No. 8 Ygnacio Valley outlasts No. 9 Monte Vista to advance to NCS Division I quarterfinals

5 days ago

CONCORD — For Ygnacio Valley, it’s all about controlled chaos.

The goal for the Wolves is to make their opponents tired and uncomfortable with their full court press and aggressive attacks to the basket.

On Tuesday, the strategy worked to a tee.

In a back-and-forth game, No. 8 Ygnacio Valley defeated No. 9 Monte Vista 57-54 at home to advance to the North Coast Section Division I quarterfinals.

Antonio Kellogg Jr. scored a game-high 27 points for YV and grabbed eight rebounds. Freshman Jaelyn Cox added nine points and five rebounds and senior point guard Jalan Cody added seven points and eight rebounds.

Monte Vista senior Chase Simpelo led the Mustangs with 25 points, three rebounds and three assists.

Tuesday’s win sets up a matchup at top-seeded Dougherty Valley and star forward Jalen Stokes on Friday for YV.

Ygnacio Valley head coach Michael Woolridge gestures during their NCS Division I playoff game against Monte Vista at Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord, Calif., on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

“We’ve been playing against Stokes for a while, so we know him. We’re not scared of him,” YV coach Michael Woolridge said. “We’re going to take on a big school. We’ve played in big games. … We’re going to be ready for it.”

After a close first quarter, YV took control of the game in the second.

Kellogg scored 10 points in the period on a flurry of floaters in the lane. The senior found pockets throughout Monte Vista’s defense and created shots for himself and his teammates.

Defensively, the Wolves took advantage of their athleticism and quickness. YV used a 2-2-1 press to rush Monte Vista and force turnovers. YV ended Tuesday’s game forcing 14 Monte Vista turnovers and recording eight steals.

“That’s our game,” Woolridge said. “We play fast and I want to cause confusion. That’s what we do.”

At halftime, YV led 36-29.

Monte Vista made things interesting down the stretch as the Mustangs came within three points of YV with just over four minutes left in the game.

Ygnacio Valley’s Antonio Kellogg Jr. (5) vies for a rebound against Monte Vista during their NCS Division I playoff game at Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord, Calif., on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

But it was a Kellogg takeover in the final minutes. Kellogg went on an 8-0 run of his own as the Wolves took an eight-point lead with just over a minute left. Monte Vista scored six points in the final 15 seconds, but it was too late as time ran out on the Danville school.

Call it the Dog Bowl. Westminster show’s canine athletes get their piece of Super Bowl weekend

“I’m the leader of the team, so I feel like the ball got to be in my hands at the end of the game,” Kellogg said of his fourth-quarter play. “I felt like it was my job to take over the game and lead us to a victory.”

The Wolves will be looking for an upset when they travel to San Ramon for a matchup with Dougherty Valley. The Wildcats defeated No. 16 Pittsburg 71-52 on Tuesday.

Friday’s game against Dougherty Valley will feature a marquee matchup between Kellogg and Stokes – both of whom are two of the area’s top players.

YV played Stokes when the UC Davis commit was at Dublin last season. Stokes scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Gaels to a 69-58 win on the road. Kellogg scored 15, grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists in the loss.

Cody said the added experience will only help the Wolves going into Friday’s matchup.

“We played (Stokes) before, but I think this time we’ll be ready,” Cody said. “We just gotta execute on defense and lock in on offense.”

Ygnacio Valley’s Jaelyn Cox (10) shoots a layup past Monte Vista’s Gavin McMillan (34) during their NCS Division I playoff game at Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord, Calif., on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

1 of 17

Former Santa Cruz MS-13 gang members sentenced for federal crimes

Expand