The North Coast Section (NCS) just released its brackets for the 2022 Boys and Girls Basketball and Soccer Championships with Dublin earning favorable seeding and multiple home events in the coming week. In addition, Saturday’s, East Bay Athletic League Wrestling Tournament produced qualifiers from Dublin High School as well to cap a very successful weekend for Dublin High School Athletics.
For the 2nd consecutive time since its inception, the Varsity Boys Basketball team qualified for the NCS Open Division as the #4 seed. By entering the Open Division, this means that the Gaels have automatically qualified for the CIF State Tournament regardless of its playoff results in NCS action. This is also the 5th consecutive season in which the program has qualified for CIF, a feat only matched in school history by the Boys Cross Country team.
Dublin will open up at home against #5 Northgate of the Diablo Athletic League in the Quarterfinals on Thursday, February 17th at 7:00 p.m. The Gaels have not played the Broncos in recent years, but if they are victorious on Thursday they will face off on the road against a familiar foe in top-seeded Campolindo. Dublin lost to the Cougars in their season opener 50-42 on its home court in the NorCal Tipoff Classic. The Gaels also faced Campolindo in the Semifinals of the Open Division in 2020, knocking off the Cougars 64-55.
For the first time since 2016, both the Boys and Girls Soccer teams earned 1st round NCS home contests in the same season. The Girls earned the #5 seed and will be hosting #12 seed California on Wednesday, February 16th at 7:00, while the Boys were awarded the #6 seed and will be hosting #11 seed San Ramon Valley on the front end of a rare Boys/Girls Varsity NCS Soccer doubleheader at 5:00.
In their previous contests this season, Dublin’s Girls came away with a 2-1 victory on the road at California, while the Boys lost on Senior Night to San Ramon Valley 3-0. If the Girls are victorious, they will either go on the road to face #4 seed Tamalpais or host #13 seed Foothill. On the Boys side, if Dublin defeats the Wolves they will either travel to face #3 Vintage or host #14 College Park.
The Dublin High Girls Basketball team also earned their 19th consecutive North Coast Section bid, which is an ongoing school record. They are the #12 seed and will travel to face #5 seed Granada on Tuesday, February 15th. In their only encounter this season, Dublin lost a narrow 44-41 decision as a three-pointer at the buzzer rimmed out. Dublin will travel to face #4 Freedom or host #13 Clayton Valley Charter on Friday if they defeat the Matadors.
This weekend also saw 4 Dublin High Wrestlers qualify for NCS based upon their performance at the East Bay Athletic League (EBAL) meet on Saturday. Henry Baalman came away as the EBAL champion at the 140lb Division, while Bradley Freitas (152), Dakodah Hazen (160), and George Yu (170) also advanced to the NCS Tournament, taking place at James Logan High School in Union City on February 18-19.
Full brackets in all sports can be viewed at www.cifncs.org
