Two of this week’s top stat stars in the state are senior power pitcher Peter Lambert of San Dimas and senior point guard deluxe Jaimoni Welch-Coleman of Berkeley. Photos: Scott Kurtz/Student Sports & Scott Giorgani/Prep2Prep.
For the first time, baseball and softball players get into the stat stars act. They join some of the best from boys and girls hoops still going strong, such as Stefan Mitu of Danville Monte Vista, Aarion McDonald of Stockton Brookside Christian and Jaimoni Welch-Coleman of Berkeley.
As has been customary for many years, we collect the state stat stars in support of the Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book & Almanac. The book has been published seven times (the most recent, though, was 2009) and is as official as a state record book can be since no other exists. To report a State Stat Star of the Week of your own, please email details to markjtennis@gmail.com.
Note: All boys and girls basketball state records are in the process of being added to this web site. Some of them already have been added. They will be part of our Gold Club membership. To join our Gold Club today, please CLICK HERE.
Thanks to Paul Muyskens, Mark Tennis and CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett for contributing items this week. This honor roll is for games played from March 3 to March 7 with some performances from this week also included.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Kilon Bradford (Granite Hills, Porterville)
The senior standout scored 38 points in a 58-46 win over Bakersfield Christian in a Central Section Division IV semifinal game. Bradford came back in the championship game against Immanuel of Reedley in a losing effort with 25 points and leads the section in scoring with 28.1 ppg.
Nick Anderson (Canyon, Anaheim)
Named as one of our NorCal/SoCal players of the week, he had 37 points and 11 assists when the Comanches came from behind while facing a 28-point deficit to force overtime where they eventually defeated Lawndale 103-98 in double overtime for the CIF Southern Section Division 2AA title. Some have said it is the best CIFSS title game ever.
Stefan Mitu (Monte Vista, Danville)
Scoring 24 of his 36 points in the second half, the Mustangs powered by Mitu are headed for the CIF NorCal Open Division regional playoffs after a 50-49 win over De La Salle of Concord in the CIF NCS Division I championship game. If Mitu hadn’t already been a NorCal/SoCal player of the week, he would have gotten it for sure after this outng.
T.J. Leaf (Foothills Christian, El Cajon)
The Knights moved into our State Top 20 ranking this week after an 83-41 win over Mira Mesa of San Diego in the CIF San Diego Section Division II championship in which this state stat star regular scored a game-high 33 points.
Adrian Antunez (Clovis West, Fresno)
Just a sophomore, Adrian scored a career high of 32 points in a heart-breaking 71-68 loss to Bullard of Fresno in the CIF Central Section D1 semifinals.
Miye Oni (Windward, Los Angeles)
With the CIFSS Division 5AA championship on the line, he scored 32 points during a 83-75 win in overtime against Viewpoint of Calabasas.
Bennie Boatwright (Village Christian, Sun Valley)
Helping to sail the Crusaders to the CIFSS Division 1AA championship, he scored 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds during a 79-61 win over Great Oak of Temecula in the final. Headed to USC next year, he shot 50 percent from the floor while making 11 of 13 from the free throw line. Bennie already has a 34-point game this week in a SoCal playoff game against Edison of Fresno.
Victor Duran (Porterville)
He scored a career-high of 31 points to lead his team to its second section championship in school history. Porterville popped West of Bakersfield 89-72 for the CIF Central Section Division III crown.
Torin Webb (Great Oak, Temecula)
Scoring 20 points by halftime, Webb finished with 30 points as the Wolfpack advanced to the CIFSS Division 1AA finals with a 96-68 semifinal win over Los Alamitos.
Niamey Harris (Mission, San Francisco)
A grid-hoop standout who has now been named twice as one of our NorCal players of the week this season, this sophomore had 29 points and 22 rebounds during a 93-48 win over Balboa of San Francisco and then had 29 points and nine rebounds during a 92-88 win over Washington of San Francisco in the CIF San Francisco Section championship game.
Ivan Rabb (Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland)
While the favorite to capture Ms. Basketball didn’t win a section title, the front-runner for Mr. Basketball did get one. Rabb scored 25 points, grabbed 19 rebounds and blocked six shots as the Dragons captured a CIF NCS Division III section championship during a 70-61 win over Moreau Catholic of Hayward.
Joshua Patton (Sierra, Manteca)
Making one of our predictions during the CIF Sac-Joaquin Playoff Selection show look like a great one, he had 24 points, 12 rebounds and blocked nine shots as the Timberwolves captured their first boys basketball section championship with a 67-51 win over Weston Ranch of Stockton.
