Season openers: from tough to ho-hum
While there is little doubt the area high school football team facing
area's most difficult opening game challenge is St. Paul, there are
several others who will need to have their ducks in a row in order to
get off on the right foot this season.
Always adjustable before game time, here's a ranking of what appears
to be a list of formidable season openers for the locals (opponents are
evaluated relative to area teams' potential):
1. St. Paul at Servite: Swordsmen are hopeful for successful following their
division championship season, but Servite bigger, stronger, faster, just
better. This game better for St. Paul in Week 3 or 4.
2. Tesoro at La Mirada: Tesoro's tried and proven program ahead of
Matadores' rebuilding/revamping program
3. Pioneer at Charter Oak: Kudos to Titans coach Ramon Juarez for
major upgrades in preleague scheduling this season (including St. Paul),
but this season opener appears a bit ambitious.
4. El Rancho at West Covina: A new coach is always reason for
heightened optimism among the faithful, and Rick Zepeda clearly is a
legitimate reason for it in this case, but El Rancho's best opportunity
may come if the host Bulldogs are looking past them to Week 2.
5. Warren at Santa Fe: Even in a down year for Warren, the Bears will
be a challenge for a Chiefs team trying to rebound from a sub-.500
season.
6. Schurr at Burbank Burroughs: Schurr has new coach (Ben Negrete)
and a new system, and while the top QB (Rick Mendez) and RB (Edwin
Molina) return, the offensive line is suspect, making the Spartans a
mystery team.
7. Bell Gardens at Whittier: As usual, Bell Gardens figures to make
it a very physical game against young Cardinals.
8. La Habra at Downey: Host Vikings' experience playing in rugged San
Gabriel Valley League is biggest asset. La Habra concern might be in
taking Downey too lightly.
9. Montebello at Norwalk: Norwalk only No. 13 in preseason division
rankings, but Montebello coming off a 2-8 season with too many question
marks.
10. John Glenn at La Serna: Lancers faithful expecting big things,
and while those expectations might be over-inflated, the visiting Eagles
shouldn't be a damper for the opener.
11. California at Rowland: Hopefully the cupboard has enough
leftovers to make defending Del Rio League champion Condors dangerous.
Host Raiders coming off a 3-8 year and rebuilding.
12. Cantwell at Salesian: Host Mustangs picked No. 3 in Santa Fe
League, while visiting Cardinals, behind big o-line and super receiver
Jeffrey Taylor, may be sleeper/spoiler in Camino Real League title
chase.
13. Cochrane at Whittier Christian: Not much known about visiting
Colts, but it would be a long way to travel just to be fodder for their
host. Cochrane must adjust from playing 12-man football on a 55-yard
wide field.
17 Comments
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About this blog
Roger Murray is the prep sports editor for the Whittier Daily News.
Look Out La Serna Lancer faithful....I wouldnt overlook John Glenn this year. I watched their blue and white game and Coach Wilson looks like he's got things in tacted there. Speed and talent to go along with great coaching are finally showing thru for the Eagles. Look for an upset!!!
JGHS 24 LHS 14!!!!
past pioneer parent,
You're right they did coach at sf. Coach Zamora has coached for the past 9 years on and off you're also right it was lower levels but he has plenty of experience. Coach Yessian has coached on varsity for the past 8-10 years on and off at sf. I do agree with you that there is a big drop off of talent from 1st to 2nd string but trust me they are getting better.
PHS,
I didn't know that all those new coaches were officially in- that's a huge step forward compared to all those past years, but I do question there actual experience in coaching I know some of them were lower level coaches at Santa fe and would go up for the varsity games. But you still didn't comment on if you think Pioneer has the numbers and back ups to play such a tough preseason and afford any starters getting hurt? Unless Pioneer has drastically changed from their normal numbers then the drop off from it's 1st to 2nd string is huge.
