Shows
7 Friday NightState Of Cheer (w/ Marin Catholic RB/DB, Charles Williams)In the last 2023 episode, Ben and Chace break down all the big results from last weekend's CIF State Bowl Championship games — which included 10 wins by NorCal teams. The hosts offer thoughts and analysis on each game from the top five divisions and more.
Afterward, they welcome now two-time state champion Charles Williams of Marin Catholic-Kentfield. The two-way star had an epic performance in the Wildcats' 3-A State Bowl win over Mayfair. Williams talks about the win, the team's growth over the season, and reflects on the end of a heavily decorated Marin Catholic career.
Finally, Co...
2023-12-141h 017 Friday NightBowls & Burrito Calculations (w/ special guests)We've reached the final weekend of the season, and hosts Chace and Ben fight through their melancholy feels to pack an episode full of NorCal regionals review, State Bowl preview chatter and multiple guests.
CalHiSports.com editor and state high school sports historian Mark Tennis joins the program first to help preview this weekend's state bowl matchups. Tennis and the hosts chat about CIF's new three-site approach, the competitive equity debate, which NorCal teams should be considered favorites and more.
Coach Eidson's segment follows and features its own special guest as De La Salle head...
2023-12-0759 min7 Friday NightReady For RegionalsThis week's show sees Ben and Chace recount a glorious weekend of section finals — there were FOUR one-point games. They talk upsets, share analysis from the three games they were present for, and list their NorCal Top 5 heading into CIF State Bowl regionals this week.
Speaking of regionals, the hosts list all 15 games and break down several of the pairings before they each take a side on the top six divisions.
Coach Terry Eidson also makes his weekly appearance and breaks down De La Salle's big matchup at home against an undefeated Clovis North-Fresno team. Coac...
2023-11-301h 017 Friday NightPirates & Pies (w/ Pittsburg HC Charlie Ramirez)It's our annual Thanksgiving/Section Championship episode full of delicious (yeah, we went there) commentary on all things pigskin along with a visit from Pittsburg coach Charlie Ramirez. Chace & Ben review semifinals (and Open Championship) weekend before diving into thoughts, analysis and picks on several of this week's biggest section finals.
One such final is the North Coast Section Div. I showdown between Pittsburg and San Ramon Valley. Coach Ramirez spends 15 minutes with the guys discussing the matchup, the nuances of his first season as head coach, and revealing the Pirates uniform combination.
Finally, Coach...
2023-11-221h 057 Friday NightTouchdowns vs. Home Runs, Pt. 3 (w/ St. Ignatius-SF QB Soren Hummel)It's another playoff mega-episode with multiple guests, beginning with St. Ignatius-SF quarterback Soren Hummel. Soren details his team's last second win over Valley Christian-San Jose as well as they keys to Wildcats success this season. He also casts the tie-breaking vote in our season-long poll of whether it's a greater feeling to hit a walk-off home run or an 80-yard game-winning TD pass.
Chace and Ben break down all the scores and notes from last week's playoff action before diving into the slew of great semifinal matchups this week. They also play a few rounds of "Fill...
2023-11-161h 057 Friday NightPlayoff Weather (w/ San Marin QB Dom Ingrassia)As Coach Eidson waxes poetic about a nip in the air, the changing leaves and the stadium lights turning on by 5 o'clock, the 7FN team breaks down playoff brackets and matchups from throughout NorCal. Chace and Ben chat seedings, results, matchups and more.
The show also welcomes first-time guest, Dom Ingrassia, after he helped lead San Marin-Novato to the program's first win over Marin Catholic-Kentfield since 2008. Ingrassia talks about what it meant to the team to snap the 15-game skid to the Wildcats, what makes this Mustangs team tick, and how Ingrassia Family dynamics played out during...
2023-11-091h 067 Friday NightIt's All HappeningThis week the crew breaks down the Sac-Joaquin Section playoff brackets and shares thoughts on the biggest surprises, best first-round matchups and best potential quarterfinal or semifinal clashes.
There's also plenty of chatter about the final week of North Coast Section action, which includes Ben and Chace asking Coach Eidson to put his seeding committee hat on when it comes to separating the resumes of Pittsburg and San Ramon Valley-Danville.
Finally, Coach Eidson also brings back "Dumb Football" and all three members make their picks for the week. Can Ben hold on to his narrow...
2023-11-0256 min7 Friday NightMemories & Mayhem (w/ Acalanes WR Trevor Rogers)The entire 7 Friday Night team opens the show on a somber note as they gather to share some thoughts on the passing of De La Salle assistant coach Steve Jacoby. After, Chace and Ben begin dissecting the loads of good football happening throughout NorCal.
Ben recounts attending the Metro League classic between Grant-Sacramento and Monterey Trail-Elk Grove. They also look ahead to the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs which are just a week away before turning their attention to the Bay Area and welcoming Acalanes-Lafayette receiver Trevor Rogers. Rogers shares about the Dons' big game at Las Lomas-Walnut Creek...
2023-10-271h 077 Friday NightAn Instant ClassicAll three members of the podcast just happened to be at the biggest game of last week, and perhaps the biggest game of the year so far: De La Salle at San Ramon Valley. So naturally, there's a good deal of discussion about the Wolves' near victory and eventual overtime loss.
Chace and Ben also revisit NorCal's Week 9 scoreboard with some kudos for 12 Bridges-Lincoln, Alhambra-Martinez and more. They also make their weekly picks, and Chace plays dirty in hopes of making up ground.
Finally, Coach Eidson brings all the content this week. Thoughts on De...
2023-10-1957 min7 Friday NightTalkin’ Trojans (feat. Coach Casey Taylor)Chace returns to the command seat and promptly screws up a recording session. But he and Ben persevere for a jam-packed episode that welcomes special guest, Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills coach Casey Taylor fresh off his 200th career victory. … The hosts also review Week 8 across NorCal, make their picks for Week 9 and discuss thoughts on every state championship being in SoCal this season. … Finally, Coach Eidson also drops in for thoughts on the De La Salle/San Ramon Valley Top 5 showdown and another hilarious edition of “Dumb Football”
2023-10-131h 067 Friday NightFreaky Friday, Pt. IIFor the second time this season, roles reverse as Coach Terry Eidson slides into the co-host seat. This time he's covering for Chace who takes advantage of his school district's Fall Break for a family getaway to the Magic Kingdom.
So Ben and Coach guide the show along and Chace makes a pre-recorded visit midway through the episode to offer up Week 7 analysis and get his pick in. There's plenty covered in the episode, including Ben's thoughts on seeing Jesuit-Carmichael in person, Coach Eidson's update on De La Salle and a hatred of bye weeks (plus the...
2023-10-0551 min7 Friday NightBelief In BurritosCoach Eidson knows not to mess with a winning streak, which is why his segment opens with a soliloquy on the game day meal that has continued to serve him and De La Salle well this season — a grilled chicken burrito with extra guacamole. And since the burrito delivered again last week, there's a good amount of talk on the Spartans' clash with Folsom.
Chace and Ben also revisit a number of other key results from Week 6 and share thoughts on the handful of teams that made strong impressions. Coach Eidson also gets into the nuances of ge...
