NorCal Issue 210 July 2022 by Sport Stars Magazine

JULY 2022 VOL. 13 ISSUE 210 NORCAL EDITION

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his is it. Our final look back and salute to the 2021-22 year of high school sports across NorCal. It was unequivocally a unique year, considering the 16 or so months that preceded it. We put “We’re Back!” on the cover because that felt like the overriding theme to this past year in high school sports. Athletes at every school across every sport were craving normal competition again — and they got it. Their joy in getting it could be found everywhere, and you can see it on several faces as you flip through our Year In Pictures pages that begin on Page 14. Playoffs and high stakes returned as well, and the passion and emotion stemming from that can be seen in the photos too. A quick return to the cover for a second. We held a vote from July 5-16 to allow fans a chance to select from six images. The winning photo was taken by Ike Dodson and features De La Salle running back Charles Greer being hoisted up by teammate Cooper Powers during the Spartans’ emphatic road win over Folsom in early October. We had more than 3,000 votes cast over the 11 days, including nearly 2,000 cast by social media in a bonus vote opportunity via Instagram. The De La Salle football photo pulled away from the field over the last 24 hours, but images of Rocklin girls wrestler Kayla Pflueger (see it on Page 23) and Valley Christian-San Jose pitcher Michael Castaneda (Page 27) were also strong vote getters. Also, since images are such a big part of our Yearbook Issues, it’s my time to annually heap praise and gratitude toward the handful of photographers who consistently contribute high quality photos to our publication and website each year. This Yearbook features the awesome work of David Gershon, Jean-Paul Toshiro, Berry Evans III, Passion Evans, Dennis Lee and Dodson. Finally, the other element to this 2021-22 sendoff is our annual Bay Area 75 list of the Bay’s top athletes across all sports, ranked from 75-1. It’s our 10th consecutive year of generating the list, and every time we do it we’re blown away by the amount of athletic talent in the region. When scouring nine counties looking for the best 75 athletes, there are always insanely tough cuts and even a few misses. We’re starting something new this year, though: The Bay Area 75 Next Gen. A list of 10 underclassmen we considered for the list but didn’t quite make it — though we expect them to in 2022-23. Look for that on SportStarsMag.com by July 21. And now, well, it’s two weeks until football practice starts and then we do it all over again. We can’t wait. ✪

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6.27.14 Miramonte High three-sport star Drew Anderson is photographed during a cover shoot for the 2013-14 Bay Area 75 Rankings. The future collegiate quarterback finished No. 1 in the rankings that year after banner seasons in football, basketball and baseball. Who’s No. 1 for 202122? Find out on Page 14. PHOTO BY PHILLIP WALTON

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Spring Honor Roll

With The Girls Junior Indoor Season Wrapped Up, NCVA Offers A Shoutout To Its Most Successful Clubs From This Past Spring In a spring that almost felt normal again, NCVA was proud to offer its usual slate of Power League play and regional qualifying tournaments. The NCVA Power League is a seven-day league (spread across multiple months), where teams can earn regional bids to the USAV Girls National Championship annually held in late June-early July. This year’s event took place in Indianapolis. As a thank you to all the clubs who participated in Power League or attended one of the qualifying tournaments, NCVA wanted to offer recognition to every team who earned a national bid this spring. The NCVA looks forward to seeing all of the Power League teams back this coming season, as well as all of the clubs and teams across the United States planning to visit Reno for the No Dinx/NCVA Far Western National Qualifier. Will your club be on this list after April 2023? 6

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ABSOLUTE VB CLUB (San Rafael) Absolute 12 Black Absolute 13 Black Absolute 13 Pink Absolute 14 Black Absolute 15 Black Absolute 15 Pink Absolute 16 Black Absolute 16 Pink Absolute 17 Black Absolute 17 Pink Absolute Black 18-1 Absolute Pink 18-2

ACADEMY VB CLUB (Redwood City) Academy 13 HP Luciana Academy 14 HP Daniele

Red Rock 13 Praneet Red Rock 14 Robin Red Rock 15 Karsen Red Rock 16 Chi

SAND CITY VB CLUB (Monterey) Sand 15 National

Academy 17 HP Kyle

San Francisco Tremors VB Club (S.F.)

