#eric yee

The 2014 baseball season is officially underway and fans across the Bay Area have high expectations for their local teams.

The San Francisco Giants, winners of two of the last four World Series, have retained most of last season’s players.

This past offseason the team signed free agent pitcher Tim Hudson and outfielder Mike Morse, and re-signed pitchers Ryan Vogelsong and Javier Lopez to new contracts.

Offensively, the team is poised for a stronger season than last year. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval is in a contract year, and has dropped 30 pounds since last season and will be relied upon for his strong batting average and power.

Catcher Buster Posey is looking to return to MVP form after his production deteriorated toward the end of last year.

First baseman Brandon Belt is hoping to pick up where he left off the end of last season. Belt hit .346 from August to the end of last season, and is off to a hot start in 2014 with four  home runs.

Unfortunately, injuries have already become an issue for the team, as second baseman Marco Scutaro began the season on the disabled list.

Outfielders Angel Pagan and Hunter Pence will look to continue their consistency this year.

The starting pitching is expected to rebound from last year’s unpredictable decline from elite to mediocre. Led by long-time ace Matt Cain, the rest of the rotation features the familiar faces of Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum, and Vogelsong.

Bullpen lefty Jeremy Affeldt will begin the season on the disabled list, while trusted relievers Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo will continue to anchor the Giants in the late innings.

Despite a relatively quite offseason, General Manager Brian Sabean has a knack for making big moves at the right time. Expect the Giants to acquire a midseason boost and earn help them claim the NL West title.

It wasn’t until recently that the Oakland A’s began vying for fans’ attention.

The A’s are trying to make the playoffs for the third straight year, and have made the necessary acquisitions to do so.

Outfield slugger Yoenis Cespedes has battled his fair share of injuries of the years, and he is ready to bounce back from last year’s significant drop in batting average.

Last year’s breakout All-Star, Josh Donaldson, is out to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke. He will be a cornerstone in  the offense that also features fan-favorites Josh Reddick and Coco Crisp.

Most of the A’s’ offseason acquisitions have come with the pitching.   After closer Grant Balfour ditched Oakland for Tampa Bay, former Orioles’ All-Star Jim Johnson signed and took over closer duties.

Johnson has saved 101 games over the past two seasons with the Orioles and fans should expect a similar output this year.

The loss of starting pitcher Jarrod Parker because of  Tommy John surgery has left the rest of the rotation a large load to carry.

Twenty four year old Sonny Gray dazzled opponents in his time with the team last year and is poised to become the ace of the team going forward.

The A’s signed free agent Scott Kazmir, and while the contract seemed generous to the former All-Star, he has proved to fans he is worth every penny early in the season.

But the competition from the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels may prove too much to overcome, ultimately costing the A’s a postseason birth.

Elsewhere around the league, the biggest offseason signing was that of Japanese phenom  pitcher Masahiro Tanaka of the New York Yankees.  He is expected to win the AL Rookie of the Year.  St. Louis’ rookie second baseman Kolten Wong is the front runner for the National League.

The Angels’ highly coveted outfielder Mike Trout has joined an elite group of four, including Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, and current teammate Albert Pujols, as the only players to bat .320 with 50 home runs and 200 runs scored in his first two full seasons.

Trout will pair with National’s outfielder Bryce Harper as favorites to win MVP.

The Dodgers’ terrorizing lefty, Clayton Kershaw, already has won two Cy Young Awards, and a third isn’t out of question. He and Rangers ace Yu Darvish will look to capture the Cy Young Awards this season, despite both beginning the season on the disabled list.

The St. Louis Cardinals are favorites to represent the National League in the World Series.  They feature a constant supply of young players, which include pitchers Shelby Miller, Michael Wacha, Trevor Rosenthal, and infielders  Matt Adams, Matt Carpenter, and Wong.

The defending World Champion Boston Red Sox return as favorites in the American League.  The team is expecting young infielder Xander Bogaerts to have a strong rookie campaign at shortstop. Veterans David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia will bring their leadership to the lineup.

Ultimately, the St. Louis Cardinals have proven their roster is worthy of early season favorites to win the World Series, but baseball fans know to expect the unexpected.

For the third season in a row, the San Francisco 49eres are headed to the NFC Championship game.

After a sluggish start against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, the 49ers finished the game scoring 14 unanswered points. Touchdowns by quarterback Colin Kaepernick and tight end Vernon Davis led the 49ers to a 23-10 win, the team’s eighth straight.

This Sunday afternoon’s game at Seattle will be the third time the 49eres and Seahawks will meet this season. The 49ers narrowly defeated the Seahawks 19-17 at home on Dec.8, but they were hammered 29-3 in Seattle in week two of the season.

It’s a new season and all teams are taking advantage of a fresh start.

The women’s golfers got off to one of their best starts in school history, while the powerhouse football and volleyball teams continue to roll over opponents.

