Blog

By Mike Finnerty (mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com)

Next week we'll debut our 2012 girl's volleyball Top 15 rankings, and so far all the preseason and early season buzz centers around the St. Francis Troubadours.

St. Francis lost just one player (Paige Folger) from last year's Division I section championship squad, and this year's team is even deeper.

At Sunday's media dinner held at Sam's Hof Brau in Sacramento, coaches talked about their teams and even more about their frustration as it relates to the playoffs and how teams make it in. 

With three teams from each league getting a spot in the playoffs, it almost certainly ensures that some of the area's top teams will not participate in postseason.

Boys Water Polo

On Wednesday, the Whitney Wildcats got a 7-6 win over crosstown rival Rocklin, but this wasn't just any win. For the Wildcats, it was their first victory since 2010 after going winless last year.

Whitney was down 4-2 at the half, but tied the score at 5-5 with 29 seconds left in the third period. With only two subs, Whitney prevailed in the final quarter to get the win.

Wildcats head coach Mike Chavez needed only a few words to summarize his team's effort to get their first win of the year, "It showed heart".

Fall coverage

Next week, SureWest Sports will begin it's normal full slate of prep sports coverage that will include girls volleyball, water polo, and more.

This week we'll see football games that include Nevada Union at Grant (Friday) and Cosumnes Oaks at Sacramento (Saturday), plus a Friday soccer match that will feature Franklin at Rio Americano.

In my blog last month I talked about the possibility that we could see quite a few repeat section champions in the fall sports, but that statement turned out to be true and not true. Let me explain.

The "big three" sports for the fall are considered to be football, boy's soccer, and girl's volleyball. In those three sports there were no repeat champions in the Division I and Division II brackets. However, the teams that lost in the Division I and Division II championships in all three of those sports all won last year, so last year's winners did at least make it back to the section championships.

In the rest of the section championships for football, boy's soccer, and girl's volleyball, there were seven repeat champions and five new champions.

In the other four fall sports, not counting cross country, almost all teams repeated as champions. Girl's sports such as tennis, golf, and water polo, plus boy's water polo, had eight teams repeat as champions in the combined 10 championships that were up for grabs.

So there were certainly many repeat champions this past fall, but for the upper two divisions in the "big three" sports we did not see one repeat champion and I think is a good thing overall.

Oddly enough, in two sports where the same teams dominate, we saw winning streaks come to an end. Two of the most dominate teams in the fall the past several years have been the Rio Americano girl's water polo team and the St. Francis golf team.

Rio Americano had won all nine Division II girl's water polo titles since the format started back in 2002, didn't even make it to the championship match this year. 

St. Francis, which had won every Masters golf championship since the format started back in 2006, took 3rd place in this year's match.

So, what is the point to all of this? Well, I guess I was both right and wrong. We did see many champions repeat, but we didn't see a single team repeat as champions in the top two divisions of the "big three" sports and that's a good thing. New blood is always good.

In all the other sports, it was the same teams repeating with a few surprises.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I see many of the same teams competing for section titles in the winter sports as well, but that's why they play the games.

What do you like to see in high school sports? Do you like to see the same teams dominate a particular sport or do you like to see more competitive balance?

Email me with your thoughts on the topic:   mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com

By Mike Finnerty

mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com

If the 2011 fall playoffs look much like the 2010 version, you’re not mistaken.

Let’s start first with last year’s boy’s soccer championships where Jesuit, Granite Bay, Natomas, Vista Del Lago, Dixon, Encina, and Millennium all won section titles. This year, all of those same teams can win titles on Saturday, with the exception of Dixon.

In girl’s tennis, St. Francis and Granite Bay captured the Division I and Division II section championships last year, and they can do the same again today and Monday.

The semi-final round of the girls’ volleyball playoffs will take place on Tuesday, and not only is there a chance for repeat champions in four of the six divisions, but it’s likely that the Division I and Division II championship matches will have all the same teams back.

