RANDOM ACT OF FACTNESS
HE SAID WHAT?!?
With its 44-0 win over Antioch on Nov. 12, the Pittsburg football team logged its third shutout since 2004 in the storied Big Little Game. However, prior to 2004, the Pirates had gone almost 40 years without shutting out the Panthers. A 26-0 win in 1967 was the last time Pittsburg had held Antioch scoreless. This year marked the 92nd regular-season meeting between the rival schools. The overall series record (which includes one playoff game) stands at 60-26-7 in the Pirates’ favor.
“It was a surprise to see my upper lip again.”
BEFORE
Long-tenured Las Lomas High boys water polo assistant coach, Larry Banfield, who followed through on a four-year promise to the Knights seniors that they could shave his mustache if they won a North Coast Section title. Las Lomas defeated Alhambra 13-8 in the Division II boys championship on Nov. 13, and Banfield’s mustache — established and groomed since 1976 — was treated to some electric shears during the celebration. For more NCS water polo coverage see page 16.
AFTER
Jonathan Hawthorne
Bob Larson
Postseason happenings which test our stoic reporter personas We don’t cheer in the press box, but as the fall sports season winds down, here are five things we haven’t minded (or would mind) reporting on: ■ In the 15 years of NCS boys water polo championships, Miramonte and De La Salle have been the only teams to win. Rooting for them is sorta like rooting for the IRS. Or the Yankees. So when Acalanes held on for a 9-8 win over the Matadors in the NCS Div. I final, yeah, we admit it: There might have been a little happy dance. ■ We also have to admit we were grudgingly rooting for Alameda’s Grace Na when she shot an even-par 74 and won the CIF/WSCGA state golf championship. Grudgingly. Because, well, we’ve never even sniffed 74. Or, frankly, 84. Not that we’re bitter or anything like that. ■ We’ve always wanted to write: “Monte Vista tops Monta Vista.” So, obviously we were not-so-secretly hoping the Monte Vista (Danville) girls tennis team tops Lowell-S.F. in the CIF-USTA NorCal Team Tennis championship quarterfinals and advances to face Monta Vista (Cupertino) in the semis. ■ Would it be so wrong to root for the Campolindo girls volleyball team? We don’t think so. Local teams haven’t historically fared so well in the CIF championships, what with the SoCal dominance and all. But, at 303, the Cougars have a No. 1 seed in the Div. III bracket and have a legit shot at reaching the finals. ■ We’re really hoping both Concord and Northgate win their second-round games in the NCS Div. II football playoffs. Something tells us the Broncos (9-2) would make a much better showing in a semifinal rematch against the Minutemen (10-1) which rode roughshod over them on Nov. 5. In the same division, how could we not be pulling a little bit for upstart Pinole Valley? The Spartans (10-0-1) are, improbably, the only local team left that hasn’t lost yet this year whose initials aren’t D, L, S. — Bill Kolb
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November 25, 2010
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