New year, new hope as league play starts

The new year brings new hope, new dreams and new challenges for area high school basketball teams.

Except for a little cleanup work this week, local prep teams start playing for real as 2017 dawns, chasing pennants in three different leagues.

It could be argued that the Casa Grande boys team has the toughest road to traverse as the Gauchos seek the North Bay League pennant.

The only thing between the Gauchos and the pennant are four of the best basketball teams in the Redwood Empire - Cardinal Newman, Montgomery, Windsor and Santa Rosa and three others - Maria Carrillo, Ukiah and an improved Rancho Cotate - that can knock off anyone on any night.

Casa Grande plays a final tuneup in its home gym Friday night against San Marin before opening NBL play at home on Wednesday against Windsor.

For Petaluma’s boys, the Sonoma County League road isn’t quite as difficult as Casa’s NBL path, but it is still very steep. Healdsburg has lived up to its early season promise, winning its first nine games. Defending champion Analy is still the team to beat and Piner and Sonoma Valley have both looked good in the pre-league season. Even El Molino and Elsie Allen, with just two wins each, have the talent to be dangerous.

Petaluma has had an uneven pre-league season, compiling a 5-7 record. The Trojans get a stern test right at the outset, opening SCL play Tuesday at Healdsburg.

It is difficult to gauge the St. Vincent boys, who have played some tough pre-league games to a 3-5 record. No team in the North Central League II has really stepped forward, although Sonoma Academy and Upper Lake have shown flashes of good basketball. A surprise team to watch is Tomales. Under new head coach Tyler Reynolds, the Braves are off to a solid 5-6 record.

St. Vincent is playing in the Tom Welsh Invitational Tournament at Head Royce this weekend before opening league play at home against Rincon Valley Christian on Wednesday.

The Casa Grande girls have the area’s only pre-league winning record, standing a glittering 6-1 as they play this week in the West Coast Jamboree.

The trouble for the Lady Gauchos is they are in the same NBL mix with defending champion Cardinal Newman (6-1), Montgomery (7-1) and Rancho Cotate (8-3). It is quite a mix.

After finishing with the Jamboree, Casa will open league play Tuesday at home against Windsor.

Petaluma’s T-Girls, under first-year coach Jon Ratshin, no longer have the luxury of learning as they go along. After a 1-9 start going into this week’s West Coast Jamboree, their record now starts counting in SCL play.

There are some very good teams - Sonoma Valley, Analy, Healdsburg - in the league, but there are also some – Piner, El Molino and Elsie Allen - that the T-Girls should be able to handle.

Petaluma begins SCL play Jan. 6 at El Molino.

St. Vincent girls, after going 5-5 through a difficult pre-league season, should be in the hunt for the North Central League II title, although Sonoma Academy, with only one loss in its pre-league schedule, will be the favorite.

Tomales has been the surprise team of the league, compiling an 8-2 mark and will be a factor in league play along with Rincon Valley Christian and Upper Lake.

St. Vincent begins NCL II play Wednesday at home against Rincon Valley Christian.