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49ers route Cardinals 45-29 to clinch NFC West title

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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffery celebrates a rushing touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Sunday DEC 17, 2023. (Terrell Lloyd-San Francisco 49ers)

by Marko Ukalovic

No trap game to speak of down in the desert.

The San Francisco 49ers dominated the Arizona Cardinals in a 45-29 convincing victory on Sunday afternoon State Farm Stadium.

San Francisco clinched the NFC West Division for the second consecutive season with its sixth win in a row as they currently sit atop of the conference as the number one seed with three games left in the regular season. Arizona has lost three out of its last four games as they anchor the division.

49ers running back Christian McCaffery showcased his latest argument to be the league’s MVP as he was the focal point of San Francisco’s offense throughout the game. He led all rushers with 115 yards on 18 carries. He also led the 49ers receivers with five receptions on 72 yards and two receiving touchdowns.

McCaffery has 20 total touchdowns, 13 on the ground and seven through the air, through 14 games and is only four touchdowns away from breaking Jerry Rice’s 49er franchise record of 23 he set in 1987.

Arizona (3-11) drew first blood on its seven play 75-yard opening drive led by quarterback Kyler Murray. Running back James Connor finished off the drive with a two-yard rushing touchdown.

San Francisco (11-3) answered back on its opening drive led by quarterback Brock Purdy. The second year QB found a wide open Deebo Samuel along the sidelines for a 12-yard touchdown reception that was just the start of a big day for Purdy.

Chavarius Ward intercepted Murray on the Cardinals next drive and returned it to the house for a 66-yard return for a touchdown as the 49ers defense set the tone for the rest of the day.

Arizona received two field goals from Matt Prater a 58-yarder and a 43-yarder in the second quarter to make it a one point deficit with 6:14 remaining in the second quarter.

It was a nice homecoming for Purdy, who is from an hour outside of Phoenix, as he connected with McCaffery on a five-yard touchdown just before halftime to give the 49ers a 21-13 lead.

San Francisco came out with a quick strike to start the second half. Purdy rolled out to left before finding McCaffery down the field all alone. The All-Pro running back backpedaled as he caught the ball and fell down. He was able to get up and run into the endzone for his seventh receiving touchdown on the season.

McCaffery powered his way in for his 13th rushing touchdown on the season, a one-yarder off tackle with 1:08 remaining in the third quarter that gave the 40ers a commanding 35-16 lead.

Emari Demercado rushed for a 49-yard touchdown on Arizona’s next drive, but the two-point conversion attempt failed.

Samuel scored his second receiving touchdown when Purdy found him with a back shoulder throw along the left sidelines for a 19-yard reception to complete the scoring for San Francisco with 7:09 left in the fourth quarter.

Murray connected with Elijah Higgins for a eight-yard touchdown reception with 47 seconds remaining in the game in a garbage time touchdown.

Purdy finished the game going 16 of 25 for 242 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Samuel had four receptions for 48 yards to go along with his two touchdowns. Tight end George Kittle chipped in with two catches for 54 yards.

Murray went 26 of 39 for 211 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, both by Ward. Connor led Arizona in rushing with 86 yards on 14 carries. Tight end Trey McBride led the Cardinals in receiving with 10 catches for 102 yards.

GAME NOTES: San Francisco finished 4-for-7 on third down conversions. Arizona was 7-for-16.

UP NEXT: San Francisco hosts the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football on Christmas Day 12/25 at 5:20pm at Levi’s Stadium.

Santa Cruz Warriors podcast with Anthony Wang, Michael Wang and Gary Teh: Warriors get the overtime edge on Kings in G League win 121-112

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The Santa Cruz Warriors Jackson Rowe (43) holds onto the basketball against the Stockton Kings at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz on Sat Dec 16, 2023 (Santa Cruz Warriors photo)

On the SC Warriors podcast with Anthony Wang, Michael Wang and Gary Teh:

#1 In contrasting games a close one Saturday night at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Cruz between the Stockton Kings and Santa Cruz Warriors. The Warriors who crushed the South Bay Lakers back on Thursday by 18 saw a tough opponent tonight in the Kings who opened it up with 17 points.

