This evening’s Berkeley-at-Irvington North Coast Section 3A East Bay game was baseball theater at its finest. Scoring opportunities for both teams, but great pitching dominating most all the way through. Oh, and what a finish! Last of the seventh, two outs, runners at first and second, and Irvington batter Ryan Tella facing an 0-2 count against Berkeley’s Tyler Bremer. And then Tella blasts a two-run triple to center field to win the game.

Baseball just does not get any better.

Anyone who appreciates tennis had to appreciate the play of Alameda High School senior Thai Tu this year. Earlier this month, he captured the second North Coast Section singles title of his career, after having also won as a sophomore two seasons ago. He also was part of NCS doubles championships as a freshman and junior, giving him a title in each of his four years at Alameda High. In addition to this individual successes, he also helped the Hornets win the NCS team title in 2007 and to finish second this year. But the titles only tell part of the story. When watching Tu play, it quickly becomes apparent that he is well schooled in the game. He reads an opponent’s return superbly and is always in the right position to get to the ball. Other players run frantically around their court, but Tu is the model of efficiency, getting the best results while expending much less energy than the average player. Tu moves on to Cal in the fall, and the Bears will be getting an outstanding player. As for high school tennis, the NCS might not see anyone of Tu’s ilk for some time.

Most high school sports consist of the the top talents, the middle tier and the also-rans.  When covering tennis, it becomes clear that the middle ground is small, maybe even nonexistent. In this sport, either the players have it or they don’t. A match either is very good or very poor. I am at a loss, though, to explain why this is.

“The thrill of victory…and the agony of defeat. The human drama of athletic competition.”

“Wide World of Sports” was a favorite television program while growing up. And the above famous words of the program’s intro, as spoken by host Jim McKay, played over and over in the mind while watching the April 10 nonleague high school boys volleyball match between St. Joseph Notre Dame and host Encinal. For sure, this derby between Alameda schools, which saw St. Joseph rally for a thrilling 21-25, 27-29, 25-22, 26-24, 15-11 win, would have made a great “Wide World” installment.

Yes, the thrill of victory was present. As was the agony of defeat. And in terms of the human drama of athletic competition - - well, this match was sporting theater at its finest. Fact is, the match offered everything a fan would want to see: Intensity. Emotion. Excitement. Effort. Athleticism. Skill. Long rallies. Strong serves. Daring play. Diving for balls. Momentum swings. Lead changes. Energy to spare. And plenty of controversial calls to add to the spectacle. In sum, both teams went all out, playing the game the way it was meant to be played.

The thrill of victory. The agony of defeat. The human drama of athletic competition. The Pilots and Jets provided all of that.

Recently, I asked my 11-year-old son if he would consider joining a sand volleyball team for boys. Since volleyball was a fun part of high school PE classes for dad some years earlier, I figured he might find it fun, too.

My son’s response? “Volleyball is for girls.”

Try as I might, talking to him about the great Karch Kiraly and all of the stars of the U.S. men’s indoor gold medal Olympic volleyball teams of 1984 and 1988, I could not convince him otherwise. Unfortunately, I could not blame him for his attitude toward the game.

Take a look around. Not so much at the worldwide view of the game, but at what happens right in front of our noses. In my grade school days, the girls played volleyball in one part of the playground while the boys played either touch football, wiffle ball or kickball in another. Never the twain shall meet.

To the present day, California high schools have state championship playoffs for girls in the fall, but none for boys in the spring. And at some high schools, unfortunately, few seem to care much about the boys version of the sport.

Back to the worldwide view, volleyball in its various forms is popular among both genders. Heck, in Brazil there’s a form of the game called futvolley (or futevolei, if you happen to be visiting there). It blends soccer and volleyball as players attempt to play the ball with any part of the body except the hands (which goes a long way in explaining why Brazilians are so good at both sports). But in other parts of the world, sadly - - including some schools and neighborhoods nearby - - old stereotypes persist.

