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Tag: inside sports

  • Kurtenbach: ‘Spencsanity’ is fun, but the next five games will tell us who the Warriors really are

    The Warriors’ last two games felt like a fever dream.

    That, or it’s been so long since they last played that the memories are getting fuzzy.

    Did we really see Pat Spencer turning into the second coming of Jeremy Lin? Did the Dubs really beat the Cleveland Cavaliers and then dismantle the Chicago Bulls?

    Did they have swagger? Momentum?

    This Spencsanity that’s sweeping through the Bay is clearly infectious and possibly dangerous.

    Maybe we should take a breath.

    Because if you look closely at what actually happened this past weekend, you realize two things:

    1. The Warriors played well.

    2. We still know absolutely nothing about this basketball team.

    Dieter Kurtenbach

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  • Batman returns (to practice): Steph Curry rejoins Warriors after quad injury

    SAN FRANCISCO – Jimmy Butler likes to refer to Steph Curry as “Batman,” an otherworldly talent who can bail the Warriors out of many a tough spot. 

    After a five-game absence caused by a left quad injury suffered on Nov. 26 against the Rockets, Golden State’s superhero is set to return during Friday’s home game against the Timberwolves. 

    The Warriors will have had four days off between Sunday’s blowout victory in Chicago and the matchup with Minnesota, thanks to the NBA Cup schedule. 

    Curry spent the last three road games working out with the Warriors’ medical staff in the Bay Area and practiced with the team at Chase Center on Wednesday afternoon. 

    “For Friday, he’s day-to-day, but it’s looking good,” coach Steve Kerr said.

    Curry was a full participant in practice, and was involved in the team’s scrimmage.

    Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) pauses as he holds his leg in pain in the fourth quarter of an NBA game against the Houston Rockets at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

    The team survived Curry’s absence, going 3-2 and putting up a surprising 2-1 record on the most recent Eastern Conference trip to Philadelphia, Cleveland and Chicago. 

    Unheralded 29-year-old guard Pat Spencer was a revelation as an athletic and energetic pick-and-roll guard, scoring in double-figures in each of the last four games while starting twice. 

    Spencer will head back to the bench as Golden State’s franchise player returns, but still expect him to get plenty of minutes.

    “I think it’s the shooting, the threat from long range,” Kerr said of Spencer. “He’ll be in the rotation for sure.”. 

    In his 17th season, Curry has remained an elite player. He is averaging 27.9 points and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 39.1% from behind the 3-point line.  

    He has scored at least 30 points in seven of the 16 games he has played this season, including three 40-point games. 

    His next 40-point game will break a tie (44 games) with Michael Jordan for the most games with at least 40 points scored since turning 30. 

    Joseph Dycus

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  • Five in a row: Pittsburg crushes Cardinal Newman to claim latest NCS D1 crown

    Pittsburg demolishes Cardinal Newman to cruise to fifth straight NCS Division I championship.

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    Nathan Canilao

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  • Sharks can cling to one positive trend after blowout loss to Avalanche

    SAN JOSE – Perhaps the Sharks’ biggest strength in recent weeks – beyond getting outstanding individual performances from second-year center Macklin Celebrini and rookie goalie Yarsolav Askarov — has been their ability to get past a bad game.

    The Sharks, regrettably, are in that position again going into Friday’s home matinee against the Vancouver Canucks, as they try to bounce back from their most lopsided loss of the season.

    On their heels from the start, the Sharks were blasted 6-0 by the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Wednesday night as they allowed two goals in the first period and three more in the second.

    Nothing went right for the Sharks as Askarov, through no fault of his own, was pulled early in the second period after the fourth goal. San Jose also managed only a handful of quality scoring chances as it was shut out for the third time this season.

    Now it’s a matter of correcting those issues – the lack of compete and physicality, along with some mental errors and defensive breakdowns – in time for their game against the Canucks, who are coming off a 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.

    “To get better and to be a good team, you can’t dwell on the past,” Sharks forward Adam Gaudette said Thursday. “If you have an off night, the most important thing is the response the next game. You can’t let those losses stack up.”

    The Sharks (11-10-3) haven’t, as after their last seven losses, they’ve responded with a win six times.

    The most recent example came last weekend, when, after a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, the Sharks responded the next day with a 3-1 victory over the Boston Bruins.

    The Senators outcompeted the Sharks for most of the final two periods. But after what coach Ryan Warsofsky called an “honest” talk the next morning, the Sharks responded with a much better overall effort – combined with a tremendous performance from Askarov – to finish what was a four-game homestand on a positive note.

    “You hope at some point it clicks, and you don’t have to have a response after a letdown, and you grow your team, and you grow your game,” Warsofsky said Thursday. “But for where we are as an organization, with the (youth) on our team, we’re probably going to have some nights where we maybe take a step forward, and a few games later, we take a little bit of a step back.

    “We’ve got to, as coaches, challenge that and try to teach through that, demand more, and have an understanding of what it looks like when we have success. I think our group has responded pretty well for the most part this year.”

    Much better than the previous few years, anyway. As the Sharks went 20-50-12 last season, they had five losing streaks of at least six games and responded to a loss with a win only 13 times.

    This season, after a 0-4-2 start, the Sharks’ longest losing skid is two games, as they lost on the road to Calgary and Seattle on Nov. 13 and 15. That’s allowed the Sharks to stay near the playoff cutline, as they entered Thursday two points back of the second and final wild card spot in the Western Conference.

    The Sharks will fly to Las Vegas right after Friday’s game to play the Golden Knights on Saturday.

    “There’s just a better product on ice, and a bigger belief that we’re a good team in here,” Sharks winger Ryan Reaves said. “When you start believing that, those losses don’t mean as much. A loss is a loss, but you’ve got to move on, and good teams learn how to move on.”

    CELEBRINI SITS

    Celebrini was given a maintenance day on Thursday but will play Friday, said Warsofsky, adding that the Sharks’ leading scorer and No. 1 center isn’t dealing with anything specific.

    “Just a lot of hockey for him,” Warsofsky said. “Just going through the wear of it all, just kind of dealing with bumps and bruises, and (Celebrini’s) no different.”

    Celebrini had 20:47 in ice time on Wednesday and played late into the third period. Celebrini centered the Sharks’ top line with William Eklund and Will Smith and had three shots on net, 11 shot attempts, and won seven of 17 faceoffs. The Sharks’ power play created some scoring opportunities but still went 0-for-4.

    SKINNER, MISA TIMELINES

    Forwards Jeff Skinner and Michael Misa, both out with lower-body injuries, skated again on Thursday and could, if they continue to progress, join the Sharks for their next scheduled practice on Tuesday.

    Curtis Pashelka

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  • How Avs’ Blackwood helped the Sharks’ future franchise goalie: ‘Not everybody’s like that’

    SAN JOSE – Yaroslav Askarov did not know many people inside the San Jose Sharks organization in Aug. 2024 when general manager Mike Grier acquired him from the Nashville Predators.

    Fellow goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, who also came to the Sharks via trade a little more than a year earlier, offered the Russian-born Askarov his support and helped him get adjusted to his new surroundings.

    It’s something Askarov will never forget.

