Fall sports teams battle for league honors, NCS playoff berths

By Jay Bedecarré 2 years ago
Fall sports teams battle for league honors, NCS playoff berths
Dominic Brown is hoping to help his De La Salle Spartans defend their NCS water polo championship when the Section playoffs begin Nov 2. The 6-4, 220-pound lefthander from Concord is committed to UC Santa Barbara next fall to play for the Gauchos water polo team. His dad Dalton Brown was part of historic championship DLS football teams at the onset of The Streak before playing football at the end of the Saint Mary’s Gaels program. (Photo courtesy De La Salle water polo)

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Oct. 28, 2022) — Diablo and East Bay athletic league tournaments have already started and the North Coast Section playoffs for some sports began this week as the fall high school sports schedule reaches its climax.

Water Polo

Carondelet and De La Salle are both defending North Costa Section champions and the Concord schools each won their first five EBAL games as they aim for high seeds in the Section playoffs that begin Nov. 2. The Cougars are 17-3 overall while DLS is 14-6 with all but one of their losses coming against Southern California teams in tournament play.

The third local defending NCS champions, Northgate boys, are also looking primed for a repeat. The two-time Division II titlist Broncos won 20 of their first 22 games and led the DAL Valley standings with a 4-0 mark.

Girls Volleyball

NCS playoffs began this week with Berean Christian and College Park battling for the DAL Valley title. Berean entered the final week 10-0 while CP is 10-1. The league leaders met Thursday night in Pleasant Hill for the league finale.

Carondelet was ranked in NorCal, but the Cougars (18-10) are now out of the top 25.

North Coast runs Oct. 25 through Nov. 5 with the NorCal Championships Nov. 8-15 and the CIF State finals Nov. 18-19.

Girls Golf

The Diablo and East Bay athletic league championships were held Monday, Oct. 17, and the NCS championships happened Oct. 24 (Division II) and next Monday, Oct. 31 (Division I).

Cross Country

The second DAL Center Meet happened last Wednesday at Newhall Park in Concord. Last month’s Center Meet #1 of all DAL runners at Hidden Valley Park in Martinez was dominated on the girls and boys sides by Campolindo.

Fall sports teams battle for league honors, NCS playoff berths
Cross country season reaches a climax Nov. 5 with DAL Championships (Hidden Valley Park, Martinez) and EBAL Meet (Newhall Park, Concord) followed by the NCS Championships Nov. 19 at Hayward High School and the CIF State Championships Nov. 26 in its traditional site of Woodward Park in Fresno. (Photo courtesy Concord High cross country)

The Cougar girls took seven of the top eight places. Northgate was second, Las Lomas third and College Park fourth well behind the Moraga school. Among local runners Megan Malloy of Northgate placed ninth, Isabelle Ruff (Clayton Valley Charter0 10th, Ella Kopper (NG) 11th and Missy LeClaire (CP) 12th.

College Park’s Alex Lamoureux was third in the boys race as CVCHS was second to Campo and College Park third in the team results. Other local runners in the top dozen were CVCHS teammates Alex Walker fourth, Alan Solari seventh and Daniel Messer eighth. Northgate’s Nicholas Knisley was 10th and Robert Brand 12th.

The DAL and EBAL league championships are Nov. 5. NCS Meet of Champions is Nov. 19 at Hayward High School with the CIF State Meet Nov. 26 at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Girls Tennis

The DAL division championships are the last week of October. NCS team championships are Nov. 8-12 with the singles and doubles tournament Nov. 14-15. The NorCal team tournament is Nov. 15-19.

Winter Sports

Tryouts and official practices for the three winter sports—wrestling, soccer and basketball—will be taking place in early November with schedules beginning with non-league games and tournaments around Thanksgiving.

Fall Sports Schedules

Cross Country (Boys & Girls)

  • DAL Championships Nov. 5 (Hidden Valley Park, Martinez)
  • EBAL Championships Nov. 5 (Newhall Park, Concord)
  • NCS Championships Nov. 19 (Hayward High School)
  • CIF State Championships Nov. 26 (Woodward Park, Fresno)

Golf (Girls)

Tennis (Girls)

Volleyball (Girls)

  • DAL League Games Sept. 6 – Oct. 20
  • EBAL League Games Sept. 8 – Oct. 20
  • EBAL Championship Oct. 22
  • NCS Playoffs Oct. 25 – Nov. 5
  • NorCal Championships Nov. 8-15
  • CIF State Championships Nov. 18-19

Water Polo (Boys & Girls)

  • DAL League Games Sept. 21 – Oct. 26
  • EBAL League Games Sept. 1 – Oct. 27
  • DAL Division Championships Oct. 27-29
  • NCS Playoffs Nov. 2-12
  • NorCal Tournament Nov. 15-19

Winter sports schedules

Basketball

  • DAL League Jan. 4 – Feb. 9
  • EBAL League De. 20 – Feb. 7
  • EBAL Boys Tournament Feb. 6-11
  • EBAL Girls Tournament Feb. 10-11
  • NCS Championships Feb. 14-25
  • NorCal Championships Feb. 28 – Mar. 7
  • CIF State Championships Mar. 10-11

Soccer

Wrestling

  • DAL Matches Jan. 11 – Feb. 2
  • EBAL League Matches Jan. 5 – 25
  • NCS Dual Team Championships Feb. 4
  • DAL Championships Feb. 11 (Clayton Valley Charter)
  • NCS Championships Feb. 17-18
  • CIF State Championships Feb. 23-25 (Bakersfield)
Jay Bedecarré
Jay Bedecarré
Sports and Schools Editor at The Concord Clayton Pioneer | sports@pioneerpublishers.com | Website

Jay Bedecarré is a long-time resident and writer in Concord and Clayton. He began his newspaper writing career while still a senior at Mt. Diablo High School and he has been part of The Pioneer since its inception in 2003. Jay also operates Bay Area Festivals, presenting events around the San Francisco Bay Area including Bay Area KidFest annually in Downtown Concord.

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