West Catholic Athletic League power is honored as the state's top overall athletic school for the second time in three years. Behind the strength of two girls teams that finished ranked No. 1 in the nation, not to mention section titles in five sports, the Monarchs edge last year's winner (Long Beach Poly), another CIFSS Div. I program and San Diego Section Div. III power for top overall honors. Read below for Mitty's impressive resume and all-time state school of the year honor roll.

By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor

The criteria for an athletic powerhouse in California to take home state school of the year honors boils down to state titles, then section titles, and if needed as a qualifier, league titles.

Each year, however, the road a school takes to earning the state's top team honor is different. Sometimes it's balance among the boys and girls programs. Other times, it's a state or section title in a sport the school is not traditionally strong in that might give it an edge.

For the Archbishop Mitty of San Jose athletic program, one glaring note on this year's resume for the CIF Central Coast Section powerhouse stands out above the rest.

Two mythical national titles, the only school in the nation to do that.

Behind its No.1 ESPN RISE FAB 50 finishes in girls volleyball and softball, combined with a girls program that is second to none in the state and nation, today Archbishop Mitty has been named the 2008-2009 State School of the Year by CalHiSports.com.(Read full post)

Only one school can boast of having two first team and one second team all-staters and if you check the top of the national rankings the name of that school is easy to figure out. Others with multiple honorees include Norco, Hart of Newhall and Sheldon of Sacramento.

By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Contributing: Ronnie Flores, Paul Muyskens, Harold Abend, Steve Brand

Congratulations to all of the following 30 players, who have been written up as first team all-state for the CalHiSports.com all-state softball honors. We have been compiling all-state teams in softball for nearly 25 years and our Ms. Softball Player of the Year lists extend back into the 1970s.

Catchers

Taylor Edwards (Vista Murrieta, Murrieta) Jr.
The Southwestern League Player of the Year handles the pitching staff for the Broncos and is also one of the most disciplined underclass hitters in the state. In 111 plate appearances, Edwards struck out only twice and drew 20 bases on balls. She not only is tough and intelligent, she also has power, as her 15 home runs and 1.209 slugging percentage attest to. Edwards, a Nebraska commit, finished her junior campaign with a .571 batting average and 45 RBI while being named to the all-star squads of the Riverside Press-Enterprise and the Los Angeles Times. She's also an EA SPORTS All-American.

Jessica Shults (Hart, Newhall) Sr.
She caught all-state teammate Destiny Rodino at Hart and in college at Oklahoma may catching Keilani Ricketts. Shults, an EA SPORTS All-American, was the 2009 All-Santa Clarita Valley player of the year in a pick over Rodino. On the year, she hit .448 with 10 home runs and 27 RBI. The Indians won three straight games in the playoffs by 1-0 final scores, before losing to Norco, and in two of the three games she drove in the game's lone run as she homered against Trabuco Hills and doubled in a run against Esperanza. On the yea,r she had just two errors while being a part of 284 putouts for a fielding percentage over 99 percent.

(Read full post)

Two freshmen crack the all-state underclass rosters along with a number of sophomores. Leading the way for medium school and small school all-state honors are Notre Dame of Belmont, Bear River, Rodriguez, Sutter and Francis Parker. Together with baseball, we've now honored nearly 300 of California's top young athletes in the last three days.

Compiled by Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Contributing: Paul Muyskens, Steve Brand, Harold Abend

Congratulations to the following players for earning all-state softball honors for medium schools. Players eligible were from schools that were considered Division III for our state rankings as well as a few other schools with similar-sized enrollments:

Catchers
Olivia Alvarez (North, Torrance) Sr.
Hayley Miles (Center, Antelope) Jr.

Pitchers
Andriana Collins (Rodriguez, Fairfield) Jr.
Michelle Gascione (Benicia) Sr.
Stevie Goldstein (Aquinas, San Bernardino) Sr.
Stephanie Menzel (Notre Dame, Belmont) Sr.
Alex Newman (Rio Linda) Sr.
Julia Rice (Oak Park, Agoura Hills) Sr.

(Read full post)

It's been more than two weeks since the first initial statewide list of those on our board were posted. This updated list is mostly from our readers. It's also still not too late to get in additional nominees.

The all-state team honors program at CalHiSports.com and Cal-Hi Sports has been ongoing for 30 years and are selected currently for the sports of football, boys basketball, girls basketball, baseball and softball.

Nominations are always welcome, but don't wait until it's too late and the teams are released. They won't be changed at that point, unless it's a simple error.

Please send any nomination with each athlete's height, weight, position, year in school, significant statistics. Comparing a player not on the board yet to one who already is can be very important toward eventual selection. Limit each nomination to one page please. Send to:

mark@studentsports.com or FAX (209) 463-1219 or call (209) 608-1317.

Be aware that not all sophomores or juniors we are considering for all-state underclass may be on this list. We also usually end up selecting players who aren't on this list for medium school or small school squads. These players will emerge when all of the various major newspaper-based honor squads are released.

The format for all-state softball will be to continue with a 30-player overall all-state first team with 30 more on second team. Instead of utility, we may designate as many as eight players as multi-purpose. This accounts for the many who are both top hitters and top pitchers. Each first team player is written up and then becomes eligible for selection to the EA SPORTS All-American Team.

(Read full post)

After leading Archbishop Mitty to a mythical national title with her nearly untouchable pitching and thunderous hitting, it probably comes as no surprise that the state's most prestigious individual softball honor goes to her.

By Harold Abend, Special to CalHiSports.com

It was the top of the first inning of the championship game of the Livermore Stampede.

ESPN RISE FAB 50 top-ranked Sheldon of Sacramento was 18-0 and colliding with Archbishop Mitty of San Jose, a top five FAB 50 squad itself at 20-0, and with a hurler in the circle, Keilani Ricketts, who was 13-0 at the time and hadn't given up an earned run yet on the season.   

When Sheldon's Cal-bound Lindsey Ziegenhirt blasted a two-out solo home run in the top of the first, Ricketts and the Monarchs girls could very easily have folded.

Instead, Ricketts knuckled down and struck out Cal-bound Jolene Henderson to end the inning.

"After the home run, I figured with the kind of team they have I knew they were going to score but I knew our offense was strong and we could come back,” Ricketts recalled.

The girls, and Keilani in particular, came back in a big way, and in a hurry, and it was Sheldon that blinked.

After Henderson struck out the leadoff batter in the bottom of the first, Lindsay Norton slapped a base hit, Miyuki Navarrete reached on an error, and up stepped Ricketts.

She went with an outside fastball and the left-handed hitter and pitcher launched a high, deep shot to exactly the same place as Ziegenhirt, well over the left-centerfield fence.

With one swing of the bat, Mitty had all the runs it would need in an eventual 5-2 victory, and the term "They Got Ricketted” was born.

(Read full post)

Taylor Edwards from Vista Murrieta joins her sister with state player of the year label. Other top statewide individual picks announced for sophomores, freshmen, medium schools and small schools.

Note: Our all-state softball teams are still to come. Congratulations to the following 2009 state softball players of the year. Our announcement for 2009 Mr. Baseball and the rest of the state players of the year in baseball will be coming on Tuesday. Thanks to Steve Brand, Harold Abend and Paul Muyskens for providing the writeups on these players.

Juniors: Taylor Edwards (Vista Murrieta, Murrieta)

Let the scoreboard show Taylor and her twin sister, Tatum, are now tied 1-1 when it comes to big postseason honors from us as Tatum was our State Freshman of the Year honoree from two years ago and now Taylor has beaten out her sister, among others, to be the State Junior of the Year.

