We have honorees selected for each of the five CIF enrollment divisions plus juniors, sophomores and freshmen. A special state athletes of distinction list for each category is included as well.

Note: It is not a requirement that an athlete of the year needed to have participated in more than one sport. Single-sport athletes often do end up first in our selection process due to the significance of their accomplishments within their sport. These honors also are mostly based on athletic performance during the school year. Academics and community service are considered, but are not as important as athletics.

State Division I Athlete of the Year
Brian Baucham (West, Torrance) Sr.
Entering the school year, Baucham was well known on the gridiron where he was the 2006 South Bay Daily Breeze Football Player of the Year, but this year the USC bound standout was just as dazzling on the track. Thrown into the 300 hurdles for the first time this year, he turned out to be a natural as he got over his fear of falling and continued to improve his time all season long culminating in a CIF state meet championship. On the football field, Baucham repeated his South Bay Daily Breeze player of the year honors after he rushed for 1.729 yards and 22 touchdowns while also catching 12 passes. Baucham is also projected to be cornerback for the Trojans, but with such an incredible start as a hurdler he probably won't be giving up that pursuit, either.

More Division I State Athletes of Distinction
(Seniors only, see below for others)
Aaron Hester (Dominguez, Compton) football, track
Aaron Hicks (Wilson, Long Beach) baseball
Delano Howell (Hart, Newhall) football, track
Jamey Ker (Valencia) volleyball
Milton Knox (Birmingham, Lake Balboa) football
Drew McAllister (Monte Vista, Danville) football, basketball, track
Nelson Rosario (El Camino, Oceanside) football, basketball, track
Kyle Skipworth (Patriot, Riverside) baseball
Jarrett Sparks (Merced) football, basketball

State Division II Athlete of the Year
Jason Welch (Las Lomas, Walnut Creek) Sr.
Arguably the nation's top-ranked wrestler at 160 pounds, Welch captured his third straight CIF state championship defeating Steven Vasquez from Central Catholic of Modesto 18-8 in the finals. With the win, he finished his high school career 194-7 with 142 straight wins after his last loss during his sophomore year. He started with a second-place finish as a freshman in the 145-pound state finals. There would be no more runner-ups for him as he took home the 152-pound title as a sophomore before two straight state championships at 160 pounds. Welch showed he could do more than just wrestle as even during the wrestling season he played on the Knights' soccer team. He played both sides of the ball on the gridiron as a running back and a defensive lineman. He finished his senior season with 83 tackles and 7.5 sacks and was second team all-state for medium schools. Welch is headed to Northwestern to hopefully continue his undefeated wrestling streak.

More All-State Division II Athletes of the Year
(Seniors only, see below for others)
Rudi Burtschi (Oakdale) football, wrestling
Drew Gordon (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) basketball, track
Adam Jahn (Jesuit, Carmichael) soccer
Charlie Robertson (Bella Vista, Fair Oaks) football, baseball

State Division III Athlete of the Year
Blake Ayles (Lutheran, Orange) Sr.
Already making his mark as one of the top tight ends in the nation and heading to USC, Ayles caught 45 passes for 697 yards and eight touchdowns in his final season with the Lancers as they reached the Pac-5 Division semifinals. He also played about half of their plays on defense and finshed with eight sacks including a sack of Mater Dei signal caller Matt Barkley who up to that point had yet to be sacked. Ayles was not satisfied with just playing football he made the most of himself in track where he did a variety of events including the discus in which he excelled to help being named the Orange County Register's Boys Athlete of the Year. He threw the discus a personal best 193 feet, six inches, finishing second at the state meet. He also was a member of the 400-meter relay team early in the year and won the Trinity League championship in the shot put.

More All-State State Division III Athletes of the Year
(Seniors only, see below for others)
Joe Fauria (Crespi, Encino) football, basketball
Kriss Proctor (Big Bear, Big Bear Lake) football, basketball, baseball
Colin Quirke (Los Gatos) football, track
Ryan Thacher (Harvard-Westlake, N. Hollywood) tennis

State Division IV Athlete of the Year
German Fernandez (Riverbank) Sr.
Already named the overall State Athlete of the Year. Unfortunately, Modesto Central Catholic's Louis Bland falls into this same enrollment division and also, like Fernandez, is a senior. We at least still have Louis in the state record book for being state freshman of the year and state junior of the year.

More All-State State Division IV Athletes of the Year
(Seniors only, see below for others)
Josh Boger (Coalinga) football, track
Louis Bland (Central Catholic, Modesto) football, wrestling
Dominic Galas (Central Catholic, Modesto) football, wrestling
Jrue Holiday (Campbell Hall, North Hollywood) basketball
Casey Serna (St. Bonaventure, Ventura) football, baseball
Hunter Steffien (St. Margaret's, SJ Capistrano) football, lacrosse, baseball)

State Division V Athlete of the Year
Cierre Wood (Santa Clara, Oxnard) Jr.
Whether it was on offense, special teams or defense, the Saints tried to get the ball in Wood's hands early and often last fall as the speedster rushed 178 times for 2,612 yards and 34 touchdowns. On defense, he made 63 tackles, intercepted three passes and recovered three fumbles. Regarded as perhaps the top running back recruit in the nation for the upcoming season, Wood also excelled in track. His times in the 100 and 200 were among the state's best and he was the CIF Southern Section Div. IV champ in the 100.

More All-State Division V Athletes of of the Year
(Seniors only, see below for others)
Brendan Chambers (Saddleback Valley Chr., SJ Cap.) football, basketball, baseball
Suavae Cook (Esparto) football, basketball, baseball
Elijah Davis (Turlock Christian) football, baseball
Micah Hiett (Immanuel, Reedley) football, basketball
Oliver McNally (Branson, Ross) basketball
Stephen Alexander (Santa Fe Christian, Solana Beach) basketball, baseball

State Junior Athlete of the Year
Randall Carroll (Cathedral, Los Angeles)
As this was written, California junior Matt Barkley from Mater Dei of Santa Ana has been named the Gatorade National Athlete of the Year. We're going with a different junior for the state since Barkley was strictly football. Carroll, who could be catching passes from Barkley one day at USC, showed why the other team had trouble catching and tackling him on the football field as he captured the CIF state track championship in both the 100 and 200 meters. He won the 100 in 10.42 seconds and despite his verbal to USC now has more schools hoping to change his mind and get his speed into their uniform after his senior season. Carroll played on both sides of the ball for the Phantoms and had three interceptions on the defensive side as a cornerback. The first team all-state underclass pick caught 36 passes for 745 yards and seven touchdowns while also was handed the ball 47 times for 576 yards and seven touchdowns as his coaches tried to get him the ball however they could.

More All-State Junior Athletes of the Year
Matt Barkley (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) football
Aaron Bradley (Gahr, Cerritos) football, track
Tyler Gaffney (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego) football, baseball
Kevin Greene (Sacred Heart Cathedral, S.F.) football, basketball
Montreal Harris (Twentynine Palms) football, basketball
Matt Hobgood (Norco) baseball
Myle Maugututia (Francis Parker, San Diego) football, basketball, volleyball
Roger McCovey (Del Norte, Crescent City) football, wrestling
Matt Nadolski (Casa Grande, Petaluma) football, basketball, baseball
Justin Rahn (Monta Vista, Cupertino) football, baseball
Charles Saseun (Rancho Cucamonga) football, track
Tom Shields (Edison, Huntington Beach) swimming
Renardo Sidney (Fairfax, Los Angeles) basketball

State Sophomore Athlete of the Year
Dale Morgan (Taft, Woodland Hills)
Another two-sport standout with football and track as his endeavors of choice, Morgan is regarded as one of the top hurdlers of his age group in track in the nation. He was second at the CIF state meet and clocked 14.19 seconds. In football, Morgan was all-state for sophomores and showed glimpses why he could be among the top running back prospects nationally for the Class of 2010 by rushing for more than 100 yards in eight of his 12 games.