Finally, in football, the opening round of the playoffs debuted on Friday, and last year’s champions are heavy favorites to repeat this year in four of the five divisions. Teams like Pleasant Grove (D-I), Del Oro (D-III), Escalon (D-IV), and Le Grand (D-V) are not only seeking section titles, but all four teams have hopes of securing State Bowl bids.

Folsom, last year’s Division II State Champion, is a No. 6 seed in the D-II bracket, but they are a much better team than most No. 6 seeds. If Folsom was to win the Division II section title, it wouldn’t surprise anyone.

So with all that said, can there ever be parity in high school sports? Do we need parity in high school sports? Do you like to see the same teams dominate various sports each year?

Does success at the high school level come from great coaching, solid administrative support, facilities, tradition, or are there times where an infusion of talent happens to pass through a school at a certain time? 

Who knows the exact answers to all the questions posed, so if you’re watching teams celebrate as repeat champions this year, don’t worry, you didn’t take a time machine back to a year ago, you are still in 2011.

Over the weekend I saw three football games, and in each game there was a team that had a two players who we might refer to as a “dynamic duo”, or a “1-2 punch” for their respective offense.

On Friday I saw Elk Grove beat Grant, and the obvious 1-2 punch for Elk Grove was their tandem of running backs in Deon Ransom and Robert Frazier.

Both players went over 100 yards rushing in the game, and each scored a touchdown, but that’s nothing new for this pair with Frazier averaging over 151 yards rushing per game Ransom 112 yard per game.

Saturday I was in Galt to see Vista Del Lago take on Galt where I got my first look at the Eagles’ quarterback Aaron Young, and receiver Logan Smith. Young in second in the section in passing yardage, and Logan is first in the section in receiving yardage.

To this point in the season I have seen 11 of the 15 teams in our SureWest Sports’ Top 15 rankings, and there have been many 1-2 punch combinations that have been impressive and fun to watch.

In no particular order, here are some 1-2 punch combinations that have been impressive and fun to watch this season, in addition to the pairings of Ransom-Frazier and Young-Smith.

Nick O’Sullivan (RB) and Brandon Monroe (RB) – Del Oro

Mark Jenkins (RB) and Cody Demps (QB) – Pleasant Grove

Brendan Keeney (QB) and Arik Bird (RB) – Granite Bay

Tanner Trosin (QB) and J’Juan Muldrow (WR) – Folsom

Shaq Thompson (RB) and Terry Shine (QB) - Grant

Zac Cunha (QB) and Casey Lambert (RB) – Roseville

Jake Rodrigues (QB) and Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick – Whitney

Austin Young (QB) and Hunter Perez (RB) – Colfax

Jeff Samuels (QB) and Dylan Collie (WR) – Oak Ridge

Who is on your list? Sent me an email to mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com

Last week at the Davis-Granite Bay boy’s soccer match there was a buzz in the air, and it was coming from the Granite Bay sidelines where the parents, families, and students all sit to watch the game.

The buzz was a rumor that Granite Bay star play Cody Giddings was not at the game that day and would likely not be with the team again because Giddings was told by his CDA (California Development Academy) team that he could no longer play high school soccer.

Giddings was not at the game, and for the Grizzlies, the nation’s No. 15 ranked team by the National Soccer Coaches Association, the match finished in a scoreless tie with the Blue Devils.

There is no way to conclude that the tie had anything to do with the absence of Giddings, but it was certainly a blow to the Granite Bay team.

Later that day it was discovered that the CDA did in fact send notice to their players that they could not longer play high school soccer, effective immediately.

Three days later, Davis took on the nation’s No. 1 ranked team in Jesuit, and that game also finished in a tie (1-1). Leading up to the Davis game Jesuit was already hampered by a rash of injuries, but they too were feeling the pain of being without two of their CDA players.

As reported by the Lodi News Sentinel on Saturday, the decision for high school players to not play for their respective high school teams came down from USA Soccer.

The news did not sit well with Jesuit coach Paul Rose who knows the difficult decision that has to be made by the player and their families, but it was the timing of the announcement that was the most difficult to understand.

