. (12) Lincoln (Stockton) 8-2 def. Chavez (Stockton) 53-3
12. (13) Folsom 9-1 def. Sheldon (Sacramento) 63-28
13. (5) Berkeley 9-1 lost to Pinole Valley, 13-10
14. (NR) Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) 8-2 def. Florin (Sacramento) 40-6
15. (15) Serra (San Mateo) 5-5 lost to Valley Christian (San Jose) 34-21

On the bubble: Burbank (Sacramento) 6-4, California (San Ramon) 5-5, Fairfield 8-2, Foothill (Pleasanton) 6-4, Heritage (Brentwood) 7-3, Milpitas 8-2, Pittsburg 6-4, Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 7-3, San Benito (Hollister) 8-2, San Ramon Valley (Danville) 6-4, Sheldon (Sacramento) 7-3.

Breakdown: If you read CalHiSports.com you know the playoffs in this division baffles everyone on the staff. Even the janitor can't figure this out and he comes up with some creative explanations. This time he shook his head--twice. Grant of Sacramento, Giant Killers last year in the Open Bowl game against Poly of Long Beach and a team that until last Friday had given up 13 points all season, seeded No. 3 in a Sac-Joaquin Section's Division I-II playoffs?
While it sets up a potential Grant-Rocklin game in the semifinals, it still doesn't make sense. Must be computers, which really have a tough time getting out to see teams play. Oh well, St. Mary's of Stockton, the team everyone would like to see in a bowl game against Oaks Christian, isn't disappointed although Folsom is in that bracket and the Bulldogs are not a team to be taken lightly. Bellarmine Prep of San Jose getting seeded No. 5 behind No. 1 Pioneer of San Jose is...shocking.
That's a completely different case than Grant's seeding. If the Sac-Joaquin seeding system was applied in the CCS, Pioneer might be No. 8 instead of No. 1. Defending CCS Open Division champ Bellarmine even has to open up on the road against a Palo Alto team that for some reason no one can figure out got seeded ahead of the Bells.

Division II North
1. (1) Rocklin 10-0 def. Roseville 51-27
2. (2) Archbishop Mitty (SJ) 9-0-1 def. Riordan 38-14
3. (3) Inderkum (Sacramento) 10-0 def. Natomas 21-7
4. (4) Del Oro (Loomis) 8-2 def. Oakmont (Roseville) 56-8
5. (5) St. Francis (Mtn View) 7-3 def. Sacred Heart Cath. (SF) 66-13
6. (6) Encinal (Alameda) 9-1 def. Moreau Catholic (Hayward) 55-15
7. (7) Paradise 9-1 Bye
8. (8) Lincoln 10-0 def. Colfax 27-17
9. (9) Sierra (Manteca) 9-1 def. Weston Ranch (Stockton) 35-14
10. (NR) Del Campo (Fair Oaks) 9-1 def. Bella Vista (Fair Oaks) 23-13

On the bubble: Casa Roble (Orangevale) 6-4, Bella Vista (Fair Oaks) 7-3, Enterprise (Redding) 9-1, Foothill (Palo Cedro) 7-4, Los Gatos 7-3, Manteca 7-3, Novato 7-3, Oakdale 9-1, Palo Alto 7-1-2, Petaluma 10-0, Pioneer (San Jose) 10-0, Placer (Auburn) 9-1, Sonora 8-2, Vanden (Travis AFB) 9-1, Whitney (Rocklin) 7-3.

Breakdown: Not much chance for movement here as the top nine teams either won or did not play. Vanden's stay in the elite group was short-lived as the Vikings were upended by D1 North Rodriguez of Cordelia, 28-21, which opened the door for Del Campo of Fair Oaks. The Cougars, who have been led all season by QB-RB-LB Ryan Dimino, downed Bella Vista by 10. Del Campo is seeded No. 2 behind Inderkum but ahead of Sierra (Manteca) in the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. III playoffs. Archbishop Mitty of San Jose, meanwhile, has steadily moved up but its No. 2 rating will get a fast test as Valley Christian, the No. 5 team in Division III, comes calling this week and has been surging in recent weeks.

