Posted by Deputy Editor Mark Tennis 

It's Archbishop Mitty once again for girls sports only and for schools with CIF Division II state enrollments. There are new schools that win out, though, for other CIF enrollment divisions. We also are mentioning additional schools from around the state that enjoyed tremendous combined sports success during the 2007-08 school year.

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Boys Sports Only
State School of the Year:
Poway
The Titans started out the year on a roll in football as head coach Damian Gonzalez's team went unbeaten and won the San Diego Section Div. I title. The school's wrestling team, as usual, was also among the state's best and was fourth at the CIF state championships. In soccer, Poway was the section champ and was a finalist in Div. I in the first CIF Southern California playoffs. Finally, in baseball, coach Bob Parry had the dominant team in the section. Poway ended at 31-6 and was No. 2 in the final overall state rankings. The spring also saw the Titans win their second consecutive section title in tennis. The boys lacrosse team was second in the section and seventh in the state, while the boys swimming team also was second in the section. This was Poway's best school year since it was State School of the Year for 1990-91.

Girls Sports Only
State School of the Year:
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose)
It's the second straight girls honor for the Monarchs. They've also been the state's best overall in girls sports for 2004-05, 2000-01, 1998-99, 1997-98 and 1994-95. Mitty repeated as CIF Div. II state champs with a series of upsets after a rare loss in the Central Coast Section final. The Monarchs also were runner-up in the CIF Div. II state playoffs in volleyball, losing only to Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach. They won the CIF NorCal title in girls tennis (no divisions) and wrapped up the school year with a fourth straight CCS crown in softball. Most of the teams were blessed with top talent not graduating, too. America's best girls sports school isn't going anywhere, anytime soon.

CIF Division I Enrollment
State School of the Year:
Poly (Long Beach)
When the Jackrabbits weren't the overall state school of the year for 2006-07 they were still the top pick in this division. Poly football fans are hoping the 2007-08 season kicks off with a bang as their team is opening up this fall with a trip to play defending ESPN Rise FAB 50 champ Northwestern of Miami.

CIF Division II Enrollment
State School of the Year:
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose)
With the girls leading the way (see above), Mitty also was a finalist in the CIF Div. II state playoffs in boys basketball. The baseball team reached the section finals as well. This is the fourth straight CIF Division II state school of the year honor for the Monarchs, who also won top honors when they were considered Division III for 2002-03, 2000-01 and 1997-98.

CIF Division III Enrollment
State School of the Year:
Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)
This was a close pick between the Dons and Corona del Mar of Newport Beach. For the second straight year, CdM led the Southern Section with five championships and was going for its third straight State School of the Year honor in this division. This time, though, the nod went to a different school as Cathedral Catholic, formerly known at University of San Diego High, just did too much in too many different sports. The Dons won eight San Diego Section titles, finished as runner-up in two other sports and were in the semifinals in two more. Both of the school's soccer teams appeared in the first CIF Southern California regional championships with the girls defeating Granite Hills of Apple Valley to win the Div. II title while the boys lost to Santa Margarita in the same divisional final. Cathedral Catholic capped its year with a section title in baseball with a team led by several athletes who were on the school's section title team in football. This is the first state school of the year title for Cathedral Catholic, although USDHS was the winner for medium schools for 1994-95.

CIF Division IV Enrollment
State School of the Year:
St. Mary's (Berkeley)
This is one of the oldest schools in the Bay Area and for the first time the Panthers have been honored for all-around athletic excellence. They did it for 2007-08 primarily for their strength in three sports: boys basketball, girls cross country and boys cross country. At the CIF state meet in cross country, both St. Mary's teams were second in team scoring in Division IV. Then in the winter, led by brothers Will and Chris Brew, the Panthers won the CIF NorCal Div. IV title in boys basketball before losing to Campbell Hall in the state final. St. Mary's also was a quarterfinalist in the CIF Div. IV girls volleyball state playoffs, with All-American Tarah Murray leading the way, and was state-ranked in Div. IV for much of the season in baseball and girls basketball.