“They were told at the beginning of the season that they could play high school soccer,” said Rose. “That this was going to be the last year that they would be allowed to play. From every angle, educationally, etc, to tell the kids halfway through the season that you cannot play, is really ridiculous. I feel bad. These kids came out, tried out for the team, and there are other kids I had to cut that wanted to make the team badly. I had four kids in this situation. This whole week has been absolutely crazy. I feel bad for the kids. They are crying, not knowing what to do.”

“This will change high school soccer as we know it,” said Granite Bay coach Steve Fischer. “These are just kids. They’re 17 years old.”

Driving the decision by USA Soccer is the risk of injuries to players they believe have a chance to ultimately play for USA Soccer, combined with the potential for wear and tear given a rigorous annual schedule if an athlete is playing both for his CDA team and his high school team.

Said Rose “Its fear, right? They told them that if you play you’ll be kicked out of the program. The argument is that this is the best way to get seen by colleges. This is the best way to get a scholarship. This is the best way to get to the national team, and so what ends up happening is that some kids are fearful that they’ll lose all these opportunities. They’re put in a tough spot.”

Some of Fischer’s former players, who are playing Division I soccer, were faced with this same decision a few years back and they decided to not play high school soccer. As Fischer tell it now, those players regret making that decision and wish they had not left their high school teams.

The questions going forward are many. First off, how will high school soccer be impacted in the years ahead? Secondly, will this same mandate coming from travel teams in such sports as softball, volleyball, and basketball?

A lot of promises are made to high school athletes whether it’s by their comp teams or by college recruiters.

Let’s just hope that in the end it’s the players who have no regrets.

Through the first four weeks of the football season I have found myself on the sidelines covering games at many of the same schools that I visit every fall.

Stops already to Granite Bay, Grant, Del Oro, and Whitney, plus in the coming weeks I’ll be at Pleasant Grove (play home games at Sheldon), Folsom, Roseville, Nevada Union to name just a few.

These are all great schools, very accommodating, fantastic student support, and fun venues for big Friday night games, so why do I bring this up? I want to know why it is that some schools that are always in the hunt for a playoff spot or a section title.

What exactly are the ingredients for a strong football program?

No one really knows exactly what it takes to build a prep football dynasty, including me of all people, but here are some of the ingredients that I believe contribute to a recipe for a dominant football program, with the listed ingredients in no particular order.

A Great Head Coach

You need a coach who can lead on and off the field. Someone with character who brings respect to the school, and someone who the school, the parents and the players believe have their best interests at heart, despite wins and losses. This is particularly important during down years where there are dips in the talent pool.

Administrative Support

Leadership starts at the top and if the students and the community at large can see that school administrators are disinterested in having a successful program, it’s probably doomed from the start. Everyone needs to be on the same page.

Facilities

Dare I say it? Are we actually at a point in time where you need top-notch facilities to run a successful high school football program? This could be an ingredient added for flavor, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.

Youth program

You’ll get as many who agree with this ingredient with as many who disagree. Some coaches believe kids who play youth football are burned out by the time they reach high school. Some coaches believe that their youth football programs are an integral part of teaching “the system” so they are football-ready when they arrive on campus.

Of course It never hurts to have talent, a well-run booster club, and tradition either.

What are your ingredients for building and sustaining a successful high school football program? Email us at feedback@surewestsports.com or post your comments on our Facebook page.

Last week I did something I have never done before which is cover a soccer match on a Friday night during the football season, and thankfully I did.

In high school sports, there is nothing better than school support for a big game. Whether it's two great teams doing battle on the field or the court, or just a good old fashioned, long time, local rivalry. 

What an amazing atmosphere it was at Capital Christian for the much anticipated match between two of the nations top nine teams. No. 1 Jesuit going up against No. 9 Granite Bay. 

Not sure about Jesuit, but Granite Bay had this match on their radar immediately following their section championship win last winter.

The stands were packed with an estimated 4,000 plus in attendance. Students from both schools came out in droves, brought signs, chanted, jeered and never let up. 

Being on the sidelines had the feeling of being at a high school football playoff game between two arch rivals. Both schools wanted this win badly. Jesuit had everything to lose coming in as the team ranked No. 1, with Granite Bay having everything to win if they could somehow prevail.