    “I’m still not speaking (English) really well, but last year was worse,” Askarov said. “He was like, ‘Hey buddy, if you need to say something, just take your time. I’m going to be waiting. I’m going to be listening to you. I’m going to try to (help you) understand everything.’

    “Not everybody’s like that.”

    The Sharks traded Blackwood, forward Givani Smith, and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Avalanche last December for goalie Alexandar Georgiev, winger Nikolai Kovalenko, a conditional 2025 fifth-round pick, and a second-rounder in 2026.

    Still, Blackwood, with his big personality, not to mention his often-stellar play, left his mark in San Jose, particularly on Askarov, who has all but replaced Blackwood as the Sharks’ No. 1 goalie with his own recent string of success.

    Askarov and Blackwood were again set to be on opposite sides of the ice on Wednesday night when the Sharks faced the league-leading Avalanche at Ball Arena. In the Sharks’ 3-2 overtime win over Colorado on Nov. 1, Askarov stopped 36 of 38 shots while Blackwood made 20 saves in what was his first game of the season.

    “He doesn’t have bad days,” Askarov said of Blackwood. “He always has fun. He’s smiling, jokes around. It helps during the long hockey season, because you’re keeping your focus most of the time, but he’s that type of guy who makes your life easier and makes your life more fun.”

    The Sharks haven’t reaped much reward for trading Blackwood, at least not yet, as the underperforming Georgiev and Kovalenko are now back in Russia. The 2025 fifth-round pick was used on center Max Heise, who had 15 points in 19 games for the Prince Albert Raiders before Wednesday, and the 2026 pick looks like it will come late in the second round.

    Blackwood, a pending unrestricted free agent, signed a five-year, $26.25 million contract extension with the Avalanche, a term and dollar amount the Sharks were unwilling to commit to, partly because they felt they had their goalie of the future in Askarov, who spent the majority of last season in the AHL with the Barracuda.

    Before Wednesday’s game, Askarov was now 7-1-0 this month with a .959 save percentage – second-best in the NHL among all goalies with at least five starts – as he helped the Sharks rejoin the playoff race after a 0-4-2 start.

    There’s no doubt that Askarov credits Blackwood for helping him become comfortable in San Jose.

    Curtis Pashelka

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  • Askarov stands tall (again) as Sharks finish homestand with impressive win

    SAN JOSE – Shakir Mukhamadullin and Macklin Celebrini both had goals in the first two periods, and goalie Yaroslav Askarov made 33 saves as the San Jose Sharks earned a 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday to close out a four-game homestand.

    Mukhamadullin scored his first goal of the season at the 15:53 mark of the first period, and Celebrini added his 14th at the 11:45 mark of the second on a power play as the Sharks took a 2-0 lead.

    The Bruins got one goal back at the 10:02 mark of the third as Morgan Geekie scored his 17th of the season in front of the Sharks’ net off a pass from David Pastrnak.

    Collin Graf iced the win for the Sharks with an empty-net goal with 1:07 to play.

    Askarov didn’t have a chance on that play and had eight saves in the third period, as the Sharks finished their homestand with a 3-1-0 record.

    Askarov made 25 saves through two periods, including one on a one-timer by Pastrnak midway through the second period.

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San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (30) keeps an eye on the puck against Boston Bruins’ Marat Khusnutdinov (92) in the third period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

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Askarov entered Sunday as one of the hottest goalies in the NHL. In seven starts this month, Askarov was 6-1-0, and his .957 save percentage was second-best among all NHL goalies who have started at least seven games.

Askarov was coming off a 31-save performance in the Sharks’ 4-3 shootout win over the Los Angeles Kings. Askarov also made 24 saves in San Jose’s 3-2 overtime win over the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday to open the homestand.

The Sharks were looking to bounce back after a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday when coach Ryan Warsofsky lamented his team’s lack of complete, battle-level, and attention to detail.

San Jose held a 2-1 lead late in the second period, but a poor line change helped lead to a goal by Senators winger Fabian Zetterlund, and a defensive breakdown late in the third allowed Tim Stutzle to score the go-ahead goal, handing the Sharks their third loss in five games.

The Sharks tweaked their forward lines for Sunday’s game. William Eklund was moved to the top line alongside Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, and Philipp Kurashev slid to the second line with Alexander Wennberg, who played his 100th game with the Sharks on Sunday, and Tyler Toffoli.

Playing on back-to-back days, Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky also wanted to get fresh legs into the lineup, as rookie Sam Dickinson entered the lineup for Sam Klingberg. But it was clear, too, that Warsofsky thought Klingberg’s miscue led to Stutzle’s goal on Saturday.

“We don’t scan well enough as a defense, we don’t read it,” Warsofsky said Sunday. “It’s a quick game. So, we’ve got to be able to read it quickly. Again, the change isn’t (ideal), but it’s a 2-1-2 (neutral-zone forecheck). We should be able to defend that pretty easily.”

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San Jose Sharks’ Tyler Toffoli (73) fights for the puck against Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) and Boston Bruins’ Elias Lindholm (28) in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

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Curtis Pashelka

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  • Sharks’ Klingberg takes a seat after miscue; Will roster spot be available for young center?

    SAN JOSE – Say this about the way the San Jose Sharks’ active roster is put together: When coach Ryan Warsofsky wants to make a change on defense, he has no shortage of options.

    Sunday, it was again John Klingberg’s turn to take a seat in the press box, as the Sharks prepared to face the Boston Bruins at SAP Center to finish a four-game homestand.

    Playing on back-to-back days, Warsofsky said he wanted to get fresh legs into the lineup Sunday, as rookie Sam Dickinson entered the lineup for Klingberg. But it was clear, too, that Warsofsky thought Klingberg’s miscue helped the Ottawa Senators earn a 3-2 win over the Sharks on Saturday.

    Klingberg scored a power-play goal for the Sharks in the first period. But he was also on the ice late and out of position in the third period when the Senators got a 2-on-0 and scored what would become the game-winning goal.

    As Sharks forwards Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev headed off the ice on an ill-timed line change, Klingberg was too far to the outside when Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson sent a pass right past Shakir Mukhamadullin to Drake Batherson.

    Batherson passed to Dylan Cozens, whose shot on a forehand-to-backhand move was saved by Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic. Klingberg got back but was unable to clear the puck off the goal line before Tim Stutzle arrived and poked it across with 6:38 left in the third period for the go-ahead goal.

    “We don’t scan well enough as a defense, we don’t read it,” Warsofsky said Sunday. “It’s a quick game. So, we’ve got to be able to read quick. Again, the change isn’t (ideal), but it’s a 2-1-2 (neutral-zone forecheck). We should be able to defend that pretty easily.”

    Klingberg, signed to a one-year, $3 million contract as a free agent in July, was a healthy scratch for the first time this season on Tuesday when San Jose hosted Utah.

    “I’m a defenseman. I’ve got to know what’s going on behind me,” Klingberg said after Saturday’s game. “But I’m thinking it’s a 1-1-3, so I’m gapping up on (Stutzle) and then they pass it, and there’s a breakaway 2-on-0 behind me. So, I’ve got to realize that a lot quicker.

    “(Nedeljkovic) obviously makes a huge save, and then I kind of get stuck with my stick in his pad. Otherwise, I’m clearing out (the puck) on the goal line.”

