The North Coast Section Division I championship game between top-seeded Granada and No. 2 De La Salle has been moved to Monte High School, NCS Commissioner Pat Cruickshank confirmed to the Bay Area News Group on Wednesday.

The game was originally scheduled to happen at Livermore High School, but on account of parking and capability reasons, the venue was moved to the Danville school.

“Both schools are in agreement with the website,” Cruickshank wrote in a text to the Bay Area News Group.

Granada has not been challenged within the NCS playoffs. The Matadors defeated No. 4 Acalanes 6-0 of their semifinal game on Tuesday and have allowed only one run in three playoff games.

De La Salle stormed back to beat No. 3 College Park 7-3 at home after beating Heritage and Liberty in the primary two rounds.

Granada will attempt to end De La Salle's 33-game postseason winning streak on Friday with pitcher Jake Sekany on the mound. Left-handed pitcher RJ Meyn will likely start for De La Salle.

The teams have played one another once this season. Granada won the sport 5-4 on March 15 on a walk-off hit from Stanford-committed Parker Warner.

“De La Salle is a totally different team,” Warner said after Tuesday's win over Acalanes. “I wouldn't say it's a huge advantage playing against them early in the season, but it's De La Salle and we always bring our best.”

LIVERMORE – Selbst als Granada mit einem, zwei, drei und dann vier Runs zurücklag, behielt Jake Sekany während des Meisterschaftsspiels des East Bay Athletic League-Turniers einen unerschütterlichen Glauben an sein bestes Pitch.

Nein, er verließ sich nicht auf einen übermächtigen Viersitzer mit einer Geschwindigkeit von 95 Meilen pro Stunde, um aus der Klemme zu kommen, nachdem er Trainer Corrigan Willis davon überzeugt hatte, ihn zu behalten.

Der Junior-Rechtshänder glaubte weiterhin an einen langsameren, aber ebenso effektiven Pitch, einen Wipeout-Slider, der von einer Klippe auf die Handschuhseite fiel. Sein Glaube wurde belohnt, nachdem die Matadors beim Besuch im San Ramon Valley in einem vierten Inning mit sechs Läufen überfielen.

Von da an war Sekany dran und warf danach drei weitere torlose Innings, um am Freitagnachmittag ein komplettes Spiel mit 14 Strikeouts zu beenden. Granada holte sich den Turniertitel mit 6:4, nachdem es die Krone der regulären Saison gewonnen hatte.

„Nachdem sie diese Runs erzielt hatten, fühlte ich mich selbstbewusster als je zuvor“, sagte ein unterkühlter Sekany, nachdem seine Teamkollegen ihn mit Eiswasser übergossen hatten. „Diesen Slider habe ich eigentlich erst in dieser Saison geworfen, aber er war wirklich effektiv für mich.“

Sekany hatte in den ersten drei Innings ungleichmäßige Ergebnisse. Während seine ersten neun Outs mit Strikeouts erzielt wurden, viele davon mit seinem typischen Slider, der den SRV-Schlägern einknickende Knie bescherte, verzichtete er auch auf viele Kontakte.

San Ramon Valley hatte die Meisterschaft durch einen 8:2-Sieg gegen De La Salle in Concord erreicht, und schon früh schien es, als hätte sich dieser Schwung übertragen.

Jake Hensley hatte zwei RBIs am Ende der Schlagreihenfolge des SRV, und Lucas Glazier schlug einen Double und fuhr einen Run. Der stabile First Baseman Julian Cambra ging mit einem RBI ebenfalls 1 zu 3 in Führung, sodass San Ramon Valley am Ende von drei Innings mit 4:0 in Führung ging.

„Die Qualität dieser Liga ist unglaublich“, sagte SRV-Trainer Justin Hughes. „Es ist eine Menge guter Baseball, und wir haben sie letztes Jahr bekommen, und sie haben uns dieses Jahr bekommen. Hoffentlich sehen wir sie in ein paar Wochen.“

Granada-Trainer Corrigan Willis erwog, Stanford mit Parker Warner zu beauftragen, aber Sekany überzeugte den Trainer, dem Junior zu vertrauen.