At the plate, she hit .571 with 15 homers, and 52 RBI with an on-base percentage of .649  to help the Broncos capture their second straight Southwestern League championship this season. Some compare her already as among the best hitters to ever come from highly-competitive Riverside County and she's one of the sturdiest, most solid catchers you'll ever see.

Earlier this season at the Michelle Carew Classic, Taylor was named the tournament's offensive MVP despite the Broncos losing to Norco for the tournament title. She has already been named to the CIF Southern Section Division II first team and the L.A. Times all-star team since the season has ended. Those honors don't include one that was given after last season as she was selected to play at the Under Armour All-American Game at ESPN's Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida last July.

Among those previously who've been state junior of the year, the most recent from Riverside County was pitcher Keira Goerl from Valley View of Moreno Valley in 1999.

(Read full post)

Architect of San Pedro softball program that won its ninth L.A. City Section title in the last 10 years is "surprised” by top overall coaching honor. Also chosen for statewide recognition is Howard Miller from North of Torrance and Alan Borges from St. Bernard's of Eureka.

By Ronnie Flores, Managing Editor
Contributing: Paul Muyskens, Mark Tennis

When you've been the dominant program in your respective CIF section for over two decades, adding another title to the mantle might not be so unexpected.

At every level of sport, however, a championship season carries special meaning, even for a program that has won nine of the last 10 L.A. City Section softball championships, 10 of the last 12 and 13 of 18.

Such is the case for the San Pedro softball program and its head coach for the last 23 seasons, Tony Dobra. Going into the 2009 season, Dobra had to replace all-state pitcher Taylor Petty (Long Beach State), talented leadoff hitter Korin Cuico (UNLV) and all-state catcher Perelini Koria (Arizona) and her 45 career home runs off a team that finished 29-3 and ranked No. 11 in the state.

Dobra's new crop of girls responded in a big way, using timely hitting and superb defense to claim yet another L.A. City Section title with a 28-4 record and a No. 15 final rating.

For his program's sustained excellence and because of his penchant for continuously molding new talent into a championship-quality club, today Dobra has been named as the 2009 CalHiSports.com State Coach of the Year.

"This is my 13th title and it was a very unique one," remarked Dobra, who has won more reported section tiles than any other coach in state history. "While there are always a couple of kids on the team from the year before, I was thinking 'we're not going to be able to replace them (Petty, Koria, etc.).' I didn't know what to expect this season to tell you the truth."

(Read full post)

This week's girls' honoree has more than one thing in common with another softball standout from Northern California. She also has something in common with this week's boys' winner as both play for schools with Titans mascots.  

By Harold Abend, Special to CalHiSports.com

If you were a contestant on a California high school TV game show resembling Jeopardy, and the question/statement was, "she's a pitcher, her team won a section title, and this fall she'll be enrolling at the University of Oregon where she's received a scholarship to study and play softball,” you'd have two chances at a correct answer.

One girl has gotten a lot of ink the last couple of years while the other has labored in a bit of obscurity in the talent-laden softball world of Southern California.

One girl is future Duck Jessica Moore of the Northern Section D4 champion 34-0 Sutter Huskies.

The other girl is this week's ESPN RISE CalHiSports.com Girls State Athlete of the Week, Oregon-bound Samantha "Sam” Pappas of Tesoro in Rancho Santa Margarita.

"Sam,” as she likes to be called, was the team's linchpin as the pitcher and a power hitter in a 27-4 season that saw the Titans win the CIF Southern Section Division III championship, culminating with a 4-0 victory on June 6 over Glendora.  

In the title game victory, Pappas pitched a complete-game four hitter with eight strikeouts.

For the six games of the section playoffs, Sam shut out all six opponents. Besides Glendora, in order it was Sunny Hills of Fullerton, Bloomington, Warren of Downey, Chino and Los Altos of Hacienda Heights in the semis.

(Read full post)

Congratulations to mythical state champions Capistrano Valley, Yuba City, Cathedral Catholic, Washington of Easton and St. Bernard's of Eureka in baseball. In softball, final No. 1 honors go out to Norco, Archbishop Mitty of San Jose, Notre Dame of Belmont, Sutter and St. Bernard's of Eureka. All final rankings for both baseball and softball expanded to at least 15 in each division.

Compiled by Mark Tennis & Steve Brand
(Through all games played in 2009 season)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)

Baseball Division I
1.  (4)   Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo) 26-6
2.  (3)   Chatsworth 29-4
3.  (1)   Edison (Huntington Beach) 23-6
4.  (2)   Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 24-6
5.  (5)   Norco 25-5
6.  (6)   Serra (San Mateo) 30-6
7.  (8)   Jesuit (Carmichael) 27-5
8.  (7)   Poway 28-7
9.  (9)   Yucaipa 27-3
10. (12) Stockdale (Bakersfield) 26-5
11. (11) El Toro (Lake Forest) 23-6
12. (13) Clovis West (Fresno) 29-6
13. (14) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 23-6
14. (15) JSerra (San Juan Capistrano) 22-7
15. (nr) Freedom (Oakley) 23-4
16. (nr) Crespi (Encino) 21-11
17. (10) Redlands East Valley (Redlands) 23-7
18. (nr) Temecula Valley (Temecula) 22-6
19. (nr) Rancho Bernardo (San Diego) 24-11
20. (nr) Buchanan (Clovis) 23-5-1
Comments: Although they had some unexpected setbacks during the regular season, when it came down to the Southern Section's cut-throat single-elimination playoffs, Tyler Matzek (Colorado Rockies, 11th pick) and his teammates were simply too tough, zipping past three teams into the top spot here. Chatsworth also proved itself to be the best in the L.A. City but unlike basketball, the City is not nearly as deep as the Southern Section. The South ruled in this division where No. 5 Serra (San Mateo) was as high on the ratings as the North would get. Clearly, this division is dominant as three-quarters of the state's Top 40 teams dwell here.

(Read full post)

State Team of the Year Archbishop Mitty leads a group of four squads from the Central Coast Section that gain final writeups as we add 20 more teams with writeups compared to the 20 we usually do. The biggest change is Etiwanda going up to No. 6 from No. 10. Go inside for more and to see how high unbeaten small school powerhouse Sutter finished or if the Huskies made it into the final overall top 40 at all.

Compiled by Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Writeups by Harold Abend, Paul Muyskens, Steve Brand, Ronnie Flores and Mark Tennis

(After all games played during 2009 season)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)

1.  (1)  Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 32-0
Is there anything left to be said about the Monarchs that hasn't already been said? No. 1 in the ESPN RISE FAB 50 and a perfect season just about says it all. So being No. 1 in the state, while a dream come true for most teams, almost takes a back seat for Coach Sarah Thomas and her girls. The real turning point in the season and what really propelled Mitty to the top of both heaps was the championship game of the Livermore Stampede. It was in that game that the term "Ricketted” was born after Oklahoma-bound Keilani Ricketts had a career game and one of the most dominating one-girl performances in recent California history in a 5-2 victory over the then No. 1 team in the nation and state, Sheldon of Sacramento. Ricketts came into the game not having given up an earned run at that point in the season with the team 22-0. When she gave up a first-inning home run to Cal-bound Lindsey Ziegenhirt, Ricketts and the other girls could have begun to fold. Instead, Ricketts blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the first and went on the fan 20 from the circle while only allowing four hits. In the story that appeared on this site, we mused "the way Ricketts pitched and hit on Saturday and the way her teammates slapped the ball effectively, a loss may not get posted on Mitty's ledger for quite some time.” In fact, it did not and the Monarchs ran the table and won their fifth consecutive CCS title.

