Girls volleyball
NorCal Division I
No. 10 Campolindo 3, No. 15 Los Gatos 2
A hard-fought five-set classic ended with the Cougars extending their stellar season for another game. Campolindo is now 29-9 this season after surviving a tight battle of double-digit seeds and is through to the NorCal D-I semifinals.
Los Gatos (20-7), which upset No. 2 Clovis West in the first round, came out swinging in the first set of this quarterfinal matchup, winning 25-14. Campo countered with a 25-22 victory in set two.
The Cats were on the prowl again in set three, cruising to a 25-13 win. The Cougars responded in kind with a 25-17 fourth-set triumph.
That set up a winner-take-all race to 15 points in the fifth. Campolindo took an early 5-3 lead, maintained it at 10-8 and finished Los Gatos off with a 15-12 victory.
The Cougs will face No. 6 Redwood in the D-I semifinals on Saturday at 6 p.m.
No. 1 Folsom 3, No. 8 Palo Alto 0
Palo Alto’s historic season came to an end with a sweep (25-22, 25-7, 27-25) at the hands of the top-seeded Sacramento-area power.
The Vikings finish the year 31-6 overall, their best campaign since the 2010 and 2011 state championship teams, Paly coach Chris Crader said.
Maura Hambly led Palo Alto with 14 kills, nine digs and an ace. Mackenzie Zhao added 13 digs defensively, and Cece De Feo dug up six balls.
No. 5 Foothill 3, No. 4 James Logan 2
Another five-setter sent the Falcons through to face Folsom in the other D-I semifinal. This match went the distance after Foothill (28-10) came back from an 0-2 deficit to earn a reverse sweep.
James Logan (35-4) won the first set 25-19 and the second set 25-21, but the Falcons signed up for five. The switch flipped in the third set, as Foothill quintupled up the Colts (25-5) in a display of dominance.
Things were tighter down the stretch. Foothill edged Logan 25-23 to stay alive in the fourth set, then won the fifth 15-11 to clinch a spot in the semis.
The Falcons will face No. 1 Folsom on Saturday at 6 p.m.
NorCal Division II
No. 1 San Ramon Valley 3, No. 8 Sacred Heart Cathedral 1
SRV (28-9) cruised into the D-II semis with a four-set win over SHC (18-13). The Wolves won the first set 25-11 before the Irish responded with a narrow 25-23 victory in set two.
San Ramon was on cruise control from there. The Wolves breezed through the third set 25-12 and took the fourth 25-19.
No. 12 Sacred Heart Prep 3, No. 4 Del Oro 1
In the biggest upset of the night, SHP (23-14) had very little trouble with Loomis-based Del Oro. The Gators took the first set 25-21 but stumbled 25-15 in the second.
They rebounded with a 25-15 win in set three and a 25-22 clincher in set four. SHP will take on SRV in the D-II semis on Saturday at 6 p.m.
No. 2 Oak Ridge 3, No. 10 Burlingame 1
It was the end of the line for Burlingame against El Dorado Hills-based Oak Ridge. After a 25-12 defeat in set one, the Panthers (21-8) got off the mat and won the second 25-23.
But Oak Ridge showcased its mettle down the stretch. The higher seed won the final two sets 25-11, 25-21 to advance to the semifinals.
NorCal Division III
No. 1 Branham 3, No. 8 East Nicolaus 0
Top seed Branham (26-6) dispatched undefeated East Nicolaus (28-1) with ease in this quarterfinal matchup. The Bruins weren’t in a giving mood, sweeping the Spartans 26-24, 25-17, 28-26 to hand them their first loss of the season.
No. 5 Aragon 3, No. 4 Salinas 0
Aragon (21-17) moved on to the semis with a swift sweep of Salinas (25-11). It wasn’t a complete walk in the park for the Dons, but they won two of three sets handily (25-20, 25-18, 26-24). Aragon will face Branham at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
No. 14 St. Joseph Notre Dame 3, No. 11 Roseville 0
It appears St. Joseph Notre Dame may have been under-seeded. After taking down No. 3 Crystal Springs Uplands 3-2 on Tuesday, the Pilots (31-6) upped the ante by sweeping Roseville 26-24, 31-29, 25-20 to reach the D-III semis.
No. 2 Monta Vista 3, No. 10 Lowell 0
Monta Vista (24-10) didn’t have much trouble with Lowell on Thursday night. The Matadors made quick work of the visitors from San Francisco with a breezy 25-17, 25-16, 25-16 win. They host St. Joseph Notre Dame on Saturday at 6 p.m.
NorCal Division IV
No. 1 Liberty Ranch 3, No. 8 Soquel 0
Top seed Liberty Ranch (35-5) ended Soquel’s bid for an all-CCS semifinal with a 25-18, 25-16, 25-20 sweep.
No. 4 St. Patrick-St. Vincent 3, No. 5 Ripon Christian 2
Vallejo-based St. Patrick-St. Vincent (28-9) edged Ripon Christian in a tight battle (25-9, 28-26, 22-25, 21-25, 15-8) for a spot in the semis. The Bruins’ reward for holding on to their two-set lead is a trip to Galt to face Liberty Ranch at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Girls flag football
NCS Championship
No. 4 Alameda 26, No. 14 Alhambra 20 (OT)
In a legendary first-ever NCS flag football title game, Alameda won in overtime after Aaliyah Soderlund threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Leaira Robinson on fourth-and-25. Nathan Canilao was in San Ramon for the championship and has the story here.
Alameda’s Leaira Robinson (10) reacts after scoring the game winning touchdown in overtime against Alhambra during their North Coast Section flag football championship at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. Alameda defeated Alhambra 26-20 in overtime to win the first place title. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
NCS Semifinals
No. 4 Alameda 32, No. 9 Heritage 14
Senior quarterback Aaliyah Soderlund tossed four touchdown passes as the Hornets (25-4) dominated Heritage (16-10) to reach the NCS final.
No. 14 Alhambra 19, No. 2 California 18
Before almost beating Alameda to claim the NCS crown, Alhambra (19-7-1) shocked second-seeded California (20-6) on its home field to reach the championship game.
A California player (47) reaches for a touchdown pass while playing against Alhambra in the first half of their North Coast Section flag football championship semifinal game at California High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