„Jedes Mal, wenn ich ausgehe, setzt er sich dafür ein, zu Hause zu bleiben“, sagte Willis. „Das ist das erste Mal, dass ich ihm tatsächlich zugestimmt habe … er hat bewiesen, dass er Recht hat.“

Dann zeigte sich endlich die gewaltige Offensive von Granada, die Mannschaft, die mit 25 Siegen und nur einer Niederlage ins Spiel ging, die starke Mannschaft, die Monte Vista im Halbfinale mit 9:0 besiegte.

Die Matadors kämpften herum und begannen mit Riley Winchells Leadoff-Single im linken Feld. AJ Martinez folgte mit einem weiteren Single nach links, und dann belud Starting-Quarterback Quinn Boyd die Bases mit einem dritten Single durch die linke Seite des Infields.

Centerfielder Tyler Kardy gab dem heimischen Publikum endlich Anlass zum Jubeln, als er den Rückstand mit einem Double halbierte, und dieser Jubel verwandelte sich dann in Jubelschrei, als der Leadoff-Hicker Tommy Brown mit einem weiteren Double den Ausgleich erzielte.

Mikey Boyds Double, Granadas vierter Inning, durchbrach die Sackgasse und verschaffte Sekany das Polster, das er brauchte.

„Wir hatten nie das Gefühl, niedergeschlagen zu sein, denn im Unterstand war es die ganze Zeit laut“, sagte Mikey Boyd. „Alles, was wir brauchten, war ein gutes Inning, und das haben wir bekommen.“

Sekany schied die letzten 15 Batter aus, denen er in Folge gegenüberstand, verwirrte die Wolves (16-10) mit einer Reihe abwechslungsreicher Pitches und bekam bei einigen Spielzügen Hilfe von Shortstop Nate Brown.

Die 14 Strikeouts des Starters sprengten sein bisheriges Saisonhoch von neun gegen Dougherty und Reno-Nevada.

Granada (26-1) wird nicht viel Zeit haben, sich über den Sieg zu freuen, da die Matadors voraussichtlich die Topgesetzten in den Playoffs der NCS Division I sein werden, wenn die Setzliste am Samstag bekannt gegeben wird.

Anschließend geht es an die Vorbereitungen für den nächsten Gegner, der erste hoffentlich Meisterschaftslauf, der über Livermore führt.

„Wir werden wahrscheinlich die Nummer 1 sein, also werden wir bei jedem Spiel zu Hause sein, und wir haben ein tolles Publikum, das uns unterstützt“, sagte Sekany.

Welcome to Friday Preps Spotlight, our recent feature shedding more light on the Bay Area's highschool sports scene. For suggestions and story ideas, email highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com. If you haven't already: please subscribe. Your contributions keep us going.

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BASEBALL: Quite a ride for the GRANADA STAR

It finally dawned on Parker Warner when he saw his Senior Day poster.

The five-foot-tall banner featured two pictures side by side.

On the proper was an elementary school photo of Warner in his Little League uniform. On the left is a photograph of Warner from this season in his black and gold Granada jersey.

As the senior walked off the sphere Thursday after Granada's final home game of the regular season, he quickly realized how much time had passed since he first wore Granada's colours 4 years ago.

“It seems like yesterday when I was a freshman watching the seniors being celebrated on Senior Day,” Warner said. “But being here with all my friends that I played Little League with and seeing everyone come in and do well was definitely a cool moment for all of us.”

Warner, a Stanford commit, had his own struggles as a freshman. Like a minor player attempting to stay within the show, Warner was bounced backwards and forwards between JV and varsity during his first 12 months on the Livermore school.

But since then he has turn into the undisputed leader of the Matadors. His 1.39 ERA and 49 strikeouts make him a powerful candidate for East Bay Athletic League Player of the Year.

“Parker was an exemplary example of what we expect from our baseball players,” Granada coach Corrigan Willis said. “It’s fun to see a guy who does everything right in the classroom, in the community and on the baseball field win some accolades.”

Granada and Warner usually are not finished yet.

The Matadors, who secured the league title within the regular season, have high goals. They hope to complete the season by winning the EBAL Tournament, North Coast Section and NorCal Regional Championships.

“We set goals at the beginning of the year and it was never our goal to go undefeated or anything like that,” Warner said. “But we have a lot of talent. But I definitely knew that if we played the way we were supposed to play, we would go into the playoffs with a lot of confidence.”

