NCS Division 1 Playoff Projections
Joe DeMers looks to lead College Park to its second straight NCS title. Photo by Chris Jackson
By Chris Jackson Monday May 25, 2015
Projected Champion: College Park
Despite falling to De La Salle earlier this month and end up getting the two seed, it's the year for the Falcons 2015 class to finish it off in style. Three of their four losses have come to East Bay Athletic League teams, and two of those losses were to division one signees-De La Salle's Justin Hooper (UCLA) and San Ramon Valley's Joey Matulovich (California). Despite those losses, the talent level is among the best in all of the nation. Six division one commits and a possible first round draft pick round it out. Joe DeMers boasts a 10-1 record and 0.45 ERA on the mound while also hitting .482 with 41 RBI's and six home runs. They earned a runner-up finish at the National High School Invitational and also outscored opponents 215-41 this season. The college bound players include pitchers Chris Brown (UC Davis) and Joe DeMers (Washington); outfielders Trevor Larnach (Oregon State), Jeffrey Mitchell (California) and Nick Oar Stanford; and catcher Willie MacIver (Washington). MacIver finished the regular season hitting .506 with 34 RBI's, eight doubles and six triples. A rematch with top seed De La Salle looks to be on the horizon, with the last meeting result in a 3-0 defeat.
Projected Runner-Up: De La Salle
The Spartans have already defeated College Park earlier this season and it would be another Joe DeMers-Justin Hooper rematch. They finished as an East Bay Athletic League co-champion with Monte Vista and split the season series. They also went 16-8 and boast big victories over College Park, Elk Grove, Livermore, San Ramon Valley and St. Francis-Mountain View. Blake Ogburn leads the offense with 22 RBI's and four home runs. UC Santa Barbara bound outfielder Michael McAdoo enters the postseason hitting .427 with 18 RBI's and 11 extra-base hits. Starting pitchers Justin Hooper and Charles Schneider can also take them a long way, with Hooper committed to UCLA and being a potential first round draft pick, and Schneider recently committing to Cal Poly.
Possible Breakout Team: San Ramon Valley
The Wolves are the runner-up finisher in NCS a year ago and are eager to get back. Led by star pitcher and breakout sensation Joey Matulovich, they have risen to the occasion multiple times and scored big wins over College Park and De La Salle. Matulovich tossed a one-hitter and recorded 12 strikeouts in the 4-0 victory over College Park in March. He also allowed one earned run and had nine strikeouts in a 2-1 victory over De La Salle and showed why he's recently committed to Cal. Although Matulovich has been the marquee player all year, other seniors have stepped up large. Ray Soderman is hitting .468 and leads the team in RBI's (20). UC Santa Barbara bound shortstop Nick Poirier has 14 RBI's and BYU bound Laez Tsuruda is hitting .302 with five doubles and 14 RBI's. Junior third baseman Nick Moroney has also gotten his name across, putting up a .356 average. If they could could advance to the semifinals and possibly face De La Salle, it would be another rematch of last years NCS championship. If all goes the way they want it, Matulovich would face phenom Joe DeMers and College Park in the NCS championship.
Official North Coast Section Division 1 Playoff Bracket: http://cifncs.org/sports/baseball/files/RESULTS/2015/BBD1BRACKET15.pdf
Despite falling to De La Salle earlier this month and end up getting the two seed, it's the year for the Falcons 2015 class to finish it off in style. Three of their four losses have come to East Bay Athletic League teams, and two of those losses were to division one signees-De La Salle's Justin Hooper (UCLA) and San Ramon Valley's Joey Matulovich (California). Despite those losses, the talent level is among the best in all of the nation. Six division one commits and a possible first round draft pick round it out. Joe DeMers boasts a 10-1 record and 0.45 ERA on the mound while also hitting .482 with 41 RBI's and six home runs. They earned a runner-up finish at the National High School Invitational and also outscored opponents 215-41 this season. The college bound players include pitchers Chris Brown (UC Davis) and Joe DeMers (Washington); outfielders Trevor Larnach (Oregon State), Jeffrey Mitchell (California) and Nick Oar Stanford; and catcher Willie MacIver (Washington). MacIver finished the regular season hitting .506 with 34 RBI's, eight doubles and six triples. A rematch with top seed De La Salle looks to be on the horizon, with the last meeting result in a 3-0 defeat.
Projected Runner-Up: De La Salle
The Spartans have already defeated College Park earlier this season and it would be another Joe DeMers-Justin Hooper rematch. They finished as an East Bay Athletic League co-champion with Monte Vista and split the season series. They also went 16-8 and boast big victories over College Park, Elk Grove, Livermore, San Ramon Valley and St. Francis-Mountain View. Blake Ogburn leads the offense with 22 RBI's and four home runs. UC Santa Barbara bound outfielder Michael McAdoo enters the postseason hitting .427 with 18 RBI's and 11 extra-base hits. Starting pitchers Justin Hooper and Charles Schneider can also take them a long way, with Hooper committed to UCLA and being a potential first round draft pick, and Schneider recently committing to Cal Poly.
Possible Breakout Team: San Ramon Valley
The Wolves are the runner-up finisher in NCS a year ago and are eager to get back. Led by star pitcher and breakout sensation Joey Matulovich, they have risen to the occasion multiple times and scored big wins over College Park and De La Salle. Matulovich tossed a one-hitter and recorded 12 strikeouts in the 4-0 victory over College Park in March. He also allowed one earned run and had nine strikeouts in a 2-1 victory over De La Salle and showed why he's recently committed to Cal. Although Matulovich has been the marquee player all year, other seniors have stepped up large. Ray Soderman is hitting .468 and leads the team in RBI's (20). UC Santa Barbara bound shortstop Nick Poirier has 14 RBI's and BYU bound Laez Tsuruda is hitting .302 with five doubles and 14 RBI's. Junior third baseman Nick Moroney has also gotten his name across, putting up a .356 average. If they could could advance to the semifinals and possibly face De La Salle, it would be another rematch of last years NCS championship. If all goes the way they want it, Matulovich would face phenom Joe DeMers and College Park in the NCS championship.
Official North Coast Section Division 1 Playoff Bracket: http://cifncs.org/sports/baseball/files/RESULTS/2015/BBD1BRACKET15.pdf