By now we all know that Jesuit won the match 3-2, but for me this game was more than just the outcome of the game because both teams should run away with section titles in their respective divisions. No, this match was about two great high school teams going at it for nothing more than bragging rights, pride, and simply wanting to take on the best in the sport and measuring themselves against the best.

While the event was a complete success in every way, it would have been nice to see the match on any day other than a Friday night so it didn't compete with Friday night football. With the right publicity, on a different night, perhaps we would have seen 6,000 or 8,000 in attendance so more soccer fans could enjoy what I got to see Friday night.

Two great teams, and a great match, and an opportunity to celebrate what is good about high school sports. 

Credit Jesuit and Granite Bay for making it happen.

Friday night I joined the guys from the Sacramento Bee on their new preps chat room, a forum where fans can log on and chat about the the latest on the high school football gridiron, or simply update games around the region.

As I was updating the game I was at from the sidelines, it got me to thinking about how much social media has not only had an obvious impact in the way people interact outside of the world of sports, but how social media has had a very noticeable impact on how we cover high school sports in the media today.

For those of us who cover prep sports for a living, it seems almost impossible to do your job without having Twitter or Facebook. Some might debate that point, but if you aren't "socializing" these days, you will be left behind.

Like any other sports, high school fans want their results and they want them now, and they should make those demands because the technology is there.

It's so easy these days to take a photo, or video a play, from a particular game and then upload it to YouTube, Facebook or even Twitter. Texting scores, photos and video can be even quicker.

On a typical Friday night, a sports writer could potentially get away with having just an i-phone to do his or her job. Think about that for a moment. If you have an i-phone, you know what I'm talking about. 

For example, there is an electronic lined pad of paper on the phone. In theory, you could write your game story on that electronic pad (assuming you can type fast and accurately). If you need photos, the phone can do that as well, although certainly not as well a professional camera, but you get my drift. 

Lastly, if you want video, the phone offers that as well. Let's not forget that here is a recorder in the phone too that will enable a sports writer to get your post game quotes.

I look forward to seeing how social media and smart phone technology will continue to shape how we cover high school sports in the future, let's just hope technology doesn't eventually replace the sports writer who uses it.

By Mike Finnerty - mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com

At long last I finally have a blog! You know what that is, right? Of course you do, well now I am "blogging".

While this space will certainly be a location where I can provide additional information on the latest in prep sports, you can also expect to see an opinion or two from me here as well.

We’re kicking off the high school sports season this weekend with “Zero Week”, as it has been referred to in recent years, and the popularity in high school football in the Sacramento region has never been bigger. The talent level has also increased, and with that comes national exposure and national attention.

Last year Grant was ranked nationally in some polls, as was Folsom after their win over Grant in the section championship, followed by a win over Serra of Gardena in the Division II State championship bowl game.

This year we enter the season with the Pleasant Grove Eagles as the team that is receiving all the national recognition. The Eagles will even get to show their talents on national television (ESPN) when they take to the field against fellow Elk Grove rival Monterey Trail this Saturday. 

With all that said, what do national rankings really mean? How do these publications rank teams from No. 1 to No. 20 when it’s nearly impossible to compare a team from Orlando, Florida to a team in Sparks, Nevada. Heck, I can tell you from personal experience that it’s hard enough just ranking teams from Sacramento.

I believe there is too much attention paid to national rankings. They are completely meaningless because there is not a national title to play for. It’s sort of like debating who was the greatest NFL quarterback of all time. How do you compare Sammy Baugh of the 1940’s to Joe Montana of the 1980’s. Or its like comparing teams from different generations. The common theme being that Montana will never play against Baugh and the 1960's Packers will never go head-to-head with the 90's Cowboys.

I’m sure national rankings have some purpose or place in high school sports.....still trying to figure out what that purpose is. I'm guessing that there is also some heavy political influence which makes me question the rankings. 

So as you folks out there follow Pleasant Grove’s national ranking(s) this season, and along the way you sweat every spot they hold, good or bad, I’ll be following what they do on the field in pursuit of what really matters, winning a CIF State Championship.