2023-09-2847 min7 Friday NightWhere Eagles FlyIt's a busy week at 7 Friday Night as Ben returns to the co-host chair, Coach Eidson still brings the heat from his usual spot, and Del Oro-Loomis star QB Caden Pinnick visits the show.
Ben and Chace discuss their games from last Friday: College Park-Pleasant Hill at Antioch and McClymonds-Oakland at San Ramon Valley-Danville. They also discuss the current NorCal Top 5 and then later get to their picks for the week.
Pinnick's visit includes talk on the Golden Eagles' 5-0 start along with life in the crazy-good Sierra Foothill League. The hosts also ask him...
2023-09-2255 min7 Friday NightFreaky Friday: Terry Takes Over
Roles are reversed this week as Coach Terry Eidson takes the co-hosting chair while Ben pre-recorded a segment before taking vacation to Seattle. Chace and Coach Eidson go over De La Salle's first win of the season and preparing for a No. 3 vs. No. 4 showdown against St. Mary's-Stockton. Coach also gives his thoughts on Campolindo choosing not to play overtime against Windsor. Coach Eidson also picks two of the toughest matchups of the week: Del Oro @ Casa Roble, and San Ramon Valley @ McClymonds.
In Ben's segment, both he and Chace play their first "Fill The...
2023-09-1450 min7 Friday NightProve It WeekIt's time for contenders to prove themselves as several Top 20 matchups dot the Week 4 schedule. Hosts Chace and Ben look back at some of the notable Week 3 results before looking ahead to this week's games and making picks.
Coach Eidson joins for a mega-segment that features his thoughts on De La Salle's first shutout loss in 18 seasons, how good No. 1 Serra-San Mateo looked, plus riffs on fantasy football drafts and the 2001 Spartans being named Sports Illustrated's No. 1 high school football team of all time.
Coach also makes his picks for the week and advises Chace...
2023-09-0852 min7 Friday NightFeel The ForceStar Wars references can not be avoided on a week in which co-hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos welcome San Ramon Valley QB Luke Baker. No Jedi mind tricks were attempted however.
The guys talk to Baker about the Wolves' season-opening win at St. Ignatius, and how reaching a CIF State Bowl game last year changed the program, and even his own personal outlook for his senior year. His baseball prowess is also mentioned.
In addition to Baker, the hosts revisit Week 2 of NorCal football and preview the upcoming slate of games this week. Coach...
2023-08-3151 min7 Friday NightBack At It For Season 3Rejoice! The 7 Friday Night trio has returned for Season 3 of NorCal Football insights and tom foolery. SportStars editor Chace Bryson returns to help keep the egos of co-host Ben Enos and recurring guest star, Coach Terry Eidson, in check. His efforts are noble.
For the Season 3 Premiere, Ben and Chace discuss the completed first week of action in the Sac-Joaquin Section before previewing the Bay Area's opening week. They pay special attention to the No. 1 vs. 3 Saturday matchup between Serra-San Mateo and Folsom.
Coach Eidson also talks about his official return to the sideline, his...
2023-08-2540 min
SportStories'22-'23 NorCal Girls Team Of The Year — Oakland Tech BasketballIn late June, SportStars Magazine set out to honor a NorCal Team Of The Year for both boys and girls. Over two weeks, the field was narrowed from eight teams to two — and the one constant was the dominant performance of the Oakland Tech Girls Basketball team. Which wasn't unlike its 2022-23 season, we might add.
The Bulldogs' win earned them their own SportStories episode to look back and share their favorite memories and stories from a 30-win, state-championship season. SportStars' editor Chace Bryson is joined by coaches LeRoy Hurt and Jasmine Braggs, as well as three pl...
2023-07-2146 min7 Friday Night2023 Spring SpecialWith the Spring Football window wrapping up, hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos figured it was a good chance to reconvene and hit on some of the major offseason talking points.
They discuss new North Coast Section playoff divisions, announced tweaks to the Central Coast Section postseason, key transfer news and a few coaching changes. They also attempt to put together a too-early Preseason Top 5.
Finally, Coach Terry Eidson drops in to chat about agreeing to return to the De La Salle sideline for 2023. He also shares some thoughts on the passing of NFL legend...
2023-05-2441 min
SportStoriesEpisode 2.01: Great Moments In CA Track & Field, Pt. 1 — Michael GranvilleAfter a two-year hiatus, SportStars Magazine is finally bringing back its original podcast — SportStories. The oral history-style show carries a slightly different format in Season 2, but keeps its core goal — to have athletes and coaches tell their stories.
As it's spring, and the CIF State Track & Field Championships are about six weeks away, we are collaborating with Youth Runner Magazine to begin this new season of SportStories with a six-part series highlighting some of the state's best track and field moments. And we start it off with an all-timer: Michael Granville, who remains the national high school recor...
2023-04-181h 02
Know & GO: An "Ask The Expert" Podcast For AthletesLearning By Doing Track & Field Clinic (w/ Lee Webb)For this episode, the show welcomes arguably one of California's most decorated high school track and field coaches ever. Lee Webb spent more than 30 years as the boys and girls track coach of James Logan High in Union City. His Colts teams won two state titles and 53 North Coast Section championships. His athletes won a combined 36 individual state golds and 253 NCS golds. He's also coached junior world and junior national teams for USA Track and Field.
For the past four decades, Coach Webb has used his ties to some of the nation's greatest track and field athletes t...
2023-02-1623 min7 Friday NightAll-NorCal Team Season Finale (w/ Mark Varnum)SportStars Magazine's coverage of the 2022 NorCal high school football season officially came to an end on Jan. 19, 2023, with the last release of our All-NorCal Football content. Which means it's officially season finale time for 7 Friday Night as well.
Hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos get together for an in-depth discussion on all the honor roll content. They begin by sharing thoughts on SportStars' coach and player of the year award winners — and they start with overall NorCal Player Of The Year, Blake Nichelson of Manteca. For that part of the conversation, the hosts welcome Manteca High coach Mar...
2023-01-2041 min7 Friday NightSeason 2 Outtakes & LaughsFor the second year in a row, we've dug through the 7 Friday Night audio archive to pick out some of our favorite funny moments from the season. Some moments that were included in the show, and some that had been edited out.
After recording two shows per week for five months, there was no shortage of content to include. We've got blown lines, technology fails, script confusion, several Coach Eidson highlights — including the best of "Dumb Football" — and plenty more.
Enjoy 30 minutes of some of our best absurdity from Season 2.
2023-01-0332 min7 Friday NightMustangs & Memories (w/ San Marin coach Dominic DiMare)Finally rested from their weekend of five games, two pods and one flight delay, hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos endeavor to revisit CIF Bowls weekend one last time while also taking a sweeping glance back at the entire 2022 season.
As part of their final look back at state championship weekend, the hosts welcome San Marin-Novato coach Dominic DiMare. The Mustangs defeated Granada Hills 32-8 on Saturday to claim a second straight CIF State Bowl title (5-AA in 2021 and 4-A this year). DiMare shares his favorite part of the this year's bowl win, what made this team t...
2022-12-1559 min7 Friday NightCIF State Bowl Reactions (Day 2)The Northern California football season came to an end on Saturday. Hosts Chace and Ben huddle up in their hotel studio in Mission Viejo for a second late-night/early-morning instant recap of some of the action.
