September 2006 Archives

ST. FRANCIS WINS THRILLER!

KNIGHTS WIN, 19-12!!!
And it was a thriller, but it shouldn't of been that close. Los Altos scored after St. Francis fumbled at their own 48 in the first half, and scored again on a 70-yard TD return. That's it. The Knights defense hounded Los Altos quarterback Matt Castaneda, limiting him to 131 yards. And more that that, the Knights defense stopped the Conq's run game, limiting their big back, Ira Thomas to only 20 yards.
Knights QB Luke Collis threw for 195 yards, including a great 61-yard TD to Kyle Wong late in the game when it appeared he was going to be sacked. He scrambled out of trouble, made the play and the Knights remained undefeated at 4-0.

Click here for other scores..

You have to read this story. A school district decided to cancel a team's football season because they feared for the safety of its players.
I'm on the fence with this. The coach agreed with the decision, but I wonder if he was more embarrassed by their lopsided losses, or truly in fear for his players' safety.
For story, click on thread

Thursday
Centennial vs. Marshall at Muir, 7 p.m. (Eagles don't have enough)
Friday
St. Francis at Los Altos, 7:30 p.m. (Knights win thriller)
Alhambra at South Pasadena, 7 p.m. (Ruedaflores win No. 100)
Arcadia vs. Pasadena at PCC, 7 p.m. (Apaches still too good)
Burbank at Muir, 7 p.m. (Mustangs in a close one)
La Salle at Monrovia, 7 p.m. (Wildcats in rout)
Rosemead at Temple City, 7 p.m. (Rams in another rout)
Pomona at Gabrielino, 7 p.m. (Pomona good enough)
San Marino at Keppel, 7 p.m. (Titans win third straight)
Bosco Tech vs. Murphy at Rancho Cienega Park, 7 p.m. (Tigers continue roll)
Maranatha at Bakersfield Christian, 7 p.m. (Minutemen lose close one)
Saturday
Flintridge Prep at Santa Clara, 2 p.m. (Rebels bounce back)
Rosamond vs. Blair at PCC, 7 p.m. (Vikes squeak one out)

RUEDAFLORES LOOKING FOR 100TH VICTORY

In August, we profiled Alhambra High School football coach Gil Ruedaflores, who can win his 100th career victory at Alhambra when the Moors travel to face undefeated South Pasadena on Friday at 7 p.m.
In response to that feature, former Moors player Victor Barrios wrote in with these kind words, which I thought I'd share.
I just read your article regarding Coach. I played for him his first year at Alhambra in 1989. I moved to my grandma's house that year from Anaheim. I was a gang member from Orange County moving to the San Gabriel Valley. I remember first meeting Coach with my dad when I enrolled at Alhambra. To my surprise Coach was my dad's coach when my dad played football at Salesian. Coach knew my grandfather and many of my uncles who had attended either Salesian or Alhambra. Coach gave me an opportunity to be a part of something special. My new gang became my football brothers, some who I still stay in contact with today. I graduated in 1991 and unfortunately I moved back to Anaheim. Within months after graduating I was shot by a rival gang member and left paralyzed. I remember the Coaches visiting me at UCI Medical Center. Never have I felt that I let people that believed in me down. With his voice in my ear saying "Refuse to Lose" I went on to college and I am now teaching for the Anaheim Union School District. I have coached baseball, soccer, softball and basketball with the same passion that Coach taught me. I also follow in his footsteps of making the team a family and teaching my players to be loyal to the team. He is a father figure to me and I owe him for the best two years of my life when I played football for him.
Ruedaflores has indicated this will probably will be his final season. Thanks coach, for all the players you inspired and continue to inspire.
To read the Ruedaflores feature that ran on Aug. 20, click here

The Rio Hondo League is a combined 16-4
MID-VALLEY DIVISION RANKINGS JUST RELEASED
FOUR RHL TEAMS IN TOP TEN

1. Temple City (3-0)
2. La Canada (3-1)
3. Bishop Diego (3-1)
4. Village Christian (2-1)
5. Monrovia (3-1)
6. Gladstone (2-2)
7. Cerritos Valley Christian (1-2)
8. Santa Clara (3-1)
9. L.A. Baptist (2-0)
10. South Pasadena (3-0)
FOR MORE ON RHL SUCCESS, CLICK HERE.

SAN MARINO'S BREAKTHROUGH GAME

Thursday...
PETERSON'S 340-YARD PERFORMANCE, CROCKOM THROWS FOR 386 YARDS AND FIVE TOUCHDOWNS, THE APACHES GET IN THE WIN COLUMN, AND GOODNESS, TITANS MAKE IT TWO STRAIGHT

Friday...
BROADNAX DOES JUST ENOUGH, "CATS RALLY COMES UP A FOOT SHORT, AND ST. FRANCIS, MUIR, ALHAMBRA, BLAIR AND SOUTH PAS, ALL WIN....
Click here for results

Tonight's games
Gabrielino at La Canada, 7 p.m. (Spartans win, Peterson rushes for 200)
San Marino vs. Workman at La Puente HS, 7 p.m. (Titans win second straight)
West Ranch vs. Pasadena at Temple City HS, 7 p.m. (Bulldogs squeak one out)
Arcadia at Bell Gardens, 7 p.m. (Apaches get in win column)
Pasadena Poly at Parker (San Diego), 6 p.m. (Tigers all the way)
Click for Friday's forecast

