How Pittsburg beat San Ramon Valley for third consecutive NCS D-I crown

DUBLIN – The score was tied early in the second half on Friday night when Pittsburg quarterback Marley Alcantara dropped back to pass on third down from his own 1, needing 14 yards to move the chains.

The junior looked downfield, saw Bobby Shaw III running and let the ball fly, maybe deeper than he wanted but not beyond the receiver’s range.

Shaw somehow made the catch and kept sprinting.

The 99-yard touchdown strike gave Pittsburg a lead it would not relinquish as the Pirates won their third consecutive North Coast Section Division I championship with a 37-21 victory over San Ramon Valley at Dublin High.

“When I see No. 11 running down the field, I know he is getting the ball,” said Alcantara, who passed for 320 yards. “We practice that. We practice being backed up and all that.”

Pittsburg quarterback Marley Alcantara raises the first place plaque after defeating San Ramon Valley during their North Coast Section Division I championship game at Dublin High School in Dublin, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. Pittsburg defeated San Ramon Valley 37-21. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

When the game ended, there were hugs, smiles and chants of 13-0 as Pittsburg continued its perfect run under first-year head coach Charlie Ramirez, promoted from defensive coordinator when longtime coach Victor Galli stepped down after last season.

The Pirates beat Los Gatos and Monterey Trail early in the season, rolled through the Bay Valley Athletic League and now beat a San Ramon Valley team that gave De La Salle all it could handle twice, including last week in the NCS Open Division championship game.

“This team worked so hard,” said Ramirez, who was given a Gatorade shower in the final minute. “All credit to these players. All credit to the coaches. They have put in so much time and work. Whether it was Zion Blanche to Juju Walls to every single player in between, man, it’s a great season, a great season.”

It’s not over.

Pittsburg will advance to a NorCal regional next week. The matchups will be announced on Sunday. Folsom, Clovis North or even De La Salle are possible candidates to play the Pirates.

Does Pittsburg want De La Salle, the NCS’s No. 1 team after beating SRV last week?

“At this point, I’d rather have the home game,” Ramirez said. “We’re 13-0 and nobody has beaten us. I think we deserve a home game.”

Pittsburg head coach Charlie Ramirez raises the first place plaque after defeating San Ramon Valley during their North Coast Section Division I championship game at Dublin High School in Dublin, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. Pittsburg defeated San Ramon Valley 37-21. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Pittsburg couldn’t think about next week until it put away San Ramon Valley, which was not easy.

Shaw’s 99-yard touchdown reception made it 21-14, and Jesus Lua Amaya’s 27-yard field goal widened the margin to 24-14 with 33 seconds left in the third quarter.

The difference was still 10 points when San Ramon Valley middle linebacker Marco Jones intercepted a pass and raced into the end zone, the 39-yard pick-six pulling the Wolves to within 24-21 with 6:13 left.

“We played our hearts out,” Jones said. “Obviously, not the ending we wanted. But stuff happens. We’ve got to come back stronger next year.”

With momentum suddenly on SRV’s side after Jones’ interception, the Wolves (10-3) appeared on the verge of forcing a quick three-and-out. But on third-and-five from the 25, Alcantara threw down the right sideline to running back Jamar Searcy.

The pass fell incomplete, but SRV was called for pass interference.

How big was that flag?

“Uh … oh, it was big,” Searcy said. “It was big. We needed that for sure.”

Five plays later, Searcy broke free from a pack of defenders and sprinted into the end zone, the 34-yard run with 2:24 to play stretching the advantage to 30-21.

The junior finished with 137 yards and three touchdowns in 20 carries, his first two touchdowns accounting for Pittsburg’s first-half scoring.

Searcy capped his big night with an interception to set up Pittsburg’s final touchdown, a 7-yard run by Elijah Bow with 1:51 left.

San Ramon Valley came close to answering Pittsburg’s 99-yard touchdown play, driving to the 8. But the Wolves fumbled on first-and-goal, and Pittsburg marched for a field goal that made it 24-14.

Luke Baker, in his final game for SRV, passed for 245 yards and two first-half touchdowns, one to Makai Vierra and the other to Evan Economos.

“That game, a fumble on the five-yard line, third-and-(14) on their own 1-yard line and get a 99-yard touchdown, that’s what happens in championship games,” Baker said. “You can find a couple of plays and say if those plays went the other way, we probably would have won. We had a really good team. Proud of everyone.”