By Mike Finnerty (mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com)

Next week we'll debut our 2012 girl's volleyball Top 15 rankings, and so far all the preseason and early season buzz centers around the St. Francis Troubadours.

St. Francis lost just one player (Paige Folger) from last year's Division I section championship squad, and this year's team is even deeper.

At Sunday's media dinner held at Sam's Hof Brau in Sacramento, coaches talked about their teams and even more about their frustration as it relates to the playoffs and how teams make it in. 

With three teams from each league getting a spot in the playoffs, it almost certainly ensures that some of the area's top teams will not participate in postseason.

Boys Water Polo

On Wednesday, the Whitney Wildcats got a 7-6 win over crosstown rival Rocklin, but this wasn't just any win. For the Wildcats, it was their first victory since 2010 after going winless last year.

Whitney was down 4-2 at the half, but tied the score at 5-5 with 29 seconds left in the third period. With only two subs, Whitney prevailed in the final quarter to get the win.

Wildcats head coach Mike Chavez needed only a few words to summarize his team's effort to get their first win of the year, "It showed heart".

Fall coverage

Next week, SureWest Sports will begin it's normal full slate of prep sports coverage that will include girls volleyball, water polo, and more.

This week we'll see football games that include Nevada Union at Grant (Friday) and Cosumnes Oaks at Sacramento (Saturday), plus a Friday soccer match that will feature Franklin at Rio Americano.

In my blog last month I talked about the possibility that we could see quite a few repeat section champions in the fall sports, but that statement turned out to be true and not true. Let me explain.

The "big three" sports for the fall are considered to be football, boy's soccer, and girl's volleyball. In those three sports there were no repeat champions in the Division I and Division II brackets. However, the teams that lost in the Division I and Division II championships in all three of those sports all won last year, so last year's winners did at least make it back to the section championships.

In the rest of the section championships for football, boy's soccer, and girl's volleyball, there were seven repeat champions and five new champions.

In the other four fall sports, not counting cross country, almost all teams repeated as champions. Girl's sports such as tennis, golf, and water polo, plus boy's water polo, had eight teams repeat as champions in the combined 10 championships that were up for grabs.

So there were certainly many repeat champions this past fall, but for the upper two divisions in the "big three" sports we did not see one repeat champion and I think is a good thing overall.

Oddly enough, in two sports where the same teams dominate, we saw winning streaks come to an end. Two of the most dominate teams in the fall the past several years have been the Rio Americano girl's water polo team and the St. Francis golf team.

Rio Americano had won all nine Division II girl's water polo titles since the format started back in 2002, didn't even make it to the championship match this year. 

St. Francis, which had won every Masters golf championship since the format started back in 2006, took 3rd place in this year's match.

So, what is the point to all of this? Well, I guess I was both right and wrong. We did see many champions repeat, but we didn't see a single team repeat as champions in the top two divisions of the "big three" sports and that's a good thing. New blood is always good.

In all the other sports, it was the same teams repeating with a few surprises.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I see many of the same teams competing for section titles in the winter sports as well, but that's why they play the games.

What do you like to see in high school sports? Do you like to see the same teams dominate a particular sport or do you like to see more competitive balance?

Email me with your thoughts on the topic:   mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com

By Mike Finnerty

mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com

If the 2011 fall playoffs look much like the 2010 version, you’re not mistaken.

Let’s start first with last year’s boy’s soccer championships where Jesuit, Granite Bay, Natomas, Vista Del Lago, Dixon, Encina, and Millennium all won section titles. This year, all of those same teams can win titles on Saturday, with the exception of Dixon.

In girl’s tennis, St. Francis and Granite Bay captured the Division I and Division II section championships last year, and they can do the same again today and Monday.

The semi-final round of the girls’ volleyball playoffs will take place on Tuesday, and not only is there a chance for repeat champions in four of the six divisions, but it’s likely that the Division I and Division II championship matches will have all the same teams back.

