By Bill Dickens
MaxPreps.com
It was a volleyball bonanza for the San Diego Section-CIF this year.
Count ‘em . . . three state championships.
La Costa Canyon captured its first Division I title as the Mavericks’ junior setter Kendall Polan was named the MVP of the tournament finals. LCC swept Cupertino Homestead 25-16, 25-16, 25-19.
The Mavericks (37-1) now have eyes for the mythical national championship.
The CIF Division III state title was netted by Cathedral Catholic. Senior outside hitter Lexi Williamson (25 kills, six blocks and six aces) was named the MVP of a 29-27, 20-25, 25-18, 25-14 win over San Francisco Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Dons first state crown.
Santa Fe Christian posted its second straight CIF Division IV state volleyball title with a 25-13, 25-19, 25-16 sweep over Sacramento Christian Brothers. The Eagles outside hitter Kristin Miller was named MVP.
Pirates poised for fifth-straight flag
Oceanside senior running back Rene Siluano rushed for 178 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in a 49-14 win over Scripps Ranch in the SDS-CIF Division II semifinals.
It’s the 15th straight year the Pirates have participated in the semifinals. Unbeaten in their last 34 games, the four-time defending SDS-CIF Division II championships will face Helix, a team the Dons have dumped three times in the last six finals at Qualcomm Stadium.
Gaffney sets scoring record
Senior running back Tyler Gaffney of undefeated Cathedral Catholic scored three touchdowns in the Dons 49-0 San Diego Section Division III semifinal blowout of St. Augustine. Gaffney’s scoring surge set a section record for touchdowns (47) and points (282), breaking the marks held by Brawley’s Zay Shepherd since 2004.
Pistol Pete passes aerial records
His Valhalla coaches call him ‘Pistol Pete’ Thomas, and for good reason. The 6-foot-5, 207-pound quarterback has some pretty decent numbers. Take his ratio of 27-to-5 touchdowns to interceptions for example. Better yet, Thomas has established Valhalla season (2,853 yards) and career records (4,814 yards) for his prolific passing.
Lippert bound for Harvard
Cathedral Catholic’s Victoria Lippert, a 5-foot-11 guard is planning to attend Harvard University. Her 4.0 grade-point-average alone and overall academic strengths would be credentials enough to earn a scholarship to the Ivy League institution. But Harvard coach Kathy Delaney-Smith actively recruited Lippert to play basketball. Lippert chose Harvard over Stanford and Princeton and plans a major biology or chemistry.
Other Top Performances
— Valhalla senior Traivonne Brown is not a traditional bruising running back, but the 5-8, 170-pounder knows how to find the end zone. Brown was at his best in Friday’s (Dec. 5) Division III semifinal, scoring four touchdowns in the Norsemen’s 28-0 romp over Steele Canyon.
— Six-foot-6 Vista senior Quincy Lawson had just seven points at halftime, but broke loose in the second half, finishing with 36 points. Lawson clicked on 14-of-22 shots from the field, including a pair of treys. He was also 6-for-10 from the free throw line as the Panthers edged Foothills Christian 79-76.
— A 6-foot-4, 256-pound junior defensive end Shane Pennix helped Valhalla post a record-breaking 11th win in a 28-0 shutout of Steele Canyon in the San Diego Section Division III semifinals. Pennix, who has 12 sacks this season, had eight tackles, one sack and forced two fumbles against the Cougars.
— Granite Hills 1,000-yard rusher Aaron Harris proved he’s a versatile athlete as he nailed a game-winning 3-pointer in a 56-54 victory over Morse on Saturday (Dec. 6).
— Ramona’s Dodge McIntosh scored a combined 80 points in wins over Preuss, Montgomery, Escondido Charter and Sweetwater.
Coming Attractions
Football championship Friday (Dec. 12) in the SDS-CIF breaks down like this: Division I – La Costa Canyon (10-2) vs. Escondido (10-2); Division II – Oceanside (11-0-1) vs. Helix (10-1-1); Division III – Cathedral (12-0) vs. Valhalla (11-1); Division IV — Valley Center (10-2) vs. Mission Bay (7-4-1). All of those games will be played at Qualcomm Stadium. The Division V title bout between Francis Parker (11-1) and The Bishop’s School (7-6) will be conducted at Southwestern College on Saturday (Dec. 13).
Dickens Dealings
Not unlike all CIF sections, gaining a playoff berth in a CIF State Championship bowl game is a measure of prestige.
If all the favorites win Friday (Dec. 13) at Qualcomm Stadium, the pressure at Sunday’s (Dec. 14) state selection meeting will be handed to SDS-CIF commissioner Dennis Ackerman.
Realistically speaking only defending Division II state champion Oceanside (11-0-1) and unblemished Division III power Cathedral Catholic (12-0) have a shot at representing Southern California in the state bowl games.
Last year, Oceanside defeated Novato to win the state title.
The 10 section commissioners from around the state vote on the teams that will comprise the bowl games, with input from the Cal-HiSports.com polls.
No matter what they say, politics play as big a role as won-lost records. So regardless of what happens this weekend there are no sure things.
Oceanside coach John Carroll said his total focus is on Helix, not on a possible state bowl game.
"Everyone is talking state bowl game, but this – the San Diego Section – is what it's all about," Carroll said. "We're chasing history in our section (shooting for a fifth straight Division II championship).”
Cathedral Catholic coach Sean Doyle ignored the talk of a possible state berth.
"Our goals at the start of the season were to win the Eastern League title and win a (section) championship," Doyle said. "Those are things we can control.
"We can't control who plays in the state championship game. So we're not going to worry about it."
That is a fact.