Finley scores four as AW wins NorCal title

PREPS OF THE WEEK

A Hillsdale defender stumbles as Willy Finley (6) of Archie Williams moves the ball down the field at the NorCal Division III championship San Anselmo on Saturday. Archie Williams defeated Hillsdale 5-1 for the title. SHERRY LAVARS — MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL

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By Ian Ross

iross@marinij.com

Willy Finley scored four goals and Sean Chamberlin found the back of the net again to lead the Archie Williams boys soccer team to the first NorCal title in program history on Saturday.

It was also a great day for the Marin Catholic girls basketball team, which mauled Moreau Catholic to advance to Tuesday’s NorCal Final.

The Marin Academy girls soccer team, Tam boys soccer team, and Redwood girls basketball team also had big moments in the NorCal playoffs.

Willy Finley and Sean Chamberlin, Archie Williams boys soccer >> Finley and Chamberlin carried the scoring load as the Peregrine Falcons won all three playoff games last week. Finley scored three goals during an electric seven-minute span in the first half against Hillsdale in the D-III championship game then added a fourth goal to put the game completely out of reach. Chamberlin added the final goal in the team’s 5-1 victory, extending his remarkable scoring streak this postseason to nine consecutive games. Archie Williams also got goals from Jordan Oliver Roa and Jackson Richardson in a 3-1 victory against Sacred Heart Prep. Archie Williams’ toughest game came against Tam in the semifinals. Finley and Chamberlin scored to help lift the Peregrine Falcons to a 2-1 victory.

Izzy McFadden and Brooke Spagnuolo, Marin Catholic girls basketball >> McFadden led the team in scoring all week long as No. 3 MC won its first three NorCal D-III playoff games to move within one win of its first trip to a state title game since 2002. McFadden poured in 16 points in a first-round win against No. 14 Christopher, 20 points against No. 6 Menlo School, then 23 more against No. 7 Moreau Catholic. McFadden scored 19 of her points against Moreau Catholic in the first half as the Wildcats raced out to a 31-9 lead. Spagnuolo scored 11 points against Christopher and added 10 more against Menlo School. MC hosts former MCAL foe No. 4 Justin-Siena at 7 p.m. Tuesday with the winner clinching a spot in the state championship.

Sadie Goodenough, Kacy Walker, and Alegra Huck, Marin Academy girls soccer >> The Wildcats made it to their third NorCal final in four years, getting clutch contributions from a number of players. Goodenough scored in regulation in the D-II quarterfinals against No. 3 Leland then assisted Walker’s extra-time winner for a 2-1 victory. No. 6 MA got taken to penalties by No. 7 St. Ignatius in the semifinals with Goodenough netting the clinching kick to put MA into the title game. Huck made two huge saves during the shootout. Walker and Raya Leikin also had successful spot kicks for MA. The wildcats fell to Granite Bay 1-0 in the title game.

Maya Saibel and Brooke Denler, Redwood girls basketball >> Saibel and Denler did the bulk of the scoring as the Giants won their D-II playoff opener, 66-52, against Lincoln on Tuesday. Saibel scored a game-high 23 points and Denler added 15. Redwood pulled away by going on a 16-7 run in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.

West Freau, Tam boys soccer >> The No. 5 Red-tailed Hawks secured a victory in the first NorCal game in program history when Freau netted a 94th-minute winner to upset No. 4 Liberty Ranch 1-0 in the D-III playoffs on Tuesday. Freau’s goal came following an assist from Mateo Hale and ended the game a minute or two before it would have gone to penalty kicks.

Julia Bayon, Redwood girls track >> Bayon, a sophomore, made an impressive opening statement in the first MCAL dual meet of the season, winning both sprints and helping the 4×100 relay team to victory against San Marin. Bayon won the 100 meters in 12.42 seconds and the 200 in 25.74 — finishing just ahead of San Marin’s Sicily Grasso, the defending MCAL champion in both events.

Matthew Baldino and Sean McGrath, San Marin baseball >> Baldino hit two homers — including a grand slam — as the Mustangs opened MCAL play with an 8-0 victory against Archie Williams on Tuesday. Baldino hit his grand slam in the third inning to put San Marin up 5-0 then added a two-run shot in the top of the fifth. Baldino had three hits — the same total McGrath surrendered to the Peregrine Falcons over seven innings of work. McGrath struck out 12 hitters and walked one. The Peregrine Falcons walked Baldino twice in the second meeting on Friday, winning 10-3.

Lucas Ghio, Redwood baseball >> Ghio hit a two-run single in the top of the fourth inning to give the Giants the lead en route to a 7-3 victory against Novato in the league opener for both teams. Ghio added another run-scoring hit in the sixth inning to finish with team highs of two hits and three RBIs. Redwood and San Marin, two contenders for the league title, face each other twice this week — at San Marin on Tuesday and at Redwood on Friday.

Paige Murphy and Kennedy Dunsing, Archie Williams softball >> Murphy threw back-to-back one hitters as the Peregrine Falcons defeated Santa Rosa 19-0 and beat Windsor 3-0. Murphy struck out 10 hitters against Santa Rosa and seven more against Windsor. Murphy also had two hits and drove in two of Archie’s three runs against Windsor. Dunsing had the biggest offensive game in the rout against Santa Rosa with three hits, four RBIs, and one run scored.

Eleanor Johnson, Terra Linda softball >> Johnson was just about untouchable as TL rolled to three wins by a combined score of 38-1 against Campolindo, Piner, and San Domenico last week. Johnson tossed three no-hit innings while striking out eight batters against Campolindo then struck out 13 against four hits and an earned run against Piner. Johnson worked just three innings against San Domenico, striking out all nine batters she faced. Johnson also had four hits, four RBIs, and scored six times across the three games.

Sophia Everett, San Rafael softball >> Everett delivered one of the biggest hits of the early season with a go-ahead grand slam in the top of the seventh inning in a 6-4 win against Analy. The Bulldogs trailed 4-0 going into the seventh but Everett cleared the bases for a 5-4 lead. Everett also had three hits, two RBIs, and three runs in a 5-2 victory against Las Lomas. All told, Everett had seven hits, six RBIs, and scored four runs across three games. San Rafael opens league play next Monday with a home game against San Marin.

Theo Anderson, Marin Catholic boys golf >> Anderson shot a 4-under-par 32 at Peacock Gap to lead Marin Catholic to a 202-211 victory over Branson on Monday.