2.  (2)  Norco 32-2
Although the Cougars were able to get dominant pitching performances from four-year standout Teagan Gerhart, the championship season was greatly aided by a strong lineup of bats one through nine. According to Eric-Paul Johnson of the Riverside Press-Enterprise, coach Rick Robinson got 11 game-winning hits from his team this season. With its 5-1 victory over Big VIII League rival and previous No. 5 Santiago of Corona in the CIF Southern Section Div. I title game, Norco won its second section title in seven years and Robinson's third overall, his first coming at Corona Centennial in 1996. In beating Santiago for the third time this season, Norco not only received a dominant performance from Gerhart, but three timely hits and two runs from junior outfielder Nicole Sappingfield. Norco definitely had a State Team of the Year resume, with a 9-2 win over league foe Poly of Riverside that avenged a 1-0 loss in the sixth game of the season. The only other loss was also a 1-0 setback in a ridiculously tough opening round matchup against No. 7 Freedom of Oakley at the Nike Faster to First Tournament.

3.  (3)  Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 26-5
With sophomore Ally Carda leading the way in the circle all season long, the Eagles not only made their first-ever Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship game but also ended the season with the win as they defeated Sheldon of Sacramento, 1-0, in the finale. After losing two close games to the Huskies earlier in the season, it was the Eagles who won the game that meant the most as Carda allowed just two hits and struck out eight in a complete game shutout. Carda on the year won 25 of their 26 games with a 0.37 ERA and 380 strikeouts while also leading the team with 39 RBI and nine homers. Other key wins this season for the Eagles were back to back victories against Vista Murrieta and Valencia and they twice defeated Elk Grove, who lost just six times all year.

(Read full post)

Before releasing all of our final state rankings in baseball and softball, we wanted to put out our first lists of all-state team nominations. Baseball's was already done, so here is the first look at nominees for the 2009 All-State Softball Teams.

We have enhanced the selection process for all of our all-state teams in recent years – they are chosen in football, boys basketball, girls basketball, baseball and softball and we've been doing this for 30 years – by posting a list of names on our board and then letting readers/users respond with additions, corrections and updates.

Nominations are always welcome, but don't wait until it's too late and the teams are released. They won't be changed at that point, unless it's a simple error.

Please send any nomination with each athlete's height, weight, position, year in school, significant statistics. Comparing a player not on the board yet to one who already is cane be very important toward eventual selection. Limit each nomination to one page please. Send to:

mark@studentsports.com or FAX (209) 463-1219 or call (209) 608-1317.

Be aware that not all sophomores or juniors we are considering for all-state underclass may be on this list. We also usually end up selecting players who aren't on this list for medium school or small school squads. These players will emerge when all of the various major newspaper-based honor squads are released.

The format for all-state softball will be to continue with a 30-player overall all-state first team with 30 more on second team. Instead of utility, we may designate as many as eight players as multi-purpose. This accounts for the many who are both top hitters and top pitchers. Each first team player is written up and then becomes eligible for selection to the EA SPORTS All-American Team.

(Read full post)

It was another terrific year for the Cal-Hi Sports Bay Area show on YourTV, Channel 20, San Francisco. Here's the final top 20s for the 2008-09 school year in support of that program, topped by Serra of San Mateo for baseball and Archbishop Mitty for softball.

By Harold Abend, Special to CalHiSports.com

The CalHiSports.com caravan was in full throttle over the final weekend of the Bay Area prep baseball and softball seasons, catching games on both sides of the bay and making the FasTrak people real happy.

On Tuesday, May 26, we were at historic Dick Bartell Field at Lincoln Park in Alameda where we saw the host Hornets take an eight-inning 10-6 slugfest from Cardinal Newman in the NCS Div. II semis.

On Wednesday, May 27, we were in Santa Rosa to witness Montgomery earn a 2-0 decision from Las Lomas to earn a spot in the NCS Division II softball title game.

Saturday's first stop on May 30 in what the Contra Costa Times' Ben Enos called a trifecta, was with Enos at the 1 p.m. NCS Division I championship game that saw the Cowgirls of Livermore win 2-0 at Freedom in Oakley.

After interviews and a few snapshots, we hot-footed it back to Novato's San Marin High and by the time we got there it was the second inning of Pinole Valley's 1-0 victory over Montgomery in the D2 softball title tilt.

Following that was Branson, winning a second consecutive NCS softball crown, dedicating the win to its former coach Bruce Hildreth, who passed away in March.

(Read full post)

Cougars get the nod in close baseball selection over Chatsworth while the Monarchs were only waiting for the announcement to be made for it to be official in softball. Pitching dominance was the key for both teams, but if not for one mighty swing of the bat neither team might have finished No. 1 in the state. Final overall & expanded state baseball and softball rankings to be released later this week, following our MLB Draft coverage.

By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor

CIF Southern Section Division I champion Capistrano Valley of Mission Viejo and CIF Central Coast Section Division II titlist Archbishop Mitty of San Jose were selected on Monday to be the 2009 State Teams of the Year in baseball and softball, respectively, by CalHiSports.com.

Capistrano Valley's choice was close as the Cougars moved up from No. 4 in the previous state rankings to grab the top honor from previous No. 3 Chatsworth, the L.A. City Section champ.

After Chatsworth had ended its season on May 30 with a 9-0 win over Cleveland of Reseda in the L.A. City final at Dodger Stadium, the Chancellors (29-4) had to wait it out to see what would happen in last week's Southern Section playoffs. In the semifinals, No. 1 Edison of Huntington Beach edged No. 2 Mater Dei of Santa Ana, 2-1, while No. 4 Capistrano Valley topped Poly of Riverside, 1-0. Then in last Saturday's final at Anaheim Stadium, the Cougars posted yet another shutout with a 1-0 win over Edison.

Despite having six losses overall to Chatsworth's four, it was that pitching that was the difference in Capistrano Valley's rise all the way to the top. In addition to blanking Riverside Poly and Edison in its last two games, head coach Bob Zamora's team also had shutouts in its previous two playoff games. The only runs that scored against the Cougars in the postseason came when Zamora took out ace Tyler Matzek with an 8-0 lead in the first playoff game against Long Beach Wilson.

(Read full post)

With its victory over league rival Corona Santiago in CIF Southern Section Div. I title game, Norco beats the Sharks for third time this season and all but clinches the state's No. 2 overall rating behind San Jose Mitty, which will be made official  when final state rankings are released later next week. Softball section championship game subplot sees Norco's Teagan Gerhart wins rubber match of pitching showdown with close friend Kamerin May.

By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor

Irvine, Calif. -- The titanic pitching match up between Norco's Teagan Gerhart and Santiago's Kamerin May stole all the story lines when Big VIII League rivals Norco and Santiago of Corona met in the CIF Southern Section Div. I title game.

The showdown had subplots only found in a Hollywood script: best friends on rival teams that not only have been the two most dominant pitchers in the Inland Empire over the past four seasons, but split wins in the previous eight meetings of their storied prep careers.

The reality of the situation, however, was that Gerhart and company were the better team, as Norco turned its timely outs, and some gift runs allowed by Santiago, into a 5-1 victory at Barber Park's Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine.

It was the Cougars' third victory over their league rivals this season and a turnaround from last season when Santiago won all three games. Win the win, Norco secured the program's second CIF Southern Section title. The first under head coach Rick Robinson came in 2003 over Whittier California in Div. II.

