Page One

The North Coast Section has always rewarded two things when choosing its at-large seeds for postseason boys volleyball: Quality of competition and late-season improvement. 

As members of the East Bay Athletic League, which Berkeley High coach Justin Caraway considers the best league, top to bottom, in the NCS, the Yellowjackets would seemingly have no trouble fulfilling the first requirement. And with BHS currently riding a two-game winning streak into today’s penultimate regular-season matchup with first-place Foothill, Caraway’s squad has a chance to fit the North Coast’s at-large profile perfectly. 

“Hopefully we’ll take care of business against Foothill, win the next two games,” senior setter Luis Ramirez said after last Thursday’s convincing four-game win over Granada. “This team is very talented. When I first walked into (Donahue) Gym, I knew this team could go to the playoffs.” 

This evening’s opponent, Foothill, is inaptly named, as the undefeated Falcons will be more of a mountain for the ’Jackets, who lost the schools’ previous meeting in a three-game sweep on April 6. The Falcons field a versatile attack with no real weaknesses, and according to the BHS coach, there is no trick or gimmick that can be employed to battle the Falcons. 

“Just be prepared, is really the strategy,” Caraway said about today’s 5 p.m. showdown at Foothill’s home court in San Ramon. “We’ll go in expecting a tough match, expecting them to have some big kills. We have to settle down and play disciplined volleyball.” 

Though the Yellowjackets seem to be peaking, having won their last two games, Caraway has no illusions about today’s challenge. According to the coach, even his team’s recent surge will not mean enough momentum for the Foothill battle. After the Granada win, the coach complained of shortcomings in passing and blocking, as well as intensity and focus. 

“If we play with this type of emotion, Foothill’s going to kill us,” Caraway said after Thursday’s four-game triumph over Granada. “Foothill keeps the ball in play, we’ve got to be prepared to get in there. I think we’ll be ready to go.” 

“We could have been a little more crisp, (against the Matadors),” agreed Ramirez, who is confident that his team will rise to the occasion with a solid effort against the Falcons. “Foothill’s a big one. (But) we’re definitely where we want to be right now.