Poly's Maddox Magaña maneuvers past defenders during the 2025 season. This photo became one of the most-shared and liked sports images on social media at the start of 2025, capturing the energy of Riverside high school athletics. (Courtesy of Joey Magaña)
End-of-year sports recaps can be awkward. Sports run in seasons, not in calendar years. Riverside only has RCC for college football, so no holiday bowl games for us. Many sports begin in one year and end in another.
Even without big signature events like bowl games or major championships, Riverside has plenty of compelling sports storylines to follow. From high school athletes chasing records to college programs navigating conference transitions, there's always something happening on local fields, courts and tracks. Finding these events is easier than ever: CBU Athletics, UCR Athletics, RCC Athletics, and MaxPreps all provide schedules and information to help you catch the action.
2025 Highlights
CBU Stunt
California Baptist's stunt team continued its unprecedented dominance, defeating Kentucky 17-13 in April to claim its fifth consecutive national championship. Coach Brandon Seagondollar's squad maintains an unblemished 107-0 program record in just five years of existence. The Lancers reached their 100th win in March with a perfect weekend, shutting out all five opponents 24-0. STUNT is one of the fastest-growing NCAA emerging sports for women. Read more about CBU Stunt
Cross country
King High's Maximo Zavaleta made history by winning his second consecutive CIF Southern Section Division 1 individual championship in November, becoming the first male in King High history to win a CIF cross country title. Zavaleta finished in 13:59.9, breaking the 14-minute barrier he'd set as his goal. The King boys team finished sixth overall to qualify for the state meet at Fresno's Woodward Park, a significant improvement from 2024 when Zavaleta advanced alone. Riverside Poly senior Jace Deledonne earned redemption after a 2024 injury forced him out of the race while leading, finishing second at the 2025 CIF finals (14:16.4) and helping propel Poly's strong team performance.
Hillcrest
Hillcrest High made an impressive run to the CIF State Division 4-A championship game in December, ultimately falling 40-46 to Beckman in a heartbreaker. The Trojans dominated their playoff path with wins over Pacifica (39-20), Tahquitz (63-34) and Monrovia (41-14), showcasing a program turnaround after years of rebuilding. Read more about Hillcrest's playoff run
The DeAndas
Riverside Poly's Ava and Dash DeAnda continued their family's swimming legacy with dominant performances. Ava won her third CIF Southern Section Division 1 title in the 100 freestyle (48.92 seconds) and remains nearly undefeated in the event throughout high school, losing only once at the 2025 state finals by 0.12 seconds. Dash made history as the first Poly male in 25+ years to qualify for state in two events, breaking Olympic gold medalist Tyler Cleary's 500 freestyle school record with a time of 4:29.91.
Flag Football
Riverside Poly reached the CIF Southern Section Division 4 championship game in November, marking a major turnaround for the program. After struggling in 2024 and missing the section's first-ever playoffs, the Bears hired veteran coach Pat Meech who led them back to elite-level competition. The championship game appearance represents Poly's highest achievement in the sport since CIF added flag football in 2023.
What to Look for 2026
CBU basketball
The Lancers enter 2026 in their final Western Athletic Conference season before joining the Big West in July. Senior guard Dominique Daniels Jr., who returned from a season-ending injury in 2023-24 to lead the team with 567 points last season, has already earned his sixth career WAC Player of the Week honor and crossed 2,000 career points.
The backcourt duo of Daniels and grad transfer guard Jayden Jackson is electric, worth the price of admission and capable of leading this team on a deep playoff run. Despite Jackson battling injuries during a brutal November-December road trip against Power Five opponents (Oregon State, Colorado, BYU, Utah), the Lancers showed the resilience and depth that define championship teams. Can they deliver a WAC championship send-off before the conference switch?
AHS Soccer
Coach Kevin Watson is building something special at Arlington High School. In his 15 years leading the Lions, Watson has transformed the smallest comprehensive high school in Riverside Unified into a soccer powerhouse: six league titles, the program's first-ever CIF Southern Section championship in 2019, and back-to-back Open Division playoff appearances. But Watson's impact extends far beyond Arlington's campus. As technical director and founder of Albion SC Riverside (formerly Riverside City FC), he's created a club-to-high school pipeline that's elevated the entire Riverside soccer ecosystem. The dual role allows Watson to develop players from elementary age through high school, with many Albion SC products eventually starring for Arlington and other Riverside prep programs. Junior Hugo Gomez, the 2025 Inland Empire Varsity Player of the Year who transferred back to Albion SC from SoCal Elite FC, exemplifies this model. Watson calls him "the best player in our area, hands down." With a deep freshman squad posting impressive records and Arlington consistently competing in the region's most elite division, Watson's dynasty shows no signs of slowing. Watch for the Lions to contend for another Ivy League title and deep playoff run in 2026. Read more about Arlington soccer
Pro soccer in Riverside
Local entrepreneur Greg Scott and the United Soccer League announced plans in September 2025 to bring professional men's and women's soccer to Riverside, with a soccer-specific stadium (expandable to 15,000 seats) and mixed-use development in the works. The community listening campaign continues to determine team name, colors and branding. If the timeline holds, teams could begin play as early as 2026-2027, making Riverside the third U.S. city (along with Los Angeles and Philadelphia) to have two NCAA Division I programs in the same conference. Read more about pro soccer coming to Riverside
Does CSDR bounce back?
The California School for the Deaf, Riverside Cubs finished 8-1 in fall 2025 after winning back-to-back state championships in 2022 and 2023 (documented in the 2024 book "The Boys of Riverside"). With new Athletic Director Keith Adams bringing more than 30 years of coaching experience, can CSDR return to championship form and reclaim its throne in eight-man football?
Riverside in the Big West
Both CBU and UC Riverside will compete in the Big West Conference starting July 1, 2026, making Riverside one of only three U.S. cities with two Division I programs in the same conference. The new intra-city rivalry and regional matchups will bring increased visibility to Riverside athletics, with basketball leading the way as both programs establish themselves in their new home.
Sports are the easiest entry point into community. High school football under Friday night lights. Saturday afternoon basketball at CBU or UCR. A Tuesday evening soccer match at Arlington. These events are affordable, family-friendly and open to everyone.
You don't need season tickets or insider knowledge. Pick a team. Flip a coin if you have to. Grab a seat in the bleachers and start cheering. The kid scoring touchdowns might live down the street. The point guard draining threes could be your coworker's daughter. That's the thing about local sports. The athletes are our neighbors.
Showing up matters. It builds community, one game at a time.
It's a hectic time of year but maybe a night at the basketball arena with some nachos is a perfect break from shopping. We are butting up against Christmas break for both college and high school athletics but there are plenty of incredible events this week.