    Veteran defenseman Nick Leddy will also be a scratch for a third straight game Sunday, as the Sharks had eight available defensemen against the Bruins. They will soon have a ninth, as Vincent Iorio finishes up his two-week conditioning loan with the Barracuda.

    The overabundance of blueliners has created a bit of a tricky situation for Warsofsky, who has to dress the best lineup he can for every game while ensuring that Dickinson and Mukhamadullin are still playing and developing the proper way.

    Asked Sunday how tenable it is to continue to have nine defensemen, while only having 12 forwards, Warsofsky said, “It is what it is. We’ll focus on today, and the guys on the roster, and we’ll make do.”

    Curtis Pashelka

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  • Kurtenbach: The superior 49ers should handle the Panthers. But does that sound like the 2025 Niners? My predictions for Monday Night Football

    The NFL schedule makers, in their infinite, algorithmic wisdom, have given us a Monday night curiosity.

    The 49ers, I get — big brand, big names, big ratings for ESPN.

    But the Carolina Panthers? I’m not even sure if noted superfan Steph Curry has watched a full Panthers game this season.

    And was this supposed to be a breakthrough campaign for them?

    So the NFL’s most forgettable team will be on arguably the sport’s biggest stage. And having watched them in preparation for Monday Night Football, I have some bad news to deliver:

    The Panthers are not a good football team.

    They aren’t even a bad football team — because bad teams at least have the decency to have an identity. No, the Panthers are something far worse: aggressively mediocre.

    They’re the unsalted cracker of the NFL. The waiting room music of the league.

    I could go on.

    But it’s that pile of nothingness that would make Nietzsche shudder that makes Monday’s game the most dangerous night of the year for Kyle Shanahan.

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  • 49ers 5 keys to beating Panthers on Monday night for elusive second straight win

    SANTA CLARA – On display now at the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a memento from the 49ers’ last game, only it’s the Arizona Cardinals’ jersey of Jacoby Brissett, who set an NFL record with 47 completions last Sunday.

    Embarrassing as that may be, the 49ers brought home their seventh victory of the season. Winning by any means possible is all that matters from here on out to the playoffs, and possibly back home to Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl LX in this bizarro-world season.

    That’s why the 49ers (7-4) can not overlook the surprisingly upstart Carolina Panthers (6-5) in Monday night’s matchup.

    “It gets more important the later you get in the year, especially playing against a team right now who’s in the playoff hunt, fighting for first place in their division,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “So, I think we fully understand how important it is to get a back-to-back win.”

    The 49ers have not done that since their 3-0 start, instead alternating wins and losses each weekend amid myriad injuries.

    The Panthers had won just twice in 20 road games dating to 2023 before winning their past three away from Charlotte. They’re seeking their first Monday Night Football road win since 2016, and, almost a decade later, this is their first encore away from home since then.

    They’re not total strangers out here. They were, after all, the 49ers’ NFC West cohort from 1995-2001. They lost Super Bowl 50 here a decade ago. And they clobbered Shanahan 23-3 in his 49ers’ debut in 2017.

    But, again, all that matters now is who wins Monday night and makes a sizeable step toward the playoffs. Here are five keys for the 49ers to make that happen:

    1. STOP THE RUN

    The No. 1 task for any defense is stopping the run, and Monday night that puts the 49ers’ focus on Rico Dowdle. His patience style paid off with a 1,079-yard season last season as the Dallas Cowboys’ starter, and he’s carried that over this season to the Panthers.

    He is averaging 5 yards per carry, and he’s 167 yards shy of a 1,000-yard season. Mind you, he ran for 391 yards combined in back-to-back games against Miami and Dallas last month. Dowdle played a bit role as a Cowboys backup in two previous games against the 49ers, totaling just 26 yards in those 2020 and ’23 games. Spelling him are Chubba Hubbard and rookie Trevor Etienne.

    Curtis Robinson’s first career start comes with weighty responsibility as the play-relaying, movement-signaling middle linebacker role previously occupied by Fred Warner and Tatum Bethune, the latter of whom is out likely these next two games before the Week 14 bye because of last Sunday’s high-ankle sprain.

    2. TIGHTER PASS DEFENSE

    The 49ers not only failed to sack Brissett amid his 47-completion barrage, they yielded the fourth-most yards in their history (452). Carolina’s Bryce Young almost threw for that many on Sunday, too.

    In beating the Atlanta Falcons 30-27 in overtime, Young delivered a career-best game (448 yards, three touchdowns, 123.2 rating). He has a bona fide No. 1 target in Tetairoa McMillan, who leads all rookies with 748 yards (four touchdowns). The 6-foot-5 McMillan had 130 yards and two touchdowns last Sunday, but he’s yet to produce a reception longer than 40 yards.

    The 49ers got interceptions last game from Deommodore Lenoir and Malik Mustapha, perhaps signaling a long-awaited launch point for a takeaway trend. The 49ers’ pass rush, led by Bryce Huff and Keion White, also could wake up and get to Young, who got sacked five times last game.

    Pay particular attention to intermediate passes between 10 and 19 yards, where McMillan has thrived (407 yards) and the 49ers’ defense has waned (111.3 passer rating).

    3. AN ‘UNWANTED’ McCAFFREY

    McCaffrey entered the NFL in 2017 with a chip on his shoulder and carried it with him from the Panthers’ trade to the 49ers three years ago. Motivation is never a concern. But perhaps he should channel his post-trade emotions and lash out for his third 100-yard game in the past six weeks, though the 49ers certainly wouldn’t mind another three-touchdown outing like last game.

    “In hindsight, I firmly believe it’s the best thing that ever happened to me,” McCaffrey said in May 2023 about the trade. “But at the time, it was bittersweet, right? You’re leaving (Carolina). In my head, I was pissed off, and to be frank, I felt, ‘You guys don’t want me anymore.’ I was hungry. That was the first emotion. I was hungry to get back to the football that I knew I could play.”

    Fullback Kyle Juszczyk called it a “weird” feeling the first time he faced his original team, the Baltimore Ravens, and said: “I’m sure Christian is going to have some of that. There’s going to be guys he played with over there and a few coaches, the medical staff. I’m sure he’ll be extra juiced up to go out there and put on a good performance.”

    The Panthers struggled last week to slow one of McCaffrey’s fellow all-purpose backs in Bijan Robinson, who ran for 104 yards and two touchdowns while adding 39 receiving yards.

    4. RED ZONE EFFICIENCY

    Often seizing on defensive coverages they’ve scouted, the 49ers have scored touchdowns on 12 of their past 15 red-zone drives over the past three games, and 16-of-19 dating to the Oct. 19 win over Atlanta.

    That’s pumped them up to the 11th-best red-zone offense in the league, with a 63.4% conversion rate. After a down 2024 season (57.1%), this full-strength 49ers offense could be trending back toward it’s league-leading mark in 2023 (67.2%).

    The Panthers’ defense ranks 29th in red-zone efficiency, yielding touchdowns on 65.8% of such drives.

    If the 49ers don’t score touchdowns, they should get points from newly signed kicker Matt Gay, who’s filling in after Eddy Piñeiro’s hamstring strain Sunday. Gay has made all 43 field-goal attempts in his career inside 30 yards and 84% on overall field-goal tries, though just 32-of-54 when attempting from 50 yards and longer.

