Top 10 high school sports stories of 2015
MaxPreps.com’s preseason No. 1 pick in football, the Spartans lost their opener 27-21 to Trinity-Euless (Texas) in a nationally televised game in August.
Led by three 1,000-yard rushers — Antoine Custer, Andrew Hernandez and Anthony Sweeney — a stellar defense and four-star two-way linemen Devin Asiasi and Boss Tagaloa, De La Salle finished No. 1 in MaxPreps’ computer rankings and among the top five in every other ranking.
The Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland boys basketball team had lost eight straight state-championship games, but finally broke the streak with a stirring 65-64 overtime win over four-time defending champion Mater Dei-Santa Ana in the Open Division final at Haas Pavilion.
Rabb and Paris Austin, an All-Metro guard (now at Boise State) who had 21 points in the title game, led a three-year run that included 72 wins and three North Coast Section crowns.
After finishing third in its league, San Ramon Valley-Danville proved to be the best Division I boys basketball team in the state with a 79-71 double-OT defeat of Chino Hills at Haas.
Keith Smith had 20 points, Christian Fuca 18 and Kyle Spackman 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Wolves (27-6), led by first-year head coach Brian Botteen.
Despite having only six girls on its roster, Eastside College Prep-East Palo Alto won the Northern California Division V basketball title before losing in the state-championship game, 40-36 to La Jolla Country Day.
Six Metro football teams earned spots in the state’s new 13-bowl format, but De La Salle was the only overall champion.
Mitty’s boys lost 71-70 in double overtime to La Mirada despite game highs of 22 points and 14 rebounds from All-Metro first-teamer Ben Kone.
Lowell’s baseball team gave coach John Donohue the perfect going-away presents with league, section and TransBay titles.
The sanction was put in place when Serra head coach Patrick Walsh — citing safety concerns — canceled a consolation playoff game in November 2014.
The nation’s No. 1-ranked junior running back backed up the commitment with a banner season that included 2,744 rushing yards, 36 touchdowns and 33 two-point conversions for the 11-1 Panthers, who finished No. 3 in The Chronicle’s rankings.