CLUB SOLANO VB (Fairfield)

SF Tremors 11 Cheetahs

Academy 16 HP Denny

Club Solano 12 Maroon Club Solano 13 Maroon

DELTA VALLEY VB CLUB (Stockton) Delta Valley 18-1

FIVE STARZ VB CLUB (Davis/Woodland) Five Starz 17 Debby

MARIN JUNIORS VB CLUB (San Rafael) MARIN Black 12-1 MARIN Black 13-1 MARIN Black 14-1 MARIN Black 15-1 MARIN Black 17-1

PULSE VB CLUB (Ripon) Pulse 17 Black Pulse 18 Black

RAGE VB CLUB (Ripon) RAGE 13 GARREN RAGE 14 CARMELO RAGE 15 GREG RAGE 16 AMBER RAGE 16 GARREN RAGE 17 GREG RAGE 18 CORY & KATIE

RED ROCK VB CLUB (East Bay/S.F.) Red Rock 12 Scott P.

SF Tremors 13 Wolverines SF Tremors 14 Palkons SF Tremors 14 Wolverines SF Tremors 15 Palkons SF Tremors 16 Wolverines SF Tremors 17 Wolverines

SLAINTE VB CLUB (S.F) Slainte Black 18-1

STINGRAY VB CLUB (San Jose) Stingray Black 18-1

UC ELITE VB CLUB (Hayward) UC ELITE 13 Vivian UC ELITE 14 Oliver

VISION VB CLUB (San Jose) Vision 11 Blue Vision 11 Gold Vision 12 Gold Vision 13 Blue Vision 13 Gold Vision 14 Blue Vision 14 Gold Vision 15 Blue Vision 15 Gold Vision 16 Gold Vision 17 Blue Vision 17 Gold Vision 18 Blue Vision 18 Gold ✪

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THE FIRST 50

55. Zack Card

›› 75. Amaya Bonner (Archibishop Mitty-San Jose, Sr.), Basketball ›› 74. Jamai East (Vanden-Fairfield, Sr.), Football ›› 73. Megan Minturn (RedwoodLarkspur, Sr.), Lacrosse ›› 72. Caden Carney (TamalpaisMill Valley, Sr.), Cross Country/ Track ›› 71. Mari Testa (CampolindoMoraga, Jr.), Track ›› 70. Luke Dermon (De La SalleConcord, Sr.), Lacrosse/Football ›› 69. TJ Costello (Dublin, Sr.), Football/Basketball/Baseball ›› 68. Jalen Moss (Menlo-AthertonAtherton, Sr.), Football ›› 67. Grace Oliva (Marin CatholicKentfield, Sr.), Volleyball ›› 66. Teddy Booras (California-San Marin, Sr.), Football/Baseball ›› 65. Gracyn Lovette (Marin Catholic-Kentfield, Sr.), Basketball/ Softball ›› 64. Audrey Liddle (Archbishop Mitty, Jr.), Volleyball ›› 63. Hassan Mahasin (Serra-San Mateo, Sr.), Football ›› 62. Cooper Han (Menlo SchoolAtherton, Fr.), Tennis ›› 61. Olivia DiNardo (Aragon-San Mateo, Sr.), Softball

Welcome to our tenth annual Bay Area 75 rankings — SportStars’ countdown of the top 75 Bay Area athletes from the 2021-22 school year. The 2021-22 high school sports year wasn’t entirely, but it was the closest thing we’d had in nearly two years. And the Bay Area’s athletes were ready to make up for lost time.

50. Sophia Nordenholz

›› 53. Zoey Zeller (Gilroy, Jr.), Swimming ›› 52. Nic Bronzini (California), Baseball

As always, our only criteria used in generating the list is that the

›› 51. Jay’Vion Cole (McClymonds-

›› 60. Jake Calcagno (California-

athletes must compete at a school from within one of the nine

Oakland, Sr.), Football/Track

San Ramon, Sr.), Football

Bay Area counties, and they must have played in a sport which

›› 50. Sophia Nordenholz (Albany,

culminated in a sanctioned section title or reached a national-level

Sr.), Cross Country/Track

of success (i.e., won a national championship or been appointed to a

›› 49. Makayla Winchell (Granada-

›› 59. Malcolm Zalayet (Marin Academy-San Rafael), Soccer ›› 58. Natalie Pascoe (San Ramon Valley-Danville), Basketball

Livermore, Sr.), Softball

youth national team).

›› 57. Yuna McCormack

The first 50 athletes were revealed at SportStarsMag.com on July

(Tamalpais, Jr.), Soccer

18 and 19. Visit our home page to see individual write-ups for all 50.

