Miramonte heats up in second half, wins first NCS title in nine years

MARTINEZ — Miramonte coach Ace Wright waved her hands up and down, hyping the crowd, imploring them to scream and cheer. The game was all but over, her Matadors up 11 with 34 seconds remaining. But she as much as anyone understood the moment Friday night.

Miramonte upset the No. 2-seeded Benicia Panthers, 57-47, clinching a Northern Coast Section Division III championship. On the floor of Alhambra High, the No. 4-seeded Matadors celebrated the school’s first section championship since 2017.