    5. WIDE RECEIVER OUTBURST

    With Brandon Aiyuk’s comeback on indefinite hold and a 2026 breakup on the horizon, the time is ripe for Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne to rise up and link up with Brock Purdy, who’s right big toe is amenable to a second straight start for the first time this season.

    Purdy may have thrown three touchdown passes last Sunday in his triumphant return from a six-game hiatus, but they predictably went to George Kittle (two) and Christian McCaffrey (one). Pearsall had one catch for no gain, Bourne got shutout to remain 18 yards shy of a $500,000 bonus, and Jennings has just 378 yards in a highly publicized contract year. The only 49ers wide receivers under contract for 2026 are Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing, and, for now, Aiyuk, pending a likely March exit.

    Cam Inman

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  • CCS, NCS football playoffs: Best of Saturday’s semifinals

    Saturday’s games

    CCS Division II

    No. 2 Sacred Heart Cathedral 63, No. 3 Santa Teresa 27 

    The game was tied at seven in the first half Saturday, but that’s as close as Santa Teresa would get as SHC routed the Saints to advance to the section title game, where the Fightin’ Irish will play rival St. Ignatius next week. SHC used a 28-point second quarter to propel the San Francisco school to the win. Quarterback Michael Sargent accounted for six touchdowns – throwing for four and rushing for two. Running back Jaylen Malcom had three touchdowns for Santa Teresa, which finished 11-1. – Nathan Canilao

    CCS Division V

    No. 1 Piedmont Hills 41, No. 4 Jefferson 14

    Piedmont Hills will play in its first section final since 2010 after making quick work of Jefferson at home. Senior Diego Arias was excellent on both sides of the ball, getting a 32-yard pick-six and throwing a 50-yard touchdown to Travis Linane. Running back Alijah Torres had two rushing scores. Quarterback John Palomo ran for a touchdown and kicker Cash Martinez knocked in field goals from 26 and 32 yards away. Jefferson quarterback Robert Saulny-Green accounted for both of his team’s touchdowns with a rushing score and a passing TD. The Pirates will play Sobrato for the D-V championship next week. They will try to avenge a 40-30 loss to the Morgan Hill school this season. Jefferson ended its season 9-2. – Nathan Canilao

    No. 2 Sobrato 27, No. 3 Terra Nova 19

    Brady Lennon rushed for 272 yards and three touchdowns to help Sobrato to the win and the program’s first appearance in a CCS title game. Lennon broke a 70-yard scoring run on the second play of the game. Brandon Huighes connected with Jacob Sorrentino on a 35-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-0. After Terra Nova drew to within 20-19, Lennon’s 26-yard TD run with 1:46 left gave Sobrato (8-4) an eight-point lead. Then when kicker Kyle Gurney recovered a fumble on the subsequent kickoff, the Bulldogs were able to run out the clock. For Terra Nova (8-4), QB Joey Donati rushed for 93 yards and passed for 184 and touchdowns to Robbie Johnson and Holden Najar. – Glenn Reeves

    NCS Division V

    No. 2 Ferndale 35, No. 3 Salesian 7

    Salesian traveled more than 250 miles up Highway 101 for its semifinal game against Ferndale, hoping to return home to Richmond with a shot to capture the program’s eighth NCS championship next week. For three quarters Saturday, there was still hope. The Pride trailed 14-7 with 12 minutes to play. But the home team found another gear down the stretch, scoring three touchdowns in the final quarter to advance to play top-seeded St. Vincent de Paul for the championship next Saturday at Rancho Cotate High in Rohnert Park. Instead of Salesian playing for an eighth NCS crown, Ferndale (12-0) will be seeking its 15th. Salesian finished 10-2.  – Darren Sabedra

    Nathan Canilao, Darren Sabedra, Glenn Reeves

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  • Cal’s Metayer helps lead Washington Spirit into NWSL championship game at PayPal Park

    SAN JOSE — Few players in the NWSL cover more ground than Paige Metayer.

    The former Cal midfielder has transformed into one of the league’s most versatile players. On Saturday, she brings that full-spectrum game back to the Bay Area as the Washington Spirit face Gotham FC in the NWSL championship at PayPal Park.

    The third-year pro has played at forward, midfield, and fullback for the Spirit, and started at right back in last year’s 1-0 championship game loss to Orlando.

    Bay FC’s Penelope Hocking advances on Gotham FC in Saturday night’s NWSL match in Harrison, N.J. Hocking scored Bay FC’s lone goal when she scored from close range in the 11th minute. It was Hocking’s fourth goal in her last five games. (Courtesy of Bay FC / NWSL) 

    Metayer started for four years at Cal, but didn’t receive all-conference recognition and went undrafted. But the Spirit offered her a preseason invite, and it took her just a few weeks to prove she belonged.

    As a rookie in 2023, she started all 21 matches she appeared in, and scored three goals—every one of them a headed finish off a corner kick. Heading had never been a strength earlier in her career, but like so much else in her game, she developed it quickly, even unexpectedly.

    “It wasn’t something I specialized in,” she said. “I wasn’t very tall growing up, so heading wasn’t really part of my game. But the service was great, and I was able to get my head on things. It became a strength I didn’t know I had.”

    Cal coach Neil McGuire wasn’t surprised at Metayer’s professional evolution.

    “She’s got incredible soccer intellect,” McGuire said. “She understands the game at a really high level, so positionally she can play in a number of spots. Athletically she’s extremely fit. Technically she’s gifted. She can deal with pressure, strike a ball over distance, receive with both feet—she just has a lot of strengths that make her right for the professional game.”

    That combination of intelligence, composure, and athleticism turned her into one of the most adaptable players on the Spirit roster. In 2024 alone, she appeared in 20 regular-season matches, making 11 starts, and played across all three levels of the field.

    Harold Gutmann

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  • Longtime Warriors assistant DeMarco to lead WNBA’s New York Liberty: reports

    SAN FRANCISCO — The WNBA’s New York Liberty tabbed one of the Warriors’ top assistant coaches to be their next head coach.

    Longtime Golden State assistant Chris DeMarco agreed to a midseason deal to become their head coach, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Friday morning. The New York Post’s Madeline Kenney first reported he was a leading candidate for the position on Tuesday.

    DeMarco, 40, who is also the head coach of the Bahamas men’s national team that stars current Warrior Buddy Hield, has been an assistant coach for all four of the Warriors’ recent titles.

    Following a Hall of Fame college playing career at Dominican University in San Rafael, he joined the organization as a video intern in 2012, becoming an advance scout in 2014 and advancing to becoming one of Kerr’s lead assistants this season.

    “Yesssirrr CD,” Draymond Green wrote in a post on Instagram. “(New York) got a great one!”

    He has handled skill development and has been lauded for his work as a defensive coach. He will now join a Liberty team with championship aspirations following a disappointing first-round exit this September.

    The Liberty fired coach Sandy Brondello despite her leading the franchise to the 2024 title.

    DeMarco will inherit a roster that expects to return perennial MVP candidates in Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Walnut Creek native Sabrina Ionescu.