#2 At the end of the first half the Warriors closed the gap down by nine points but were getting some offense from Lester Quinones who scored eight and Kendric Davis with seven points.

#3 The Warriors Donavon Williams who led in their last game last Thursday with 29 points was defended well by the Kings and held to just four points in the first half. It was Usman Garuba and Quinones who came out scoring in the second half.

#4 The Warriors trailed for most of the game got back in it with just over six minutes to play in the game and held a two point lead. They were getting offensive help from Donavan, Quinones and Davis.

#5 Michael, Anthony, and Gary, this game was forced into overtime and the Warriors got some great shot selections and came away with the 121-112 overtime and there was a lot of fighting spirit in this one.

#6 One more note this was Christmas ornament night at Kaiser Permanente where the first 1,000 fans came away with ornaments and fans were more than happy coming away from a thriller like this in Santa Cruz.

Michael Wang, Gary Teh and Anthony Wang covered the Santa Cruz Warriors and Stockton Kings contest at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz on Sat Dec 16, 2023

Barracuda shoot down Wranglers 5-2 sweep series

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The San Jose Barracuda celebrate Nathan Todd (#45)’s goal in third period against the Calgary Wranglers at Tech CU Arena on Saturday DEC 16, 2023. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — On a night where giving was the theme of the night, the San Jose Barracuda gave their biggest crowd of the season something to celebrate.

San Jose scored twice on the power play in route to a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Wranglers at Tech CU Arena on Saturday evening.

San Jose swept the two-game series with its third win a row as they won back-to-back games for the first time this season. Calgary has lost three games in a row.

Calgary (16-6-2-0) drew first blood at the halfway mark of the first period with a power play goal. Emilio Pettersen set up Brady Lyle up at the point and Wranglers defenseman blast a one-timer past ‘Cuda goalie Magnus Chrona for his fifth goal of the season at the 10:39 mark.

San Jose (8-11-4-0) even the score less than two minutes later. A shot from the left point by Nikolai Knyyzhov was redirected into the back of the net past by Wranglers goalie Connor Murphy by Ethan Cardwell for his seventh goal of the season 12:29 mark.

Cardwell’s goal sent the Tech CU Arena crowd into a throwing frenzy as it was the annual ‘Cuda Teddy Bear Toss Night where 3,126 fans throw stuffed animals from the stands for charity after the home team scores its first goal of the contest. San Jose dressed for the occasion as the donned their festival holiday “ugly sweater” jerseys during the weekend series.

San Jose gained its first lead with a 5-on-3 power play late in the opening frame. Thomas Bordeleau set up Danil Gushchin along the right slot and Gushchin lasered in a one-timer past Murphy for his team-leading eighth goal of the season at the 17:32 mark. Leon Gawanke received the secondary assist on the play.

The ‘Cuda survived a shaky start to the second period. They began the period already short-handed. Then 24 seconds in, they went down 5-on-3 when Cole Cassels went into the sinbin for holding. Their parade to the penalty box continued when Tanner Kaspick and Scott Sabourin took separate high sticking penalties 47 second apart in the first two minutes of the middle frame.

San Jose’s penalty kill led by Chrona kept Calgary from getting the equalizer during their extended 5-on-3 opportunities and eventually killed all of them to get back to equal strength.

Scott Sabourin stopped the power play infertility of the second period when he redirected a point shot from Shakir Mukhamadullin for his third goal of the season at the 14:52 mark. It was San Jose’s second power play goal of the game.

Calgary made it a one-goal game near the halfway mark of the third period. Matt Coronato came in alone on a breakaway, but his shot was initially saved by Chrona. However, on a delayed penalty call, Ben Jones cleaned up the rebound for his eighth goal of the season at the 8:39 mark.

The Barracuda scored an insurance goal with an even strength goal at the 12:36 mark. Radim Simek led a two-on-one odd man rush along with Nathan Todd. Simek set up Todd with a pass down the middle of the ice and Todd beat Murphy top-shelf with a wrist shot for his sixth goal of the season. Todd extended his point streak to seven games.

