Sheldon of Sacramento gets to do the flip-flop with Rio Mesa after its avenging win over Elk Grove in conjunction with Elk Grove then later winning the top division at the NorCal Classic. Amador Valley also rejoins the Super 8 in place of Stockdale and Clovis.
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Cal-Hi Sports Insider Blog
Quick-hitting, behind-the-scenes news and notes from the CalHiSports.com staff, including previews of upcoming content and events.
Super 8 Softball Rankings Update
Mater Dei Boys BB Wins at 1,529
Thanks to contributor Bob Atwell and Mater Dei statistician Steve Colton, who helps with record-keeping for the Mater Dei of Santa Ana boys basketball program, the Monarchs’ all-time varsity record since their first season in 1953 has been confirmed at 1,529 wins and 375 losses. Here’s some perspective on where that total ranks in the state record book.
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Super 8 Softball Rankings Update
Another loss by Orange Lutheran to Mater Dei (the second of the season) causes the Lancers to fall from third in this week’s rankings and for both unbeaten Gahr of Cerritos and Rio Mesa of Oxnard to inch forward to No. 3 and No. 4. Will those two go all the way to CIFSS Division II championship?
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Boys BB: Best Publics from S.F.
Despite history-making season for Mission, San Francisco public schools have actually been even better in the past with some that were considered the best team overall in the state.
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Super 8 Softball Rankings Update
The top three teams remain the same after No. 1 Norco tops No. 2 Los Alamitos and No. 3 Orange Lutheran to win another major tournament. Sheldon of Sacramento also jumps to No. 6, unbeaten Stockdale climbs to No. 7 and Mission Viejo now has to drop behind La Habra and out of the Super 8.
NOTE: Our updated State Top 20 with lists of many other teams on the bubble will be posted each week but will require Gold Club membership to see for the rest of the season. Our breakdowns and analysis of what’s coming up and what’s already happened can’t be matched anywhere else because we’ve been following the statewide scene years and years longer than any other media source. For sign up info, CLICK HERE.
(Through games of Saturday, April 8; Previous ranking in parentheses)
1. (1) Norco 19-0
MVP Kinzie Hansen, the big-time sophomore catcher, and most valuable pitcher Taylor Dockins (now has 94 career wins) led the Cougars past No. 2 Los Alamitos and No. 3 Orange Lutheran in the semifinals and finals of last weekend’s Michelle Carew Classic. Will they be unbeaten going into CIFSS playoffs?
Norco’s Taylor Dockins once again was a rock inside the circle for nation’s No. 1 team at Michelle Carew Classic. Photo: Patrick Takkinen/SoCalSidelines.com.
2. (2) Los Alamitos 16-3
No change for the Griffins with their only loss at the Michelle Carew Classic coming to No. 1 Norco. They had chances to score runs in 1-0 loss to Cougars, but just couldn’t get the big hit. Los Al’s only other two losses this year were later avenged.
3. (3) Lutheran (Orange) 16-3
Stanford-bound Maddy Dwyer pitched the shutout when the Lancers beat Amador Valley of Pleasanton 1-0 in the semifinals of the Michelle Carew Classic. They lost in the final 4-0 to Norco.
4. (4) Gahr (Cerritos) 16-0
Alyssa Kumiyama hammered three home runs to lead the Gladiators past Los Altos (Hacienda Heights) 6-4. None of the team’s other games last week were close.
5. (6) Rio Mesa (Oxnard) 17-0-1
Like Gahr, even though they are also unbeaten, it’s going to be tough for the Spartans to move up any further than they’ve gotten in these rankings. Both teams are lucky that the rest of SoCal’s top teams have tended to be beating each other.
6. (9) Sheldon (Sacramento) 15-1
Although the Huskies got a forfeit win in the semis and didn’t have to face an ace in the final, their accomplishment of winning the Livermore Stampede title helps them move up three spots in this week’s rankings.
7. (11) Stockdale (Bakersfield) 17-0
Freshman Sydney Hornbuckle pitched a one-hitter as the Mustangs blanked Centennial of Bakersfield 6-0 in their only outing of last week.
8. (8) San Marcos 12-4
The CIF San Diego Section’s No. 1 team and defending champion has lost once to Norco and twice to Los Al and has shown in its other games that it’s an elite squad.
Consecutive no-hit pitching records
Ashwin Chona from Sage Hill of Newport Beach breaks CIF Southern Section record by throwing third straight no-hitter on Thursday in 16-0 win vs. Calvary Chapel of Santa Ana. But he still has work to do for a state record.
Note: You won’t find state record reporting anywhere close to what we have at Cal-Hi Sports. No newspaper, no MaxPreps, nothing. They all use our info too and many times do not credit. Oh well, we hope you like this free post and will consider supporting all of our ongoing work toward state high school records in all sports by becoming a Gold Club member of our site. For sign up info, CLICK HERE.
