Quick-hitting, behind-the-scenes news and notes from the CalHiSports.com staff, including previews of upcoming content and events.
Jake Dunniway (No. 7) and Dewey Cotton (No. 17) were St. Mary’s players celebrating after team’s win vs. Central Catholic of Modesto. Photo: Mark Tennis.
Regardless of heart-breaking loss to Cathedral Catholic, St. Mary’s of Stockton still has to go down as one of the best teams in section history. In the final rankings, Del Oro also has to go back behind Oak Ridge for head-to-head loss.
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It’s been since 2008 when there was a Ms. Volleyball State Player of the Year in California, but that will change in the next two weeks when the annual honor is being re-booted by Cal-Hi Sports.
Additional volleyball coverage on our CalHiSports.com site is possible due to the work we’re doing and projected extra work for the FloVolleyball.tv web site and streaming service.
In addition to honoring a player of the year for the 2016 high school season, the all-time list of Ms. Volleyball State Players of the Year also will be retro-actively updated to fill in the gaps from 2009 through 2015.
The first listed Ms. Volleyball State POY is Denise Corlett of Los Angeles Marlborough for 1974. Additional honorees since then and through 2008 have included such big names in the sport like Elaina Oden of Irvine (1984), Misty May of Newport Beach Newport Harbor (only two-time winner), Kerri Walsh of San Jose Archbishop Mitty (1995), April Ross of Newport Beach Newport Harbor (1999) and Cynthia Barboza of Long Beach Wilson (2004).
If anyone wants to provide nominations for possible 2016 Ms. Volleyball State Player of the Year, send info to markjtennis@gmail.com.
Marin Catholic grad and No. 1 NFL draft pick still looking to imporove.
The Los Angeles Rams shocked the world when they traded up for the first overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft but nobody was happier than Novato-born Jared Goff. Ultimately, the Rams – newly relocated from St Louis – had the option of selecting fellow quarterback Carson Wentz but opted for Goff and he has managed to earn the starting role from Case Keenum midway through the regular season.
Former Rams head coach Jeff Fisher, who was fired this week, made the decision to hand Goff the starting role after sitting under Keenum for the first half of the campaign. With the Rams still just about in playoff contention, Goff has had to try and carry a very weak Los Angeles offense to victory; and it just hasn’t gone to plan for the former Kentfield Marin Catholic high school star.
As of December 13, Goff has been on the losing side in all four of his professional starts and it will take some time for the Rams’ quarterback to adjust to the pace of the NFL. With Fisher now out of the franchise, Goff could prosper from some improved and tweaked play-calling that may suit his style. In four appearances, Goff has completed just 55.1% of his pass attempts so far, throwing four touchdowns and five interceptions; a pretty dismal stat line.
After going all-in to land the pick to draft Jared Goff, it would stand to reason that the Rams will seek an offensive minded coach next.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 12, 2016
To be fair, Goff has looked assured at times despite facing a number of the best defensive units in the professional game – and the Rams’ youngster will only improve as he learns his trade at the top level. Los Angeles has scored more than two touchdowns just once since Goff took over under center and his meagre 65.3 passer rating must improve if the Rams are to end the season on a high note.
Goff has struggled so far during his brief tenure in the NFL but he may benefit if given the opportunity to show off his extensive skill set. When he gets going, Goff is lethal under center; as shown by his 100+ passer rating performance in the defeat to the New Orleans Saints in November. The Rams have slipped out of playoff contention but NFL fans can still place a wager on the Super Bowl in bet365’s American Football betting markets ahead of the postseason.
Running back Todd Gurley also needs to step up and be counted in order to ease the pressure on Goff’s young shoulders. The second-year back has struggled for form this year but he could also profit from the change in direction at head coach. In short, Los Angeles has two young stars in Goff and Gurley and could be set for plenty of success in the coming years.
If those two fulfill their potential, L.A. fans will expect an exciting decade or so at their new stadium when it opens. Whether Goff breaks through at the very top or not, one thing is for sure: the people of California should be very proud of how far he has come since his days as a back-up at Marin Catholic prior to his junior season.
Narbonne drops from No. 5 down to No. 9 after loss to Cathedral Catholic. The biggest question was which team to list No. 10 in place of Calabasas, a team still playing or one that has lost in a higher division?
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Bishop’s of La Jolla standout has now moved past all-time great players such as Diana Tuarasi, Terri Mann and Jacki Gemelos on all-time career state scoring list. Up next, and it could be as early as Tuesday night, is La Jolla Country Day’s Candice Wiggins.