More All-State Sophomore Athletes of the Year
Larry East (Vista) football, baseball
Malcolm Jones (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) football, track
Jake Rodriguez (Elk Grove) football, baseball
Harrison Steed (JSerra, SJ Capistrano) track
Brett Thomas (Poway) football, baseball
Jeremy Tyler (San Diego) basketball
Alex Wherry (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) water polo

State Freshman Athlete of the Year
Johnny Carter (Ridgeview, Bakersfield)
He joined elite company in the state for track and field as he jumped a personal best 49-1 in his final jump in the triple jump to take home the state championship as a freshman. There have been just four others to win state titles in their first year of high school, including Marion Jones. Carter saved his best for last after battling nerves to land the winning mark. His title-winning jump also set a freshman state record.

More All-State Freshman Athletes of the Year
Brendan Bigelow (Central, Fresno) track
Christian Lopes (Valencia) baseball
Darius Nelson (Sheldon, Sacramento) basketball
Cody Thompson (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) soccer

If you have comments or corrections, email mark@studentsports.com. Leave a comment below as well as we'll respond. 

Posted by Deputy Editor Mark Tennis

Written by Correspondent Harold Abend 

Runner from Riverbank sets the U.S. track community on fire and edges out fellow small school phenom from Modesto area for state's top overall boys athlete honor for 2007-08.

Note: Tell your friends about the new home of CalHiSports.com on ESPN and that all content is FREE. We will be starting our 30th year of covering the best of California high school sports in August.

After all the games, all the tournaments and all the trophies were handed out during the 2007-08 California high school sports year, the prestigious CalHiSports.com State Boys Athlete of the Year honor came down to two young men from small schools in Stanislaus County, near Modesto.

The 2006-07 boys state junior athlete of the year, Modesto Central Catholic football standout and wrestling champion Louis Bland, had another outstanding year. He led the Raiders to the CIF Division III state bowl game and despite a loss to St. Bonaventure of Ventura was arguably the top two-way player on the field. In addition to all-state first team football honors, Bland then went unbeaten in wrestling and won his third straight CIF individual state title. He ended his career one point shy (a loss in his junior year in the state final) of becoming just the second wrestler in state history to win four CIF state crowns.

With all that, it would take a lot to dislodge Bland as the headliner for the state's Class of 2008. And wouldn't you know it, that's what happened and the young man who did it is from a small town just outside of Modesto.

This would be cross country and track phenom German Fernandez. He is the 2007-08 State Boys Athlete of the Year  and could be the best track-and-field performer from a small town in the San Joaquin-Sacramento Valley since Rafer Johnson was coming out of Kingsburg. Fernandez is only the third State Boys Athlete of the Year from the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section since 1980. The last one was football-basketball-baseball player C.C. Sabathia of Vallejo for the 1997-98 school year.

From the farmlands of the big valley in a town just outside
Modesto is where this humble late bloomer exploded onto the state high school cross country and track scene a little over two years ago.

After what DyeStat.com Editor Rich Gonzalez called the "most prolific distance night in history at the 2008 California State meet, and "the greatest high school distance double ever, Riverbank's Fernandez showed just how humble he is that day at Cerritos College.

For a young man who had just run a 4:00.29 for 1600 meters and 8:34.23 for 3200 meters, Fernandez disclosed a fact we had known since featuring him in the fall of 2007 as Northern California Athlete of the Week shortly after he shattered Marc Davis' Woodward Park State Cross Country course record by 14 seconds with a 14:38.

Fernandez had to get back to work. "German's goal is to be the best cross country runner in the world and he has a long way to go, but in the meantime he has to work to pay for school, said his high school coach Bruce Edwards, who has coached cross country and track for 31 of the 34 years he has taught match at Riverbank.

Unless you knew him or were a cross country and track fanatic, you probably would think the teenager greeting you as the host at one of the friendly neighborhood Applebee's in Stanislaus County was just another young person working in the food service industry.

If it was German Fernandez who greeted you, there would be no way you could even imagine that this Oklahoma State-bound bound runner from a small community whose population is over 50 percent Hispanic, and whose family works in the farming industry, is arguably the greatest distance runner to ever come out of California at this stage of his career.

So dominating was Fernandez that he didn't lose a race this year to a California runner in either the mile or two-mile. In cross country his only losses were a third at the Footlocker national race in San Diego, running with an injury, and 25th at the World Junior Cross Country Championships in Scotland where he was the highest American finisher.

And to think, it might not have ever happened if Edwards had not gone to visit Fernandez during the summer three years ago when German was working at Kragen's and was undecided about concentrating on running rather than soccer or basketball.

"German could have played varsity in any sport in high school, Edwards told ESPN Cal-Hi Sports, "but when I went to the auto parts store that summer I convinced him running would fulfill his dreams and give him a ticket to college.

A ticket that is something the son of a machine operator in the tomato industry knows can help him change his and his family's lives.

Dad Armando isn't the only one who works in farming. Mom Hortentia, who recently gave birth to a baby girl that gives German and his younger brother a sister, also works in the tomato cannery near Riverbank.

"I know my parents have had it hard, Fernandez told us last year. "My dad wanted to become a nurse but it didn't work out. Now he wants me to go into the medical field. I might do that or go into criminal justice or become a coach and teacher.

With the kind of determination Fernandez has shown in running he will likely succeed in whatever endeavor he decides to undertake.

Fernandez, who also recently shattered the national record in the two-mile run at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in North Carolina, is slated to attend Oklahoma State in the fall. There have been rumors lately, though, that he might be able to follow previous track phenoms such as Alyson Felix and Alan Webb and turn pro before going to college. Considering where he began, no one would question German if he did, in fact, turn pro early.

Email corrections or comments to mark@studentsports.com and be sure leave a comment below to let us know how we're going.

(Selected by Cal-Hi Sports)