Coming into the season, the Grizzly football team was ranked No.8 in Northern California by SportsStars.com.

Led by running backs Blake Bierwith and CJ Cornwell and quarterback Cameron Owen, head coach Eric Billeci has a strong core of experienced seniors to work with as Cal hopes to content for EBAL and NCS championships.

Fans had much to celebrate after Cal’s 24-7 homecoming win against Foothill on Oct. 11.  Junior Simi Hingano totaled 106 yards and Bierwith added 79.

Cal (5-1) entered league play on Sept. 27 with a 16-14 win against Granada. Cornwell opened the game with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

The team opened the season with a 46-20 win against Washington on Aug. 30. Bierwith rushed for 193 yards and three touchdowns in the win.

Overall, the football team has been able to score with ease, and is expected to find success for the remainder of the season.

The women’s volleyball team is coming off NCS and EBAL championships, so all eyes are on coach Todd Baham’s Grizzlies.

Even though the team is without NCS Volleyball Player of the Year and All-EBAL MVP Sabrina Clayton, who earned a scholarship to Santa Clara University, seniors Caitlyn Quindoy and Bridget Heins will try to fill her big shoes this year.

With pre-league play set aside, the Grizzlies (17-5) suffered a loss to Foothill on Sept. 24 to open league play.

The team’s next game against Monte Vista on Sept. 26 ended with a better result.

Heading into the game, the Grizzlies were underdogs to one of the best volleyball teams in the state.

Heins led the team with six blocks and 22 attack kills in the win over the Mustangs.

One of the greatest feats for the team this year was winning the Irvington Tournament on Sept. 28.

The women’s golf team has made huge strides since its winless season two years ago.  After making NCS last year, Cal won four of its first five matches to open the season.

The biggest news during this stretch were the team’s first wins in school history against perennial powers Amador Valley and Foothill.

In the historic match against Foothill, Cal won 235-246 at The Bridges to open league play. The team was led by sophomore Fericia Terciano’s 44 and freshman Ashley Truong’s 45.

Cal’s narrow 235-238 win at home against Amador Valley on Oct. 8 was led by sophomore Alexis Guimaraes and Terciano’s rounds of 43.

Cal has received strong contributions from senior captain Qi Tian, juniors Jenn Zeng and Chi Cheng, Guimares, Terciano, and Truong.

The team tied for fourth with Foothill at the EBAL Tournament on Monday.

The cross country team has seen consistent production from top runner Madison Ricks.

A senior, Ricks earned first and a personal record two-mile time at the Monte Vista Invitational  on Sept. 3 by running the course in 12 minutes and 30 seconds.

Ricks followed up with another victory in the three-mile run at the Farmers Invitational in Hayward on Sept. 21.  Her 18 minutes and 30 second time was 39 seconds faster than the second place finisher.

At the more prestigious Stanford Invitational a week later, Ricks finished 20th in a field of more than 1,000 runners in the 3-plus mile course.

On the tennis courts, Cal is structured around a large group of seniors including the 2012 All-EBAL first-team doubles partners Mia Nakajima and Jessica Ma.

The Golden State Warriors’ magical playoff run sadly came to an end against San Antonio last month in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals.

But it didn’t take away from what the team accomplished.

The Warriors shocked the league after finishing the season with a 47-35 record, doubling their win total from last year to earn the sixth seed in the West.

Led by all-star forward  David Lee and franchise guard Stephen Curry, the Warriors were faced with the task of taking on the No. 3 Denver Nuggets, who posted 38-3 home record, in the first round of the playoffs.

Second year head coach Mark Jackson held the team together with the belief his team could beat anybody.  He went on to call his backcourt of Curry and Klay Thompson, “The greatest shooting backcourt in history.”

The Warriors muscled through pain in Game 1 against the Nuggets, as they saw Lee go down with a torn hip flexor.

Lee’s absence was felt when the Warriors dropped a close game in the closing seconds after a layup from the Nuggets’ 37-year-old backup point guard Andre Miller.

But Miller’s career game was not going to set the tone for the series. The Warriors bounced back to win the next three games.  The most memorable game during this winning streak is arguably Game 4.

Oft-injured center Andrew Bogut had much to prove to his fans. The crowd erupted and sent the bench crazy after a series of Bogut slam dunks in the first quarter.

Curry paced the Warriors by averaging 30 points during that three-game span to give the team a 3-1 series lead.

After losing Game 5 in Denver, the Warriors returned to “Roaracle” Arena, where they hoped to seal the deal in front of their fans.

Strong defense and Bogut’s 21 rebounds was enough for Golden State to secure the series win and advance to face No.2 San Antonio.

History was not on the team’s side after dropping 30 straight games in San Antonio.  But the Warriors played Game 1 as if the streak had never happened.  The Warriors had a big lead late in the fourth quarter and it seemed that it would end.