"It was just a matter of time," Robinson remarked about his team capitalizing on its many numerous opportunities throughout the game. "We had a great group of seniors. We had just a great team camaraderie. Our players didn't care about who was the star and didn't care who was the one that got the job done. When we needed outs, we got them."(Read full post)

Junior pitcher ends with unique one-hitter as Eagles win CIFSS Div. II softball title in matchup of nationally-ranked teams. Broncos had not been shut out in 49 games. Also, El Segundo loses in Div. IV final.

By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor

It wasn't your typical one-hit shutout, but it was one that softball coaches everywhere would probably love to see.

Natalie Pulver from Etiwanda High of Rancho Cucamonga threw the one-hitter and she did it in the CIF Southern Section Div. II championship on Friday night at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine over a squad from Vista Murrieta of Murrieta that hadn't been blanked in 49 straight previous games and had scored at least five runs in every playoff game so far this season.

Etiwanda's 4-0 victory gave the program its second CIFSS title – the first came in Division I in 2002 – and also was against an opponent that entered the game at No. 13 in the ESPN RISE FAB 50 national rankings and was No. 6 in the state. The Eagles wrapped up a 29-2 season record themselves and will no doubt move up a great deal next week from their own ranking positions of No. 27 in the nation and No. 10 in the state.

Vista Murrieta (27-5) was frustrated throughout the game by Pulver's ability to switch speeds. According to head coach David Masucci, she even added a third speed specifically for the one game, taking into account the Broncos' powerful lineup, led by twins Tatum and Taylor Edwards.

(Read full post)

Our second girls' honoree from the San Diego Section this spring not only got the best of our first winner in both meetings this season, but also in the overall league and playoffs, plus she's the new section strikeout queen.

By Harold Abend, Special to CalHiSports.com

After a student-athlete is named athlete of the week, an effort is made to track their progress throughout the season.

So when we checked in and saw that Horizon of San Diego's Cassidy Coleman had lost an outing the week after being honored, we figured it was the CalHiSports.com kibosh but still took notice of the pitcher in the circle who defeated her.

We also got an email from CalHiSports.com and Dyestat.com contributor and longtime San Diego area prep journalist Steve Brand that made us take notice as well.

"She's a mighty fine pitcher,” said Brand in the email, and who reiterated the statement earlier this week when Francis Parker's Amye McIntyre was named the ESPN RISE CalHiSports.com Girls State Athlete of the Week.

"Somewhere along the line without a pitcher of Amye's caliber we would have been packed up and sent home,” said four-year Lancers' Coach Jim Tomey, who's seen his share of talented athletes.

Before coming to Parker where he also coaches boys' basketball, works in development and is Director of Stewardship, Tomey coached boys' basketball for 13 years at the old San Diego University High (now Cathedral Catholic), assisted Steve Fisher at San Diego State in the men's' basketball program for three years, and coached the San Diego State women's' hoops team for three years as well.

(Read full post)

(For additions, corrections or to report a statistical standout we may have missed, email mark@studentsports.com. To inquire about a section or state record, please email Senior Editor Ronnie Flores at ronnie@studentsports.com or call (800) 660-1334 Ext. 4414; To order a copy of our new CalHiSports.com State Record Book & Almanac, please call (800) 660-1334 Ext. 4431. For games played between May 25-30; Writeups by Harold Abend, Steve Brand, Paul Muyskens, Mark Tennis, Andrew Drennen, Garland Cooper & Bob Barnett.)

NOTE: We've been compiling weekly stat stars in various sports for 30 years. The reason we have published them virtually every week of the school year since 1979 is to highlight many of the top performers around the state and to keep our exclusive state record book up to date. We've just printed our seventh edition and if you love the content on our site, you'll love the book, so order your copy today.

BASEBALL

CIFSS semis are in the books and it will be Edison of Huntington Beach going for No. 1 in baseball title game at Anaheim Stadium. The highest-ranked softball team still going after Tuesday is Norco, which is playing Corona Santiago in championship game this weekend. At least two No. 1 teams this week have already lost and both of those are in baseball. The softball races for No. 1 mythical state titles are all just about over.

Compiled by Steve Brand & Mark Tennis
Contributing: Paul Muyskens, Harold Abend

(Based on games played through Saturday, May 30)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)
*Indicates season is complete.
*Asterisk after season record indicates forfeit wins, losses not included.

BASEBALL

Division I
1.  (5)  Edison (Huntington Beach) 22-5
2.  (7)  Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 24-5
3.  (6)  *Chatsworth 29-4
4.  (8)  Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo) 24-6
5.  (2)  *Norco 25-5
6.  (11) *Serra (San Mateo) 30-6
7.  (12) Poway 26-6
8.  (13) *Jesuit (Carmichael) 27-5
9.  (1)  *Yucaipa 27-3
10. (nr) Redlands East Valley (Redlands) 23-6
11. (3)  *El Toro (Lake Forest) 23-6
12. (nr) *Stockdale (Bakersfield) 26-5
13. (9)  *Clovis West (Fresno) 29-6
14. (4)  *Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 23-6
15. (10) *JSerra (San Juan Capistrano) 22-7
Bubble: *Buchanan (Clovis) 23-5-1, *Cleveland (Reseda) 25-8, Clovis 24-7, Crespi (Encino) 19-11, *De La Salle (Concord) 18-9, *Elk Grove 22-7, *Freedom (Oakley)* 23-4, Huntington Beach 18-12, *Marina (Huntington Beach) 22-7, *Monte Vista (Danville) 17-8, *Palos Verdes (Palos Verdes Estates) 25-5, Poly (Riverside) 20-10, Rancho Bernardo (San Diego) 23-10, Rancho Buena Vista (Vista) 23-9, *St. Mary's (Stockton) 25-8, *Temecula Valley (Temecula) 22-6, *Tesoro (Las Flores) 20-8, *Valley Christian (San Jose) 25-9, Vista 24-11.
Comments: When the top four teams lose, there is bound to be some serious movement. Edison of Huntington Beach benefited by moving right up to No. 1, but the Chargers will need to win out in the Southern Section's DI playoffs to hold the spot as Mater Dei of Santa Ana slid right in behind them.
In Tuesday's CIFSS semis at Blair Field, Edison and Mater Dei faced each other and the Chargers won the thriller, 2-1, when Kyle Jones smacked a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh with two outs. Sophomore Henry Owens again pitched well for Edison, which will start ace Kurt Heyer in Saturday's final at Anaheim Stadium.
Capistrano Valley won in the other Tuesday semifinal at Blair Field with a 1-0 triumph over Riverside Poly. The Cougars threw their ace, Tyler Matzek, who pitched a two-hitter and also drove in the game's only run with an RBI single in the first inning. Matzek will only be available for a handful of innings in the title game against Edison.
In the CIFSS Div. II semifinals on Tuesday, Redlands East Valley was eliminated after a 7-5 loss to Crespi of Encino. The Celts, who have been a staple in the CIFSS semis and finals in recent years, will play Huntington Beach in Saturday's championship. Both teams have been hot lately, but have been inconsistent throughout the season, which is why neither team is ranked above.
Like REV, state-ranked Poway also lost on Tuesday as the Titans ran out of magic in a 2-0 defeat to Rancho Bernardo in the San Diego Section Div. I playoffs. They must now play Rancho Bernardo again in a do-or-die playoff game on Thursday.

