What will be the East Bay’s best league in 2009?

It’s a debate that comes up every year, especially as we near playoff seedings. What IS the best league? There could be several answers to this question, depending on how one views the question. I’m strictly looking at the upcoming season, and I’m choosing to answer it in two parts.

Based on power-rankings and the strength of certain programs, the EBAL has got to be mentioned . It’s hard to ignore a league that will feature a national Top 20 team in De La Salle, a Monte Vista offense led by a Pac-10 conference-bound quarterback (Brett Nottingham, UCLA), and any team coached (or co-coached) by Foothill’s Matt Sweeney.

Still, if I’m basing my answer on a competitive league title race, I’m not sure I could go with the EBAL.  Some of the individual games will be good ones, but with question marks surrounding San Ramon Valley and Cal this season, the title race could be essentially decided as early as Oct. 9 (when DLS plays at Monte Vista).

The league that could be the most engaging and go down to Week 11 just might be the DFAL.  Right now three teams are legit title contenders (Campolindo, Las Lomas and Miramonte) and the other four programs all have spoiler potential. Mike Invankovich and the double-wing, double-tight adds a new wrinkle to the proceedings at Acalanes, and Casey Moreno is now three years deep into his rebuilding at Dublin. Alhambra has had a chance to rebuild and Dougherty Valley got to taste success in its first varsity season in 2008.

Could it come down to Nov. 13 when Las Lomas and Campolindo tangle? Based on the Knights and Cougars’ recent battles, we wouldnt’ complain.

By our count, this coming Tuesday will signal the 30-day mark before 2009 Prep Football season will begin in earnest across the East Bay. (That will be Sept. 4, for anybody who was unsure). Thus, it will be time to begin our Prep Corner countdown feature that we’ve termed 30 Questions to Kickoff.

Each day, beginning Tuesday, we’ll take a prep football-related question and attempt to provide answers (or at least make an effort to ramble intelligently). Last year, Ben Enos and myself brainstormed all 30 questions. This year, we’ll do our part, but we’d also like to open the floor to our readers.

So if you have a burning question about a player, team or league as it translates to the 2009 season, send it our way. You can ask it in a comment here, or send Ben or myself an email. (cbryson@bayareanewsgroup.com; benos@bayaeranewsgroup.com).

If you don’t have a question yet, maybe you will as the month of August progesses. In the meantime, drop in Tuesday as we kick off the official countdown with Question No. 1.

Click here, for the full list.

Wade tentatively has plans to help out with the Chabot JC coaching staff, but should not be ruled out of a head coaching job in the Tri-Valley area. He lives in San Ramon and was recently a finalist for the California vacancy. He did not express interest either way in the opening at San Ramon Valley, created when Dave Kravitz resigned late last week.

9:30 update: Ben Enos here. And so begins letter of intent day eh? We’ll have to wait until the noon press conference at Las Lomas but in the end DIante went with the school he originally chose, Oregon. It’s turning out to be a huge year for Oregon in terms of getting East Bay athletes. You can add Diante to a list that includes Nick Cole, Avery Patterson, Keaton Arden and Jackson Rice. I’ll have more for you as the day goes, including quotes from Diante himself early this afternoon.

By Chace Bryson
Staff writer

De La Salle High announced its 2009 schedule on Monday, ending more than month’s worth of rumors and conjecture.

The Spartans’ nonleague slate includes two national-power programs. On Sept. 12, they will travel to the East Coast to play a rematch against Don Bosco Prep-Ramsey (N.J.), the three-time defending state champions which beat De La Salle 23-21 at Owen Owens Field last September.

Upon returning from New Jersey, the Spartans will have a bye week before hosting Lakeland (FLA) on Sept. 26 in a nationally televised game on ESPNU. Lakeland was the USA Today mythical national champions in 2005 and 2006. It was 14-1 in 2008, losing it’s only game to St. Thomas Aquinas-Fort Lauderdale in the 5A state championship game.

De La Salle’s season-opener will be Sept. 4 when it plays host to Serra-San Mateo.

NOTE: Check out this web site for Lakeland’s football team. What a site! http://www.lakelandfootball.com

Photos of the week

Next, in case you missed it, here’s the Cream of the Crop slideshow

Cream of the Crop

“There were a lot of reasons but I just needed a change of scenery,” Davis said. “I went to school here and then coached here. It was just time to try something different.”

In three seasons with Davis at the helm, the Warriors went 20-16 and reached the North Coast Section playoffs all three years. He notified Ygnacio Valley’s administration of his decision on Dec. 18.

“I’m definitely proud of what we did,” Davis said. “It’s a tough school and we had a winning record for two of the three years we were here. It was a good experience.”

Athletic director George Streeter said there is no timetable in which to hire a coach, but rather that he and the Ygnacio Valley administration are focused on finding the best candidate for the job.

“It’s going to be really tough to fill his shoes here,” Streeter said. “He did a great job and so did Mike Ivankovich before him and so did (Tim Murphy) before him.”

• For the three years I’ve been covering East Bay wrestling, Granada has always been one of the deepest dual teams I’ve ever seen. They bring a high level at every weight class consistently. Last night, the Mats ran into a team that was just a little deeper. I think the score could have been a little closer had a few close matches gone Granada’s way, but I think everyone in the building saw that the deeper team was definitely De La Salle.
• Everyone knows about DLS 152-pounder Tyler Sheridan being one of the best in the state. But, I was equally impressed with Vinny Moita, who really looked the part of a potential state medalist. I’ll be interested to see how he does this weekend at the Doc Buchanan, because he’s gotten awfully good.
• In 14 matches, De La Salle wrestled exactly three seniors. ONLY THREE SENIORS! Man, that says a lot about that program. They also started three freshmen (Joey Moita, Alex Abono, and Justin Walker) and two of those guys got wins.
• As for Granada, I think they have a couple guys capable of making deep runs at NCS. Zach Waldren, Donald Haines and Dylan Lanto all stood out to me last night. Also, I think the Mats will again make a run at the NCS Dual Meet title.

All in all, it was a good way to get the dual season going. Livermore is the next big EBAL team to get a crack at DLS, next Wednesday at 6:30 in Concord.

Takahashi said that he is finishing a program to earn an administrative credential, which means that he is going to begin applying for administrative jobs. He said that he didn’t want to leave the team without a coach in the critical spring and summer months leading up to the season.

“I just felt it wasn’t right to put everything in motion, get all the spring and summer stuff going, and have the meetings and then find out in April that I might have a job offer and kind of throw everything into chaos,” Takahashi said. “I felt it would be better for me to step down now than to try and do it and pull out late.”

Takahashi compiled a 13-19 record in three seasons as head coach. The Dons reached the North Coast Section playoffs two of his three years. He said that the school is now accepting applications for the position and that he hopes to have the position filled by the end of January or in early February.