hey Anonymous,
dont get mad at servite guy cuz he didnt name all your tranfers from last or he didnt even name your tranfers from this year. The point he made is that your best talent come from outside of SP. As a matter of fact your two best players from last year Flores and Haynes came from lower division teams, Flores even came from Santa Fe and took a kids spot who was faithful to SP for 4 years and Haynes came from Diamond Ranch. LOL. and dont forget Servite whooped on SP last year...and expect the same this year SP, except maybe you might score. Servite 28-SP 3
Pioneer parent,
I agree with you i think coach juarez might have over stepped alittle with charter oak and st. paul. But in order to be the best you have to play the best!! Look at st. paul last year their preseason definately helped them in the playoffs. I just hope all their boys make it through preseason ok. Another thing coach juarez did get some new coaches. Some great coaches!!! Coach Zamora ol/dl played 4 yrs of college ball, coach Yessian lb/te played 4 yrs of college ball, and coach Sandoval rb/secondary also played 4 yrs of college ball!!! So before you knock coach juarez get your facts right. I think if phs boys stay healthy they will definately contend for a championship. Good luck phs boys!!!
Early prediction,Mater Dei 45Servite 10Once again for the 20th straight year Mater Dei dominates! You can say whatever you want about SP but in the end all that matters is who has a ring. Last time I checked it wasn't Servite.In case you forgot, the defending Div 3 champ resides on Greenleaf Ave in Santa Fe Springs! Go sit on that you dirty little fryer....Mater Dei owns you!!!!!!
hey servite guy,
so now stigger,flores and haynes ,is 8.
last time i added that was 3 .
just like servite , so quit bitchen!!
all you servite french fyers are idiots!!
I think that it's unfortunate that Pioneer is trying to play all these tough teams in their pre-season, I see what coach Juarez is trying to do - but he has to understand he can't do that with Pioneer High School. I know that they have a lot of talent this year and he feels that in order for them to win league and have a run in the playoffs that he needs to play the best, but when you have a roster of 45-50 kids (and that's probably with some JV included) that he can't afford to get anyone hurt. And we all know that the Palacio kid thinks he tough, but the truth is that he's pretty fragile. And if he goes down then so will the team. And another thing Juarez needs to recruit is some better coaches to be successful at the Varsity level. I think that he is the only one that has actually played college football and has real experience in coaching football, everyone else is either a walk on or really doesn't even know anything about football (or it's not even their main sport) And that's sad for the kids that work hard all year, my kids went there and played football from 2001-2007 and except for one year it was not a good experience. What happend to coaches trying to get ex-players maybe coming back to coach (like La Mirada), I know that at one time when I was there that Coach Juarez put Pioneer's ex-QB Jesse Serrato on staff for the freshmen one year and he turned the team around after the freshmen didn't win a game for 2 years then helped with the varsity the next year and the players really took a liking to him because he did play in college and they all grew up watching him win at Pioneer (so they knew that it was possible), and then they let him go and I heard he coached the WR's and helped with the offense at Schurr High School when they won the CIF Championship in 2006, what's up with that! Those are the quality coaches that our school needs not a walk on parent, that coached Whittier Redskins or is really a baseball coach and wants to have fun and coach football. I just think that these kids deserve the more than what their getting from that program, and I really want to see them win because they are capable. But coaching is a big factor in helping them do this.
Credo will also tell you Servite doesn't recruit either. All those kids from Corona just happened to end up in Anaheim on their own....
For some reason, Credo or whatever moniker he is using on various boards has a hard on against St. Paul and Coach Pete.
People in the know among the SP faithful know who he is and he still hasn't got over his bitterness.
Servite does get transfers, just not many (less than 2-3 per year). Our program is pretty healthy right and we don't depend on them like SP. SP had 8-10 last year and they were their best players (Haynes,Stigger,Flores,). I know you got a handful more this year. I feel sorry for the guys who actually committ to the program (4yrs) and then get pushed aside for some player who does not care for what SP really stands for.
hey credo ,
so ,your saying servite has no transfers?
your an idiot !!
Quit hating the Ranch, Cedro4life will see this season who has the last laugh. ha ha
LA MIRADA WILL GET CRUSHED IN THERE OPENER!
Yo, Anonymous: Correct. I knew that. Just careless in my haste. Thanks.
Mr. Murray you are right on. Servite competes at a higher level on a daily basis. SP only wins because of the transfers they recruit. Take away SP's transfers and they couldn't beat El Rancho. I have seen SP lower levels and they are small, slow and not very athletic. Stay away from the big boys Coach Pete.
Servite 31 - SP 3.
Rick Zepeda, not Zimmerman
Season opener-SWORDSMEN win BIG! so dont cry servite!