Division II
1.  (1) *Yuba City 27-3
2.  (2) *Clayton Valley (Concord) 24-3
3.  (3)  Beckman (Irvine) 25-4
4.  (7) *Los Gatos 27-5
5.  (4) *Alameda 22-5
6.  (nr) South Hills (Covina) 22-8
7.  (5) *Bonita (La Verne) 21-6
8.  (6) *Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 22-6
9.  (9) *Rocklin 23-8
10. (nr) Grossmont (La Mesa) 23-9
Bubble:  *Charter Oak (Covina) 17-10, *Edison (Fresno) 22-11, El Capitan (Lakeside) 18-13, *El Diamante (Visalia) 22-9, *Gahr (Cerritos) 19-9, *Granite Bay 22-11, *Irvington (Fremont) 19-7, *Paramount 19-10, *Pleasant Valley (Chico) 27-5, *Scotts Valley 23-5, Steele Canyon (Spring Valley) 23-7, *Wilcox (Santa Clara) 26-8.
Comments: Clayton Valley nailed down the No. 2 spot with its 3-0 victory over Alameda in the North Coast Section championships and now it's up to Beckman to win out to hold the No. 3 spot. The Patriots  beat Lancaster, 15-3, in their CIFSS Div. III semifinal game on Tuesday behind Edgar Zamora, who pitched five innings for the win and drove in six runs at the plate.
Beckman's opponent in its title game is tradition-rich South Hills, which counts Jason Giambi among its many baseball graduates. The Huskies won their semifinal game, 9-3, over Corona del Mar of Newport Beach.
Also on Tuesday, in the San Diego Section, Grossmont advanced to the title game with an 8-7 win over Bonita Vista of Chula Vista. The Foothillers will meet El Capitan of Lakeside in the final.

(Read full post)

It's all over except for the official announcement regarding this year's State Team of the Year. There could still be some major changes in the final top 10, though, depending on what happens in this week's CIF Southern Section semifinals and finals.

Compiled by Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Writeups by Harold Abend, Paul Muyskens, Steve Brand and Mark Tennis

(After games of Saturday, May 30)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)

1.  (1)  Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 32-0
Playoff wins of 3-0 and 3-0 over Leigh of San Jose and Presentation of San Jose completed a dominant season for the Monarchs. They won their fifth straight CIF Central Coast Section Div. II title by beating Presentation last Saturday and closed it out with a sixth straight shutout. So how good was this team? In the 32 wins, only two of them were even one-run margins of victory. The first time we saw them, the top of order with outstanding slappers in front of Keilani Ricketts was especially impressive. Last Saturday against Presentation, the bottom of the order delivered line drives and hard grounders.

2.  (2)  Norco 30-2
Want some new news -- Teagan Gerhart allowed her second home run of the season and so, of course, an earned run last week. Thousand Oaks' Paris Shipp took Gerhart deep in the second inning and Norco trailed until the fifth when the Cougars broke through for four runs. They added three more in the sixth en route to a 7-1 victory that catapults them into the semifinals against Hart of Newhall. Coach Rick Robinson's team, winners now of 24 straight, opened the week with a 4-0 win over El Toro as Gerhart pitched a four-hit shutout, striking out 12. When Gerhart sent another dozen batters trooping back to the dugout with three strikes against Thousand Oaks, it gave her 321 and counting for the season. The Stanford University-bound Gerhart has practically been untouchable, allowing 11 earned runs in her 32 starts. Gerhart is also the co-leader on the team with 20 RBI but in all, six players have 10 or more. With Archbishop Mitty's unbeaten season complete, though, scaling the top spot even if the Cougars capture a Southern Section title is not possible.

3.  (4)  Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 26-5
The Eagles wrapped up their season two weeks ago by capturing the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship with a 1-0 win over No. 3 Sheldon of Sacramento. Sophomore Ally Carda allowed just two hits against a talented Huskies team that was number one in the nation earlier this season as the Eagles got revenge after losing twice to the Huskies in league play by winning the one game that mattered the most. Carda finished the season 25-5 with 380 strikeouts while batting .430 with nine homers and 39 RBI.

4.  (5)  Sheldon (Sacramento) 28-3
After being No. 1 in the ESPN RISE FAB 50 for a good part of the season, the Huskies had their season end without a section title two weeks ago as they lost to Elk Grove and Pleasant Grove in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs. For the second year in a row, the Huskies were "upset” by Elk Grove in the double-elimination portion of the postseason but unlike last year when they bounced back and didn't lose another game the Huskies saw their hopes of defending last year's section title end with a loss to Pleasant Grove. Jolene Henderson and Lindsey Ziegenhirt, who made up one of the top pitcher-catcher tandems not just in the state but possibly the nation, will graduate and both head to Cal next year leaving big cleats to fill.

(Read full post)

A 3-0 win over Presentation in the CCS Div. II final will be plenty to keep the Monarchs atop the ESPN RISE FAB 50. Ricketts graduates in the morning, then throws a two-hitter a few hours later. San Benito & Notre Dame of Belmont also earn CCS titles.

By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor

For Kealani Ricketts, striking out 12 and throwing a two-hitter might seem like a ho-hum outing. This is a pitcher, after all, who has tossed multiple no-hitters and struck out 20 against a team at the time that was No. 1 in the nation.

	Vanessa Alvarez, Kealani Ricketts, and Shea Williams

(Read full post)

Our girls' award winner this week had a big part in taking down one of the best teams in the state. And the good news for softball fans out in the area just southeast of the state's capitol is she's only a sophomore.

By Harold Abend, Special to CalHiSports.com

Her season may be over but it's not because Ally Carda and her teammates lost in their last game.

In fact, the Pleasant Grove girls played and won their finale in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs in the greatest victory ever for the Elk Grove school's softball team.

Playing in their first-ever softball final on May 20 at the Sacramento Softball Complex, the Eagles, and Carda, in what the Sacramento Bee called "a masterful performance,” defeated Cal-bound Jolene Henderson and Sheldon of Sacramento, 1-0, in the championship game.

The sophomore hurler outdueled one of the nation's premier players, allowing two hits, striking out eight and allowing just two balls to leave the infield.

Although she didn't get a hit off Henderson from her No. 3 batter's spot in the order (and few Eagles did as Henderson only allowed three hits herself), Carda was the team's leading hitter this season to go with her work in the circle.

Not only was she Pleasant Grove's leading hitter, but playing one of the section's toughest schedules, Ally was near the top of the section leaders in more than one category.

As a batter, Carda hit .430 on 37 hits in 86 at bats (.514 on base percentage), and had nine home runs which tied her for second in the section behind the 11 homers hit by Lindsey Ziegenhirt of Sheldon. She also had 39 RBI which was good for fourth in the section and her .965 slugging percentage was fifth highest. In addition, Carda had three triples, 13 doubles, walked 15 times, scored 29 runs and was 11-of-12 on steals, all in 31 games.

(Read full post)

(For additions, corrections or to report a statistical standout we may have missed, email mark@studentsports.com. To inquire about a section or state record, please email Senior Editor Ronnie Flores at ronnie@studentsports.com or call (800) 660-1334 Ext. 4414; To order a copy of our new CalHiSports.com State Record Book & Almanac, please call (800) 660-1334 Ext. 4431. For games played between May 18-23; Writeups by Harold Abend, Steve Brand, Paul Muyskens, Mark Tennis, Andrew Drennen, Garland Cooper & Bob Barnett.)

NOTE: We've been compiling weekly stat stars in various sports for 30 years. The reason we have published them virtually every week of the school year since 1979 is to highlight many of the top performers around the state and to keep our exclusive state record book up to date. We've just printed our seventh edition and if you love the content on our site, you'll love the book, so order your copy today.

BASEBALL

Results from early this week included in this post, including what Matt Hobgood of Norco did in his game, how the Mitty girls fared and which No. 1-ranked baseball team was defeated.

