CIF State Championship Rewind: Top Rushing Performances

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>As the 2024 season comes to an end and the CIF State Championships have all been wrapped up, who were the top rushers on the biggest stages for each respective team? Find out below</em></strong>!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["780467"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6761fb9471acb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Caturegli had one of the better Junior seasons of any athlete across northern California and is one of the top returning players heading into next season across the Bay Area. The All-State nominee rushed for 1,500 yards and 28 touchdowns, while tacking on another 451 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns for the back to back state champion Mustangs. He is closing in on some all-time records in terms of rushing and touchdowns for the region, and could break some of those in his final season for St. Vincent de Paul. In the 4-AA CIF-state title against Highland, Caturegli put up big numbers once again, rushing for 136 yards and 1 score, while adding another receiving score as well and added 6 tackles and 1 TFL on defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["349219"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6761fb9471b2a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Searcy had perhaps the top performance of the entire weekend at the state championships for Pittsburg, and is looking to be an absolute steal for Washington State. He has shown through out his senior year that he is one of the top two-way players across the entire state, and saved perhaps his best performance for last on Friday night. He made big plays time and time again for the Pirates and was a big reason why they were able to stay in the game with a loaded Lincoln squad on the other sideline. He finished the state championship with 175 yards rushing and 3 scores, while adding another score on 67 yards receiving. Searcy will go down as one of the top two-way players this region has seen in many years and will be a name we will eventually hear on Saturdays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["780466"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6761fb9471b9d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Casanovas has now lead St. Vincent de Paul to back to back state title wins at the 6-AA level and now the 4-AA level and they finish off the year as the number one small school team in the state per Cal-Hi sports. The Junior passer was lights out through out the post season for the Mustangs and had complete control over the state title game in Long Beach. He passed for 106 yards and 2 scores, while adding another 162 yards and 1 score on the ground. Casanovas will be one the top returning signal callers across northern California heading into next season, and the Mustangs should be in the mix once again come late November with a host of key players returning and a loaded 2026 class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["348172"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6761fb9471be6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gillick ended his Senior season as one of the top rushers across the state of California, and is a bruising downhill back that just seemed to get stronger as the season wore on. He recently de-committed from his pledge to Montana State, and is one of the best available backs in the '25 class in California as we near the second and final national signing day. He ended the year with nearly 2,500 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns, while adding another 200 yards receiving. In the 1-A state title game against Central of Fresno, he rushed for over 120 yards and 2 scores helping lead Edison to a state title crown over the weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Cash Byington","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Sonora","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6761fb9471ccc"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Byington had one of the better performances of any athlete that stepped foot in any state title game over the weekend in Southern California. The Junior super-star has been carrying this Sonora team all season and got the job done when they needed him most, helping the Wildcats take home their first state title. He finished the contest with 150+ yards receiving and 2 TD's, while tacking on another 100+ return yards and a handful of yards on the ground as well. Byington effected the game in all three phases and made it clear that he is one of the best overall two-way players in northern California. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Other top state title game rushers...</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ashton Reese, Carmel '25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Noah Penunuri, Rio Hondo Prep '25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mason Harris, American Canyon '25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Joseph Smith, Balboa '26 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->