For comparison, field hockey had a 72-year head start as an Olympic men’s sport before the inaugural women’s competition in 1980. But this country has long went against the international grain, as the game has long been considered a “girls’ sport” here.

Will volleyball fall into the same trap? Like field hockey, it’s too good a sport to get stereotyped. Unfortunately, though, it’s very easy for a volleyball-for-all proponent to feel like a voice in the wilderness.

Some years ago, a volleyball publication ran a story about the sport’s appeal as an after-work activity for urban factory workers in the early decades of the 20th century.

Fast forward to the present, and high school boys volleyball is a hit-and-miss proposition throughout Northern California. Yeah, some large-enrollment schools - - especially well-heeled ones - - can dominate their leagues. Some players here and there even get college scholarships. The Alameda Contra Costa Athletic League, however, is more a throwback to volleyball’s blue-collar roots. While the ACCAL might not produce many - - if any - - Division I college players, many of the games will please the average fan.

Encinal High School’s island derby with crosstown archrival Alameda at the Hornets Nest on March 20 serves as a case in point. Encinal won 25-12, 25-20, 25-12; and true, Alameda was short four players, including a starting setter and hitter, who sat out for undisclosed reasons. But that’s not to take away from Encinal’s effort. There was flow. There was style. There was synergy. There was enthusiasm. And there was a distinct feel for the game among the experienced Jets, who have 10 seniors on their roster. Oh, and the Jets’ Hawaiian floral-print trunks add a sense of fashion, too.

Volleyball is a second sport for a lot of guys. Often, teams reflect this reality. Encinal middle hitter Jason Silsdorf offers a refreshing exception. An All-ACCAL basketball player as Encinal’s center in the winter, Silsdorf looks very much at ease in the middle of volleyball coach Chris Bautista’s frontcourt. The senior is not a bad server, either. Could it be that Silsdorf actually is a volleyball player who doubles as a basketball player?

Volleyball, of course, is a team game, and the Jets are not only about one player. Fact is, frontline play is an overall team strength. Aaron Wang (a match-high 11 kills against Alameda) and Ryan Perdiguerra would be welcome additions to most any team. And Kamaka Baculpo brings an added presence off the bench.

As for setting, Steve North gave 16 assists against the Hornets. And libero Mervin Arquero was a strong presence in the back row, as were Melvin Arquero and Francisco Cano.

Encinal’s primary team color is blue. Fittingly, the Jets are a throwback to blue-collar volleyball.  And if one match tells a story, such a level and style of play are pretty darn good. Division I prospects or not, it’s volleyball well worth seeing.

Granted, the talent level doesn’t approach that of the pros and colleges, but for an entertaining sporting experience the form of basketball played in the high schools can’t be beaten. On Wednesday (Feb. 27), I was at St. Elizabeth High in Oakland for its NCS Division V boys semifinal with visiting Lick-Wilmerding - - but it could have been any other school gym here or elsewhere. Yes, the gym was small, but the atmosphere was great, with plenty of fans of both teams packing the seats and cheering their teams. In larger venues, something gets lost. The NBA has the best players, but that league also is a big business enterprise. A long regular season and bloated playoffs make a lot of those games seem like contrivances. The college game is OK, but games work best in smaller venues. The higher levels might have the names and the talented players. But with school spirit overflowing, high school basketball is the heart and soul  of the game.

Unless you’re a coach, student-athlete or parent/guardian of a student-athlete whose high school soccer season takes place in spring, this year’s soccer season came to an end Saturday night, Feb. 23.

And what a conclusion it was. I was assigned to the North Coast Section 2A boys final between Piedmont and Campolindo at Acalanes High School. Not to belabor a point, as I’ve written about this game in a previous entry, but both teams did themselves proud. OK, so the score was 6-1 for Campolindo, but there were a lot of elements in this game to appreciate.

I wish there could have been two of me that same night, as colleague Matt Smith looked as if he caught a very good game in witnessing Pittsburg beat Amador Valley for the boys 3A title. Can only wonder, though, how Richmond High would have held up against either of those teams. Richmond, as described in an earlier post, was the team of skill in its Feb. 16 quarterfinal at home against Deer Valley, which relied largely on force. Deer Valley might have prevailed on a late penalty kick in that game, but the biggest loser was the sport of soccer itself.

