Here are the teams we are predicting to win in this weekend’s CIF state football championships. We don’t know about any injuries that may have occurred in previous game or this week in practice. These are all made with utmost respect to all teams involved. If anyone wants to add their picks in comments below, feel free. If anyone goes 13-for-13, we’ll give out prizes but not sure how many that might be.
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Cal-Hi Sports Insider Blog
Quick-hitting, behind-the-scenes news and notes from the CalHiSports.com staff, including previews of upcoming content and events.
CIF Football Finals: Pick ’em Winners
FINAL CIF Sac-Joaquin Sec Top 20
Once again, since the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section is the one for our home base in Stockton, we have put together a weekly Top 20 in football for that section this season. This will be the final rankings for the 2017 season since both Folsom and Placer won’t change for final rankings whether they win or lose in CIF state finals. Placer already has been given a bump for beating Salinas and beating Crenshaw of Los Angeles wouldn’t move the Hillmen up any further.
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5 Best Sports-Themed Slot Games
Slots are fun, simple, and if you are really good at them, then you can make some money playing them too.
Online casinos have become so popular there are literally tons of slots games that you can play on any of your favorite platforms. There are slots based on superheroes, countries, food delicacies, and more. However, if you are into sports, then these top 5 sports themed slot games are just for you:
1. Basketball Star
If you love basketball-themed video games, but with a casino twist, then Basketball Star from Betsafe Casino is something you are sure to enjoy.
It has a bright and nicely made indoor court background, and 5×3 reels that show big, bold symbols centered around the sport itself. The music is great, and pace optimum, and the variety of bonuses that are thrown into the game make it truly a fun game to kill the time with.
2. Football Carnival Slot
Football Carnival slot game from Playtech is a 5 reel 3 row game with 50 paylines and a Brazil backdrop.
You start with placing your line bet which can be anywhere from pennies to dollars per line. Since all the paylines are active i.e. 50, the minimum bet per spin automatically becomes £0.50. This is great because when you are betting on all the paylines, the bet per spin increases quickly.
You can hit the “Spin” button whenever you are ready to get the game started. You can also choose the “turbo” mode which speeds up the reeling.
One of the great things about Football Carnival is that it has interesting high-value symbols like the lady from the carnival, Brazilian flag, wild on football, etc. You can also play fixed jackpot by spinning 5 wilds on a payline which is also more than 3k times your line bet.
3. Golden Tour
Another brainchild of Playtech, Golden Tour is a simple yet fun gold-themed slot game. Although it offers only five paylines, you can win two ways depending on their arrangement- from left to right, and from right to left.
You play the game on the basis of the coin size you have picked, which ranges from $0.01 to $5. Expect a lot of symbols of carts, clubs, flags, etc. that you find on a golf course. So, for a fan of this sport, it’s a treat.
4. Hockey Hero
This is obviously an Ice Hockey themed slot game with 5X4 slot design where you compete against rivals Port, Tomster, and Jimbo. You get a lot of flexibility with your bet amount as all 40 paylines are always active.
Hockey Hero offers many free spins and respins so that game continuity is maintained and you can enjoy the most. An easy way to do this is to land three scatter symbols (goal nets here), which gives you 5 free spins.
The animations, graphics, and the music are also well-refined in this game if you are particular about them. In fact, background music in video games tends to improve your performance.
5. Fast Lane
Fast Lane is a racing sports-themed slots game, on the reels of which you will find symbols like spinning tire, racing flag, trophy, helmet, etc. However, there are other fun, and rewarding elements like free spins, multipliers, and even a Pit Stop bonus, which is a good touch.
There are many ways to win free spins. For instance, you can get 20, 10 or 5 free spins along with a 3x multiplier if the reels stop on 3 or more blue race cars, etc. Similarly, you can earn coins if you are able to click the correct crew member and fix the overheated car that pulls into the pit stop.
Sports Betting in the U.S.
Online sports betting in the U.S. is a tricky business. This is because it’s not completely legal in most states, and where it’s legal in some forms, there are certain regulations that impose restrictions.