Division III North
1. (1) St. Mary's (Stockton) 10-0 def. Edison (Stockton) 55-6
2. (2) Palma (Salinas) 8-1-1 def. Alisal (Salinas) 34-21
3. (3) Central Catholic (Modesto) 9-1 def. Livingston 52-0
4. (4) Marin Catholic (Kentfield) 9-1 def. Tamalpais 32-7
5. (5) Valley Christian (San Jose) 7-3 def. Serra (San Mateo) 34-21
6. (6) Escalon 9-1 def. Ripon 21-6
7. (8) Sutter 8-2 Idle
8. (9) St. Mary's (Berkeley) 8-2 def. Kennedy (Richmond) forfeit
9. (10) Salesian (Richmond) 9-1 def. Cal. School for Deaf (Fremont) 43-0
10. (NR) Carmel 9-0 def. Pacific Grove 78-6

On the bubble: Argonaut (Jackson) 6-4, Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 6-4, Cloverdale 9-1, Colfax 6-4, Fort Bragg 8-2, Fortuna 7-3, Healdsburg 6-4, Hilmar 8-2, Middletown 9-1, Ripon 7-3, Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton) 7-3, Seaside 7-2-1, Scotts Valley 5-3-2, *Wheatland 8-3, Windsor 6-4.

Breakdown: St. Mary's of Stockton got the No. 1 seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section's Division II playoffs and in many way it's hard to argue against the Rams. They played a very tough schedule and only one team, highly respected Div. I Bellarmine Prep of San Jose, got within 30 points (24). OK, so St. Mary's opens against Buhach Colony of Atwater and will gain even more respect and a long look at the Open Division berth if it runs the table from here on out. Still, we continue to see the possibility that it will be best for the future of the bowl games to put St. Mary's and Oaks Christian opposite each other in Div. III instead of the Open Division. Knowing how tough it is going to be for other top-ranked teams in D3 North and D3 South to just get bowl eligible, the nightmare would be to see Oaks or St. Mary's lined up against a clearly inferior opponent in a D3 state bowl game.

Small Schools North
1. (1) Modesto Christian 10-0 def. Ripon Christian 56-7
2. (2) Ferndale 10-0 def. McKinleyville 27-13
3. (3) Modoc (Alturas) 9-0 Idle
4. (4) Portola 10-0 Idle
5. (5) Bradshaw Chr. (Sacramento) 9-1 def. Woodland Christian 77-0
6. (6) St. Francis (Watsonville) 6-3-1 def. Harbor (Santa Cruz) 21-7
7. (7) Fall River (McArthur) 9-2 def. Tulelake forfeit
8. (8) Capital Christian (Sac.) 7-3 def. Golden Sierra (Garden V.) 49-20
9. (9) Hamilton (Hamilton City) 9-2 def. Etna 55-0
10. (NR) Quincy 8-3 def. East Nicolas 38-30

On the bubble: Burney 7-3*, Colusa 6-4, East Nicolas (Nicolas) 6-4*, Hoopa Valley (Hoopa) 8-2, Maxwell 8-3, St. Vincent (Petaluma) 7-3, Vacaville Christian 6-4, Valley Christian (Dublin) 5-5.

Breakdown: Like the South, all but one of the North Small Schools either won or didn't play but since it was No. 10 St. Vincent of Petaluma that fell, Quincy moves into the final spot. Are you ready for section championship games already? The early finish to the season (due to annual bad weather concerns) is the way it works in the Northern Section, which undoubtedly was part of the reason Hamilton of Hamilton City got blasted by St. Margaret's in last year's bowl game. It was a month between games. No. 7 Fall River of McArthur, meanwhile, has a rematch with Maxwell for the Division V title Saturday at Fall River. The Bulldogs beat Maxwell 24-12 earlier this year. Maxwell plays in a rare three-team league.

