It's official: El Rancho taps Zepeda

unless you go to el rancho and know the football guys
and know the school
you will never know er tradidion
it is like no other, and you cant talk about it unless you've lived it
er has so much pride
and i dont see how putting numbers on a scoreboard or winning titles
represents tradition and pride

this explains er to the best:

Mr Murray its something that only someone who has played for the ranch would know. Its about a brotherhood that is unmatched, its about playing on the same grass where the #1 team once bled, sweated and cried on. Its about being the smallest team in the area and knocking the snot out of guys 1 foot bigger than you. Its about that feeling before a game in the Varsity room where everyone is around the "ER", players yelling, coaches yelling, alumni giving a speech about what it means to play for the ranch. Its about that sense of pride you get when you see little boys in their PR Dons jackets just dying to put on that ranch uniform and have their spot under the lights. Its about knowing that you represent Pico Rivera and the community is behind you in every game. Its about the tears that are shed in the varsity room at the end of every season because you know its the last time you will ever wear a ranch jersey. Its about yelling our chants on the bus on Passons after every away game and even after a playoff loss knowing that you will never take that bus ride again. You have to be a Don to feel it, you have to bleed blue to know what the ranch pride and tradition is all about.

I heard Garcia is going to the ranch where the grass is greener if you know what i mean !!!!

Samuel...why are you such a St. Paul hater? Did they scorn you?

Yo, SP, Not sure where you learned that "Luis (Garcia) doesn't want to play" football at St. Paul anymore, or that he has dropped out of the weight-lifting class.
According to a school official, Luis is still in the football program, and he hasn't dropped the weight -lifting class because he wasn't in it. He takes a "regular subject" class at the time of the weight-lifting class, and makes up the weight lifting class at another time.
There are several playes who take other "regular" classes at that time but they lift at other prescribed times.
Not everyone lifts at the same time; but everyone lifts.

Up until 2000, La Habra had not won a league championship since 1988... they hadnt reached a CIF Final since 1983.... Before Mazzota they really werent such a power, Mazzota Sr. is one of the biggest Ranch heads there is....

In reading all these posts people at SP actually think it is ok for transfers to come in represent the school. I believe they had more than 2 starters at the school but if that is what the school and staff say is ok then who are we to question them if CIF allows it! Congrats to SP on a fine season. To coach Zepeda at ER you are a great person and a person of integrity I can already see the community rallying around you! We are behind you.

To say that La Habra would beat SP last year is ridiculous, SP defense would lock down on LH, if they held Crespi to 14 I think we can handle LH, please who did La habra play last year, no one, btw the only transfers who started on the defense last year was david flores and vinny marshall (who was there last year)

We also had a kid transfer in from El Rancho last year as a freshman after frosh football season. Long story short, He worked his tail off and beat everyone out at the running back spot and ran over everyone during league. He's going to be competing for a spot on the varsity team this year, and will probably find a niche. Is he still a transfer samuel? Give it a rest. Him and the others competed for the same spot and put in just the same amount of work. No recruitment there. Best man will get the job, regardless of where he came from. In this case, El Rancho.

Wow. If they transferred after their freshman year they're still transfers huh? It's not transfers that make a team, its the work ethic and ambition drilled into every practice. Take some time off and visit a st paul practice this spring. I guarantee you, transfer or not, every player that completes spring-summer training has had an equal opportunity to COMPETE for a spot and is no less a swordsman than anyone else on the team. Its no secret, St Paul does not house brilliant athletes. They just work extremely hard and play with heart. Don't take that away from them.