›› 56. Taryn Kern (Archbishop Mitty, Sr.), Softball ›› 55. Zack Card (Pittsburg, Jr.), Football/Track ›› 54. Charlotte Edwards (St. Ignatius-S.F.), Lacrosse 8

A Countdown Of The Bay Area’s Top Athletes From The 2021-22 School Year

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July 2022

All sports fans know rankings are an opinion, and certainly

›› 48. Cate Peters (Monte VistaDanville, Jr.), Track ›› 47. Jacob Hudson (Valley Christian-San Jose, Jr.), Baseball

subjective. They also spark debate and conversation, which is why

›› 46. Tianna Bell (Heritage-

we love them. So don’t hesitate to give us your thoughts. We’re

Brentwood, Sr.), Softball

looking forward to it. ✪

›› 45. Jaclyn LaHa (Amador Valley-

— Chace Bryson, Editor Always More To Read at SportStarsMag.com

Pleasanton), Golf

›› 44. Isaiah Cortez (Gilroy, Fr.), Wrestling

›› 35. Hanne Thomsen (Montgomery-Santa

›› 43. Maggie Hawkins (Campolindo, Sr.), Water

Rosa, So.), Cross Country/Track

Polo

›› 34. Jaden Dumdumaya (De La Salle, So.), Golf

›› 42. Jaden Rashada (Pittsburg, Sr.), Football

›› 33. Jathiyah Muhammad (Dublin, So.), Track

›› 41. Tyler Dutto (Miramonte-Orinda, Sr.),

›› 32. Charlotte Kohler (St. Francis-Mountain

Football/Basketball

View, So.), Soccer

›› 40. Ryan Beasley (Dougherty Valley-San

›› 31. Josh Ewert (Campolindo, Sr.), Volleyball

Ramon, Jr.), Basketball

›› 30. Cody Merrill (Gilroy, So.), Wrestling

›› 39. Jordan Woolery (Clayton Valley-Concord,

›› 29. Sergio Beltran (Menlo School, Sr.), Foot-

Sr.), Softball

ball/Lacrosse

›› 38. Sam Calkins (Liberty-Brentwood, Sr.),

›› 28. Amanda Muse (Heritage, Jr.), Basketball/

Wrestling

Water Polo

›› 37. Blake Rogers (St. Francis-Mountain View,

›› 27. Hannah Slover (Los Gatos, Sr.), Volleyball/

Sr.), Baseball

Track

›› 36. Nick Walsh (Foothill-Pleasanton, Sr.),

›› 26. Nyla Valencia (Sobrato-Morgan Hill, So.),

Football/Baseball

Wrestling

25. GAYATHRI KRISHNAN (Cupertino, Jr.) Tennis The Columbia-commit is a 5-star recruit that TennisRecruiting.com has listed as the top recruit in the state and No. 7 recruit in the nation for the 2023 Class. She claimed the Central Coast Section singles championship with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win over Menlo-Atherton’s Ava Martin.

24. MAX SLOAT (Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton, Sr.) Lacrosse, Soccer A lacrosse scoring machine, the Duke-bound Sloat racked up 99 goals over just 21 games in spring. He had 15 assists for a Gators squad that reached the CCS finals, and he was recently selected to compete in the 17th Annual Senior All-America Game on July 30 in Baltimore. Sloat was also a contributor to a Sacred Heart soccer team that won 16 games and was second in the West Bay Athletic League.

23. KING-NJHSANNI WILHITE (Riordan-S.F., Jr.) Basketball Numerous postseason honors befell Wilhite after he was the catalyst to the Crusader’s first CCS Open Division championship. He averaged 23.3 points per game but scored 29 in the CCS final against a Mitty-San Jose team that had beaten Riordan twice earlier in the season. He also dropped 35 in a CIF NorCal Open Div. playoff win over De La Salle-Concord. He was named the S.F. Chronicle’s Metro Player of the Year and was a second-team AllState selection (CalHiSports.com).

22. LUTHER K. GLENN (Wilcox-Santa Clara, Sr.) Football A shifty running back who could make opponents miss, or run right over them, did both for a Wilcox team which went 10-5 and reached the CIF 2-A State Bowl game. His 2,366 yards led all of NorCal and was third in the state among reported stats. He scored Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

22. Luther K. Glenn

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29 TDs on the ground and added 424 yards receiving and seven more scores for the CCS and NorCal champs. He averaged 10.2 yards per carry.

21. ELLA WOODHEAD (Sacred Heart Prep, Sr.) Water Polo She’ll join defending NCAA-champion Stanford this fall, but she may require a quick breather after a July that saw her compete for the U.S. Youth National Team at the PanAm Junior Championships. It’s not her first national team exposure either after having spent time training and competing with the team in Greece in 2021. Her senior year efforts helped lead the Gators to CCS and NorCal semifinals. She was named first team All-America by the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association.

