Two of this week’s best are Linnah Rebolledo from Ramona of Riverside and Brandon McCoy of San Diego Cathedral Catholic. Photos: teamsmithsoftball.org & indihoops.com.
Brandon McCoy of San Diego Cathedral Catholic says don’t forget about me with 41-point playoff game, younger sister of D1 college running back scores 28 points in playoff game, Jonny DeLuca of Agoura gets six hits in first game and two different girls start out their softball seasons by hitting two home runs in their first game and in their second game. We’ll now start with baseball, softball players mixed with basketball and will do one more week of that at least before switching this feature fully to baseball-softball.
Note: We will collect totals from MaxPreps, newspapers, tweets and from those sent in to us. We also will compile single-game highs from this post throughout the season and of course we use our weekly State Stat Stars collection as an aid for the Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book. That is the only state record book anyone has ever done and we have published it seven times with full copyright protection. To report totals to us for this feature and for the record book, email markjtennis@gmail.com or call 209-608-1317. You can also text to 209-608-1317.
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(All players listed in alphabetical order)
(Writeups also by Cal-Hi Sports editor Mark Tennis & CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett)
(For games played through Saturday, Feb. 25 with some games from this week)
BOYS BASKETBALL
Riley Battin (Oak Park)
Despite his 32 points and 10 rebounds, the Eagles ended up losing 75-65 to Roosevelt of Eastvale in the CIF Southern Section Open Division consolation round. Battin and his team will be one to watch in upcoming CIF Division I SoCal regional playoffs.
Point guard Elishja Duplechan is having a more than solid season so far for Sheldon of Sacramento. Photo: Ronnie Flores
Bryce Hamilton (Pasadena)
Regarded as one of the top combo guards on the West Coast among juniors, Hamilton has led the Bulldogs to the CIFSS Division 1A title game. In a 75-66 win in the semifinals against Peninsula of Rolling Hills Estates, Hamilton iwith 29 points and eight rebounds. He also had 20 in the quarterfinals against Corona del Mar of Newport Beach.
Jaylen Hands (Foothills Christian, El Cajon)
Facing his former team, this UCLA-bound standout had 33 points and 10 rebounds as the Knights advanced in the CIF San Diego Section Open Division playoffs with a 64-57 win over Mater Dei Catholic of Chula Vista.
Elishaja Duplechan (Sheldon, Sacramento)
The Huskies will be playing for a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship on Saturday night, partly with help of him scoring 29 points last week during their 86-53 win over Granite Bay.
Brandon McCoy (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego)
It’s been a relatively quiet senior season for McCoy partly because his team at Cathedral Catholic hasn’t been as strong as last season. Still, he’s rolling now. McCoy rampaged for 41 points in the Dons’ CIF San Diego Section Division 1 playoff game last week vs. Grossmont of La Mesa and then scored 27 in a another victory against Poway.
David Rico (Kerman)
The senior standout scored 30 points or better for the eighth time this season and did it with 30 points in a 69-53 win over Central Valley Christian in the CIF Central Section D4 playoffs. Rico also pushed his total to 1,991 career points in three years of varsity play.
Jade’ Smith (St. Joseph Notre Dame, Alameda)
Just missing a triple-double, the Cal-bound guard for one of the top teams in Northern California had nine points, 11 rebounds, 10 steals and six assists during a 56-32 win over Healdsburg in the CIF North Coast Section Division IV playoffs.
Cam-Ron Wilson (Central, Fresno)
The 6-foot-5 junior had a career night by scoring 30 points, many due to baskets from beyond the 3-point line as the Grizzlies beat Centennial of Bakersfield 78-54 in the Central Section Division I playoffs.
Michael Woods (Burbank)
What a year it’s been for Burbank after the football team’s historic run to a CIFSS title game last fall and now Woods and the basketball team will be playing this weekend in the school’s first CIFSS final in 91 years. In a 76-71 win last week against Rancho Mirage in the D3AA semifinals, Woods made the Mirage disappear with 30 points and 11 rebounds.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Rachel Bowers (Canyon, Canyon Country)
Dominating in the paint, she scored 16 points and grabbed 22 rebounds as the Cowgirls advanced in the CIFSS Division IAA playoffs with a 49-43 win over Sonora of La Habra.
Hannah Jump was one of the top freshmen in California last season. Photo: Harold Abend.
Dynnah Buckner (Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga)
This transfer from Bloomington Christian is making a big impact at her new school. Buckner, a 5-foot-9 guard, had 26 points in a 56-46 victory against Viewpoint of Calabasas that advanced the Grizzlies into this week’s CIFSS Division 3A title game. In her previous game, Buckner also had 26 points as Los Osos topped Crossroads of Santa Monica 64-45.
Lizzy Buzzelli (Thousand Oaks)
There was a buzz in the building when this senior had the basketball as she scored game-high 19 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to help the Lancers defeat Bishop Amat of La Puente 50-40. With the win, Thousand Oaks advanced to the CIFSS Division 3AA championship game.
Sam Erisman (Menlo School, Atherton)
Recent NorCal Player of the Week scored 28 points in a 62-49 CCS quarterfinals win over Monte Vista Christian of Watsonville to move to No. 5 among Menlo School girls’ basketball all-time scoring leaders (points).