Before chatting about the losses for San Ramon Valley-Danville, Pittsburg and Serra-San Mateo, they make sure to provide some good vibes by providing audio from Grant-Sacramento's thrilling win in the 3-AA state final covered by Ike Dodson. Then afterward they talk about some of the other winners from finals played up North before turning back to their own day and looking...
2022-12-1119 min7 Friday NightCIF State Bowl Reactions (Day 1)The penultimate day of the California high school football season was not a kind one to NorCal teams. Still awake after 20 hours of travel and game coverage, Chace and Ben record their thoughts and impressions on tough state bowl losses for McClymonds-Oakland and De La Salle-Concord. They also share postgame soundbites from both teams.
The guys also take a quick glance ahead to Saturday's games.
2022-12-1020 min7 Friday NightState Bowls Preview (w/ CalHiSports.com's Mark Tennis)The 7 Friday Night CIF State Championships Mega-Week rolls on with our official preview episode. No picks this Thursday! Chace crowns Ben the season picks champion and they begin discussion on a number of this week's state championship bowl games in which both share what team they'd be most happy to see win and offer up some bold predictions.
Also, the hosts know that when you want to have a serious discussion about state championship football games, the one person you want to include is CalHiSports.com co-founder and publisher, Mark Tennis. In his visit, Tennis and the g...
2022-12-0849 min7 Friday NightThe Bell Tolls For All (w/ Bellarmine RB, Ben Pfaff)It's CIF State Bowl Championship Week and the show kicks off its week-long coverage with a jam-packed episode looking back at a number of NorCal championship results.
Hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos offer up impressions and anecdotes from NorCal wins by Pittsburg, Grant-Sacramento and De La Salle-Concord. Then they pivot to 3-A NorCal Champion Bellarmine-San Jose and welcome a guest appearance from running back Ben Pfaff. The senior talks about the team's big win over Vanden-Fairfield, details his mid-season injury frustrations, and shares what has unlocked the team's full potential down the stretch.
Finally, Co...
2022-12-0653 min7 Friday NightThursday Pick 'Em (CIF Regionals)The stakes are higher for everyone now as the season moves past sections and into NorCal regional bowl playoffs — and that goes for the 7 Friday Night crew too as Chace, Ben and Coach Terry Eidson attempt to finish strong when it comes to their NorCal football picks.
Coach Eidson goes first after going 3-0 in his section championship picks last week. He takes a stab at three regional games before offering up this week's edition of "Dumb Football." Then the hosts offer up analysis and picks on every NorCal matchup from Divisions 1-5, ten games total. They do...
2022-12-0145 min7 Friday NightDogged Pursuit (w/ Folsom coach Paul Doherty)This episode is an appropriate one to follow the Thanksgiving holiday, because it's stuffed! Hosts Chace and Ben revisit a wild weekend of section championships games, including the two they covered: El Cerrito vs. Windsor, and Pittsburg vs. Clayton Valley-Concord.
After that, they turn the page to regional championship weekend. They provide some initial thoughts on a few of the pairings before jumping into analysis of the Big Kahuna on the slate, the rematch between NorCal No. 2 Folsom and No. 3 De La Salle-Concord in the 1-AA playoff. For that, they welcome Folsom coach Paul Doherty to the s...
2022-11-3051 min7 Friday NightEARLY Thursday Pick 'Em (Section Finals)With Thanksgiving this Thursday, the 7 Friday Night Pick 'Em show arrives a day early. That way you can either get your NorCal football picks fix on Thanksgiving Eve, or it should make a great companion to your meal prep on Thursday morning.
Ben has taken a three game lead in the standings after a 5-0 week, so naturally Chace suggested a change to the format. This week, in order to get more games picked — and more shoutouts to deserving teams — the hosts partake in a picks draft. The each four games from the Division I-III championships in the t...
2022-11-2442 min7 Friday NightChampionships & GravyOur Championship/Thanksgiving Week episode features hosts Chace and Ben discussing the riveting semifinals they saw last week before diving into a number of enticing finals matchups this week.
The two play "Fill The Gap" to highlight the championship game they'd most want to see, as well as the one that's most under the radar.
Coach Terry Eidson also makes his weekly visit to share about his Baltimore trip, thoughts on the De La Salle/Pittsburg championship game (not that he's watched it back) and just how NCS titles are viewed in a program that's wo...
2022-11-2235 min7 Friday NightThursday Pick 'Em (Week 13)It's a week full of section semifinals, so finding good games to pick certainly wasn't hard for the 7 Friday Night team. Co-host Ben Enos remains the king of NorCal football picks after expanding his lead to two games over SportStars editor Chace Bryson — who is taking his foundering rather well.
Ben and Chace both complete their three main picks (one lock) plus a Challenge Round of two games each. Also, Coach Terry Eidson looks to continue his long streak of 2-1 performances with his three picks. And last, but certainly not least, he provides an epic edition of...
2022-11-1742 min7 Friday NightAll Charged Up (w/ Wilcox coach Paul Rosa)This week on 7 Friday Night, hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos revisit a wild week of playoff action featuring several upsets (we see you, Turlock!) before turning to the coming week of semifinals across several sections.
For some of that semifinal preview talk, the hosts welcome Wilcox-Santa Clara coach Paul Rosa to the show. The Chargers are the top seed in the Central Coast Section Div. II bracket and host Bellarmine-San Jose this week as they attempt to defend their section title. Rosa talks with the guys about this year's team and how it compares to last y...
2022-11-1538 min7 Friday NightThursday Pick 'Em (Week 12)With nearly every section having moved to playoffs, the 7 Friday Night crew finds tough sledding everywhere when it comes to their NorCal football picks for the week.
Hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos continue their season-long see-saw battle as Ben regained the lead with a 3-2 performance last week. In a turn of events that few saw coming, Coach Terry Eidson has become the most consistent among the trio. The Coach has reeled off four straight 2-1 efforts, while predicting 3-0 every time — including this week. Also, Coach drops a brief (for him) "I told you so" abou...
2022-11-1140 min7 Friday NightPostseason BuzzAfter the Sac-Joaquin Section ushered in the postseason last week, the rest of the major sections will follow suit this week. All of which leads to playoff analysis overload from hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos.
The duo first revisits the opening week of SJS playoffs and name the results most surprising to them, as well as their favorite quarterfinal matchups on the way in Week 12. Then they dive into the brackets released by the Central Coast and North Coast sections, each sharing what seeding decisions surprised them and which first round matchups they are most looking f...
2022-11-0942 min7 Friday NightThursday Pick 'Em (Week 11)This week's Thursday Pick 'Em show opens with a mini-emergency pod as hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos both share their reactions to Tuesday's retirement announcement of Pittsburg High coach Victor Galli. Then they get down to usual Thursday business by diving into some NorCal football picks for what should be a wild week of action across the region.
For the first time ever, Chace and Ben unknowingly end up with the same three main picks from the slate of key matchups. They differ on one of them — and it's the big one: No. 4 De La Salle-Concord at...
2022-11-0445 min7 Friday NightLet's Get Ugly (w/ Clayton Valley coach Tim Murphy)The show ushers in a major week of NorCal football action as the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs begin while a number of big regular season finales take place in the Central Coast and North Coast sections.
