The Dons played at Oakland High on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It was a difficult night on the scoreboard, and not one that needs analysis here. Instead, we pause to reflect on the words of Dr. King, whose legacy reminds us that how we respond to adversity—on the court and off it—matters more than the result itself. “We must…
From hand fights to hard-earned takedowns, our wrestlers battled through long days, tough brackets, and gritty matches across the Bay Area. The Varsity boys scrapped at the San Ramon Invitational with Ryan Crane wrestling his way to a 5th-place finish and Kirian Gracie grinding out 6th, while our girls brought the heat at the Grizzly Grapple as Gwyneth Lee powered…
Dons 46, Giants 36 Basketball is often sold as a game of inches. On this night, it was a game of resolve. The Redwood Giants came to town, living up to their name, bringing a clear height advantage and the confidence of an 11–4 record. Early on, they showed why. Using size and skill, Redwood found easy looks while making…
Acalanes picked up a 45–36 win on the road at Arroyo on Saturday, pulling away in the fourth quarter after Arroyo closed the gap coming out of halftime. Acalanes set the tone early, taking a 13–10 lead after the first quarter behind steady ball movement and disciplined defense. The Dons continued to control the pace in the second quarter, outscoring…
Acalanes earned a 2–1 victory over College Park High School with a complete team performance, controlling the tempo throughout the match and limiting the Falcons to few quality scoring chances. The first half was marked by strong possession and attacking play from Omri Noiman, Charlie Phillips, Santi Vignoles, and Caleb Nguyen, who all helped dictate the flow of the game. Karsten Harmeyer showed grit and toughness after taking…
The Varsity Lady Dons were on their home turf Thursday night and back in black uniforms for their match versus Clayton Valley, who were coming into the match undefeated. Captain Tori Hiatt gave her standard rally speech as co-captains Tatum Keely, Edie Berzansky, and Reese Tierney cheered her on. From the huddle the starters took their positions on the pitch…
Before we get to the basketball, some geography—and a little history—are required. Where the heck is McKinleyville? If you answered “somewhere near Eureka,” you are technically correct.If you answered “a four-hour-and-twenty-minute drive north of Marin County,” you are correct and wondering whether Google Maps is playing a prank on you. McKinleyville is a small town on California’s far northern coast,…
The Acalanes Freshman Dons (8-0) notched a commanding 6–0 home win over College Park on Saturday, overcoming a physical early stretch before asserting control and never looking back. The Dons weathered a slow, back-and-forth opening marked by aggressive midfield play from College Park, with the visitors’ goalkeeper turning aside a pair of early chances, including a nice look from striker Nick Siewert (#15) after intercepting a goal kick.…
The Dons JV soccer team traveled to Clayton Valley on Thursday 1/15 to face off against the Ugly Eagles in a hard-fought defensive battle. The midfield became a war zone as Nikolai, Owen, and Alec battled relentlessly for possession, working to distribute the ball and create offensive opportunities. Despite their efforts, Clayton Valley managed to break through in the first…
The Acalanes JV soccer team hosted cross-town rivals Las Lomas on Tuesday night in a tightly contested match that came down to a single goal. The Knights came out firing from the opening whistle, catching the Dons off guard and scoring early to take a 1-0 lead. The goal set the tone for what would become a defensive battle, with…