Breaking down Thursday night's volleyball section finals

2009-11-19T02:28:52Z

Where once 80 stood, 10 remain. The Sac-Joaquin Section volleyball championship finals have arrived.

With more intertwining stories than a Tarantino film it promises to be another memorable night at the Pavilion on the campus of UC Davis.

Division I

Click to view the bracket

No. 1 seed Oak Ridge (26-11) vs. No. 11 seed Nevada Union (34-9), 8 p.m.

What to watch for: Nevada Union took the Trojans out of system in the teams' last meeting at the St. Francis Super 8 on Halloween -- Oak Ridge's last loss -- with a tough serve game. Expect the Miners to try to do more of the same tonight or it could be a long night for its young back-row defense.

Who to watch: With such evenly matched units on the outside and in the middle, the stage may be set for Oak Ridge senior rightside hitter Lena Buckendorf to tip the scale in the favor of the Trojans as setter Brittney Larsen may look to set more often, especially if the Miners' block stifles outside hitters Kayla Berringer and Katie Vaughn.

Division II

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No. 1 seed Rocklin (31-7) vs. No. 2 seed St. Francis (35-6), 8 p.m.

What to watch for: Expect a bit of a feeling-out period during the first set of this match as the teams have not faced each other since last year's section semifinals -- a five-set comeback victory for the Troubadours. Though St. Francis has much the same team it had last year, Rocklin's roster turned over quite a bit, particularly the starters.

Who to watch: Rocklin sophomore outside hitter Cailyn Prewitt may be the one player most likely to have a profound impact on a section final tonight as she has an incredibly tough serve and and an even harder swing capable of taking over a match.

Division III

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No. seed St. Mary's-Stockton (18-7) vs. No. 3 seed El Camino (30-6), 6 p.m.

What to watch for: The Eagles can't afford to become one- or even two-dimensional against a strong, veteran squad like St. Mary's. In the Eagles' win over Del Oro last Thursday setter Bridget Herenda masterfully moved the ball around, utilizing all of her hitters and every set in her repertoire to down one of the strongest teams in the entire region. Look for more of the same tonight.

Who to watch: Eagles sophomore Natalie Riddering should get plenty of opportunities to pound the ball tonight whether it be from the outside, middle, backside or out of the pipe and, as it has all season, how often she converts will go a long way in determining El Camino's success.

Division IV

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No. 1 seed Christian Brothers (26-10) vs. No. 3 seed Ripon (38-9), 6 p.m.

What to watch: The atmosphere for this match in the past has at times overshadowed the action on the court itself. Both schools travel well and have passionate, loud fan bases. In the cavernous UC Davis Pavilion expect pro-Indian and pro-Falcons chants to drown out much of the other action.

Who to watch: Falcons senior middle blocker Katie Hoekman has been on a tear during the playoffs, averaging about 10 kills and five blocks per match despite sitting late in matches because CB's opponents have been so over-matched. Hoekman's athleticism (she's quite a basketball player as well) serve her well in coach Jeff Deter's system, which calls for middles to hit from all spots of the floor, particularly from behind the setter.

Division V

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No. 1 seed Bradshaw Christian (25-10) vs. No. 10 seed Ripon Christian (record unavailable), 4 p.m.

What to watch: The Pride is enjoying its finest volleyball season ever, but is in uncharted territory in its first section final and hasn't played in a venue quite like The Pavilion with its cavernous interior, high ceiling and plentiful space beyond each baseline. Meanwhile Ripon Christian is making its seventh appearance in a section final this decade and enters as defending champion. How nerves do or don't affect Bradshaw Christian to start the match will be crucial.

Who to watch: Bradshaw Christian junior outside hitter Patty Orozco is the Pride's do-anything, all-everything player. She'll get plenty of swings from all over the court and how she handles that pressure will have a profound impact on this match-up.

