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You’d be hard pressed to find a state with more high school talent and history than California.
Players from The Golden State have set records, broke barriers, and changed sports as we know them. Their achievements, from Jackie Robinson to Tiger Woods to Cheryl Miller, transcend sports and touch upon politics and culture.
Who is the all-time greatest California high school athlete?
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY is launching its 250 for 250 series, looking to answer that question by celebrating the best athletes from each state. Due to the massive size (and talent) in the Californina, USA TODAY High School Sports first released two polls—SoCal and NorCal—to get things started.
With that data, we've now created the all-time list. From fans' votes, five athletes will be selected to represent the state as legends who have defined high school sports.
First, though, let's give due credit: Billie Jean King (Long Beach Polytechnic High School), who was a driver of the implementation of Title IX, did not participate in high school tennis in part because there were not yet organized girls sports. Standing-O to the GOAT in her own right.
Here are the 16 California high school athlete nominees, listed in alphabetical order.
The 1977 Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Football and one of MaxPreps' 10 best two-way prep athletes ever, Marcus Allen led Lincoln to a CIF championship from the quarterback and safety positions, scoring five touchdowns, including an 85-yard rush and a pick-six, in the title victory. He played four years for USC before becoming a Hall of Fame running back in the NFL.
The rise of social media coincided with Lonzo Ball’s historic high school career, helping anyone who wanted watch one of the all-time great seasons of high school hoops. Ball averaged a triple-double as a senior, leading Chino Hills to an undefeated championship season, consensus No. 1 ranking, and Player of the Year honors from USA TODAY, Naismith, Morgan Wootten and more.
Cynthia Barboza became the first athlete to be name the Gatorade National Volleyball player in back-to-back years. A four-time first-team All-CIF honoree, she finished her career with 2,145 kills, 349 blocks and 152 aces, according to her Stanford bio.
Few athletes have been more dominant than Jake Browning from 2012-14, when he set California single-season and career records including yards, completions and touchdown passes. As a senior, he threw for 5,790 yards and 91 touchdowns, finishing his career with 16,775 passing yards on 1,191-1,708 passing (69.7%) and 229 touchdowns.
Reggie Bush rushed for 4,925 yards on 407 carries in three seasons, good for over 12 yards per touch, according to the California Hall of Fame. The last of which was a 1,691-yard year (12.1 yards per carry) and 27 touchdowns despite missing four games. As a junior, he had over 3,100 all-purpose yards and 34 TDs, according to FOX Sports, and as a senior, he ran for 1,691 yards but missed four games to injury.
John Elway's high school stats don’t align with the impact he had in making the passing game more prominent in high school football. The No. 1 recruit in the nation, he had 5,711 yards and 49 passing touchdowns in his career. Elway also played baseball and was drafted out of high school by the Kansas City Royals.
Eleven-time Olympic medalist Allyson Felix got her start in Los Angeles, where she established herself as the next big running star. She broke the 19u 200-meter record at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays at age 17 (22.51 seconds), and then set an unofficial record at a Grand Prix event in Mexico City with a 22.11 time. She won 100- and 200-meter state championships, and was named Track and Field News’ High School Athlete of the Year.
Jennie Finch’s high school success was a precursor to her professional career. Over four years at La Mirada, she went 50-12, and that loss number is somehow surprisingly high, given she had a career ERA of 0.15 and 784 strikeouts in 445 innings (15.9 K/9). She had six perfect games, 13 no-hitters and 14 one-hitters.
Jared Goff led a spread offense in high school to near-perfection, throwing for 7,687 yards and 93 touchdowns with only 18 interceptions across three seasons, helping Marin Catholic go 39-4 overall and 21-0 in Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) play with three MCAL championships and a state title appearance.
One of the all-time great prep basketball careers, Jason Kidd won back-to-back championships and averaged 25 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, and seven steals as a senior. He was named the best high school player in the nation by USA TODAY, Parade and the Naismith Award, and was a two-time California Player of the Year.
In just 16 minutes of basketball in a 1990 game, Lisa Leslie scored 101 points. It endures as one of the most impressive accomplishments at the prep level (or any level). The top-ranked player in the country, Leslie led Morningside to the 1989 championship and was an All-American.
Over four years, Cheryl Miller led Riverside Polytechnic to a 132-4 record, and set a California record for points scored in a season (1,156), career (3,405) and, most impressively, game — she scored 105 points in one game, before the 3-point line was added. She was named High School Player of the Year with averages of 32.8 points and 15 rebounds per game, and was the first athlete to be named All-American four times by Parade Magazine.
