For the Redwood Empire side of the North Coast Section. it was mostly good news.  Four of the five number one seeds came from West of the Richmond Bridge (the only one that wasn’t was De LaSalle).   That is the first time that has happened in the six years that the playoffs have had both sides of the Richmond Bridge in the same playoffs.

DIVISION 2—THREE OUT OF FOUR NOT BAD

Casa Grande went into the weekend hoping to get a win that would give them the school’s first undefeated season and the first North Bay League Championship that went with it.   They were also that would get another first, a No. 1 seed.

Mission accomplished.

The good weekend ends with Casa Grande getting that No. 1 seed.  It is a full bracket so no first round bye and the Gauchos will play its first game at home on Saturday night against Alameda.

Casa Grande could see a few North Bay League teams on its attempt to get to the Championship game.  There are four teams all on the Casa Grande side of the bracket.  

If Casa Grande defeats Alameda, they will meet a North Bay League team in the second round and could see another one in the third round.

Windsor, who became eligible with the Friday win over Montgomery and was hoping to get a home game, will travel to Rancho Cotate for the second time this season Friday night.  The winner meets the Alameda-Casa Grande winner in round two.

Windsor is the only local team that is disappointed with the draw.

It figured Montgomery would get a home game.  The hope was for the No. 4 spot and a possible two home games.

They got that too.

Montgomery will host American Friday Night and if they get that win, there could be a Concord-Montgomery game in round two with the winner of that game possibly meeting Casa Grande in the semi-final.

DIVISION 3—BECAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR

Petaluma could have had a few emotions as they saw they made the playoffs for the first time in three years. 

First there was Joy to see their name posted and thanks to the Friday win over Sonoma Valley, maybe a little higher seed than expected.

Then it might have been oh-oh.

The first round matchup is at Analy Friday Night.  That is the same Analy team that rolled through the Sonoma County League.  Part of the rolling was a 42-13 win over Petaluma two weeks.

Really though, the part of the bracket where Petaluma was going to be placed, there wasn’t going to be a bargain in the first round.  

Analy did get the No. 4 seed and if things work out they could be hosting No. 5 Cardinal Newman in the second round.   Cardinal Newman is at home Saturday night against Drake.

Sonoma Valley got a good enough seed to miss a first round game against one of the top monsters in the first round, but not good enough to get a home game.  The No. 10 seed will be at No. 7 Acalanes Saturday Night.

Marin Catholic is the No. 1 seed and gets a first round bye, as does No. 2 Campolindo. 

DIVISION 4—WHAT A DIFFERENCE—PART 1

On October 25th, Healdsburg edged Piner 19-18.

Healdsburg ended the season 6-4 overall and 4-2 in SCL play, which was good enough for a second place tie with Sonoma Valley.

Had Piner won that game, they would have those numbers.

Healdsburg gets a No. 3 seed and a first round bye.

Piner gets a No. 9 seed and a trip to meet No. 8 St. Patrick/St. Vincent on Friday Night. 

In what was a good day in general for the local teams, Piner got the hardest slap from the NCS.  Still they will be playing in its first playoff game since 2003.

The rest went as expected.

The will be one NCL I rematch with No. 13 Kelseyville at No. 4 St. Helena on Friday.  On September 27th St. Helena handed Kelseyville its first loss of the season by a 42-12 score.  Kelseyville was 3-0 at the time.

St. Mary’s and Justin Siena were both higher in the power rankings then Healdsburg and St. Helena, but got a lower seed.

St. Mary’s will host No. 12 Fort Bragg on Saturday.

DIVISION 5—WHAT A DIFFERENCE—PART 2

Calistoga went into Saturday’s game against St. Vincent looking for a, undefeated regular season, league title and a home NCS playoff game.

They didn’t get any other that.

Despite the 8-1 record No. 6 Calistoga has to hit the road. 

Do they ever.

Calistoga has to take a four hour trip to meet to meet No. 3 and defending NCS Division 5 champion Ferndale on Saturday.

St. Vincent, who defeated Calistoga on Saturday 27-14, got a No. 4 seed and will host No. 5 Salesian Saturday afternoon.  As a Division 4 team, Salesian won two of the last three NCS championship in that Division.

As expected Middletown got the No. 1 seed and will host No. 8 Emery Friday Night.

My email address is jacpasquini@comcast.net