Playoffs aside, there is no bigger matchup this week than the all-Concord showdown of No. 4 De La Salle at No. 11 Clayton Valley. 7 Friday Night hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos attack it from several angles, which includes a visit from Clayton Valley co-coach Tim Murphy. Coach Murphy talked about his team's resurgence following a 1-3 start, how he was forced to look e...
2022-11-0249 min7 Friday NightThursday Pick 'Em (Week 10)Host Chace Bryson's failure to press record trickled down from Tuesday's show, but co-host Ben Enos graciously showed up to make his picks a second time. And Ben has some work to do after surrendering his overall lead in the picks standing after holding it for just one week.
The guys make three main picks from a board of eight big games, and then proceed to their Challenge Round. Coach Terry Eidson also drops in for his picks and hangs around to rant his way through our first edition of a segment we've titled "Dumb Football."
2022-10-2734 min7 Friday NightTwo-Way Players & Live Tunes (w/ Rancho Cotate's Sailasa Vadrawale)It's a 7 Friday Night megashow this week. Hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos are refreshed after attending a weekend concert and ready to go. They revisit a number of games from Week 9, with first-person impressions from Chace on the Central Catholic-Manteca thriller. The pair also take a look at key regular season finales in the Sac-Joaquin Section and pour over some projected postseason brackets.
Then it's back to the North Coast Section and a special guest appearance from Cal commit, Sailasa Vadrawale, of Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park. The 3-star WR/DB talks about his team's big shutout win o...
2022-10-2646 min7 Friday NightThursday Pick 'Em (Week 9)Another big week of action arrives and the 7 Friday Night trio is here for it and ready to deliver its usual NorCal football picks. And for the first time all season, SportStars Magazine editor Chace Bryson now trails his co-host Ben Enos in the overall season standings.
Per usual, both hosts make three picks from among the region's biggest games of the week, then follow that with the always-spirited Challenge Round. Meanwhile, a confident Coach Terry Eidson also drops in for his three picks of the week.
GAMES PICKED: Los Gatos @ No. 6 Wilcox-Santa Clara • No. 18 Centr...
2022-10-2131 min7 Friday NightStorylines & SleepoversIt's the last quarter of the regular season and everyone is playing through something at this point — including your friendly 7 Friday Night hosts. Ben recorded while battling through an illness and Chace was recovering from a weary weekend that included hosting a sleepover of four sixth grade boys. But the guys weren't going to let it keep them from delivering a good half hour of NorCal football chatter.
The hosts each talk about their Week 8 games, with impressions from Clayton Valley's win at San Ramon Valley and Campolindo topping Acalanes in a Diablo Athletic League classic. They als...
2022-10-1935 min7 Friday NightThursday Pick 'Em (Week 8)It's The Ocho! Week 8 of the NorCal high school football season has arrived and the guys are ready with their picks for some of the top matchups in the region.
SportStars editor and host Chace Bryson still holds a very narrow season lead over co-host Ben Enos. Will that change this week? Both hosts made their three primary picks followed by the Challenge Round of giving one another a pair of blind picks. Coach Terry Eidson also showed up to confidently make his three picks for the week. He also offered a 30-second rant on tackling in t...
2022-10-1326 min7 Friday NightDowney Fresh (w/ Conner Stoddard)When he picked against Downey High of Modesto in the Week 7 Thursday Pick 'Em episode, SportStars editor Chace Bryson vowed to bring Downey quarterback Conner Stoddard on to the show if the Knights won. And they did — topping Turlock 24-22 thanks to a last-minute scoring drive led by Stoddard. So Chace and co-host Ben Enos welcomed the senior standout for a talk about the comeback win, his chemistry with his receivers, and what's been behind the team's 7-0 start.
Chace and Ben also break down their games from last week, including thoughts on St. Mary's-Stockton finally besting De...
2022-10-1137 min7 Friday NightThursday Pick 'Em (Week 7)As the NorCal high school football season charges into its second half, the 7 Friday Night team is back for another round of game picks.
Hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos go head-to-head in one of their three main picks this week, and the Challenge Round features several unbeaten teams. Meanwhile, Coach Terry Eidson delivers his three picks, and is relieved there are no De La Salle ties to any of them.
GAMES PICKED INCLUDE: San Ramon Valley-Danville @ McClymonds-Oakland • Downey-Modesto @ Turlock • Elk Grove @ Sheldon-Sacramento • Half Moon Bay @ Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton • Vacaville @ Vanden-Fairfield • Lincoln-San Jose @ Christopher-Gilroy • Bishop O'Dowd @ Tennyson...
2022-10-0728 min7 Friday NightMidseason Awards & The Magic Kingdom (w/Dashiell Weaver & Robbie Mascheroni)This week's episode is jam-packed with content and interviews, including a 10-minute conversation with the Campolindo QB-WR duo of Dashiell Weaver and Robbie Mascheroni.
Hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos open the show by discussing last week's games before handing out some midseason hardware for first-half Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year. They also tackle Coach of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors. Afterward, they welcome Weaver and Mascheroni for a talk about the 5-0 Cougars, playing for heavily-respected coach Kevin Macy, and a trip to Disneyland together. (Which spurs a tangent conversation about t...
2022-10-0436 min7 Friday NightThursday Pick 'Em (Week 6)Your favorite NorCal football podcast trio is back for another week of attempts at predicting outcomes to some of the region's top matchups of the week. Hosts Chace Bryson, Ben Enos and Coach Terry Eidson each provide their NorCal football picks following a week in which all three finished with winning records.
Chace and Ben offer up their usual slate of three primary picks (with one "lock") before moving on to their Challenge Round where the banter devolves into Nation's pies and one's favorite citrus fruit. Coach Eidson zeroes in on his third winning week in a r...
2022-09-2928 min7 Friday NightTacos & TouchdownsBefore hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos dive into NorCal football conversation, Chace is compelled to rave about the tacos he had during an anniversary outing in Roseville last weekend. Ben then threatens to talk about pumpkin spice season, but good sense prevails and the pair get to their gridiron chatter.
This week there's plenty of talk about Folsom's big win at De La Salle. Chace also gives his impressions on San Ramon Valley-Danville after seeing the Wolves defeat Liberty-Brentwood last week. Both hosts also take some time to give shoutouts to some of the many undefeated...
2022-09-2838 min
Know & GO: An "Ask The Expert" Podcast For AthletesLisfranc Fractures & Other Foot InjuriesAfter spending an episode breaking down ankle sprains, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Nicholas Abidi returns to the show to talk Lisfranc fractures and a varsity of other foot injuries — some more common in high school athletes than others.
Dr. Abidi goes over what causes Lisfranc fractures, what type of pain it can cause and how the injury is treated. Bay Area football fans may have heard of the Lisfranc fracture recently when it was reported former Antioch High star Najee Harris dealt with one during training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In our 20 minute conversation, Dr. Abid...
2022-09-2419 min7 Friday NightThursday Pick 'Em (Week 5)The 7 Friday Night crew is back for another round of blind stabs and bold predictions when it comes to NorCal football picks. Host Chace Bryson finally stumbled last week in going just 2-for-5, leaving an opportunity for co-host Ben Enos and weekly guest Coach Terry Eidson to each pick up ground on the SportStars editor.
Chace and Ben make their three primary picks from a six-game slate of some of NorCal's best Week 5 matchups, and then each serve each other two blind picks in the Challenge Round. There are also tales of Ben's high school baseball career a...