While sophomore Ashwin Chona has become the first CIF Southern Section player reported with three straight no-hitters, the oddity of the category in the Cal-Hi Sports state record files is that the tiny CIF Northern Section has had three separate pitchers over the years set the state record with four in a row.
Ashwin Chona is making a name for himself at Sage Hill for throwing no-hitters. Photo: SageHillSchool.org.
Chona notched his third straight Thursday in a 16-0 victory by the Lighting vs. Calvary Chapel of Santa Ana. It was a five-inning game, which counts toward no-hitter streaks. No other details were immediately available. His first no-hitter in the streak came with 13 strikeouts in a 9-0 win vs. Whitney of Cerritos in late March. That game went the full seven innings, but the second no-hitter in Chona’s streak did not. That was a five-inning no-no when Sage Hill blanked Santa Rosa Academy of Menifee 10-0 on March 27.
Heading into Thursday, Chona was tied with 15 previous instances of CIF Southern Section pitchers getting two straight no-hitters. The list includes former State Player of the Year Scott McGregor of El Segundo (1972) and Jared Moon of Redondo Beach Redondo Union (1996), who previously was listed with the state record for consecutive hitless innings at 23 and still would have that record for the CIFSS ahead of Chona at 18, who had one hitless inning relief appearance (according to his MaxPreps page) in addition to the three straight no-hitters since March 8.
For many years, the state record was reported at three straight no-hitters by Lloyd Allen of Selma set in 1967. In 2010, East Nicolaus of Nicolaus senior John Kukuruda tossed four straight no-hitters (three of those were in five-inning games), but at the time of reporting that record Cal-Hi Sports was informed of another one of four that was set in 1963 by Byron Randolph of Winters. Info from Winters and our own files confirmed that record. Randolph’s four straight also were all in seven-inning games (no five-inning affairs) and he’s also now credited with the state record with 34 consecutive no-hit innings.
Then the very next season in 2011, Steven Perry of Maxwell tied Kukuruda’s and Randolph’s record with four in a row. Perry almost had a fifth straight no-hitter as well, but gave up a bloop single in the second inning for the only hit he allowed.
On the state list, therefore after Thursday, Chona is tied for second with Selma’s Lloyd Allen and needs another no-hitter to tie the state record of four held by the three players all from the CIF Northern Section (Randolph, Kukuruda and Perry).
As you can see, however, this category has become mainly for small schools where five-inning dominations are much more normal and the details can be difficult to confirm, correct and obtain.
Just last year, remember, we had a team at Sonoma Academy with a reported six straight no-hitters (again a lot of five-inning rout games) but not one player with three or four in a row. Dylan De La Montanya of that team was credited with 21 hitless innings, but the team total was revised to four based on a controversial scoring decision. There were no reports of any such scoring decision — an error given instead of a hit — in Sage Hill’s games involving Chona.
Super 8 Baseball State Ranks Update
No. 2 behind Buchanan changes again after Orange Lutheran returns home from North Carolina as the NHSI champions but loses in next game to St. John Bosco. Thousand Oaks and Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks also get huge bumps to No. 9 and No. 10.
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Super 8 Softball Rankings Update
No changes at the top of the state softball rankings this week, but may be a bunch next week since many top teams will be at the Michelle Carew Classic starting Wednesday. The Livermore Stampede also is attracting a strong field including many top NorCal ranked squads.
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Need To Know: Internet Gambling
Sports’ betting has been in existence for several centuries. In ancient days, people used to place bets on gladiators who fight in the various Roman amphitheaters and fighting pits. Betting on horse races was quite common as well and has continued to evolve over the years.
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Boys BB: D2 to D5 CIF Title Picks
We love the story of San Francisco Mission trying to become the first S.F. public school to win a CIF state basketball title and we actually think the Bears will get it done in the Division III final on Saturday at the Golden 1 Center. Go inside to see which other teams we think will win state crowns this weekend.
RELATED: Girls BB Open & D1 Predictions |Boys BB Open & D1 Predictions | Girls BB D2-D5 Picks
Note: We hope you enjoy this free story on CalHiSports.com. To see next week’s final State Top 20 & final divisional state rankings will require a Gold Club membership. Some of the annual all-state teams this year and all state record updates also will be for Gold Club only. You can get this membership, however, for as low as $9.99 for three months. For info, CLICK HERE.
(All selections done with utmost respect to all players and coaches who have reached a state championship game.)
(Stockton office assistant editor Paul Muyskens wrote two of these four breakdowns)
NorCal hoop fans have been following Moreau’s Damari Milstead since he was pup freshman starter four years ago. Photo: Twitter.com.
Division II
Moreau Catholic (Hayward) 25-9 vs. Esperanza (Anaheim) 29-3, Saturday, 4 pm
This game will feature two talented guards that both scored over 40 points in a game during the postseason, but we will give the slight nod to the Aztecs, who entered our Top 20 state rankings this week at No. 18 and has the senior headed to play in the Pac-12 next season.