Latest NorCal football Top 15 have nine local teams, 3 in top 5

2009-11-18T07:38:05Z

A look at the Cal-Hi Sports/ESPN football NorCal Top 15. Nine section teams in the top 15 is further proof that this section is loaded.

Northern California Top 15

1. (1) Grant (Sacramento) 10-0
2. (2) De La Salle (Concord) 8-2
3. (3) St. Mary's (Stockton) 10-0
4. (5) Rocklin 10-0
5. (6) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 9-0-1
6. (7) Bellarmine Prep (San Jose) 8-1-1
7. (10) Nevada Union (Grass Valley) 9-1
8. (11) Tracy 10-0
9. (12) Deer Valley (Antioch) 10-0
10. (9) Palma (Salinas) 8-1-1
11. (4) Amador Valley (Pleasanton) 9-1
12. (13) Inderkum (Sacramento) 10-0
13. (14) Del Oro (Loomis) 8-2
14. (15) Granite Bay 8-2
15. (NR) Vacaville 9-1

Breakdown:
Amador Valley's upset loss to Foothill of Pleasanton last Friday night not only helped clear the way for Deer Valley of Antioch to secure the No. 2 seed behind De La Salle in the North Coast Section Div. I playoffs but it also dropped them down in the NorCal overall rankings.

With Rocklin moving up from No. 5 to No. 4, this means that three of the top four teams in the CIF North Open Division rankings will all be involved in the same Sac-Joaquin Section playoff. Only one will get on the board in Carson when teams are picked for this year's games on Sunday, Dec. 13, which further aids in the likelihood that whichever team wins that section title will get the open division bid from the North.

Still, no one should count out De La Salle even with two losses. For even Grant, St. Mary's and Rocklin, beating either Don Bosco Prep of New Jersey of Lakeland of Florida would be very tough and De La Salle still hasn't lost a game to any other NorCal school (at least from the CIF's definition of NorCal) since 1991.

Newly-ranked Vacaville, led by 1,300-yard rusher Jimmy Hines, ended its regular season last Friday with a seventh straight comfortable win as the Bulldogs beat Wood of Vacaville, 54-13, to finish undefeated in the Monticello Empire League.

Since suffering their only loss of the season to an impressive Granite Bay squad, the Bulldogs haven't even played a close game as seven straight wins have come by more than 30 points.

It was just three years ago that Vacaville was celebrating a Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship and with all of those other teams in the Division II playoffs the Bulldogs have to be considered one of the favorites this year along with unbeaten Tracy and 9-1 Nevada Union (which has lost only to Rocklin).

Baby steps lead BCS to first volleyball section final

2009-11-18T07:00:02Z

Baby steps.

That's what the Bradshaw Christian girls volleyball team has taken in each successive year of Ric Reyes' four-year coaching reign. The Pride made its second playoff appearance in his first year in 2007, won its first playoff match in 2008 and made it to the semifinals last year before a disappointing five-set loss to Woodland Christian ended the season.

BCS again found itself matched up with the Cardinals in Sac-Joaquin Section Division V girls volleyball semifinal on Tuesday night and as they've done the three previous years, advanced one step further than the year before.

The Pride overcame a shaky start in downing Woodland Christian 3-1 (20-25, 25-16, 25-10, 25-22) to make its first-ever section finals appearance and the automatic berth into the CIF NorCal playoffs that goes along with it.

"It's funny, this year we put much less emphasis on winning and more emphasis on team," Reyes said, "and yet we end up going further than we've ever gone."

At a school that already has a rich basketball tradition -- the girls basketball team has won back-to-back D-V section titles and the boys team is also the defending champion -- and the defending D-VII football champions, Reyes feels it's time to take his team to that level.

"We hope to be right there with those teams," Reyes said. "We want to be around for a long time,"

Early on, however, things didn't look good for the Pride. Woodland Christian came out swinging and had BCS on its heels. The nerves were most evident in junior setter Chloe Hudson, who was called for four double touches in the first set before being pulled briefly by Reyes for a breather.

