As I stated in the comments, it was a shame to leave Freedom out.
I’ve seen both Freedom and Arroyo this year, and they are evenly matched teams, but when you compare resume’s it’s not really that close. I will agree that Arroyo was a fringe team, but the No. 11 seed is too high. And at the expense of Freedom makes it stand out this much more.
No disrespect to Arroyo, they are a fine team, but I feel like Freedom deserved to get in. The BVAL as a whole was disrespected with Antioch, Deer Valley and Liberty getting the No. 14, No. 15 and No. 16 seeds respectively.
I won’t disagree with seeds two through six, I thought that could have gone anyway. Apparently league finish was very important. Seeding Newark ahead of a Castro Valley team that won a head-to-head game is confusing. If it were more than one spot ahead, then fine, but you should flip-flop those two teams if you have them next to each other.
Enough about Division I, on to Division II thoughts.
I am shocked at Las Lomas getting a No. 8 seed. That’s just ridiculous. I’m not going to call any teams out, but I think the BSAL was valued too high in comparison with the DFAL.
And I’m also confused about YV hosting Kennedy-Richmond as the No. 6 seed. YV is not a league champ. Sure, they were the highest finishing D II team in that league, but not the champ.
I also don’t get Campo being one spot ahead of Dougherty. If you have them separated by two spots, fine. But one spot, I think the two Dougherty Valley wins should have equaled a flip-flop.
I’m not surprised Albany got the No. 2 seed. We’re about to find out if Boise State is a BCS buster, right?
Let the message boards blow up!
Division I
First Round
Wednesday, Feb. 17
No. 1 De La Salle (14-5-3) v. No. 16 Liberty (8-5-7) 5 p.m.
No. 2 San Ramon Valley (12-3-8) v. No. 15 Deer Valley (11-6-6) 7 p.m.
No. 14 Antioch (9-7-7) v. No. 3 Granada (15-3-5) 7 p.m.
No. 4 Berkeley (16-3-2) v. No. 13 College Park (12-7-5) 7 p.m.
No. 5 Richmond (14-1-9) v. No. 12 Logan (14-9-4) 7 p.m.
No. 6 California (13-3-6) v. No. 11 Arroyo (13-9-1) 7 p.m.
No. 7 Newark Memorial (19-4-4) v. No. 10 Clayton Valley (16-3-3) 7 p.m.
No. 8 Castro Valley (17-3-4) v. No. 9 Amador Valley (7-5-12) 5 p.m.
Division II
First Round
Wednesday, Feb. 17
No. 1 Bishop O’Dowd (18-0-5), bye
No. 2 Albany (21-0-3) v. No. 15 Salesian (8-9-1) 5 p.m.
No. 3 Dublin (17-3-2) v. No. 14 St. Mary’s (12-7-3) 7 p.m.
No. 4 Acalanes (17-3-3) v. No. 13 Concord (7-8-4) 7 p.m.
No. 5 Piedmont (15-4-3) v. No. 12 El Cerrito (7-9-1) 7 p.m.
No. 11 Ygnacio Valley (12-5-2) v. No. 6 Kennedy-Richmond (14-7-2) 7 p.m.
No. 7 Kennedy-Fremont (9-7-2) v. No. 10 Dougherty Valley (10-8-3) 7 p.m.
No. 8 Las Lomas (15-4-3) v. No. 9 Campolindo (12-8-4) 5 p.m.
Rankings
The good thing about the rankings this week is that the playoffs are about to start, so they will all get sorted out once and for all.
Again, I struggled with who to put at No. 1 but I valued De La Salle’s tie against California than O’Dowd’s tie against Tennyson. And I was all set to go with the Dragons this week. Still, they stay at No. 2.
Small changes in the bottom half of the rankings. Things are about to become very clear.
1. De La Salle (14-5-3)
2. Bishop O’Dowd (18-0-5)
3. Granada (15-3-5)
4. Richmond (14-1-9)
5. Berkeley (16-3-2)
6. San Ramon Valley (12-3-8)
7. California (13-3-6)
8. Albany (21-0-3)
9. Dublin (17-3-2)
10. Acalanes (17-3-3)
11. Amador Valley (7-5-12)
12. Castro Valley (17-3-4)
13. Newark Memorial (19-4-4)
14. Las Lomas (15-4-3)
15. Clayton Valley (16-3-3)
Others considered: Deer Valley (11-6-6), Logan (14-9-4), Antioch (9-7-7), Liberty (8-5-7), Ygnacio Valley (12-5-2), College Park (12-7-5), Dougherty Valley (10-8-3), Campolindo (12-8-4), Freedom (10-6-6), Piedmont (14-4-4).