2007-08 - German Fernandez, Riverbank (cross country, track)
2006-07 - Mike Stanton, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (football, basketball, baseball)
2005-06 - Chase Budinger, Carlsbad La Costa Canyon (basketball, volleyball)
2004-05 - Drew Shiller, Burlingame (football, basketball, baseball)
2003-04 - Kenny O'Neal, Oakland Skyline (football, track)
2002-03 - Steve Smith, Woodland Hills Taft (football, basketball, track)
2001-02 - Aaron Piersol, Newport Beach Newport Harbor (swimming)
2000-01 - Antwon Guidry, San Jose Leigh (football, basketball, track)
1999-00 - D.J. Williams, Concord De La Salle (football, track)
1998-99 - Chris Lewis, Long Beach Poly (football, volleyball)
1997-98 - C.C. Sabathia, Vallejo (football, basketball, baseball)
1996-97 - Ken-Yon Rambo, Long Beach Poly (football, track)
1995-96 - Chris Claiborne, Riverside J.W. North (football, basketball)
1994-95 - Eric Guerrero, San Jose Independence (wrestling)
1993-94 - McKay Christensen, Fresno Clovis West (football, baseball)
1992-93 - Calvin Harrison, Salinas North Salinas (track, basketball)
1991-92 - Jason Kidd, Alameda St. Joseph (basketball, baseball)
1990-91 - Rob Johnson, El Toro (football, basketball, baseball)
1989-90 - Ryan Hancock, Cupertino Monta Vista (football, baseball)
1988-89 - Lorenzo Neal, Lemoore (football, wrestling)
1987-88 - Adam Keefe, Irvine Woodbridge (basketball, volleyball)
1986-87 - LeRon Ellis, Santa Ana Mater Dei  (water polo, basketball, track)
1985-86 - Brian Johnson, Oakland Skyline (football, baseball)
1984-85 - George Porter, Lompoc Cabrillo (basketball, track)
1983-84 - John Williams, L. A. Crenshaw  (basketball)
1982-83 - Mike Smith, Hacienda Heights Los Altos (football, basketball, volleyball)
1981-82 - Jim McCullough, Hemet (football, wrestling)
1980-81 - Kevin Willhite, Rancho Cordova (football, track)
1979-80 - Darryl Strawberry, L. A. Crenshaw (basketball, baseball)
1978-79 - John Elway, Granada Hills (football, baseball)
1977-78 - Jesse Vasallo, Mission Viejo (swimming)
1976-77 - Brian Goodell, Mission Viejo (swimming)
1975-76 - Greg Louganis, El Cajon Valhalla & Santa Ana (diving)
1974-75 - Bill Cartwright, Elk Grove (basketball)
1973-74 - Tim Shaw, Long Beach Wilson (water polo, swimming)
1972-73 - Lonnie Shelton, Bakersfield Foothill (football, track)
1971-72 - Scott McGregor, El Segundo (baseball)
1970-71 - Anthony Davis, San Fernando (football, baseball)
1969-70 - James McAlister, Pasadena Blair (football, track)
1968-69 - Jeff Burroughs, Long Beach Wilson (football, baseball)
1967-68 - Mark Spitz, Santa Clara (water polo, swimming)
1966-67 - Mickey Cureton, Compton Centennial (football)
1965-66 - Tim Danielson, Chila Vista (track)
1964-65 - Paul Wilson, Downey Warren (track)
1963-64 - Don Schollander, Santa Clara (water polo, swimming)
1962-63 - Tommie Smith, Lemoore (football, basketball, track)
1961-62 - Forrest Beaty, Glendale Hoover (track)
1960-61 - Ulis Williams, Compton (track)
1959-60 - Dennis Ralston, Bakersfield (tennis)
1958-59 - Dale Story, Orange (track)
1957-58 - Willie Davis, L. A. Roosevelt (basketball, baseball, track)
1956-57 - Bill Kilmer, Azusa Citrus (football, basketball, baseball)
1955-56 - Fred Lacour, S.F. St. Ignatius (basketball)
1954-55 - Dick Bass, Vallejo (football)
1953-54 - Don Bowden, San Jose Lincoln (track)
1952-53 - Ronnie Knox, Santa Monica  (football)
1951-52 - Marty Keough, Pomona (football, basketball, baseball)
1950-51 - Charlie Powell, San Diego (football, baseball)
1949-50 - Lang Stanley, L. A. Jefferson (track)
1948-49 - John Henry Johnson, Pittsburg (football, basketball, track)
1947-48 - Bob Mathias, Tulare (football, track) 

Note: List continues back to 1890-91 in Cal-Hi Sports record book. All selections prior to 1978-79 done retroactively through research by our founder, the late Nelson Tennis.

Email corrections or comments to mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave comments. 

Posted by Deputy Editor Mark Tennis

*Player of the Year JESSICA SPIGNER (pictured) of California and Coach of the Year ED STEELE of Virginia headline 30-player first team; 30 players also selected to second team.

Torrance, Calif. - It's been two years in a row that Southern California's Valencia High has had a legitimate national player of the year candidate in softball. A year ago, record-breaking pitcher Jordan Taylor just missed out because the player that was selected was a standout as a pitcher and a hitter. This year, doing both so well is the difference in Viking standout Jessica Spigner getting the top honor and today she has been named as the EA SPORTS National Player of the Year.

Spigner is one of 30 players who have been chosen as first team 2008 EA SPORTS All-Americans. Seven others from California also are on the first team with seven more from the Golden State on second team. Arizona was another state that did especially well this year with five first team EA SPORTS All-Americans and three on second team.

In addition to the players, Ed Steele from Broad Run High of Virginia, which was No. 1 in the final Rivals.com FAB 50 national rankings, has been chosen EA SPORTS National Coach of the Year.

Posted by Deputy Editor Mark Tennis

Posted By Deputy Editor Mark Tennis

This year's EA SPORTS All-America baseball teams include six from California on the first group of 30 players with five more on second team. National player of the year Tim Beckham of Griffin, Ga., and national coach of the year Larry Turner of Owasso, Okla., lead the honors.

Torrance, Calif. --  It might seem like a quick pick to select Beckham from Griffin High of Griffin, Ga., as the 2008 EA SPORTS National Player of the Year. After all, Beckham was the first choice overall in this year's June Amateur Baseball Draft, topping even players still in college.

But it wasn't easy at all. There were two players in California that would have been equally strong choices as well as others from Illinois, New Jersey and Florida. Beckham certainly had strong credentials, but the downside is that he wasn't able to lead his Griffin High team to a state title unlike some of the other candidates.

Still, none of the others were judged to have done enough to knock off Beckham. In addition to being named the EA SPORTS National Player of the Year, Beckham also headlines a group of 30 players chosen as first team EA SPORTS All-Americans with 30 more earning second team honors. These players are joined by EA SPORTS National Coach of the Year Larry Turner from Owasso High in Oklahoma.

"We're proud to honor these young men and are looking forward to seeing these players continue to compete at a high level as they move on in their baseball careers," said Brian Movalson, EA SPORTS Director of Sports Marketing. "The EA SPORTS All-American honor is becoming one of the best in high school athletics because of the way they are done and because of the people who do the research behind the scenes. These student-athletes truly represent the best in the game in high school athletics."

Beckham's high level of future competition will be in the minor leagues and not at his college choice of USC. Only a few days after the Tampa Bay Rays selected the Georgia star with the first pick of the draft, they signed him with a record $6.15 million bonus. He was to report to Princeton, W. Va., of the Appalachian League where he also will play with older brother, Jeremy. He was selected by Tampa Bay one day after his younger brother.

Beckham was more than just the highest draft pick, too. He led Griffin to a spot in the Georgia state championships, although the team lost in the final. He hit .667 during the team's playoff run and ended the season with a .482 average combined with six homers, 41 RBI and 22 stolen bases.

As a junior, Beckham showed what was yet to come with a season that was just as spectacular as his senior year. The 6-2, 190-pounder hit .512 with six triples, six homers, 39 RBI and 20 steals. After that season, he went on to showcase his skills in numerous summer events, highlighted by an MVP performance at the Aflac All-American Game in San Diego.

Beckham, who also was more than solid academically at Griffin High with a 3.10 GPA and a 1320 on his SAT, is foreseen to be a shortstop at the major league level. He has been compared favorably to former major leaguer Barry Larkin, who like Beckham also had a multi-sport background. In Beckham's case, he played both basketball and football and comes from a town steeped in football tradition, producing former NFL players such as Rayfield Wright (Dallas Cowboys) and Willie Gault (Chicago Bears).