Compiled by Steve Brand & Mark Tennis
Contributing: Paul Muyskens, Harold Abend

(Based on games played through Monday, May 25)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)
*Indicates season is complete.
*Asterisk after season record indicates forfeit wins, losses not included.

BASEBALL

Division I
1.  (1)  Yucaipa 26-2
2.  (2)  Norco 24-4
3.  (3)  El Toro (Lake Forest) 22-5
4.  (6)  Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 23-5
5.  (5)  Edison (Huntington Beach) 20-5
6.  (7)  Chatsworth 27-4
7.  (8)  Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 22-5
8.  (9) Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo) 22-6
9.  (10) Clovis West (Fresno) 28-5
10. (11) JSerra (San Juan Capistrano) 22-6
11. (14) Serra (San Mateo) 28-6
12. (12) Poway 24-6
13. (15) Jesuit (Carmichael) 25-5
14. (nr) Temecula Valley (Temecula) 22-5
15. (nr) St. Mary's (Stockton) 25-8
Bubble: *Buchanan (Clovis) 23-5-1, Cleveland (Reseda) 25-7, Clovis 24-7, De La Salle (Concord) 17-8, *Elk Grove 22-7, Marina (Huntington Beach) 21-6, *Monte Vista (Danville) 17-8, Rancho Bernardo (San Diego) 21-9, Redlands East Valley (Redlands) 21-6, Stockdale (Bakersfield) 24-5, Tesoro (Las Flores) 20-7, Torrey Pines (San Diego) 21-8, *Valley Christian (San Jose) 25-9.
Comments: Buchanan (Clovis) and Elk Grove took dives so Temecula Valley and surprising St. Mary's (Stockton) have jumped in. The result was lots of movement as teams jumped to fill the gap Buchanan vacated at No. 4 but very few new teams.
Two major upsets that have already taken place this week have seen two CIF Southern Section champions from a year ago eliminated from this year's Division II playoffs. El Toro is out after a 6-2 loss on Tuesday to Redlands East Valley. Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks also is gone after a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Chino Hills.
In the CIFSS Division I playoffs, Norco beat Temecula Valley, 3-1, on Tuesday as Matt Hobgood hit a walkoff two-run homer in the eighth inning. Hobgood now has 21 homers for the season to lead the state, but he also reached a reported 97 mph on his fastball in his one inning of relief and he's up to as high as No. 13 in mock first round picks for the upcoming MLB draft. Hobgood is expected to start on Friday when Norco plays Mater Dei in the semifinals.

Division II
1.  (1) *Yuba City 27-3
2.  (3) Clayton Valley (Concord) 22-3
3.  (2) Beckman (Irvine) 23-4
4.  (4) Alameda 21-4
5.  (6) Bonita (La Verne) 20-5
6.  (7) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 24-1
7.  (9) Los Gatos 25-5
8. (nr) *Rocklin 23-8
9.  (nr) *Pleasant Valley (Chico) 27-5
10.  (nr) El Diamante (Visalia) 22-8
Bubble: Charter Oak (Covina) 16-9, Edison (Fresno) 20-11, *Gahr (Cerritos) 19-9, *Granite Bay 22-11, Grossmont (La Mesa) 21-9, *Irvington (Fremont) 19-7, Paramount 19-9, *Scotts Valley 23-5, Steele Canyon (Spring Valley) 21-7, *Wilcox (Santa Clara) 26-8.
Comments: Got to love a nickname like the Honkers and they're tooting all over the place after winning the San-Joaquin Section Division III title and making it impossible for a new No. 1 next week. We went ahead and included all of the Sac-Joaquin Section finals played on Monday in this week's divisional rankings, but any games played afterward will be reflected next week. Beckman and Bonita both won on Tuesday in the CIF Southern Section playoffs and will be in quarterfinal games on Friday.
In the North Coast Section playoffs already this week, Clayton Valley and Alameda both won and will play each other on Saturday for the Division II championship. Alameda beat the Eagles, 4-1, earlier this season. Clayton Valley topped Casa Grande of Petaluma, 7-4, while Alameda defeated Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa, 10-6.

(Read full post)

And down the stretch they come in CCS and NCS baseball, softball playoffs. Highlights can be seen of many games on Sunday at 7 p.m. on Cal-Hi Sports Bay Area. Tune to YourTV, Channel 20, San Francisco. Replays during the week throughout Northern California on Comcast Sportsnet.

By Harold Abend, Special to CalHiSports.com

Yes, the Preakness is history, and the Belmont will be run on June 6, but the horses aren't the only ones coming down the stretch, as the CIF Central Coast Section and CIF North Coast Section baseball and softball playoffs are nearing the finish line and will hit the wire this Saturday, a week before the equines race again in New York.

Also in action last week was the CalHiSports.com caravan, hopping back and forth across the Bay to catch playoff action, making stops in Santa Rosa, San Francisco and Danville.

We also caught two track meets on Saturday in Santa Rosa.

As expected, the seedings in the NCS have been pretty true to form with a handful of teams not seeded 1-4 breaking through to the semifinals in both baseball and softball

The same cannot be said for the CCS, especially in Division I baseball, where despite the seedings, four West Catholic Athletic League schools are into the semifinals.  

Baseball Top 20 Teams
(Records through May 23)

1. (1) Serra (San Mateo) 28-6
Citing a rule that said a win over McQueen of Reno on April 15 was unreported to the section and thus becomes a forfeit, the CCS docked the Padres in the Division I seeding and forced the whole pecking order out of alignment. After opening the playoffs with a mercy-shortened 11-0 victory over Homestead of Cupertino, the ruling also forced a fourth game against WCAL rival Valley Christian; and produced a third victory, 2-1, over the Warriors. USF-bound Danny Chavez, whose 90-year-old grandmother sat next to us at a game in San Mateo this season, got the win after allowing three hits and fanning nine against the two-time defending champions. With the two wins, Serra moves up to No. 11 in the state this week. Can the Padres cap it all off by getting retiring coach Pete Jensen a title? The semis are Wednesday with a fourth meeting against Bellarmine.

2. (2) De La Salle (Concord) 17-8
The Spartans also get a bump up to No. 18 in the state. They only had one game in the NCS Division I playoffs last week and took a 9-7 slugfest from EBAL rival Amador Valley. State Athlete of the Week Noah Perio continued to smack the ball around with three hits, including his sixth home run this season. Next up is another league foe California of San Ramon, with Sparta on a 10-game winning streak and facing a team it defeated 9-0 and 9-8 this season. Coach Rick Steen's charges appear to be peeking at the right time. Can they sustain the momentum?

3. (3) Clayton Valley (Concord) 22-3
A third team from the Bay Area cracked the state top 20 this week and it's Coach Bob Ralston's Eagles, who had to go eight innings but got it done against last year's 4A finalist Arroyo of San Lorenzo. The reward is they get the final spot in the state rankings. Sophomore Chaz Meadows pitched eight strong innings and had an infield single in the eighth to ignite a game-winning rally as the Eagles won 4-3. Next up is Casa Grande of Petaluma in the semis.

4. (4) Valley Christian (San Jose) 22-7
The season's over for the two-time defending CCS D1 champions but after a 2-1 loss to the No. 11 team in the state, there's no way we're dropping these boys down yet until we see if one of the three remaining WCAL teams can beat Serra to win the section title.

5. (5) St. Francis (Mountain View) 26-8
Although they too were charged with a forfeit and docked in the seedings for an unreported win over McQueen, the Lancers would seem to have benefited from the skewed draw in the CCS D1 bracket since they were able to avoid meeting a WCAL foe in the first two rounds, which were 4-2 and 9-0 victories over Gilroy and third-seeded Wilcox, respectively. Now they get to avoid Serra in the semis but must face a Mitty team they split with this season.