    Joseph Dycus

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  • The Shark Tank is rocking again. Their rookie goalie is a big reason why

    SAN JOSE — Forward Philipp Kurashev scored on his shootout attempt, and rookie goalie Yaroslav Askarov didn’t allow a goal at the other end to continue his exceptional play of late as the San Jose Sharks earned a raucous 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday at SAP Center.

    After the Kings scored late in the third period to tie the game 3-3, and following a scoreless overtime, Kurashev beat goalie Anton Forsberg with a wrist shot for the Sharks’ only goal of the shootout. But Askarov stopped shots by Trevor Moore and Adrian Kempe before Corey Perry’s attempt went wide, helping to give the Sharks their sixth win in their last eight games.

    Adam Gaudette and Ty Dellandrea also scored, Collin Graf had two assists, and Askarov made 31 saves through three periods and overtime in another solid performance.

    “I haven’t seen this team have any mental weakness,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “We’re excited to come to the rink every day. They take the coaching, the constructive criticism, and they want to get better, individually and collectively. There’s a real care to win, which we haven’t had in a long time. And you can see it.”

    With the victory, the Sharks, at 10-8-3, already have half of the wins they had through 82 games last season (20-50-12). They’re also 6-0-1 at home since late October, and are one point out of a playoff spot going into Friday’s games.

    “We’re finding a rhythm. And I don’t think it’s just at home,” Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro said. “We’re just finding our game altogether.”

    The Sharks could have sagged after allowing a game-tying goal to Kempe with 58.3 seconds left in regulation time. But they were probably the better team in overtime, and once the shootout began, they might have felt some peace with the way Askarov has been playing of late.

    This month, after Thursday, Askarov is 6-1-0 with a .957 save percentage with one of the NHL’s best marks in goals saved above expected. Askarov also had 24 saves in the Sharks’ 3-2 overtime win over the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday.

    After Thursday’s shootout, Askarov pumped his fist before his Sharks teammates swarmed him.

    “Awesome, unbelievable, clutch,” Dellandrea said of Askarov. “He wants the big moments. He wants a lot of saves. He could be the first star every night, it seems. He’s been playing great, winning us games, keeping us in games. We’ve got to tighten it up a bit and not rely on him.”

    Thursday’s atmosphere was reminiscent of the glory days of the Sharks-Kings rivalry, as the announced attendance of 16,387 witnessed a back-and-forth game featuring dynamic playmaking and elevated physicality.

    “It was great, eh?” Dellandrea said. “The Tank was loud. It was fun to play in. You hear the chants during play, during whistles. It’s a great spot to be in when it’s like that.”

    “I wasn’t here when the Shark Tank was alive and well, but I’ve heard a lot about it, and we want to make it like that very, very soon,” Warsofsky said.

    Anze Kopitar, in his last regular-season game in San Jose after a 20-year NHL career, scored on a breakaway on Askarov 1:47 into the second period to tie the game 2-2.

    Kurashev, though, scored a go-ahead goal late in the second period.

    Setting up near the slot, Kurashev created some space for himself, took a pass from Will Smith, and beat Kings goalie Anton Forsberg five-hole for his sixth goal of the season.

    At the 11:46 mark of the second period, a Joel Armia goal was taken off the board, as, after a Sharks challenge, it was determined Kings forward Kevin Fiala had preceded the puck into the offensive zone.

    Macklin Celebrini recorded his third career NHL hat trick in the Sharks’ win over Utah. Still, the Sharks did not like how they played, especially 5-on-5, as their lack of connectivity defensively allowed the Mammoth to create almost twice as many high-danger chances as they did, per Natural Stat Trick.

    Curtis Pashelka

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  • Draymond Green explains heated interaction with heckling fan during Warriors-Pelicans

    NEW ORLEANS – Draymond Green had a contentious second-quarter discussion with a heckling courtside fan Sunday night in the Warriors’ win over the Pelicans, apparently due to the fan’s reference to a WNBA All-Star.

    Standing at his locker at Smoothie King Arena after the win, Green explained that a fan on the baseline repeatedly called him a “woman.” Green then confronted the man with 2:02 remaining in the first half. Official Courtney Kirkland kept Green and the fan separated.

    “It was a good joke at first, but you can’t call me a woman,” Green said. “I’ve got four kids and one on the way. He got quiet, though, so it’s fine.”

    Green, 35, added that the fan “didn’t say much else” once Green got closer.

    Though the Warriors star declined to specify whose name the fan was using, the Associated Press reported that the fan, who identified himself to the AP as Sam Green, was calling him “Angel Reese.”

    Reese was a record-breaking rebounder at nearby LSU and has become a polarizing figure in the WNBA for the Chicago Sky while playing at an All-Star level. The fan told the AP that he made his verbal jab because Draymond Green had several rebounds but had not attempted many shots yet in the game, and that the Warriors player threatened to punch him if the taunts continued.

    “It was a little unnerving,” said Sam Green, who insisted that he did not use profanity toward the Warriors’ four-time NBA champion.

    Ushers were seen speaking with the fan after the incident, but he was allowed to remain in his seat for the rest of the game.

    Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he did not know exactly what happened during the incident, but was not bothered by Draymond Green chatting with the fan.

    Joseph Dycus

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  • CCS, NCS football playoffs: Best of Saturday’s first round

    Saturday’s games

    CCS Open Division/Division I

    No. 1 Archbishop Riordan 42, No. 8 Salinas 9

    The Crusaders scored 28 points in the first quarter and didn’t look back in a rout of Salinas at home. Despite having four touchdowns called back because of penalties, the San Francisco school had no problem moving the ball against the Cowboys. The lead grew insurmountable in the second half as a running clock initiated in the third quarter. Riordan (10-0) will play Serra (7-4) for the Open Division title next week. – Nathan Canilao

    No. 2 Serra 29, No. 7 Archbishop Mitty 13

    The Padres rushed for 312 yards and shut down Mitty’s offensive attack to cruise to a 16-point win at home. Speedy receiver Charlie Walsh led Serra with a rushing and a receiving score. Kicker Saul Marks knocked in three field goals and Serra’s defense forced three turnovers.S Serra will get a rematch with Riordan – after falling to the Crusaders in the WCAL regular season finale – in the Open Division finals next week. Nathan Canilao was in San Mateo and has the story here.

    CCS Division II

    No. 2 Sacred Heart Cathedral 34, No. 7 Wilcox 21

    After trailing by two at halftime, the Fightin’ Irish took over the game behind a second-half surge to down visiting Wilcox at City College of San Francisco. Three second half touchdowns from quarterback Michael Sargent charged SHC’s offense, and the San Francisco school’s defense held Wilcox to just one score in the final two periods to seal the win. SHC (5-6) will host another South Bay powerhouse in undefeated Santa Teresa (11-0) next week. – Nathan Canilao

    No. 4 Menlo School 17, No. 5 The King’s Academy 7

    Menlo earned a hard-fought postseason win, defeating TKA at home. Quarterback Jack Freehill threw a touchdown pass to Chuck Wynn and Trevor van der Pyl’s 82-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter sealed the win for Menlo. Dylan O’ Malley rounded out Menlo’s scoring with a 27-yard first-quarter field goal. Quarterback Jaiden Flores to wide receiver Ricky Gutierrez was the only score TKA had on Saturday. Menlo (9-2) will travel to top-seeded St. Ignatius next week for its semifinal game. TKA ends its season 9-2. – Nathan Canilao

    CCS Division V

    No. 2 Sobrato 28, No. 7 Santa Cruz 17

    Sobrato advanced to the Division V semifinals after defeating Santa Cruz at home. Junior running back Brady Lennon led the way with rushing touchdowns from 35 and 10 yards. Jacob Sorrentino had a 75-yard touchdown grab and senior Jacob Kimerer had a 65-yard touchdown run. Sobrato improved to 7-4 and will host Terra Nova (8-3) next week. 