– Nathan Canilao

SOFTBALL: THE INJURED WOLICZKO FINALLY TAKES A BREAK

McKenna Woliczko is as busy as a highschool athlete may be: She's gone from a nationally recruited basketball player within the winter to a premier softball star within the spring.

If you mix school and social life along with her sporting commitments, the result’s a young woman who at all times has something to do.

“I really had to learn time management,” Woliczko said. “You can’t hesitate.”

This busy schedule continued unabated until a slide into second base against St. Ignatius on April 17 resulted in a serious knee injury and a number of weeks of inactivity. For the primary time in years – or possibly ever – Woliczko needed to decelerate.

She hates it.

“That sucks,” Woliczko said. “I want to be out there and play with my team.”

The excellent news is that Woliczko didn’t suffer any serious tears or sprains and is anticipated to be back on the softball field inside the following week. The sophomore was seen catching together with his teammates between innings of a game against Willow Glen this week.

After the softball season, it's on to AAU basketball.

In other words, Woliczko can be back to her normal, busy self.

—Joseph Dycus

BASEBALL: A'S BLCKBURN HONORED BY HERITAGE

Paul Blackburn, surrounded by family and friends at Heritage in Brentwood, hoisted his framed number 24 at the tip of Wednesday's pregame ceremony. On the A's pitcher's time off, his highschool alma mater retired his number before a crosstown rivalry game Liberty back.

“I haven't been here for a while. The opportunity to come back here and make these memories is more than I could have ever imagined,” Blackburn said.

He didn't should think long before he remembered his fondest memory from his time playing at Brentwood Public School.

“I still remember my no-hitter against Deer Valley because one of my best friends played for Deer Valley,” Blackburn said, referencing his eight-strikeout performance against Blake McAuley’s Wolverines on May 1, 2012.

Blackburn was a 24/7 starter as a prep star, posting a 1.04 ERA. Blackburn, a two-way player, hit .347 as a senior in 2012. A number of months later, the Chicago Cubs chosen Heritage's ace with their first-round pick.

He has spent his entire major league profession (2017-present) with the A's, was named to the All-Star team in 2022 and began this season 2-1, the A's last in Blackburn's Bay Area.

“I grew up playing there at the Coliseum and saw some really good teams,” Blackburn said. “I remember when there was an all-you-can-eat area in the third deck behind home plate that many of us frequented when we were in high school. The move is bittersweet.”

—Joseph Dycus

SOFTBALL: NO FACT IN SECOND YEAR FOR WILLOW GLEN STAR

Alanna Clincy of Willow Glen had a freshman season that saw her go from an unknown newcomer to the ace of the NorCal Division II champions.

She was even higher as a sophomore this season, striking out 146 in 85 innings for a team on the lookout for further postseason success.

After counting on her heater last 12 months, Clincy has now added devastating breaking pitches to her arsenal.

“I'm trying to work more on my own because that's how you should compete against good teams,” Clincy said. “You don’t want to send them anything outside the box.”

However, that fastball remains to be very effective, as is her bat. She posted a .508 average with two home runs and 25 RBIs.

—Joseph Dycus

SOFTBALL: PRESENTATION HAS ITSELF A YOUNG LEADER

Even though she is simply a sophomore, Julia Simón is already the most effective young players within the West Catholic Athletic League.

The presenting catcher leads her team in batting average (.469), on-base percentage (.542), hits (23), RBIs (20), slugging percentage (.795) and extra-base hits (11).

Simón attributes her dominant 12 months to a change in approach from her first season.

“I was a big home run hitter last year,” she said. “But this year I got more base hits and did my job at the plate. I focused on getting a runner in scoring position because we don't have the biggest hitters on our team. So I just played small ball, got on base and did my job.”

Although Simón will not be quite halfway through highschool, he has already taken on the leadership role on the team.

“This year it was easier because I was named co-captain,” Simón said. “I communicate very well with my coaches about what everyone on my team needs. That comfort alone has also helped me be a leader on the field.”

While Presentation (5-13, 1-6) remains to be an up-and-coming team, the core group of players is primarily made up of underclassmen. The Panthers will only graduate three seniors this 12 months, meaning this group can have experience next season.

“I’ve seen a lot of our freshmen really grow since the beginning of the year,” Simón said. “We're not the biggest team at Presentation, but there are so many girls who have so much potential. I really hope we can all grow in the coming seasons.”

– Nathan Canilao