Cassels completed the scoring with an empty net goal, he was dragged down by a Wranglers defender on a breakaway attempt, his second of the season with 21 seconds remaining.

Chrona (2-6-2) finished the game stopping 27 of the 29 shots he faced to earn just his second victory of the season as he snapped a four-game losing streak. Murphy (0-1-0), who made his first start of the season for Calgary, made 17 saves on 21 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 2-for-9 on the power play. Calgary was 0-for-8.

Cassels’ goal broke a 19-game goal-less draught.

San Jose were 0-6 in back-to-back games after winning the first one before tonight’s win.

The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Todd 2) Sabourin 3) Gushchin.

UP NEXT: San Jose concludes its three-game homestand against the Tucson Roadrunners on Wednesday 12/20 at 7:00pm at Tech CU Arena.

Warriors Outlast Nets 124-120; Curry leads with 37 pts for Golden State

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry drives on the Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (left) and Nets forward Mikal Bridges (center) at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sat Dec 16, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Golden State Warriors (10-14) had a productive first half against the Brooklyn Nets (13-11) leading 70-54. They began to struggle in the third quarter giving up an 18 point lead going into the fourth quarter. 

The Nets not only trailed the Warriors by a single point in the early minutes of the final quarter but took the lead numerous times throughout the fourth quarter. Stephen Curry hit five shots in a row in the fourth giving the Warriors just enough to pull out this win. Giving up the lead this way is of some concern but they did come away with the win 124-120.

Saturday evening the Warriors took on the Nets at Chase Center. The Warriors are coming off a loss to the Clippers Thursday night 121-113. The Warriors are of course seeing a very different starting roster since the suspension of Draymond Green. Jonathan Kuminga is finally getting the chance to start and bench player Brandin Podziemski also joins him as a starter. The Nets Cam Thomas came in as a real threat shooting an average of 22 points. This was a very close and competitive game.

Game recap: The Warriors got on board early in this game winning the opening quarter 32-25. They went on to win the second quarter 38-29 extending their lead to 70-54. Going into the locker room at the half, the Warriors had control of this game and had sailed through the first half. They would have to keep the pressure on in the second half against a very dangerous Nets team. Games like this can turn on a dime; there can be no letdown.

The Nets began their comeback in the third quarter winning it 35-25 but still trailing 95-89. The Nets had erased an 18 point Warrior lead in the quarter and going into the fourth quarter, the Nets trailed by a single point 97-96 at 9:47. 

Curry went crazy in the final four minutes of the game hitting five shots in a row and with under 2 1/2 minutes the Warriors had a 120-115 lead. With just over a minute left in the game, the Nets were double teaming Curry trying to keep the Warriors off the scoreboard. 

There is no stopping Curry double-teamed or not. He hit a two giving Golden State a 122-118 lead. The two teams were trading shots and with 28 seconds left on the clock the Warriors had a 122-120 lead as this game predictably went down to the wire. 

Curry drove to the basket giving the Warriors a 124-120 lead which would be the final. The Warriors had finally been able to hold onto this game after giving up a huge second half lead. With only 14 turnovers, Golden State saw some nice improvement. 

They also hit critical shots in the fourth quarter en route to this win. It is of course concerning seeing Golden State drop the lead the way they did in the fourth quarter but they were able to hold on in the end.

Curry finished with 37 points which is just what this guy does. He carries this team but teammate Klay Thompson also had a great game with 24 points and Podziemski had 19.

The Nets Thomas finished with 41 points but his team came up just short. Brooklyn had a great second half winning both quarters. They gave the Warriors all they could handle and Golden State answered the call in this clutch game.

The Warriors will now head up to Portland playing the Trail Blazers Sunday night with tipoff scheduled for 6:00 PM.  

