Hamels keeps up state's World Series MVP tradition. Plus, two teams combine for 136 points, Harry Welch gets 200th and more recruiting updates.

For the third time in the last seven years, a former California high school baseball player has been selected MVP of the World Series.

The latest was on Wednesday when Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels earned the honor. Hamels, a graduate from San Diego's Rancho Bernardo High, pitched strongly in two of the Phillies' four wins in the World Series and capped a series of dominant outings in the postseason.

Hamels was one of 12 from California who played for either the Phillies or the Tampa Bay Rays. The next highest state or country with former players was Illinois with just four.

At Rancho Bernardo, Hamels played for legendary head coach Sam Blalock, who has had one other former player collect a World Series ring, but that was Billy Beane, a former player of his from his days at Mt. Carmel.

Hamels is the third former San Diego area standout to be named World Series MVP and is the 12th from California since the honor was inaugurated in 1955.

The complete list follows (with high school listed in parentheses):

1959  Larry Sherry, L.A. Dodgers P (L.A. Fairfax)
1966  Frank Robinson, Baltimore Orioles OF (Oakland McClymonds)
1974  Rollie Fingers, Oakland A's P (Upland)
1979  Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates (Alameda Encinal)
1983  Rick Dempsey, Baltimore Orioles C (Encino Crespi)
1984  Alan Trammell, Detroit Tigers SS (San Diego Kearny)
1985  Bret Saberhagen, K.C. Royals P (Reseda Cleveland)
1989  Dave Stewart, Oakland A's (Oakland St. Elizabeth)
2001  Randy Johnson, Arizona Dbacks P (Livermore)*
2002  Troy Glaus, L.A. Angels 3B (Carlsbad)
2005  Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox OF (Vacaville Wood)
2008  Cole Hamels, Phila. Phillies P (San Diego Rancho Bernardo)

Nothing Boring About This Game

Will Boring is the name of the quarterback at Leland High in San Jose and based on last week's crazy 82-54 win by the Chargers over Piedmont Hills he might have the most inappropriate name we've ever heard of.

Boring led a Leland attack that according to the San Jose Mercury-News had 441 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. He scored four times on short runs, finishing with 65 yards on nine carries and also completed 9 of 10 passes for 192 yards and three more scores.

The two teams combined for 1,106 yards of total offense in a game that took 3 hours and 35 minutes to play.

"I thought it might finally end on Wednesday,'' Leland head coach Mike Carrozzo told the Mercury-News. "It was crazy. Piedmont Hills has such an explosive offense -- the old two possession way of thinking doesn't apply. They scored 21 points on us in a minute and a half. That Joshua McCain is a phenomenal athlete. We were up by 28 points and our knees were still shaking."

McCain racked up more than 350 yards himself. He had 237 yards in 15 carries and scored five touchdowns. He also hit on 8 of 15 through the air for 131 more yards and three other scores.

According to our own CalHiSports.com state record book, Piedmont Hills set a Northern California record for most points scored by a losing team. The previous record was 53 set in 2001 by Bethel of Vallejo in a 64-53 loss to Vacaville.

The two-team total of 136 points is a CIF Central Coast Section record with the only two-team total in Northern California higher being a 141-0 rout by Santa Rosa over St. Helena from 1924. The state record is that category is 144 when Bloomington beat Artesia of Lakewood, 82-62, in a 1994 CIF Southern Section championship game.

The two-team total of 1,106 yards of total offense also is a new CCS record, but does not come that close to the NorCal mark of 1,281 set in 1999 by Los Banos and Manteca. The state record in that category of 1,300 yards was set in last year's Corona Centennial vs. Santa Ana Mater Dei contest.

-MARK TENNIS

St. Margaret's Welch notches his 200th coaching win

Kudos to St. Margaret's head football coach Harry Welch for notching his reported 200th career win last week as the Tartans rolled over Western Christian of Covina, 58-7.

QB David Mothander led the way by completing 8 of 11 passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns while adding two more scores on the ground.

Counting his final 11 games at Canyon of Canyon Country, Welch's last 46 wins have come consecutively. His current team's 35-game win streak will now be permanently listed in our state record book as will he under the career wins category.

Amazingly, Welch's 200th win also brought up his own personal winning streak to the same length of the longest winning steak he's been apart of. While at Canyon, Welch's program won 46 consecutive games between 1983 and 1986, which at the time came up just one short of the state record.

Welch is also looking to become the first coach in state history to win two CIF State Championship Bowl games, his first one coming with Canyon in 2006 over De La Salle of Concord, although De La Salle's Bob Ladouceur could turn the trick this year as well.

Next week, California could have another join the 200-win club if Escalon can defeat Modesto Christian in a much-anticipated small school matchup. Escalon head coach Mark Louriero won his 199th on Thursday night as his team pounded Riverbank, 54-0.

Three weeks ago, Paul Perenon from Bishop O'Dowd of Oakland became the first this year to reach the 200-win milestone and only the third in the history of the East Bay.

-RONNIE FLORES & MARK TENNIS

More Football Recruiting Updates

•Arizona landed a pair of commitments in the last week, including one of the top running back prospects in the West. Daniel Jenkins, 5-9, 175 pounds from Moreno Valley Rancho Verde, chose the Cats on his official visit this past weekend. Jenkins has significant upside and is still just 16 years old. He rushed for 1,015 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior but a shoulder injury has caused him to miss the last three games this season.

•One of Daniel Jenkins' teammates, tight end Terrence Miller, also has committed to Arizona. Two other commitments that have been reported in recent days have come in from defensive lineman Quayshawn Buckley from Colony of Ontario (who is going to Washington State, and defensive back Zeke Sanders of Santa Cruz (who is going to Oregon State).

GREG BIGGINS & BRIAN STUMPF

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