ESPN High School Sports

Hot squads on the move up include Franklin of Elk Grove, Sierra of Manteca and Heritage of Romoland. Still No. 1 are De La Salle, Santa Margarita, Placer, Serra of Gardena, Marin Catholic, Valley Center, Central Catholic and Sierra Canyon.

Note: This will be the final post on the ESPN Cal-Hi Sports page. This week’s State Stat Stars will be collected but won’t be posted until the following week in combination with the following week’s top performers.

This closure is due to the discontinuation of ESPNHS. We have had a lot of great experiences being part of the greatest sports media company in the world. Beginning with the Top 25 Weekend Scoreboard on Saturday, Sept. 15 all new updates will be available on a temporary blog.

For instructions on how to get to the new blog, we’ll have everything ready to go on Saturday morning and will send the link on our Twitter page @CalHiSports. Feel free to email markjtennis@gmail.com or go to our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/CalHiSportscom/162897664162

With assistance from Harold Abend and Paul Muyskens, here are the Week 3 rankings for each of California’s CIF bowl game divisions (previous ranking in parentheses):

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Alemany, Narbonne and Lincoln of Stockton get jumped over other ranked teams in this week’s pecking order. Chaparral of Temecula is highest-ranked newcomer.

Contributing: Paul Muyskens, Ronnie Flores, Harold Abend

All rankings through games played Saturday night, Sept. 8. Check back later this week for Week 3 CIF State Bowl Game rankings. If you check back and no longer see Cal-Hi Sports content on an ESPN page, please go to our twitter page @CalHiSports or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/CalHiSportscom/162897664162 for updates. This page will be discontinued after Friday, Sept. 14 and a temporary home for our content will begin on Saturday, Sept. 15 with next weekend’s scoreboard.

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Narbonne’s win over Long Beach Poly gets us scrambling for the state record book because it’s the first shutout of the Jackrabbits in nearly 20 years. No. 24 Central of Fresno hangs on at home on Saturday with highest-ranked team to fall being No. 12 Oceanside.

Here is a look at scores through Saturday night, Sept. 14. Check back on Monday for the new and updated top 25 rankings package. If you come back and no longer see Cal-Hi Sports content on an ESPN page, please go to our twitter page @CalHiSports or our Facebook page for updates. This page will be discontinued after next Friday, Sept. 14 and a temporary home for our content will begin on Saturday, Sept. 15 with next weekend’s scoreboard.

1. De La Salle (Concord) 2-0
Defeated Mullen Prep (Denver, Colo.) 30-13. Spartans trailed 13-7 at halftime, but put it together in second half.

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Girl from Seaside makes history by scoring a touchdown. This week’s best also includes 14 carries for 398 yards rushing by a quarterback plus a seven-TD game for Anthony Cota from Sierra of Manteca.

Thanks to CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett for contribution. To send in a stat star of your own, email highlights to markjtennis@gmail.com. If you attempt to see Cal-Hi Sports content on this ESPN page and you are pointed somewhere else, please go to our twitter page @CalHiSports or visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/CalHiSportscom/162897664162 for updates. This page will be discontinued by Sept. 14. After that, a temporary home for this content will be available.

Chris Anderson (West Valley, Hemet)
Despite carrying the ball just eight times, he rushed for over 200 yards for the second week in a row with 220 yards and scored three touchdowns in a 70-0 win over Coachella Valley of Thermal.

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New No. 1 teams are Placer, Serra of Gardena and Valley Center. Still No. 1 are De La Salle, Santa Margarita, Marin Catholic, Central Catholic and Sierra Canyon.

Before checking out each division, please remember that the four teams that ultimately are chosen to play in the first Northern California and Southern California Open Division bowl games can come from any division.

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Mission Viejo, Serra of Gardena and Helix among those coming up quickly. Newcomers led by new No. 20 Vacaville and new No. 21 Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks.