After Beckham's first-round selection and signing bonus, Griffin High may never be the same as a football school again.

Turner, meanwhile, has turned Owasso High into the top baseball school in Oklahoma. He capped his 26th season at the school by guiding the Rams to a 35-3 record and second straight Class 6A state title. They also ended at No. 6 in the final Rivals.com FAB 50 national rankings.

Owasso's state title this year was the seventh under Turner and 10th overall. The coach actually was a standout on the school's first state title team in 1973 and since becoming the head coach in 1983 his teams have compiled a 762-200 record. The three-time Tulsa World News Coach of the Year also has led Owasso to the state final for 10 of the last 11 years.

2008 EA SPORTS BASEBALL

ALL-AMERICAN FIRST TEAM

Catchers

Jean Rodriguez (George Washington, New York, N.Y.) Sr.
He led the Trojans to a 46-2 record and the city Public School Athletic League title while earning city Player of the Year honors. In the regular season, the 10th round draft pick of the Philadelphia Phillies batted a torrid .563 with four home runs and capped his career with a .389 average in the post-season playoffs.

Kyle Skipworth (Patriot, Riverside, Calif.) Sr.
Argbuably the best pure hitter on this team, Skipworth set a state record early in the season with a streak of getting 18 hits in 18 consecutive at-bats. The sixth pick overall in the MLB Draft by the Florida Marlins ended up hitting .543 with 51 hits and 51 runs scored. Skipworth also had 13 homers, 47 RBI and 13 other extra-base hits. He led his team to a 27-3 record, but the Warriors were upset in the CIF Southern Section Div. IV playoffs.

Pitchers
 
Gerrit Cole (Lutheran, Orange, Calif.) Sr.
Before the season, Cole was ranked as the top high school prospect in the nation by Baseball America. He ended up as a first-round pick by the New York Yankees. The flame-throwing right-hander struck out 121 batters compared to just 18 walks during the season and had an 8-2 record with a 0.47 ERA. Cole, who reached 98 mph on the radar gun, also struck out nine straight batters in one game in which numerous scouts were on hand.

Brett DeVall (Niceville, Fla.) Sr.
The state Class 5A Player of the Year was the 40th overall draft selection by the Atlanta Braves after posting big numbers as a senior. He was 12-1 on the mound, plus two saves, with an 0.41 earned run average. He struck out 140 in 86 innings and gave up only 21 bases on balls.

Ben Flora (Plano West, Plano, Texas) Sr.
Blossoming with a 13-0 record on the year and a 0.91 ERA, Flora was named the Dallas Morning News Player of the Year. In 77 innings, he struck out 112 and has signed with Texas Tech. During the postseason, Flora was 5-0 with a 0.37 ERA, including a win in the state semifinals. Plano West won its first Class 5A state championship and was No. 5 in the final Rivals.com FAB 50 national rankings.

Chase Hawkins (Brookwood, Snellville, Ga.) Sr.
The lefthander led the Broncos to a 34-3 record, a state Class AAAAA title and No. 7 ranking in the Rivals.com FAB 50 national ratings by tying a school record with 14 wins in 15 decisions. The University of Georgia recruit also owns the school record with 26 career victories as the No. 1 hurler on the state champion staff.

Danny Hultzen (St. Albans, Washington, D.C.) Sr.
The lefthander was selected the D.C. metro Player of the Year after helping St. Albans to a 32-2 record. A University of Virginia recruit who was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks, he won all his starts for a 13-0 record while striking out 140 batters in 73 innings and posting an 0.74 ERA. He also batted .386 with eight doubles, five triples and four homers while driving in 37 runs and scoring 36 times.

Taylor Jungmann (Georgetown, Texas) Sr.
The two-time All-Central Texas player of the year was a perfect 14-0 on the year, including a shutout win over nationally-ranked Plano West in a best two-of-three series. In 83 innings, he struck out 146 and was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels. Jungmann was an Area Code Games participant last summer and was an Aflac All-American. He has signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Texas.

Trevor May (Kelso, Wash.) Sr.
May went 11-1 with 128 strikeouts, picking up his final win in the state semifinals before being drafted in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Phillies. On the year, he threw six complete games, four shutouts and back-to-back no-hitters. May had signed with the University of Washington before being the highest amateur to be drafted from the state.

Eric Pfisterer (Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J.) Sr.
The lefthanded Duke University recruit was an all-around player for the 33-0 record Ironmen, which capped the first unbeaten season in talent-rich Bergen County since 1950 with a state Non-Public A title and No. 1 ranking in the Rivals.com FAB 50 ratings. A draft selection by the Cincinnati Reds, he was 10-0 on the mound including the state final win over Christian Brothers. For good measure, he also batted .525 with 52 hits.

Jake Odorizzi (Highland, Ill.) Sr.
There's nothing odorous about what Odorizzi did this season. The Gatorade State Player of the Year was selected 32nd overall in the recent draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. On the field, he led Highland to its first state title and top ranking overall in both Illinois and for the St. Louis metro area. He allowed just one run all year on the mound going 14-0 with 146 strikeouts and just six walks. At the plate, he hit .412 with 15 homers, 41 RBI and stole 33 bases.

Tyler Stovall (Hokes Bluff, Ala.) Sr.
The lefthanded three-sport standout put up state record pitching and hitting numbers while starting on five straight state Class 3A title teams. This season the Eagles were 28-3 as the Auburn recruit, and 64th overall draft selection by the Atlanta Braves, posted a 14-1 record with three no-hitters, 187 strikeouts in 84 innings and an 1.00 ERA. The state Mr. Baseball set state career records with 54 wins and 683 strikeouts and also with 94 doubles at the plate.

Infielders

Tim Beckham (Griffin, Ga.) Sr.
The EA SPORTS National Player of the Year was the first No. 1 overall pick in this year's Major League Baseball Draft. Two others from Georgia also were among the first eight selections.

Andy Burns (Rocky Mountain, Fort Collins, Colo.) Sr.
The Rocky Mountain News All-Colorado player of the year for the second straight season is bound for the University of Kentucky. Burns dominated during the Class 5A playoffs once again as he hit .481 with 10 homers. He was walked 25 times but was still able to drive in 34 runs. Before his final season with the Lobos, he was selected as an Aflac All-American.

Anthony Hewitt (Salisbury School, Salisbury, Conn.) Sr.
The Brooklyn, New York native and Vanderbilt recruit was the 24th overall draft selection by the Philadelphia Phillies after posting big numbers at the boarding school. The shortstop, who also can play outfield, batted .536 with eight homers, nine doubles, and scored 30 runs.

Brandon Loy (Rowlett, Garland, Texas) Sr.
Loy was one of the top players in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and led Rowlett to a 32-3-2 record. Headed for the University of Texas, he hit .527 on the year with 33 RBI. Loy also had 17 doubles and four triples while scoring 48 times and stole 38 bases to help his team reach the Class 5A regional semifinals.

Steve Proscia (Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J.) Sr.
The state Player of the Year honoree led the 33-0 record Ironmen to the state Non-Public A title and the No. 1 spot in the Rivals.com FAB 50 national rankings. A third baseman who signed with the University of Virginia and was drafted by the Minnesota Twins, Proscia batted .545 with 55 hits, including 24 extra base blows, and scored 56 times. He also belted nine home runs and drove in 45 runs.