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Girls VB State TOYs (1972-2017)
Here is the official Cal-Hi Sports State Team of the Year list for girls volleyball with Archbishop Mitty of San Jose added on for 2017 and going back to 1972. While the Monarchs lead the state with 14 CIF state titles, they still have some catching up to do to be State Team of the Year as many times as Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach.
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NEW CIF Sac-Joaquin Sec Top 20
Once again, since the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section is the one for our home base in Stockton, we’ll put together a weekly Top 20 in football for that section this season. We will continue to post these top 20s until all games for all teams are done for the season.
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CIF Regional Football Lineup Set
Lucas Dunne of Concord De La Salle looks for running room during 2010 CIF Open Division state championship game against Servite of Anaheim. Photo: Scott Kurtz.
Here is the lineup of games for this year’s CIF football regional championships as announced on Sunday, Dec. 3. The matchups were approved by a committee of CIF section commissioners through video conference call. If people are curious, we know our Cal-Hi Sports’ bowl boards (north and south) are looked at by CIF football officials, but we’re not working together on them. We’re making projections on what we think might happen and also make suggestions on matchups we’d like to see and why. In some cases, the CIF committee agrees and in some cases they don’t.
Note: To see our what our own lineup would have been and why, CLICK HERE for Gold Club post.
OPEN DIVISION
De La Salle (11-1) vs. Mater Dei (14-0) at Hornet Stadium, Sacramento State – Saturday, Dec. 16 at 8:00 p.m.
Comment: This will always be CIFSS D1 champion vs. DLS unless the CIFSS D1 champion were to have a loss to a team from San Diego or L.A. City or when DLS finally loses a game to a team north of Fresno. There’s no indication either instance is going to happen anytime soon.
DIVISION 1–AA
North: Central, Fresno (12-1) at Folsom (14-0) – Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
South: Helix (12-1) at Oaks Christian (12-2) – Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Comment: Helix has a loss to Paraclete and will continue to be ranked behind the Spirits. Helix would only go higher if it beats Oaks Christian in this game because Oaks has a win over Paraclete. That being said, the win by Helix over Mission Hills was enough for that team to be in this game. Plus, it lined up the matchups nice and smooth in the next two divisions.
DIVISION 1–A
North: Pittsburg (8-2) at Granite Bay (12-2) – Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.
South: Paraclete (13-1) at Narbonne (10-3) – Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.
Comment: Our own Cal-Hi Sports projections done late Saturday had these matchups as well as the same for D1-AA. Pittsburg is the only one of the three that has never won a CIF state title.
DIVISION 2–AA
North: Serra-San Mateo (11-2) vs. Tulare Union (13-0) at Bob Mathias Stadium – Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
South: Cajon (13-1) at Rancho Verde (12-2) – Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Comment: Again, this division was a match for us. Serra traveled last year to play Sanger in D2-A regional final and while Tulare this year is probably better we’re not in favor of making a team like Serra have to travel like that for two straight years.
DIVISION 2–A
North: St. Francis, Mountain View (9-4) at Manteca (12-2) – Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.
South: Aquinas (14-0) vs. Grace Brethren (12-2) at Moorpark College – Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.
Comment: Grace Brethren obviously was elevated to D2-A for having an OT win over Bishop Diego even though Bishop Diego won a higher CIFSS division (D6 compared to D8). Aquinas vs. Grace should be a great game, but looking across to the NorCal side looms St. Francis and Manteca. Those two are just from traditionally much stronger leagues & playoff divisions. It would be like winner of Aquinas-Grace was going to be playing a team like Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks or Loyola in the state final. It’ll be a step up for sure.
DIVISION 3–AA
North: Marin Catholic (12-0) at Shasta (11-1) – Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
South: Quartz Hill (13-1) vs. Bishop Diego (13-1) at Santa Barbara City College – Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Comment: We have liked Quartz Hill as the strongest of the CIFSS divisional champions below D6 for the last two weeks and would have had the Rebels one division higher. They have a stronger computer ranking than Aquinas and Grace Brethren as well. Quartz Hill’s only loss to Palmdale (CIFSS D5) and beat a 12-0 team from Apple Valley in semifinals. Plus, love that win over Oxnard and then Oxnard beat Westlake the next week. Marin Catholic has played and beaten Northern Section teams in this round before.
