No boys volleyball team has been more dominant than Northgate in the North Coast Section this season.

Thursday, the superiority was on full display once again.

Northgate defeated Amador Valley 25-17, 25-21, 22-25, 25-15 to capture its second consecutive section crown and fourth overall — but first in Division I. Northgate won the D-II title last season.

The Walnut Creek school improved to 40-3 on the season while remaining undefeated against NCS opponents.

“It’s such a special team,” Northgate coach Joe Peacock said. “I’m so happy that they didn’t choke and they didn’t let the pressure get to them. The moment didn’t become too large, and they were able to do what everybody expected.”

After securing the win, Northgate celebrated with a packed student section. But for senior captain Austin Chan, the victory was bittersweet.

“It was super exciting, but it was also super sad that this was the last NCS playoffs for the seniors,” Chan said. “I’m really speechless. But it’s been great to play with my boys that I started with and finish off NCS going back to back.”

Northgate was determined to get off to a fast start.

The Broncos opened the first set scoring the first five points. They led by as much as nine and cruised to an eight-point victory in the first set.

Amador Valley (26-11) played the second set much closer, but Northgate’s frontline of Connor Harze and Conor Walsh sent away any spikes toward the net. Northgate was in complete control, taking the first two sets with a raucous home crowd anxious for the Broncos to complete the sweep.

But the Dons didn’t go down without a fight.

Amador Valley got off to a hot start in the third set behind an aggressive attack led by senior outside hitter Max Riter. The Pleasanton school led by as much as six points and won the third set to avoid the sweep.

For Northgate, it was the first set it lost this postseason.

While Amador Valley’s fight was valiant, Northgate proved to be too athletic for the scrappy Dons.

The Broncos easily took the final set, leading by as much as 11. Senior middle hitter Trey Broussard delivered the game-winning kill as Northgate cruised to victory.

Elsewhere in NCS: Sixth-seeded Washington-Fremont won its first NCS title with a 3-2 victory over fifth-seeded Albany in the Division III final. The Huskies topped No. 3 Clayton Valley and No. 2 St. Joseph Notre Dame en route to the championship. ... After two close sets, second-seeded Berean Christian finished off 12th-seeded Benicia in a decisive third frame to capture the NCS Division IV crown. The scores were 25-23, 26-24, 25-13.

CCS semifinals: Top-seeded Archbishop Mitty and No. 6 seed St. Francis will meet for the CCS Open Division championship today at 2:30 p.m. at Harker. In the semifinals Thursday, Mitty outlasted fourth-seeded Harker 20-25, 25-17, 24-26, 25-22, 15-12 and St. Francis swept No. 7 seed Los Gatos 25-20, 25-21, 25-22. ... Neighborhood rivals Leigh and Branham will play for the Division I championship today at noon at Harker. Third-seeded Leigh reached the final with a 25-19, 25-23, 25-22 sweep of seventh-seeded Carlmont. Top-seeded Branham rolled past fifth-seeded Lynbrook 25-16, 25-16, 25-13 in the other semifinal match. ... In Division II, fourth-seeded Monta Vista will face No. 2 seed Harbor for the title today at 9:30 a.m. at Harker. Monta Vista upset top-seeded Sacred Heart Cathedral 13-25, 25-20, 25-23, 18-25, 17-15 on Thursday. Harbor advanced with a 25-18, 25-20, 23-25, 25-21 victory over third-seeded Monterey.

SOFTBALL

EBAL final: Livermore won the East Bay Athletic League tournament, knocking off California 7-4 in the championship game on Thursday to culminate a playoff run that included a 14-2 rout of league leader Carondelet on Tuesday.

Livermore (23-11), which finished fourth in the league’s regular-season standings, took control of the title game in the top of the third inning with a quartet of runs, then doubled down with three more in the fifth to go up 7-1. The Cowboys gave up a run per inning in each ensuing frame, but they had more than enough cushion to sustain their lead.

Livermore got contributions from up and down the lineup in the big win. Pinch-hit eighth-place hitter Payten Williams roped a three-run homer to left in the fifth inning, giving the Cowboys some breathing room. Kerigan Coates drove in two runs in the leadoff spot, while Laine McCosky and Kymber Dao also added RBIs.

Kaci Norton pitched a complete game for Livermore, finishing with two walks, five strikeouts and four earned runs. She allowed seven hits.

No. 2 Willow Glen 10, No. 11 Gilroy 0: Willow Glen finished off a perfect 26-0 regular season with a walk-off run-rule win over Gilroy on Thursday night.

This is the first time in the MaxPreps era (since 2004) that the Rams have completed an undefeated regular season. In doing so, they also finished off a perfect 14-0 league slate, winning the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Mt. Hamilton Division by three games over Gilroy (18-7, 11-3).

Senior Haley Ocumen led the charge for Willow Glen offensively, driving in and scoring three runs each with a double, triple and home run. Alanna Clincy did her usual stellar work in the circle, pitching 5 1/3 innings of scoreless ball with just two hits allowed.

BASEBALL

Menlo School 10, Aragon 2: Menlo finished off a strong regular season on Thursday, securing the Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division championship outright and sweeping Aragon in the process.

The Knights rattled off 13 consecutive wins after a loss to San Mateo. They enter the postseason with an automatic CCS bid and an 18-8 overall record. It is Menlo’s first league title since 2019.

In the home game against the Dons, freshman Liam Widner had a pair of hits, three RBIs and scored twice. Zach Roeder, also a freshman, had two hits and two RBIs, while senior KC Chavinson had two hits and an RBI in the cleanup spot.

Freshman right-hander Reid Plamondon pitched six shutout innings, walking two and striking out four.