More State Record Updates and New State Top 20 Rankings (coming soon) will be for Gold Club members only. Check out getting your membership today for just $9.99 for three months. For info, CLICK HERE.
Cal-Hi Sports State Freshman, Sophomore and Junior of the Year Destiny Littleton and her Bishop’s (La Jolla) Knights are six games into the season and at 6-0, and after starting the season with 2,934 points in her three-year career the USC-committed guard was in the No. 13 position on the Cal-Hi Sports Most Points (Career) record list.
Destiny Littleton scores a ton of points but often still looks for teammates who have better open shots. Photo: Courtesy school.
With 54 points in a win over Chula Vista Olympian, 53 in a win over Chula Vista, 41 in a blowout of Brawley, 52 in a rout of San Diego, and 50 in a victory over Vista Rancho Buena Vista, Littleton is passing the all-time greats of California girls basketball like a blur.
After the first five games Littleton passed Nikki Blue (2,938 points from 1999-2002 at Bakersfield West), two-time Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year and WNBA great Diana Taurasi (3,047 points from 1997-2000 at Chino Don Lugo), Giuliana Mendiola (3,069 from 1997-200 at El Toro), 1993 Ms. Basketball Danielle Viglione (3,089 points, Fair Oaks Bella Vista in 1990 and Fair Oaks Del Campo from 1991-93), and 2006 Ms. Basketball Jacki Gemelos (3,168 points from 2003-06 at Stockton St. Mary’s).
On Saturday with her 49-point performance in a 97-57 victory against Chula Vista Bonita Vista in the championship game of the Matador Classic at Mount Miguel of Spring Valley, Littleton began her assault on two of the four players from the San Diego area still ahead of her.
The 49 points puts her at 299 for six games and 3,233 for her career. That means Littleton passed two-time Ms. Basketball Terri Mann (3,188 points from 1984-87 at San Diego Point Loma), and she’s now within striking distance of 2004 Ms. Basketball and another fellow CIF San Diego superstar Candice Wiggins and her 3,252 points from 2001-04 at La Jolla Country Day. Needing 19 points to tie and 20 to pass her, and averaging 49.8 ppg, means its likely Littleton will pass Wiggins on Tuesday night against San Diego Mira Mesa in the Knights own Winter Prep Classic.
Next on the list is another San Diego area player and that’s scoring and free-throw shooting machine Brandi Collato and her 3,325 points from 1998-2001 at Santa Fe Christian of Solana Beach.
There are still some real big names to pass so stay tuned for this tracking of Littleton’s assault on the top spot and the 3,837 points of 2001-2004 San Diego standout, plus college and WNBA star Charde Houston and her all-time California scoring record.
Note: All career scoring totals are from the Cal-Hi Sports Most Points (Career) record list.
Harold Abend is the associate editor of CalHiSports.com and the vice president of the California Prep Sportswriters Association. He can be reached at marketingharoldabend@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @HaroldAbend
Destiny Littleton’s quest to be the all-time state leader for career points scored in girls basketball has begun impressively for La Jolla Bishop’s. Photo: Courtesy school.
While in San Diego to cover the La Jolla Country Day Sweet 16 tournament won by Sacred Heart Cathedral of San Francisco, the Caravan ran into Cal-Hi Sports State Freshman, Sophomore and Junior of the Year as well as 2015 Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year finalist Destiny Littleton.
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We’ve updated our all-time State Team of the Year list back to 1972 and it’s the sixth time since 2008 that Archbishop Mitty of San Jose reigns as California’s top squad in girls volleyball. Monarchs topped Santa Margarita in a three-game sweep last Saturday to win first-ever CIF Open Division state title.
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As expected, St. John Bosco moves up to No. 1 after avenging one of its two losses by topping previous No. 1 Mater Dei in CIFSS D1 final. De La Salle also edges up to No. 4 with Narbonne dropping one spot to No. 5.
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St. Mary’s being higher-ranked than Folsom proved to be correct as the Rams rolled over the Bulldogs 56-25 to win SJS Division I title. The bigger question for the section rankings, however, is what to do about Del Oro as it looks to win a second straight CIF state title. Should the Golden Eagles continue to be behind Oak Ridge in the rankings despite a head-to-head loss?
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St. Mary’s of Stockton player get their hardware and the blue banner after win Saturday at Sac State of Folsom in CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I final. Photo: Paul Muyskens.
