Even without a walk-off, the third installment between the Matadors and Spartans was must-see theater. There was no need for extra innings, no walk-off, no marathon affair split across two days at two different sites. But Granada’s 5-0 win over De La Salle in the Northern California Division I Semifinals was still well worth the price of admission. The overflow crowd, animosity between coaches and umpires and the absolute gem of a pitching performance from Granada’s Stanford commit, Parker Warner, made for must-see theater as the Matadors earned their third win over the Spartans to advance to ..read more

Joining a club or organized sport is a great way to be physically active, work on athletic skills, and connect with others with similar interests. Whether you are signing up for soccer, basketball, baseball, swimming, or track, there are some essential gear and equipment to pack for each training session, workout, practice, game, or meet. While the specific gear for different sports differs, the essential equipment remains the same for all club sports. Here’s exactly what you need to pack in your gym bag for your sport. Gym Bag Athletes need a durable gym bag to store and carry all their sport ..read more

The Monarchs’ Wichita State commit put up an MVP performance. The Central Coast Section doesn’t give out an MVP award for its baseball postseason. If there was one, it undoubtedly would have gone to Nico Rodriguez. The Wichita State commit went 7-for-10 with three walks over three playoff games, and he led the way once again on Saturday night in Mitty’s 6-2 win over St. Ignatius to claim the CCS Division I title. He scored two runs and drove one in as the Monarchs erupted for six runs in two innings against Wildcats ace Will Siwinski, who had allowed just three runs for the entire season befor ..read more

Unhappy with their seed, the Wildcats took it out on San Marin. The St. Ignatius Wildcats entered Tuesday’s Northern California Division II Quarterfinal with a chip on their shoulders. Having reached the CCS Division I Championship Game and having already won the Northern California Division II Championship last year, they were ready to take the next step and face the best of the best in Division I. The seeding committee thought otherwise and once again placed the Wildcats in Division II, this time as the second seed. It only motivated them further, inspiring the offense to pummel the San Mari ..read more

The Padres cruised to a win on Friday thanks to a mammoth first inning. By the end of the first inning, the only question was if Serra would be celebrating an outright West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL )regular season championship or a shared one. It turned out to be a shared crown, as Valley Christian held up its end of the bargain with a 3-0 win over St. Ignatius behind junior hurler Kole Laubach’s perfect game. But it didn’t put a damper on the Padres’ celebrations at the end of their 13-2 win over the Mitty Monarchs, a win that was never in doubt thanks ..read more

If you are looking to start throwing heat then it’s time to work on how to better improve pitching technique. No matter if you just are starting or if you are looking to level up with sights on the big leagues, all pitchers can benefit from learning new ways to enhance technique when on the mound.  These are the pitching tips to help you level up your pitching game. It’s time to play ball.  Pitchers who want to throw heat need consistency. Maintaining consistent pitching technique allows pitchers to control their pitches, keep batters off balance, and achieve success on the moun ..read more

St. Ignatius’ senior southpaw pitched a gem to eliminate his rivals. This one was personal. Not only did the St. Ignatius Wildcats secure a trip to the CIF Northern California Playoffs for a second consecutive year, they also ended rival Serra’s season with a 2-0 win in Saturday’s CCS Division I Quarterfinal. “All of our seniors played with those guys in Starting Line Up,” head coach Brian Pollzzie said, after his team shut out a Padres side that entered the day averaging 10.3 runs per game at home. “There’s a lot of familiarity. A lot of our guys had the opportunity to go to Serra, and they p ..read more

With An Intense Work Ethic And Passion For Improving The Lives Of Others, Multi-Sport Athlete & Student Leader Fifita Grewe Isn’t Slowing Down Anytime Soon Fifita Grewe has a schedule that would be daunting to most adults, but the Antioch High School junior wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s a four-sport athlete, student body president, a rally commissioner, volunteer coach and has a part-time job as a youth recreation leader. Her drive, leadership, compassion, and infectious positivity have earned her yet another role, as the City of Antioch’s 2024 Youth of the Year.  Grewe was ho ..read more

One Year After A Heartbreaking NorCal Championship Loss, Valley Christian-San Jose Baseball Is Off To A 7-0 Start Behind Loads Of Returning Talent And A Familiar Guide PICTURED ABOVE:Quinten Marsh crosses the plate against Elk Grove on Feb. 24. (David Gershon photo) Watching another team skip, flail and rejoice on your field was borderline unbearable, but John Diatte and his Valley Christian-San Jose Warriors’ baseball team had no choice. De La Salle-Concord had just scored six runs in the top of the seventh last June, capped by a two-out grand slam by Hank Tripaldi, to pull out one of the mor ..read more

Another Highly Touted Collection Of NorCal Baseball Talent Is Set To Make An Impact Across The Region In 2024 PICTURED ABOVE: Will Mountz of Bellarmine-San Jose. As usual, talent isn’t tough to find on diamonds across Northern California, and 2024 looks like another banner year for high school baseball throughout the region.  College recruiters would certainly back up that claim, with NorCal stars headed to SEC powers like Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Mississippi State as well as a hearty contingent ready to join back-to-back College World Series participant Stanford. The toughest part of ide ..read more