Just days after coach’s heart attack, San Ramon Valley girls win league title
John Cristiano wasn’t even supposed to be here.
Less than a week earlier, the San Ramon Valley girls varsity basketball coach had been hospitalized with a heart attack. Yet, against doctors’ orders, there he was Thursday night, with a courtside view to watch his Wolves outlast Carondelet 56-48 in a battle of unbeaten teams for a third consecutive East Bay Athletic League championship.
“We were doing this for pops,” said Joe Cristiano, his son and one of three assistant coaches who took on extra duties after receiving the devastating news this week. “The doctor told him to step away from basketball. Of course, he had to show up . ... We kept things as normal as possible, but there’s no replacing my dad. It felt really good to get a win for him.”
The Wolves and Cougars traded leads throughout the first half, until junior Allison Stern sent up a heave from beyond half court as the buzzer sounded to pull even heading into intermission. Junior Natalie Pasco sank another 3-pointer for the opening score of the second half, and San Ramon Valley never trailed again.
“It’s weird not having him on the bench,” Stern said. “We were super excited (for the game), then we got the news that John had a heart attack and the world turned upside down. Carondelet was completely out of our minds.”
Pasco’s 16 points led all scorers, while Stern contributed 11 on a trio of 3-point field goals.
Over the past five years, John Cristiano has built the unlikely powerhouse at San Ramon Valley that coach Kelly Sopak, in his first year at Carondelet, hopes to re
Online: store into the Cougars’ storied program.
After winning six games the season before John Cristiano took over, the Wolves have posted a 104-28 record and won three EBAL titles in the past five seasons, including this COVID-shortened one, with only 11 total contests and no potential postseason.
“The guy runs his own business, but he spends more time on this than his own company,” Joe Cristiano said. “The love these girls have for him, there’s no words to describe . ... The girls were a little distraught, but my dad said, ‘Don’t feel sorry for me — go out and do what you guys do.’”
Joe said that he was out of town when his father suffered the heart attack and
that John was fortunate to be alive.
John went into surgery and woke up to cards written by every player on the roster, Joe said.
He made an exception Thursday night but stayed away from basketball activities throughout the week. The game plan for Carondelet fell on Joe and two other assistants, Cindy Stern and Tim Santich.
“Our other coaches stepped up big-time,” Pasco said. “That was really scary news for us, but we knew we had to get this win and keep pushing.”
Boys soccer BELLARMINE CLAIMS CCS
OPEN DIVISION TITLE >> Bellarmine was beaten once before, and the Bells weren’t going to let it happen again.
Sacred Heart Cathedral surprised Bellarmine last week in the WCAL tournament, coach Conor Salcido said, emerging with a shootout win and the No. 1 CCS seed, provided by its second straight WCAL title. On Friday at the Beach Chalet soccer complex in San Francisco, Bellarmine was ready and able to easily claim a fourth consecutive CCS Open Division trophywitha3-0win.
The game remained scoreless for 34 minutes, until senior Yoni Aidlberg found the back of the net on a cross from junior Azariel Martinez Sigala. Sophomore Keagan Rhodes corralled the ball near midfield on a rebound from a Sacred Heart shot, then found Martinez Sigala on the right sideline.
Senior Seiji Matsuda gave the Bells an insurance goal offacornerkickinthe79th minute and senior Paxton Hall padded their lead on a penalty kick in extra time.
Bellarmine’s 14 seniors — including the trio of goal scorers — capped off their careers with a fourth and final CCS title, including the past three in the Open Division.
Not long after they raced on to the field in celebration, they had to clean up for their graduation ceremony that afternoon.
CCS tennis BOYS: MENLO 4, BELLARMINE
3 >> Menlo completed a 13-0 season Thursday by edging Bellarmine for the Central Coast Section title. It was the 16th time the boys have won CCS tennis under coach Bill Shine, who has been at Menlo since 1996.
Menlo and Bellarmine were tied at 3-3 until the No. 1 doubles team of Nik Khuntia and Soren Sutaria — the last players on the court — won their match 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-2 to clinch it.