Barracuda power past Wranglers in 3-0 shutout win

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San Jose Barracuda players Shakir Mukhamadullin (#85), Leon Gawanke (#26) and Danil Gushchin (#75) celebrate their second period goal against the Calgary Wranglers at Tech CU Arena on Friday DEC 15, 2023. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The San Jose Barracuda took advantage of a five-minute power play as they defeated the Calgary Wranglers in 3-0 shutout victory on Friday evening at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose has won two games in a row. Calgary is 5-2-1 over its past eight games.

“I think the group did a good job recognizing we got more (to our game). We had a pretty hard week of practice to get ready for tonight and I thought the guys responded pretty well,” ‘Cuda head coach John McCarthy said.

The opening frame featured a scoreless 20 minutes as the Wranglers edged the Barracuda in shots 10-9 in a first period that didn’t feature many stoppages of play. Each team had a short power play opportunity to no avail.

San Jose (7-11-4-0) goalie Eetu Makiniemi made two point-blank saves near the end of the first period to keep the deadlock intact. Calgary (16-5-2-0) goalie Oscar Dansk made a point-blank chance from Brandon Coe as the highlight for the Wranglers.

The ‘Cuda broke the deadlock late in the second period with an even strength goal. Danil Gushchin led a rush into the Wranglers zone. He found Leon Gawanke along the right boards. Gawanke then found Shakir Mukhamadullin in the center of the ice and the rookie defenseman sent a seeing-eyed wrist through a sea of traffic for his third goal of the season at the 14:35 mark.

“He (Mukhamadullin) has made a lot of strides. I think his breakout skills have improved. Using his net, skating using his retrievals. He’s been able to beat his forecheckers, which is something we’ve been working on with him and it’s starting to show up in his game,” McCarthy said.

A scary situation happened with three seconds left in the middle frame. Dryden Hunt ran into Cole Cassels at center ice that resulted in a five-minute major penalty on Hunt for interference and an automatic ejection. Cassels, who was visibly upset on the play, did not sustain an injury.

Thomas Bordeleau made the Wranglers pay during the extended power play early in the third period with a 4-on-3 goal. Gawanke sent a rink wide pass over to Bordeleau who blasted a one-timer past Dansk for his seventh goal of the season at the 1:01 mark.

Nathan Todd scored the ‘Cuda’s third unanswered goal and second on the extended power play when he came into the Wranglers goals unattended and beat Dansk to the short side with a wrist shot for his fifth goal of the season at the 3:14 mark.

Todd has a point in six consecutive games with eight points during the streak.

Makiniemi (3-2-0) stopped all 22 shots he faced to earn his first shutout and third win of the season. Dansk (6-2-2) made 34 saves on 37 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 2-for-7 on the power play. Calgary went 0-for-2.

The Three Stars of the Game were: 1) Mukhamadullin 2) Gawanke 3) Makiniemi.

UP NEXT: San Jose and Calgary conclude their two-game series on Saturday 12/16 at 6:00pm at Tech CU Arena.

Kings’ Record-Breaking Victory 131-118 Sparks Three-Point Success Buzz

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Photo by Mauricio Segura: The Sacramento Kings Trey Lyels slam dunks in the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets on Mon Dec 11, 2023

By Mauricio Segura

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings lit the beam Monday night with an exhilarating, record-breaking victory of 131-118 over the Brooklyn Nets.

They not only secured the win but also etched a new chapter in their franchise history by setting a remarkable record for 3-pointers—totaling an impressive 25. This achievement also marked the second instance this season where three of their players managed to dish out seven assists or more.

The Kings are currently riding a wave of success, having emerged victorious in 11 of their last 15 games. DeAaron Fox has been at the forefront of this impressive run, showcasing his skills and leadership, hinting at a potential MVP season for the former Wildcat.

Fresh from a dazzling fourth-quarter performance where he scored 23 points over the Phoenix Suns Friday night, Fox continued his stellar play by making significant contributions in the long-range shooting game. Alongside Trey Lyels, the duo combined for an astounding 10 three-pointers. In total, Sacramento demonstrated their prowess by shooting 25 of 45, boasting an impressive 55.6% success rate from beyond the arc.