Jackie Robinson lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field in high school, earning recognition as a shortstop and catcher, a quarterback, and a basketball guard, and as a competitive broad jumper and tennis player. A decade before he broke the color barrier, Robinson played in the Pomona all-star tournament alongside Ted Williams and others.
A two-time Ms. Basketball State Player and 2000 National High School Player of the Year, Diana Taurasi scored more than 3,000 points in high school, fourth all-time in California upon her graduation.
JuJu Watkins has been one of the best high school basketball players in California this century, winning multiple Gatorade awards, including National Player of the Year as a senior, as she averaged 27.3 points, 13.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. She was an early pioneer in the NIL space, becoming Klutch Sports Group’s first female athlete client.
The top-ranked recruit in 2000, D.J. Williams had an unbelievable senior year, rushing for 1,974 yards and scoring 42 total touchdowns (four on special teams). On defense, he had 130 total tackles, six sacks, forced five fumbles, and was named California Mr. Football as De La Salle won a national championship. He was part of De La Salle’s legendary 151-game winning streak from 1992-2004.
Ted Williams showed off in high school what would make him one of the greatest baseball players of all time, hitting .430 over his three-year varsity career, but he was also an elite pitcher — as a senior, he went 16-3 with a 23-strikeout game, according to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Tiger Woods’ unparalleled trophy case includes a variety of high school awards, including three California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) individual championships, four Orange County League MVP awards, and the Dial Award as the top male athlete in the country in 1993.
Who is the greatest California high school athlete of all time?
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These high school athletes defined the state of California — who's the greatest?
Continue reading...
Players from The Golden State have set records, broke barriers, and changed sports as we know them. Their achievements, from Jackie Robinson to Tiger Woods to Cheryl Miller, transcend sports and touch upon politics and culture.
Who is the all-time greatest California high school athlete?
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY is launching its 250 for 250 series, looking to answer that question by celebrating the best athletes from each state. Due to the massive size (and talent) in the Californina, USA TODAY High School Sports first released two polls—SoCal and NorCal—to get things started.
With that data, we've now created the all-time list. From fans' votes, five athletes will be selected to represent the state as legends who have defined high school sports.
First, though, let's give due credit: Billie Jean King (Long Beach Polytechnic High School), who was a driver of the implementation of Title IX, did not participate in high school tennis in part because there were not yet organized girls sports. Standing-O to the GOAT in her own right.
Here are the 16 California high school athlete nominees, listed in alphabetical order.
Marcus Allen, Football, Lincoln High School (San Diego)
The 1977 Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Football and one of MaxPreps' 10 best two-way prep athletes ever, Marcus Allen led Lincoln to a CIF championship from the quarterback and safety positions, scoring five touchdowns, including an 85-yard rush and a pick-six, in the title victory. He played four years for USC before becoming a Hall of Fame running back in the NFL.
Lonzo Ball, Boys Basketball, Chino Hills High School
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The rise of social media coincided with Lonzo Ball’s historic high school career, helping anyone who wanted watch one of the all-time great seasons of high school hoops. Ball averaged a triple-double as a senior, leading Chino Hills to an undefeated championship season, consensus No. 1 ranking, and Player of the Year honors from USA TODAY, Naismith, Morgan Wootten and more.
Cynthia Barboza, Girls Volleyball, Wilson High School (Long Beach)
Cynthia Barboza became the first athlete to be name the Gatorade National Volleyball player in back-to-back years. A four-time first-team All-CIF honoree, she finished her career with 2,145 kills, 349 blocks and 152 aces, according to her Stanford bio.
Jake Browning, Football, Folsom High School
Few athletes have been more dominant than Jake Browning from 2012-14, when he set California single-season and career records including yards, completions and touchdown passes. As a senior, he threw for 5,790 yards and 91 touchdowns, finishing his career with 16,775 passing yards on 1,191-1,708 passing (69.7%) and 229 touchdowns.
Reggie Bush, Football, Track, Helix High School (La Mesa)
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Reggie Bush rushed for 4,925 yards on 407 carries in three seasons, good for over 12 yards per touch, according to the California Hall of Fame. The last of which was a 1,691-yard year (12.1 yards per carry) and 27 touchdowns despite missing four games. As a junior, he had over 3,100 all-purpose yards and 34 TDs, according to FOX Sports, and as a senior, he ran for 1,691 yards but missed four games to injury.