Stanford-bound Kezie Okpala scored a school record 46 points during the regional semifinals and is averaging 30.7 points and 10.6 rebounds for the SoCal champions, who are looking for a state championship after losing twice in the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoffs. The Mariners’ resiliency will be tough for Esperanza to overcome. They trailed St. Francis of Mountain View 69-60 with under four minutes remaining before coming back to force overtime and getting the win in the NorCal final. Their Grand Canyon-bound standout Damari Milstead scored 43 points in that game.
While Milstead is averaging 25.9 points per game, the Mariners also have a difference maker in freshman Kyree Walker who is averaging 21.3 points per game. If he has a big game, it could be the difference on the Mariners pulling off the win, which wouldn’t be an upset but the winner of a contest that we look at being basically 50-50.
Predicted Score: Esperanza 72, Moreau 68
Division III
Mission (San Francisco) 34-1 vs. Villa Park 27-6, Friday, 4 pm
Both of these teams have had to overcome some adversity to reach the Golden 1 Center.
For Mission, it had to beat a St. Ignatius of San Francisco team that was the No. 2 seed in the CIF Central Coast Section Open Division when the playoffs began. Mission was accomplished in the NorCal semifinals. The Bears then had to go on the road and beat Vanden of Fairfield team that earlier this season only lost to state No. 7 Sheldon by seven points. They got through that as well and are now on the verge of becoming the first S.F. public school to win a state title. The only other S.F. school to reach the state finals was Washington in 1982, which lost in the Division I championship to Carson. The Bears are already on the all-time state list for most wins in a season. The S.F. record is 36 set in 2001 by McAteer. While that record can’t be broken, McAteer that season only got as far as the NorCal finals.
Villa Park had to overcome losing in the CIF Southern Section divisional finals to Colony of Ontario. In fact, that loss was doubly hard to swallow because the Spartans also fell to 0-6 all-time in CIFSS finals. But now after avenging the loss to Colony in the SoCal D3 final, Villa Park can win its first state title.
Both teams are guard oriented. Mission features all-state grid-hooper Niamey Harris (23 points vs. Vanden) along with seniors Jamion Wright and Jayden Fostin. Villa Park has brothers Myles and Julian Franklin. Caleb Banuelos also can be huge making 3-pointers for the Spartans. In the end, it’s too hard to go against Mission’s momentum plus the fact that Villa Park has a loss to a Campolindo of Moraga team that went out in the NorCal D3 regional quarterfinals.
Predicted Score: Mission 60, Villa Park 54
Division IV
St. Patrick-St. Vincent (Vallejo) 27-7 vs. Helix (La Mesa) 31-5, Saturday, 12 noon
While it’s hard to go against a Helix squad that has ramped it up to a very high level since the mid-season addition of 6-foot-9 junior transfer Miles Norris, we are in this case just because of how well the Bruins have done against elite NorCal competition all season.
Obviously, if St. Patrick-St. Vincent comes up with a stinker outing like it did in the NCS Division IV semifinals against Lick-Wilmerding (a 71-68 overtime loss) of San Francisco it wouldn’t even be close against Helix. We are going off the assumption that the team instead will be like the one that beat Lick-Wilmerding in a NorCal rematch (73-55) and then beat No. 1 seed Palma of Salinas (73-48) in the NorCal final. The Bruins, with 6-foot-4 Tavian Henderson (16.0 ppg) leading the way, also notched a regular season win over NorCal Open Division team Salesian of Richmond and early on also beat NorCal D1 state finalist James Logan of Union City.
One of Helix’s losses before Norris was by 57-48 to Serra of San Diego. Later on, head coach John Singer’s crew beat the Conquistadors 80-36. Helix also has Dylan Lee on the perimeter plus the all-around skills of Jaylen Arnold.
Prediction: St. Patrick-St. Vincent 66, Helix 61
Division V
St. Francis CCC (Watsonville) 29-2 vs. Rolling Hills Prep (San Pedro) 28-2, 12 noon, Friday
It will be a matchup of two teams making their first appearance in a state final and we will give the slight advantage to the team that has a head coach with a state championship pedigree.
The Huskies have won two straight games by one point led by head coach Harvey Kitani, who won two state championships at Fairfax of Los Angeles with Division I titles in 2004 and 2007. Junior guard Alex Garcia had 26 points in the SoCal finals while sophomore guard Chris Koon was the CIF-SS John Wooden Division V Player of the Year.
The Sharks, who have now won 23 straight games, were led by Jason Watkins in their NorCal championship win against Elliot Christian of Lodi as he scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half and knocked down a go-ahead three pointer with under a minute to go.
We also can’t get Rolling Hills Prep’s win over a CIF Southern Section champ from a higher division out of our heads. In that one, RHP handled Brentwood of Los Angeles 67-45.
Prediction: Rolling Hills Prep 57, St. Francis CCC 55
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle:
