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What AI learns from us, and why that could be a legal problem

James Mixon Managing Attorney California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District See more… Picture this: A law firm’s H.R. director stares puzzled at her screen. The new AI recruitment tool consistently recommends candidates named “Chad” or those listing water polo experience. Is the algorithm harboring a strange affinity for aquatic athletes? No — it’s simply […]

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James Mixon

Managing Attorney

California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District

See more…

Picture this: A law firm’s H.R. director stares puzzled at her
screen. The new AI recruitment tool consistently recommends candidates named
“Chad” or those listing water polo experience. Is the algorithm
harboring a strange affinity for aquatic athletes? No — it’s simply mirroring
patterns from the firm’s historical hiring data, where several successful
associates happened to share these traits. Absurd? Perhaps. But consider the
real-world consequences unfolding at tech giants across Silicon Valley.

In 2014, Amazon embarked on an ambitious experiment to
revolutionize hiring. Their engineering team developed 500 specialized computer
models designed to crawl through resumes, identify promising candidates, and
essentially automate recruitment. The system analyzed 50,000 terms from past
resumes, learning which patterns predicted success.

As one Amazon insider told Reuters, “They literally wanted
it to be an engine where I’m going to give you 100 resumes, it will spit out
the top five, and we’ll hire those.”

By 2015, however, Amazon discovered its AI had developed a
troubling preference: it systematically discriminated against women.

The system had been trained on a decade of Amazon’s technical
hiring data — drawn from an industry dominated by men. Like a digital
apprentice learning from a biased mentor, the AI taught itself that male
candidates were preferable. It penalized resumes containing terms like
“women’s chess club” and even downgraded graduates from women’s
colleges.

Despite engineers’ efforts to edit the programs to neutralize
these gender biases, Amazon ultimately lost confidence in the project and
disbanded it by 2017. The lesson? AI doesn’t create bias out of thin air — it
amplifies the patterns it finds, including our own historical prejudices.

Beyond hiring: How AI bias manifests in language itself

This bias extends beyond who gets hired; it permeates the very
language AI systems produce. Consider a common scenario in today’s workplace:
using AI to draft professional communications.

When asked to “write a professional job application letter
for a software engineering position,” an AI system might produce:

“Dear Sir, I am a highly motivated and results-driven
software engineer with a proven track record…”

This seemingly innocuous response contains several linguistic
biases:

1. Gendered language (“Dear Sir”): The
AI defaults to masculine salutations — reinforcing outdated gender assumptions.

2. Clichéd corporate jargon
(“results-driven,” “track record”): The model reproduces
formulaic corporate English, which may not be appropriate for all cultural or
regional job markets.

3. Erasure of identity markers: AI may strip
identity-specific phrasing or “neutralize” tone based on a biased
conception of professionalism.

Legal arguments are compromised through subtle framing

This linguistic bias becomes even more concerning in legal
settings. When asked to draft legal arguments, AI often exhibits subtle but
significant biases in framing and vocabulary.

For example, when prompted to write a legal argument that police
used excessive force, AI might default to:

“While officers are generally afforded wide discretion in
volatile situations, the suspect’s behavior may have reasonably led the officer
to believe that force was necessary. Courts often defer to the officer’s
perception of threat in fast-moving scenarios.”

This response reveals several linguistic biases unique to legal
contexts:

1. Presumptive framing: The language privileges
police perspective and uses loaded terms like “suspect,” reinforcing
law enforcement narratives.

2. Asymmetrical vocabulary: Phrases like
“wide discretion” and “volatile situations” invoke
precedent favoring police while omitting key phrases plaintiffs’ attorneys use.

3. Erasure of marginalized narratives: AI might
avoid directly addressing systemic bias or racial profiling — sanitizing the
rhetorical force of the argument.

This matters because legal rhetoric carries ideological weight —
language like “suspect,” “noncompliant,” or
“reasonable threat perception” is not neutral; it frames the facts.
This is especially dangerous in civil rights, immigration, or asylum law, where
linguistic tone and framing can shape judicial outcomes.

The stakes for California attorneys

When AI bias enters your practice, it transforms from a
technological curiosity into an ethical minefield with potential disciplinary
consequences.

If an attorney delegates routine document analysis to an AI
tool, and that system consistently flags contracts from certain demographic
groups for “additional review” based on historical patterns, the
attorney, oblivious to this algorithmic bias, could face allegations of
discriminatory business practices.

California Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 5.3
(Responsibilities Regarding Nonlawyer Assistants) places the responsibility
squarely on your shoulders. This rule extends beyond traditional supervision of
human staff to encompass technological tools making decisions in your firm.

Three practical safeguards every California attorney should implement

1. Practice intentional prompting

The difference between ethical and unethical AI use often comes
down to how you frame your questions. Compare these approaches:

Problematic: “Who should we hire from these
candidates?”

Better: “Which candidates meet our specific
litigation experience requirements?”

Problematic: “What’s our best strategy for this
case?”

Better: “What procedural deadlines apply to this
employment discrimination claim in the Northern District of California?”

Train everyone in your firm to recognize that open-ended
questions invite AI to make value judgments potentially infected with bias.
Specific, factual prompts produce more objective results.

