August 2010 Archives

It's on to the second video prediction/breakdown with SGVfootballer Aram Tolegian. In this video, we talk about a small-school showdown between visiting Whittier Christian and host Ontario Christian. On Wednesday, I'll post La Habra versus Orange Lutheran and on Thursday we'll debut St. Paul at La Mirada.

I thank Chiefs assistant coach Andy Theisen for breaking the news on Thursday that Santa Fe was planning on using two quarterbacks this season.

Of course, the paper had to get a couple of comments from Chiefs head coach Jack Mahlstede over his decision to go with both quarterbacks, senior Justin Rincon and junior Christian Mahlstede (his grandson).

I don't remember the last time I've been as excited about a preview as I am over the release of the tomorrow's inaugural Whittier Daily News Prep Extra Magazine.

Tomorrow the paper will get back to making predictions for this week's Week 0 games. For now, myself and my esteemed colleague and sgvfootballer Aram Tolegian sat down to talk about one of this weekend's big openers - Los Altos at El Rancho.

Jayvon Logan, the uncle and legal guardian of La Habra High senior running back Drake Griffin, said his family will appeal the CIF-Southern Section's recent denial of Griffin's transfer from St. Paul to La Habra.

The appeal is set for Wednesday at the CIF-Southern Section office in Los Alamitos.

The St. Paul football program is back in the headlines again with more some transfer news.

Apparently, senior quarterback Mark Arce is attempting a return to St. Paul High School, where he played last season, according to Swordsmen head coach Marijon Ancich.

Whittier Christian football coach Sergio Gradilla confirmed some good and bad news from Friday night's three-way scrimmage at El Rancho that included Bosco Tech.

Gradilla confirmed that star nose tackle Jeff Worthy, who committed to Boise State, went down with an injury on the first play of the game.

The paper was at Saturday's La Serna-La Habra football scrimmage where afterward senior running back Drake Griffin confirmed he would appeal his recent transfer denial by the CIF-Southern Section office.

In a bit of shocking news, La Habra High School senior running back Drake Griffin, a St. Paul transfer, was recently ruled ineligible for the upcoming season according to the CIF-Southern Section office.

I know there was a bit of confusion on the WDN website over a pair of stories regarding Friday morning's reinstatement of 7 of 8 St. Paul High School varsity football coaches.

Here is a copy of the letter that St. Paul High School principal Kate Aceves is mailing out to St. Paul parents today - St._Paul_Letter.pdf

St. Paul High School principal Kate Aceves confirmed the Swordsmen will have a near full coaching staff at tonight's 3-way football scrimmage as nearly the entire varsity staff has been reinstated after a school-imposed eight-day suspension prompted by an investigation by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles into an alleged hazing incident.

The Whittier Lions Club, the second largest Lions affiliation in California, just concluded its second annual Del Rio League football dinner at the Radison and released the results of its Lions Del Rio League coaches poll.

The six Del Rio League coaches (with Andy Theisen filling in for an absent Jack Mahlstede) believe through their votes that Santa Fe will win the league crown this year...sort of

The countdown to football opening night has begun as we're only eight days away from the first action of the 2010 season. For those who want to wet their appetite, there are some scrimmages this weekend to get the blood flowing. Please feel free to check them out.

The paper stopped by La Serna football practice on Wednesday morning, as the team was preparing for Saturday's 6 p.m. scrimmage at La Habra.

To be honest, I had wanted to visit a St. Paul practice since the suspensions - mostly out of curiosity. How does a team function with only two coaches? How are the kids adapting? What's the focus like at camp? There were several questions that needed answering.

My esteemed colleague and SGV football blogger Aram Tolegian was at Schurr football practice yesterday afternoon and filed a report.

Today's prep football program talks about the new big brother program at El Rancho, La Serna's focus heading into Saturday's scrimmage at La Habra and the Del Rio League Coach's Dinner.

We usually don't get many letters to the editor in the sports department as most people blog their thoughts. However, the paper recently received a letter to the editor from former educator and one-time Gardena High principal Kevin Kennedy regarding the St. Paul hazing allegations and suspensions.

Kennedy has a few recommendations, one that even includes involving former St. John Bosco head coach Kiki Mendoza.

A couple of former area baseball greats made news this week.

The paper made several calls to former coaches, players, administrators and associates of Marijon Ancich on Monday to see what many of them thought about last week's suspension of the legendary coach amid hazing allegations.

The signs outside the St. Paul High School parking lot read "Private Property" and "No Media Allowed."

The St. Paul football suspension & investigation story has really blown up over the last few hours since it was reported here and on a couple of sites that head coach Marjion Ancich and the majority of his staff were suspended indefinitely while the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles is investigating allegations of hazing.

The day before St. Paul's Blue and White Scrimmage, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles has launched an investigation into an alleged hazing incident that took place Aug. 14 that has resulted in the immediate and indefinite suspension of a majority of the St. Paul High School football coaching staff.

No, this wasn't a hazing stunt. The University of Arizona football team visited Fort Huachuca army base in Arizona last week and a couple of players and coaches took part in an impromptu drill.

The drill was to outrun a Belgian Malinois dog while wearing a protective suit.

There was a post on this blog a few days ago as the paper was looking for correspondents. I like to thank everyone who sent an email or inquired. It looks like we have a full crew and are no longer accepting applications. Thanks again.

The paper stopped by Pioneer football practice on Thursday afternoon, as the team started two-a-days.

For those who want to hear what the Del Rio League coaches are thinking, the Whittier Host Lions Club is hosting the 2nd annual Del Rio League Football Kickoff Dinner on Thursday, August 26 at the Whittier Radison Hotel between 5:30-7:30 p.m.

New Whittier Christian High School athletic director Rolland Esslinger called the paper to announce both his hiring and that of baseball coach Brent Lavoie and pitching coach Ben Orr.

The paper stopped by La Habra football practice on Tuesday afternoon, the first day of shoulder pads and helmets.

There are roughly 582 schools in the CIF-Southern Section with over half of them playing some sort of football (either 11 or 8 man).

The Honolulu Star Advertiser newspaper recently had an interesting story on University of Hawaii senior kicker Scott Enos and an incoming freshman challenger in California High alumnus Tyler Hadden.

I believe the YES Network blog first reported St. Paul High School alumnus Gabe Encinas signed with the New York Yankees on Aug. 6th.

We're looking for a couple of correspondents to cover football games this season. It will involve writing short stories for the Daily News and/or online, and sometimes just calling in the box score with a recap of the game.

Apparently, there was a lot of moving and shaking in the area while I was vacation earlier this month.

One of the bigger pieces of news was La Habra High School defensive back Michael Sparling announcing his verbal commitment to Southern Methodist University.

This is the official preseason ranking that is going to debut in the inaugural WDN PrepXtra Magazine.

The magazine Top 10 will obviously be more thorough than this. This is just to get things going and is based on interviews and observations at passing leagues and camps during the month of July.

After a two-week hiatus in lovely Southern Mexico (Chiapas, for those who know), it's great to comeback and talk football.