    NCS Division V

    No. 3 Salesian 38, No. 6 Northgate 33 

    Quarterback Izeah Buchanan tossed four touchdown passes to lead the Pride to a win over Northgate at home. Basketball star Carlton Perrilliat Jr. caught two touchdown passes while Joseph Tarin had two receiving scores of his own as Salesian will advance to the section semifinals at Ferndale next Saturday. Senior Jahlil Lindsey had a 95-yard scoop-and-score and kicker Roberto Mora knocked in a 27-yard field goal to round out the scoring for Salesian. Northgate (5-6) ends its 2025 season one game under .500. – Nathan Canilao

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  • How local sports community is remembering Oakland icon John Beam

    John Beam’s death has rocked everyone who knew or knew about him.

    From professional sports to high school sports, the outpouring of admiration and love for the 66-year-old former Oakland football coach who was gunned down on Thursday at Laney College and died Friday has been non-stop.

    Beam coached Skyline High to 15 Oakland Athletic League championships from the 1980s to the early 2000s, then had similar success at Laney College before retiring from the sidelines last year and moving into his role as athletic director.

    Along the way, the coach went from Oakland icon to nationally known when Netflix featured Beam’s Laney College program in its “Last Chance U” series in 2020.

    His death was national news.

    Here is a sampling of what the local sports community is saying about Beam:

    Bob Ladouceur, former De La Salle High football coach, on X: “John was good for Skyline, good for Laney, good for teenagers/young men. For all who coach college and High School…he was one of the best. He dedicated his life to his profession of making men out of boys.”

    Damian Lillard, who played at Oakland High before becoming an NBA star, on Instagram: “This man is a true Oakland (l)egend and a GREAT man. Gave me my first job at Laney football games… Hundred(s) of kids all over Oakland became the type of men they are today because of this dude and for someone from that exact world to randomly come and take his life just ain’t right… this ain’t the Oakland I grew up in. Sh** sad!”

    Charlie Ramirez, Pittsburg High football coach: “It’s extremely devastating, and honestly, simultaneously horrific and every other thing you could explain it to be. It was terrible. He was a mentor to me just like he was to so many coaches in the Bay Area. We were at their seven-on-seven this year, he’s come to my coaches clinics, not to mention he recruited the heck out of our guys at Laney, got a lot of them to the next level. Even though we’re out here in Pittsburg, he had a lot of strong ties with our program and he’s going to be extremely, extremely missed.”

    Greg Calcagno, St. Francis football coach: “My dad (Ron) knew him really well. St. Francis played Skyline for a long time. And my dad spoke super highly of John. I knew John. He married a St. Francis alum, so I’d see him at the reunions. Just a great quality person, and the number of people that he helped, it’s just so sad to hear the news of his passing. It puts everything in perspective. This is a football game, right? And I get to coach kids that I love and coach with people that I love and against people that I respect. But this is just a football game. We can still smile at the end, sort of. But yeah, just super sad. A lot of our guys, they work out up at Laney, and they know all those guys. And so it was a tough day for them.”

    Los Gatos High Head Coach Mark Krail takes part in a moment of silence honoring Laney College coach John Beam, who was killed during a shooting on Laney College’s campus, before the start of their Central Coast Section Open Division I playoff football game against Saint Francis High in Los Gatos, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) 

    Mark Krail, Los Gatos football coach: “I never had the privilege (to meet him), but I certainly knew of him. And it broke my heart when we heard the news break, and then obviously the fact that he had passed was just awful. I mean, football in Oakland, his name is all over it, and it will be for a long, long time. It’s just a tragic, tragic loss for the city of Oakland, because there’s so many people that he helped their life go in the right direction. From what I understand, he was no-nonsense, and he would tell you how it was. A personality like that that is true to themselves, that’s full of integrity, that’s when guys rally around you and want to be a part of what you’re doing. And sometimes you get young kids, especially that have a tough upbringing, to see the light and see the right way of doing things. And he had 20 guys that were in the NFL, or something like that, I read. So that speaks to the success of him as a coach, but I think as a man, he was more highly regarded than that, just for his impact in the city of Oakland.”

    Mike Cable, Liberty High football coach: “Coaching is so much more than X’s and O’s. It’s about the impact that you have in the lives of your players. It’s about the men that they grow up to be. He was the epitome of that.”

    Herc Pardi, former Pittsburg and Clayton Valley coach, in an email to Bay Area News Group: “UNBELIEVABLE!! My heart is crushed. What a tragedy. One of the more Dynamic coaches/teachers I ever met – period!! … Anytime I saw Coach down the road, we picked up right where we left off — FB chatter and some hearty laughs!!  John was a CHANGE AGENT!! So sad.”

    Oakland Ballers baseball team on X: “Our hearts are broken. Coach Beam was one of the first people to believe in the Oakland Ballers. He was part of our secret meetings, and he helped us make important connections within the Oakland community. As the Ballers grew, Coach Beam was a mentor, an advisor, an investor, and a friend of the team. We will miss him dearly, but his legacy and impact on the Oakland community will never be forgotten. Rest easy, Coach.”

    Las Vegas Raiders on X: “The Raiders Family is tremendously saddened by the loss of John Beam, a coach, mentor, and friend to so many in Oakland and the entire Bay Area. John was an influential and guiding force both on and off the field for young athletes, and his decades of service will forever be woven into the fabric of football in the East Bay. The prayers of the entire Raider Nation are with John’s family, the Laney College community, and everyone else whose life he touched.”

    Oakland Roots soccer team on X: “Today, our hearts are filled with tremendous sadness and grief at the passing of an Oakland icon, Coach John Beam. While his name was John Beam, everyone in Oakland knew him as Coach Beam – not only because he commanded deep respect, but because he was, and always will be, Oakland’s Coach. No one cared more about the past, present, and future of this great city and its youth.”

    In the fall of 2023, Laney coach John Beam speaks with Oakland Section commissioner Franky Navarro before the Silver Bowl, the annual McClymonds vs Oakland Tech game and the Oakland Athletic League football championship game at McClymonds High School in Oakland. Beam was shot on Thursday and has died at the age of 66. (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group)
    In the fall of 2023, Laney coach John Beam speaks with Oakland Section commissioner Franky Navarro before the Silver Bowl, the annual McClymonds vs Oakland Tech game and the Oakland Athletic League football championship game at McClymonds High School in Oakland. Beam was shot on Thursday and has died at the age of 66. (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group) 
    John Beam, Skyline head football coach, the All-ANG Coach of the Year Dec. 17, 2002. (D. Ross Cameron/ Tribune Archive)
    John Beam, Skyline head football coach, the All-ANG Coach of the Year Dec. 17, 2002. (D. Ross Cameron/ Tribune Archive) 

    Darren Sabedra, Justice delos Santos, Christian Babcock

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  • Pittsburg’s defense, special teams units set tone for big win over Liberty

    PITTSBURG — Second-seeded Pittsburg’s defense and special teams units shined on Friday night, hauling in two interceptions, recovering a forced fumble and snagging a loose ball during a kickoff en route to a commanding 42-18 victory over No. 7 Liberty in the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoffs.