2. Implement cross-demographic testing

Before relying on AI recommendations, test how the system
responds to identical scenarios with varied demographics:

 Submit the same legal question about different clients
(corporate vs. individual, varied backgrounds)

 Compare research results for similar issues across
different California jurisdictions

 Test how client characteristics might affect case
assessment recommendations

Document these tests and address any disparities before
incorporating AI outputs into your practice.

3. Adopt the “human-in-the-loop” rule

Establish a firm policy that no AI output directly affects a
client’s matter without meaningful human review. The attorney must:

 Independently verify key AI conclusions

 Document their review process

 Take personal responsibility for the final work product

 Be able to explain the reasoning without reference to
the AI’s conclusion

This approach treats AI as a supplementary tool rather than a
decision-maker, preserving your ethical obligations while capturing
technological efficiencies.

Linguistic bias as a legal issue: Beyond ethics to liability

What makes AI linguistic bias particularly concerning is how it
intersects with existing legal frameworks:

1. Employment discrimination (Title VII): AI
recruitment systems that consistently produce gendered language in
communications or systematically disadvantage certain groups may create
disparate impact liability even absent discriminatory intent. The EEOC’s recent
guidance on AI in employment decisions specifically warns that
“neutral” automated systems can still violate federal
anti-discrimination laws through their outputs.

2. Due process and equal protection: In criminal justice
contexts, AI systems providing risk assessments or generating legal documents
with subtle language biases in favor of law enforcement may implicate
constitutional protections.

3. Legal malpractice and standard of care: As AI
adoption becomes standard practice, attorneys face evolving questions about the
standard of care. Does adequate representation now require understanding how
linguistic bias in AI-generated work product might disadvantage certain
clients?

4. Discovery and work product: Linguistic patterns
in AI-generated outputs may reveal underlying biases that could become
discoverable in litigation.

The path forward

The question isn’t whether AI will transform legal practice — it
already has. The true challenge is whether California attorneys will harness
these powerful tools while maintaining their ethical obligations.

By understanding potential AI biases, both in content and
language, and implementing proactive safeguards, you can navigate this
technological transformation without compromising your professional
responsibilities. The attorney who treats AI as an unquestioned authority
rather than a carefully supervised assistant does so at their ethical peril.

California’s legal community has always been at the forefront of
technological adoption. Now we must lead in ethical AI integration,
demonstrating that innovation and professional responsibility can advance hand
in hand. The future of our profession — and the equitable administration of
justice — depends on it.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are
solely those of the author in their personal capacity and do not reflect the
official position of the California Court of Appeal, Second District, or the
Judicial Branch of California. This article is intended to contribute to
scholarly dialogue and does not represent judicial policy or administrative
guidance.



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Who won this year’s Ealing Sports Awards?

Who won this year’s Ealing Sports Awards? – Around Ealing Skip to content Translate » We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy Link 0

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Who won this year’s Ealing Sports Awards? – Around Ealing


















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Boras on client Aloy as “an adaptive athlete”

Shortstop Wehiwa Aloy doesn’t possess a broad knowledge of the team that drafted him 31st overall earlier this month. He grew up in Hawaii and attended college at Sacramento State and Arkansas. He won’t nail a quiz on the Orioles, though he’s probably done some homework since hearing his name called. Here’s what he does […]

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Shortstop Wehiwa Aloy doesn’t possess a broad knowledge of the team that drafted him 31st overall earlier this month. He grew up in Hawaii and attended college at Sacramento State and Arkansas. He won’t nail a quiz on the Orioles, though he’s probably done some homework since hearing his name called.

Here’s what he does know, which he shared yesterday in a video call with the local media:

“Just the development of players that have come through here. Seen it for a long time now and it’s just getting better every day.”

That’s what the Orioles expect Aloy to do.

They were linked to him at No. 19 in some mocks, but he fell to their third pick of the evening. The first round wasn’t in doubt. The only mystery was where he’d land, and the answer came while he sat on a couch with his parents, grandmother and sister.

“I think gradually as I kind of matured in college, going from Sacramento State to Arkansas, I just developed into the player I am today,” he said. “And once I got to Arkansas, I think it was a very high possibility.”

Teams tend to notice when a young player is named Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, and wins the Golden Spikes and Southeastern Conference Player of the Year awards as a junior. Aloy slashed .350/.434/.673 with 19 doubles, two triples, 21 home runs and 68 RBIs this season. Over his college career, he hit .332/.406/.609 with 43 doubles, seven triples, 49 homers and 170 RBIs in 181 games.

“Wehiwa is an adaptive athlete,” agent Scott Boras, who joined Aloy on the video call, said when asked to provide a comp. “He is someone that really has evolved in the collegiate world and going from Sac State to Arkansas, facing velocity, and also facing an SEC opponent where you’re on an infield playing in front of an audience. So the idea of who he’s like is probably your more athletic major leaguers, where he’s got power to the opposite field, power to the gaps. He’s got arm strength. But the truth of it is that what player Wehiwa will end up being will be one where you’re looking at athletes who come to the major leagues and you’re finding that they’re most adaptive.

“It reminds me of – not in form because Wehiwa, obviously, is bigger and more stronger than he was in college – but Trea Turner was an athlete that played center field, played shortstop, that really can play most anywhere on the infield. And Wehiwa has that touch power, where he has the ability to really drive the baseball to the opposite field with power. So it’s something that adds to an organization where you get someone that is very offensive-inclined with power but they can play in the dirt, really play anywhere.”