Contributing: Paul Muyskens, Ronnie Flores, Harold Abend

All rankings through games played Saturday night, Sept. 1. Check back later this week for Week 2 CIF State Bowl Game rankings and for the next State Stat Stars of the Week. If you check back and no longer see Cal-Hi Sports content on an ESPN page, please go to our twitter page @CalHiSports or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/CalHiSportscom/162897664162 for updates.

1. (1) DE LA SALLE (CONCORD) 1-0
Why This Ranking: The three-time defending CIF Open Division champions have not lost to a California team since 2008 and showed little signs of a drop from last year in the first game.
Weekend Result: After going to two overtimes to beat defending CIF Central Coast Section Division I champ Bellarmine of San Jose in last year’s opener, the Spartans scored on their second play and had little difficulty in beating the Bells 41-7. Tiapepe Vitale had 15 carries for 181 yards and three touchdowns. New quarterback Chris Williams rushed for two scores and had a 58-yard TD pass to Austin Hooper in which Hooper broke several tackles.
Up Next: This year’s game against an out-of-state foe comes Friday at home against Mullen Prep of Denver. Mullen arrives after getting a 14-13 win in a much-hyped game against Valor Christian of Highlands Ranch that drew NFL QB Peyton Manning to the sidelines. Coach Bob Ladouceur expects his team will get a much stiffer challenge than what Bellarmine presented.

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No. 4 Oaks Christian rolls against another team from the Sac-Joaquin Section. Servite of Anaheim knocks off No. 10 Rancho Cucamonga.

Here is a look at scores through Saturday night, Sept. 1. Check back on Tuesday for our updated top 25 state rankings. If you check back and no longer see Cal-Hi Sports content on an ESPN page, please go to our twitter page @CalHiSports or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/CalHiSportscom/162897664162 for updates.

1. De La Salle (Concord) 1-0
Defeated No. 6 Bellarmine (San Jose) 41-7.

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First installment of this statewide feature for the 2012 season includes huge outings from other players at Folsom besides the quarterback plus monster totals from El Toro’s Conner Manning and Mendota’s Edgar Segura.

To send in a stat star of your own, email highlights to markjtennis@gmail.com. If you attempt to see Cal-Hi Sports content on this ESPN page and you are pointed somewhere else, please go to our twitter page @CalHiSports or visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/CalHiSportscom/162897664162 for updates.

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No. 1 teams are De La Salle, Santa Margarita, Oakdale, Oceanside, Marin Catholic, Monrovia, Central Catholic and Sierra Canyon. Seven of those eight face difficult opponents this weekend.

Before checking out each division, please remember that the four teams that ultimately are chosen to play in the first Northern California and Southern California Open Division bowl games can come from any division.

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Writeups are deeper and offer more analysis than ever before. This week’s newcomers are led by St. Bonaventure and Bishop Amat. Elk Grove and Westlake among highest risers.

Thanks to Paul Muyskens and Harold Abend for contributing information and writeups. All rankings through games played Saturday night, Aug. 25. Check back later this week for Week 1 CIF State Bowl Game rankings and for State Stat Stars of the Week. If you check back and no longer see Cal-Hi Sports content on an ESPN page, please go to our twitter page @CalHiSports or our Facebook page for updates.

1. (1) DE LA SALLE (CONCORD) 0-0
Why This Ranking: The Spartans, preseason No. 1 in the state due to the best senior talent on defense they’ve ever had and winners of the last three CIF Open Division bowl games, should be No. 1 in the state until another California school beats them. It doesn’t matter what national ranking compilers say since none of them live even close to California.
Weekend Result: Did not play.
Up Next: The Spartans travel to meet No. 6 Bellarmine (San Jose) Friday at San Jose City College. De La Salle won in double-overtime when the two parochial powers met last season.

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Founder of National Federation record book has listing of player with 15 TD passes for one game.

It’s getting to be an all-too-familiar pattern. Player puts up huge statistical totals. Reporters everywhere go nuts, most of the time citing state records (and most of the time without crediting the source of those records, which is Cal-Hi Sports) and most of the time there is incorrect information.

