Sportstars
Journey To The Center Of The Mat | NorCal’s Kathy Kopara Makes History
Santa Rosa Native And Vacaville Sixth Grade Teacher Kathy Kopara Endured To Become Groundbreaking Wrestling Official At The 2023 CIF Wrestling Championships • TOP PHOTO CREDIT: John Sachs/Tech-Fall.com Kathy Kopara remembers the moment distinctly, though she was oblivious at the time. The 45-year-old Vacaville resident was officiating a first-round... Read more
No Apologies | Granada Boys Basketball Earns First NorCal Finals Trip Since ’96
Despite Drawing And Beating An Undermanned Riordan, The Granada Boys Basketball Team Has Proven It Belongs In Div. I Title Game • PICTURED ABOVE: Granada Students React As The Matadors’ NaVaughn Long Looks Up At The Score After Being Fouled While Converting A Second-Half Layup. (Chace Bryson photos) There... Read more
CIF Basketball Notes | Salesian Girls Shine; Bracketbusters Crash D2 Boys
Salesian Girls Show Grit In 2OT Road Win; EBAL Dominates; Sierra Foothill League Cinderellas Whitney, Granite Bay Boys Set To Clash Again • PICTURED ABOVE: Whitney-Rocklin Senior Derek Lamb Dunks The Ball During The Sac-Joaquin Section Division II Final. (David Gershon photo) As the Open Division closed out the... Read more
Best Of The Best | NorCal Wrestling Puts 64 On State Podium
A Strong Weekend For Boys & Girls NorCal Wrestling Yielded Eight State Titles At The CIF State Wrestling Championships In Bakersfield • PICTURED ABOVE: Cesar Chavez-Stockton Senior Taydem Khamjoi, Who Won The 131-Pound Girls State Title On Feb. 25. (Ike Dodson photos) Sixty-four Northern California wrestlers escaped the three-day... Read more
Breakthrough Statement | Dougherty Valley Basketball Wins First NCS Title
Seniors Lead The Way As Dougherty Valley Basketball Solidifies Its Standing As North Coast Section’s Best With Open Championship Win • Dougherty Valley basketball coach Mike Hansen handed Ryan Beasley the scissors and pointed upward.  Four years after beginning his Dougherty Valley High basketball career on the Saint Mary’s... Read more
Familiar Foes, Unfamiliar Territory | Granada Girls Basketball Rises Up
By Avenging Previous Losses In Back-To-Back Playoff Wins, Granada Girls Basketball Is One Win Away From Its First NCS Title In 37 Years • PICTURED ABOVE: Senior Alexa Pletschette, Right, Shares A Moment With Teammate Cassidy Bartolotto During Their Quarterfinal Win At California-San Ramon. (Chace Bryson photos) On the... Read more
SportStars’ Preseason NorCal Softball Rankings
No More Jessica Oakland Or Sydney Stewart, But St. Francis-Mountain View Will Top Preseason NorCal Softball Rankings Nonetheless • PICTURED ABOVE: Lexi O’Gorman Of No. 1 St. Francis Slides Safety Into Third Base During A Livermore Stampede Semifinal With No. 4 Sheldon-Sacramento Last April. (Chace Bryson photo) As things... Read more
Youth Movement | Marin Catholic Softball Has A Plan
Marin Catholic Softball Nearly Pulled Off An NCS Title Run With Just Two Seniors In 2022 — This Season The Roster Is Even Younger, But No Less Dangerous • PICTURED ABOVE: Key Sophomores For The Wildcats This Season Will Includes (Left To Right) Selena Pena, Anya Jaroszewski and Lindsay... Read more
SportStars’ Preseason NorCal Baseball Rankings
Defending NorCal Div. I Champion De La Salle Begins 2023 Atop Our Preseason NorCal Baseball Rankings — With The WCAL In Hot Pursuit • PICTURED ABOVE: Senior Cal Randall Of No. 1 De La Salle. (Ike Dodson photos) As things transition from scrimmage to nonleague games during the last... Read more
SportStars NorCal Boys Basketball Rankings | Feb. 14
Top 12 Stick As Regular Season Closes; NorCal Boys Basketball Rankings See Only Minor Changes As We Head Into Section Playoffs • NorCal Boys Basketball Rankings All records are through Tuesday, Feb. 11. Previous rank in parenthesis. Records obtained through MaxPreps.com PICTURED ABOVE: Senior Wing Justin Ard Of No.... Read more
SportStars NorCal Boys Basketball Rankings | Feb. 9
Our NorCal Boys Basketball Rankings Get The Full Shakeup Treatment As Four New Teams Crash The Party • NorCal Boys Basketball Rankings All records are through Tuesday, Feb. 8. Previous rank in parenthesis. Records obtained through MaxPreps.com PICTURED ABOVE: Joziah Bell (10) And Xavion Bell (1) Of No. 16... Read more
NorCal Girls Wrestling | Who’s The Next Amit Elor?
As The Postseason Begins, Expect Big Things From These 137 Wrestlers — The Best Of NorCal Girls Wrestling This Season • PICTURED ABOVE: Bella Vista-Fair Oaks Junior Gianna Dibenedetto (137 Pounds) At The 2022 SJS Masters. (Ike Dodson photos) Before she was the No. 1 ranked female wrestler on... Read more