Finally, in football, the opening round of the playoffs debuted on Friday, and last year’s champions are heavy favorites to repeat this year in four of the five divisions. Teams like Pleasant Grove (D-I), Del Oro (D-III), Escalon (D-IV), and Le Grand (D-V) are not only seeking section titles, but all four teams have hopes of securing State Bowl bids.

Folsom, last year’s Division II State Champion, is a No. 6 seed in the D-II bracket, but they are a much better team than most No. 6 seeds. If Folsom was to win the Division II section title, it wouldn’t surprise anyone.

So with all that said, can there ever be parity in high school sports? Do we need parity in high school sports? Do you like to see the same teams dominate various sports each year?

Does success at the high school level come from great coaching, solid administrative support, facilities, tradition, or are there times where an infusion of talent happens to pass through a school at a certain time? 

Who knows the exact answers to all the questions posed, so if you’re watching teams celebrate as repeat champions this year, don’t worry, you didn’t take a time machine back to a year ago, you are still in 2011.

Over the weekend I saw three football games, and in each game there was a team that had a two players who we might refer to as a “dynamic duo”, or a “1-2 punch” for their respective offense.

On Friday I saw Elk Grove beat Grant, and the obvious 1-2 punch for Elk Grove was their tandem of running backs in Deon Ransom and Robert Frazier.

Both players went over 100 yards rushing in the game, and each scored a touchdown, but that’s nothing new for this pair with Frazier averaging over 151 yards rushing per game Ransom 112 yard per game.

Saturday I was in Galt to see Vista Del Lago take on Galt where I got my first look at the Eagles’ quarterback Aaron Young, and receiver Logan Smith. Young in second in the section in passing yardage, and Logan is first in the section in receiving yardage.

To this point in the season I have seen 11 of the 15 teams in our SureWest Sports’ Top 15 rankings, and there have been many 1-2 punch combinations that have been impressive and fun to watch.

In no particular order, here are some 1-2 punch combinations that have been impressive and fun to watch this season, in addition to the pairings of Ransom-Frazier and Young-Smith.

Nick O’Sullivan (RB) and Brandon Monroe (RB) – Del Oro

Mark Jenkins (RB) and Cody Demps (QB) – Pleasant Grove

Brendan Keeney (QB) and Arik Bird (RB) – Granite Bay

Tanner Trosin (QB) and J’Juan Muldrow (WR) – Folsom

Shaq Thompson (RB) and Terry Shine (QB) - Grant

Zac Cunha (QB) and Casey Lambert (RB) – Roseville

Jake Rodrigues (QB) and Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick – Whitney

Austin Young (QB) and Hunter Perez (RB) – Colfax

Jeff Samuels (QB) and Dylan Collie (WR) – Oak Ridge

Who is on your list? Sent me an email to mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com

Last week at the Davis-Granite Bay boy’s soccer match there was a buzz in the air, and it was coming from the Granite Bay sidelines where the parents, families, and students all sit to watch the game.

The buzz was a rumor that Granite Bay star play Cody Giddings was not at the game that day and would likely not be with the team again because Giddings was told by his CDA (California Development Academy) team that he could no longer play high school soccer.

Giddings was not at the game, and for the Grizzlies, the nation’s No. 15 ranked team by the National Soccer Coaches Association, the match finished in a scoreless tie with the Blue Devils.

There is no way to conclude that the tie had anything to do with the absence of Giddings, but it was certainly a blow to the Granite Bay team.

Later that day it was discovered that the CDA did in fact send notice to their players that they could not longer play high school soccer, effective immediately.

Three days later, Davis took on the nation’s No. 1 ranked team in Jesuit, and that game also finished in a tie (1-1). Leading up to the Davis game Jesuit was already hampered by a rash of injuries, but they too were feeling the pain of being without two of their CDA players.

As reported by the Lodi News Sentinel on Saturday, the decision for high school players to not play for their respective high school teams came down from USA Soccer.

The news did not sit well with Jesuit coach Paul Rose who knows the difficult decision that has to be made by the player and their families, but it was the timing of the announcement that was the most difficult to understand.

