Week 8 games: read 'em and weep, er .... pick'em
This week's games:
Santa Fe at California: Tradition says Santa Fe. California's 7-0 season says upset in the making. The visiting Chiefs (6-1) are not chopped liver and have had more spectacular moments. Condors have been more consistent. Chiefs probably have more talent. Condors have the momentum.
La Serna at El Rancho: 7-0 vs. 2-5. Seems like a no-brainer. Lancers seem to be a bit more organized. Dons often appear to be playing more on heart than by design. ER wide receiver Anthony Ayala says coaches have good game plans, but players don't always execute. If they get around to doing it, this could be a very good game.
Whittier at Pioneer: 1-6 vs. 1-6. May turn out to be the best game of the three DRL contests. Cardinals' defense can't win it by themselves. The offense has to step up. Titans' offense can produce points, but defense needs to make a stop every now and again.
Sunny Hills at La Habra: 3-4 vs. 5-2. Visiting Lancers had some moments early on, but seem to have lost their touch. It wouldn't make any difference, anyway.
La Mirada at Bellflower: 1-6 vs. 1-6. Huge, HUGE game for both teams. Playoff ramifications hanging on the outcome. First team to understand that wins.
Schurr at Montebello: 4-3 vs. 3-4. So much more than intracity rivalry here. Big penalty for the loser in terms of playoff possibilities. Host Oilers have the easier road after this one.
Bishop Montgomery at Cantwell Sacred Heart: 3-4 vs. 4-3. Host Cardinals look good on paper, but can they win it on the field?
St. Francis at St. Paul: 5-2 vs. 3-4: Records indicate host Swordsmen should just stay home and save wear and tear on their bodies. However, they're hoping investments in rugged preleague schedule will pay dividends now.
Whittier Christian, bye
Toughest week to make predictions.
Murray's/Campa's will be posted late Thursday p.m.
Step up and take your best shot. Comments encouraged, but be brief, PLEASE be brief.
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About this blog
Roger Murray is the prep sports editor for the Whittier Daily News.
Our run hasn't been stopped, that is why the numbers are what they are. It is obvious that Perea is not a drop back passer but, the run sets up the defense which enables them to throw. If you want to stop the run, then you will open up the secondary. If SF can stop the run with 6 or 7 in the box, yea it could get rough for their offense. We shall see.
Anonymous
Pioneer threw the ball all over them? 3 picks & 44-0 at the half & the 2nd's were already in. I don't think so. They caught a break without Botelo, if he is playing, that game could have been different. I can believe that, but they would have still lost. It looks like you caught the break tonight, Urquiza won't be playing I guess.
talk about being healthy,has pioneers qb played a dwn this year?They therw ball all over cal they just could not run the ball do to there tailback being held out for breaking team rules.So cal people dont talk about intergrity ,how quick we forget (transfers)
Cal Fan,
So you think that 1,749 rushing yards and 440 passing yards is balanced - your crazy. Stop Cal's run and they're done!
500 pound bench press club! said:
"Now it's time to show the area who's top dog. My boys #3,#5, #35,#37,#59,#60,#70, and #75."
Wow, glad to see you believe in "your" boys. Maybe the rest of the team will someday feel the love too.
Cal, show these cry-babies you are top dog!!
Football Fan
Cal's offense is horrible? I would have to disagee. I agree that they have not played a great defense yet, but they are balanced. They make defenses honor everything.
As far as the underclassmen, they have some nice Juniors playing for them right now & they WILL be around next year also. That staff obviously knows what they are doing. Did anybody see them doing this well this year? All the talk was Santa Fe early, which was justified. I believe that they have a legitimate shot tomorrow night but, it will take a great performance to beat Santa Fe.
My boys at Santa Fe we talked about this cal game since Jan and finally it's here. We worked hard all year for this game and we pumped iron in the gym and worked hard on the field to better yourselfs. Now it's time to show the area who's top dog. My boys #3,#5, #35,#37,#59,#60,#70, and #75. I know what your capable of doing, so go out and play your hearts out. Many People think Cal will win, but I know what you guys can do so show everybody what your capable of doing. Good luck and you got my support 100%. Damm! proud of you boys!
SF over Cal
SF will show up to beat the perennial second best team in the DRL. Turner does not have to play big for SF to win. This will be a breat game and it will come down to the Oline vs Dline
LS over ER
easy win, hopefully setting up clash for LS vs SF.
Whittier over Pioneer
Whittier plays D, and Pioneer does not.
O ya and Condor o line guy,
too bad you still have not earned respect after winning the drl last year and coming into a game undefeated
st.francis will take st.paul...schurr will prevail over montebello...La Habra over Sunny Hills...La Serna will win El Rancho...Pioneer edges out Whittier...Bellflower hands La Mirada their 7 lost...Cantwell over Bishop Montgomery...Last but not least a Santa Fe defeating Cal... May the best team win.With that said "Tech Savy" is out...
first off, a lol goes out to Murray saying "Yo wtf.." I know it's a response to the commenter 'wtf' but it is still funny. anyways here are my picks..
