[UPDATED] Lady Cougars win NCS

Before the Albany High Cougars women’s softball team took the field against the Concord Minutemen in the NCS 2A Championship Game, they already had accomplished so much more then any previous team in school history.

By posting an outstanding 25-1 record, including a remarkable 16-0 in the BSAL, the Cougars impressed even their harshest critics, making an improbable run to capture the #1 seed in the NCS tournament.

After a first round bye, the Cougars easily handled the Las Lomas High Knights in the quarterfinals, to set up a match up with the Heritage High School Patriots, in what was expected to be a highly competitive contest. Even though the Cougars were the top seed in the bracket, many people felt that Heritage High School would be too much for the Cougars to handle. However, the critics were silenced when Albany won by a whopping score of 12-3, setting up a match up with third-seeded Concord High School.

On a damp Saturday afternoon at Levine-Fricke Field, home of the California Golden Bears, the Cougars and Minutemen of Concord were expected to be in an extremely tight affair to decide the NCS 2A champion. The Cougars had easily defeated Heritage High School in their semifinal match up, while Concord surprised many by defeating two-seed Bishop O’Dowd, 3-2, in their respective contests. Even though the Minutemen were the lower seed, according to NCS rules, a coin flip is used to determine home and away in postseason play. And for the second afternoon in a row, the Cougars were told they would be the visiting team.

After the Cougars went down quietly in the top of the first inning, the Minutemen stormed out to an early 1-0 lead against Albany starting pitcher, sophomore Sara Muse. Going into the top of the third inning the Cougars had looked a little vulnerable, allowing two more runners to score, giving Concord a 3-0 cushion. Soon thereafter Muse exited the game for relief pitcher Nicole Presher.

The lead Concord had built didn’t last long, as senior star Joan Cannon singled to left center, sending sophomore catcher Maddie Cousens to the plate. After a wild pitch in which Cannon advanced all the way to third, Cousens laced an RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-1, in favor of Concord. Laura Cannon came up to bat and ripped a double into the gap in left center, reducing the lead to 3-2.

After a pitching change, Presher came up to bat, and hit a shot off of the pitchers glove, sending runners to first and third. Senior star Amaya Fernandez tied the game at three for the Cougars with an RBI chopper to first base, and following another wild pitch, Presher moved to third base, setting up an outstanding at-bat by sophomore right fielder Sabina Kahn. After fouling away numerous pitches, Kahn eventually hit the 13th pitch of the at bat up the middle to give the Cougars a 4-3 lead going into the bottom half of the inning.
Albany’s lead wouldn’t last long, as Concord immediately tied it up with a leadoff homerun to tie the game at 4-4. The teams battled it out until the bottom of the fifth inning, when the Minutemen plated two more runs, to take the lead at 6-4. Neither team netted any runs in the sixth inning, so coming up with only three outs to play with in the entire season the Cougars were in need of a timely rally.

Joan Cannon struck out to begin the top half of the seventh inning, and things were looking extremely bleak. Cousens advanced to first base on a walk, and all of a sudden Albany had a little bit of life. Laura Cannon hit a blooper to the shortstop, but it was misplayed and the Cougars had runners at first and second with only one away. Presher hit an RBI single to center, and an untimely error by the centerfielder advanced the runners to second and third. Fernandez hit little dribbler back to the pitcher, who threw the ball home, trying to prevent the run from scoring. An overthrow to third by the catcher tied the game at six a piece. Following some questionable base running by the Cougars, the game was headed into the bottom half of the seventh inning, knotted at six.

The Minutemen had suddenly lost all the fire in their eyes, and the momentum immediately shifted to the Cougar’s side. After a quick bottom of the seventh inning, the Cougars quickly put runners on second and third, setting up some late-game heroics for Joan Cannon. Cannon hit a slow grounder to short, which scored the go ahead run, giving the Cougars the lead for good at 7-6.

Following some outstanding defense by sophomore third basemen Krista Smithers, freshman second baseman Meagan Tokunaga, and Cousens, the Cougars were crowned NCS 2A Champions.

Congratulations to the Lady Cougars on a remarkable season, and to the seniors who had devoted their entire high school careers to winning an NCS Championship. Thank you to all the fans that made the trip out to UC Berkeley to witness an amazing end to the softball season.

8 Responses

2:20 PM on May 27th, 2008Robb:

good job cougars and good job Rashad -very good article
7:07 AM on May 28th, 2008Go Cougars:

Great article Rashad - it was by far the best one written about the playoffs. It clearly shows an in-depth knowledge of the game. The photos are amazing as well.
11:31 AM on June 4th, 2008Tim:

Amazing how the finals of the last 2 NCS championships were so similar…both Piedmont and Concord games were see-saw battles, only to finish with Cougar heroics. Contra Costa Times has Albany ranked #2, behind only Freedom. Respect at last. Great photo of that attempted steal by Kavastany at 2nd base. Nice play Maddie and Laura!
6:17 PM on June 6th, 2008Shamez:

BEASTIN
2:07 PM on July 9th, 2008Tim:

Congratulations to Coach V for being named by the Contra Costa Times “East Bay Softball Coach of the Year”. A well earned honor. She and Mike are the best!
10:26 AM on August 28th, 2008beasty MCfeasty:

eeeeeeeeeeeee. ehhhhhhhh
9:07 AM on September 2nd, 2008Tim C.:

I’m not sure where that comment #6 came from, but not from me.
9:09 AM on September 2nd, 2008Tim C.:

good, it was taken out..I can imagine who wrote it.