2022-09-2230 min7 Friday NightSierra Foothill Feats Of Strength (w/ Oak Ridge's Conner Dasmann)In this week's show, hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos take a look back at the first five weeks and discuss what teams have surprised them, and what team has the upper hand to be NorCal's top CIF State Bowl representative.
It was also a week to sing the praises of the Sac-Joaquin Section's Sierra Foothill League, which is a collective 23-4 heading into the weekend of Sept. 23-24. Chace shares his thoughts on Folsom's big win at Pittsburg, and both hosts discuss the Bulldogs big game at De La Salle this week. The show also welcomed i...
2022-09-2138 minKnow & GO: An "Ask The Expert" Podcast For AthletesShoulder DislocationsFor this episode, the show welcomes Golden State Orthopedic and Spine's Dr. Jeffrey Kanel for a discussion on various shoulder injuries — most notably shoulder dislocations.
Dr. Kanel is an orthopedic surgeon at Golden State Orthopedic and Spine. He is fellowship-trained in pediatric orthopedics and spinal deformities and specialty-trained in pediatric and adolescent sports medicine. His expertise could cover several topics, but this episode focused on shoulder dislocations, a relatively common injury among high school athletes and one that we hadn't really covered yet on the podcast.
Over the 20 minute conversation, Dr. Kanel addresses what happens whe...
2022-09-1422 min7 Friday NightFootball's Gamblers & Winners (w/ Sheldon coach Chris Nixon)After covering the big No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown between De La Salle and Serra-San Mateo, SportStars editor Chace Bryson left town for a long weekend in Las Vegas — which left co-host Ben Enos slightly reeling as he attempted to keep the 7 Friday Night ship on course. However, Chace returned in time for the two hosts to have their weekly chat about all things NorCal football.
Serra bet on itself during the first two weeks of the season, and it has paid off with NorCal's No. 1 ranking. Their comeback win over De La Salle is discussed, and the host...
2022-09-0838 minKnow & GO: An "Ask The Expert" Podcast For AthletesAnkles, Achilles & ToesIn the newest episode of Know & GO we sit down with Golden State Orthopedic and Spine's Dr. Murali Moorthy — a specialist in lower extremity injuries.
Over a 25- minute conversation, Dr. Moorthy dives into high ankle sprains, Achilles tendon ruptures and turf toe injuries. What happens in those injuries? How are they treated, and what are recoveries like?
Like our Episode 7 guest Laura Davis, Dr. Moorthy also grew up in the East Bay and is a graduate of Northgate High in Walnut Creek. He also works as a team physician for the Bishop O'Dowd-Oakland athletics dep...
2022-08-3131 minKnow & GO: An "Ask The Expert" Podcast For AthletesPlotting A Return To PlayFor our seventh episode, Know & Go host Chace Bryson welcomes the show's first female guest — Laura Davis, a former elite swimmer for Stanford who's now a seasoned nurse practitioner with Golden State Ortho & Spine.
Davis has been in orthopedics for 13 years. In addition to assisting with surgeries, rehab and other procedures, she's made a point to specialize in helping injured athletes plan and execute their return to play process.
That was the major topic of conversation during the episode. Davis shared the step-by-step process she takes with her athletes to make sure they are both physi...
2022-08-1915 min7 Friday NightGame Week In The Sac-Joaquin Section (w/ Ike Dodson)With real, live football action set to begin in the Sac-Joaquin Section, hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos welcome fellow SportStars writer/photographer Ike Dodson for a primer discussion on all things SJS.
Dodson speaks about some key themes he came across during his reporting for a variety of NorCal Football Preview content. The trio also highlights some of the top storylines worth following as the SJS season progresses.
And speaking of SportStars' NorCal Football Preview content, Chace and Ben discuss several of the stories that will be released in the exclusive digital issue on We...
2022-08-1633 min7 Friday NightPads, Positivity & PiratesWe made it through the void! High school football is nearly back, and hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos open Season 2 of 7 Friday Night with a discussion on who should top SportStars Magazine's preseason rankings along with what they've learned from there early reporting.
The hosts also share some soundbites from their Aug. 9 visit to Pittsburg High's practice, including remarks from Miami-bound QB Jaden Rashada and Oregon State-committed receiver Zach Card.
Finally, distinguished weekly guest Terry Eidson returns for Season 2. The retired De La Salle coaching legend shares some insight on the 2022 Spartans and recalls th...
2022-08-1130 min7 Friday NightSeason 2 TrailerTurn on the lights! High school football in Northern California is nearly back, and SportStars Magazine is thrilled to be reviving its weekly football podcast for another season. Hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos are back to steer the always-wobbly-yet-ever-formidable ship with analysis, guest interviews, game predictions and more.
Retired De La Salle coaching legend Terry Eidson has also signed on to once again return as a weekly contributor.
The show has lots planned for its second season, which will officially begin on Aug. 11. Make sure you're following or subscribed wherever you listen to your f...
2022-08-0401 minKnow & GO: An "Ask The Expert" Podcast For AthletesACLs: After The TearFor our sixth episode, the show welcomes back Dr. Semon Bader. Dr. Bader first joined Know & GO in our second episode to talk about the overall basics of the dreaded ACL tear. This episode, we got a little more in depth on the post-operative ACL recovery process.
What happens in the surgery? How long does it last? What's the first 24 hours like, followed by the first three, six and nine months? What are the recovery benchmarks athletes can focus on, and what happens if they have a setback? (For that matter, what setbacks can occur?). We ask D...
2022-07-0615 min
Know & GO: An "Ask The Expert" Podcast For AthletesAll About AnklesFor our fifth episode we're joined by Golden State Orthopedic & Spine physician, Dr. Nicholas Abidi, to discuss an injury sustained by both elite talents and average Joes — the ankle sprain.
What exactly happens when you suffer an ankle sprain? What are the differences in the severity? Are certain athletes more susceptible to the injury? And what happens to athletes who continue to sprain the same ankle?
We tackle all of those questions and more in our 20 minute talk with Dr. Abidi. So walk carefully to the nearest comfortable listening area. Kick up your feet (and ank...
2022-06-1120 minKnow & GO: An "Ask The Expert" Podcast For AthletesYou Can Do That: Correcting Baseball Fitness MythsIn this episode, host Chace Bryson welcomes the return of Dr. Charles Preston. The doctor guested in our first episode and talked about arm care for pitchers and overhead athletes. But for this episode, we pick out some outdated baseball fitness theories and correct them.
• Pitchers can throw curveballs at a young age.
• Pitchers can lift weights.
• Pitch counts aren't always equal with innings pitched.
Those topics and more are discussed along with advice for coaches and recommendations on resources (FREE resources!). Dr. Preston is an orthopedic surgeon for Golden State Orthopedic & Spine. He is also...
2022-05-2524 minKnow & GO: An "Ask The Expert" Podcast For AthletesWe Have The TechnologyFor this episode, we're joined by Dr. Hany Elrashidy to dive into the world of regenerative medicine — and how it can benefit both older and younger patients alike.
Dr. Elashidy is an orthopedic surgeon for Golden State Orthopedic & Spine. He's also the head physician for athletes at Dougherty Valley High in San Ramon and a leading voice and proponent of orthobiologics.
