Salesian-Richmond women’s basketball coach Stephen Pezzola kept his promise and danced “The Griddy.” Silivia Fonongaloa, her best player, burst into an impromptu rap that ended in “winning a ring”.
The San Domenico-San Anselmo girls sang, the Stuart Hall boys flexed, the Branson-Ross girls jumped, and the Oakland Tech girls broke into a school chant.
Friday and Saturday were filled with celebrations for five Metro basketball teams at the CIF State Championships at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
The matches seemed to carry a bit more weight, providing even more joy than normal, given that the last two championships were canceled by the pandemic. During official post-match talks, many coaches and players thanked everyone involved, even the referees, just for the opportunity to play.
Stuart Hall coach Charley Johnson, the school’s only coach for 22 years, said the pandemic has spurred a greater appreciation for all things, including the simple privilege of playing.
|
Rk. |
school |
WL |
Pre. |
|
1. |
Campolindo |
28-2 |
1 |
|
2. |
Riordan |
21-9 |
8 |
|
3. |
Mitty |
23-6 |
2 |
|
4. |
Of the room |
22-6 |
4 |
|
5. |
Preparation for the Sacred Heart |
25-5 |
3 |
|
6. |
Miramonte |
24-6 |
5 |
|
7. |
Saint Ignatius |
23-8 |
12 |
|
8. |
Moreau Catholic |
24-5 |
7 |
|
9. |
branson |
28-6 |
NR |
|
ten. |
Bishop O’Dowd |
18-7 |
9 |
|
11. |
Saint-Patrick-SV |
24-3 |
7 |
|
12. |
Oakland Technology |
23-5 |
19 |
|
13. |
Oakland |
27-4 |
14 |
|
14. |
Clayton Valley |
21-10 |
15 |
|
15. |
Dougherty Valley |
21-7 |
11 |
|
16. |
north gate |
20-9 |
ten |
|
17. |
Dublin |
16-8 |
13 |
|
18. |
Saint Francis |
16-13 |
16 |
|
19. |
University |
25-8 |
18 |
|
20. |
Lincoln-SF |
22-4 |
NR |
|
Rk. |
school |
WL |
Pre. |
|
1. |
Mitty |
30-2 |
1 |
|
2. |
Carondelet |
26-3 |
3 |
|
3. |
Salesian |
21-5 |
5 |
|
4. |
Pine forest |
22-3 |
2 |
|
5. |
Valley SR |
26-5 |
4 |
|
6. |
Saint Ignatius |
21-9 |
6 |
|
7. |
Sailor Catholic |
27-5 |
8 |
|
8. |
Bishop O’Dowd |
17-9 |
11 |
|
9. |
Christian Valley |
21-8 |
8 |
|
ten. |
Piedmont |
24-7 |
ten |
|
11. |
Cardinal Newman |
23-6 |
12 |
|
12. |
Moreau Catholic |
25-6 |
13 |
|
13. |
Saint Francis |
17-9 |
17 |
|
14. |
Heritage |
17-8 |
14 |
|
15. |
Mount Vista |
21-10 |
15 |
|
16. |
James Logan |
19-9 |
20 |
|
17. |
San Leandro |
22-6 |
9 |
|
18. |
Oakland Technology |
21-11 |
NR |
|
19. |
branson |
24-8 |
NR |
|
20. |
Acalans |
25-4 |
NR |
“It’s way bigger than the team,” Johnson said. “It’s about our administrators, our faculty, our fans, our bus drivers, our security guards, our people who clean our gymnasium. As a group, we have a perspective of that.
Pezzola’s teams had lost three previous state title games, so when asked how it felt after the 62-51 Division win over Windward-Los Angeles on Friday, Pezzola thought for a moment.
“It’s better,” he said. “The trophy is bigger. My daughters get a bit more attention and publicity, which I like because it’s all about them.
Pezzola expressed an arduous journey to the title match, one interspersed with fights, protocols and COVID-19 testing – a similar path followed by the other 23 finalists. The Salesian girls missed a full month and around 10 games from the end of December.
“I’m really proud of these young girls, how hard they’ve fought all year,” he said. “We had adversity. We had a few injuries. We had an illness. And we kind of merged in the end to do the job.
“Our motto was unity is strength. … We had 14 players to start, and they can all play basketball. Tonight truly embodies it. We had 12 people playing and everyone came after us.
And so, as he promised at the start of the season, he danced if the Pride won the state title.
“And he’s a good dancer,” Fonongaloa said.
• With four state champions, the North Coast Section tied the South Section for the most. The Oakland, Sac-Joaquin, Northern and San Diego sections each had one. “I’m really happy for our children and our schools,” said NCS Commissioner Pat Cruickshank. “It was great to see the support from their communities.”
• Seven of the 12 titles were won by private schools. The only girls’ public school to win was Oakland Tech (Division III). Technical coach Leroy Hurt said he believes his team should be ranked higher in the future after winning the D4 state title in 2019 and the D2 NorCal crown in 2020. “We are a D1 school. We should be with the D1 teams. I have said it many times.
• Branson freshman girls coach Trey Mitchell thanked San Domenico coach Mike Fulton for his advice on the Bulls’ state title race. Fulton coached Branson to state crowns in 2007 and 2008 before leading SD to a title on Friday. Mitchell said aiming high was key to the Bulls’ D4 state title and 46-23 victory over Imperial.
“I got here on November 1 and one of the first things I said to these girls was that we were going to win a ring,” Mitchell said. “If you don’t set the bar high, how will we know what the goal is in practice? I think they started to believe it as the season progressed. It all goes to these amazing ladies. They are the ones on the ground.
MaxPreps lead writer Mitch Stephens covers high school sports for The San Francisco Chronicle.
