As part of its annual Yearbook Special Edition, SportStars Magazine sends a poll out to media members throughout NorCal. The poll seeks answers to what stood out to the reporters during the school year, as well as what they’re looking forward to in the coming year.
The Yearbook Special edition is a photo-centric look back at the previous year in high school sports and can be viewed now at SportStarsMag.com. More responses to these questions can also be viewed at the website.
We offer you some of the highlights here.
- What was the most memorable game you attended?
MARK TENNIS (Cal-Hi Sports): Liberty-Brentwood coming from behind in the fourth quarter to beat Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth in the CIF Div. 1-A state final was a win for every CIF North Coast Section Div. I runner-up over the past 20-plus years that’s never had a chance to win a state title before (because: De La Salle). It was great to see so many longtime Liberty fans and coaches on the field with the players showing so much emotion afterward.
- Who is one athlete you’re already excited to cover in 2019-20?
MITCH STEPHENS (SF Chronicle/MaxPreps): When you mention Foothill-Pleasanton pitcher Nicole May don’t you have to mention catcher Courtney Beaudin? I mean, how much more dominant can either of them be. May is headed to Oklahoma in 2020. Beaudin appears to be headed to UCLA. The top two college programs in the country. They led the Falcons to the first 28-0 season in NCS history and a No. 2 national rankings by MaxPreps. It’s hard to imagine them getting any better, but I’m sure they will.
IKE DODSON (SportStars): College Park-Pleasant Hill girls wrestler, Amit Elor. The freshman was our NorCal Girls Most Valuable Wrestler as a freshman after pinning five girls in under a minute at state. I never had a chance to speak to her, but as women’s wrestling appears headed toward an NCAA championship event, Elor seems destined for its top podium spot.
- Who is one graduating athlete you’ll miss covering?
MARK TENNIS (Cal-Hi Sports): I’ll say our Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year, Haley Jones of Archbishop Mitty-San Jose. She displayed a lot of grace and class with all of the honors she won, and deflected attention to teammates in a way that many of the great ones we’ve covered over the years have done. She keeps getting better and better, and we’re hoping she can help lead Stanford to an NCAA title. Want to see Coach Tara VanDerveer get one more. It’s been awhile (1993).
- What was one coaching effort that stood out to you this year?
MARK TENNIS (Cal-Hi Sports): David Jeans of De La Salle baseball guided the Spartans to a fourth straight NCS Div. I title and a 29-1 record (including 28 straight wins to end the season). With a nice mix of seniors and younger players seemingly every year, DLS baseball is exhibiting some of the traits you see every season with DLS football. It’s funny that he doesn’t get into any of the team photos after these championships (“it’s all about the kids”) but we get shots of him regardless. He deserves some attention among other coaches for the program he’s building.
HAROLD ABEND (Cal-Hi Sports/Prep2Prep): Ryan Partridge of Liberty-Brentwood football. Yes, he had the top quarterback in Northern California, but his team lost its top tackler, Nick Einess in the third quarter of the regional championship. He also faced problems created by NorCal’s wildfires. He navigated the Lions through the playoffs that included three straight weeks without a game. After a regional win on the road over Valley Christian-San Jose, he led the team to Southern California where his coaching had a lot to do with Liberty’s exciting 19-17 come-from-behind victory at Cerritos College over Sierra Canyon.