JESUS! HATING ON ER ALLREADY! Maaaan LET's pick on Montebello or Whittier atleast! why on ER?? i remember playing football at ER towards the end of JIM P career at ER! then it was GOOD! for one year thanks to that coach SETLICH and his STAFF! then DOWN HILL FROM THERE WITH WILLIE R! now it was on the raise!!! maaaan! HISTORY IS HISTORY tradition is tradition! we got OURS! and they got THEIRS! the kids that say it was a joke WAS THE JOKE i think! PR SHOULD STAY ER!

el rancho
Iam not saying tradition is bad, but when you talk about it like that is the only thing ER can fall back on so that they can become a good or great team your wrong. Yes ER was a great program in the 60's & 70's, and so was St. Paul, but you don't hear the St. Paul fans pounding their chest every year about those days. They talk about last year and what is happening at the school now.
About the pr dons you don't even know what conference there in so don't even call me out about that. 2004 pee wee was there last championship they had the best program in the mid 80's till 2000. They would send all their teams to the playoffs and at least two to the ship, it has not been the same since.
Yes Whittier did get last in league with a record of 6-4. Since you like talking about history who was that team that went 0-10 in 2006 oh yea I almost forgot
Soon ER will have the St. Paul tradition, you St. Paul guys know. Wed. night practice and then wed. night feed, meals before the game, not the day before at someones house. Yeah take the ER off the helmet and put on a sword. Relax el rancho I was only kidding, don't go and jump off the stadium at ER
Nobody has forgotten ER's tradition, how can we you bring it up every year.
Good luck to everybody in the area this year.

Actually 7 started! That would be considered transfers. Funny how you try and validate that if you didnt transfer in last year you arent considered a transfer anymore. Transfers are students that didnt start their frosh year.

Hey Samuel, only 2 transfers started last year. You should teach your son that the best man for the job gets it, regardless of where he comes from. Maybe he'll grow up to be a winner. Not a pouter like you. And el rancho, does't matter how long ago you won a CIF title, truth is, your program has stunk for years. "Almost" doesn't count. Please don't try to compare the rich tradition of the University of Notre Dame to El Rancho high school. What happened to your "waking giant" last year? 37-0 at the pit?

P.S. I heard Garcia dropped out of the weight training class and hasn't attended any meetings all year. Do you know whats going on? Just curious.

"What was Orange Lutheran Before Jim Kunau, Mission Viejo before Bob Johnson"

They were respectable programs that were not being investigated for recruiting allegations year in and year out. That was a straight reply admitting that SP does recruit. To compare SP to the is admission self guilt. Ask Aubrey Haynes what he thinks of SP? Ask the 4 year seniors sitting at home what they think?

Luis doesnt want to play. A new tailback from Mayfair transferred in. Whats new...

I can tell you for sure LUIS GARCIA is still a swordsman & will be there his senior year .he's been waiting his turn since his sophmore year ,running behind grigsby then aubrey last year... experience .. he's bigger& faster than ever!!

Samuel:
What was Orange Lutheran Before Jim Kunau, Mission Viejo before Bob Johnson

Oh ok so win at all cost is now a tradition and something that really is something I myself wouldnt want to be part of. I would rather my son learn to compete and be part of a program that doesnt recruit to win, I prefer a coach that develops players instead of taking players from other schools. I wouldnt compare La Habra and SP. La Habra wins with class. Stop trying to gain allies on the board everyone knows that La Habra is the best program in the area. How many D1 players has the new head coach at SP sent out? Thats right 0!!!

Whether it was today, 5 years ago or 40 years ago tradition is tradition and history is history. Should we forget what Joe Montana did in the NFL because it was a long time ago??? Should we forget about Notre Dames history since they havent done anything lately?? I think not!!

The difference between SP and La Habra vs any other program in the area is that SP and La Habra are writing their own history. ER, whittier, and everyone else in the DRL preach their titles in the 60's. SP's and LH's Last CIF title? last year. ER's? 40 years ago??