Kate Goostrey (Rosary, Fullerton)
While she may not have had as huge of a scoring night as some on this week’s list, this freshman did come up big during a 76-75 overtime win against Twentynine Palms. She scored 20 points and her final two points came at the buzzer to give the Royals the CIF-SS Division 2AA playoff win.
Hannah Hurley (Kern Valley, Lake Isabella)
She ended her sophomore season strongly by scoring 31 points, going 8-for-9 at the free-throw line, and snaring nine rebounds in a 72-48 win over Fowler. Hurley’s season ended in a loss earlier this week to San Joaquin Memorial in the Central Section Division V playoffs, but she had 28 points in that game as well.
Haley Jones (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose)
Showing why they are a threat to win the CIF State Open Division title, the Monarchs defeated St. Francis of Mountain View 89-35 in the Central Coast Section Open Division playoffs behind Jones, who scored 21 points to lead the offense while also grabbing 19 rebounds.
Hannah Jump (Pinewood, Los Altos Hills)
One of the state’s top freshmen last season, Jump once again led the Panthers in their advancement to the CCS Open Division semifinals. The sophomore scored a career-high 36 points during a 79-46 win over St. Ignatius of San Francisco.
Austyn Masuna (Oxford Academy)
This sophomore center has been a state stat star regular all season long and is one once again this week as she scored 23 points and grabbed 22 rebounds to lead the Patriots past Laguna Hills 49-42 in the CIF-SS Division 4AA playoffs.
Jadyn Matthews (Enterprise, Redding)
She’s the younger sister of Colorado State running back Isaiah Matthews, who led Enterprise to a CIF D2 football title game three years ago. Jadyn scored 28 points to lead the offense during a 80-68 win over Chico in the CIF Northern Section Division III quarterfinal.
Haley Van Dyke (Campolindo, Moraga)
While shy may be listed at the end because of her last name, her performance last week during a 89-56 win over Moreau Catholic of Hayward in the CIF NCS Division III playoffs was as good as it gets. Van Dyke scored 35 points to go with 18 rebounds, nine steals and seven blocks.
Janelle Sumilong (Hanford)
According to CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett, Sumilong moves into the 6th spot in section history with 2,270 career points after she scored 18 points in a 78-50 win over Liberty of Bakersfield and 30 points against host Clovis North, a 58-57 win.
Kareron Taylor (Bakersfield Christian)
She continues to lead the Eagles in the CIF Central Section D4 playoffs with 35 points in a 69-64 win over Firebaugh. Taylor went 6-for-6 at the free throw line and had seven rebounds. Mirayha Gonzales of Firebaugh had a fine game by scoring 31 points.
As far as first games go, you could say that it was a good day for Agoura’s Jonny DeLuca in team’s 23-3 win vs. Burroughs of Burbank. Photo: agourabaseball.net.
BASEBALL
Jonny DeLuca (Agoura, Agoura Hills)
Wow, what a start Jonny had in his first game for the Chargers. The University of Oregon-bound DeLuca went 6-for-6 with two triples, a grand slam and drove in six runs during a 23-3 romp past Burroughs of Burbank.
Chris Jimenez (Etiwanda)
The Eagles opened their season last Saturday by hammering Alta Loma 17-0 and Jimenez was the one carrying the biggest hammer. He hit two homers in the game and finished with six RBI.
Corey Jones (Sierra Canyon, Chatsworth)
Yes, the Trailblazers may be getting really good in baseball, too. In a 22-0 win last Saturday against Venice, Jones rocked the Gondoliers by collecting five hits and four RBI. Teammate Billy Edwards also had a grand slam homer.
Danny Pimienta (Poly, Sun Valley)
On the opening weekend of his senior season, this Cal State Northridge-bound left handed pitcher had 14 strikeouts in eight innings against San Pedro.
Quinton Selma (Buchanan, Clovis)
Homering in back to back games, Selma had a home run and four runs batted in during a 13-2 win over El Diamante of Visalia and did it again during a 11-2 win over Hanford West. Selma, No. 1 Buchanan’s leading hitter last season, has signed with Cal.
SOFTBALL
Lia Hamamoto (Bellflower)
One of two players that had back to back two homer games last week, she started the season with two home runs and five runs batted in during a 16-0 win over Cabrillo of Long Beach before she had two home runs and four runs batted in during a 13-9 loss to Baldwin Park.
Kirsten Martinez (Dinuba)
In a performance fit for an Emperor, Martinez had a big day at the plate by going 4-for-5 with her bat, including one triple, and had a career high of seven RBI in a 24-2 win over Woodlake.
Linnah Rebolledo (Ramona, Riverside)
Starting your senior season with back to back two home run games is a great way to do it. Just like Bellflower’s Lia Hamamoto, Rebolledo homered twice with four runs batted in during both a 10-8 win over Chaparral of Temecula and a 8-2 win over Rancho Verde of Moreno Valley.
SOFTBALL COACHING MILESTONE
Congratulations to our 2016 State Coach of the Year, Judy Shaubach of Madera, in reaching 600 career wins, the third most wins in Central Section History. She did it as her team last week beat Clovis West of Fresno 12-3. Freshman Valerie Ornelas hit a three-run homer to lead the Coyotes..
Paul Muyskens is the Stockton office assistant editor for Cal-Hi Sports. 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: @CalHiSports
