The second half of the year brought on many sports highlights from Alameda athletes.

Phil Hebda finished first overall out of more than 1,000 participants in the Alameda Fourth of July 5K Race for Midway Shelter. Alameda teen Mateo Malko-Allen, 17, finished second and Encinal High School Class of 2022 graduate Benjamin Wilson-Ripsom, 18, finished third. It was the first Fourth of July 5k since 2019.

The annual cancer research fundraiser, Relay for Life, held its Alameda event Saturday, July 23 for the first time at Jean Sweeney Park. Event organizers raised more than $63,000.

Encinal High won its sixth-straight Island Bowl, 19-18, on Sept. 23. After scoring a touchdown in the waning minutes, the Jets stopped the Hornets’ two-point conversion attempt to secure the victory.

Alameda High School (AHS) women’s water polo team defeated Castro Valley High, 8-3, on Oct. 29 and became the West Alameda County Conference (WACC) tournament champions.

Legendary Alameda High School football coach Steve Yamasaki coached his last home game of his storied career on Nov. 4, at Thompson Field. The assistant coach had coached the Hornets in some capacity for 47 years.