The Kings dominated the game from start to finish. Despite Nets forward Mikal Bridges breaking through the Kings’ defense with an impressive stat line of 22 points, five assists, and five rebounds, his efforts were not enough to inspire the rest of Brooklyn’s squad against Sacramento’s formidable defense.

While the Nets managed to narrow the gap to four points (71-67) with Cameron Thomas’ three-pointer midway through the third quarter and within seven points (89-74) with six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Sacramento’s relentless barrage of three-pointers allowed them to pull away and secure the final, resounding victory.

Contributions from Domantas Sabonis were instrumental, as he added 15 points, 16 rebounds, and nine assists, further solidifying the Kings’ dominance. This victory marked the Kings’ third consecutive win against the Nets, including a season sweep from the previous year. Keegan Murray also played a crucial role with a scoring output of 24 points, while Malik Monk contributed 21 points and nine assists to seal the Kings’ triumphant night.

The Kings fly down to face the Clippers Tuesday night, but will return on Thursday against the Wizards in what will be the beginning of a six-game home stand.

Mauricio Segura has been a Bay Area sportswriter & photographer for the past 20 years, covering baseball, soccer, football, and basketball. He’s contributed articles for Area Chica Magazine, The Baseball Analyst Quarterly, and various newspapers. He currently publishes an online sports and entertainment website called Golden Bay Times and is the graphics and art Director for the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.

Vikings win an ugly defensive showcase 3-0 over Raiders

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Minnesota Viking Ivan Pace Jr. celebrated his game clinching interception with his teammates in his team’s 3-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday DEC 10, 2023. (Minnesota Vikings)

by Marko Ukalovic

LAS VEGAS — The scoreboard operator didn’t do much to earn his paycheck at Allegiant Stadium.

In a game where both teams defenses dominated for 60 minutes, the Minnesota Vikings beat the Las Vegas Raiders 3-0 in an ugly played game on Sunday afternoon down in the desert.

Las Vegas has lost three games in a row with their slim playoff hopes slipping farther away. Minnesota snapped its two-game losing streak as it battles for one of the final Wild Card berths in the NFC.

Minnesota (6-6) went three and out in its first drive as Raiders 2023 first round draft pick Tyree Wilson recorded his second sack of the season when he sacked Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs on a 3rd and 5.

Las Vegas (5-7) was able to generate a couple of first downs on its first two drives but penalties on each drive stalled them out near midfield as Minnesota’s defense forced back-to-back punts.

It was not a first half to write home about as the scoreless 30 minutes featured seven sacks, two by Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, and just 184 combined yards of offense.

“Yeah it’s frustrating,” Raiders wide receiver Jacobi Meyers said regarding the offense being shutout. “We’re not happy. We’re not going to come in here and celebrate because we got shutout. Everybody has got to look at themselves in the mirror, accept what they did wrong and try to correct it.”

All-pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson returned to action since he suffered a hamstring injury back in week 4. His day only last two drives with two catches for 27 yards. Jefferson jumped up in the air to snag his second reception when he hit by Nate Hobbs and suffered a chest injury. He did not finish the game and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.

Just when it looked like Las Vegas was going to break the deadlock on its first possession of the second half after a 38-yard reception to Hunter Renfroe that put the ball at the Vikings 11-yard line. Renfroe fumbled on a screen pass three plays later that was recovered by Mekhi Blackmon at the 16-yard line.

“It sucks, you know it sucks”, Crosby said regarding the Raiders best defensive performance of the season in a loss. “We do this sh*t all year, training all year. I put everything I had into this game. It’s super frustrating but at the end of the day, you gotta show up and get better. I know that’s what I’m going to do, and these guys will do the same thing.”

Nick Mullens replaced Dobbs at quarterback in the fourth quarter. Dobbs finished 10 of 23 for 63 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.

The scoreboard finally changed with 1:57 remaining in the game when Greg Joesph kicked a 36-yard field goal for the game’s only points.

Ivan Pace Jr. sealed the game for the Vikings when he intercepted Aiden O’Connell at the Raiders 34-yard line with 1:52 left in the fourth quarter.