Cal over SF - If I am wrong on this one I don't care because it will be that close. Everyone knows what SF is going to do on offense and defense, it's just a matter of stopping it.
La Serna over El Rancho - LS has a balanced attack on offense and has done a decent job so far on D. If ER wants to win this one they need to attack with Play-Action and a great ground game.
Whittier over Pioneer - Another close game, but I look for Whittier to take over on this one.
Everyone talks about how good CAL is, their not even that good. Who have they played besides a bunch of junior high teams, all they have is an okay defense. Their offense is horrible and just boring to watch, 3 yards, 4 yards, 3 yards, - when they play a team like Santa Fe or La Serna that will actually be a varsity caliber team that will stop their offense - they're in trouble because if they can make that QB (Perea) throw the ball Santa Fe and La Serna will both win easy. And CAL's weakness on defense is THEY"RE CORNERS!!!Why are people trying to run on them when you can throw all over them both of their corners are 5" nothing. Pick on them!!! Don't let those guys fly under the radar - they can't tackle and they can't cover. Exploit that, mark my words if Santa Fe and La Serna come out throwing they will both come out victorious. Why do you think La Habra kills CAL every year, (yeah they have great athletes) but because they attack CAL's weaknesses, on defense make CAL throw the ball, and on offense they throw all over them. Don't give their dline and linebackers the chance to make hard hits and get the team all fired up, that's all the feed off.
And one more thing, Cal Hi fans you better start recruiting more kids because this is the last year of the Ancinch kids and the lower levels are hurting. So live up this year as much as you can.
Good luck everyone.
Next weeks match up of San Gabriel vs Schurr should be a good one!.. Almont title on the line.. of course if both get wins this Friday.. Nick Castillo versus his old team mates and buddys!
Condor-O-Line-Dad
You sound so proud about outscoring your past 2 opponents 91-26 (actually 103 – 26). As you should be but let’s not discount that it was against 2 teams with a combined record of 3-11. I’m just not that impressed. Then you talk about the game SF almost blew vs ER. Have you already forgotten about CAL’s 14-10 near blunder against a now 1-6 La Mirada team????? So I’m not to sure what you mean by SF living off their past. By this time last year SF was 3-4 but this season they are 6-1 with one key factor, they have found a way to win those close games which eluded them last season. It isn’t pretty or as dominate as past SF team have done it but it still counts as a “W” in the record booths.
Both teams have their issues but like you I do agree in hoping the game lives up to it’s hype. I personally have much respect for Coach Arnold and his staff for the program he has built and the integrity in which he has done so especially after the other Coach A’s debacle there at Cal. It's so great to see our communities so behind our schools.
Best of luck young men! Play hard, clean and safe and may the best team Friday night win.
Yo, wtf: You are absolutely correct, La Serna did not reach the semifinals (eliminated in the quarterfinals by Fullerton), nor did they play La Habra. I actually was doing some research for something else, and in writing the Lancers story, I referred to the wrong line from my notes.
I am not usually one to moan and groan but I just don't appreciate the comment regarding California being an upset in the making against Santa Fe Friday night. Defending league champions, who are 7-0 going into the game, and we all know Cal has beaten Santa Fe two years in a row, regardless of that technical issue two years ago. But lets not start bickering about that again. And more spectacular moments? Like the one where they almost blew it against El Rancho. The last two games, the Condors have out scored their opponents, I could be wrong but I believe it is 91-26. I think its about time Santa Fe stops living off their past. They have to work hard and earn it just like every other team in the DRL. I am really looking forward to tomorrow night. It should live up to its hype, two good teams ready to battle. GO CAL!!! GO CONDORS!!!
Looks like Channel 11 Highlites will be taping the Santa Fe vs California game.
Go Chiefs!
Ok... Crunch time boys...may the best team win...bloggers been trash talking since spring practice...anyone can "talk the talk" but can you "walk the walk"? good luck teams ...im out
Roger Murray you need to do some research before you write your articles. First of all La serna did not reach the semis last season, they did not play La Habra, second of all ER has won 2 times this season not 1 time, twice. If you are still all high up on Santa Fe, well think twice, their line got pushed around by a young ER line last friday night, Cal is going to roll big time on friday. I watched footage of the ER vs SF game and Aaron Turner was completely shut down in the second half against ER, Marcus Galan completely outshined him. You watched ER play its worse game of the year against Cal and you say that they play only with heart, maybe you should watch footage of the ER vs SF game before you open your old mouth. SF does not even come close to Cal. That ER football team is very dangerous, they have not been healthy, lookout this friday if they are, La Serna will be in for a dog fight. Cal rolls this friday night....