Cardinal Newman and Montgomery have been the No. 1 and 2 ranked team in the area all season.  That is in both the YSN365.com and the computer rankings.
They have already had the Game of the Year.

So we thought.
After Thursday Night, one game away from the end of the first half of the league race, there was Casa Grande, still in sole possession of first place in the NBL Boys race.
The whisper was, “wait ’til they play Montgomery and Cardinal Newman and see what happens.”
Check No. 1.
Jon Christy was basically unstoppable and scored a game high 27 points as Casa Grande defeated Montgomery 55-44.
At a first look at the score you might think it was surprisingly routine win for Casa Grande.
It was far from that.

Montgomery led most of the way.  Erik Poulsen started the game out unstoppable, as he scored six of his 25 points early on, and the Vikings jumped out to an 11-4 lead. Christy then made his first mark, scoring Casa Grande’s next six points, one of them on a three, to cut the lead to 12-10.
Montgomery continued to control things in the second and third quarter.  Midway through the third quarter Montgomery had a 37-29 lead, Poulsen had 24 points and it seemed like the Vikings game to win.
Casa Grande then scored 12 straight to take the lead for the first time.  Christy scored eight of the 12 and he wasn’t done.
The streak was stopped on a Poulsen free throw late in the third quarter to make it 39-38 Casa Grande going into the fourth.  That would be Poulsen’s last point.
Montgomery scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to regain the lead, but that was it for them. Andrew Coleman hit a three point shot, which gave Casa Grande the lead for good with four minutes left.  That was part of a 16-2 run that ended the game.  Christy scored nine points during the run, which included two 3’s.
WATCH THE FULL GAME RECORDING HERE
Casa Grande has won eight straight and has a one game lead over Cardinal Newman in the NBL race.  The Gauchos end the first half at Cardinal Newman on Monday Night.
THURSDAY RESULTS
BOYS
NORTH BAY LEAGUE
No. 1 Cardinal Newman 73 Santa Rosa 55
No. 5 Casa Grande 55 No. 2 Montgomery 44
No. 6 Windsor 67 Rancho Cotate 33
Maria Carrillo 56 Ukiah 54
Connor Rubattino scored a season high 30 points as Cardinal Newman led from the start in its win over Santa Rosa.
Gabe Knight scored 25 points as Windsor snapped a two game losing streak in its win over Rancho Cotate.
In the game of the night, Dominic Garcia scored the game winner with :13 left as Maria Carrillo rallied to beat Ukiah. Garcia scored a game high 21 points in a game where Ukiah had an 11 point lead in the third quarter.
LEAGUE OVERVIEW: Casa Grande has a one game lead over Cardinal Newman. Montgomery and Windsor are tied for third two games back.  The first half ends Monday with Casa Grande at Cardinal Newman, Santa Rosa at Montgomery, Windsor at Maria Carrillo and Ukiah at Rancho Cotate.
GIRLS
SONOMA COUNTY LEAGUE
No. 1 Sonoma Valley 59 Elsie Allen 9
No. 6 Petaluma 54 El Molino 37
Healdsburg 53 Piner 36
No. 4 Analy BYE
Grace Cutting scored 14 as Sonoma Valley keeps first place in its win over Elsie Allen.
Allison Scranton scored 10 to lead Petaluma over El Molino.
Hailey Roux had 24 as Healdsburg defeated Piner.
LEAGUE OVERVIEW…Sonoma Valley has a one game lead over Analy as the league reaches the halfway point.  They open the second half next Tuesday at Petaluma.  The Trojans are in third place, two games back.  Healdsburg’s win over Piner gives them fourth place, which is the final post season tournament spot.
 
FRIDAY SCHEDULE
BOYS
SONOMA COUNTY LEAGE
No. 3 Elsie Allen at Sonoma Valley
Healdsburg at No. 4 Piner
El Molino at Petaluma
No. 7 Analy BYE
LEAGUE OVERVIEW: A win for Elsie Allen and Piner moves then into a three way tie with Analy at the halfway mark. Sonoma Valley is one game back.
NCL I
No. 10 Kelseyville at No. 8 Willits
No. 9 Cloverdale at St. Helena
Middletown at Lower Lake
Fort Bragg at Clear Lake
LEAGUE OVERVIEW: Kelseyville and Willits are part of a three way tie for first with Cloverdale.  Middletown is one game back.
GIRLS
NORTH BAY LEAGUE
No. 7 Casa Grande at No. 1 Cardinal Newman
No. 2 Santa Rosa at Montgomery
No. 5 Windsor at Maria Carrillo
No. 10 Ukiah at Rancho Cotate
LEAGUE OVERVIEW: Cardinal Newman plays its first game in sole possession of first place.  Windsor and Montgomery are two games out.  The league reaches the halfway point.
NCL I
Lower Lake at No. 8 Middletown
St. Helena at Cloverdale
Willits at Kelseyville
Clear Lake at Fort Bragg
LEAGUE OVERVIEW: Middletown and Willits are tied for first place.  Cloverdale,Clear Lake and Kelseyville are one game back.
My email address is jacpasquini @comcast.net
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