20. MORGAN CHELI (Archbishop Mitty-San Jose, So.) Basketball If there’s a betting favorite for NorCal Girls Basketball Player of the Year for the next two years, Cheli should be it. The 6-foot-2 combo guard helped propel the Monarchs to CCS and NorCal Open Division championships, leading them in nearly every category. She averaged 14.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 3.1 assists per game. She spent a good part of her July competing for Team USA at the U17 World Championships in Hungary.

19. JUSTIN GUIN (San Marin-Novato, Sr.) Football, Basketball The SF Chronicle’s Co-Metro Player of the Year and SportStars All-NorCal selection did it all for the 14-win CIF 5-AA State Bowl champs. His 2,359 yards and 36 rushing TDs both ranked second in NorCal and were each top 5 marks in the state. While he trailed Luther K. Glenn on those leaderboards, he’s above him on this list due to being a two-way player that also added 97 tackles, 12 pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.

18. ETHAN HARRINGTON (Palo Alto, Jr.) Swimming Harrington was far and away the Bay’s most accomplished swimmer during the spring season. He was a four-time champion at the CCS Championships, winning both the 50- and 100yard freestyles in addition to leading both freestyle relay teams to victories. He carried that momentum to the state meet where he set a new meet record en route to winning the 50 freestyle in 19.85 seconds. He also won gold in the 100 and picked up silver as part of the 200 free relay. Swimcloud.com has him ranked the No. 3 recruit in the state for the 2023 class.

20. Morgan Cheli

17. ELLE LADINE (Pinewood-Los Altos Hills, Sr.) Basketball A CalHiSports first team All-State selection and MaxPreps NorCal Player of the Year were just a few of the many honors bestowed upon the Washington-bound star. Ladine averaged a ridiculous double-double of 23.4 points and 14.7 rebounds a game — for a 22-win elite Pinewood team that traditionally plays one of NorCal’s toughest schedules. She had a triple double against Crystal Springs-Upland, and an 18-point, 30-rebound, 6-assist effort against Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F..

16. TALANA LEPOLO (Carondelet-Concord, Sr.) Basketball Lepolo was CalHiSports.com’s NorCal Player of the Year and a first-team All-State selection. The Stanford-bound guard was the best two-way player in the bay. She was a relentless defender (4.5 steals per game) who could do whatever needed to be done on the offensive end as well. She averaged 15.4 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists in leading the Cougars to an NCS Open championship and the CIF NorCal Open final — a game in which she had 32 points and six assists in a losing effort. 10

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19. Justin Guin

16. Talana Lepolo

15. Jurrion Dickey

15. JURRION DICKEY (Valley Christian-San Jose, Jr.) Football There was quite a bit of talent on the Valley Christian football team during the 2021 season, so Dickey wasn’t a one-man show. But he could’ve been if needed. The big-build, big-play wideout caught 78 balls for 1,304 yards and 19 scores. He finished with 23 total TDs and also served as the team’s punter (big fun for defense and special teams coaches). The 4-star Oregon commit is listed among the Top 60 recruits and Top 10 WR in the country for the 2023 class

14. GRAYCE OLSON (Foothill-Pleasanton, Sr.) Volleyball A 6-foot-4 hitting machine, Olson led the state with 655 kills for a Falcons team which won 29 games this past fall. The UCLA-bound star also added 314 digs, 32 blocks and 71 aces. She was recently included in VolleyballMag.com’s Fab 50 list of the top national recruits from the 2022 class.

14. Grayce Olson

13. JENNIFER SOTO (Gilroy, Sr.) Wrestling In her first year at Gilroy after transferring from Orland High, Soto won her third CIF State Championship in as many tries. She was technically perfect in Bakersfield for her career since there were no 2021 championships held due to the pandemic. She was the 111- and 121-pound champion her first two years at Orland, and finished with the 126-pound crown as a Mustang. She won her first four matches by pin and claimed a 2-1 decision in the championship match. FloWrestling.com currently ranks her No. 2 in the nation at 126s, and No. 10 across all divisions (pound-forpound). Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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12. VILIAMI TEU (St. Francis-Mountain View, Sr.) Football Teu was SportStars’ choice for NorCal Offensive Player of the Year after the San Jose Statebound running back helped propel the Lancers to a remarkable season. Teu saved his biggest performances for the Lancers’ biggest games, which included a 4 TD effort against BellarmineSan Jose and a 45-carry, 344-yard showing in a win over Serra-San Mateo. He finished with 2,211 yards and 27 touchdowns. He added another 651 yards in return and receiving yards and set a WCAL record for league rushing yards with 1,449.

11. MEGHAN MCANINCH (Miramonte-Orinda, Jr.) Water Polo The USC-commit earned Diablo Athletic League MVP honors and joined Ella Woodhead on the list of NISCA first team All-Americans. McAninch was the linchpin of a ridiculously talented Matadors team that finished a perfect 28-0 and claimed NCS Open and CIF NorCal Div. I titles. She was also recently named to the Women’s Youth National Team.