(Read full post)

Playoff openers in Southern Section go mostly according to form with the biggest upset (like in baseball) coming from the Central Section and involving the same school (Bullard of Fresno, but this time as the victim). Archbishop Mitty now down to two wins left in order to be No. 1 in the state and No. 1 in the nation for 2009 season.

Compiled by Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Writeups by Harold Abend, Paul Muyskens, Steve Brand and Mark Tennis

(After games of Saturday, May 23)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)

1.  (1)  Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 30-0
All that is left between Coach Sarah Thomas's girls finishing No. 1 in the state and winning the mythical ESPN RISE FAB 50 national crown are a Division II semifinal game against Leigh of San Jose, and then a potential title game matchup against either a Presentation of San Jose team it has defeated twice, or Presentation's semifinal opponent, Westmont of Campbell. In their one game last week, the Monarchs rapped out 16 hits and five girls knocked in runs in a 10-0 whitewash of Santa Clara. Keilani Ricketts had a couple of hits but no RBI. Cal-Poly-bound Jillian Anderson covered her back with five knocked in while Vanessa Alvarez had two RBI and Miyuki Navarrete had three hits, including a triple and one batted in.   

2.  (3)  Norco 28-2
Finally, there's a chance to move up after more than a month at No. 3. Chances of reaching No. 1 may be remote, but as long as the Cougars keep winning there is a chance and as long as Teagen Gerhart troops to the mound, there is a good chance for a victory. The future Stanford Cardinal scattered four hits in a 4-0 Southern Section Division I first round playoff win over Kennedy of La Palma, striking out 14 batters to advance to Tuesday's game against El Toro of Lake Forest. That makes it 22 straight wins as the Cougars pounded out 13 singles with Kelli Frye, Kelsey Gerhart, Nicole Sappingfield, Emily Lockman and Jordan Emanuele collecting two each. A pair of 1-0 losses may keep the Cougars from reaching that top spot.

3.  (4)  Freedom (Oakley) 22-3
The Falcons have continued winning and waited patiently for a chance to move up. They finally get the one-spot bump after their 11th-straight win, a 6-0 victory over Castro Valley in the CIF North Coast Section Division I playoffs. Hannah Williams only faced 22 batters in tossing a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts. She also had two hits and knocked in two. Malena Padilla had an RBI triple and scored once. Coach Jeff Jonas's top-seeded squad now faces Bay Valley League rival Antioch in the semis, a team it has beaten three times this season.  

4.  (8)  Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 26-5
Coach J.T. Tiumalu's squad displayed the savvy of a senior-laden lineup in their successful quest for the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I title. In beating favored and two-time defending champ Sheldon, 1-0, the Eagles not only dethroned the Huskies but completed a perfect run through the field. In the semifinals, Pleasant Grove faced an Elk Grove team that had just upset Sheldon, 2-1, but didn't let the Thundering Herd post another upset with a 3-1 triumph. Sheldon would have had to have beaten the Eagles twice to win the section title. Since that didn't happen and Pleasant Grove avenged an earlier pair of close losses, that is enough to move up the team into this week's top five, ahead of Sheldon but not ahead of either Norco or Freedom. There is a very slim chance that all three of those teams could lose in remaining section playoffs, which would give the Eagles a shot at the final No. 1 ranking.

(Read full post)

Softball career home run record updates highlight this week's installment. Also included in the state's best prep notes column are basketball features involving the NBA Draft Lottery and its California connections and the O.J. Mayo saga, notes from the recent NorCal Nike Camp and Combine plus more.

By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor
Contributing: Harold Abend, Mark Tennis

New Softball Slugging
Queens Crowned
 
Over the past two seasons, there has been an unusual amount of movement at the top of the career softball home run list, meaning big changes are in store for the next printed edition of the ESPN RISE CalHiSports.com State Record Book and Almanac.
 
Not only did the top spot for season and career leaders fall by the wayside this year, but more than one girl passed the top two career leaders. Kaila Shull (Elliot Christian, Lodi) and Perelini Koria (San Pedro) each hit 45 round-trippers, Shull from 2003-2006 and Koria from 2005-2008.
 
The single season mark was shattered by Shannon Colquitt (King-Drew Medical Magnet, Los Angeles) out of South Central LA, who bombed 27 this season to obliterate the mark of 19 set last season by Alia Williams of Coliseum League rival Crenshaw. With 42 total, Colquitt moved up on the career list and into the top 10.
 
As for Williams, she blasted 16 this season to go with 37 previous homers, so she now occupies the top spot in the career column with 53 having left the house.
 
Another girl who moved up on the list is this week's ESPN RISE CalHiSports.com State Girls Athlete of the Week, Shawna Wright of Lancaster. Coming into this season, she had 36 home runs and hit 14 this year to give her an even 50 with her career now complete.
 
Another girl still in action in the CIF Southern Section playoffs with 51 career long taters is Bailie Kirker of Crescenta Valley in La Crescenta. She hit her 14th of the season last week for the 24-1 Eagles in a victory over Glendale.
 
On Thursday, in a 3-1 Div. III victory over Summit of Fontana, the Arizona-bound Kirker hit her 15th and No. 51 in her career.
 
Should Crescenta Valley win out and capture the CIFSS Div. III title that would mean Kirker would get swings in three more games on top of their upcoming second round match-up on May 26 against St. Bonaventure on the road in Ventura.
 
There could be another change at the top and very soon.(Read full post)

This week's girls winner is another slugger and home run princess whose family is involved in some high flying that doesn't involve yellow spheres flying out of the park.

By Harold Abend, Special to CalHiSports.com

After profiling single-season home run queen Shannon Colquitt last week the emails came in about girls who may not have 27 round-trippers on the season as the girl from Los Angeles does, but who have a place ahead of her on the career total home run list.

We already knew about Alia Williams of Crenshaw, who last week hit her 53rd homer in a loss to Eagle Rock that ended her season and career at the top of the heap.

Two girls who also have been prominent on the state career home run charts have been Bailie Kirker of Crescenta Valley in La Crescenta, who last week hit No. 14 on the season and the 50th of her career, and Shawna Wright of Lancaster.

	Shawna Wright

"I moved her up to leadoff because she had such a high on-base percentage and so many teams were intentionally walking her,” said first-year Lancaster Coach Ashley Sharp, a PE middle-school teacher in Palmdale who played softball at Adelphi College in New York.

"It was awesome to be in my first year ever coaching varsity girls softball and have a player like Shawna,” Sharp told CalHiSports.com with the middle-schoolers hooting and laughing in the background.

"Shawna's a great leader offensively and defensively,” remarked Sharp. "She ran the defense, called the pitches, called the bases, an overall leader on the field."

(Read full post)

State No. 2 and FAB 50 National No. 3 Sheldon falls to Pleasant Grove in Division I championship. Sophomore pitcher Ally Carda leads the way. Oak Ridge, Rodriguez wins Div. II and Div. III crowns.

By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor

Both J.T. Tiumalu and Mary Jo Truesdale were quick to acknowledge there was a changing of the guard after the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I softball championship that was completed on Wednesday night at the Sacramento Softball Complex.

Tiumalu is the head coach of the new champions from Pleasant Grove High of Elk Grove, while Truesdale is the longtime mentor at Sheldon of Sacramento.

Sheldon came into Wednesday's final needing to beat Pleasant Grove twice in order to win a third straight section title. This was due to a 2-1 upset loss on Monday to Elk Grove. But the Huskies didn't get their chance for a title-deciding contest as they lost to Pleasant Grove, 1-0.

