The St. Helena High girls basketball team’s reward for their first North Coast Section playoff appearance since the 1997-1998 campaign — a first-round date with the CIF State Div. IV champion St. Patrick’s/St. Vincent Bruins of Vallejo.

The PUC Prep girls basketball team probably looked intimidating to visiting Round Valley-Covelo as the teams saw each other during warmups before their North Coast Section Division VI playoff opener Wednesday night.

Peter Gilmore has run some very fast times in some very big marathons.

Former Justin-High School star Brett Wallace is rated 40th in the Baseball America top 100 Major League Baseball prospects released this week.

Defending CIF North Coast Section Division IV girls basketball champion Justin-Siena High School opened the playoffs Wednesday night by beating Ursuline-Santa Rosa, 67-44, at Cardinal Newman.

Ben Monroe started and got the win for Vintage (1-1), giving up four hits and three runs (two earned) while walking three, striking out two and hitting a batter in 4 2/3 innings in Wednesday’s nonleague game.

In the season opener for St. Helena Wednesday, starting pitcher Matt Jimenez went four innings, giving up three runs (two earned) and three hits while striking out three and walking two in a nonleague game. J.P. Havens pitched one inning, allowing three hits and two earned runs while walking one. Cody Dorman walked one in two innings.

Singles winners in Wednesday’s match for Napa (2-0) were Nathan Miller, 6-0, 6-0; Stuart Miller, 6-0, 6-0; Sean Day, 6-2, 6-1; Kevin Kroyer, 6-1, 6-2; Steven Hagan, 6-3, 6-4; and Christian Cain, 6-0, 6-0.

Scott Janson had three hits and four RBIs for the Braves. Alex Keown added three doubles and three RBIs. Will French had two hits, including a double. Ryan Webber had two hits and Trey Boles a double. Connor McNeill was the winning pitcher. He pitched two innings, striking out four without issuing a walk. J.C. Luna struck out the side in relief.

Freshman Zack Sims and junior Craig Kaemmer were co-medalists with 41’s in a nonleague match Tuesday at Elk Horn Country Club in Stockton.

The Napa-Sonoma USBC Association is holding it’s Annual City Championship Bowling Tournament March 2-8 at Napa Bowl.

Freshman Kyla Booker finished the match with a hat trick, scoring one goal in the first half and two in the second.

When I started this column two Friday afternoons ago, it began:

The long-awaited storms that arrived recently in the Napa Valley have been a godsend to our watersheds.

NOTES AND QUOTES for a Thursday in the Napa Valley:

Infineon Raceway will open its gates to area drag racers when the popular Wednesday Night Drags program kicks off its 21st consecutive year on March 4.

Amy Knopka caught this 18-inch trout on a New Year’s Day trip to the north side of Lake Hennessey. She fooled the trout using worms and a “Princess Pole.”