CIF notes: Mandatory 14-day dead period in play, Tuua is Cal-Hi POY, summer hoops
Time to rest and recover ... and enjoy summer a little.
The CIF Sac-Joaquin Section, the governing body for high school sports in the greater Sacramento Valley, started its mandatory 14-day “no-contact dead period” for athletics on Wednesday.
Through July 15, all high school sports activities are suspended. Coaches and players cannot have contact, hold meetings, conduct team activities or work out together on campus. Student-athletes may train on their own or at private gyms, but not with coaches affiliated with their school or team.
Section member schools overwhelmingly approved the annual dead period years ago, and similar policies have since been adopted throughout California. The goal is to prevent burnout for athletes and coaches during what has become a year-round sports calendar.
High school teams can start conditioning drills on July 15, including football. Football teams can engage in game-action intra-squad scrimmages on Aug. 8 and 9, followed by scrimmages against other teams with referees on Aug. 14 and 15.
High school football season openers are Aug. 14 and 15.
DCA’s Tuua is state player of the year
Four-time Bee Player of the Year Ayla Tuua of Destiny Christian Academy was named the Cal-Hi Sports 2026 Ms. Softball Player of the Year on Friday, capping a remarkable career.
Headed to LSU on scholarship, Tuua was a force in the circle and at the plate, leading the Lions to a 31-0 season, the CIF Northern California Division I championship and a No. 1 final state ranking. It marked one of the rare occasions a Sacramento-area school finished atop the statewide rankings, given the traditional strength of Southern California and Bay Area programs.
An honors student with a 4.16 GPA, Tuua set the Northern California career record with 48 home runs. She also went 47-2 with a 0.85 ERA and 720 strikeouts in 379 innings. As a senior, she batted .651 with 19 home runs while going 12-0 with a 0.66 ERA and 140 strikeouts.
Tuua is the sixth Sacramento-area player to earn Cal-Hi Sports Ms. Softball State Player of the Year honors since the organization began presenting the award in 1974. Tuua joined pitcher Karen Jackson of Roseville in 1991, pitcher Andrea Vidlund of Casa Roble in 1999, pitcher Alicia Hollowell of Fairfield in 2002, pitcher Anjelica Selden of Vanden High School in 2004, and catcher Jayla Castro of Rocklin in 2021.
Longtime area coaches have called Tuua the region’s greatest all-around softball player because of her dominance as a pitcher, hitter and leader. No Sacramento-area team in an upper division had previously completed an unbeaten season like DCA’s.
Sabir, Sheldon sizzle in summer
The powerhouse Sheldon Huskies, ranked No. 1 by The Bee for much of last season, impressed in summer tournaments, including capturing the Sinatra Division of the Nevada Live Invitational, which featured top prep teams from across the West and attracts dozens of college recruiters.
Reigning Bee Player of the Year and national recruit Baron Sabir averaged 22.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists, using his 6-foot-5 frame to overpower defenders and shoot over smaller opponents. Aeron Wallace, a transfer from Natomas High, averaged 10.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists for Sheldon during the event.
Cali Live movers and shakers
The Cali Live Showcase in Rocklin last weekend included more than 150 college coaches from across the country and featured strong performances from several capital region teams.
Those included Folsom, which finished last season ranked No. 1 by The Bee under Coach of the Year Mike Wall; Christian Brothers under coach Jermaine Brown; and Oak Ridge, led by rising prospect Lucas Cutler, who had 34 points and 11 rebounds during the showcase.
This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 1:13 PM.