"I just needed to re-focus," Hudson said. "I knew I needed to get back in there and do it for the team."

Both teams combined for 19 unforced errors in the first set but it was Woodland Christian, a more experienced playoff team, that prevailed.

Pride standout outside hitter Patty Orozco, held to just two kills in the first set, got going in the second with a kill that knotted the score at 2-2 early. Several points later another Orozco kill made the score 6-4 in favor of BCS and put her on the service line where she served two aces in a row to put the Pride up 8-4, a lead it would not relinquish.

With BCS leading 9-5 in the third set Orozco again toed the service line and served out eight straight points to give the Pride a commanding lead it again did not surrender.

The Pride will now face Ripon Christian, which swept Forest Lake Christian on Tuesday night, in Thursday's section final at UC Davis.

"We've worked so hard and now we're there!" Orozco said. "I know we're going to do well."

Click here to view the D-V bracket

Division I

Click here to view the bracket

No. 12 seed Pleasant Grove gave top-seeded Oak Ridge all it could handle but ultimately fell in five sets, 3-2 (20-25, 25-13, 25-18, 15-25, 15-13).

"As much as we struggled, we showed a lot of heart tonight," Trojans coach Becky Potter said. "For them to pull it out was a testament to our seniors not wanting to give up. And our younger players fought for their seniors."

Seven-time defending D-I champion Nevada Union travelled to No. 2 seed Napa and handed the Indians a four-set loss, 3-1 (25-21, 19-25, 25-22, 25-9). Abbie Miraldi and Ellie Selleck each had nine kills apiece for the Miners, who will meet defending D-II champion Oak Ridge for the third time this season in Thursday's section final.

"What better time for the tiebreaker?" Potter said. "It's gonna come down to who wants it more and who plays better defense."

Division II

Click here to view the bracket

Top-seeded Rocklin had no problem with No. 12 seed Bella Vista, putting away the Broncos in straight sets, 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-17). Sophomore outside hitter Katelyn Ivy led the way with 10 kills while Corissa Santos had nine and Olivia Lane added seven.

No. 2 seed St. Francis swept visiting third-seeded Atwater, 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-21) behind 14 kills and 10 blocks from senior outside hitter Kasey Clark. Junior middle blocker Zoe Nightingale also had a double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs and fellow middle Mary Clark added 14 kills for the Troubadours who will face Rocklin in Thursday's section final.

Division III

Click here to view the bracket

El Camino's 'Underbirds' continued to fly, travelling to Sonora to defeat the second-seeded Wildcats 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-22). The Eagles will face three-time defending champion St. Mary's of Stockton in Thursday's section final at UC Davis.

Division IV

Click here to view the bracket

Top-seeded Christian Brothers again made quick work of its opponent, this time fourth-seeded Escalon, 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 25-16). The Falcons will face Ripon for the fourth straight year in Thursday's section final at UC Davis.

The teams also met in last year's NorCal final in which Christian Brothers rallied from down two sets to none to beat the Indians.

"Should be another knock-down, drag-out match," Christian Brothers coach Jeff Deter said. "The rivalry lives on."

Sac High girls basketball ranked No. 2 in NorCal; No. 9 in West Region

2009-11-18T02:15:55Z

Sacramento High is No. 2 behind national power St. Mary's of Stockton in NorCalPreps.com's preseason girls basketball Northern California top 20 coaches poll.

The Dragons, coming off a 23-10 campaign under second-year coach Michele Massari, are led by NCAA Division I signees Brittany Shine (Florida) and Kyra Dunn (Pittsburgh).

Oak Ridge, featuring 2008-09 Bee Player of the Year and Stanford signee Sara James, is No. 5.

St. Mary's of Stockton is ranked No. 1 in the nation and No. 1 in the West Region by ESPN's HoopGurlz.com.