Outfielders

Xavier Avery (Cedar Grove, Decatur, Ga.) Sr.
A two-sport standout who also stars as a football tailback, he batted .561 this season with eight home runs, 42 runs scored, and 35 stolen bases. The speedy lefthanded centerfielder was the 50th overall draft selection by the Baltimore Orioles.

Joey Belviso (American Heritage, Plantation, Fla.) Sr.
The state Class 3A Player of the Year, and runner-up for overall state honors, led the hard-hitting Patriots with 15 home runs and a .507 batting average. He also knocked in 34 runs for the 31-2 record Patriots, who captured a state title and was ranked No. 3 in the Rivals.com FAB 50 national ratings. The center fielder was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels.

Jaff Decker (Sunrise Mountain, Peoria, Az.) Sr.
Was named The Republic's West Valley and Big Schools Player of the Year after a standout final season. On the mound he was 9-1 with a 1.02 ERA and struck out 122 in 68.2 innings. At the plate, Decker batted .565 with 56 runs, 17 homers, and 53 RBI. He also stole 21 bases and is headed to Arizona St. unless he signs with San Diego after the Padres selected him 42nd overall.

Aaron Hicks (Wilson, Long Beach, Calif.) Sr.
With blazing speed in the outfield, a quick bat at the plate and a super throwing arm, Hicks was the Mr. Baseball State Player of the Year in California. The 14th pick in the first round of the recent MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins added dominant pitching to his resume this season. He went 8-2 with a 1.16 ERA, reached 97 mph on the gun and had 112 strikeouts. Offensively, Hicks, who led Wilson to the CIF Southern Section Div. I title game, batted .473 with 12 doubles, four homers, 23 RBI and 37 stolen bases. As a junior, Hicks stole 44 bases in 45 attempts and led Wilson in runs scored when it was the No. 1 team in the state.

Multi-Purpose

Tyler Chatwood (East Valley, Redlands, Calif.) Sr.
A second-round MLB Draft pick by the Los Angeles Angels, Chatwood is a two-time San Bernardino County player of the year honoree. He won it last year as an outfielder and this year as a shortstop-pitcher. Chatwood came back from Tommy John surgery during his sophomore year and this season went 9-1 with 95 strikeouts and a 0.81 ERA. He also batted .521 with 23 RBI and 18 steals in leading his school to the CIF Southern Section Div. II championship game.

Zack Cox (Pleasure Ridge Park, Louisville, Ky.) Sr.
The third baseman-pitcher helped the Panthers to a 38-4 record and the state one-class championship. The University of Arkansas recruit, and Los Angeles Dodgers' draftee, sported a 10-0 mound record, including two no-hitters, with an 0.97 earned run average and 108 strikeouts. At the plate, he batted .457 with 46 RBI and seven home runs.

Matt Hobgood (Norco, Calif.) Jr.
Despite being a junior, Hobgood was a serious candidate to be state player of the year in California. He was 10-0 as a pitcher with a 1.34 ERA and beat Orange Lutheran and fellow EA SPORTS All-American Gerrit Cole in the playoffs. With the bat, Hobgood cranked out 15 homers with a .489 average and 45 RBI. Hobgood, who reached 96 mph on his fastball, has already committed to Cal State Fullerton.

Eric Hosmer (American Heritage, Plantation, Fla.) Sr.
After EA SPORTS Player of the Year Tim Beckham, Hosmer was the next high school player chosen in the MLB Draft at No. 3 in the first round by the Kansas City Royals. He was a leader on a team that went 32-2 and was No. 3 in the final Rivals.com FAB 50 national rankings with a .471 batting average, 11 homers and 27 RBI. Hosmer also was used to pitch in relief where he picked up five saves and had a 0.93 ERA. He was a legitimate national player of the year candidate, but in Florida fellow EA SPORTS All-American and teammate Joey Belviso was the Class 3A state player of the year.

Jonathan Hughes (Valley Christian, San Jose, Calif.) Sr.
A finalist for Mr. Baseball State Player of the Year in California, Hughes led his team to a second straight CIF Central Coast Section Div. I title. As a hitter, he batted .432 with 10 doubles, one homer and 35 RBI. As a pitcher, he went 14-1 with a 0.82 ERA. Hughes, who got the wins in his team's final two games, was named the San Jose Mercury-News and San Francisco Chronicle player of the year. He is bound for the University of Santa Clara.

Casey Kelly (Sarasota, Fla.) Sr.
The state Player of the Year selection helped his team record a 25-3 record while starring as a shortstop-pitcher. A University of Tennessee recruit as a football quarterback and baseball player, he batted .473 with 13 doubles, one triple and five home runs with 47 runs and 31 RBI. For good measure. Kelly was 8-1 on the mound with a 1.16 ERA and 77 strikeouts. He was a first round draft pick, and 30th overall, by the Boston Red Sox.

Jeff Malm (Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas, Nev.) Jr.
One of only two juniors named first team EA SPORTS All-American is a 6-3 first baseman and pitcher who led the Gaels to their second straight Class 4A state title. Malm batted .582 with 61 RBI and scored 59 times. He also hit 25 doubles and seven homers while also going 5-2 on the mound where he struck out 62 in 41 innings. He has earlier been named the Southern Nevada Baseball Player of the Year.

Ethan Martin (Stephens County, Toccoa, Ga.) Sr.
The 15th overall selection in the Amateur Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the third baseman-pitcher batted .528 with 12 home runs this season. The Clemson recruit also was 9-1 on the mound with a 1.36 earned run average with 112 strikeouts in 60 innings.

Logan Verrett (Calallen, Corpus Christi, Texas) Sr.
Verrett was more than very good in leading the Wildcats (No. 2 in the final Rivals.com FAB 50 national rankings) to a 42-1 record and Class 4A state title. He finished the season a perfect 18-0 with an ERA under 1.00. Verrett hit a home run in the team's mercy-rule shortened championship game and batted .420 overall. He has committed to Baylor.

Posted by Deputy Editor Mark Tennis

Catchers

Rashun Dixon (Terry, Miss.) Sr.

Taylor Hightower (Cartersville, Ga.) Sr.
 
Ryan McChesney (Riverdale, Fort Myers, Fla.) Sr.
 
Adrian Nieto (American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. Sr.

Pitchers
 
Danny Coulombe (Chaparral, Scottsdale, Ariz.) Sr.
 
Ryan Doiron (Barbe, Lake Charles, La.) Sr.
 
Brian Flynn (Owasso, Okla.) Sr.
 
Trey Haley (Central Heights, Nacogdoches, Texas) Sr.
 
Charlie Lowell (Winnfield, Mo.) Sr.
 
Jordan Lyles (Hartsville, S.C.) Sr.
 
Tim Mehlville (Holt, Wentzville, Mo.) Sr.
 
Curtis Peterson (Ryan, Denton, Texas) Sr.
 
Bryan Roberts (Benet Academy, Lisle, Ill.) Sr.
 
Joe Wieland (Bishop Manogue, Reno, Nev.) Sr.
 
Matthew Wilson (Farragut, Knoxville, Tenn.) Sr.

Infielders
 
Jonathan Berti (Troy, Mich.) Sr.
 
Patrick Blair (Calvert Hall, Baltimore, Md.) Jr.
 
Matt Cerda (Oceanside, Calif.) Sr.
 
Brad Douthit (Desert Mountain, Scottsdale, Ariz.) Sr.
 
Tyler Rahmatulla (Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif.) Sr.
 
Matt Skipper (Ralston Valley, Arvada, Colo.) Sr.