10. ADEN VALENCIA (Sobrato-Morgan Hill, So.) Wrestling A U15 world champion in both freestyle and greco-roman wrestling a year ago, Valencia remains one of the best lightweight wrestlers in the nation. FloWrestling.com currently ranks him No. 6 in the nation for the 126-pound division — which is the weight he’s wrestling at in the USMC Junior Freestyle Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota, this month. He took third in that weight class at his first CIF State Championships in February. He went 6-1 at the tournament, winning every match by decision. He won his CCS title with two pins, an injury default, and a tech fall in the final.

9. AIDAN MAHANEY (Campolindo-Moraga, Sr.) Basketball After battling nagging and freak injuries over the past two seasons, Mahaney was finally able

11. Meghan McAninch

to let loose for his final season. The Saint Mary’s College-bound four-year starter averaged 17.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists and was the consummate leader for a Cougars team that went 28-2 and won the NCS Open Division. It was the program’s first section title since 2008. They also reached the NorCal Open final where they lost a heartbreaker to Modesto Christian — Mahaney had 27 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in the loss.

8. GRIFFEN PRICE (Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton, Sr.) Water Polo The Stanford-bound senior is widely considered the best high school goalkeeper in the country, and might arguably be in the best player conversation as well after leading the Gators to a 28-3 season that included CCS Open and CIF Division I titles. The Gators also took first place finishes in the Elite 12 Tournament and North v South Challenge, as well as taking third in the prestigious South Coast Tournament. Price averaged eight saves per game and allowed an average of just five goals per match. He was the CCS MVP and first team selection on the CAHawaii All-America Team.

7. HENRY BOLTE (Palo Alto, Sr.) Baseball Bolte was among five finalists for CalHiSports.com’s Mr. Baseball (state player of the year) award and was considered among the Top 40 draft prospects in the country prior to the MLB Draft that began on July 17. Bolte wound up being selected by the Oakland A’s in the second round (56th overall) and will have to choose between signing or heading to the University of Texas. His electric five-tool talent was obvious in leading the Vikings to 26 wins. The outfielder hit .441 with 13 HR, 42 RBI and added 48 stolen bases. 12

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6. SYDNEY STEWART (St. Francis-Mountain View, Sr.) Softball, Basketball Her .678 on-base percentage would have led the Lancers if she wasn’t teammates with NorCal Player of the Year Jess Oakland. The Washington-bound talent had 44 hits, 34 walks, 15 HR and 53 RBI for the 31-2 CCS and NorCal champs. Before she hit the diamond, though, Stewart was the leading scorer and rebounder for a 17-9 team that made the CCS Open tournament and the CIF Division I field. She averaged 14.4 points and 8.7 rebounds a game while adding 1.4 blocks a night. 6. Sydney Stewart

In the final game of her career, she posted a double-double of 30 points and 13 boards in a 62-60 NorCal loss to Laguna Creek-Elk Grove.

5. ZEKE BERRY (De La Salle-Concord, Sr.) Football It was hard to watch De La Salle in 2021 without noticing the many ways that Berry could impact a football game. There also weren’t many spots on the football field that Berry couldn’t play. In some practices, he lined up in as many nine spots. In games, he could end up in as many as five. SportStars named him its NorCal Defensive Player of the Year, though his position on the All-NorCal team was multi-purpose. His defensive dominance was mostly achieved at safety (35 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and an interception), but he also showcased his talent in special teams (2 kick return TDs), receiving (120 yards, TD) and passing (4-for-5, 196 yards and 2 TDs) for the NCS Open Div. champs. His collegiate career begins at Michigan in the fall.

4. THEO SNOEY (Head Royce-Oakland, Sr.) Volleyball, Soccer

3. MEGAN GRANT (Aragon-San Mateo, Sr.) Softball, Basketball, Volleyball

Named to VolleyballMag.com’s Fab 50 national recruit list with a special

Grant officially becomes the newest member of the Bay Area 75 Four-

designation as one the Top 5 in the 2022 Class, Snoey will take his 6-8

Timers Club. A constant three-sport standout throughout her high school

power hitting frame to Stanford in the fall. He’ll be doing so after helping

career (when COVID allowed), Grant finished out her time with the Dons

hsi club, Bay-to-Bay 18-1s, finish as national runners-up at the AAU Na-

the same way she came in — playing as much as she could, and making

tionals in Florida. He was also named to the Junior Volleyball Association

it look easy. Starting with the sport that’s sending her to UCLA, Grant hit

All-National Team on June 20 and to the U21 National Training Team (after

.511 with 25 runs, 22 RBI and six home runs over 18 games for Aragon.

also being part of the U19 National Training Team a year ago) on June 29.