“They were told at the beginning of the season that they could play high school soccer,” said Rose. “That this was going to be the last year that they would be allowed to play. From every angle, educationally, etc, to tell the kids halfway through the season that you cannot play, is really ridiculous. I feel bad. These kids came out, tried out for the team, and there are other kids I had to cut that wanted to make the team badly. I had four kids in this situation. This whole week has been absolutely crazy. I feel bad for the kids. They are crying, not knowing what to do.”

“This will change high school soccer as we know it,” said Granite Bay coach Steve Fischer. “These are just kids. They’re 17 years old.”

Driving the decision by USA Soccer is the risk of injuries to players they believe have a chance to ultimately play for USA Soccer, combined with the potential for wear and tear given a rigorous annual schedule if an athlete is playing both for his CDA team and his high school team.

Said Rose “Its fear, right? They told them that if you play you’ll be kicked out of the program. The argument is that this is the best way to get seen by colleges. This is the best way to get a scholarship. This is the best way to get to the national team, and so what ends up happening is that some kids are fearful that they’ll lose all these opportunities. They’re put in a tough spot.”

Some of Fischer’s former players, who are playing Division I soccer, were faced with this same decision a few years back and they decided to not play high school soccer. As Fischer tell it now, those players regret making that decision and wish they had not left their high school teams.

The questions going forward are many. First off, how will high school soccer be impacted in the years ahead? Secondly, will this same mandate coming from travel teams in such sports as softball, volleyball, and basketball?

A lot of promises are made to high school athletes whether it’s by their comp teams or by college recruiters.

Let’s just hope that in the end it’s the players who have no regrets.

Through the first four weeks of the football season I have found myself on the sidelines covering games at many of the same schools that I visit every fall.

Stops already to Granite Bay, Grant, Del Oro, and Whitney, plus in the coming weeks I’ll be at Pleasant Grove (play home games at Sheldon), Folsom, Roseville, Nevada Union to name just a few.

These are all great schools, very accommodating, fantastic student support, and fun venues for big Friday night games, so why do I bring this up? I want to know why it is that some schools that are always in the hunt for a playoff spot or a section title.

What exactly are the ingredients for a strong football program?

No one really knows exactly what it takes to build a prep football dynasty, including me of all people, but here are some of the ingredients that I believe contribute to a recipe for a dominant football program, with the listed ingredients in no particular order.

A Great Head Coach

You need a coach who can lead on and off the field. Someone with character who brings respect to the school, and someone who the school, the parents and the players believe have their best interests at heart, despite wins and losses. This is particularly important during down years where there are dips in the talent pool.

Administrative Support

Leadership starts at the top and if the students and the community at large can see that school administrators are disinterested in having a successful program, it’s probably doomed from the start. Everyone needs to be on the same page.

Facilities

Dare I say it? Are we actually at a point in time where you need top-notch facilities to run a successful high school football program? This could be an ingredient added for flavor, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.

Youth program

You’ll get as many who agree with this ingredient with as many who disagree. Some coaches believe kids who play youth football are burned out by the time they reach high school. Some coaches believe that their youth football programs are an integral part of teaching “the system” so they are football-ready when they arrive on campus.

Of course It never hurts to have talent, a well-run booster club, and tradition either.

What are your ingredients for building and sustaining a successful high school football program? Email us at feedback@surewestsports.com or post your comments on our Facebook page.

Last week I did something I have never done before which is cover a soccer match on a Friday night during the football season, and thankfully I did.

In high school sports, there is nothing better than school support for a big game. Whether it's two great teams doing battle on the field or the court, or just a good old fashioned, long time, local rivalry. 

What an amazing atmosphere it was at Capital Christian for the much anticipated match between two of the nations top nine teams. No. 1 Jesuit going up against No. 9 Granite Bay. 

Not sure about Jesuit, but Granite Bay had this match on their radar immediately following their section championship win last winter.

The stands were packed with an estimated 4,000 plus in attendance. Students from both schools came out in droves, brought signs, chanted, jeered and never let up. 

Being on the sidelines had the feeling of being at a high school football playoff game between two arch rivals. Both schools wanted this win badly. Jesuit had everything to lose coming in as the team ranked No. 1, with Granite Bay having everything to win if they could somehow prevail.