Even though the Spurs rallied back to send the game into overtime, the Warriors held their own in overtime and were able to force a second overtime.

In double overtime, the Warriors took the lead after guard Kent Bazemore scored.

But Manu Ginobili hit a three pointer with only a few second left to win the game.  It was a crushing loss for the Warriors, but they were determined to end the streak.

The Warriors played just as hard in Game 2, but this time they were able to hold onto the lead.  The Warriors won, 100-91, and it seemed that the magic that carried them passed the Nuggets would be enough to beat the Spurs.

But after Game 2, the Spurs buckled down and silenced the Warriors potent offense.

In Games 3-6, Curry never had a big game and Thompson did nothing.  The lack of offense cost the Warriors and they lost to the Spurs in six games.

The backcourt eventually earned the nickname “Splash Brothers,” after strong shooting performances throughout the series.

The team faced criticism and doubt throughout the regular season. Nobody expected the Warriors to reach the playoffs, let alone the second round.

Despite the lack of experience, Jackson believed in his team the whole year.

Looking toward next season, the Warriors will have to address the contracts of Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry. Both veterans played a key part in providing depth and leadership.  But with current financial issues, it’s unlikely both will return.

Another topic that General Manager Bob Myers might explore is trading the large expiring contracts of benchwarmers Andris Biedrins and Richard Jefferson.

The team could look to acquire draft picks or trade for more productive bench players.

But the biggest advantage the Warriors possess is their youth. Last year’s three draft picks played important roles in the playoffs.

Forward Harrison Barnes has proven that he can be the teams’ franchise player, while Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli appear to provide depth for years to come.

Similarly, Bazemore expects to see an increased role, should Jack leave the Bay Area.

Cal High was able to produce another championship-caliber high jumper this season when freshman Jennifer Kurtz placed second at the NCS Meet of Champions.

That finish propelled her to the CIF State Championship on Friday and Saturday in Clovis, where she placed 13th and just missed a shot in the finals by two inches.

“It was very nerve racking,” Kurtz said of trying to qualify for state.  “It’s been a lot of fun and a great learning experience.”

The 6-foot-1 Kurtz qualified for state after clearing five feet, six inches in her final jump at the Meet of Champions, held May 24-25 at UC Berkeley. This was only one inch away from being crowned NCS champion.

Noel Frazier, a 2012 Cal High graduate, won the men’s high jump last year.

Junior Madison Ricks also had a great run at NCS, placing fourth in the 800 meters with a time of 2:13. That is a full two seconds faster than her time at  the EBAL Championships.

But Ricks’ time was not fast enough to qualify her for state for the second straight year.

“The field was a lot more competitive this year,” said Ricks, who placed seventh in the state last year.

For the men, senior Karris Johnson earned Cal’s only top 10 finish by placing sixth in the 100 meters. His time of 11.27 seconds was much slower than his 10.73 at EBALs and he failed to advance for the second straight year.

“I didn’t have my best start, so by the time I picked my head up I wasn’t in a good position,” Johnson said.  “Six of the guys in that race I’ve already beaten.”

The Grizzlies had some great performances at EBAL on May 11 at Monte Vista, capped by the women’s league title.

Cal’s lone first place finish was  Ricks in the 800m.  Her time of 2:15 was a full two seconds in front of the next runner-up. Ricks also placed second in the 1600m, finishing just .3 seconds behind the leader.

Another highlight for the ladies was freshman Mata Hingano, who was placed second in the discus throw.  Sophomore runner Tyler Carr also placed second in the 400m.

The guys were not without their success.  Johnson, placed second in the 100m with a blistering time of 10.73  This was unfortunately the guy’s only top three finish this year.

Softball 

The Cal High softball was bounced from the NCS playoffs after a gut-wrenching 1-0 loss to James Logan in the semifinals on May 29.

This is the second year in a row that Cal has lost to James Logan in the semis.

With an improved team, the Grizzlies (21-5 overall, 13-1 EBAL) had high hopes of winning NCS.  The ladies’ regular season was good enough to earn them the No. 2 seed after sharing the league title with top seed Amador Valley.

After a first round bye, the Grizzlies snuck by No. 7 Heritage 1-0 in the quarterfinals on May 24.  Cal managed seven hits and five walks in the game despite scoring only once.

The Grizzlies wrapped up a share of the EBAL title by beating Carondelet  2-1 on May 16. Cal scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth.

Cal’s record was significantly better than in 2012 when the ladies finished 16-10 overall,  8-6 in league.

Despite only going 8-6 in EBAL, the team went to the NCS semifinals where they lost to James Logan, just like this year.

– Andrew Evans

Baseball

The Grizzlies had another disappointing finish in the NCS playoffs this year.

