Mitch Stephens

Mitch Stephens

Joined: Jun 19, 2024

Mitch Stephens is a senior editor at SBLive Sports for California, a state he's covered high school sports since 1984. He won multiple CNPA and CPSWA writing awards with the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle and MaxPreps.com before joining the SBLive staff in 2022. He's covered the beat nationally since 2007, profiling such athletes as Derrick Henry, Paige Bueckers, Patrick Mahomes, Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Chiney Ogwumike, Jeremy Lin and Najee Harris as preps. You can reach him at mitch@scorebooklive.com.

Mitty senior Kacie Caolli (5) is one of seven seniors who lead the Monarchs after their on-going state record 21st regional title Tuesday in a three-game Northern California Open Division sweep over arch-rival Saint Francis. Mitty goes for their record 15th state crown Saturday against national powerhouse Cathedral Catholic of San Diego, which beat defending state Open champion Mater Dei in four games Tuesday. The state championships are at Santiago Canyon College in Orange.

CIF California 2024 girls volleyball playoff brackets: Regional final scores; State tital matchups (11-20-2024)

Julian Snyder was a powerful, fun-loving, gregarious offensive lineman for the Casa Roble High School football team (Orangevale, Calif.) who was killed in a vehicle accident on Nov. 16.

California

California high school football team endures unspeakable loss after season-ending defeat

Ryder Lyons (left) and Lucas Hardeman celebrate by hoisting the state championship trophy at Saddleback College from the 2023 State Division 1-A title game. Saddleback has been secured for the fourth straight year to host tentative the top five divisions of the 15-game State Bowl Championships.

California

CIF football championship venues are set: Saddleback College, Long Beach City College and Fullerton Stadium

Then sophomore guard Brandon McCoy of St. John Bosco (California) during the 39th annual Tournament of Champions against Edmond North (Oklahoma) at Great Southern Bank Arena on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024.

California

Top 25 California high school boys basketball preseason rankings (11/17/2024)

Prolific Prep senior guard Darryn Peterson scored 33 points and added eight rebounds and four assists in a 66-54 victory over national No. 1 Columbus (Miami, Fla.) Friday night. This is from earlier in the season as the Crew improved to 7-0.

California

Kansas commit Darryn Peterson, Prolific Prep take down No. 1 Columbus, Cameron Boozer in Florida blockbuster

Combo guard explodes for 33 points as Crew fight back from first-quarter hole to beat Columbus in convincing fashion

Cathedral Catholic junior opposite hitter Sophia Johnson has 253 kills in 107 sets play at a 42% kill rate. She's also registered 81 kills. The Dons are the top seed in Regional Open Division play and host defending champion Mater Dei in Tuesday's regional final, with the winner advancing to the state championships to face the winner of Mitty and Saint Francis.

California

CIF California State 2024 girls volleyball playoff brackets: Regional semifinal scores; Final previews (11-18-2024)

Four of the state's top 12 teams converge in Open Division regional finals, including No. 1 and defending state champion Mater Dei vs. No. 5 and top seed Cathedral Catholic

A CIF Northern California Division 6 volleyball semifinal match in San Francisco was forfeited Saturday due to transgender, religious conflicts

California

California high school girls volleyball team ends season amid gender identity laws, religious belief conflict

Stone Ridge Christian of Merced forfeits CIF Northern California Division 6 semifinal match rather than play top seed San Francisco Waldorf, could receive future CIF sanctions

St. Mary's junior Kenneth Moore III (3) had eight catches and 81 yards and added a rushing touchdowns in a 38-28 home win over Clovis West on Aug. 18, 2023. Moore, one of the state's top junior prospects, scored a touchdown Friday in a 43-7 home SJS D2 playoff game.

California

CIF Sac-Joaquin Section 2024 football playoff scores/brackets: Second round complete, game recaps (11-16-2024)

Five-star Folsom quarterback Ryder Lyons throws for 7 touchdowns in a lopsided D1 quarterfinal, Turlock stuns Central Catholic with a 2-point conversion in overtime; Grant, St. Mary's on collision course after lopsided D2 wins

BYU-bound RB Kingston Keanaaina breaks free momentarily while leading Saint Francis to a 27-13 win at St. Ignatius in San Francisco on Oct. 18, 2024; The two teams will meet again Nov. 22 for the CCS Open Division crown after first-round wins on Friday

California

CIF Central Coast 2024 football playoff first-round scores, updated brackets, next round matchups (11-15-2024)

St. Ignatius, St. Francis will meet for Open Division championship after defeating Salinas, Valley Christian

A high ankle sprain derailed much of Saliou Sow's junior season but the Bishop O'Dowd senior running back is making up for lost time. He rushed for 150 yards on 33 carries in the Dragons' 24-20 upset win at Monte Vista earlier this year; The two teams faced off again Friday in the NCS D2 playoffs and the Dragons won again, but it was even closer

California

CIF North Coast Section 2024 football playoff updated brackets, first-round scores; next matchups (11-15-2024)

De La Salle, Pittsburg and San Ramon Valley all win handily in top division; Bishop O'Dowd edges Monte Vista in the Game of the Night in D2

Derrick Blanche Jr. (22) finished with 12 carries, 182 yards rushing, including a 62-yard touchdown jaunt to finish off the scoring. De La Salle finished with 332 yards rushing and 408 overall in a 39-10 win over Serra on Sept. 6, 2024. On Friday in a 42-10 win over San Marin, Blanche finished off the scoring with a 40-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

California

De La Salle powers past San Marin, now gets Pittsburg in much anticipated NorCal heavyweight matchup

Spartans spread the wealth to increase unbeaten North Coast Section streak to 277 games; Pittsburg breezes past Clayton Valley

Bakersfield 2026 QB Elijah Cavazos has passed for 1,714 yards and 16 touchdowns in his first 12 games of 2024, leading the Drillers into the CIF Central Section Division 1-A championship game.

California

CIF Central Section 2024 football playoff updated brackets, roundup, predictions (11-18-2024)

Clovis East, Central impressive in decisive semifinal wins, to meet for D1-AA title Friday; Frontier, Bakersfield collide for D1-A title; 10 other semifinal games this week

Granite Hills, which hosts Torrey Pines Friday in D1 quarterfinal play, here prepared for Mission Hills in August / Photo: Steven Silva.

California

CIF San Diego Section 2024 football playoff bracket, predictions, scores, updates (11-15-2024)

We are the champions. Alameda's girls flag football team won the initial NCS championship after a 26-20 overtime win over Alhambra at California High.

California

'Holy cow,' Alameda High School wins first North Coast Section flag football championship with Hail Mary

Monterey's Aaliyah Chavez dribbles the ball against Frenship during the big school girls bracket championship of the Caprock Classic, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, at Tiger Pit in Wolfforth. Chavez is a member of the 2024-25 High School on SI 6 preseason girls high school basketball All-American team.

National

'High School on SI 6:' Preseason high school girls basketball All-American team 2024-25

Mission Viejo quarterback Luke Fahey (3) combined with Draiden Trudeau to throw for more than 250 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-7 win at Kapalama earlier this season. Mission Viejo travels to Corona Centennial in the state Game of the Week, a Southern Section Division I quarterfinal contest.

California

Top 25 California high school football rankings (11/12/2024)