    Sophomore Isaiah Harrison impacted the game on both sides of the ball, recording an interception, recovering a fumble and reeling off a 23-yard touchdown run. Senior Truly Bell had an interception of his own as well.

    On offense, senior Carlos Torres and sophomore Javale Jones each had a highlight-worthy touchdown pass. Torres lobbed an end zone fade to senior RJ Mosley Jr. for a one-handed snag while Jones found sophomore Kenneth Ward on a perfectly-thrown deep ball for a 62-yard score. Senior Siotame Finau had two rushing touchdowns as well.

    Pittsburg’s Siotame Finau (22) celebrates scoring a touchdown against Liberty during the second quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 

    “The benefit of playing a team twice — and only a few weeks ago — is the scouting isn’t as involved,” said Pittsburg head coach Charlie Ramirez, whose team improved to 10-1. “We can really just focus on technique and our basic fundamentals, and it showed itself tonight. It’s telling the guys, ‘As long as we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, nothing else matters.’ And that’s what they stuck to.”

    For Liberty (8-3), sophomore Jonathan Munoz had an interception of his own while senior running back Jaxon Bell. Junior quarterback Zander Barrows also had a pair of passing touchdowns in the game’s final minutes, one being to his brother, senior wide receiver Makoa Barros.

    “I told the guys you’ve got to keep your head up high,” said Liberty head coach Mike Cable. “8-2 is a heck of a season. We deserved to be here, we deserve to play against any team. We didn’t play the best game tonight, but we had our opportunities. That’s the reality of this game: someone’s gotta win and someone’s gotta lose. Tonight just wasn’t our night.”

    Pittsburg's Pat Cassell (29) tackles Liberty's Ben Hill (10) during the fourth quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Pittsburg defeated Liberty 42-18. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
    Pittsburg’s Pat Cassell (29) tackles Liberty’s Ben Hill (10) during the fourth quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Pittsburg defeated Liberty 42-18. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 

    For all the postgame jubilation, Friday night’s began on a scary note.

    On Liberty’s second play from scrimmage, a Pittsburg defender was knocked to the ground and required medical attention. As the player received medical attention from the team’s training staff, Pittsburg players gathered on the sidelines and collectively took a knee. An ambulance drove onto the field to retrieve the player, who had to be carted off on a stretcher.

    “The biggest thing was seeing his arms and legs have strength (before he left),” Ramirez said. “I think that helped. We explained to them, ‘He’s doing good, this is out of precaution more than anything else.’ They gave the love and they felt the love, so I think that was the biggest part for them being able to transition after seeing him laying down for so long.”

    Pittsburg quarterback Carlos Torres (19) throws a pass against Liberty during the first quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
    Pittsburg quarterback Carlos Torres (19) throws a pass against Liberty during the first quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 

    Liberty opened up the scoring on its second possession with a field goal, but its offense received a fresh set of downs as Pittsburg committed a roughing the snapper penalty. The Lions then turned that second chance into six points as Jaxon Bell rushed for a five-yard touchdown out of the wildcat formation. The point-after attempt was blocked, but Liberty had a 6-0 lead.

    Pittsburg’s offense struggled to find a rhythm over its next two possessions. On the Pirates’ second possession, the Lions’ Munoz reeled in an interception. On Pittsburg’s third possession, the offense punted the ball away.

    With Pittsburg’s offense needing life, the defense proceeded to step up.

    With roughly four minutes left in the first half, Harrison picked off Liberty at the Lions’ seven-yard line. On the very next play from scrimmage, Torres tossed up a fade to Mosley, who reeled in the catch with one hand for a touchdown. Pittsburg converted the point after attempt, and the Pirates had a 7-6 lead that they’d never lose.

    Two plays later, the Pirates’ defense paved the way for another touchdown as Harrison recovered a fumble at Liberty’s 15-yard-line. Pittsburg quickly capitalized on the opportunity as Finau rushed for a three-yard score, upping Pittsburg’s lead to 14-6, which would be the score going into the break.

    In the second half, Pittsburg turned more defense into offense. Bell hauled in an interception on Liberty’s first offensive possession of the second half, and Harrison subsequently rattled off a 23-yard run for a score. Pittsburg then recovered the ensuing kickoff at Liberty’s 23-yard line, and Finau extended the lead with a one-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 28-6.

    The game already in hand, the Pirates continued padding their lead in the fourth quarter as Jones threw a perfect deep ball to Ward for a 62-yard touchdown. Zander Barros threw a pair of touchdowns for Liberty in the fourth, the Lions’ first points since the first quarter, but Pittsburg was well on its way to a victory — and a matchup against No. 1 De La Salle.

    Liberty quarterback Pat McCree (7) throws under pressure by the Pittsburg defense during the third quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
    Liberty quarterback Pat McCree (7) throws under pressure by the Pittsburg defense during the third quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 
    Liberty head coach Mike Cable gestures to the officiating staff while playing Pittsburg during the first quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
    Liberty head coach Mike Cable gestures to the officiating staff while playing Pittsburg during the first quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 
    Pittsburg head coach Charlie Ramirez yells at his players while playing Liberty during the second quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
    Pittsburg head coach Charlie Ramirez yells at his players while playing Liberty during the second quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 
    Liberty quarterback Pat McCree (7) fumbles the ball against Pittsburg during the second quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
    Liberty quarterback Pat McCree (7) fumbles the ball against Pittsburg during the second quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 
    Pittsburg football players kneel during a moment of silence for former Laney football coach John Beam before the start of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
    Pittsburg football players kneel during a moment of silence for former Laney football coach John Beam before the start of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 
    Pittsburg's Rolph Mosley Jr. (2) reaches for a one-handed touchdown catch over Liberty during the second quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
    Pittsburg’s Rolph Mosley Jr. (2) reaches for a one-handed touchdown catch over Liberty during the second quarter of the first round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoff game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 

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  • Warriors’ Steve Kerr remembers slain Oakland football ‘legend’ John Beam

    SAN ANTONIO – Wearing a white shirt emblazoned with ‘John Beam’ and a black heart on the front, Warriors coach Steve Kerr began his pregame press conference in San Antonio Friday night by sharing his thoughts on the late football coach and Oakland icon.

    Beam coached in the East Bay for 40 years, first at Skyline High School and then at Laney College, before retiring from coaching in 2024 and becoming Laney’s athletic director. He was shot in the head at the college’s athletic fieldhouse on Thursday, and was pronounced dead on Friday morning.