She also found time to win a pair of international gold medals with the U18

During the spring he led Head-Royce to an 18-1 record and a trip to the

National Team, including going 7-for-16 and earning All-World Honors at

NCS Div. IV semifinals. During the 2021 fall soccer season, Snoey’s length

the Women’s Softball World Cup in Peru. In basketball she ranked third on

made him a fantastic goalkeeper for the Jayhawks. He split keeper duties

the team in scoring (9.5 point per game) and led the Dons in rebounds (7.0

and allowed just seven goals in 10 games. He had two shutouts and was in

per game). Aragon won the CCS Div. II title and Grant had a double-double

goal for the entirety of the team’s lone playoff win.

of 12 points and 17 boards in the game. In her first year of varsity volleyball, she became a regular rotation player at middle blocker and helped lead Aragon to the CCS Div. II semis.

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1. JESS OAKLAND (St. Francis-Mountain View, Sr.) Softball To be No. 1 on this list, you typically have to be a multi-sport star, or be among the absolute best in the state at your one sport. Jess Oakland absolutely checks the latter box. CalHiSports.com settled the

2. RAY-JOHN SPEARS (Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F., Sr.) Football, Basketball

best-in-the-state argument when it ordained Oakland as its Ms. Softball State Player of the Year winner

Spears is the legit type of multi-sport star

This season it was 52 hits, 52 run and 67 RBI. She hit .578 and had an on-base percentage of .687. An

that this list is designed to honor. When

astounding 32 of her 52 hits went for extra bases, including 21 home runs. She had a .914 fielding per-

the Fighting Irish football team got off to

centage with just five errors at shortstop, and she struck out just eight times in 119 plate appearances.

brutal 0-5 start to the season, head coach

And perhaps the most important stat of all: 31 wins. The Lancers went 31-2 and claimed CCS and Nor-

Barry McLaughlin made the decision to

Cal championships. She becomes the third female and first softball player to finish atop the Bay Area 75

simply put his best athlete behind center.

rankings.

for 2022. And really, it would’ve been hard to go with just about anybody else. Oakland wrapped up her four-year varsity career with her name etched across several categories in the CalHiSports State Record Book. The Minnesota-bound star infielder went 50-50-50 in runs, hits and RBI for the second straight season.

That was Spears, and the rest is history. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior completed 62 percent of his passes while throwing for 25 touchdowns and more than 2,000 yards. He also rushed for 600 yards and six more TDs. He won eight starts and led the Irish to a CCS Div. III crown and a CIF 4-A State Bowl Championship. Spears threw for five TD in the state win. Then he transitioned to his natural sport of hoops where he averaged 19.6 points, 3.7 rebonds, 2.5 assists and 1.9 steals over 15 contests. He was named to the first team of CalHiSports.com’s All-State Grid-Hoop team in July. 14

