HOW IT HAPPENED: It took a movement to get kids back into athletic competition this spring in California. Student-athletes had been sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic for nearly a year when a pair of Bay Area football coaches began their fight for a spring season in all sports. Now, with this pandemic-induced season entering its final days, it’s clear that while it was certainly no normal season of high school sports, it accomplished exactly what Serra’s Patrick Walsh and De La Salle’s Justin Alumbaugh set out to do: deliver a little bit of joy amid the pain of the pandemic. As Walsh would later say, “We fought the state and won.â€
JAN. 13: Matt Kunz, and his wife, Missy Kunz, of Walnut Creek, take part in a Let Them Play CA rally with their children Ryann, 7, and Cooper, 9, in front of De La Salle High in Concord. Let Them Play CA rallies were held throughout the state in hopes of restarting youth sports programs. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)Â MARCH 19: The Piedmont Highlanders walk down the stairs before the start of their WACC/MVAL Mission Division football game against visiting Castro Valley. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)Â
Photo reprints of the Spring 2021 Football season are available now. Â
MARCH 1: Menlo-Atherton’s Jalen Moss (18) celebrates his 55-yard, first-quarter touchdown reception against Half Moon Bay in Atherton. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)Â
WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE
It wasn’t all back to normal at first. The only fans in the stands, if there were any at all, were players’ immediate household members. Band members and cheerleaders were initially forbidden. And, with only outdoor sports approved, a new group of advocates picked up the baton to fight for indoor sports. On the field, it may as well have been any other season. Underneath Friday night lights, football players hit and hustled like they hadn’t seen hash marks in 15 months. The battles for league titles were no less fierce, and in many cases banners will commemorate this season like any other. Because of the long wait, the hard fight and the uncertainty of being able to play at all, for many, including Walsh, this season and the people involved will hold a special place in their memories.
MARCH 20: A limited number of San Ramon Valley fans watch a football game against Bishop O’Dowd in Danville. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) MARCH 12: San Mateo High cheerleaders root for their Bearcats during a season-opening football game against Capuchino in San Mateo. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) MARCH 19: Pittsburg quarterback Eli Brickhandler (3) jumps into the end zone for a two-point conversion in the first quarter against visiting Freedom. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) FEB. 13: California High’s junior varsity boys cross country team warms up before its meet at Dublin. California, Dublin, Granada and Livermore competed in a 3-mile meet for the first time since the pandemic. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) FEB. 13: Granada’s Alexis Rosenberg, 15, adjusts her mask after competing in a junior varsity cross-country meet at Dublin High. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)Â
MARCH 31: Dougherty Valley’s Samantha Yeung pitches in the second inning of a game against the Foothill in Pleasanton. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) MARCH 31: Dougherty Valley’s Michaela Smith swings in the fourth inning of a game against Foothill in Pleasanton. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)Â
APRIL 2: Pittsburg’s Solomone Lolohea runs the ball during a punt return in the second quarter of a game at home against Liberty. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 3: Micah Gastrock (12) breaks up a pass intended for St. Francis’ Johnny Tarantino during the first quarter of a game in San Mateo. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 8: Clayton Valley Charter catcher Annika Scheafer makes the catch as College Park’s Emma Wood slides into home plate, scoring the go-ahead run on a double hit by Morgan Bowdish in the first inning in Pleasant Hill. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 16: Liberty cheer captain Baylie Hoover stands with other cheerleaders during the national anthem before a football game against Heritage. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 16: Heritage’s Tommy Keithley runs for a first down before being tackled by Liberty’s Khiron Green. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 16: St. Francis hosts Valley Christian for a springtime high school football game in Mountain View. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 15: Don Richard Chavez (19) tackles Prospect’s Jase Newton (88) after a second-quarter catch at Del Mar in San Jose. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 17: Fans watch from outside the stadium as Branham hosts Leigh in a football game in San Jose. Leigh defeated Branham 34-6. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 16: The Liberty football team raises the Brentwood Bowl trophy after beating rival Heritage 30-22 in Brentwood. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)Â
HEY, WHAT ABOUT US?
