ESPNHS California

Best chance for career or single-season record to fall is for Carson’s Darian Tautalafua in career category.

Since there have been several media requests within the last week about softball single-season and career home run records, we decided to do an update of those two categories for the Cal-Hi Sports state record book.

The last book was published (for the seventh time) in the spring of 2009, but we do continue to collect data for state records since we have been the exclusive source for this information for many years and are glad to provide updated lists when there appears to be interest or when significant records could about to be broken.

The two current players generating the most interest are Darian Tautalafua of Carson and Sierra Romero from Vista Murrieta. Tautalafua seems to have the best chance to break a state record as she needs just two more home runs to tie the career record.

Here are the updated lists (as of May 12, 2012) for both categories:

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Death of one of the all-time best NFL linebackers brings back a ton of memories from his high school days and beyond. He was the original Cal-Hi Sports grid-hooper and the prototype for the modern-day SPARQ Rating.

Junior Seau, the former San Diego Chargers’ linebacker who died on Wednesday at age 43 from a gunshot wound that's being investigated as a suicide, can legitimately be called one of the best high school athletes from San Diego ever and one of the best three-sport athletes in California history.

“He’s probably the best multi-sports athlete I’ve seen from San Diego,” said Steve Brand, who has covered high school sports for the San Diego Union-Tribune for four decades. “Everybody around here is just crushed. We’ll never know what he would have done. We’ll all miss out on what wisdom he might have passed along to some of the kids here.”

Seau also has always had a special place in our hearts because he agreed to be photographed for the very first cover of Cal-Hi Sports magazine despite the date being just two days before the 1990 NFL Draft. Cal-Hi Sports magazine later became Student Sports, which in 2008 became part of ESPN’s high school network. Seau also appeared on a cover for California Football Magazine in 1986 with several other top California high school seniors.

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The five finalists for Mr. Basketball are joined by 25 others on the overall Cal-Hi Sports All-State teams regardless of CIF division or year in school. Click here for All-State Underclass or All-State by CIF Divisions.

FIRST FIVE



F Jabari Bird (Salesian, Richmond) 6-6 Jr.
The first team all-state junior and Mr. Basketball State Player of the Year finalist was the catalyst to Salesian’s Division IV state title appearance. He scored 24 points to lead his team to a come-from behind win over Price of Los Angeles in the championship. Salesian's leading scorer (18.7 points per game) and rebounder (4.8) is the No. 8 player in the nation for the 2013 class by ESPN.

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It’s two years in a row that a Mater Dei player earns top statewide honor as Fields tops teammate Jordan Adams and three others to be the Cal-Hi Sports Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year.

Her stay at Mater Dei of Santa Ana was a short one, but Nirra Fields certainly made her mark on one of the most successful programs in recent California girls basketball history.

Now, after leading her team to its third straight CIF state championship, the Canadian-born Fields joins Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis to become the second consecutive Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year to wear a Monarch uniform.

“It wasn’t my goal to win Ms. Basketball or Gatorade Player of the Year, but it’s definitely an honor coming from Canada where it’s not really known for basketball but hockey,” said Fields, who last month was named Gatorade California Player of the Year.

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State’s top honor goes to Archbishop Mitty of San Jose’s 6-foot-8 junior. The last junior to be the Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball State Player of the Year was Tyson Chandler and the one before that was Jason Kidd.

It’s one thing to be chosen as the Mr. Basketball State Player of the Year for a state as big as California. But doing it as a junior puts that player in an even more exclusive club.

Aaron Gordon, the dynamic 6-foot-8 forward from Archbishop Mitty of San Jose, is now a member of that club after being named as the 2012 Mr. Basketball honoree.

Gordon tops a group of four other finalists – Mater Dei’s Katin Reinhardt and Xavier Johnson along with La Verne Lutheran’s Grant Jerrett and Richmond Salesian’s Jabari Bird – primarily due to his dominant showing in leading Mitty to its second straight CIF Division II state title.

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We choose honorees for seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen and for each CIF division. Toughest picks were for Division IV and freshmen.