DIVISION 3–A
North: Sutter (12-1) at Half Moon Bay (13-0) – Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.
South: Steele Canyon (10-4) at El Modena (12-2) – Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.
Comment: A lot of the SoCal teams from after Rancho Verde and Cajon were hard to split apart and evaluate. Steele Canyon actually could have been as high as D2-A since the previously unbeaten Ramona team that it beat in the San Diego Section D2 final clearly would have been in D2-A. Sutter and Half Moon Bay started looking like a possibility last week and it’s one of those matchups that gets more interesting every time you think about it. Great communities, great teams and should be a great night.
DIVISION 4–AA
North: Placer (12-1) at Salinas (11-2) – Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
South: Crenshaw (10-3) at El Camino (8-5) – Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Comment: Both Placer and Salinas got key wins during the season over Aptos. As the CCS Open 1 champ, Salinas being this low may surprise some. But before upsetting Milpitas in that last game, the Cowboys had a computer ranking that wasn’t even close to Placer’s. There also was too much evidence to have Half Moon Bay higher on the NorCal board.
McClymonds head coach Michael Peters has his team looking for second straight state title. Photo: Willie Eashman.
DIVISION 4–A
North: Milpitas (12-1) at Campolindo (10-4) – Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.
South: San Joaquin Memorial (11-2) at Southwest EC (13-0) – Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.
Comment: Before getting upset by Salinas, Milpitas probably would have been slotted in to play in D2-A. Now, the Trojans are all the way down to D4-A. We saw the possibility of San Joaquin Memorial playing Southwest, but just assumed the CIF wouldn’t ask any team to travel from Fresno to the Imperial Valley or vice-versa so we picked a different lineup. They did ask and it will be the Panthers who have to take this questionable trip.
DIVISION 5–AA
North: McClymonds (12-0) at East Nicolaus (13-0) – Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
South: Big Bear (13-1) vs. Golden West (11-2) at Visalia Community Stadium – Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Comment: McClymonds head coach Michael Peters seemed to be lobbying to play East Nic (same team the Warriors beat in last year’s NorCal regional final) and got his wish. Getting unbeaten teams to play is always a good thing, though, and that game Friday at East Nic is the one we are going to try to attend. It’s either that or drive to Tulare (last time we tried that we got wrecked on 99) or drive to Folsom (just saw them play).
DIVISION 5–A
North: Bear River (10-3) at Fortuna (12-2) – Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.
South: Monte Vista (8-5) vs. Katella (13-1) at Western HS – Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.
Comment: It’s hard to get a read on these teams. Love the bracket that Bear River just navigated in the SJS, though, and this is a good spot for the Bruins. Monte Vista and Katella, however, are bigger schools in terms of demographics.
DIVISION 6–AA
North: St. Patrick-St. Vincent (11-1) at Strathmore (14-0) – Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
South: Caruthers (12-0) vs. Orange (12-2) at El Modena HS – Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Comment: These matchups were expected after all of the results came in. St. Pat-St. Vincent won the D6-A state title last year and is playing the team it beat in the state final in this year’s NorCal final on the road. Strathmore just traveled to Hilmar so it makes sense that the Spartans wouldn’t have to travel this week.
DIVISION 6–A
North: Galileo=San Francisco (9-2) at Rio Vista (9-3) – Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.
South: Huntington Park (11-3) vs. Vincent Memorial (11-2) at Calexico HS – Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.
Comment: These two bottom teams in both north and south brackets were fairly easy to project. The decision by Northern Section D5 champ Chester not to participate only impacted these teams. We’ll actually be in Rio Vista on Saturday, but it’ll be earlier as we’re undertaking the sad task of collecting all of the sports items that were owned by our friend Bruce McIntosh, who died last Friday at a Vacaville hospital.