CIF Division V Enrollment
State School of the Year:
Bakersfield Christian
The Eagles only won three Central Section titles, but their depth of success in numerous sports was enough as they are No. 1 in the state for all-sports combined in their division for the first time. The singlular moment of the year came in December when Kody Carr batted down a pass on a two-point conversion attempt that gave the football team a wild 35-34 win over Fowler in the section final. The Eagles rallied from 28 points down to tie that game, too. In the fall, BC's girls volleyball team also advanced to the CIF state Div. V semifinals. Another fall highlight was the girls tennis team winning a section crown. In the winter, BC was state-ranked in boys basketball while the girls basketball team was a section semifinalist and the girls soccer team was section finalist. In the spring, the Eagles won their fourth straight section title in boys tennis, lost to Fowler in the section finals in baseball (ended No. 5 in the state) and were second in the section's Div. II boys golf tourney.

Special Mention State School of the Year:
Buchanan (Clovis)
Highlights of the year for the Bears included fifth in the CIF Div. I boys cross country finals, fifth at the CIF state meet in wrestling and making the semifinals in the CIF Div. I girls volleyball playoffs.

Special Mention State School of the Year:
De La Salle (Concord)
The Spartans won their first official CIF state title in football, but were not as strong overall compared to years in which they were state school of the year or boys sports only state school of the year. DLS made it to the NorCal title game in boys basketball before losing to McClymonds of Oakland. The cross country team also was fifth in the state in its division. The 4x100 relay team in track also was third in the state.

Special Mention State School of the Year:
Dominguez (Compton)
There wasn't a ton of depth for the Dons, but they have to get a mention for winning the boys team title at the CIF state track meet and for making it to the CIF Div. I title game in boys basketball where they lost to McClymonds of Oakland. The football team was once again strong, but wasn't able to repeat as the CIFSS Western Division champion.

Special Mention State School of the Year:
Lutheran (Orange)
The first of three Trinity League members to gain recognition in this category, the Lancers won the CIF Division III state title in girls cross country. They also were sixth on the boys side in Div. III at the CIF state cross country meet and scored in the top 12 at the CIF state meet in track. In football, with EA SPORTS All-American Blake Ayles leading the way, Lutheran beat Mater Dei when it was No. 1 in the state and made it to the CIFSS Pac-Five Division semifinals where it lost in a heartbreaker by just 2-0 to eventual champ Long Beach Poly. Top MLB draft pick Gerrit Cole also led the baseball team to a top state ranking, although the Lancers were knocked out in the CIFSS Div. I quarterfinals by Norco.

Special Mention State School of the Year:
Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
It was another strong year for the Monarchs, but not as strong as last year when they were considered the top school in the state for boys sports. An underclassman-led boys basketball team, including juniors David and Travis Wear, junior Andy Brown and sophomore Gary Franklin, won the CIF Div. II state title. The football team was No. 1 in the state early in the season before faltering down the stretch, while the baseball team made the CIF Southern Section Div. I semis and the girls basketball team showed much promise in the first year of the head coach Kevin Kiernan era. Sports Illustrated was way off in picking MD No. 2 in the nation, but next year No. 2 or No. 1 might be about right. Many of the teams at the school, not just in boys hoops, were underclass-dominant.

Special Mention State School of the Year:
Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach)
This school always gets a head start of others because of its almost guaranteed success in boys and girls volleyball. For 2007-08, that was true again as the girls won the CIF Div. II state title and were No. 1 in the nation while the boys won the coveted Southern Section top division crown. Mira Costa added a CIF Div. II state runnerup finish this year in girls basketball and also was fourth at the CIF Div. II girls cross country state meet.

Special Mention State School of the Year:
Santa Margarita (Rancho SM)
The winter was extra-special for the Eagles as they won the CIF Div. III state title in boys basketball and captured the first CIF Southern California Div. II crown in boys soccer. Santa Margarita was state-ranked in girls basketball in Div. III, but wasn't able to get out of the Southern Section's top division and qualify for the state playoffs.

Note: All selections based on how schools fared in the five sports in which we provide state rankings (football, boys & girls basketball, baseball, softball) plus how schools did in sports in which there are CIF state/regional championships (boys & girls cross country, girls volleyball, wrestling, girls tennis, boys & girls track, boys & girls golf). Section championships are then considered after the statewide criteria. A point system is not used because the 10 CIF sections in the state differ so much in size.

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com.