Mullens, who led the game winning drive, finished 9 of 13 for 83 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Alexander Mattison led all rushers with 66 yards on 10 carries. Tight end TJ Hockenson led the Vikings in receiving with five catches for 53 yards.

O’Connell was 21 of 32 for 171 yards with no touchdowns to go along with his interception. Josh Jacobs, who left the game in the fourth quarter with a knee injury finished with just 34 yards on 13 carries. Davante Adams, who did not meet with the media after the game, led the Raiders in receiving with seven catches for 53 yards.

GAME NOTES: Las Vegas finished 3-for-14 on third down conversions. Minnesota went 8-for-20.

UP NEXT: Las Vegas hosts the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football 12/14 at 5:15pm at Allegiant Stadium.

Barracuda sink Silver Knights in 6-1 blowout victory to snap losing streak

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San Jose Barracuda forward Danil Gushchin (#75) celebrates along the bench with his teammates Leon Gawanke’s (#26) goal against the Henderson Silver Knights at Tech CU Arena on Friday DEC 8, 2023. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — Score early and score often was the theme of the night.

The San Jose Barracuda scored early in every period in a dominate 6-1 victory over the Henderson Silver Knights on Friday evening at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose snapped its two-game losing streak with it first win against the Silver Knights this season. Henderson has lost four games in a row/snapped its three-game losing streak.

San Jose (6-10-4-0) drew first blood early in the first period with an even strength goal. Nathan Todd found Radim Simek in between the faceoff circles and Simek beat Silver Knights goalie Jordan Papimy with wrist shot top shelf for his third goal of the season at 4:56 mark.

Henderson (10-10-1-2) answered late in the opening frame with an even strength goal. Mason Primeau led a counterattack up the ice. Primeau fed Daniel D’Amato in the neutral zone. D’Amato skated in and beat ‘Cuda goalie Eetu Makiniemi with a wrist shot to the far side for his first goal of the season at the 14:00 mark.

The ‘Cuda regained just before the end of the opening 20 minutes with a power play goal. Jacob Peterson sent a pass back up to the point to Leon Gawanke. The German defenseman lasered in a wrist shot past Papimy to the far side for his fourth goal of the season at the 18:36 mark.

San Jose went up 3-1 56 seconds into the second period. Peterson’s backhand attempt was saved by Papimy but Ethan Cardwell cleaned up the rebound into an empty net for his sixth goal of the season. Simek received the secondary assist.

The ‘Cuda’s penalty kill helped keep the Silver Knights off the board in the middle frame as they killed off three Henderson power play attempts.

“I like our (penalty) kill a lot,” said ‘Cuda head coach John McCarthy on his team being a perfect five-for-five. “I thought we took advantage of our chances. I thought the third period was our best period.”

San Jose opened the third period as it did the previous two, with an early goal to start the period. A shot from Cole Cassels from the left slot was cleaned up by Todd with a backhand shot around Papimy for his fourth goal of the season at the 1:41 mark.

Gushchin joined the goal party as the ‘Cuda’s fifth different goal scorer when he blasted a one-timer past Papimy after receiving a feed from Cassels. Gushchin’s fourth point of the game was his team leading seventh goal of the season at the 5:16 mark.

He’s (Gushchin) is a dynamic offensive player. So, it’s good to see him having success there,” McCarthy said.

The Barracuda kept their foot on the gas pedal. A turnover inside the Silver Knights zone led to a 2-on-0 odd man rush. Ozzie Weisblatt set up Brett Kemp’s one-timer for Kemp’s first goal of his AHL career at the 9:12 mark.

Makiniemi (2-2-0) finished the game stopping 26 of the 27 shots he faced to earn his second victory of the season. Papimy (1-4-1) made 23 saves on 29 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 1-for-2 on the power play. Henderson went 0-for-5.

Henderson forward Girgori Denisenko suffered an upper body injury when he took a puck up to the face on a clearing attempt by Simek early in the second period. He was able to finish the game.

The Three Stars of the Game were: 1) Gushchin 2) Todd 3) Simek.

UP NEXT: San Jose and Henderson conclude their two-games series on Saturday 12/9 at 6:00pm at Tech CU Arena.