As virus cases diminished and vaccine distribution grew, it became clear outdoor athletes wouldn’t be the only ones to salvage their season. By April, almost any student in California who wanted to play sports was able to. Masked basketball players marched back into their gyms. Baseball and softball players kicked up dirt on the basepaths, banged on dugout fences and cheered on teammates from whom they’d been separated for over a year. Watch these athletes any afternoon or evening and forget, for a moment, the adult-driven drama of the return-to-play fight. All along, they just wanted a chance to compete.
APRIL 28: Archbishop Mitty’s Aidan Burke shoots a free throw during a road game against Bishop O’Dowd in Oakland. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 21: Archbishop Mitty’s Amelia Scharpf (40) fights for a rebound in the fourth quarter against St. Mary’s of Stockton in San Jose. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Â
 Spring 2021 Basketball photo reprints available now.Â
APRIL 21: Archbishop Mitty’s Siena Guttadauro shoots a 3-pointer against St. Mary’s of Stockton in San Jose. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 21: Parents cheer on their teams during a matchup between host Archbishop Mitty and St. Mary’s of Stockton in San Jose. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 30: Los Altos’s Aaron Parker slides safely into second base against Palo Alto’s Xavier Esquer (2) in Los Altos. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) MAY 7: Palo Alto’s Ritter Amsbaugh pitches during the first inning against visiting Los Gatos. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 30: Bellarmine’s Roman Gambelin is picked off second base after being tagged by Valley Christian’s Jaden Bitter (18). (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) APRIL 30: Moreau Catholic’s Devin Arnold goes for up a basket against Newark’s Nay’veon Reed (35) and Joshua Estrada (5) during a game at Newark Memorial. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) MAY 5: Campolindo’s Matt Radell looks to pass after grabbing a loose ball as Miramonte’s Caden Breznikar (24) and Campolindo’s Emmanuel Callas (11) react to the play. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) MAY 7: St. Francis starting pitcher Shannon Keighran winds up to throw against Archbishop Mitty in Mountain View. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) MAY 6: Foothill’s Sophie Enright steals second base as Livermore’s Sarah Kerling tries to apply a tag during a softball game in Pleasanton. Foothill defeated Livermore 5-0. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) MAY 7: St. Francis’ Shannon Keighran (3) and Brooke Deppiesse (4) celebrate after teammate Jessica Oakland hit a two-run homer against Archbishop Mitty in Mountain View. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) MAY 11: Pioneer’s Dominic Rossetto (4) serves against Leland during an outdoor boys volleyball game at Saratoga High. With the San Jose Unified district not providing the mandatory testing for indoor play and Santa Clara County stuck in the orange reopening tier, student-athletes at six San Jose Unified high schools played outdoor games. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) MAY 11: Pioneer’s Jared Coelho (21) celebrates a win over Leland in boys volleyball at Saratoga High. Because of testing issues, some sports had to be played outside. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Â
 Photo reprints of Leland at Saratoga High boys volleyball match available now.
MAY 11: Leland’s Kevin Gui, left, is fouled during an outdoor basketball game against Gunderson at Saratoga High. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) MAY 11: San Jose plays Gunderson, top, in boys volleyball while Leland plays Lincoln, bottom, in girls basketball at Saratoga High. Health and safety protocols forced several sports to move to outdoor venues. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) MAY 11: The Lincoln Lions play against the Leland Chargers at Saratoga High. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) MAY 11: Leland coach Andy Anaya speaks to his team after a win over Lincoln at Saratoga High. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) MAY 11: Campolindo coach Steven Dyer, center, instructs his players after drawing up their last play of the game against De La Salle in Concord. Cade Bennett sank a 3-pointer to beat DLS 56-53 with 2.4 seconds left. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) MAY 12: James Logan’s Jayden Gosal, left, and Mission San Jose’s Darrius Robertson wrestle during a 235-pound bout in Union City. Because of the pandemic, the wrestling match was outdoors. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) MAY 12: Mission San Jose’s Savara Deshmukh, left, and James Logan’s Vienna Garcia grapple during their 135-pound wrestling match in Union City. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)Â
Photo reprints of the Mission San Jose and James Logan wrestling match available now.