Edison (Fresno) State Record
Congratulations to Edison head Coach T.J. Wilkins and players in winning the school’s 23rd section championship for a new state record. The Tigers edged Bullard 54-46 in the Central Section Division I championship. According to section historian Bob Barnett, Edison had been in a three-way tie with Mater Dei of Santa Ana & Washington Union (also of the Central Section) with 22 section championships. Mater Dei lost to Etiwanda 52-49 in the CIFSS Open Division semifinals this year so its total remained at 22 (all under legendary coach Gary McKnight). Edison also has won 1,568 games since 1927, ahead of Compton with 1,562 for third place in California state history thru last Saturday’s games.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Aarion McDonald (Brookside Christian, Stockton)
Despite scoring a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV championship game record 38 points and grabbing 16 rebounds, it ended up being on the losing end of a 74-62 final score against Bradshaw Christian of Sacramento. McDonald, a junior, is committed to Washington.
Dijonai Carrington (Horizon Christian Academy, San Diego)
Her name has been on this site a few times this week already as she scored 35 points and hauled in 24 rebounds during a 66-59 win over Mount Miguel of Spring Valley that earned Horizon the CIF San Diego Section Division I championship. Unfortunately, due to a series of CIF policies, criteria and very questionable power rankings, Horizon did not earn a spot in the CIF regional playoffs.
Katie Lou Samuelson (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
Already named as the national player of the year by two organizations (with more to perhaps come), her game-high 31 points wasn’t enough to prevent the Monarchs from a 64-63 loss to Chaminade of West Hills in the CIFSS Open Division championship game. Can somebody steal the Ms. Basketball honor for California from “Lou” if Mater Dei doesn’t win the Open Division state title on the heels of losing to Chaminade? Highly doubtful, but at least we wait until all games are done before finalizing a selection like that.
Regina Sankey (Branham, San Jose)
One of five seniors for the Bruins, Sankey was sinking the 3-pointer (she hit for six of them) and scored 30 points to go with 12 rebounds in a 47-33 victory against Hillsdale of San Mateo in the CCS Division III championship. Sankey led Branham to its first girls hoops section title and improved her scoring average to nearly 23 ppg.
Julia Blackshell-Fair (Vanden, Travis AFB)
Named as one of our Cal-Hi Sports players of the week, the super sophomore had 27 points and 21 rebounds as the Vikings captured their first section championship in school history with a 83-51 win over Rio Linda in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division III finals.
Jaimoni Welch-Coleman (Berkeley)
Three-year starting point guard for the Yellowjackets had a signature outing with 25 points, nine assists and eight rebounds to lead Berkeley past Pittsburg 54-47 in the NCS D1 championship. Welch-Coleman, headed to Weber State, led Berkeley to its 22nd section title, which is close to the boys state record of 22 but Berkeley’s girls have only been playing since 1977.
Monica Garcia (Garfield, Los Angeles)
She came up two assists shy of a triple-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds along with eight assists to lead Garfield past Eagle Rock 39-33 for the school’s first-ever L.A. City Section Division II championship.
BASEBALL
Joe Demers (College Park, Pleasant Hill)
While this performance was from Monday, we decided to list him here now as he pitched a perfect game while also going 2 for 3 at the plate with two runs batted in during a 9-0 win by the state’s No. 1 ranked team over Monte Vista of Danville.
Efrain Del Rio (Dos Palos)
The senior captain has a reported state best five home runs on the season after hitting last week, which included one during a 9-1 win over Gustine that saw him drive in five runs. Earlier this season, Del Rio hit a pair of homers in a 12-1 win over Denair.
Peter Lambert (San Dimas)
UCLA-committed pitcher had 13 strikeouts and allowed just three hits during a 5-0 win over South Hills of Covina. South Hills was listed on the bubble in our preseason State Top 20 so this was a solid opponent that Lambert shut down.
SOFTBALL
Natalie Lugo (South Hills, Covina)
Showing why she is committed to the Florida Gators, she pitched a perfect game with 15 strikeouts during a 1-0 win over Troy of Fullerton in the North Orange County Championship tournament.
Mia Montoya (Kennedy, La Palma)
Senior captain has started the season with a powerful bat. Entering this week, she has now homered in four out of the five games for the Fighting Irish. Montoya hit her fourth home run of the season during a 7-5 win over Loara of Anaheim and followed that up later that day with a home run and four runs batted in during a 13-7 win over Fountain Valley.
Haylee Sobrero (Paradise)
She had an impressive two-day span last week that started with her hitting two triples and driving in nine runs during a 26-1 win over Foothill of Sacramento before ending it with two home runs and six runs batted in during a 9-6 win over Yuba City.
Paul Muyskens is the Stockton office assistant editor for CalHiSports.com. 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