Kimmee Roleder let Arcadia talk, then she and her teammates walked the walk.
Roleder had 36 kills and 13 in the pivotal fourth game, a 25-21 squeaker that paved the way for the five-game victory.
The USC-bound senior talked about her extra motivation for the match.
"(Arcadia) was doing so much talking on Myspace." Roleder said. " We came into this game humble and confident, but not cocky. We wanted this win."
The Bulldogs are 6-0 after beating Arcadia for the first time in history on Tuesday.
For story, click here
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/preps/ci_4365647

If you're paying attention, you'll notice the increased online prep coverage. We've launched a blog, which is growing in popularity by the week, and we had video highlights from last week's Monrovia-Arcadia football game, along with interviews with both coaches. We also had a video interview with Steve Garrison to go with a feature story on Garrison approaching his 100th victory.
Starting tomorrow (Wednesday), we're adding two new features. The first is the "Two Minute Drill," in which correspondent Andrew Campa and I will bring you an audio discussion of three to five games each week. The three games up for discussion this week will be West Covina-Monrovia; Temple City-San Gabriel and Burroughs-St. Francis.
Also, we're addidng audio interviews with Star-News athletes of the week. These interviews are conducted by Campa, and this week he talked to Temple City's Dwight Broadnax and San Marino cross country runner Jasmine Quan-Liu.
And don't forget that every Friday night you can click on the Star-News website for quarterly updates of high school football games. Not only will you have updates of the Star-News area, but results from the East San Gabriel Valley and Whittier...

A couple years ago, I got calls from everyone excited that Gabrielino and San Gabriel were starting a new rivalry, with Gabrielino winning 56-20 in 2004, and San Gabriel returning the favor with a 28-13 win last year?
Now, what, they're not playing anymore??? According to Matadors coach Keith Jones, it was Gabrielino's decision to discontinue the rivalry. What a shame, because it was good for the city.....
"To be honest, it was a game I would love to see continued," said Jones. "But we heard Gabrielino didn't want it because they thought it wasn't a good fit."
Not a good fit??? Amazing, so scheduling Pioneer, San Marino, Scripps Ranch, La Canada and Pomona is better for the Eagles than playing a crosstown rival....Don't get it, do you???

Congratulations to Monrovia High School coach Steven Garrison, that was some victory on Friday, defeating Arcadia 27-13. The Apaches had a chance, fumbling into the endzone when they trailed 12-7 midway through the third quarter. That was the turning point as the Wildcats marched 80-yards and scored to go up 20-7...
But break or no break, it wouldn't of mattered. James Davis and Shawn Sparks were too much, overpowering the Apaches' D-Line....
Temple City 39, Alhambra 28...another great performance from Dwight Broadnax, rushing for 188 yards and four touchdowns...You know what, I'm already thinking Mid-Valley Division championship game, Monrovia vs. TCity...wouldn't that be special...
Click here for other scores and tell us what ya think?

Correspondent Andrew Campa is keeping everyone up to date on girls volleyball, and has a lengthy preview on our Star-News website. And click below, because Campa has made his top ten predictions for the 2006 season. Your comments are always appreciated....

How much difference does a coach make? Marshall beat Blair 40-6 last year, the Vikings finished 0-10, and were blown out in their last five games.
In just one game Tip Sanders, a no-nonsense throwback coach, returns to his alma mater and leads the Vikings to a 28-0 shutout over Marshall on Saturday. My friends, that's coaching, plain and simple.
Another underrated coach is South Pas' Ed Smith. The Tigers have a small roster that resembles more of a Prep League team, but year in and year out, they seem to overachieve. No, not good enough to challenge for the Rio Hondo League title, but good enough for a few surprises, like Friday's 25-20 win over San Gabriel....
Also, who do u like in big games this week, Monrovia-Arcadia and Temple City-Alhambra....For tomorrow's top ten rankings, keep reading and weigh in...

I know the Times ranked Oaks Christian No. 6 in the southland, but after seeing them run out to a 57-0 halftime lead on Muir, I'm at a loss for words. Jimmy Clausen is absolutely unbelievable, and with 12 other Div. I scholarship players around him, this IS the best team in Southern California. And they'll prove it next week against St. Bonaventure....Okay, other games of note.
St. Francis blanked Arcadia in what reporter Andrew Campa said could have been much worse. QB Luke Collis was real impressive. For Temple City to score 35 points in a 35-14 win over Arroyo is very impressive. You knew the Rams could play defense, but 35 points???? Look out Monrovia. And speaking of Monrovia, they turned a 7-6 deficit into a 42-12 rout...As for shockers, didn't ever think South Pasadena would beat San Gabriel or that Gabrielino could defeat San Marino after stinking it up a week earlier...
But of course, we want to know what you think??? Click for the scores

You knew it was coming.
Derrick Strings, along with his twin sister Desiree, will not return for the senior years at Marshall High School.
Derrick Strings, who was second in the state in scoring and averaged 33 points a game, is expected to play at Leuzinger High School this season along with his sister.
The Strings' family has apparently moved into the Lawndale area, which would make their children eligible to play if the transfer paperwork is accepted by Leuzinger school officials. Read more

What a night at PHS, Tyron Crockom threw for 224 yards and four touchdown passes, connecting with Armon Binns on a 13-yard TD pass with 32 seconds left to lift the Bulldogs to a 34-33 win over Harvard-Westlake.....in other games

At the beginning of each month, I'll post a new High School Heisman blog, so you can discuss, argue and share your opinions on who should win our annual Star-News football player of the year award in December...To keep it fair, I won't mention any candidates, I'll let you do that......So, let the debates begin, and keep posting all month....Click, for more on Saturday's blog