Host Chace Bryson has the doctor explain some of the various treatments that can be found in the field of orthobiologics. Those include platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, stem cell injections and more. While the tre...
2022-05-1034 minKnow & GO: An "Ask The Expert" Podcast For AthletesThe Dreaded ACL TearIn our second episode, Know & GO host Chace Bryson welcomes a pair of guests for a discussion on knee injuries — specifically the torn ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament).
As part of the pod's partnership with Golden State Orthopedic & Spine, Chace talks with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Semon Bader — a nationally recognized authority on ACL reconstruction. Dr. Bader shares the basics of the dreaded knee injury. He covers how it happens, who is most susceptible to it, useful prevention strategies and the rehabilitation process.
From Dr. Bader, the show transitions to an athlete currently experiencing rehab for an ACL te...
2022-04-1326 minKnow & GO: An "Ask The Expert" Podcast For AthletesArmed & ReadyFor the show's first episode, we're joined by one of the East Bay's most renowned sports medicine practitioners as Dr. Charles Preston joins the show.
Dr. Preston is the head team physician for Walnut Creek's NBA G League team, Ignite, as well as an assistant team physician at Saint Mary's College and the sideline physician for De La Salle High School football. Before settling in the Bay Area, he was also a house physician for the New York Mets — and it's his baseball medicine acumen that we sought out for this episode.
With baseball back in f...
2022-03-1128 min
7 Friday NightAll-NorCal Season FinaleIn the final episode of our first season, hosts Chace and Ben wrap up the 2021 Northern California high school football season with an in-depth discussion on SportStars' just-released postseason honors and awards.
Joining the hosts for the entire episode is fellow SportStars reporter and photographer, Ike Dodson. As the primary trio responsible for selecting the magazine's All-NorCal Team and players of the year, the three talked about the process while giving a glimpse behind the curtain on how they came to certain decisions.
They also share several thoughts on the final All-NorCal Team roster. Who wa...
2022-01-2156 min7 Friday NightBeware Of Cobra Strikes (Outtakes & Laughs)As we near the last episode of our first season, hosts Ben and Chace went back and found some of the moments that made them laugh the most over the first 21 episodes. A few of them made the final edits for various episodes, but many didn't.
Not surprisingly, many of the most humorous moments came during the hosts' weekly visit with retired De La Salle-Concord coach Terry Eidson — and his occasional alter ego known as "Cobra". Often those moments came at the hosts' expense.
Join the guys as they share some of their favorite lighthearted mom...
2022-01-0722 min7 Friday NightState Champs & Holiday HijinksNorCal football teams won 10 CIF State Bowl Championships on the state's final weekend of football. Hosts Chace and Ben revisit the fun by providing thoughts on the two teams they saw claim their first titles, San Marin-Novato and Vanden-Fairfield. They also welcome the offensive coordinator to another brand new state champion, Mike Hill of Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F..
Hill shares his thoughts on the Fighting Irish's big win, its epic mid-season turnaround and helping to put some respect on City football. The hosts also take a look back at the season as a whole by exploring some "...
2021-12-1651 min7 Friday NightThe Final CountdownIt's our last weekend of games, and hosts Chace and Ben are trying not to get emotional. Instead, they pour their energy into an hour of CIF State Bowl conversation.
The show welcomes Cal-Hi Sports co-founder and editor Mark Tennis for the second time this season. As someone who maintains the most-recognized state football rankings, there's no better person to preview some of the biggest bowl matchups this weekend. Tennis shares his thoughts on the bowl games themselves as we reach the 15th anniversary of the CIF bowl era, and offers up a variety of insight on t...
2021-12-091h 087 Friday NightGo Big Or Go Home TimeIt's a jam-packed show this week as Chace and Ben revisit an entertaining weekend of section championships and the 24-hour guessing game of who the CIF would advance as NorCal's Open Division representative. The hosts also preview this weekend's slate of CIF NorCal regional games — and there's definitely some good ones.
Among the top games of the weekend is the Division I-AA regional featuring Folsom at De La Salle — a rematch from early October featuring SportStars' No. 1 and No. 3-ranked teams. Folsom twin brothers, Tyler and Josh Tremain, both join the show to talk about the Bulldogs' secti...
2021-12-021h 147 Friday NightSection Championships & Cookie CapersThe show goes all out as it reviews an absolute wild weekend of semifinals while also previewing section championship weekend throughout Northern California. Hosts Chace and Ben welcome fellow SportStars colleague Ike Dodson. The magazine's Sac-Joaquin Section writer and photographer joins them for the greater portion of the show. He recounts being at Rocklin last Friday for the Thunder's 51-48 instant-classic comeback win over St. Mary's-Stockton, and sticks around for some "Fill The Gap" and the full game picks segment.
Also, the show finally welcomes Dublin's "Rolling Ball of Butcher Knives" — TE/FB/LB, TJ Costello. TJ's al...
2021-11-241h 087 Friday Night"Open" To DiscussionWith long time foes De La Salle and Pittsburg meeting this week to decide the North Coast Section Open Division final, hosts Chace and Ben welcome DLS coach Justin Alumbaugh to the program. Together they chat about this year's Spartans team and its evolution after becoming the program's first team in 30 years to lose to a NorCal opponent. They also discuss the pros and cons of the coaching staff turnover of the past few years, and of course, the big matchup scheduled for this Saturday. They even work in some good chatter about Coach Terry Eidson.
Eidson...
2021-11-181h 107 Friday NightTrail Talk & Playoff PunditryThe postseason has now arrived for everybody, and the show is here for it! As the Sac-Joaquin Section rolls into its quarterfinals, hosts Chace and Ben welcome Monterey Trail-Elk Grove coach TJ Ewing to talk about a Mustangs teams that's gone from an 0-5 start to a dangerous 7-seed in the Division II field. Ewing shares about how the team persevered through its grueling nonleague schedule, and what he's expecting in his team's big matchup with Granite Bay on Friday.
Chace and Ben open the show by sharing thoughts on last week's big game between St. Francis-Mountain V...
2021-11-111h 097 Friday Night"We Do It For Weeks Like This"Christmas comes early to San Mateo this week as Serra High hosts St. Francis-Mountain View in a massive game that will determine a number of things, including: NorCal's No. 1-ranked team, the top seed in the Central Coast Section Open Div. playoffs and, oh yeah, the West Catholic Athletic League championship. Serra coach Patrick Walsh joins the show this week to talk about the Padres' 8-0 season so far, what getting ready for this game has been like, and what he expects this coming Saturday.
As an added bonus, weekly guest Coach Terry Eidson makes an extra a...
2021-11-031h 087 Friday NightThunder, Rain & ZombiesThis week, Chace and Ben welcome Rocklin High senior receiver Nathan Kent to the show. Kent talks to the guys about the Thunder clinching the Sierra Foothill League championship last week, how the team has overcome multiple injuries, and what it will take to add more 2021 hardware to the trophy case.
The show also embraces the Halloween Spirit this week as Ben answers some spooky-themed NorCal football questions. For instance, what's the offensive line best fit for creating one's escape path in a Zombie apocalypse?
Finally, after Northern California's 30 straight hours of rain, the hosts go...