Sac High is No. 9 in the West Region behind St. Mary's, (2) Mater Dei-Santa Ana; (3) Brea Olinda-Brea; (4) Long Beach Poly; (5) St. Mary's-Phoenix, Ariz.; (6) Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas; (7) Highland-Gilbert, Ariz; (8) Oregon City, Ore.

Here's NorCal Preps complete top 20:

1. St. Mary's-Stockton; 2. Sacramento; 3. Carondelet-Concord; 4. Mitty-San Jose; 5. Oak Ridge; 6. Bishop O'Dowd-Oakland; 7. Modesto Christian; 8. St. Mary's-Berkeley; 9. Vanden; 10. Berkeley; 11. Dublin; 12. St. Ignatius-San Francisco; 13. Dougherty Valley-San Ramon; 14. Northgate-Walnut Creek; 15. Encinal-Alameda; 16. Presentation-San Jose; 17. Campolindo-Moraga; 18. Valley Christian-San Jose; 19. Pinewood School-Los Altos Hills; 20. Sacred Heart Cathedral-San Francisco.

Whitney defensive tackle also gifted with panflute in orchestra

2009-11-17T06:58:21Z

Every so often, we run into a football player who is more than just a brawler in shoulder pads.

Last season, it was Sean Nill of Laguna Creek, a terror in the trenches who especially prided himself in his theatre and drama work. And there was Grant quarterback Kipeli Koniseti, who could fire a 40-yard strike and use those same fingers to play a nice tune on the piano.

This season, it's Alex Chernyy, a powerful 240-pound senior defensive tackle for Whitney from Moldova, a country between Romania and Ukraine. He is in his first year of football, and a rising star at the position, who has played the panflute in concerts and weddings since his youth.

Rosemont's Heyward signs with LSU

2009-11-17T03:00:00Z

Most of those in attendance for Simone Heyward's National Letter of Intent signing ceremony Monday at Rosemont High School claimed to have known her since she was this tall.

In toasting the 2008 Metropolitan Conference Player of the Year and Louisiana State University's newest softball signee, the implication in the running joke was that the 5-foot-4 centerfielder hasn't grown much.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Heyward, the oldest of the three of Earl and Mavis Heyward's children, on Tuesday took what she called the first step in a long and prosperous journey.

"I just signed up for my future," she said.

Next fall Heyward will enter LSU as a freshman and onto a softball squad that is a perennial force in the tough Southeastern Conference. The Tigers have made the NCAA Tournament each of the last three years.

"LSU is getting a fantastic student-athlete," Wolverines coach Bill Kapp told a group of over 40 family members, teammates, friends, coaches and teachers at the beginning of the ceremony. "But more importantly, a great person."

Heyward carries a 4.0 grade point average at Rosemont in addition to holding elected student office and just recently began championing the cause of other academic achievers at the school. While the recognition she's received as a student-athlete is nice, she says, recognition should start with those who achieve in the classroom.

"Students need to be recognized more for academic achievement," Heyward said. "That hard work needs to be rewarded."

Heyward's impact on the softball diamond is equally as impressive. For a program entering just its fifth year, she has served as the cornerstone in what Kapp hopes to build into regional power.

"She makes everyone around her better," Kapp said. "Once girls see how hard she works, they know what we expect."

In 2007 Heyward started as a freshman and led the team in batting average (.583) and steals (38) in leading Rosemont to its first-ever playoff appearance. As a sophomore in 2008 she hit .614 with five home runs in winning the Metropolitan Conference Most Valuable Player award. Despite missing a large portion of the 2009 season because of injury she keyed the program's biggest win to date -- a 5-4 win over Woodcreek in the first round of the playoffs, knocking the perennial contender out of the postseason.

"She's one of the best natural-born leaders I've ever been around," Kapp said.

It all began when she was eight. On a whim the family decided to start Simone off in tee-ball in the now-defunct Florin Town Little League.

"We just wanted to keep her active," said Heyward's father, Earl.