Aloy won’t fight change but he has an obvious preference.

“As long as possible, I think shortstop would be the decision,” he said, “and in the long run, just wherever they need me.”

Aloy wouldn’t be the first Hawaiian native to play for the Orioles, but he could be the first draft choice. They can go way back to infielder/emergency catcher Lenn Sakata, or left-hander Sid Fernandez, or more recently, starter Scott Feldman, and much more recently, reliever Rico Garcia. The foursome is among 49 to do it in the majors. But it isn’t always easy to get on the map from so far away.

“I feel like it was not really known for Hawaii kids to go out there and go to the mainland and just take opportunities to be in sports or anything like that,” Aloy said. “So it’s just very cool.”

Aloy wasn’t alone in this draft. The Marlins selected Oregon State infielder Aiva Arquette, from Kailua, Hawaii, at seventh overall. Aloy knew him growing up, competed against him in high school.

“Kind of showing the kids back home that it’s possible,” he said.

Boras referenced it when asked about the intangibles that Aloy brings to the organization and what Orioles fans should know about him.

“Just the will and the drive to take on the challenges,” Boras said.

“When you go through the process that Wehiwa’s gone through, from high school to college, being a player in Hawaii, where the colleges didn’t really address him initially to know his abilities. And then he got some great coaching at Sac State, and then he advanced. And then he goes to Arkansas and he advances even further. So it says a lot about his adaptiveness, his intellect, his willingness to take a challenge. Really, that’s why pro ball, I think, will be great for Wehiwa, because each step of the way he’s enjoyed, he’s accomplished, and he’s had a personality where he’s just really got the character to take on the struggles of it, achieve it, overcome it.

“And the other thing about the Aloy family is that you’re just not going to find a more positive group. They bring a culture to them that I think is very rewarding to a locker room, and I think the Oriole organization is certainly going to enjoy Wehiwa and the Aloy family that comes with it.”

Boras wasn’t done.

“And by the way, the Hawaiian food is extraordinary,” he said. “Just so you know.”



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More State Schools of the Year

De La Salle of Concord baseball players, including State Junior Player of Year Tyler Spangler (middle), are shown at left celebrating after win in CIF NorCal D1 championship game. At right, QB Makena Cook of Orange Lutheran displays first-ever CIF Southern Section D1 title plaque in flag football. Photos: Mark Tennis / Cal-Hi Sports & […]

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De La Salle of Concord baseball players, including State Junior Player of Year Tyler Spangler (middle), are shown at left celebrating after win in CIF NorCal D1 championship game. At right, QB Makena Cook of Orange Lutheran displays first-ever CIF Southern Section D1 title plaque in flag football. Photos: Mark Tennis / Cal-Hi Sports & oluflagfootball / Instagram.com.

For boys sports only, De La Salle of Concord had perhaps its best year ever without winning a CIF state title but had too many top finishes across the board than any other school. For the girls, we could have listed overall winner Santa Margarita but instead went with a different Trinity League school that benefitted from the addition of girls flag football to the calendar. Other schools earning overall state sports excellence honors for 2024-25 are San Ramon Valley of Danville (D2), South Pasadena (D3), Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton (D4) and Woodland Christian (D5). Check inside for writeups of those schools and for every other school that is appearing on our Top 10 ticker at the top of our home page.

For announcement of overall State School of the Year, CLICK HERE.

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Congratulations to the following schools for collecting a statewide all-sports honor for the 2024-2025 school year:
(Please note that for our criteria we are going to favor schools that have been in our state rankings for football, boys basketball, girls basketball, baseball & softball plus schools that have have placed high in CIF championship events.)

Boys Sports Only:
De La Salle (Concord)

After a break in not collecting this honor for the 2023-24 school year (overall winner Mater Dei of Santa Ana won it for boys as well), the Spartans have returned the top of this category and now have 10 state school of the year honors for boys sports since 1985. They were the school of the year for boys for 2021-22 as well as 2022-23. The two previous years for winning the honor prior to this current three-out-of-four streak was for 2015 and 2019.

It’s always more difficult for an all-boys school like DLS or last year’s winner from St. John Bosco of Bellflower to gain the overall State School of the Year nod since other perennial contenders like Santa Margarita, Mater Dei, Buchanan of Clovis and Torrey Pines of San Diego (not to mention the other schools in the Trinity League other than Servite) have girls teams that give them many more opportunities to win CIF state titles or advance far in CIF state competitions. The last time that DLS was State School of the Year was for the 2011-12 school year.

Jaden Jefferson was an all-state underclass football player for De La Salle, but made biggest impact in 100-meter dash. Photo: Mark Tennis.

Unlike their girls counterparts from next-door school Carondelet of Concord that won a CIF state title in D1 girls basketball, the Spartans didn’t get one during the 2024-25 school year. Still, it was perhaps the best year they’ve had without winning a CIF state title.

Head coach Justin Alumbaugh’s football team posted a 12-1 record in the fall, only losing to national No. 1 Mater Dei in the CIF Open Division state final, and gave the Monarchs a battle in the third quarter before winding up with a 37-15 loss. De La Salle also had one of its best teams in water polo in the fall. That team went all the way to the CIF NorCal D1 championship where it fell 9-7 to Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton. The Spartans had earlier NorCal wins over Buchanan and Campolindo of Moraga and had a win vs SHP in the regular season. It also was another solid season for cross country with DLS finishing in fifth-place at the CIF D2 state championships.