MAY 13: Castilleja School’s Annika Burks controls the ball against Gunn during a girls water polo match at home in Palo Alto. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Â
MAY 14: San Ramon Valley’s Sadie Carter, right, makes a shot while being defended by Dublin’s Rachel Grier. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) MAY 18: Valley Christian’s Ava Mitchell, left, clears the ball against Archbishop Mitty’s Emma Vane (7) in a game at John Mise Park in San Jose. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) MAY 18: Archbishop Mitty celebrates a goal by Emma Vane (7) in a game against Valley Christian at John Mise Park in San Jose. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Â
MAY 13: Sequoia’s Alex Klahr pitches in the sixth inning of a game at Menlo-Atherton. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) JUNE 19: Palo Alto’s Aaron Kim clears seven feet to win the boys high jump during the Central Coast Section track and field championships in Soquel. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)Â
Photo reprints of the Central Coast Section track and field championships available now.
MAY 13: The Menlo-Atherton baseball team works on their home field after a 9-2 victory over Sequoia in Atherton. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) MAY 17: Los Gatos’ Thomas Comeau (43) controls the ball against Los Altos’ Will Park in a lacrosse game. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) MAY 17: Los Gatos’ Thomas Comeau (43) and Jack Baldwin, right, congratulate Shalin Prasad (35) for his goal in a lacrosse game against Los Altos. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Â
 Photo reprints of the Los Gatos vs. Los Altos boys lacrosse game available now.
MAY 14: Palo Alto’s Ritter Amsbaugh (10) swerves around Mountain View catcher Liam Barrett to score in a victory over the Spartans. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) JUNE 1: James Logan High’s Arjun Dawar takes the ball across the pool during their water polo game against Washington High. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)Â
MAY 14: Palo Alto’s Danny Peters celebrates after hitting a home run against Mountain View. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) MAY 17: Sacred Heart Prep’s Lauren Hagerty controls the ball against Archbishop Mitty’s Claire Swendsen in the first half of their CCS Girls Lacrosse finals game in Atherton. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Â
Photo reprints of the Sacred Heart Prep vs. Archbishop Mitty CCS Girls Lacrosse finals game available now.
MAY 28: Sacred Heart Cathedral’s Matteo Tevarotto and Bellarmine’s Myles Thomas go for a header during their Central Coast Section Open Division soccer championship game in San Francisco. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)Â
CHERISHED MEMORIES
The season of celebration is almost over and amid the many protocols that went into playing high school sports during the pandemic emerged special teams and moments. No one will forget how Campolindo boys basketball coach Steven Dyer, knowing his section wouldn’t have playoffs this spring, challenged his players with a heavyweight schedule. They responded by winning all 15 of their games. Nor will anyone forget Mountain View’s Gabe Barrett, who struck out 17 Wilcox batters in a no-hitter, or Harker’s Mark Hu, who followed Barrett’s masterpiece with an 18-strikeout perfect game against Priory. We’ll remember the numerous football teams that went undefeated, from heavyweights such as De La Salle, Serra and Pittsburg to schools like Gunn, Leigh, Prospect and Piedmont. We won’t forget Heritage’s and St. Francis’ dominance on the softball field or De La Salle’s baseball team overcoming a midseason lull to win its last 13 games, punctuated by a traditional dogpile celebration. We’ll remember the teams that didn’t have section playoffs as much as those that did. After all, the goal of the Let Them Play movement was to get kids out of their homes and back into sports, to give seniors who had lost so much an opportunity to create some cherished memories. As our pictures show, the verdict is in: Mission accomplished.
MAY 22: De La Salle players celebrate after defeating then-No.1 California 9-8 to complete a 20-4 season. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)Â
Photo reprints of the De La Salle vs. California High baseball game available now.
JUNE 10:Â St. Francis celebrates their 6-0 win over Notre Dame-Salinas to win the CCS Open Division Softball Championships final in Mountain View. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Â
Photo reprints of the St. Francis vs. Notre Dame-Salinas softball Championship available now.
JUNE 11: Pinewood players celebrate after defeating Archbishop Mitty 50-48 in a Central Coast Section Open Division girls basketball final in San Jose. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) JUNE 19: Valley Christian’s Trevor Haskins celebrates the Warriors’ fourth straight CCS title after a 6-5 victory over Archbishop Mitty in the Division I Baseball Championship game in San Jose. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)Â
 Photo reprints of the Valley Christian vs. Archbishop Mitty baseball Championship available now.