City of San Jose and Earthquakes partner up for state of the art public soccer fields at County Fair Grounds location

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One of the images from the latest renderings of the soon to be built soccer fields and training facilities for the San Jose Earthquakes at the Santa Clara Count Farigrounds. (San Jose Earthquakes).

by Marko Ukalovic

San Jose is looking to become a soccer town with its latest land deal with the local MLS soccer team.

During a press conference earlier this morning that featured local dignitaries and members of the San Jose Earthquakes, the City of San Jose announced in a partnership with the Quakes to develop four public, lighted state-of-the-art soccer fields on Santa Clara County’s Fairground property near Umbarger & Monterey Roads.

In total, Santa Clara County plans to lease 30 acres of its undeveloped Fairgrounds land to the Earthquakes. In addition to the public fields, the San Jose Earthquakes plan to lease approximately 14 of the 30 acres for the team’s new practice and training facility as well as four professional quality soccer fields.  

Santa Clara County supervisor Cindy Chavez helped orchestrate the deal between the city and the Quakes. She was one of the many speakers that included San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, San Jose Earthquakes president Jared Shawlee, Quakes head coach Luchi Gonzalez and homegrown 17-year-old player Edwyn Mendoza.

“The Santa Clara County Fairgrounds belongs to the public. This is a great way for our youth to have access to outstanding soccer fields year-round for generations to come,” said Chavez, who has worked on developing the SCC Fairgrounds property for many years and represents the area. “This is an historic achievement for our community and signifies the start of many more projects that will benefit our residents.”

In total, Santa Clara County plans to lease 30 acres of its undeveloped Fairgrounds property near Umbarger and Monterey Roads to the Earthquakes. In addition to the public soccer fields on 16 acres, the Quakes plan to lease approximately 14 acres for the club’s new practice and training facility, which includes four more professional quality soccer fields. In all, the project entails the construction of eight total fields.

“Thank you to Santa Clara County and the City of San Jose for partnering with the San Jose Earthquakes to build world-class fields for our community and a premier training facility for our club,” said Shawlee. “We believe that this public-private partnership can serve as a model for connecting pro athletes to their communities while also creating greater access to safe playing spaces for children.”

Mayor Mahan believes the community will benefit from having the new soccer fields available for youth soccer.

“We’re excited to begin working with the County and the San Jose Earthquakes to develop a state-of-the-art soccer facility on a portion of the underutilized land at the fairgrounds,” said Mahan. “Once completed, this site will not only serve the pros, but act as a regional destination for youth soccer teams and residents alike.”


The approximately 35,000-square-foot professional training and practice center will house the Earthquakes’ pro teams and all youth teams within the Earthquakes Academy. The club’s training building will consist of locker rooms, a weight room, dining hall, theatre, medical treatment facility, hydrotherapy equipment, laundry rooms, staff office space and more.  

Gonzelez, who has only been in San Jose for only a year with his family, said this project is very personal to him because he grew up playing on community fields and is a great way to produce local talent.

“I have worked all across the country, and as soccer continues to grow in America, I’ve witnessed firsthand how important it is that community fields are connected to their local professional clubs.” said Gonzalez. “This past season, we led the league with 13 homegrown academy graduates, which shows our commitment to local players, but also how much further impact a first-class facility will have on their development to reach their full potential.”

Mendoza, who signed a professional contract with the Earthquakes in May, believes this facility will give more kids the ability to play the game they love.

“I grew up in San Jose, so this facility will be a game-changer, not just for the Earthquakes players, but for kids from my community who get so much joy from playing the sport they love,” said Mendoza. “For them to have the opportunity to play on fields right next to the professionals they look up to will serve as a visual reminder that they can follow their dreams and make them a reality one day.”

In June 2021, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors authorized the County Administration to enter into negotiations with the San José Earthquakes regarding its Letter of Interest to lease acreage at the Fairgrounds, on which it would construct soccer fields and a two- or three-story field building.

Santa Clara County and the San Jose Earthquakes entered into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) on April 5, 2022, and amended on April 4, 2023, which provided the parties with a period of 18 months to discuss potential plans for a soccer facility at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds.

