I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving this week spending time with family or friends and giving thanks for all you have in your lives.
Thanksgiving can be so much in so many ways to different people.
For those of us who have recently lost a loved one, we give thanks for all the memories they provided us. We lost my father-in-law a year ago -- on Thanksgiving night -- so this year we are starting a new family tradition. A proud Oregon State graduate, we will celebrate his legacy by toasting him in Oregon State shot glasses.
For those who have new additions to the family (we welcomed our fifth and sixth grandbabies Aug. 26 and Nov. 7), it is time to give thanks for the joy and wonderment they have given our family. Our seventh will make her debut in February.
I also take time each year to give thanks to things around me in my daily life and jobs.
This year, the list is one bigger and for that I am thankful.
I am thankful that we have sports again in the Pleasanton middle schools. You should see the joy and pride on the faces of the kids when they are competing for their schools for the first time.
Working alongside the athletic directors and admin staff, we have Harvest Park, Hart and Pleasanton middle schools taking on each other in sports competitions.
At this point, we have only had a basketball and cross-country season, but considering how quick it all came together, playing any games has been great.
I am also thankful for those who have stepped up to coach.
I believe we will have a spring with golf and track. More will come next year -- it's just amazing to be back.
I wish we could have a full schedule of sports, but we have to walk before we run. Believe me, we are trying!
Finally, I am thankful to be able to work with people at the Pleasanton Weekly who truly embrace community and recognize the efforts of people in that community who make youth and high school sports work.
I am thankful they give me a forum each week to recognize these hard working athletes, coaches and staff members.
A happy Thanksgiving to everyone, and here is hoping that we can find time to give thanks to those who make our lives wonderful!
Cheers!
NCS team tennis
The Amador Valley girls' tennis team may have entered the North Coast Section team tennis tournament as the No. 7 seed, but by the end it was the Dons standing on top of the mountain.
The Dons opened the tournament with a 5-2 win over American, then followed by knocking out No. 2-seeded Monte Vista by a 4-3 margin.
Next up was a semifinal date with crosstown rival and No. 6 seed, Foothill. Amador again found success, knocking out the Falcons by another 4-3 final.
In the championship match, Amador put No. 4 Miramonte out to pasture by yet another 4-3 final.
The Dons advanced to the CIF NorCal tournament and won their match 7-0 over Granite Bay before finally losing 5-2 to Cupertino.
Individually the Dons also found success as Montana Parkinson took the NCS singles title.
Parkinson beat Chanelle Nau of Heritage 6-1, 6-0 in the first round, then took out Maithili Kale of Las Lomas, also by a 6-1, 6-0 final in the second round.
In the semifinals, Parkinson faced No. 3 seed Juliette Krumholz of Miramonte and advanced to the finals with a 6-3, 6-1 win.
In the championship Parkinson found herself facing top-seeded Caroline Beard of Montgomery. Parkinson kept the roll going with a 6-1, 6-3 win.
Editor's note: Dennis Miller is a contributing sports writer for the Pleasanton Weekly. To contact him about his Pleasanton Preps column, email acesmag@aol.com.
