NOTES AND QUOTES for a Monday in the Napa Valley:

The Napa High School boys and girls water polo teams got their seasons started Saturday by taking part in the fourth annual alumni scrimmage at the Napa High Community Pool.

Twenty-one former Napa High water polo players returned to play against the 2009 boys and girls teams in what is becoming as much of a reunion as an athletic contest.

Former players Maya Bailinson, Jamie Forcier, Kali Grabenauer, Stephanie Hernandez, Erin Komplin, Kayla Madole, Bea Ramey, Kaitlin Shubin, Lauren Turigliatto, Tonia Turigliatto, Alyssa Warrington, Emma Witt and Cami Zeller returned for the Napa High alumnae.

Robbie Zeller, Jack Ramey, Adam Makrani, Taylor Brown, Robin Dore-Andrews, John Rex Bellosillo, Kevin Lung and Devon Jones were on hand to face the boys team.

The Napa High girls team will have another scrimmage, taking on host Sir Francis Drake-San Anselmo on Tuesday.

Both the both boys and girls teams will play their first official game of the 2009 season against host McClatchy-Sacramento on Thursday.

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Max Alvarez had a goal and assist while leading all Cal State Sacramento attackers with nine shots, including four on goal, in the Hornets’ 5-0 exhibition win Saturday over visiting Holy Names. It was Alvarez’s debut for the Sacramento men’s soccer team.

Alvarez, a starting freshman forward, had an outstanding career at Napa High, scoring 108 goals over the last three years, during which he was named to All-Monticello Empire League and All-Napa County teams each year.

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Freshman defensive tackle Justin Clayton was among six Washington State players to record sacks as the Cougars held their first scrimmage of fall camp at Martin Stadium on Aug. 15 in Pullman, Wash.

Clayton, a standout strong-side defensive end/outside linebacker on Justin-Siena’s 2008 CIF North Coast Section Division IV championship team, was credited with the sack that resulted in a five-yard loss.

Washington State opens its season against Stanford on Sept. 5 at Martin Stadium.

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The Pacific Union College volleyball team played its best match of the season so far in a 3-0 loss to Mayville State (N.D.) at the Cougar Classic, which was hosted by Azusa Pacific University in Azusa.

In Friday’s 25-14, 25-15, 25-22 loss at the Felix Event Center, the Pioneers (0-3 overall) were led by Madelyn Mauch, 20 set assists and three defensive digs; Brita Widmer, three kills; Heather Jacobson, seven kills, two assists and four digs; Casey Miller, five kills, two assists and five digs; Cari Cordis, three kills and seven digs; JoAnn Mauries, six kills and two digs; and Karissa Jacobson, eight digs.

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Matt Yourkin, the closer for the San Francisco Giants’ Double-A Connecticut, picked up the win in the Defenders’ 4-3 Eastern League victory Saturday over Binghamton (N.Y.) in Norwich, Conn. Yourkin, a Napa High graduate, is 6-2 with a 2.61 earned run average.

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Rachel Pickett of Napa started as a defender for the Fresno State women’s soccer team Friday in the Bulldogs’ 1-0 loss to San Diego State in the 2009 season opener. Pickett went to Napa High.

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Danny Cacho and his older brother, Jimmy, each finished eight shots behind the winner, Jamie Core, during the Fairfield City Amateur Championship, which was held recently at Rancho Solano and Paradise Valley.

Danny and Jimmy each had rounds of 75 and 73 for a 148 total.

They are Justin-Siena graduates and play golf for Santa Clara University.

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UC Berkeley begins the 2009 college football season ranked No. 12 in The Associated Press Top 25 Preseason Poll, which was released on Saturday.

The Golden Bears open the season with a nationally televised ESPN2 game against Maryland at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m.

E-mail Executive Sports Editor Marty James at mjames@napanews.com or call 256-2223.