The County of Santa Clara, the San Jose Earthquakes and the City of San Jose are coming together in a joint agreement to build a practice facility for the Earthquakes, shared public fields and all the necessary infrastructure needed for the facility.

The hope is to have the facility ready to open in 2026 just before the FIFA World Cup hits the United States and locally here at Levi’s Stadium.

49ers get their revenge in NFC Championship rematch in 42-19 win over Eagles

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San Francisco 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel runs for one of his three touchdowns in his team’s 42-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday DEC 3, 2023. (San Francisco 49ers)

by Marko Ukalovic

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

The San Francisco 49ers scored touchdowns on six straight possessions in a 42-19 blowout victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.

San Francisco has won four games in a row as they have their sights on the number one seed in the NFC. Philadelphia lost for just the second time this season.

It didn’t look like it was going to be a cakewalk by San Francisco (9-3) after the opening 15 minutes. The Eagles defense held the 49ers potent offense to -6 yards in total offense.

Philadelphia (10-2) had two red zone possessions in the first quarter but San Francisco’s stout defense bent but didn’t break as they held the Eagles to two Jake Elliot field goals, a 26 and 39 yarder.

Once the second quarter got underway, so did the 49ers offense. Quarterback Brock Purdy led an 11 play 85-yard drive that accumulated with a Brandon Aiuyk two-yard touchdown reception with 7:10 left in the second quarter.

The 49ers went up 14-6 with 38 second remaining in the first half. Christian McCaffery’s two-yard rushing touchdown, his 12th of the season, finished off a 10 play 90-yard drive.

San Francisco kept the momentum on its side as it scored its on third straight offensive drive to start the second half. Deebo Samuel started his big day with an end around for a 12-yard rushing touchdown, his fourth of the season.

Dre Greenlaw ejected from the game with 9:19 remaining in the third quarter after body slamming Davonta Smith to the ground after a 13-yard reception. Greenlaw made contact with the Eagles head of security, who was also ejected from the game.

Philadelphia made it a one score game when quarterback Jalen Hurts scored with a “tush push” from the one-yard line with 6:51 remaining in the third quarter. That would be as close as it would get for the home team.

San Francisco once again answered on its next drive. Purdy connected with Samuel on a short pass up the middle. Samuel broke a tackle and raced down the field for a 48-yard touchdown reception, with 43 of them after the catch, for his second touchdown of the game.

The 49ers put the game away when Jauan Jennings broke a tackle on an out route for an 18-yard touchdown reception for a 35-13 lead with 10:50 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Hurts left the game at the end of the third quarter for a concussion protocol. Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota took over for four plays on the Eagles first drive in the fourth quarter. Hurts came back to throw a two-yard touchdown reception to Smith.

The 49ers put the finishing touch on their impressive victory when Samuel took a wide receiver screen and ran it 46 yards for his second receiving touchdown and third overall of the game. Samuel finished with four catches for 116 yards and chipped in 22 yards on the ground on three carries.

Purdy was 19 of 27 for 314 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He finished with a QB rating of 148.8. McCaffery led all rushers with 93 yards on 17 carries to go along with his touchdown. Tight end George Kittle contributed four catches for 68 yards.

Hurts went 26 of 45 for 298 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He also led the Eagles in rushing with 20 yards on six carries. A.J Brown led Philadelphia in receiving with eight catches for 114 yards. Smith chipped in nine catches for 96 yards.

GAME NOTES: San Francisco finished 8-for-11 on third down conversion. Philadelphia was 8-for-15.

The 49ers improved to 22-14-1 all-time against the Eagles, including 12-6-1 on the road.  

San Francisco has won 4 of the previous 6 regular season matchups against Philadelphia.  

The Niners improved to 2-2 against the Eagles and 8-7 against the NFC East, including 3-0 in 2023 under head coach Kyle Shanahan.  

UP NEXT: San Francisco returns home for an NFC West battle with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday 12/10 at 1:05pm at Levi’s Stadium.