SportStars™

July 2022

CHART TOPPERS History of Bay Area 75 Athletes To Earn The #1 Ranking. Year

Athlete

School

Sport

2021-22

Jess Oakland

St. Francis-Mountain View

Softball

2020-21

Amit Elor

College Park-Pleasant Hill

Wrestling

2019-20

Chase Saldate

Gilroy

Wrestling

2018-19

Haley Jones

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

Basketball

2017-18

Haley Jones

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

Basketball

2016-17

Marquel Johnson

St. Patrick-St. Vincent-Vallejo

Football, Basketball, Baseball

2015-16

Najee Harris

Antioch

Football

2014-15

Ivan Rabb

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland

Basketball

2013-14

Drew Anderson

Miramonte-Orinda

Football, Basketball, Baseball

2012-13

Aaron Gordon

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

Basketball

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Edward Finones (80) and a number of his Pittsburg High teammates rush out of their trademark orange smoke and onto the Pirates Stadium turf prior to their nonleague game with Valley Christian-San Jose. Pittsburg reached the North Coast Section Open final and played in its first CIF NorCal playoff game since 2017.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Dougherty Valley cross country standouts (L to R) Andy Richards, Rhea Braganza, Shane Badcock and Sabrina Noriega watch a Wildcats football practice from atop the grandstand; Lincoln High volleyball standout Megan Colyer delivers one of her 607 kills from the 2021 season; Inderkum-Sacramento senior Jeremiah Tyes (1) elevates in an attempt to block a point-after attempt against Jesuit-Sacramento; Miramonte-Orinda water polo’s Anna Painter looks for an open teammate; Central Catholic-Modesto receiver Nolan Croasdale stretches out for a touchdown catch at Oakdale; Members of the Folsom High football team line up to catch their SJS Championship hats; Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton junior water polo standout Hassen Hove looks to pass; Archbishop Mitty-San Jose volleyball players (L to R) Klaudia Barbarossa, Audrey Liddle and Katelyn Cook await a serve. Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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Del Oro senior All-Sierra Foothill League guard Madison Butcher greets her teammates as she takes the court during starting lineups prior to a home game against Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills. Butcher led the 23-9 Eagles in scoring by averaging 17.2 points per game. She also averaged 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.3 steals over 31 contests. She will play for Sacramento State this winter.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Modesto Christian senior BJ Davis prepares to D-up at the MLK Classic Showcase at De La Salle-Concord; Rocklin High girls wrestler Kayla Pflueger leaps into the arms of coach Gus Barone after winning an SJS Masters title; Oakdale wrestler Michael Torres seems to asks ‘Are you not entertained?’; Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills star Teagen Brown offers a moment of levity in the waning moments of a victory; Archbishop Mitty-San Jose sophomore phenom Morgan Cheli launches a 3-pointer during the CIF Open Division State Championship; Watsonville goalkeeper Mateo Arias can’t quite reach the shot on goal by Whitney-Rocklin’s Robbie Mora; Vacaville wrestler Kainoa Ramirez upends Victor Ramirez of Central Catholic-Modesto. Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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1. Folsom

11-4

1. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

36-8

1. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

30-2

2. De La Salle-Concord

10-3

3. Serra-San Mateo

11-2

2. St. Francis-Mountain View

20-12

2. Carondelet-Concord

26-3

4. St. Francis-Mountain View

11-1

3. Marin Catholic-Kentfield

28-3

3. Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

26-6

5. Rocklin

12-1

4. Menlo School-Atherton

29-7

4. Pinewood-Los Altos Hills

22-3

6. Pittsburg

9-3

5. Lincoln

30-3

5. San Ramon Valley-Danville

26-5

7. Jesuit-Sacramento

10-2

6. St. Ignatius-S.F.

25-9

6. Salesian-Richmond

21-5

8. Bellarmine-San Jose

8-4

7. Hillsdale-San Mateo

27-3

7. Folsom

26-4

9. Central Catholic-Modesto

13-1

8. Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

34-6

8. St. Ignatius-S.F.

21-9

10. McClymonds-Oakland

12-1

9. Los Gatos

25-9

9. St. Mary’s-Stockton

21-8

11. St. Mary’s-Stockton

10-2

10. Branson-Ross

26-5

10. Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland

17-9

12. Los Gatos

10-1

11. Amador Valley-Pleasanton

25-8

11. Valley Christian-San Jose

21-8

13. Valley Christian-San Jose

6-5

12. Christian Brothers-Sacramento 30-7

12. Vanden-Fairfield

26-4

14. Menlo-Atherton-Atherton

9-3

15. Clayton Valley-Concord

9-4

13. Foothill-Pleasanton

29-5

13. Laguna Creek-Elk Grove

26-3

16. Vanden-Fairfield

13-2

14. Monte Vista-Danville

24-10

14. Antelope

25-7

17. Wilcox-Santa Clara

10-5

15. Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa

28-5

15. Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa

23-6

18. Marin Catholic-Kentfield

14-1

16. Redwood-Larkspur

30-6

16. Oakland Tech

21-11

19. San Marin-Novato

13-1

17. Burlingame

26-7

17. Moreau Catholic-Hayward

25-6

20. Granite Bay

8-3

18. St. Francis-Sacramento

24-10

18. Monte Vista-Danville

21-10

21. Sacred Heart Cathedral

8-7

19. Salinas

28-5

19. Marin Catholic-Kentfield

27-5

22. Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park

10-2

20. Cosumnes Oaks-Elk Grove

21-10

20. Lincoln-Stockton

22-10

23. Windsor

11-2

21. Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton

23-6

21. St. Francis-Mountain View

17-9

24. Manteca

10-4

22. Carondelet-Concord

21-13

22. Piedmont

23-7

25. Menlo School-Atherton

12-1

23. Granite Bay

24-17

23. Acalanes-Lafayette

25-4

GET MORE: Our Expanded Final Top 35

24. University Prep-Redding

42-5

24. Vista del Lago-Folsom

26-4

Can Be Viewed By Clicking HERE.

