Summer, fall seasons, part two

As 2016 gears up, let’s look back at the exploits of Alameda athletes on the field, the pool, the pitch, the court and the track in 2015.

Football

The Hornets’ 2015 football season will be remembered as the year they ended their seven-year Island Bowl drought with a 39-23 victory over the Jets on Oct. 2 — the Hornets won the 2014 contest by forfeit. The Hornets put together an offensive showcase that was too much for the Jets. Alameda quarterback Devin Nash threw three touchdown passes to Antonio Riley (2) and Josh Bolding (1). Encinal entered the game 3-1, while Alameda entered the contest 1-3. After the stunning victory, the teams went in opposite directions. The Hornets won four of its next five games, while the Jets lost four of its next five.

Both teams qualified for the North Coast Section playoffs in their respective divisions. However, both teams could not make it out of the opening round. The Hornets lost to Tennyson of Hayward in the first round of the NCS Div. II playoffs 30-0 on Nov. 14. The Jets were knocked out of the NCS Div. IV playoffs by St. Mary’s of Albany 61-28. 

The Hornets ended the year 6-5 overall, while the Jets were 4-7.

Volleyball

The St. Joseph Notre Dame (SJND) volleyball team went 21-11 overall in 2015. This was its fifth straight year of notching at least 20 wins. The Pilots went 8-2 in the Tri-County Athletic League. The Pilots lost to St. Patrick/St. Vincent of Vallejo 3-0 (21-25, 23-25, 22-25) in the TCAL semifinals, but they still qualified for the NCS Div. V playoffs as a fourth seed. 

They took down Athenian of Danville 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-7) in the first round. Senior Emma Doud led the team with 10 kills. The Pilots’ season ended, however, in the second round when they succumbed to University-San Francisco 3-0 (21-25, 24-26, 20-25). Doud had 14 kills in that contest.

The Alameda women’s team went 12-10 in the regular season including winning four of its last five matches on the year including a 3-0 (25-13, 25-22, 25-19) victory over San Lorenzo on Senior Night on Nov. 4. The Hornets qualified for the NCS Div. II playoffs, but lost to Clayton Valley Charter of Concord 3-0 (8-25, 16-25, 16-25) on Nov. 11. 

The Jets went 11-7 in the regular season including two wins over rival Alameda. They beat the Hornets 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-17) on Sept. 17 at home and 3-2 (25-15, 25-18, 14-25, 20-25, 15-11) on Oct. 20 on the road. The Jets, however, lost in the first round of the NCS Div. III playoffs to San Marin of Novato 3-0 (22-25, 9-25, 12-25).

Cross Country

The SJND women’s cross country team was the most successful team of any Alameda sports squad.

The team won the 2015 Div. V NCS cross country meet on Nov. 21. The Pilots had a score of 70 — lowest score wins — beating second-place Lick Wilmerding of San Francisco by 44 points (114). SJND junior Kiera Marshall finished the 3.1-mile meet second overall (out of 140 runners) with a time of 17:34.2. The women’s team went on to finish second in the Div. V California state meet. They scored 143 — state champ Flintridge Prep of La Canada scored a 67. Marshall finished second overall in the competition — out of 196 participants — with a time of 18:18.3. 

The men’s team also put together a stellar season. The SJND men placed second in the Div. V cross country meet with a score of 109. SJND junior Cooper Teare finished first overall — out of 180 participants — with a time of 14:46.4. In fact, Teare had the fastest time of any participant in all five division meets. The Pilots placed 13th in the state meet, and Teare again had the fastest time in the meet — out of 196 participants — with a time of 15:07.3.

Both the Alameda men’s and women’s teams finished eighth in their respective NCS Div. II races. The Encinal women’s team finished 14th, while the men’s team finished 17th in their respective Div. III meets. 

Tennis

SJND freshman Azaria Hayes won the NCS Div. II tennis singles championship. Hayes went 3-0 in the tournament on Nov. 17 and 18. In fact, she didn’t drop a set in the tournament. She downed Lauren McCormack of Head Royce in Oakland in the final 6-1, 6-0. Azaria’s sister Aysha and her partner Nicole Bermudez won the Div. II doubles tournament 7-5, 6-3 against Jeanne Peabody and Frances Jacobson of Lick-Wilmerding. 

Water Polo

The Alameda women’s water polo teams won the West Alameda County Conference championship for the second year in a row with a 20-10 victory over Piedmont. 

The men’s team beat Bishop O’Dowd 16-8 to win the WACC title. The Encinal women’s water polo team went 12-11 on the year. All teams qualified for the NCS postseason, but lost in the opening round.

Golf

The Alameda women’s golf team finished fourth in the NCS Div. I playoffs, while the SJND men’s team finished in fifth place.

Contact Sun staff at editor@alamedasun.com.