2021-10-281h 00
7 Friday NightA Mighty WindsorThis week's show points its focus toward the North Bay as hosts Chace and Ben welcome Windsor High coach Paul Cronin. Coach Cronin passed his own high school coach and mentor, Ed Lloyd, in career wins last week with victory No. 218. And if No. 219 comes this week, it's going to be heavily bittersweet. That's because his undefeated Jaguars team will host his old school, Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa, in a big North Bay League showdown Friday night.
Cronin sits down to discuss what his milestone win felt like, how emotionally taxing it's been just preparing for Cardinal Newman, a...
2021-10-2158 min
7 Friday NightSpecial DeliveryThe De La Salle game at Folsom has come and gone. Chace and Ben discuss De La Salle's win and the fallout as it pertains to the larger NorCal landscape. The hosts actually cover a handful of big picture topics as we get closer to the end of the regular season, doing so as part of a new feature they call "Play or Punt."
Coach Terry Eidson makes his weekly appearance and shares his views on De La Salle's win before the guys pick his brain about the least appreciated third phase of a football game: special...
2021-10-1452 min7 Friday NightBONUS: One Upon A Time In Long BeachWednesday Oct. 6, marks the 20th anniversary of what is arguably considered California's most significant high school football game of all time — and some have made a case it's the nation's most significant high school football game to date. It was the first ever meeting between the nation's top two ranked teams. This special bonus episode features four guests: Two who coached in the game, one who played in the game and one who reported on the game.
Host Long Beach Poly was ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today, despite the fact that its opponent, De La...
2021-10-061h 037 Friday NightAll Eyes On FolsomThis week features NorCal's biggest intersectional matchup of the season when De La Salle-Concord pays a visit to Folsom High. The game between the Spartans and Bulldogs has been circled by many fans for months, and the intrigue has only multiplied now that De La Salle's NorCal unbeaten streak was halted by St. Francis-Mountain View back in mid-September. Naturally, hosts Chace and Ben spend a lot of time talking about this game and its ramifications for both teams involved and how it fits into the season's bigger picture.
To join in their conversation, the hosts welcomed longtime S...
2021-10-051h 067 Friday NightFootball Festivus & Jaguar JuggernautsBefore hosts Chace and Ben dive into an enticing week of high school football matchups, a slightly disgruntled Ben calls for a Football Festivus and an Airing of Grievances. In a get-off-my-lawn digression, Ben shares his thoughts on some recent fan behavior — both good and bad — and dissects the merits (or lack thereof) in students storming the field following a win.
Once the Festivus is concluded, there's still plenty of football talk to go around. The hosts welcome Nicholas Coronado — the prolific senior quarterback for undefeated Kimball High of Tracy — to talk about Jaguars football, playing in the tough...
2021-09-3055 min7 Friday NightHollywood Memories & Gaucho PrideAs NorCal football begins to embark on Week 6, we've already reached the one-third marker of the season. Hosts Chace and Ben reflect on that a bit by naming which team has surprised them the most so far. Two of the more surprising teams — Monte Vista-Danville and El Cerrito — face off in a key matchup this week. That gave Ben, an El Cerrito graduate, a chance to return to his roots and visit a Gauchos practice. There he spoke with the team's outstanding defensive back duo of Robert Freeman and Warren Smith.
And with Netflix releasing its first look...
2021-09-2253 min7 Friday NightYou Say Calcagno, I Say CalcanyoThe show may have produced an emergency pod surrounding St. Francis-Mountain View's NorCal streak-busting win over De La Salle-Concord, but there was still PLENTY of spillover into this week's episode. First off, Chace and Ben invited St. Francis coach Greg Calcagno onto the program to talk about his big win and its aftermath.
At the same time, they invited his distant relative of the same last name (but different pronunciation), California-San Ramon coach Danny Calcagno. The hosts talked to the Grizzlies coach about his team's 3-0 start, its 70-point night at Freedom-Oakley and his son Jake who's a...
2021-09-1658 min7 Friday NightRequiem For A Streak (An Emergency Pod)When St. Francis-Mountain View pulled off its seismic 31-28 victory over De La Salle-Concord on Friday night — becoming the first Northern California team in 30 years to beat the Spartans — hosts Chace and Ben decided an emergency podcast was in order.
The hosts welcome old friend and colleague, Damin Esper, who has spent the past three seasons as the primary color analyst on the De La Salle TV internet broadcasts. Esper shares his take on the game and what the atmosphere was like at Ron Calcagno Stadium. The three guys also share thoughts on the West Catholic Athletic Leagu...
2021-09-1229 min7 Friday NightHoly Rollin'The first big rivalry game of the season — the Holy Bowl between Jesuit-Carmichael and Christian Brothers-Sacramento — gets center stage in this episode. Hosts Chace and Ben invite Jesuit coach Marlon Blanton onto the show to talk about the rivalry and share thoughts about his team's Week 3 win over Granite Bay. With the Northern California edition of the Honor Bowl taking place as well this week, the guys also discuss the 20th anniversary of 9/11. They reflect with both Coach Blanton and recurring guest, Coach Terry Eidson, on an important role high school football played in communities across the country in the...
2021-09-0952 min7 Friday NightHazy Shade Of FootballAfter the second week of regular season football in Northern California featured several game cancellations due to wildfire smoke, hosts Chace and Ben talk about the wild cancellation/rescheduling frenzy. As part of the conversation, they welcome Clayton Valley High co-coach Nick Tisa to discuss his team's manic four-day stretch that involved multiple bus trips to Turlock. The Ugly Eagles were finally able to play their game on Monday night, so the hosts asked him about that as well as being on AQI watch again for the Friday's game scheduled at Del Oro-Loomis.
The jam-packed episode also f...
2021-09-0252 min7 Friday NightPirates, Padres & PageantryBay Area high school football returns this week, so Ben and Chace literally take the show on the road for a visit to Pittsburg. That's the location of the biggest game of the week as SportStars Magazine's No. 3-ranked Pittsburg High hosts No. 4 Serra-San Mateo. The hosts share a conversation with head coach Victor Galli about his super-talented Pirates squad and a half-decade of battles against Serra and Padres' head coach Patrick Walsh — of whom he has close to 30 years of history as peers and De La Salle-Concord alums. Coach Terry Eidson returns to share memories about both Galli an...
2021-08-2649 min7 Friday NightTurn On The Lights, SJS!It's opening week in the Sac-Joaquin Section! Ben and Chace mark the occasion by making predictions on some of the key matchups, and Coach Terry Eidson returns to face Ben in a battle of SJS trivia. The matchup was described as "scintillating," though we're not sure it reached that bar. There were laughs, though. Also, with the rest of the sections in their scrimmage week, Ben and Chace pick Coach Eidson's brain on how the De La Salle coaching staff would approach scrimmages. Finally, SportStars Magazine released its 10th Annual Football Preview special edition this week. Ben talked about...
2021-08-2040 min7 Friday NightJust Like Riding A BikeChace welcomes Ben back to high school football punditry as the two hosts recall their glory years as the stars of the briefly popular video series, "Two Geeks And A Pigskin." Ben shares of his experiences getting back into high school football reporting and the two talk about some of the themes they've come across while talking to coaches over the first week and a half of practices. Finally, they introduce the one person they hope can put a legitimate face on this project — regular guest star, recently-retired De La Salle-Concord coaching legend Terry Eidson. Terry shares about adjusting to...