Current Rosemont assistant softball coach Marcus Sabala was Heyward's first coach on the diamond and remembers his first impression of the youngster.

"She was fast, and not just for her age," Sabala said. "We were guaranteed to score a run whenever Simone got on base."

With his front-row seat to her softball success, Sabala said sees Heyward as a role model, a beacon for younger players in the Rosemont program.

"A lot of the younger players look at her as an inspiration," Sabala said.

Heyward said that everything she's accomplished has started in the home. Her father Earl's side of the family is rich in athletic talent -- Dad was a three-sport athlete in high school and an uncle played basketball at UCLA -- while she says her mother instilled her with a need for scholastic fulfillment. All the years of playing ball in the yard with Dad and doing homework with Mom culminated with Monday's signature.

"As a Dad you don't want to show emotion -- you know how we are," Earl said. "But as the day she gets on the plane comes closer I'm sure the emotions will come out."

A video look at the prep version of "The Play" from Woodland-Pioneer

2009-11-17T02:06:27Z

The Bee's Bill Paterson wrote about the wild finish in Woodland on Friday where three laterals, some luck and good karma allowed Pioneer to score on an amazing 57-yard play with no time left, putting Pioneer into the playoffs. And dousing any feel-good ending to an already miserable season for Woodland.

A closer look at the section football playoff brackets

2009-11-15T16:47:07Z

A look at the Sac-Joaquin Section playoff schedule.
By all means, let's hear predictions for each division. More to come on the blog and in the print editions of The Bee.

Division I
No. 16 Enochs (4-6) at No. 1Tracy (10-0)
No. 9 Modesto (7-3) at No. 8 Los Banos (7-3)
No. 12 Burbank (6-4) at No. 5 Lincoln (8-2)
No. 13 Pitman (6-4) at No. 4 Monterey Trail (8-2)
No. 14 Napa (5-5) at No. 3 Nevada Union (9-1)
No. 11 Sheldon (7-3) at No. 6 Oak Ridge (7-3)
No. 10 Franklin-Elk Grove (6-4) vs. No. 7 Pleasant Grove (7-3)
No. 15 Grace Davis (6-4) at No. 2 Vacaville (9-1)

Note: There's only one unbeaten team in the field with Tracy, but why do we tend to think the real favorites are Nevada Union or Vacaville? Or perhaps Pleasant Grove if quarterback Taylor Congdon is at full health? And how much damage can Burbank inflict here?

Division II
No. 16 Buhach Colony (6-4) at No. 1 St. Mary's (10-0)
No. 9 Christian Brothers (7-3) at No. 8 Del Oro (8-2)
No. 12 Sacramento (6-4) at No. 5 Granite Bay (8-2)
No. 13 Woodcreek (4-6) at No. 4 Folsom (9-1)
No. 14 Tokay (6-4) at No. 3 Grant (10-0)
No. 11 Rosemont (6-4) at No. 6 Fairfield (8-2)
No. 10 Atwater (7-3) vs. No. 7 Stagg (8-2)
No. 15 Elk Grove (4-6) at No. 2 Rocklin (10-0)

Note: Stacked, loaded, outrageously talented. That's the D-II field in a matter of words with unbeaten heavies in Grant, Rocklin and St. Mary's - all with arguments as to why they should be the top seed. And there's Folsom, Del Oro, Granite Bay and danger teams in Woodcreek, CBS and Fairfield. Did we say stacked and loaded?

Division III
No. 16 Rodriguez (5-5) at No. 1 Inderkum (10-0)
No. 9 Casa Roble (6-4) at No. 8 Manteca (7-3)
No. 12 Natomas (6-4) at No. 5 Oakdale (9-1)
No. 13 Yuba City (6-4) at No. 4 Vanden (9-1)
No. 14 Mira Loma (6-4) at No. 3 Sierra (9-1)
No. 11 Patterson (6-4) at No. 6 Benicia (8-2)
No. 10 Bella Vista (7-3) at No. 7 Rio Linda (8-2)
No. 15 Pioneer (6-4) at No. 2 Del Campo (9-1)

Note: If it's not Inderkum against Del Campo in the finals, then it's a stunner. A darkhorse may be Rio Linda, spinning a bit from two straight losses after blitzing to an 8-0 start. That Natomas is here after four consecutive 1-9 seasons is testament to legendary coach Frank Negri.