Highlights of the winter at De La Salle came on the basketball court and on the pitch. With all-state first team forward Alec Blair leading the way, the Spartans had a 28-5 season and were one of the state’s top-ranked teams. They finished with a win over Salesian of Richmond to win the program’s first CIF North Coast Section Open Division title, then beat Folsom in the CIF NorCal Open Division playoffs and then had a loss in the semifinals to Archbishop Riordan of San Francisco. The soccer team had a similarly great season and went even further in the NorCal D1 playoffs than even basketball. After falling short in the NCS finals to Dougherty Valley, DLS (19-5-3) won against Edison of Fresno and then Bellarmine of San Jose before falling just short, 2-1, in the regional title match to Alvarez of Salinas.

There was no falling short for the school’s baseball team in the spring. De La Salle scored three times in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Serra of San Mateo, 5-4, in the CIF NorCal D1 championship game. It also was the third CIF NorCal D1 regional crown for head coach David Jeans’ program in the last four years, which finished 29-4 and No. 3 in the final state rankings. The spring also featured the most electric moment of the entire school year at DLS when junior Jaden Jefferson broke the all-time state record in the 100-meter dash at the CIF state track meet with an automatic mark of 10.02 seconds. That came in the Friday prelims and Jaden later won the 100-meter state title, which also helped the DLS team finish in 6th place in team standings. Three days after the CIF track meet, De La Salle’s golf team was expected to challenge for the CIF state title down in Pebble Beach. Stevenson of Pebble Beach ran away with that title, but the Spartans were third after shooting the same score as Santa Margarita (the Eagles placed second on tie-breakers).

Add in a 12th place showing in team scoring at the CIF state swimming championships and more success in sports like rugby and wrestling and it really did come out to a very strong overall school of the year performance.

Girls Sports Only:
Lutheran (Orange)

If we had some kind of official points system to decide all of these honors (we don’t since CIF section titles can’t be given the same point total value as each CIF section is of different size), sure it may be that Santa Margarita also would be getting this honor to go with its overall selection. But the Eagles have gotten it several times before, they are the school of the year and OLu was right there as well for girls sports. The Lancers also have never been school of the year in any category, even small schools in the early years when the school wasn’t even close yet to the Trinity League.

Orange Lutheran girls water polo head coach Brenda Villa (shown taking her own photo of CIF SoCal D1 championship team) is one of the most legendary players in the sport from a California high school. Photo: Jorge Lopez / oluaquatics Instagram.

It helps with OLu on the girls side that it had the first-ever CIF Southern Section D1 championship team in flag football. The Lancers were led by CIFSS D1 Player of the Year Makena Cook, who passed for three touchdowns in a 20-12 triumph over Newport Harbor of Newport Beach. We don’t know about national flag football rankings (some states have been playing many more years than California and not in the fall) but OLu’s girls were considered No. 1 for California.

The boys part of the equation doesn’t matter for the OLu girls, but football and flag football at the school you can say are closely associated as girls flag head coach Kristen Sherman is the wife of football head coach Rod Sherman. It’s therefore a good place to mention that Rod had the best team he’s had at OLu last season with an 8-4 team that finished No. 3 in the final state rankings (ahead of all others except Mater Dei and St. John Bosco).

The other girls team at OLu that could claim it was best in the state came in water polo. The Lancers went 1-3 in games against Mater Dei of Santa Ana in the regular season and lost to Newport Harbor of Newport Beach in the CIFSS Open Division playoffs, but in the CIF SoCal D1 regional final they came through to beat the Monarchs, 10-6. Junior Allison Cohen, also a member of the USA national team who played in two international tournaments during the high school season, was the Orange County Player of the Year.

The Orange Lutheran girls also had the Orange County Player of the Year in softball with four-year standout Kai Minor. Although that team went out early in the CIFSS D1 playoffs, it did get a win over state No. 1 Norco in the Michelle Carew Classic and ended 22-6 with a top 10 final state ranking. Minor will play next at Oklahoma.

In girls golf, the Lancers added to their resume by finishing third in the CIF state championships. They shot 382 to beat fourth-place Stevenson of Pebble Beach but were behind second-place Santa Margarita and champion Torrey Pines. Ally Kim had the team’s low score with a 74.

Yet another girls team at OLu that did great work was in soccer. The Lancers turned it around from a losing season in 2022-23 to finish 13-6-1. In the CIF SoCal D2 regional playoffs, the team notched wins against Cleveland of Reseda and San Luis Obispo before falling to Torrey Pines, 1-0, in the regional final.

Note: Orange Lutheran’s baseball team also scored points toward school of the year honors. The Lancers went 23-7 overall, ranked high in the final state top 10 and featured second-round MLB Draft choice Josiah Hartshorn, just recently signed by the Chicago Cubs.

Division II State School of Year:
San Ramon Valley (Danville)

The Wolves come from the same East Bay Athletic League as De La Salle, which we would never put D2 in anything, but they are still considered D2 in a lot of sports. It’s therefore a good fit to have San Ramon Valley as D2 and getting rewarded for one of the best school years that it has ever had. This is the first time that SRV has ever been State School of the Year in any category.