Does SP realistically have that storied tradition it claims to have or is it just perception? I remember they had a beautiful tradition of brotherhood to shave their heads now that is gone. When you cant establish a program and depend on transfers does that translate to tradition? Do kids that go to SP for 1 year really know what tradition is about? Do the kids that have been there for 3 years and wait their turn to start then get benched because of a transfer truly respect any tradition? I personally doubt that the kids at SP respect any traditions that were put in place by the SP players and families in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. It is a different time and a quick fix is what SP is based on not the hard work it took to develop players into men. Funny how people talk about La Habra tradition?? I am not well versed in it but I cant recall La Habra doing anything until Frank Mazzotta took over. If I am wrong than feel free and correct me.

I'm not discounting the titles ER earned, but trying to compare the so called traditions at ER to the traditions at LH and SP? Come back when you've earned at least a CIF title (or even make it to the finals) and then we can talk.

I dont care if it was in 1966 or 1801, a national championship is a national championship whether you guys want to accept it or not.

What's the running back situation at St Paul? Heard Luis Garcia dropped out of the program.

Anonymous,

El Rancho also won a CIF title in 1960. Back then it was also tougher to even make it in the playoffs. You had to win league to get a playoff berth. Also the 1966 and 1968 CIF titles for El Rancho were at the top football division at that time. I believe it was called 4-A division, the equivalent to Division I today!

Hope this helps.

~LAP

ElRancho:

While I'm sure The Ranch has a fine tradition I think you are putting a little too much spin on your championship record. yes, ER has a national championship but that was in 66. Multiple CIF titles? 66 and a co-title in 68. Last CIF final appearance? 1988.

In my mind and to refute your statement, based on the numbers and history La Habra and St. Paul do have a more storied and bigger tradition than ER.

"As for El Rancho they will never be what they were in the 60's or 70's maybe they could be what they were in the 80's or 90's"

I posted that we couldnt be like the 60's or 70's teams but could be like the 80's or 90's teams, thank you for agreeing with me.

Big Red, you are a joke man. Having a good tradition is a big part of having a great program, no matter how much you want to forget about ER's storied tradition, it will not and cannot be forgotten. Now you try and go as low as bashing the PR Dons program and the city because whittier won 4 out of 5 games last season??... quit trying to reach for things, your hate and jealousy for the ranch is too much for your own good. You just cant get over the fact that you talked so much crap before last season about Whittier making a run at the league title and yet there you were sitting in dead last.

1. Whittier Let the rest fight it out for 2nd

Posted by: BIG RED | October 6, 2007 4:58 PM

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Last year Whittier went to rivera park and out of the five games. Whittier won 4 and tied 1 no loses. City of champions, I don't think so. As for El Rancho they will never be what they were in the 60's or 70's maybe they could be what they were in the 80's or 90's but they did not win a div championship then. I don't mean to put them down but maybe you need to get off your high horse. and battle like everyone.

actually saint paul were national champions in 1968, state champions in 1981

The fact that Rick Zepeda is not a teacher at the school will not hinder the program at all. He owns his own business so his work will not hinder him from doing what he needs to do to get this program ready to rumble. Alot of ER's winning tradition was lost during our dark ages of Jim Patricio and Willie Reyna, the one year Greg Setlich was here things were back to the way they should be, the year Gene Parsons takes over once again we start playing ER Football. Just because we have had a period of bad football does not take away the fact that El Rancho High School has one of the best football traditions in this area, As of right now the quality of our program is not to the level of La Habra or St Paul, but that does not mean that their football tradition is more storied or bigger that ours, that does not mean that we have no winning tradition, the 90's were dark for USC, but that didnt erase their storied tradition did it?? A national championship, multiple CIF Championships and about 20 league championships is what I call tradition, not many schools in this area with that tradition is there?? Some of you people cannot accept the fact that this program has been a sleeping giant and all it takes is a good hire to get us back to where we need to be. Our last 2 freshmen classes have been awesome, Probably 2 of the more talented freshmen classes at ER in the past 10 years, things are looking very bright. Looks like we did win some Conference titles at the Pop Warner level huh Big Red...