Outfielders
 
L.J. Hoes (St. John's, Washington, D.C.) Sr.
 
Destin Hood (St. Paul's Episcopal, Mobile, Ala.) Sr.
 
Kenny Wilson (Sickles, Tampa, Fla.) Sr.

Multi-Purpose
 
Bobby Bundy (Sperry, Okla.) Sr.
 
K.C. Hobson (Stockdale, Bakersfield) Jr.
 
Jordan Jankowski (Peters Township, McMurray, Pa.) Sr.
 
Jarret Martin (Centennial, Bakersfield, Calif.) Sr.
 
Nick Ramirez (Katella, Anaheim Calif.) Sr.
 
Nick Struck (Clackamas, Ore.) Sr.

About EA SPORTS
EA SPORTS, the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, delivers real sports simulation games for sports fans. With EA SPORTS "if it's in the game...it's in the game." EA SPORTS is a brand of Electronic Arts (EA), the world's leading independent developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems. Top-selling titles and franchises include Madden NFL Football, FIFA Soccer, NCAA Football, NBA® LIVE Basketball, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® Golf, NCAA March Madness and NASCAR. The EA SPORTS All-American program honors the nation's top high school football players and, in conjunction with Student Sports, recognizes the top student-athletes for their achievements both on and off the field.

Posted by Deputy Editor Mark Tennis

This is the first installment of this feature on ESPN, where all content for CalHiSports.com is FREE.

We start out this column with some unfortunate news, then some tragic news and then our thoughts about a key transfer.

First, the unfortunate news was delivered late this afternoon by colleague Martin Henderson, formerly of the L.A. Times. We say formerly because Martin called to let us know he had been laid off by the Times, along with others from the prep sports department.

According to Martin, the Times' prep coverage is going to be scaled back to columns by legendary reporter/writer Eric Sondheimer combined with some Friday game coverage and then whatever scores and stats come in via the phone.

This is bad news for Martin, but he's a strong enough journalist that he will no doubt land somewhere else. It's equally bad news for Southern California prep athletes and coaches because their opportunities for coverage in the media just took a major hit.

During the last school year, the layoffs in the newspaper industry caused layoffs to the prep sports departments at the San Jose Mercury-News, Alameda Newspaper Group and Stockton Record. The L.A. Times is just the latest in a trend that is nationwide in scope and may not be stopping anytime soon.

Ex-San Diego Hoover Star Dies

Our annual state athlete of the year honors are just days away from being announced, so it was extra-tough to hear about the drowning death over the weekend of former San Diego Hoover standout Todd Doxey.

Doxey was one of the top all-around athletes in the state just last year for the Cardinals. He earned all-state honors in football as a defensive back, then hit the hardwood and was one of the top players in the San Diego Section. He was a finalist for state athlete of the year honors in Division II.

In recent weeks, Doxey was in Eugene preparing for the start of practice for the upcoming 2008 football season at the University of Oregon.

On Sunday, according to published reports from the San Diego Union-Tribune and Eugene Register-Guard, Doxey went to the McKenzie River near Eugene with some friends for rafting and jumped into the river from a bridge. He began swimming toward a boat ramp, but then started having difficulties and eventually went under. A fisherman eventually got him out of the water and started CPR, but Doxey died on Sunday night at a local hospital.

Doxey redshirted last season for the Ducks and was hoping to move up the depth charts this season as a redshirt freshman defensive back.

The death reminds us of the 2003 downing death off Huntington Beach of 2002 all-state linebacker Drean Rucker from Canyon Springs of Moreno Valley. Rucker was supposed to play later that year at USC.

We express our condolences to Todd's family and the Hoover community. Cardinals' basketball coach Ollie Goulston is a frequent e-mailer and we know how much he cares about his current and former players.

Nick Montana Transfers to Oaks Christian

It was reported last week that Nicholas Montana, who quarterbacked successful freshman and sophomore football teams at Bay Area powerhouse De La Salle of Concord the last two seasons, has transferred to Oaks Christian of Westlake Village.

Montana, the son of NFL legend Joe Montana, is joining a potentially circus-like atmosphere at Oaks Christian, where next year's team already may have the sons of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky (Trevor) and actor Will Smith (Trey) on the roster. Of course, the Lions also have had the sons of ex-NFL linebacker Clay Matthews and ex-NFL running back Wendell Tyler help lead them to a CIF Div. III state bowl game crown.

In an article in the Contra Costa Times, the younger Montana told reporter Chase Bryson he was leaving De La Salle because "it just wasn't the right fit for him.

If throwing the ball 30 or more times per game is what he and his famous dad would like, even as a senior, then they are correct. While the Spartans did throw it more when current New England Patriots' third-string quarterback Matt Gutierrez was starting for three years, they have been first and foremost a veer-option running team.

De La Salle head coach Bob Ladouceur was expected to look into the possibility of using Nicholas during the upcoming season similar to the way he used graduated senior Mike MacGillivray last year. MacGillivray split time with effective junior Blake Wayne, potentially one of the best option QBs the Spartans have ever had, and the situation worked well as the Spartans went 13-0 and were the CalHiSports.com State Team of the Year.

Wayne obviously will now be the starter all by himself, and with all the speedy running backs he will have at his disposal, led by University of Arizona-bound Kylan Butler, the absence of the younger Montana shouldn't matter that much.

As for Oaks Christian, head coach Bill Redell recently named St. Bonaventure transfer Tony Macarena as his starter for the upcoming season, which caused another quarterback, Anthony Vito, to leave. Redell told the Ventura Star that Nicholas Montana will have to earn any playing time he gets.

We watched Nicholas in one JV game last year and at last May's Nike Football Training Camp at Stanford. He threw a nice, tight pass, but will need to get bigger and stronger to rank among the top prep quarterbacks in the nation.

The younger Montana also said a reason for the move was so he would be closer to his personal quarterback coach, Steve Clarkson, who was the personal coach to former Oaks Christian quarterback Jimmy Clausen. Nobody promotes his clients quite like Clarkson, but now that we are with ESPN we can guarantee that at least some of the hype won't get through.

With Oaks Christian already possessing one of the top junior running backs in the country in Malcolm Jones, we can see the Lions ranking among the nation's best for 2009, if not 2008. Could Nicholas Montana's last game at Oaks Christian end up being in the CIF Open Division state bowl game against you know who? That would be fun, wouldn't it?

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com

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.

Note: Tell your friends that all content on CalHiSports.com and the emerging ESPN high school network is FREE. We have state athletes of the year for 2007-08 still to come.

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.

Posted By Deputy Editor Mark Tennis

Note: Tell your friends that all content on CalHiSports.com and the emerging ESPN high school network is FREE. Check back tomorrow for more state school of the year honors.

Changes come rapidly in the high school sports world, as many know from just this week when this web site became part of ESPN, but for more than 100 years there's been one constant.

Poly High of Long Beach is great in athletics.

We were the first to recognize just how strong the Jackrabbits are in combined overall sports with an article in our old Student Sports Magazine in 1996 that was out years before Sports Illustrated. Simply put, Poly is America's No. 1 all-time high school for athletics. There wasn't a close second 20 years ago, there wasn't a close second 10 years ago and there isn't a close second now.

Sure, some schools can compete with Poly for these types of honors currently, but none of those were similarly dominant going back nearly a century.