Congratulations to these boys players for being selected as an ESPNHS Cal-Hi Sports State Player of the Year. Stay tuned for the release next week of the 34th annual ESPNHS Cal-Hi Sports All-State Teams and for our announcement of Ms. Basketball 2012 on Wednesday. Here is a complete list of our boys basketball individual honorees for the 2011-12 season:

Seniors – Katin Reinhardt (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)

On those rare occasions when an underclassman is named Mr. Basketball, an entry for state senior player of the year is added to the Cal-Hi Sports state record book. That player for this season is Reinhardt, the unofficial runner-up to Aaron Gordon of Mitty for Mr. Basketball honors after leading Mater Dei to its second consecutive Division I state title with only two losses to out-of-state foes.

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With one coach knocking on the door of his 800th win, another close to 600, we thought it was a good time to update the Cal-Hi Sports state record book category for career coaching wins.

As compilers of the state’s only high school record book, it’s common for us to receive many questions each year when coaches achieve milestone victories.

We didn’t really have the exact answers earlier this season when two longtime outstanding coaches in their communities – Jeff Stout of Yucaipa and Jack Thomson from Sierra of Manteca – won their 700th and 500th games, respectively.

Now, with the legendary Sam Blalock of San Diego’s Rancho Bernardo High soon to become only the third coach in state history to reach 800 career victories and with Fresno High’s Ken Papi about to hit 600, here is an updated look (through reported games of Friday, April 13) at the all-time coaching list for most wins in a baseball career:

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Her team might have fallen just short of No. 1, but dominant season still gains the program a prestigious honor. Other coaches of the year have been selected for each CIF division.

Prior to the beginning of the season, many felt coach Terri Bamford of La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla) had an excellent team, but not many had the Torreys pegged at No. 9 in the nation or No. 2 in the state, which is where they ended up in the POWERADE FAB 50 and the Cal-Hi Sports overall top 40.

Now, after 13 seasons at the helm of the small private school near UC San Diego, Bamford has been named the 40th ESPNHS Cal-Hi Sports Girls State Coach of the Year. She is the first from the CIF San Diego Section to be selected for the honor since the late Lee Trepanier from Point Loma in 1987.

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Strikeout kings once again steal the spotlight as San Pasqual’s Kevin Grendell nearly sets San Diego Section record with 20 in one game while Tracy’s Jonah Wesely starts out a five-inning no-hitter with 13 in a row.

Note: We’re proud once again to collect weekly writeups of the most significant individual high school baseball totals in California. We use these as the basis for updating the state record book, which has been published seven times, most recently in the spring of 2009. To report a state stat star of your own, please email highlights to Mark.Tennis@espn.com.

(After games of Saturday, April 7; includes some games as of Wednesday, April 11; Contributing: Bob Barnett, Mark Tennis)

Angel Acosta (Gabrielino, San Gabriel)
The strikeouts kept coming for Acosta as well in a 5-0 win by Gabrielino last week over Mountain View of El Monte. He ended with 16 although he did give up six hits. Acosta tossed a no-hitter in his previous start.

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It’s a 5-for-5 bonanza led by Exeter’s Brooke Coates and Fresno Edison’s Alma Ibarra. This week’s honor roll also includes a salute to state’s winningest coach as he earns 900th all-time triumph.

Note: We’re proud once again to collect weekly writeups of the most significant individual high school softball totals in California. We use these as the basis for updating the state record book, which has been published seven times, most recently in the spring of 2009. To report a state stat star of your own, please email highlights to Mark.Tennis@espn.com.

(After games of Saturday, April 7; includes some games as of Wednesday, April 11; Contributing: Bob Barnett, Mark Tennis)

Vanessa Alvarez (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose)
The Cal-bound Monarchs’ ace opened the Livermore Stampede with a five-inning perfect game in a 10-0 win over California of San Ramon. Despite getting roughed up by Amador Valley in a 8-1 loss in the semis, she still had solid numbers from the circle and at the plate. At the plate leading off, she was 10-for-18 with three doubles, two RBIs, five runs scored, a walk and three stolen bases.

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Salesian of Richmond boys hoops mentor is sixth from the S.F. East Bay to earn the honor from Cal-Hi Sports since 1997. Other coaches singled out for each CIF Division.

Going back to the legendary George Powles in the 1950s and Paul Harless in the 1960s at McClymonds of Oakland, the East Bay region of the CIF North Coast Section has continued to be blessed with some of the best boys basketball coaches anywhere.