It was billed as an upset, but Pleasant Grove proved it was one of the state's best teams at the same Nike Faster to First tournament that Sheldon won back in March. The Huskies were the No. 1 team in the ESPN RISE FAB 50 after that tourney win and maintained that ranking until April when they fell in the title game of the Livermore Stampede to Archbishop Mitty of San Jose.

Coming into Wednesday night's action, Sheldon was No. 3 in the nation (a ranking that was done prior to the first loss to Elk Grove) while Pleasant Grove checked in at No. 26.

So with only two seniors graduating from the Eagles and with Sheldon losing All-Americans Jolene Henderson (pitcher) and Lindsey Ziegenhirt (catcher) to Cal, was this indeed a new era for Pleasant Grove?(Read full post)

(For additions, corrections or to report a statistical standout we may have missed, email mark@studentsports.com. To inquire about a section or state record, please email Senior Editor Ronnie Flores at ronnie@studentsports.com or call (800) 660-1334 Ext. 4414; To order a copy of our new CalHiSports.com State Record Book & Almanac, please call (800) 660-1334 Ext. 4431. For games played between May 11-16; Writeups by Harold Abend, Steve Brand, Paul Muyskens, Mark Tennis, Andrew Drennen, Garland Cooper & Bob Barnett.)

NOTE: We've been compiling weekly stat stars in various sports for 30 years. The reason we have published them virtually every week of the school year since 1979 is to highlight many of the top performers around the state and to keep our exclusive state record book up to date. We've just printed our seventh edition and if you love the content on our site, you'll love the book, so order your copy today.

BASEBALL

Abi Arias (Menlo-Atherton, Atherton): In two losses to Peninsula power Aragon of San Mateo, the senior third sacker was 5-for-7 with six RBI and hit his sixth home run of the season.

Jesse Arreola (Patriot, Riverside): Arreola threw a three hitter and struck out 13 in a 7-0 shutout over Summit of Fontana.  Patriot also captured its fourth league crown with Arreola's win.

Nick Backlund (Valley Christian, San Jose): The Warriors lost 15-11 in the WCAL championship slugfest to Serra, but this slugger did everything he could and has been doing it over the past few weeks as well. With his team trailing 7-5 in the third inning, Backlund smoked a rocket over the 402-foot sign in centerfield for a three run homer that gave the Warriors an 8-7 lead. The bomb was his 12th of the year and eighth in the past seven games, not including this week.

Brett Bell & Stan Moody (Tomales): The NCS reported RBI leader with 48, Bell had seven in one game last week with two doubles and five runs scored in a shellacking of Santa Rosa Christian. Moody, who has 35 RBI this season, had four hits (including a double) four RBI and four runs scored in the same game.(Read full post)

Playoffs are here as spring starts turning to summer. Watch for highlights of many ranked baseball and softball teams each Sunday night on Cal-Hi Sports Bay Area. Tune to YourTV 20, San Francisco at 7 p.m. Replays are aired during the week on Comcast Sportsnet throughout Northern California.

By Harold Abend, Special to CalHiSports.com

The CalHiSports.com kibosh caravan was very busy on the road again last week and the mojo claimed some and almost claimed others.

The first stop was in Pleasanton where we witnessed visiting Livermore win the East Bay Athletic League softball title with a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over rival Foothill.

The mojo was so strong that before the seats were barely warm Foothill's Jennifer Ong blasted a 220-foot shot off Livermore starter Jessica Varady on the third pitch of the bottom of the first.

I guess it was reverse voodoo because we sat on the Foothill side the first three innings and the Falcons led the whole way. When we switched to the Livermore side, the Cowgirls erupted for all four runs.

The next stop was Santa Rosa where Montgomery fell from the ranks of the unbeaten in a 1-0 loss to Rancho Cotate of Rohnert Park in the North Bay League softball playoff championship.

On Friday we were at historic Albert Field in San Rafael to see the Larkspur Redwood girls down Drake of San Anselmo in the Marin County Athletic League softball playoff semis.

Saturday was baseball at the Oakland Coliseum and the Oakland A's/Dave Stewart High School Baseball Showdown. Without re-hashing the feature that ran on Sunday, we will give you one tidbit. Previous state overall No. 4 Clovis West of Fresno felt the mojo.

After the games at the Coliseum, we hopped back across the Bay to Albert Field to witness the Drake baseball team upend Marin Catholic 7-0 to take the MCAL playoff crown.

After that week, the camels needed plenty of rest on Sunday.

As for the seedings in the North Coast Section and Central Coast Section playoffs, we like the new system now used by the NCS despite not being able to go to the meetings any longer. They have gotten it right. With respect to the CCS, their system is not very good and in D1 baseball it's almost laughable.

Baseball Top 20 Teams
(Records through May 16)

1. (2) Serra (San Mateo) 26-6
Just like we said last week, don't count out retiring Coach Pete Jensen's boys who after winning the WCAL playoff crown are back in the catbird seat once again. Last week in three playoff games the Padres scored a combined 36 runs in respective wins over Riordan (San Francisco), St. Francis (Mountain View) and Valley Christian of San Jose. In the title game, they avenged an 8-7 loss to Valley Christian two weeks ago with a 15-11 slugfest victory. We almost have to shake our heads in disbelief at the CCS Division I seedings that has the Padres fourth-seeded behind San Benito (Hollister), Santa Teresa (San Jose) and Wilcox of Santa Clara, and forces what likely will be another match-up with Valley Christian in the second round. The fact that both rankings media that compile a Bay Area list, such as the San Francisco Chronicle and CalHiSports not to mention the San Jose Mercury-News, all have Serra atop the heap, makes the disparity between the rankings and the CCS seedings look embarrassing, and the Chron and CalHiSports.com have nothing to be embarrassed about. That is, unless it's San Benito and Santa Teresa in the title game. If it's another all-WCAL final, the CCS seedings can be called one of the worst in California history and a disservice to the athletes involved.

2. (5) De La Salle (Concord) 16-8
Two weeks ago they weren't even in the top 10. Now first-year Coach Rick Steen's boys have cracked the state overall top 20, taking the final spot, and are poised to take this throne should they continue their red-hot streak and Serra falter. Although they started the season 7-8, including a win against Serra, the Spartans have now won nine straight with a victory over previous state No. 4 Clovis West at the Dave Stewart Showdown. The victory at the Oakland Coliseum was No. 506 for Steen, who before coming to Sparta spent more than three decades at San Ramon Valley in Danville. "I was in France when the job came open and my wife emailed me and asked if I wanted to go for it. I told her the question was do you want to continue to be a baseball wife and she said sure. It's only a few blocks from the house and Andy went there so I applied,” Steen told CalHiSports.com prior to the Clovis West game. Now Andy Steen, a 1997 De La Salle graduate, is on his dad's staff. The Spartans open the NCS Division I playoffs with a bye and as the top seed, awaiting the Foothill at Amador Valley winner for a May 23 date in Concord.   

3. (3) Clayton Valley (Concord) 21-3
The big boss, CalHiSports.com Executive Editor Mark Tennis, jumped De La Salle up and past the Eagles and we agree, and so did the NCS seeding committee, which awarded the Eagles only the second seed in Division II based on a head-to-head loss to Alameda, who was awarded the top seed. Coach Bob Ralston's boys could still find the top spot in these rankings if they win out and Serra and De La Salle both go down in their respective D1 playoffs. Last week, Clayton Valley finished up Diablo Valley League action at 11-1 after an 8-7 win against Northgate of Walnut Creek.

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