St. Paul hands-down has area's toughest football schedule
After posted responses, there's no real problem here in determining which high school overall has the toughest road through the area's preleague football schedules.
With four Division I opponents, and another potential challenger in L.A.'s Garfield, the Swordsmen will have little time to lollygag their way to Mission League play.
Rating the rest of the area's Top 5 preleague schedules:
2) La Habra: Dangerous Downey looks easy compared to next four games
3) Santa Fe: Could be 0-3 going into Week 4
4) Pioneer: Charter Oak, Cypress, St. Paul ... whew!
5) La Mirada: First four teams won 35 games last season (I know, I know, that was last season)
A look at the rest:
6) California, 7) La Serna, 8) Schurr, 9) El Rancho, 10) Whittier
Christian, 11) Whittier, 12) Cantwell, 13) Montebello.
These ratings are based on the competitive potential of the opponent vs.
the area school involved ... and, of course, subject to revision at a
moment's notice.
A tough pre-season schedule in any sport, if the team is competitive, will help it in league, but more importantly, when the teams get to CIF. IN baseball this year, La Serna and Cal played very tough non-league schedules, while eventual DRL champ played a weak schedule. In CIF both Cal and LS made the quaterfinals, beating favored teams, while ER got knocked out in the first round.
How do you know that you can compete if you don't play anybody?
Why would anyone put Pioneer over Santa Fe? Pioneer couldn’t even beat them in a down year last year. The Titian might have missed there window of opportunity for area bragging rights.
Ive seen these young men from santa fe high school football team in the gym since jan in los nietos park every day. Let me tell you something, these young men are very dedicated to football. Almost all of them are at the gym and have gotten stronger and faster since last year. One of them is so dedicated that he has gone from benching 215 to 280. I think the more work you do the better you will be. These boys are working hard and are counting the days. I think they are going to surprise alot of people this year.
Yo, Joe: Not much of an argument here: I give Santa Fe an edge because they have a Division I school (San Clemente) and three Division III opponents (Warren, Littlerock and Downey). Pioneer's sked has one (St. Paul), and while that's a big one and carries a lot of weight, I think Santa Fe's overall is more difficult. This doesn't mean Pioneer's is a walk in the park. Coach Ramon Juarez continues to upgrade the Titans' schedule and working hard to upgrade his program. Now, if only he can get his players to cooperate ...
Murray
Man you could never put pioneer ahead of santa fe in anything. They have the toughest schedule and still you say santa fe's is tougher. Come on