LOS GATOS — Aragon didn’t write the Cinderella story in the Central Coast Section Open Division semifinals, but the silver lining is the Lady Dons will live to fight another day.

LOS GATOS — The Crusaders will get ’em next year.

A semifinal appearance in the Central Coast Section softball tournament almost felt like a birthright for the Carlmont team for the better part of two decades.

With so much focus on the Central Coast Section baseball and softball playoffs, in addition to the College of San Mateo softball team winning its first-ever state championships, some other postseason accomplishments kind of got pushed to the back burner.

SANTA CLARA — Christopher cashed in with the bases loaded. Half Moon Bay did not. That was the difference in the tale of dueling Cougars in the Central Coast Section Division V semifinals Tuesday night at Washington Park.

SAN JOSE — One of the few people not shocked seeing eighth-seeded Silver Creek in the semifinals of the Central Coast Section Division I softball bracket was the head coach of fourth-seeded Notre Dame-Belmont.

The CSM softball team Sunday won the school’s first-ever state championship in the modern era following an 8-1 win over Sierra College in the championship game of the California Community College Athletic Association at Bakersfield College.

The old Pretre magic was in the air. And the youngest brother from the first family of Menlo School track and field rose to the occasion.

Furious Clay, Crystal Springs, boys’ 800. To go along with the coolest name in the CCS, Clay has a third-place podium spot in the section after recording a new PR in 1:52.69 Saturday in Gilroy. Clay said he’s happy he made the state cut, with the top three placers advancing to Clovis this we…

The best boys’ golf season in Crystal Springs Uplands history is still going.

Finally.

GILROY — The peculiar thing about Peninsula Athletic League’s two CCS champions is neither of them were happy with their results.

It was business as usual for the Aragon Dons in the opening round of the Central Coast Section Open Division softball tournament.

The 2022 Carlmont Scots were a team whose big swagger translated to big swings.

Because of the vagaries of the Central Coast Section schedule, there was a week off between the end of the regular season and the start of the CCS baseball playoffs.

CCS Division I

Division II

Two down, two to go for the College of San Mateo softball team as the Bulldogs continue their quest for a state championship.

As both a travel club coach and a high school varsity coach, Kelly McDonald has made an impact on each of the top brackets of the Central Coast Section softball playoffs.

There is a common phrase used during the NCAA basketball tournament that is equally applicable to the California Community College Athletic Association state championship softball tournament: survive and advance.

While the San Mateo Bearcats didn’t qualify for the Central Coast Section baseball playoffs, they were still a player in the Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division race.

Bay Cities FC — the Redwood City-based soccer club competing in the fourth level of the US Soccer Pyramid — got off to a wobbly start, but seems to have found its footing over the last month.

The Central Coast Section held its baseball seeding meeting Wednesday and, when the pairings were published, other than Serra not making the Division I bracket and two Peninsula Athletic League teams earning at-large berths, there were not a lot of surprises.

As strong as the Menlo School tennis team has been the last two-plus decades, there was one constant: a set lineup. Head coach Bill Shine’s ladder was usually so rigid and so definite, there would not be a lot of changes throughout the season.

Normally I’d be so buried in Central Coast Section playoff action at this point in May, that I wouldn’t have time to lift my head up, look around and see what else is going on in the world of high school sports. I try to keep up on stories of interest from around the country, as well as keep…

The Crystal Springs Uplands School boys’ golf team put together a historic season in 2022.

The emotion started to hit Liv DiNardo when she arrived at Chanteloup Field for her final regular-season softball game from Aragon at last Friday’s Senior Night.

Zakary Sullivan, Woodside baseball. The Wildcats finished the season on a five-game winning streak, much in part to Sullivan’s most productive stretch of the year. Since the win streak started May 3, Sullivan has gone 12 for 24 with four doubles and four RBIs at the dish. But his “Honor Roll…

The sport of badminton doesn’t have a very high profile among either casual or hardcore sports’ fans.

Aragon senior Isaiah Lott had a pretty good indicator early in his career that golf might be the sport for him.

College of San Mateo freshman Lafu Malepeai was 12 years old when Travis Ishikawa hit the walk-off home run in Game 5 of the 2014 National League Championship Series to send the San Francisco Giants to the World Series.

In a game that ended their season, one wayward inning cost the Skyline Trojans dearly.

The winnowing of postseason track and field athletes continued Saturday at the Central Coast Section trials at Gilroy High School.

Sacred Heart Prep’s Audrey J-Cheng and Kaia Li, along with San Mateo’s Parker Del Balso, all swam to third-place finishes at the CIF swimming and diving championships in Clovis Saturday.

San Mateo’s biggest annual softball tradition returned to its natural stage Friday night Aragon and Hillsdale squared off in the Big Game. Due to the pandemic, it’s the first time the rivalry showdown has been played under the lights at Chanteloup Field in three years.

The College of San Mateo softball team has put together some incredible winning streaks the last two seasons.

No. 5-ranked Skyline College faces an uphill climb after dropping Friday’s opening game 8-6 at No. 4 Feather River College in Quincy in a best-of-three series in the California Community College Elite 8 playoffs.

FRIDAY

Jared Mettam doesn’t come to the yard to play nice or make friends. He comes to compete; he comes to win — and does so with a swagger.

The College of San Mateo softball team and the Skyline College baseball team are on opposite ends of the playoff spectrum.

WEDNESDAY

The Carlmont Scots took care of business Wednesday, rolling through Sequoia for a 9-1 victory to wrap up the Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division baseball championship outright.

Beyond the pomp and circumstance of Sequoia softball’s Senior Day, the Ravens entered play Wednesday with their backs up against the wall — and they knew it.

It’s a good thing the West Catholic Athletic League baseball tournament does not count toward the Central Coast Section playoffs. If a 3-2 loss to Valley Christian in the first round was put on the ledger, Serra would be in a world of hurt.

TUESDAY

How loose is the Sacred Heart Prep baseball team right now?

Liam Laughlin led shot put qualifying with a region-leading mark of 51 feet, 5 1/2 inches as most College of San Mateo contenders made it through the Northern California track and field preliminaries Friday at Chabot College in Hayward. Finals are slated for this Friday at Chabot: 11 a.m. fi…

Boys’ golf

The Burlingame Aquatic Club will be well represented at this week’s state swimming championships, boasting both the county’s Central Coast Section champions — Parker Del Balso and Jeremy Tan.

William Walsh, Serra boys’ golf. Walsh, a junior who has verbally committed to Pepperdine, captured the WCAL tournament championship with a 1-over 73 at Presidio Golf Course in San Francisco. Walsh was the top-ranked WCAL golfer going into the league tournament and with his win garnered the …