Junior standout Alyssa Rudd was the center of attention after San Ramon Valley’s big win over Acalanes in the NCS Open final. Photo: X.com.

The highest CIF state finish for the Wolves came on the girls volleyball court in the CIF state championships. They played Centennial of Bakersfield for the D2 state title and beat the Golden Hawks in three straight sets after losing the first set. Lucy Chertock led the 31-9 team in kills with 19. It was the first CIF state title in volleyball for the school.

The next highest CIF state finish for the Wolves came in the pool at the CIF state girls swimming championships. They didn’t come that close to champion Santa Margarita, but scored more points than anyone else and wound up second in team standings in an event that doesn’t have divisions.

The SRV football team helped get the year started out well by going 11-2 with losses only to De La Salle and Pittsburg. It had a season-opening win against eventual CCS Open champion St. Ignatius of San Francisco and had a 7-0 win in the CIF North Coast Section Open/D1 playoffs vs Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa.

In the fall, the Wolves also captured a CIF regional title in girls water polo. They only started the D2 NorCal bracket as a fifth seed, but went all the way to the championship with wins against Clovis East, Davis and then 12-10 over Stevenson of Pebble Beach in the final.

In the winter, San Ramon Valley as a school also was one of the best in NorCal for boys & girls hoops combined. The Wolves went 24-10 on the boys side and went deep in the CIF NorCal D1 playoffs until a loss in the regional final to Lincoln of Stockton. The SRV girls beat CIF D1 state champion Carondelet twice in EBAL games, then again in the CIF North Coast Section Open Division but after winning the title in that division were placed in the CIF NorCal Open Division. The Wolves got a win at home vs Pinewood of Los Altos Hills, but then lost in the semifinals 69-62 at Clovis West. They had a final record of 27-4 and were No. 8 in our final State TOP 40 rankings.

The sport of lacrosse isn’t part of the CIF state landscape, but we do check USA Lacrosse rankings for school of the year impact and SRV (18-4) got some love there with a top 10 ranking for the West Region.

Division III State School of Year:
South Pasadena

Can a school win one of these honors in just a couple of weeks at the end of a fall, winter or spring season? That’s just about true for the Tigers, who had an unbelievable two weeks to finish the 2024 fall schedule. They also qualify for D3 so their run also fit into the right school of the year category.

On the first weekend of championships, the South Pas girls volleyball team won the CIF Division 4 state championship while the boys water polo team won the CIF SoCal D3 regional title. The next weekend it was the CIF state cross country championships at Woodward Park. There, the Tigers’ girls were too much in the D3 race and won their first ever state title. The Tigers’ boys weren’t too shabby, either. They placed fourth in the state in their race.

In girls volleyball, South Pasadena dropped the first two sets but came back to win two and then topped Hilmar, 15-8, in a decisive fifth set. The Tigers not only won their first-ever CIF state title, but became just the second team in San Gabriel Valley history to win one in girls volleyball.

In water polo, senior Kenta Fernandes scored the first two goals of the match and had two more in the fourth period to help the Tigers defeat CIF L.A. City Section Open Division champ Cleveland of Reseda, 12-6, in their D3 regional final.

Senior Abbigail Errington of South Pas crossed the finish line first in the D3 girls cross country race, which was huge because three-time state champion Hanne Thomsen from Montgomery of Santa Rosa didn’t win again. Saidbe Byrne added a 12th-place finish and the team total was more than enough to win the state crown.

One of the girls on the volleyball team, senior Kayla Boozer, was in her first year playing the sport and then stepped on to the basketball court (where she was a standout for all four of her years). She ranked among the leading scorers in the state at 26.5 ppg and led the Tigers to a 19-8 record.

Two other teams that were jotted down for the South Pasadena ledger did well in boys soccer (15-2-3 record) and boys basketball (19-10 record).

Just like San Ramon Valley, this is the first-ever State School of the Year selection for South Pasadena in school history. We also had to go back to the early 1990s when San Marino got the nod three times to find the last school from the San Gabriel Valley to be either D3 or Medium School of the Year.

The boys and girls cross country teams gathered for a photo showing both squads after the CIF Southern Section championships. The girls went on to finish first in the CIF D3 state final while the boys were fourth. Photo: spcrosscountry / Instagram.com.

Division IV:
Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton)

Both the Gators and their rivals from Menlo School compete at the highest levels in some sports, but in most of them would still qualify as small schools and therefore are still D4 for these honors. For 2024-25, SHP gets the nod and has now been named as a state school of the year for the fifth time.

Between 2015 and 2021, Sacred Heart Prep was school of the year four times. Menlo has been a school of the year three times, most recently in D4 in 2022.

The big accomplishment that helped the Gators this time was sweeping the CIF NorCal D1 championships in boys and girls water polo. On the boys side, head coach Brian Kreutzkamp’s squad avenged an earlier loss by topping De La Salle of Concord, 9-7. Senior Nelson Harris had four goals and sophomore Gates Gamble had three. It also was the fourth straight NorCal D1 title for the Gators. On the girls side, Vivian Golub had five goals as SHP had an easier time of it in a 11-4 win vs Carondelet of Concord. It was their first NorCal title and the first time that a team not from the East Bay took the top divisional crown in girls water polo since the playoffs began in 2017.