2021-08-1228 min
SportStoriesIntroducing: 7 Friday NightJust in time for the first true California high school football season in two years, SportStars Magazine is excited to announce its newest podcast: 7 Friday Night.
SportStars editor Chace Bryson will be joined by longtime friend — and one-time video series collaborator (if you know, you know) — Ben Enos for a weekly discussion on NorCal high school football. Through wit, whimsy and maybe some wisdom, the pair will deliver wrap-ups, predictions, topical discussions and interviews with players and coaches from throughout NorCal.
Just to double down on the wisdom part, Ben and Chace will also be j...
2021-08-1002 minSportStoriesEpisode 11: Olympians Pt. 2—Goal OrientedAbby Dahlkemper and Maggie Steffens both graduated high school in the same year, as part of the Class of 2011. And for the past decade, they've been among the very best players in their sport. Both are competing in the Tokyo Olympics this summer. One has gone with a focus on stopping goals, while the other will be trying to score as many as possible.
Dahlkemper is a starting defender on the US Women’s National Soccer Team. And while she’s already a World Cup champion, this is Dahlkemper's first Olympics. Steffens — who graduated from Monte Vista High i...
2021-07-2437 minSportStoriesEpisode 10: Olympians Pt. 1 — Diamond DesperadosOf all the U.S. National Teams competing in the Tokyo Summer Olympics, perhaps none feel more urgency than the Women’s Softball team.
After losing the gold medal game to Japan in the 2008 Games, its sport was removed from the next two Olympiads in London and Rio. When the first game in Tokyo takes place on July 21, it will mark 4,717 days between Olympic softball games. Softball is back — but not to stay. The sport will not be part of the Paris games in 2024. It will likely be included as part of the Los Angeles games in 2028, but...
2021-07-2035 minSportStoriesEpisode 09: Coaching Through The ChaosIf you watch sports enough, you hear it all the time: The best coaches are the ones who can make adjustments. Halftime adjustments. Mid-season adjustments. Roster adjustments following injuries.
Being a coach requires constant adaptation. And perhaps no academic year required more of it than the one that just ended on June 19. When California’s governor and state health officials finally relaxed guidelines enough for outdoor sports in late February, it triggered a domino effect that eventually led to every high school sport having some sort of abbreviated season squeezed into a 16-week window.
Many co...
2021-06-2449 minSportStoriesEpisode 08: Thundering Heights (Elk Grove's Baseball Dynasty)Dynasties are not particularly rare in high school sports.
Even though rosters are always changing as classes graduate and others come in, if there’s a consistent and well-supported coaching staff that can teach the game and effectively motivate payers, it just takes a couple winning seasons for a culture of success to take root.
However, there are dynasties, and then there’s what the Elk Grove High School baseball program produced from 2002-2017.
In a 16-year span, the Thundering Herd appeared in 10 Sac-Joaquin Section Division I finals. They won 8 of them. And eigh...
2021-06-0447 minSportStoriesEpisode 07: Don Lippi, NorCal's Mr. 900If there was a Mt. Rushmore of Bay Area high school basketball coaches, there would be little debate over Don Lippi being front and center.
Lippi is Northern California’s winningest basketball coach of all time, according to the Cal-Hi Sports state record book. And on Saturday, May 15, the St. Joseph Notre Dame boys coach earned his 900th career victory when his small Alameda school — the same one where Basketball Hall of Famer Jason Kidd’s career began — defeated crosstown foe Encinal.
The 73-year-old Lippi became only the state’s fourth member of the 900-win club. His...
2021-05-2138 minSportStoriesEpisode 06: Everybody Loves NajeeNajee Harris, Alabama’s star running back for the past two years, will hear his name read from the podium of the NFL Draft on April 29th or 30th. Celebration and excitement from sports fans throughout the Bay Area is sure to follow (and likely already has if you’re listening after the 30th). That’s because Harris, in addition to being one of the most prolific high school running backs in NorCal history during his four years at Antioch, was also one of the most genuine and selfless.
Teammates loved him. Opponents and rivals admired him. Nobody...
2021-04-2939 minSportStoriesEpisode 05: Haley Jones Is EverywhereAs the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship unfolded across two hours of Easter Sunday afternoon, one constant became clear: When the Stanford Cardinal needed a momentum shift, Haley Jones was the catalyst. The all-around sophomore came up with several clutch baskets, none more important than the and-1 play she converted in the paint with 2:24 left after Arizona had cut a once nine-point lead down to one. Those three points, the bucket and the free throw, would prove to be the winning points after Stanford barely hung on for a 54-53 win and its first title in 29 years.
Jo...
2021-04-1034 minSportStoriesEpisode 04: Remembering Mark HalvorsonAnyone who has had a life-changing coach in their lives can relate to the character of Mickey from the "Rocky" films. There was no mistaking Mickey became a father figure to Sylvester Stallone’s struggling-but-driven title character. Mickey taught him to box by explaining technique and strategy — but also through a lot of tough love. Love for boxing, and love for Rocky and who he wanted to become.
When Mickey finally cracks a smile, you see it.
Now imagine if Mickey taught wrestling, and not just to one pupil but several thousands of youth over the...
2021-03-2546 minSportStoriesEpisode 03: Football Springs To LifeAfter more than 15 months without a high school football game in California, we celebrate its return with a tribute to traditional offseason anticipation and memorable season openers.
If you’ve been someone paying attention to California high school sports — or lack thereof — over the last several months, then you know this week of March 8th is kind of a big deal. A year-plus high school football drought finally ends on March 12th and 13th when several programs will return to the field to open a brief spring season. Their seasons will range from 5-6 games. There won’t be full grandstan...
2021-03-1131 minSportStoriesEpisode 02: Finishing The Business TripScott Lunger was the "good cop" on the Freedom High School varsity softball coaching staff. Players loved the good-natured humor that the infield coach often used to teach and motivate them. But Lunger was also a cop in real life, a 15-year sergeant for the Hayward Police Department. And on July 22, 2016, he was shot and killed during a traffic stop at 3:15 in the morning. A little more than one week later, the Freedom school year began. Six months later, as many as a dozen girls showed up to softball tryouts still very much in mourning. Three months after that...
2021-02-2523 minSportStoriesEpisode 1: The Passion of Patrick WalshFor the debut episode, we solicited stories about Serra High football coach Patrick Walsh — a leader in the efforts to restart all youth and high school sports throughout California. Through 18 seasons in San Mateo, Patrick Walsh has been a highly decorated and successful coach for the Padres program (eight league titles, five section titles and a CIF Bowl title in 2017). And while there are many individuals involved in the statewide effort to get all high school sports back in action, few have been more present in spreading the message than Walsh.
Since this is SportStories — where the stor...
2021-02-0928 minSportStoriesIntroducing: SportStories"So this is how it happened..."
If you're a fan of something. Anything. Music, movies, art, sports or whatever. Few things can pique your interest more than getting a glimpse behind the scenes, or learning the inside story to something you're passionate about. For 10 years, SportStars Magazine has been passionate about high school sports in Northern California. For its first podcast, the high school sports media company is turning the storytelling over to its sources in hopes of giving fans that behind-the-scenes feel. Each episode will focus on a coach, athlete, team or classic game and then f...
2021-02-0601 min