The school's latest honor is out with today's announcement that it is the CalHiSports.com 2007-08 State School of the Year. The last time the Jackrabbits received the combined all-sports honor was for 2001-02 and this is the third such selection for this decade. Poly also is considered State School of the Year for 1980-81, 1964-65, 1963-64, 1958-59, 1943-44, 1941-42, 1938-39, 1935-36, 1931-32, 1927-28, 1920-21 and 1913-14. That's 15 times for Poly with no other school is close.

One of the sports way back in that 1913-14 school year that won it for Poly was track and field. Today, success in that sport has once again sparked the school's success.

At the recent CIF state track meet, the Poly girls won the team championship with 39 points, outlasting the one-girl squad from Mt. Pleasant of San Jose by six points. Leading the Jackrabbits in that meet was the 1-2 punch in the 400 of freshman Akawkaw Ndidagbor and junior Jasmine Joseph, the first-place finish by sophomore Tara Richmond in the high jump and a top showing in the 4x400 relay.

On the boys side at the state meet, Poly almost made it a title sweep, but came up short with 32 points to first-place Dominguez of Compton getting 36. Coach Don Norford's squad was led by 400-meter winner Joey Hughes plus a top finish in the 4x100 relay.

Poly's girls team title wasn't the first CIF state title for the school during the year, either. In March, the Jackrabbits (31-2) were dominating in rolling to their third straight CIF Division I crown. That team also was ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation and was led by Rutgers-bound standout Jasmine Dixon, the Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year.

During the 2006-07 school year, Poly also won two CIF state team titles and this year, in fact, is the third straight year the school has won at least two CIF state team championships. The only other school to win two this year was Branson of Ross, but both were in basketball (boys, girls Division V).

The six CIF state titles for the Jackrabbits over the last three years also pushes their all-time best total of CIF state team crowns to 27. The school that is currently second on that list sits way back at 16.

The difference between this year and last for Poly is the additional success of the football team. While the Jackrabbits are always strong in football, the 2007 club posted back-to-back shutouts of Orange Lutheran and Crespi of Encino to win the CIF Southern Section Div. I title. Led by first team all-state defenders Vaughn Telemaque, who had three interceptions vs. Crespi, and Jurrell Casey, the only reason Poly (13-1) wasn't considered to be the representative for the South in the CIF Division I football bowl game was a head-to-head loss early in the season vs. Birmingham of Lake Balboa.

Another difference between this year and last in Poly getting the state's top overall athletic honor is that no other school was able to do enough to surpass the Jackrabbits.

Archbishop Mitty of San Jose, which was last year's winner, was a CIF state champ in girls basketball (Div. II) and was runner-up in two other sports (volleyball, boys basketball). This year, though, the Monarchs only won three Central Coast Section titles compared to eight last year.

Poway was another serious challenger for the top spot and had superior depth than Poly with six CIF San Diego Section titles plus three second-place finishes and three more teams that made it to the semis. The Titans, though, basically didn't have that one super team to lead the way and came up just short of the Jackrabbits.

Congratulations to former athletic director and assistant principal Joe Carlson and to new athletic director Rob Shock and to the rest of Long Beach Poly's coaches and athletes for another truly memorable school year of accomplishments.

Corrections or comments? Email mark@studentsports.com.

Posted By Deputy Editor Mark Tennis

Check out this list below for our updated honor roll of State Schools of the Year going back more than 50 years. In recent years, schools like Long Beach Poly, De La Salle, Mater Dei, Archbishop Mitty, Poway and whichever school in the Clovis Unified School District does the best in the Central Section have tended to be the state's top all-sports schools.
Note: Tell your friends that all content on CalHiSports.com and the emerging ESPN high school network is FREE.

(All selections by CalHiSports.com)

2007-08 - Poly (Long Beach)

2006-07 - Archbishop Mitty (San Jose)

2005-06 - Buchanan (Clovis)

2004-05 - Clovis West (Fresno)

2003-04 - De La Salle (Concord)

2002-03 - Torrey Pines (San Diego)

2001-02 - Poly (Long Beach)

2000-01 - Poly (Long Beach)

1999-00 - De La Salle (Concord)

1998-99 - Clovis West (Fresno)

1997-98 - Santa Margarita (Rancho SM)

1996-97 - Mater Dei (Santa Ana)

1995-96 - De La Salle (Concord)

1994-95 - Mater Dei (Santa Ana)

1993-94 - Clovis West (Fresno)

1992-93 - Esperanza (Anaheim)

1991-92 - Mater Dei (Santa Ana)

1990-91 - Poway

1989-90 - Bakersfield

1988-89 - Corona del Mar (Newport Beach)

1987-88 - Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo)

1986-87 - Mission Viejo

1985-86 - Bellarmine (San Jose)

1984-85 - Bellarmine (San Jose)

1983-84 - Cordova (Rancho Cordova)

1982-83 - St. Francis (Mountain View)

1981-82 - Mission Viejo

1980-81 - Poly (Long Beach)

1979-80 - Berkeley

1978-79 - Mt. Whitney (Visalia)

1977-78 - Andrew Hill (San Jose)

1976-77 - Pasadena

1975-76 - San Fernando

1974-75 - Clovis

1973-74 - Kearny (San Diego)

1972-73 - Monte Vista (Spring Valley)

1971-72 - Ygnacio Valley (Concord)

1970-71 - Lompoc

1969-70 - Blair (Pasadena)

1968-69 - Compton

1967-68 - Homestead (Cupertino)

1966-67 - El Rancho (Pico Rivera)

1965-66 - El Segundo

1964-65 - Poly (Long Beach)

1963-64 - Poly (Long Beach)

1962-63 - Santa Clara

1961-62 - McClymonds (Oakland)

1960-61 - Compton

1959-60 - Poly (Long Beach)

1958-59 - Poly (Long Beach)

1957-58 - Berkeley

1956-57 - Fresno

1955-56 - Jefferson (Los Angeles)

1954-55 - Centennial (Compton)

Note: All-time list extends back to 1890-91 in the CalHiSports Record Book and Almanac. All selections prior to 1980 made retroactively through research by the late Nelson Tennis, founder of CalHiSports. Please consider purchasing the sixth printed edition of our state record book, which was released earlier this year.

 

The final part of our all-state baseball package is the second team underclassmen. State Freshman Player of the Year Christian Lopes of Valencia plus six more sophomores have jumped up among 23 juniors named to this squad.

Note: We have no set number of players at each position, but do need to have at least two catchers. MP stands for multi-purpose (hitting, pitching, fielding).

C Larry East (Vista) Soph.

C Charlie McClung (Monte Vista Christian, Watsonville) Jr.

C Wade Morten (East Union, Manteca) Jr.

P Mickel Beltran (Oxnard) Soph.

P Ben Graff (Sonoma Valley, Sonoma) Soph.

P Trevor Hildenberger (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) Jr.

P Tyler Matzek (Capistrano Valley, Mission Viejo) Jr.

P Paul Paez (Bishop Amat, La Puente) Soph.

P Tyler Skaggs (Santa Monica) Jr.

P Phillip Valos (Stockdale, Bakersfield) Jr.

P Andrew Wild (Mt. Whitney, Visalia) Jr.

INF J.J. Altobelli (Woodbridge, Irvine) Jr.

INF Clay Cederquist (Fowler) Jr.

INF Tyler Christian (Leigh, San Jose) Jr.

INF Ryan Cooperstone (Chatsworth) Jr.

INF Matt Duffy (Lakewood) Jr.

INF Kelly Dugan (Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks) Jr.

