Fall sports for the Acorn League is coming to a close. Girls and Boys volleyball completed the season last week. 
Each team played in five preseason matches which ranges from 15-20 games.  A match consisted of 2 out of 3 games. Since it was preseason, the goal was to play as many games as the 40 minute time limit would allow. 
Scores were not displayed during preseason which allowed the athletes to focus more on playing than winning.  Thus part of the season is known as the instructional phase and then the last four games of the season were called the competitive phase.  Score was displayed and a win lose record was kept.  The top winner from one of the four leagues made it to the single elimination playoff bracket. 
The playoff bracket for the boys was: Nile Garden (Coach Ed Fang) versus Neil Hafley (Coach Steven Shaw), and Walter Woodward (Coach Chris Brunn) versus Great Valley (Coach Rebecca Kinlaw). 
Nile Garden beat Neil Hafley in two very close games.  Woodward also defeated Great Valley in two games.  Both matches were well played and had numerous long rallies. Nile Garden and Walter Woodward played for the championship match.  Nile Garden won the first game 25-18, and during the second game a Walter Woodward player started serving 20-22, he went on to finish the game 25-22.  Then, Nile Garden jumped out quickly on the scoreboard 6-1, and after several long fought rallies, Nile Garden won 15-10.
The girls playoff bracket was Neil Hafley (Coach Ross Clark) versus George Komure (Coach Jennifer Graham), and Walter Woodward (Coach Robin Chandler) versus Mossdale (Coach David Greene). 
Neil Hafley and Walter Woodward won and played for the championship match. Neil Hafley and Walter Woodward score stayed even thourghout the first rotation of all servers.  Toward the end of the game, it was tied 23-23. Woodward forced Neil Hafley to make an error and won the game 25-23.  In the second game, Woodward jumped out to a 6-1 lead after one server.  Hafley fought back and earned 17 points.  After numerous long rallies and great spikes, Woodward won 25-22.
District Volleyball Champions are Walter Woodward (girls) and Nile Garden (boys).
For the first time in district history, Cross Country is being offered.  It was offered for all 4-8th grade students.  The teams ranged from 15-40 athletes per school throughout the district.  All the participating schools were split up into three groups and they would run at either East Union, Lathrop or Sierra High School. 
The distance ran ranged from 1.2-1.3 miles for 4th-6th grade, to 1.6-1.75 miles for 7th-8th grade. Everyone got to run in one practice meet and two league meets.
The championship meet is today at Woodward park in the soccer basin.  It starts at 4:30 pm for the first race.  Superintendent Jason Messer  will be the starter for the first race.