25. Santa Cruz

26-8

25. Del Oro-Loomis

23-8

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July 2022

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1. Modesto Christian

30-6

1. De La Salle-Concord

27-6

1. St. Francis-Mountain View

31-2

2. Campolindo-Moraga

28-2

2. St. Francis-Moutain View

31-5

2. Sheldon-Sacramento

28-6

3. Riordan-S.F.

21-9

3. Foothill-Pleasanton

26-6

3. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

26-5

4. De La Salle-Concord

22-6

4. Palo Alto

26-7

4. Sutter

31-1

5. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

23-6

5. Valley Christian-San Jose

24-7-1

5. Heritage-Brentwood

24-4-1

6. St. Ignatius-S.F.

23-8

6. Bellarmine-San Jose

22-10-1

6. Del Oro-Loomis

27-5

7. Inderkum-Sacramento

28-3

7. Woodcreek-Roseville

25-3

7. St. Francis-Sacramento

26-5

8. Sheldon-Sacramento

22-11

8. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

24-10

8. Lincoln-Stockton

27-5-1

9. Lincoln-Stockton

26-6

9. California-San Ramon

23-6

9. Benicia

24-7

10. Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton

25-5

10. Del Campo-Fair Oaks

27-5

10. Livermore

24-4-1

11. Miramonte-Orinda

24-6

11. Granite Bay

21-14

11. Granada-Livermore

26-5

12. Elk Grove

28-6

12. Whitney-Rocklin

28-6

12. Vista del Lago-Folsom

24-5-1

13. Clayton Valley-Concord

21-10

13. McClatchy-Sacramento

29-5

13. Vanden-Fairfield

20-1

14. Ponderosa-Shingle Springs

27-1

14. College Park-Pleasant Hill

16-9

14. Central Catholic-Modesto

27-5-1

15. Folsom

24-7

15. Franklin-Elk Grove

24-7

15. Folsom

20-6-1

16. Granada-Livermore

17-9

16. Clayton Valley-Concord

21-5

16. Notre Dame-Salinas

21-8

17. Grant-Sacramento

25-4

17. Elk Grove

20-9

17. East Nicolaus

29-3

18. Pleasant Valley-Chico

32-3

18. Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa 24-6

18. Elk Grove

21-7-1

19. Northgate-Walnut Creek

20-9

19. Vanden-Fairfield

28-5

19. Vintage-Napa

21-4

20. Oakland Tech

23-5

20. Sacred Heart Cathedral

17-11-1

20. Marin Catholic-Kentfield

22-4

21. Branson-Ross

28-6

21. Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

17-15

21. Oakdale

26-3-1

22. Dougherty Valley-San Ramon

21-7

22. San Ramon Valley-Danville

16-11

22. Dixon

24-2-1

23. Vanden-Fairfield

21-13

23. Pleasant Valley-Chico

27-4

23. Aragon-San Mateo

18-6

24. Dublin

16-8

24. Rio Americano-Sacramento

21-13

24. Pinole Valley

24-3-1

25. San Ramon Valley-Danville

18-10

25. Rodriguez-Fairfield

26-4

25. Redwood-Larkspur

21-7

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Valley Christian-San Jose junior pitcher Michael Castaneda fires a pitch in one of the Warriors first games of the season on Feb. 27 at Elk Grove. Castaneda would go on to post a 7-2 record with three saves and a 2.25 ERA on the season as Valley Christian finished 25-8-1 and among NorCal’s Top 5 teams. He had 71 strikeouts and just 16 walks over 65.1 innings pitched. Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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July 2022

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Clayton Valley-Concord’s UCLA-bound shortstop Jordan Woolery takes a throw from the outfield and looks to tag out Benicia’s Lorenzza Marcacci at second base; Lodi long jumper Maceo McDowell splashes down in the sand at the CIF State Championships; Elk Grove second baseman Eddie Fines fires to first base; De La Salle sophomore golf standout Jaden Dumdumaya lines up a birdie putt at the North Coast Section Championships; Sophia Nordenholz of Albany looks to catch her breath after finishing the 3200 meters at the NCS Meet of Champions; The St. Francis-Sacramento softball team greets Grace Jenkins at home plate after her home run in the team’s SJS playoff win; Benicia infielders Lorenzza Marcacci, left, and Grace French celebrate their NCS championship win; Members of the College Park-Pleasant Hill boys volleyball team stand arm-in-arm after winning a Div. I section title. Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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Woodcreek-Roseville senior outfield Zack Malone closes in on a shallow fly ball during the Timberwolves game against Oakmont-Roseville at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento. Woodcreek won the game 4-1 to extend a 22game winning streak. The Timberwolves would finish the season 25-3 and several of the team’s key seniors will be continuing their career at four-year colleges. That includes Malone who will attend Sacramento State in the fall.

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July 2022

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