Just getting that sweep, however, isn’t enough to be a school of the year. While the CIF doesn’t do lacrosse playoffs, USA Lacrosse offers final regional and national rankings after the seasons are done and just like water polo it can be said that Sacred Heart Prep had the best boys and girls lacrosse teams in Northern California. The Gator girls had an 18-2 record and not only were No. 1 for NorCal but also were No. 2 for the entire West Region of the nation. The Gator boys ended up 17-7 and also were fourth in the final West Region rankings.

Having four No. 1 teams for all of NorCal made SHP tough to beat as a school of the year contender, but there’s a bit more. On March 9, the Gators won their first-ever CIF NorCal title in girls soccer with a come-from-behind 3-2 win in the D4 regional final played at Fresno Christian. Leah Lynch scored a game-winning goal in overtime, extra-time after SHP had tied it up with a late goal in regulation.

The SHP community has been mourning the loss of longtime assistant football coach Mark Fabbri, who passed away just last week, so we would like to mention that in bestowing this honor for the school.

Division V:
Woodland Christian

Another first time honoree as a state school of the year for this cycle would be the Cardinals, who just had too many high state rankings in the sports that we do rankings in.

Teagan Hayes went straight to softball from basketball after she led Woodland Christian to D5 state title. Photo: Mark Tennis.

The highlight of the year came at the CIF state basketball championships in early March when Woodland Christian captured the CIF D5 state title on the girls side. The Cardinals capped a 31-6 season with a 47-41 victory over Rosamond. Teagan Hayes (more on her later) led the way with 18 points while sophomore center Siena Sorbello was a force with 17 rebounds. Her father, Shilo, is the team’s head coach and also happens to be a deputy district attorney for Yolo County.

The Cardinals were thought to be a favorite to win the CIF D5 state title for the boys side as well, but were upset by Sonoma Valley. They did win the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section D5 title with an 87-63 win at Golden 1 Center over Argonaut of Jackson in a game in which junior Romello Bruhn rampaged for 47 points. They ended with a 27-6 record.

Hayes’ primary sport at Woodland Christian was softball. She was just named all-state small schools in softball to go with all-state in D5 in hoops. The softball team had a 20-5 season, 14-0 in league but lost early in the SJS D5 playoffs to Ripon.

The baseball team at the school was another one that shined. The Cardinals captured their second straight SJS D6 title with a 5-1 victory vs Bear River (Lake of the Pines). They wrapped up with a 27-7 final record after a loss to Menlo School in the CIF NorCal D5 playoffs.

Girls volleyball was another sport that helped the cause. Woodland Christian qualified for the CIF NorCal D5 playoffs in that sport, won a first-round match but then lost to Bradshaw Christian of Sacramento in the regional semifinals.

Note: If we were doing a top 10 ranking for schools of the year, Santa Margarita would be first, De La Salle second, Mater Dei third, Lutheran of Orange fourth, JSerra fifth, Buchanan of Clovis sixth, St. John Bosco seventh, Torrey Pines eighth, Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach ninth, and Oaks Christian 10th. Note that Bosco and De La Salle are boys only. Also note that the only Trinity League school not in the top 10 would be Servite of Anaheim but the Friars won the CIF boys track state team title, which means that every Trinity League school can legitimately say it had at least one team that was No. 1 in the state.

3. Mater Dei (Santa Ana)

The 2024-25 year for the Monarchs was not quite as stellar as 2023-24 when they were the ones selected as State School of the Year. They did have the distinction of winning two CIF state titles, beginning of course with football, which has become an absolute monster in recent seasons and continued in 2024 under first-year head coach Raul Lara. Mater Dei won its second straight CIF Open Division title with a 37-15 win vs De La Salle and will start the 2025 season once again No. 1 ranked in the state & nation. The second CIF state title came in the spring in D2 and in boys volleyball. The Monarchs also were in the CIF SoCal D1 regional final in girls water polo (loss to Orange Lutheran) and had one of the state’s top teams in both girls volleyball and girls basketball. The girls basketball team ended 29-4 with a loss to Etiwanda in the CIF SoCal D1 regional semifinals. The girls volleyball team went out in the CIF SoCal Open Division semifinals and also lost to the eventual state champion (Cathedral Catholic). The girls soccer team also captured the CIF Southern Section D1 championship, but lost in the regionals to Corona Santiago.

It could be that the most dominant among all of the teams that won CIF state titles during the 2024-25 school year was Mater Dei’s in football. The Monarchs will be going for their third straight CIF Open Division state title this upcoming season. Photo: Mark Tennis.

5. JSerra (SJ Capistrano)

The Lions are getting to be very much like their Trinity League counterparts from Santa Margarita, Mater Dei, and Orange Lutheran in that they are very strong in multiple boys and girls sports. And yes, those four would be our top four in the state for boys-girls combined sports (but we thought De La Salle’s boys did too much and could be higher than the others except Santa Margarita). The only public schools that can stay up there with the Trinity League seem to be Buchanan of Clovis and Torrey Pines of San Diego. If the Corona Norco Unified School District had one school with all of the top teams, however, it would probably be the state’s top school. Right now, it’s just that Centennial football, Roosevelt of Eastvale boys basketball, Corona baseball and Norco softball all represent separate schools. For JSerra, it won the CIF SoCal D1 title in boys water polo, captured a CIF D4 state title in girls cross country, finished second in the CIF D4 state finals in boys cross country, won a CIF SoCal D1 championship in boys soccer, went to the CIFSS D1 finals in softball, scored enough points to place 11th in boys team scoring at the CIF state track meet, finished among the state’s top ranked teams in boys hoops at 24-11 and had a 6-5 football team.