After dominating Mission San Jose in its opener, the No. 3 seeded Grizzlies (19-8 overall, 10-4 EBAL) were upset at home by No. 6 James Logan 10-3 in the quarterfinals on May 24.

The Grizzlies’ pitching didn’t get much help from its defense, which committed three errors that led to four unearned runs.

Senior Adam Kimmel gave up seven runs (three earned) in 2.1 innings and he ended up with the loss.  Senior Sean Jenkins came in relief and gave up three earned runs in 4.1 innings.

Senior Nick Truex had three of the team’s six hits and scored a run.  Junior Nick Allman had a hit and two RBIs.

Cal crushed Mission San Jose on May 22 to reach the quarterfinals.  Senior Nate D’emilio got the win and shut down Mission San Jose with five scoreless innings.  Senior Travis Roberts had a hit and scored three times.  Senior Daniel DeFazio hit a two-run home run and junior Cameron Santos added a pair of hits.

The biggest win for the team during the season came on May 8 when the Grizzlies became the first team this season to beat Granada.  The team won 5-0 behind solid pitching from Kimmel, who threw a complete game, four-hit shutout while striking out six batters.

Truex had a great game at the plate by going two-for-three.

Despite losing in NCS, the team had a successful season by placing second in the EBAL behind Granada, which was upset in the semifinals by eventual NCS champion Amador.

– Alec Bandler

Women’s Lacrosse

The women’s lacrosse team  finished another impressive season with a loss in the NCS semifinals.

Cal (16-7 overall, 12-2 EBAL) earned the No. 4 seed in NCS and reached the semifinals before losing to top seeded Amador 16-3 in the semifinals on May 22. Rachel Lyall and Ari Barry, and junior Shannon Geary all contributed with one goal each.

Cal reached the semifinals by trouncing No. 13 Redwood 17-3 in the opening round on May 15, and beating No. 5 Novato 13-9 in the quarterfinals on May 17. Barry had a huge offensive game against Novato by scoring four goals.

– Eric Yee

Men’s Lacrosse

The men’s lacrosse team concluded their season with a huge win over Livermore, followed by a loss to De La Salle.

The team posted a league record of 1-6, which placed them in seventh place. The disappointing season was a regression from last season’s

But the team saw more success in non-league games. A majority of the team’s nine overall wins came in the beginning of the season during an impressive six-game winning streak.

The team’s only league win came on April 12, when the team beat Livermore, 17-11.

– Eric Yee

Men’s Volleyball

It was a tough year for the team as they struggled to match last year’s NCS run after losing most of their players to graduation.  But they battled all season and finished 6-6 in league.

The team’s biggest win came over De La Salle on April 9.  After losing the first set 25-18, the team came back to win the next three, 27-25, 26-24, 25-22.

The future is bright for the team.  The Grizzlies will have almost all of the team back next year.

– Alec Bandler

Men’s Golf

The men’s golf team displayed a great effort at the NCS Qualifier on May 6, but fell short of the tournament of champions by five strokes.

Cal shot 425 at Deer Ridge Golf Club in Brentwood to just miss claiming one of the top 11 spots needed to advance.

Seniors Reid Souza and Michael Kelly shot a 78 and 79, respectively, to lead the team. which finished 12th.

– Eric Yee

Men’s Tennis 

After an inconsistent season, the tennis team sent one doubles team to NCS.

Sophomore Austin Fan and junior Mitchell Lum earned the No. 3 seed and advanced to the quarterfinals on May 4 before losing a close match to No. 2 Redwood, which later beat Miramonte for the title.

Fan and Lum won their first two matches on May 3 by defeating teams from Eureka and Mission San Jose.

– Eric Yee

Swim and Dive

The swim and dive teams struggled at the EBAL championships last month, but four divers reached the NCS championships.

The men’s swim team placed 6th of out eight teams at EBALs with 236 points, while the women placed 7th out of eight with 186 points.

The dive team fared better. Bouncing back from last year’s disappointing NCS run in which neither of the two divers that went made it past the first round,  three of the four divers that qualified for NCS placed, and the fourth would have placed if he had not suffered an unfortunate disqualification in the final round.

Junior Kirsten Trout placed 12th, senior Dan Hornett finished 15th and junior Ashton Delano came in 27th.

Junior Jake Jernigain would have placed 14th if he had not failed two dives in a row and been disqualified in the final round of competition.

“There were definitely a lot of improvements since last year, and even the beginning of this season,” Trout said.  “We doubled the amount of divers who went to NCS, and are just gaining more recognition in general.”

Several swimmers advanced and fared well at NCS.  Junior Robin Lampron placed 11th in the girls’100- and 200-yard freestyle events, while senior Kali Conlon placed 14th in the 100-yard butterfly.   Junior Drew Downs placed 15th in the boys’ 200-yard freestyle.