By now we all know that Jesuit won the match 3-2, but for me this game was more than just the outcome of the game because both teams should run away with section titles in their respective divisions. No, this match was about two great high school teams going at it for nothing more than bragging rights, pride, and simply wanting to take on the best in the sport and measuring themselves against the best.

While the event was a complete success in every way, it would have been nice to see the match on any day other than a Friday night so it didn't compete with Friday night football. With the right publicity, on a different night, perhaps we would have seen 6,000 or 8,000 in attendance so more soccer fans could enjoy what I got to see Friday night.

Two great teams, and a great match, and an opportunity to celebrate what is good about high school sports. 

Credit Jesuit and Granite Bay for making it happen.

Friday night I joined the guys from the Sacramento Bee on their new preps chat room, a forum where fans can log on and chat about the the latest on the high school football gridiron, or simply update games around the region.

As I was updating the game I was at from the sidelines, it got me to thinking about how much social media has not only had an obvious impact in the way people interact outside of the world of sports, but how social media has had a very noticeable impact on how we cover high school sports in the media today.

For those of us who cover prep sports for a living, it seems almost impossible to do your job without having Twitter or Facebook. Some might debate that point, but if you aren't "socializing" these days, you will be left behind.

Like any other sports, high school fans want their results and they want them now, and they should make those demands because the technology is there.

It's so easy these days to take a photo, or video a play, from a particular game and then upload it to YouTube, Facebook or even Twitter. Texting scores, photos and video can be even quicker.

On a typical Friday night, a sports writer could potentially get away with having just an i-phone to do his or her job. Think about that for a moment. If you have an i-phone, you know what I'm talking about. 

For example, there is an electronic lined pad of paper on the phone. In theory, you could write your game story on that electronic pad (assuming you can type fast and accurately). If you need photos, the phone can do that as well, although certainly not as well a professional camera, but you get my drift. 

Lastly, if you want video, the phone offers that as well. Let's not forget that here is a recorder in the phone too that will enable a sports writer to get your post game quotes.

I look forward to seeing how social media and smart phone technology will continue to shape how we cover high school sports in the future, let's just hope technology doesn't eventually replace the sports writer who uses it.

By Mike Finnerty - mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com

At long last I finally have a blog! You know what that is, right? Of course you do, well now I am "blogging".

While this space will certainly be a location where I can provide additional information on the latest in prep sports, you can also expect to see an opinion or two from me here as well.

We’re kicking off the high school sports season this weekend with “Zero Week”, as it has been referred to in recent years, and the popularity in high school football in the Sacramento region has never been bigger. The talent level has also increased, and with that comes national exposure and national attention.

Last year Grant was ranked nationally in some polls, as was Folsom after their win over Grant in the section championship, followed by a win over Serra of Gardena in the Division II State championship bowl game.

This year we enter the season with the Pleasant Grove Eagles as the team that is receiving all the national recognition. The Eagles will even get to show their talents on national television (ESPN) when they take to the field against fellow Elk Grove rival Monterey Trail this Saturday. 

With all that said, what do national rankings really mean? How do these publications rank teams from No. 1 to No. 20 when it’s nearly impossible to compare a team from Orlando, Florida to a team in Sparks, Nevada. Heck, I can tell you from personal experience that it’s hard enough just ranking teams from Sacramento.

I believe there is too much attention paid to national rankings. They are completely meaningless because there is not a national title to play for. It’s sort of like debating who was the greatest NFL quarterback of all time. How do you compare Sammy Baugh of the 1940’s to Joe Montana of the 1980’s. Or its like comparing teams from different generations. The common theme being that Montana will never play against Baugh and the 1960's Packers will never go head-to-head with the 90's Cowboys.

I’m sure national rankings have some purpose or place in high school sports.....still trying to figure out what that purpose is. I'm guessing that there is also some heavy political influence which makes me question the rankings. 

So as you folks out there follow Pleasant Grove’s national ranking(s) this season, and along the way you sweat every spot they hold, good or bad, I’ll be following what they do on the field in pursuit of what really matters, winning a CIF State Championship.