INF Joey Epperson (Miramonte, Orinda) Jr.

INF Christian Lopes (Valencia) Fr.

INF Alex Mejia (El Camino Real, Woodland Hills) Jr.

INF Sam Meyer (St. Francis, Mountain View) Jr.

INF Eric Smith (La Canada) Jr.

OF Seth Batty (Buchanan, Clovis) Jr.

OF Wes Hatton (Norco) Jr.

OF Karl Kobler (Cardinal Newman, Santa Rosa) Jr.

OF Steven Packard (Mission Hills, San Marcos) Jr.

OF Pat Stover (Rocklin) Jr.

OF Brett Thomas (Poway) Soph.

MP Casey Husband (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego) Jr.

MP Nick  Vandertuig (Oakdale) Soph.

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com.

What makes the CalHiSports.com all-state teams unique in the nation is its separation of underclass players from seniors. This is often the first recognition for these athletes beyond their local newspaper. State players of the year Matt Hobgood of Norco (juniors) and Jake Rodriguez of Elk Grove (sophs) are joined by 28 others on this elite squad.

Note: We have no set number of players at each position, but do need to have at least two catchers. MP stands for multi-purpose (hitting, pitching, fielding).

C Cameron Garfield (Murrieta Valley, Murrieta) Jr.

C Max Stassi (Yuba City) Jr.

C Andrew Susac (Jesuit, Carmichael) Jr.

P Trevor Bauer (Hart, Newhall) Jr.

P Justin Jones (Oakdale) Jr.

P Dylan Floro (Buhach Colony, Atwater) Jr.

P Justin Rahn (Monta Vista, Cupertino) Jr.

P J.D. Salles (Clovis West, Fresno) Jr.

P Levi Stevens (Grossmont, La Mesa) Jr.

P Chad Thompson (El Toro) Jr.

P Beau Wright (Los Alamitos) Jr.

INF Nolan Arenado (El Toro) Jr.

INF Scott Denesha (Stockdale, Bakersfield) Jr.

INF Parker Hipp (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego) Jr.

INF Jack Marder (Newbury Park) Jr.

INF Jonathon Meyer (Simi Valley) Jr.

INF David Nick (Cypress) Jr.

INF Tony Renda (Serra, San Mateo) Jr.

INF Jake Rodriguez (Elk Grove) Soph.

INF Zach Vincej (Saugus) Jr.

OF Jimmy Bosco (Jesuit, Carmichael) Jr.

OF Chase Harrison (Lutheran, Orange) Soph.

OF Jake Marisnick (Poly, Riverside) Jr.

OF Matt Moynihan (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego) Jr.

MP Matt Davidson (Yucaipa) Jr.

MP Matt Hobgood (Norco) Jr.

MP K.C. Hobson (Stockdale, Bakersfield) Jr.

MP Aaron Northcraft (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) Jr.

MP Brooks Pounders (Temecula Valley, Temecula) Jr.

MP Drew Sandler (Simi Valley) Jr.

 Corrections or comments? Email mark@studentsports.com.

These players have been chosen among schools that we considered for the Division IV and Division V state rankings during the last season. Top-ranked teams Central Catholic of Modesto (Div. IV) and Fowler (Div. V) both had two players gain honors in this division.

Note: We have no set number of players at each position, but do need to have at least two catchers. MP stands for multi-purpose (hitting, pitching, fielding).

C Kyle Espinola (Chowchilla) Jr.

C Sean Shafer (Berean Christian, Walnut Creek) Jr.

P Andrew Ayers (St. Bernard, Eureka) Jr.

P Jesse Darrah (Fowler) Sr.

P Josh Gallington (Bakersfield Christian) Sr.

P Rob Woodcock (Marin Catholic, Kentfield) Fr.

P Michael York (Chowchilla) Jr.

INF Josh Barber (Mountain Empire, Pine Valley) Sr.

INF Clay Cederquist (Fowler) Jr.

INF Ethan Chapman (Upland Christian) Sr.

INF Eric Davila (Sacred Heart Prep, Atherton) Sr.

INF Sal Estanislao (San Jacinto) Sr.

INF Taylor Gilliam (Bakersfield Christian) Sr.

INF Tim Leary (Coronado) Sr.

INF Abe Ruiz (Pacific Grove) Sr.

INF Matt Testa (San Marin, Novato) Sr.

INF Eddie Young (Christian, El Cajon) Sr.

OF Jeremy Birmingham (Sutter) Sr.

OF Suavae Cook (Esparto) Sr.

OF Andrew Darwin (San Jacinto) Sr.

OF Elijah Davis (Turlock Christian) Sr.

OF Billy Flamion (Central Catholic, Modesto) Fr.

OF Jack Mosbacher (Menlo School, Atherton) Sr.

OF Ryan Tiscareno (Central Catholic, Modesto) Sr.

OF Matt Werblak (Beaumont) Sr.

MP Dylan Covey (Maranatha, Sierra Madre) Soph.

MP Matt Gualco (Delta, Clarksburg) Sr.

MP Mitchell Scott (Kingsburg) Soph.

MP Robby White (St. Vincent, Petaluma) Sr.

MP Greg Zebrack (Campbell Hall, North Hollywood) Sr.

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com.

These players have been chosen among schools that we considered for the Division III state rankings during the last season. A few schools from the Division II state rankings with smaller enrollments also had players qualify for this team. Top-ranked teams Northview and Bishop Amat both had two players gain honors in this division.

Note: We have no set number of players at each position, but do need to have at least two catchers. MP stands for multi-purpose (hitting, pitching, fielding).

C Blaine Johnson (Northgate, Walnut Creek) Sr.

C Kyle Skipworth (Patriot, Riverside) Sr.

C Chris Wilson (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego) Sr.

P Aaron Elias (Northview, Covina) Sr.

P Matt Flemer (St. Mary's, Berkeley) Sr.

P Justin Jones (Oakdale) Jr.

P David Peterson (Las Lomas, Walnut Creek) Sr.

P Miles Reagan (El Capitan, Lakeside) Sr.

P Jason Wheeler (Torrance) Sr.

INF Kareem Edwards (Encinal, Alameda) Sr.

INF Jordan Fox (Bishop Amat, La Puente) Sr.

INF Nick Greene (Diamond Ranch, Pomona) Sr.

INF Matt Lollis (Patriot, Riverside) Sr.

INF Ryan O'Sullivan (Valhalla, El Cajon) Sr.

INF Jeff Phillips (Dinuba) Sr.

INF Tommy Reyes (Bishop Amat, La Puente) Sr.

INF Eric Smith (La Canada) Jr.

INF Ryan Walterhouse (Bishop O'Dowd, Oakland) Sr.

INF Joe Wittig (Sonoma Valley, Sonoma) Sr.

OF Jared DeCastro (Torrance) Sr.

OF Carlos Hernandez (McLane, Fresno) Sr.

OF Matt Moynihan (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego) Jr.

OF David Popkins (St. Augustine, San Diego) Sr.

OF Chris Smith (Centennial, Compton) Sr.

MP Marc Andrade (Northview, Covina) Sr.

MP James Caciappo (Sonora, La Habra) Sr.

MP Jordan Remer (Piedmont) Sr.

MP Andrew Rich (Washington, Easton) Jr.

MP Casey Serna (St. Bonaventure, Ventura) Sr.

MP Curtis Vanwaardenberg (Prospect, Saratoga) Sr.

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com.