By DON DELCO Dana Hemmingsen woke up at 3 a.m. in a panic the day before the Acalanes freshman football team would play host to Clayton Valley. Hemmingsen, the head coach and defensive coordinator, just spent the past two days heaping an abundance of responsibility on the Dons’ defense. “Maybe I threw too much at these guys,” Hemmingson said he…
JV Flag Football closed out its second season with a statement win. The week opened with a spirited Blue vs. White intra-squad matchup — a stand‑in for a forfeited game — that fittingly ended in a tie, proof of the depth and balance across the roster. With momentum building, the JV Dons turned their focus to their final opponent of…
On Monday, the Girls Varsity Tennis hit the road to take on the Miramonte Matadors. The team played a day earlier than normal because the league coaches were concerned that all of the matches wouldn’t get completed by next Friday due to the rain forecast. The team faced a tough lineup, losing all 9 lines. Louie Kubas played a very…
In October of 2023, the Acalanes Dons broke the 4-year winning streak of the Miramonte Mats. Not only that, but they beat them a few weeks later at the Nor-Cal Tournament. Last year, the Dons beat Miramonte in their league game, but then lost in OT in the DAL tournament. Needless to say, there is history between these two teams.…
The Acalanes Dons JV boys water polo team made a splash at the JV Boys Jet Blast Tournament at Encinal High School in Alameda, winning all four games to claim the tournament championship. With balanced scoring, strong defensive pressure, timely saves, and unselfish passing, the Dons showed that their success comes from a full roster ready to contribute. Even a…
The Acalanes Dons JV boys water polo team faced a tough matchup against the Miramonte Matadors, last Wednesday, 10/14, falling 13–1 in a game that tested the Dons on both ends of the pool. Despite the challenging scoreline, Acalanes continued to compete, work together defensively, and look for scoring opportunities through the final whistle. Miramonte established control early, taking…
Over the last two weeks, the Varsity Dons volleyball team has begun to find its stride. On October 8, the Dons swept College Park 3-0, followed by a 3-1 victory over Northgate on October 13. That momentum carried them into Thursday’s match against crosstown rival Los Lomas, where the Knights had cleverly organized a bake sale. By Thursday evening, most…
Acalanes rolled past crosstown rival Miramonte 46-10, posting a season-high point total in a complete offensive and defensive team win.
The Dons were back at home this past week, cruising to a win over the Concord Bears and outlasting the Alhambra Bulldogs. Powered by an ironclad defense and an explosive, high-speed offense, the Dons secured the two home victories. Here’s how the action unfolded. Concord: The Dons wasted no time during their first possession of the game. A quick pass…
Some football games end when the clock reaches zero. Others linger for a while. Friday’s 15-14 loss to Miramonte falls squarely into the latter category. Acalanes led or was tied for virtually the entire game, twice held a seven-point advantage, and seemed to have matters reasonably in hand until the final minute. Then, in the span of a few plays,…