Anyone remember the PR Dons Dream Team in the mid 90's? Best junior All-American team I'd ever seen. It's too bad not all those guys stuck together and went to El Rancho although many of them did and that was the best El Rancho team (Reyna's first year) in a long time.

The Dons also won conference in the Midget level in 2006.

WOW!!
football is back!!!
LETS GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!
let the trash talking begin ........

El Rancho is going to face a very tough road this year in the fact that their new head coach, Rick Zepeda does not teach at the school.
Most successful football programs have ALL of their coaches as teachers at the school. In fact that is the "main" thing that a Principal can do... fill the teaching openings with coaches (no matter the sport).

Whittier won a CIF championship in the 60's when Vic Lopez was the coach. La Serna won a CIF championship in 1967 with Coach Robinson at the helm. What El Rancho has that no one in the area has is a National Championship. Not sure but I don't think St. Paul has a National Championship.

wclancer,
Good thing sp now has no brotherhood. Ask the kids there now, all they care about is getting transfers they cant develop players anymore so the resort to taking kids from other programs. Expect some sp players to be playing for er next year. Good thing head man at sp bought a bar maybe now he can help pay for the transfers tuition"

WOW!!
football is back!!!
LETS GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!
let the trash talking begin ........

Blue Pride Country"
what you speak of is not only ER tradition but every school has that. Many PR dons dont even want to play for ER, and that goes back way back when. ER is not the only small team out there. Schools like montebello, whittier, Bell Gardens arent very big. Most teams that they play arent that big. Many kids that i know that have played for the ranch in the last 5-10 years say there is no brotherhood there. That many times when players try to speak up as leaders and pick up the team teammates laugh at them. Even own ranch kids say that football is just joke and that if your serious about football go somewhere else. This is way before Reyna and goes far back. Sure there are kids that genuinely care, but the core of teams doesnt hold the expectations that some of you Alumunus have. Tradition is winning like SP and La Habra and true brotherhood. Even many alumus have gone on to coach elsewhere because they know football is dead there and theres no hope.

Im pretty sure the PR Dons won the conference in 2004 at the Jr Midget level or the Pewee level, i might be wrong though, I really dont remember but one of the levels did win the conference title a few years back. Someone else might be able to better tell you. I agree that ER will never be what they were in the 60's, we all agree to that, but we can be what we were in the 80's and early 90's during the Arellanes and Romo years.

Mr Murray its something that only someone who has played for the ranch would know. Its about a brotherhood that is unmatched, its about playing on the same grass where the #1 team once bled, sweated and cried on. Its about being the smallest team in the area and knocking the snot out of guys 1 foot bigger than you. Its about that feeling before a game in the Varsity room where everyone is around the "ER", players yelling, coaches yelling, alumni giving a speech about what it means to play for the ranch. Its about that sense of pride you get when you see little boys in their PR Dons jackets just dying to put on that ranch uniform and have their spot under the lights. Its about knowing that you represent Pico Rivera and the community is behind you in every game. Its about the tears that are shed in the varsity room at the end of every season because you know its the last time you will ever wear a ranch jersey. Its about yelling our chants on the bus on Passons after every away game and even after a playoff loss knowing that you will never take that bus ride again. You have to be a Don to feel it, you have to bleed blue to know what the ranch pride and tradition is all about.

Then Murray is right, because when was the last time pr dons won a championship. Almost as long as El Rancho.
Like I said Rick is a good guy, but ER will never be what they were before people should let these kids go and play for there team this year and leave the past the past. pr dons city of champions you have to win them in order to be called that

murray there aint no tradition of football like el rancho and yeah i guess you can say st paul to.This is going all the way down to the pr dons

Tradition that everyone is talking about is basically doing things their way. If he wins at El Rancho does that mean ER pride is back? ER hasnt had much tradition in oh maybe the last fifteen years. I dont care how this staff does it just as long as they win. I spoke with my son and he said the coaches that were present at weight lifting were very intense and very motivating. He also said that the new coach preaches brotherhood and that he is a very good coach. It is still very early but it looks as if the future is promising on Passons for years to come. Best of luck to the new staff it seems as if the right guy was selected.