League standings
ACCAL
Team Overall League Points
Berkeley (16-3-2) 10-1-1 31
Richmond (14-1-9) 9-0-3 30
Alameda (6-12-4) 5-3-4 19
El Cerrito (7-9-1) 5-6-1 16
Pinole Valley (6-14-1) 4-8-0 12
De Anza (3-14-6) 1-8-3 6
Hercules (1-12-1) 1-10-1 4
BSAL
Team Overall League Points
Albany (21-0-3) 15-0-1 46
Piedmont (14-4-4) 12-3-1 37
Kennedy (13-9-2) 10-4-2 32
St. Mary’s (12-7-3) 10-4-2 32
Salesian (8-9-1) 8-7-1 25
Encinal (5-17-1) 5-10-1 16
Swett (4-13-0) 4-12-0 12
St. Joseph-Notre Dame (3-17-0) 3-13-0 9
St. Patrick-St. Vincent (1-16-0) 1-15-0 3
BVAL
Team Overall League Points
Antioch (9-7-7) 7-3-5 26
Deer Valley (11-6-6) 6-3-6 24
Liberty (8-5-7) 6-3-6 24
Freedom (10-6-6) 6-4-5 23
Pittsburg (6-13-4) 3-8-4 13
Hertiage (3-12-2) 3-10-2 11
DFAL
Team Overall League Points
Dublin (17-3-2) 8-2-2 26
Acalanes (17-3-3) 8-3-1 25
Las Lomas (15-4-3) 6-3-3 21
Dougherty Valley (10-8-3) 4-6-2 14
Campolindo (12-8-4) 4-6-2 14
Alhambra (6-7-5) 3-6-3 12
Miramonte (0-7-5) 0-7-5 5
DVAL
Team Overall League Points
Clayton Valley (16-3-3) 10-1-1 31
Ygnacio Valley (12-5-2) 8-3-1 25
College Park (12-7-5) 7-2-3 24
Concord (7-8-4) 7-3-2 23
Northgate (4-19-1) 3-9-0 9
Berean Christian (2-19-3) 1-9-2 5
Mt. Diablo (1-12-1) 1-10-1 4
EBAL
Team Overall League Points
De La Salle (14-5-3) 10-1-3 33
San Ramon Valley (12-3-8) 7-2-5 26
Granada (15-3-5) 7-3-4 25
California (13-3-6) 7-3-4 25
Amador Valley (7-5-12) 3-2-9 18
Monte Vista (5-13-5) 3-9-2 11
Livermore (3-12-2) 2-10-2 8
Foothill (5-13-5) 0-9-5 5
HAAL
Team Overall League Points
Bishop O’Dowd (18-0-5) 12-0-4 40
Castro Valley (17-3-4) 12-1-3 39
Arroyo (12-9-1) 9-6-1 28
Mt. Eden (11-10-1) 8-7-1 25
San Lorenzo (7-7-5) 5-6-5 20
Tennyson (4-8-5) 4-7-5 17
San Leandro (6-11-6) 4-9-3 15
Hayward (6-12-3) 3-10-3 12
Moreau Catholic (2-14-3) 1-12-3 6
MVAL
Team Overall League Points
Logan (14-9-4) 9-1-2 29
Newark Memorial (19-4-4) 8-1-3 27
Kennedy (9-7-2) 7-4-1 22
Mission San Jose (10-10-1) 6-6-0 18
Washington (4-13-2) 4-7-1 13
Irvington (6-12-3) 4-7-1 13
American (0-14-0) 0-12-0 0
Statistics
Here is the list of the players in the East Bay who are top ten in goals and assists.
Goals
Littleton, Piedmont 48
Borges, Albany 25
Tieku, El Cerrito 20
Chen, Las Lomas 17
Fuentes, Newark 17
Foster, Granada 16
Ramirez, Albany 16
Rietz, BOD 16
Menezes, Dougherty 15
Huang, Deer Valley 15
Assists
Gomez, Clayton 22
Borges, Albany 20
Montes, Richmond 20
Shiluck, Castro Valley 16
Thomas, Granada 15
Lopez, YV 15
Swafford, BOD 13
Martin, Deer Valley 13
Ornstil, BOD 10
Menezes, Dougherty 10
Arzate, Newark 10
For questions, comments, to report scores, update standings or statistics, please email Matt Smith at mhsmith78@gmail.com.