    “It’s a really difficult time for people in Oakland right now,” Kerr said. “Coach Beam was a legend … a sad day, sad day for the Bay Area, and a sad day for coach Beam’s family.”

    The longtime coach was beloved by members from every corner of the Oakland community, and later became a nationally-recognized figure for his role in Netflix’s “Last Chance U” documentary that featured Beam’s Eagles.

    Kerr then made a heartfelt plea to address gun violence in the city that the Warriors played in until 2019.  

    “Everybody knows he’s a revered figure in Oakland, who did so much for so many people,” Kerr said. “On behalf of the Warriors, I want to extend our condolences, and remind everybody we have to be the change, as a community, as citizens, we have to be the ones who insist that we address gun violence issues.”

    Kerr said that he did not “know him personally,” but that the two had many mutual friends. 

    Joseph Dycus

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  • Warriors reveal blueprint for defending 7-foot-5 Victor Wembanyama

    SAN ANTONIO – Victor Wembanyama enjoys the towering stature of a redwood tree, possesses the nimble feet of a man half his size, owns a wingspan wider than Texas and the skillset of the game’s best guards. 

    It’s a fantastical combination of traits and talents that the visiting Warriors knew was impossible to stop. 

    But that was all right. The Warriors were not concerned with shutting down San Antonio’s transcendent talent on Wednesday night. 

    They only needed to make him sweat, to expend energy against men with – at least by the NBA’s outlandish standards – more reasonable proportions. 

    And that’s exactly what they did in Golden State’s 125-120 victory in the heart of Texas. They hurled body after body at him, invaded his space and made sure to bump him at every opportunity. 

    “You’ve got to make him work for everything,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “You can’t give him the easy stuff.”

    Golden State employed five different individual defenders – Draymond Green, Al Horford, Jonathan Kuminga, Will Richard and Jimmy Butler – on Wembanyama in the first half alone. 

    His stat line was still, undeniably, impressive: 31 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists and a block in 36 minutes. It was his 17th career game with at least 30 points and 10 boards. 

    But compared to some of the truly outlandish performances Wembanyama has compiled over the course of his first 10 games this season, the Warriors’ defense actually won their fair share of possessions. 

    They forced the 21-year-old Frenchman into eight turnovers, and on the vast majority of his 22 shots, a Warrior was there to contest. Whether that raised hand actually meant something is up for debate. 

    “When he pulls up like that for 3, it’s hard and you try your best to challenge it,” Horford said. “I felt like we did good, and we contained him as best we could.”

    As he has done so often over the course of a career that has seen him earn nine all-defense selections, Draymond Green bore the brunt of the team’s toughest assignment. 

    Even though Wembanyama stood nearly a foot taller than Green, the wily veteran had an advantage in both the strength, and center of gravity categories. 

    He used both to great effect. 

    Though Green may have had only one official steal, his point-of-attack defense allowed his teammates – Gary Payton II was a particular standout – to swarm the driving Wembanyama. 

    It was the same tactic Phoenix used to hold him to just nine points earlier in the season. 

    And if the Spurs center was able to get off a shot against Green, it was often a tough fallaway after the Warriors captain blunted Wembanyama’s initial drive. 

    Of course, Wembanyama’s prodigious offensive talent is only half of the reason he is in line to become the game’s top player. His endless wingspan and coordination have turned him into basketball’s best defender, one whose mere presence deters drives. 

    On the season, players shoot 7.6% worse on shots guarded by Wembanyama compared to their average, according to the NBA’s official stats page. 

    But on Wednesday night, Steph Curry showed no fear en route to 46 points. The Warriors star made five shots in the paint, often driving right at Wembanyama and drawing fouls if he did not finish the layup.

    The Warriors (7-6) know what it takes to deal with Wembanyama. Now they’ll get to put that method to the test again on Friday, when Golden State finishes the baseball-style series in San Antonio for an NBA Cup group-stage game.

    “You don’t fight it, because you know that there might be some other options on the other side,” Curry said. “His presence is crazy, but there’s other ways and other outlets to create offense if you can get into the paint.”

    Joseph Dycus

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  • Lawsuit: NCS denied hardship transfer waiver after antisemitism at SF high school

    A two-sport student-athlete encountered antisemitism at University High School in San Francisco and, upon transferring to another school in Marin County, was wrongly denied a hardship exemption that cost her critical time in tennis and track and field, a lawsuit filed last month in Marin Superior Court alleges.

    In the case set to be heard Dec. 1, the athlete’s father, Bart Schachter, is seeking a temporary injunction that would reverse North Coast Section commissioner Pat Cruickshank’s decision to deny the waiver and allow his daughter, a 15-year-old sophomore at The Branson School in Ross, to compete without restrictions in the spring track season, which begins in February. She was already required to sit out half of the fall tennis season.

    “What we thought would be a fairly routine transfer turned out not to be so,” said Bart Schachter, who filed the suit anonymously through his attorney and requested that his daughter’s name not be used. “That is the greatest hardship endured in this whole thing.”

    Schachter’s daughter, who competes at the varsity level in both sports, enrolled at the private college preparatory academy in the Presidio Heights neighborhood as a freshman for the 2024-25 school year and, he said, “pretty quickly” began to experience a string of antisemitic incidents.

    Schachter brought the issues to administrators at UHS and later provided the documentation to the NCS in the hardship application. When the section contacted the school to verify the information, however, administrators disputed the characterization of the allegations, and the application was denied.

    In a correspondence to the family provided to this news organization, Cruickshank wrote that the girl was denied the “student safety hardship waiver based upon no documentation from UHS of any student safety incidents while enrolled there.” Cruickshank declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

    UHS Head of School Nasif Iskander denied the allegations of antisemitism at the school to this news organization but added: “We’ve never objected to the CIF granting this student a waiver to play sports at a new school. … We explicitly supported her desire to play sports.”

    Regardless of the court’s decision, Schachter’s daughter will have two years of eligibility remaining in both sports, but the father said, “It’s emotionally challenging to show up at a new school as a transfer. You make friends through sports. It’s hard to sit on the sidelines when you’re a star player.”

    The lawsuit alleges that the Schachters and other Jewish families submitted “dozens” of documented safety incidents to UHS over the course of the 2024-25 school year and prior. Iskander said, “We strongly disagree with the allegations … and we have robust and effective programs and policies to provide students an uplifting learning environment that is free of antisemitism and other discrimination.”

    Schachter disagreed, telling this news organization that “the fact pattern would indicate” systemic issues with antisemitism at UHS, “(and) if you’re asking about the root cause, that certainly plays a role. Normally we would move on and find a better pasture, but we hit this sports issue and it’s not over.”

    In one instance described in the lawsuit, Schachter’s daughter was in the same class as two boys who repeatedly practiced the Nazi salute and “mock(ed) the physical characteristics of Jews.” A few months later, she was “pressured” to attend a meeting on the Israel-Palestine conflict “where Jewish students were mocked for their perspectives … with no meaningful response from UHS administration despite complaints.”

    According to the lawsuit, that led Jewish parents to formally submit a complaint regarding “bullying and harassing environment for Jewish students” at the school. The CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council also weighed in, informing UHS that it faced “some of the most serious antisemitism issues reported among independent schools in the Bay Area.”

    Evan Webeck

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