John Elway, Football, Baseball, Granada High School
John Elway's high school stats don’t align with the impact he had in making the passing game more prominent in high school football. The No. 1 recruit in the nation, he had 5,711 yards and 49 passing touchdowns in his career. Elway also played baseball and was drafted out of high school by the Kansas City Royals.
Allyson Felix, Track, Los Angeles Baptist High School (North Hills)
Eleven-time Olympic medalist Allyson Felix got her start in Los Angeles, where she established herself as the next big running star. She broke the 19u 200-meter record at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays at age 17 (22.51 seconds), and then set an unofficial record at a Grand Prix event in Mexico City with a 22.11 time. She won 100- and 200-meter state championships, and was named Track and Field News’ High School Athlete of the Year.
Jennie Finch, Softball, Girls Basketball, Volleyball, La Mirada High School
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Jennie Finch’s high school success was a precursor to her professional career. Over four years at La Mirada, she went 50-12, and that loss number is somehow surprisingly high, given she had a career ERA of 0.15 and 784 strikeouts in 445 innings (15.9 K/9). She had six perfect games, 13 no-hitters and 14 one-hitters.
Jared Goff, Football, Baseball, Boys Basketball, Marin Catholic High School (Kentfield)
Jared Goff led a spread offense in high school to near-perfection, throwing for 7,687 yards and 93 touchdowns with only 18 interceptions across three seasons, helping Marin Catholic go 39-4 overall and 21-0 in Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) play with three MCAL championships and a state title appearance.
Jason Kidd, Boys Basketball, St. Joseph Notre Dame High School (Alameda)
One of the all-time great prep basketball careers, Jason Kidd won back-to-back championships and averaged 25 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, and seven steals as a senior. He was named the best high school player in the nation by USA TODAY, Parade and the Naismith Award, and was a two-time California Player of the Year.
Lisa Leslie, Girls Basketball, Morningside High School (Inglewood)
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In just 16 minutes of basketball in a 1990 game, Lisa Leslie scored 101 points. It endures as one of the most impressive accomplishments at the prep level (or any level). The top-ranked player in the country, Leslie led Morningside to the 1989 championship and was an All-American.
Cheryl Miller, Girls Basketball, Riverside Polytechnic High School
Over four years, Cheryl Miller led Riverside Polytechnic to a 132-4 record, and set a California record for points scored in a season (1,156), career (3,405) and, most impressively, game — she scored 105 points in one game, before the 3-point line was added. She was named High School Player of the Year with averages of 32.8 points and 15 rebounds per game, and was the first athlete to be named All-American four times by Parade Magazine.
Jackie Robinson, Baseball, Boys Basketball, Football, Track and Field, Tennis, John Muir High School (Pasadena)
Jackie Robinson lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field in high school, earning recognition as a shortstop and catcher, a quarterback, and a basketball guard, and as a competitive broad jumper and tennis player. A decade before he broke the color barrier, Robinson played in the Pomona all-star tournament alongside Ted Williams and others.
Diana Taurasi, Girls Basketball, Don Antonio Lugo High School (Chino)
A two-time Ms. Basketball State Player and 2000 National High School Player of the Year, Diana Taurasi scored more than 3,000 points in high school, fourth all-time in California upon her graduation.
JuJu Watkins, Girls Basketball, Windward Academy (Los Angeles) and Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth)
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JuJu Watkins has been one of the best high school basketball players in California this century, winning multiple Gatorade awards, including National Player of the Year as a senior, as she averaged 27.3 points, 13.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. She was an early pioneer in the NIL space, becoming Klutch Sports Group’s first female athlete client.
D.J. Williams, Football, De La Salle High School (Concord)
The top-ranked recruit in 2000, D.J. Williams had an unbelievable senior year, rushing for 1,974 yards and scoring 42 total touchdowns (four on special teams). On defense, he had 130 total tackles, six sacks, forced five fumbles, and was named California Mr. Football as De La Salle won a national championship. He was part of De La Salle’s legendary 151-game winning streak from 1992-2004.
Ted Williams, Baseball, Herbert Hoover High School (San Diego)
Ted Williams showed off in high school what would make him one of the greatest baseball players of all time, hitting .430 over his three-year varsity career, but he was also an elite pitcher — as a senior, he went 16-3 with a 23-strikeout game, according to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Tiger Woods, Golf, Western High School (Anaheim)
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Tiger Woods’ unparalleled trophy case includes a variety of high school awards, including three California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) individual championships, four Orange County League MVP awards, and the Dial Award as the top male athlete in the country in 1993.
Who is the greatest California high school athlete of all time?
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These high school athletes defined the state of California — who's the greatest?
Continue reading...
