We've still got a few more honors to hand out before being completely done with the 2007-08 school year such as all-state baseball, state schools of the year and state athletes of the year but before that we wanted to uphold the journalistic tradition of ranking the top stories within that same time frame.
These stories were ranked on their emotional impact, how prominent they became on a statewide and national level, how important they were to their local communities and their impact on future rules and regulations in high school sports.
Willie Eashman
Sisters Kamilah and Jazmine Jackson were both key starters for the national No. 1 Sacred Heart Cathedral girls basketball team.
1. Sacred Heart Cathedral Girls Basketball The Irish overcame some incredible difficulties in winning their third straight CIF state championship, this one in Division III. They also finished with an unbeaten record and were the No. 1 team in the nation according to just about all media outlets that compile such rankings. Of course, and unfortunately, the tragic aspects of what head coach Brian Harrigan's team accomplished is what made the story about it so compelling. In January, the father of top player Tierra Rodgers was murdered during halftime of a game in San Francisco. The way everyone connected to this story handled themselves, from Tierra's teammates, her coaches and even the media, who adhered to requests from the family and did not ask Tierra any of those uncomfortable questions during the team's drive to a state title, was heart-warming and inspirational.
2. Franklin High of Stockton Football Recruiting Scandal
This story jumped from the local level to statewide and beyond on a Friday night in late October when Franklin High football coach Tom Verner openly defied the CIF and its regulations by playing three players who were ruled ineligible for a game against Tracy. Before this game, Franklin was facing serious sanctions such as a ban for the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. Afterward, the school was given a three-year death penalty. The Stockton Unified School District School Board, which did not prevent Verner from his questionable tactics in the first place, eventually changed its tune and asked for him to resign. Once the coach was gone, the section then altered its penalties and now the football program is restored but won't be eligible for the playoffs next season.
3. CIF Southern Section Private-Public Playoff Split It was a major source of debate in Southern California when a proposal was in the works in the CIF Southern Section that would split the playoffs into public and private school divisions. The proposal came from the Century League in Orange County, where the landscape for such a split is perhaps most ripe for it to pass. Ventura County also appeared to have been another ground zero for the issue, but section-wide there wasn't much support for it and the section itself did a good job of fighting it. Eventually, the proposal was pulled before a vote was tabulated. It's an issue, though, that likely isn't going away and may be back with stronger support.
4. German Fernandez Becomes Running Sensation The small Stanislaus County town of Riverbank may never be the same again as it's been the launching point for runner German Fernandez. The Northern Californian was already among the nation's best heading into the CIF state track meet on May 31, but turned in what many believe was the best distance double in U.S. prep history. Fernandez first clocked a meet record of 4:00.29 in the 1600 and then in the 3200 he broke a national interscholastic record with a time of 8:34.23. Two weeks ago, Fernandez went to the Nike Outdoor Nationals in North Carolina and set another national record by going 8:34.40 over two miles. There's talk that Fernandez may now turn pro instead of going to college (remember Allyson Felix) and his next feat may be to be honored as the Gatorade Boys National Athlete of the Year prior to the ESPYs in July in Los Angeles. Since only winners of the various player of the year honors during the year are eligible for that award and many multi-sport athletes aren't eligible, don't bet against German to be on the red carpet that night.
CIF Sac-Joaquin Section commissioner Pete Saco was front and center in controversial Franklin High football recruiting scandal.
5. CIF Expands State Football Bowl Games It wasn't a surprise in February when the CIF Federated Council approved a proposal for the CIF state football bowl games to be expanded from three games to five. The first two years of the series were a modest success from an attendance point of view, but they were hugely successful from a sponsorship point of view. Sponsors both for the CIF itself and for its TV partners at FOX have ponied up to be part of the excitement. Next December's games will again be played at the Home Depot Center in Center with two on Friday (small schools & Division I) and then three on Saturday (Div. III, Div. II and Open). The open division game will match the top two teams from Northern and Southern California regardless of school enrollment, which means that unless it loses that will be the game that will involve perennial NorCal power De La Salle.
6. McClymonds of Oakland Undefeated in Boys Hoops A school with one of the nation's most storied traditions in boys basketball returned to glory with a 73-54 win over Dominguez of Compton in the CIF Div. I state final. McClymonds, which also finished 32-0 for its all-time state best fifth undefeated season, bolted out to a lead in the second quarter and never looked back in dominating a Dominguez team that was favored by many. The Warriors, who count legend Bill Russell among its many alums, also sent out retiring coach Dwight Nathaniel on a high that would be tough to beat even by the best Hollywood script writer.
7. De La Salle of Concord Wins State Football Title On The Field After losing in the first CIF Division I state bowl game to Canyon of Canyon Country, the well-known and hugely successful De La Salle of Concord football team certainly didn't want to go 0-2 after a second trip to Carson and that didn't happen as the Spartans held off Centennial of Corona, 37-31, in the 2007 bowl game. De La Salle, which won its first official state title on the field after winning numerous mythical crowns, took a 31-7 lead in the third quarter. Centennial came all the way back, however, and forced a 31-31 tie with eight minutes left thanks mostly to the heroics of quarterback Matt Scott. DLS regained the lead at 37-31 on a Mike MacGillivray touchdown pass and then got two critical defensive plays by junior Blair Wishom to prevent Centennial from answering. In the other CIF bowl games played earlier in the day, Oceanside defeated Novato (Div. II) and St. Bonaventure of Ventura defeated Central Catholic of Modesto (Div. III).
8. State Career Record in Softball Home Runs Gets Blasted Before the 2008 softball season, the reported state record for career home runs was 38 held by Oakland Bishop O'Dowd's Jennifer Lizama. By the middle of the season, it was obvious that two players would surpass that total easily, but even some juniors got into the chase as well. When the season was over, San Pedro's Perelini Koria had set the new record with 45 with Oceanside's Trina Harrison at No. 2 with 41. It looks like Bloomington's Anissa Young also may have surpassed 38 but at the minimum she tied it. Next year, several may break Koria's record, including Crescenta Valley's Baillie Kirker, L.A. Crenshaw's Alia Williams and Lancaster's Shawna Wright.
9. Prep Sportswriters Hit Hard By Layoffs This story is a bit personal as several long-standing prep writers were laid off from their jobs just before the CIF state basketball championships. Others in recent months also have been laid off and there's the possibility for more. Hopefully, enough newspaper prep writers will be able to survive and thrive as newspapers become more and more internet-oriented. This is a big story for high school sports in general because with less numbers of prep writers there will be less prep coverage. Just check out this year's San Jose Mercury-News all-star teams for spring sports for proof. The newspaper now no longer includes players from all schools in the Central Coast Section, just those more centrally located to the paper's circulation area.
10. Baseball Hitting Records Are Broken Early in the season, headlines were created everywhere by Riverside Patriot catcher Kyle Skipworth, who set a new state record by collecting 18 hits in 18 consecutive at-bats. Later on, Quartz Hill's Shon Roe turned heads by going 5-for-5 in one game with four homers and 12 RBI. Yet another homer binge was the four hit in one game by Fallbrook's Clark Murphy.
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