Division IV

No. 8 Livingston (6-4) at No. 1 Lincoln (10-0)
No. 5 Whitney (7-3) at No. 4 Sonora (8-2)
No. 6 Foothill (7-3) at No. 3 Placer (9-1)
No. 7 Calaveras (6-4) at No. 2 Dixon (9-1)
Split bracket
No. 8 Colfax (6-4) at No. 1 Modesto Christian (10-0)
No. 5 Hilmar (8-2) at No. 4 Escalon (9-1)
No. 6 Ripon (7-3) at No. 3 Summerville (9-1)
No. 7 Argonaut (6-4) at No. 2 Central Catholic (9-1)

Note: It's a split bracket, but talk about a heavyweight field in the upper bracket with Lincoln, Whitney, Placer, Dixon and Sonora.

Division V
No. 5 Lindhurst (4-6) at No. 4 Mariposa (5-5)
No. 6 Denair (5-5) at No. 3 Highlands (5-5)
No. 1 Capital Christian has a bye
No. 2 Le Grand (6-4) has a bye

Note: The clear leader here is Capital Christian and quarterback James Lee, though athletic Highlands looms as a real threat, too. The top two seeds have the benefit of an opening-round bye to scout and rest.

Division VI

No. 5 Vacaville Christian (6-4) at No. 4 Millennium (6-4)
No. 6 Big Valley Christian (6-4) at No. 3 Delta (7-3)
No. 1 Bradshaw Christian (9-1) has a bye
No. 2 Brookside Christian (7-3) has a bye

Note: A year ago, Bradshaw Christian stunned defending champion Vacaville Christian late, but there may not be a rematch. Expect Bradshaw to return to the finals against Delta, a team Bradshaw crushed earlier this season.

Pioneer reenacts 'The Play' to beat Woodland, make the playoffs

2009-11-15T06:35:38Z

No team entered the football postseason in a more bizarre or exciting way than Pioneer did on Friday night against rival Woodland.

Two seconds and 57 yards away from losing to the Wolves by a point, the Patriots used four laterals to weave their way to a most improbable touchdown and a 13-8 win that resulted in the home crowd storming the field at Pioneer High School.

"It was like Cal and Stanford all over again," said Pioneer coach David Butterworth. "It was one of the craziest plays I have ever seen."

Butterworth was referring to "The Play" in which Cal beat Stanford in a similar way in 1982.

Only this time there was no trombone player involved.

"I just told them to pitch it around and see what happens," Butterworth said. "It was a situation we've never practiced for."

Jacob Snethen and 6-foot-5 James Tillman played key roles. Snethen took Jason Williams' pass that started the play, then finished it after taking a lateral from Tillman and running the final five yards or so to the end zone.

Tillman's height helped keep the play alive.

"At one point, he was running around with the ball up in the air, looking like he was going to pitch it. But he'd fake and run for some more yards," Butterworth said. "He finally lateraled to Snethen just as he was going down."

Certainly a lot of the Woodland people thought he was down. They stood in stunned silence by the dramatic turn of events.

The winning touchdown came shortly after 1-9 Woodland had gone 89 yards to score on a Jonathan Wax 1-yard run, then made the two-point conversion for an 8-7 lead with just over two minutes to play.

The win helped Pioneer (6-4) and the embattled Butterworth - some parents have been trying to oust him as coach - land an at-large berth for the postseason. The 15th-seeded Patriots will play Friday at second-seeded Del Campo (9-1).

"That's going to be a whole other challenge," he said. "But we're still alive and have our head above the water. The kids are doing a great job."