6. Buchanan (Clovis)

Getting back to the top of the heap at the CIF state boys wrestling championships after a one-year break in which Poway won was the highlight of the year for the Bears. This time, though, the Buchanan girls were one of the best in wrestling as well and were third in team scoring in their CIF state championship. Buchanan also had a second-place team showing in a CIF state championship this year in D1 in girls cross country. It also was noticed that the boys basketball team went 27-6 and played for the CIF Central Section D1 title, the softball team went 23-10 and played for the D1 section crown, the boys track team placed 7th in scoring at the CIF state meet and both the boys and girls volleyball teams had deep runs in their CIF section/regional playoffs.

7. St. John Bosco (Bellflower)

As mentioned earlier, both the Braves and De La Salle have difficulty for school of the year honors since neither school has girls. The sport in which Bosco was No. 1 in the state for 2024-25 was not football like it was for 2016, 2019 and 2022 but baseball. The Braves captured the CIFSS D1 title with a win in the semifinals over top seed Corona and then an extra-inning win in the final over Santa Margarita. The football team had some closer games than usual, but in the end lost just twice and in the two games to Mater Dei for a final No. 2 state ranking. The boys basketball team didn’t win a CIF state title like in 2024-25, but also was in the Open Division and not in D1. The Braves ended 26-7 and were No. 5 in the final state rankings. Bosco also had a top five finish at fourth in the CIF state wrestling championships. All four of those teams were higher than De La Salle in those sports, but the Spartans were right behind in three of them and they had the additional success in track, golf, water polo and soccer.

8. Torrey Pines (San Diego)

We don’t even know how many years in a row that the Falcons would be the top overall sports school in the CIF San Diego Section. It’s a lot. They continued to get it done in multiple sports by both boys and girls. The girls golf team in the fall won the CIF state title. The boys were in the state golf finals once again but this time were “only” sixth. Torrey Pines also won a CIF regional championship this year in D2 SoCal girls soccer. Other highlights included boys tennis with a runner-up finish in the SoCal championships, girls swimming with a 14th-place showing at the CIF state meet and boys lacrosse, which was the No. 3 ranked team in the West Region. The girls volleyball team also went 28-9 with a 3-2 loss to Mater Dei in the CIF SoCal Open Division playoffs while the boys went 33-9 and had another outstanding season.

9. Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach)

Another school that gets a leg up by usually being great in a boys-girls sport is the Mustangs and their sport is volleyball. The Costa boys won the CIF SoCal D1 title and had a 31-5 record while the girls were 27-8 and also were among the best in the state. They went 27-8 and played for the CIFSS Open Division championship. In addition, Mira Costa won a CIF SoCal D2 regional title in boys water polo, placed eighth in boys team scoring at the CIF state track meet, had a 28-3 highly ranked baseball team that had a 26-game win streak during the season with an appearance in the CIFSS D1 quarterfinals and there was a girls lacrosse team that ended the season ranked sixth in the West Region of the nation.

10. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village)

The Lions won a CIF state title in boys cross country in the D4 race. They also were among the best in the state in boys and girls water polo with the boys advancing to the CIF SoCal D1 semifinals (loss to JSerra) while the girls also got to the same spot (loss to Orange Lutheran). The Oaks Christian girls soccer team finished 24-3-1 with a perfect run league and then close losses to Santa Margarita and Santiago of Corona in the CIFSS and CIF SoCal playoffs. The girls cross country team added an eighth-place team finish at the CIF state finals in D4, the girls volleyball team went to the CIF SoCal D1 semifinals and there were the usual top performers at the school in both football, softball and recent grad Quentin Young in baseball.

MORE HONORABLE MENTIONS

Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) – Girls Basketball, Girls Soccer, Boys Swimming, Girls Volleyball, Boys Volleyball.
Campolindo (Moraga) – Football, Boys Cross Country, Boys Swimming, Girls Volleyball, Boys Water Polo.
Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) – Football, Girls Basketball, Softball, Baseball, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer.
Clovis North (Fresno) – Football, Boys Track, Softball, Girls Cross Country, Boys Soccer, Girls Volleyball, Boys Wrestling.
Del Oro (Loomis) – Flag Football, Softball, Baseball, Girls Soccer, Girls Swimming, Boys Volleyball.
Folsom – Football, Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Girls Soccer, Girls Volleyball, Boys Volleyball.
Harvard-Westlake (Studio City) – Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Girls Cross Country, Boys Soccer, Boys Tennis.
Jesuit (Carmichael) – Boys Basketball, Boys Cross Country, Boys Swimming.
Menlo School (Atherton) – Baseball, Girls Basketball, Girls Cross Country, Girls Soccer, Girls Tennis, Boys Water Polo.
Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) – Cheer, Softball, Football, Girls Cross Country, Girls Volleyball.
Point Loma (San Diego) – Baseball, Softball, Girls Cross Country, Boys Soccer.
Rocklin – Boys Basketball, Football, Girls Soccer, Girls Volleyball, Boys Water Polo.
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) – Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball, Football, Girls Volleyball.
St. Francis (Mountain View) – Softball, Football, Baseball, Girls Cross Country, Girls Soccer, Girls Volleyball, Boys Water Polo.
St. Joseph (Santa Maria) – Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Girls Soccer.
St. Vincent de Paul (Petaluma) – Football, Girls Volleyball, Softball, Boys Basketball.
Stevenson (Pebble Beach) – Boys Golf, Girls Golf, Baseball, Girls Water Polo.

Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports





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Things in Texas That Should Be Illegal but Somehow Aren't

Texas has a buttload of laws, but the state seems to have overlooked a couple of things that should probably be illegal. Luckily, I’m here to sort all of that out. You guys are welcome. From offensive fashion choices in August, weather that flat-out lies, and purposely snacking on things that seem like a dare, […]

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Things in Texas That Should Be Illegal but Somehow Aren't

Texas has a buttload of laws, but the state seems to have overlooked a couple of things that should probably be illegal. Luckily, I’m here to sort all of that out. You guys are welcome. From offensive fashion choices in August, weather that flat-out lies, and purposely snacking on things that seem like a dare, here’s an unofficial list of things that should almost certainly be illegal in Texas.

6 Things That Should Be Illegal in Texas

1. Wearing jeans when it’s 110 degrees outside.

2. Saying mild salsa is too spicy.

3. Driving 85 mph in a 45 zone and acting like you aren’t the problem.

4. Battering and deep-frying everything at the state fair, even butter.

5. Allowing the existence of fire ants.

6. Leaving Buc-ee’s without 7 different kinds of jerky.

There are plenty of others, but these 6 need to be dealt with promptly. I’d appreciate your help in getting this article to the powers that be. I know you guys have my back…

When Will The Madness End?

While we may have rules against fishing with your hands and jaywalking in Texas, there are several true terrors out there that we haven’t even scratched the surface of. Here’s to hoping the solution for the fire ants comes quickly. Dear Lord, have mercy on us all. Where’s the real justice around here? I’m fed up.

Tell me what you think Texas needs to make illegal. You can reach me at Chrissy.Covington@townsquaremedia.com. I might even feature your thoughts in an upcoming article. You never know. Keep scrolling for more Texas fun in the galleries below.

What’s Your Redneck Innovation?

Gallery Credit: Nessmania

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Nebraska Volleyball Tops Big Ten Poll; Four Huskers Make Preseason All-Conference

Nebraska volleyball remains the hunted in the Big Ten Conference. The league 2025 volleyball preseason honors and preseason poll on Thursday, ahead of the fourth annual Big Ten Volleyball Media Days on July 28-29 at Big Ten Network Studios in Chicago. The Huskers are picked to finish first this fall. This will be Dani Busboom […]

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Nebraska volleyball remains the hunted in the Big Ten Conference.

The league 2025 volleyball preseason honors and preseason poll on Thursday, ahead of the fourth annual Big Ten Volleyball Media Days on July 28-29 at Big Ten Network Studios in Chicago.

The Huskers are picked to finish first this fall. This will be Dani Busboom Kelly’s first season as the head coach of her alma mater.

Coach Busboom Kelly smiles after a rally on the court.

Coach Busboom Kelly smiles after a rally on the court. / Amarillo Mullen

NU shared the Big Ten crown last year with Penn State, who went on to beat the Huskers in the National Semifinals before winning the national title. The Nittany Lions are picked second.

Nebraska will host teams slated to finish 2, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. The Big Red will travel to teams picked to finish 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, and 18.

The full preseason ranking is below.

  1. Nebraska  
  2. Penn State 
  3. Wisconsin 
  4. Minnesota 
  5. UCLA 
  6. USC 
  7. Purdue 
  8. Washington 
  9. Illinois 
  10. Michigan 
  11. Indiana 
  12. Oregon 
  13. Ohio State 
  14. Michigan State 
  15. Northwestern 
  16. Maryland 
  17. Iowa 
  18. Rutgers 

Four Huskers made the preseason All-Big Ten team: middle blocker Rebekah Allick, middle blocker Andi Jackson, outside hitter Harper Murray, and setter Bergen Reilly. Jackson, Murray, and Reilly were unanimous selections.

Nebraska opens the 2025 season with the AVCA First Serve Showcase at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Huskers will take on Pittsburgh on Aug. 22 and Stanford on Aug. 24.

Nebraska Volleyball 2025 Schedule

Home matches are bolded. All times central.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.





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Greece claims bronze in Men’s Water Polo Championship – The Greek Herald

Just a day after the Greek women’s team won gold in Singapore, the men’s team secured bronze at the World Water Polo Championships with a decisive 16-7 win over Olympic champions Serbia. Greece dominated with an 8-0 run across the second and third quarters, showcasing sharp perimeter shooting and strong defensive play, especially while a […]

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Just a day after the Greek women’s team won gold in Singapore, the men’s team secured bronze at the World Water Polo Championships with a decisive 16-7 win over Olympic champions Serbia.

Greece dominated with an 8-0 run across the second and third quarters, showcasing sharp perimeter shooting and strong defensive play, especially while a man down.

Goalkeeper Panagiotis Tzortzatos delivered a standout performance as Greece avenged their narrow Olympic loss to Serbia.

The medal marks a historic milestone, with Greece becoming only the fourth nation ever to reach the podium in both men’s and women’s tournaments at the same World Championships.

Source: Ekathimerini.





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