In the long run, though, soccer itself was no loser come Feb. 23. Colleague Bill Kruissink, from all reports, saw a real barnburner when covering the 3A girls championship game between San Ramon Valley and Foothill at Dublin High. SRV won this game in a shootout. OK, so shootouts never are perfect; they’re a tough way to lose and maybe not the most satisfying way to win. Still, it sounded like a great game for both teams, who can only be proud of the performances they gave.

Colleague Phil Jensen covered the 2A girls title match between Piedmont and Miramonte that preceded the boys match at Acalanes High. Having arrived at Acalanes well in advance of the boys game, I was able to catch the last few minutes of the girls match. The scoreboard read, “Home 1, Visitors 0,” when I arrived, but until I asked Phil specifically, I could not tell which team was ahead as both the Highlanders and victorious Matadors kept attacking until the final whistle.

Yes, the winter soccer season is finished. And for the sport of soccer itself, it ended on a high note.

The news earlier this month that Bishop O’Dowd coach Tim Newman had stepped down from his post came as a surprise. Also stepping down with Newman were assistant Patrick Acebo and JV coach Dean Fukawa. As veterans of 16 seasons at the hilltop campus, Newman and company had become an institution at the Oakland hilltop campus after having produced 10 league titles and four NCS titles. In addition, 22 O’Dowd players went on to college programs after playing for Newman. The latest news has it that recent O’Dowd player, Ariell Cooke, now at the University of Miami, took part in U.S. national team tryouts this past weekend (Feb. 23-24). Newman, et al, indeed have built an excellent program, one with a 51-game Hayward Area Athletic League winning streak intact. Newman, Acebo and Fukawa, who began at BOD together, we’re told, decided to step down together in order to pursue other interests. Newman remains at O’Dowd as a teacher and head of the science department. He also leaves behind a reputable, respected and successful program he helped build. Whoever takes over the coaching reins at O’Dowd is going to have some big shoes to fill.

To soccer nonbelievers (of which there are many, unfortunately), the thought of either a scoreless or lopsided contest is sure to induce a roll of the eyes and perhaps a feigned snore for added effect.

The poor souls just don’t know what they’re missing.

Take the Feb. 23 North Coast Section 2A boys final between Campolindo and Piedmont at Acalanes High School as a case in point. Sure, Campolindo won 6-1. But the teams were more evenly-matched than the score might indicate. Both teams showed some fine skills and an overall feel for the game. But the Cougars, most especially, gave a wonderful display of their abilities on set pieces, a part of the game that is grossly undervalued by many.

Seems the Cougars have a lot of strong-legged players. Alika Okamitsu was a joy to watch, a revelation for those who had never before seen him. Okamitsu set up the game’s first goal with a booming free kick from beyond midfield. A defender, Okamitsu exhibited speed and ball skills to go along with his booming shots and free kicks. A junior, Okamitsu surely will be one player to keep an eye on next season.

Beyond Okamitsu’s well-placed assist (Max Smith-Gee was credited with the goal), free kicks led to two other Cougars goals. And a throw-in that was flicked on before being put into the net accounted for a fourth. Further, Okamitsu wasn’t the only Cougars player capable of long-distance accuracy, as both Georgio Tavecchio and Jason Kimura scored on second-half “crackers,” as British commentators are wont to say.

A free kick also led to Piedmont’s only goal as Nikolai Littleton finished a William Young serve into the box in the late minutes. In all, Piedmont had most of the early play and finished with 12 shots to Campolindo’s 13. But in this game, every Highlanders mistake proved costly.

On paper, a 6-1 final score might not impress. But Campolindo-Piedmont made for great soccer and a great NCS final - - and on a cold, wet evening, too boot! What a great display in the value of set pieces and accurate long-range shooting!

It makes a fan want to scream for an encore!