It’s not even September yet and it’s happened again, this time in the case of Folsom sophomore quarterback Jake Browning. Following David Graves, Dano Graves and Tanner Trosin, Browning is apparently the latest in a string of Folsom quarterbacks who is going to put up prolific stats.

In a 66-28 victory over Woodcreek of Roseville on Friday night, Browning completed 34 of 51 passes for 689 yards and 10 touchdowns. Since he’s a sophomore and based on the system he is in, barring injury Browning could be on his way to throwing for 15,000 yards or more in the next three years.

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Saturday night update includes No. 2 Santa Margarita with win over top Arizona team on ESPN air. Westlake also opens with more than solid win over defending CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champ.


Here is a look at scores through Saturday night, Aug. 25. Check back on Monday for the new updated first regular season state top 25. If you check back and no longer see Cal-Hi Sports content on an ESPN page, please go to our twitter page @CalHiSports or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/CalHiSportscom/162897664162 for updates.

1. De La Salle (Concord) 0-0
Did not play. First game next Friday vs. No. 6 Bellarmine (San Jose) at San Jose City College.

2. Santa Margarita (Rancho SM) 1-0
Defeated Brophy Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) 27-14.

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Under Armour Elite 24 alumni Brandon Jennings and Kemba Walker will lead the coaching staffs of the two teams at this year’s event held at Venice Beach, Calif. on Friday, Aug. 24, and Saturday, Aug. 25.

Jennings, a point guard for the Milwaukee Bucks who began his prep career at nearby Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) before going to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, dished out an event record 23 assists in the 2007 game. He will team with Derrick Williams, the No. 2 pick of the 2011 NBA Draft and an alum from La Mirada (Calif.), to lead the “Raymond Lewis” squad. Walker, who made 7-of-8 field goals en route to 16 points in that same 2007 game, will team with DeAndre Jordan, who participated in the inaugural event at Harlem’s famed Rucker Park in 2006, to lead the “Marques Johnson” squad.

Teams, in the tradition of the event, are named after Los Angeles playground legends.

Featuring 24 of the nation’s top high school basketball players, Under Armour Elite 24 participants are selected based on their performance during AAU tournaments and national summer camps by ESPN high school basketball experts.

California's has five participants in the game split between both squads. Isaac Hamilton from St. John Bosco of Bellflower, Marcus Lee from Deer Valley of Antioch and Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball State Player of the Year Aaron Gordon from Archbishop Mitty of San Jose will play on the Raymond Lewis squad. Jabari Bird from Salesian of Richmond and Stanley Johnson of Mater Dei of Santa Ana are on the Marques Johnson roster.

The 2012 Under Armour Elite 24 will be held at the Venice Beach outdoor courts in Los Angeles Aug. 24-25. The game airs live on ESPNU at 7 p.m. ET Saturday, Aug. 25, while the Under Armour Slam Dunk Contest will air Friday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.

Here are the breakdowns of the Raymond Lewis and Marques Johnson all-star teams:

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Receiver Drew Wolitarsky, quarterbacks Jared Goff and Conner Manning and running back Olito Thompson are among the most prolific returning stat stars on 88-player preseason watch list.

Entering his senior season at Canyon of Canyon Country, receiver Drew Wolitarsky has already amassed 192 catches for 3,869 yards and 39 touchdowns.

That has helped him earn a selection to this year’s preseason all-state team (announced this week) and also gets him within reach of two Cal-Hi Sports state records.

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It figures to be no more than a seeding meeting when the first teams are named for the NorCal Open Division and Division I regional bowl games in December. The rest of the lineup of games, however, will be much harder to forecast as the 2012 season unfolds.

This is the third season in which the CIF state bowl games will be conducted with an open division and with no enrollment-based criteria for each division. It’s the first one, however, in which there will be Northern California and Southern California regional bowl games to determine state finalists.

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