Are you kidding me? The only tradition El Rancho has had in the last few years was was mediocrity. With any luck the new coach will begin a new tradition...that tradition is called winning.

Go watch a video session at La Habra or Wednesday night practice at St. Paul before you say that 'pride is pride' - it is not a universal concept. Discipline, work ethic, passion - these are not the same at every school. There are some programs in the area who have Championship tradition. El Rancho and St. Paul easily have the most vocal (for better or worse) alumni because their tradition of success goes much further back than the rest of the schools in the community, with the possible exception of La Mirada. If you look back at the records, El Rancho is the ONLY school in the area that has beaten St. Paul. Santa Fe lost the cross town game 17 straight years! Roundy's Cal team came close in 1968(?), losing 7 to 6. Even with Connor Scott rushing for over 100 yards in the late 90's, Whittier was unable win. If anyone has any info that contradicts this - I'm sure Murray can validate it with an article from the archives! Does anyone know if any of the Del Rio league teams besides the Ranch have a CIF Ring for football? Cal - NO, Pio - NO, LS - NO, SF - NO (close!), Whittier - Maybe.

Anonymous,

El Rancho Football hasn't been about much for years. What you should be hoping for is change. And with a St. Paul alumni at the helm, maybe you'll get just that.

Yo, El Rancho/Anonymous; Just curious: What makes 'El Rancho tradition' different from Santa Fe tradition, La Serna tradition, La Habra tradition, St. Paul tradition, et al? Pride is pride no matter where you find it.

The new coach knows all about the ER tradition, dont worry about that. From what I know this team is in very good hands..

the new coach better the know the el rancho tradition and what football at the ranch is all about...look at reyna didnt know the traditoin and look what happend...louie should have been the coach its gonna be sad to see him go

Nice to see the chat room alive with the anticipation of another great football season just around the corner.I'm sure there will be plenty more heated disscusions, debates and opinions but hopefully they will be more tactful with less name calling and offensive remarks.Can't wait till the first kickoff!

Louie has done so much for the program because the man bleeds blue, I really do wish he were given a teaching job in this district so he could stay as part of this staff. Its hard for someone to leave something they love so much and cherish so dearly. Myself and many other alumni appreciate what he has done greatly, Louies has been one of the biggest assests to this program for years.

I don't know what Louie is going to do, but I know what he should do. He should leave El Rancho since he's been underappreciated after all he has done for the program. He needs to go and get his own teaching job (which El Rancho administration probably won't give him) somewhere else. I'm sure Zepeda is a great guy, but Zamora needs to realize there's more out there than El Rancho.

Wow, Friar guy I wonder who you are?? You hate Coach Gonzalez and love Rick Zepeda? Wow, we know another miserable OLD SP faithful. Let the NEW SP faithful fans be happy. Do us all a favor and become a loyal El Rancho fan. You talk so much crap about SP lets see what comes out of your mouth about El Rancho.

Congratulations & good luck El Rancho,
This guy sounds like he has the right stuff.
We'll see you on Sept. 5
at West Covina, looking forward to it.

anyone know what kind of offense he wants to run or who he will bring in his staff. Will louie still be there

Wise choice, and good luck el rancho.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! A job well deserved.

Rick Zepeda is a great choice. He has values, integrity and believes in family first. Coaches in this area do not have the same morals, just look at that coach on Greenleaf Ave. Pete G. needs to mix in a salad I almost did not recognize him! Geez-o!

Exactly who we wanted and felt it would be for a few months now, cant wait for this season to start, good times coming at the ranch. League Title is coming!!

El Rancho could not have picked a more stand up guy to be the coach of the team. LSU Alumni around the country are proud of Head Coach Zepeda.