The latest from the East Bay to be chosen as the State Coach of the Year is Bill Mellis from Salesian of Richmond. Mellis, in his 14th season with the Pride, guided this year’s team to a 33-2 record (on-the-court) and its second CIF Division IV state title in the last four years.

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Among the best on this week’s baseball honor roll is one of the state’s top Class of 2013 football recruits plus Erik Barron of San Jose Mt. Pleasant (threw second straight no-hitter) and Luke Eubank of Newbury Park (threw second no-hitter).

Note: We’re proud once again to collect weekly writeups of the most significant individual high school baseball totals in California. We use these as the basis for updating the state record book, which has been published seven times, most recently in the spring of 2009. To report a state stat star of your own, please email highlights to Mark.Tennis@espn.com.

(After games of Saturday, March 31; includes some games as of Wednesday, April 4; Contributing: Bob Barnett, Mark Tennis)

Erik Barron (Mt. Pleasant, San Jose)
Throwing a no-hitter with 15 strikeouts doesn’t get you into the state record book, but Barron did it after he had a no-hitter in his previous start and that certainly does the trick. Barron’s first no-hitter came in a 5-0 win two weeks ago against Evergreen Valley of San Jose. The second came in a 4-0 win last week over Oak Grove. The Cardinals also beat Oak Grove 24-0 in a recent game. Barron didn’t pitch in that game, but he hit and went 3-for-4 with six RBIs.

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Sophomore who already has committed to UCLA goes on hitting tear. Also landing on this week’s honor roll for softball is a girl from San Diego who went 8-for-9 and tossed a perfect game in a doubleheader.

Note: We’re proud once again to collect weekly writeups of the most significant individual high school softball totals in California. We use these as the basis for updating the state record book, which has been published seven times, most recently in the spring of 2009. To report a state stat star of your own, please email highlights to Mark.Tennis@espn.com.

(After games of Saturday, March 31; includes some games as of Wednesday, April 4; Contributing: Bob Barnett, Mark Tennis)

Valerie Aguilar (Montebello)
She puts her name into the state record book by collecting three triples in a 7-3 victory last Saturday over Garfield of Los Angeles. Aguilar also went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple last Saturday in a different game as the Oilers beat Bellflower 15-6. Earlier in the week, Aguilar also had a 4-for-4 outing against San Gabriel. Teammate April Marquez also will get her name into the state record book due to a performance from earlier in the season when she ripped four doubles in a game against El Rancho of Pico Rivera.

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It’s a monster week for softball honor roll, including two homers in a game by All-American candidate Gabrielle Maurice and three from All-American candidate Darian Tautalafua. Week’s best also includes one girl with two grand slams and nine RBIs in one game.

Note: We’re proud once again to collect weekly writeups of the most significant individual high school softball totals in California. We use these as the basis for updating the state record book, which has been published seven times, most recently in the spring of 2009. To report a state stat star of your own, please email highlights to Mark.Tennis@espn.com.

(After games of Saturday, March 24; includes some games as of Wednesday, March 28; Contributing: Bob Barnett, Mark Tennis)

Leilani Akai (Moreau Catholic, Hayward)
Banzai for Akai, after she homered twice and drove in five runs in a blasting by Moreau of crosstown Mt. Eden.

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Tulare Western’s Anthony Avila ties state record, Central Valley’s Fabian Valencia enjoys three-homer outing while Luke Weichec of Los Altos has been swinging red-hot bat despite injury.

Note: We’re proud once again to collect weekly writeups of the most significant individual high school baseball totals in California. We use these as the basis for updating the state record book, which has been published seven times, most recently in the spring of 2009. To report a state stat star of your own, please email highlights to Mark.Tennis@espn.com.

(After games of Saturday, March 24; includes some games as of Wednesday, March 28; Contributing: Bob Barnett, Mark Tennis)

Anthony Avila (Tulare Western, Tulare)
He had a career day by going 5-for-6 at the plate which included four doubles and eight RBIs in a 29-0 win over Kennedy of Delano. Avila’s four doubles in a game ties the reported state record. According to our own Cal-Hi Sports record book, the first time it was done was in 1919 by William Homen of Hanford.

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