BOYS AND GIRLS SOCCER RANKINGS

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Curious....I have seen all but Temple City and Blair girl’s play but not lately. Based on the results so far any of the other four with the exception of San Marino could emerge on top. The favorites are Monrovia which has stumbled lately and South Pasadena who can't seem to sustain any momentum. It should come down to the wire.

FredJ and JohnM: Have either of you been to any RHL games lately?

soccerchica....true in some respects about Maranatha but in all fairness they did tie Westridge 1-1 and beat Flintridge Prep 7-1 with Fprep missing it's starting center half and ODP goalkeeper. Westridge tied 2-time defending D4 champ Chadwick 2-2 yesterday and Fprep has been impressive recently, so rematches of those games could turn out differently.
Maranatha has a chance to win D5 but there are a lot of defensive holes that will likely be exploited when they face a team that's playing well.

haha wait maranatha is in DV wow of course they'll win their division does anyone even know of anyone is that division?

After reading the blogs I am kind of laughing because there is way too much hype for maranatha. Sure they tied teams like Westridge, but thats still not a win AND who else have they played that has been any bit the challange? They haven't even played another ranked team! Also Maranatha is only in division IV and with the Prep league moving to DIII they won't even have a real challange. So I think maranatha has a great record, congrats on that but is way too hyped FSHA and Westridge should be ranked higher than them... I mean come on if FSHA and Westridge played the teams maranatha does they would kill them. So really Maranatha you're really lucky prep league got moved out of DIV because Chadwick, Westridge and Flintridge Prep wouldn't let you get past first round

Fred....saw the updated girl's soccer rankings in today's paper and I think you are right on with one BIG exception! Your number nine team, Mayfield, has or would be beaten by many of the unranked teams in the area. I have seen them play twice and would say that if they score a goal it will be an accident. No bias against the school or anything like that… it just isn't an area top ten soccer team.

Soccer dad, do you not get it? JohnM is not a LaSalle parent and he is not tearing down Maranatha to build up LS!!! He doesn't even like Lasalle much. No one is tearing down Maranatha to boost their own kid's program. We are just tired of all this Maranatha braggin. And BTW, your comparisons are way off because ...you don't even know the teams LaSalle or other HS teams have played in non-local tournaments. And some of these tourneys include DI teams that are ranked in the top50 inthe country (studentsports.com). So, you are dead wrong in your comparisons. Just be happy they are winning and be humble because they haven't been tested yet.

Ha ha! Agreed!

Girls Soccer Fan....I don't know if its the most disturbing picture ever but it has to be top ten.

The above picture has got to be the most disturbing picture ever! Why would the Star News post such a pic? Please take it down!

It is pretty sad when adults have to belittle other schools to build up their child’s program. For “impartial�? (clearly not) for your comment about having to look at Maranatha’s strength of schedule, please, lets do. Maranatha has played 5 CIF-SS ranked teams and are 4-0-1. Per Max Preps Maranatha is 3-0-2, with the Sultana game ending in a tie and winning in shootouts. This has included a Div 3 (tie), Div 4 (shootout), Div 5 and 2 Div 6 ranked teams. For comparison, La Salle has played 4 CIF-SS ranked teams and is 3-1-0. This includes a Div 3 (loss), 2 Div 4 and Div 5. Not bad for either team and great for the entire West San Gabriel Valley girls soccer programs.

To my knowledge the school has not control as to the division CIF-SS places them as far as Div or league. So Maranatha is where they have been placed. We were move up from Div 6 where the girls soccer program was in 2005. So clearly in league, we will be playing Div 5 teams not Div 4 or higher teams.

I think parents can learn a lot from our kids, if we listen. I have not been to a game where any team has said to the other team “we are better than you�?. And after every game the girls have congratulated each other, regardless of win, loose or draw.

May all the local teams make it to their respective division playoffs. Personally, I think it would be great if there were at least one West San Gabriel Valley school in every division final for CIF-SS. Hopefully both La Salle and Maranatha girls soccer teams will both make it further than their respective football teams did in CIF.

Tom S....I agree that the Maranatha campus is awesome and I applaud the success of your fine institution....but the horn blowing does get old after a while.
And please understand....I don't, never have and never will have anything to do with La Salle....but its girls soccer team deserves to be ranked number one in the West SGV. It has almost as talent rich a roster as Sacred Heart with even better upper classmen. I don't have to have a daughter on the La Salle team to admit they are the class of the area at this point in the season.

Hey JohnM:
First off I was just yanking your chain with my remark about your “bizarre comments�?. But you do seem to create controversy wherever you go with fellow bloggers. You don’t need to excuse yourself for your lack of praise for Maranatha as we don’t need your praise for the accomplishments being made at our “Jewel of the Valley�? campus. I for one have never called out La Salle. To the contrary I have asked other Maranatha faithful not to call out La Salle at this time. Yes, in 2 to 3 years as our sports program grows into one of the strongest in the Star News area we will go head to head with you and will prevail.
Yes, with the growing enrollment we will be placed in higher divisions but with the dedicated coaching staff we have it will be fun to see the success that awaits us.

Tom S....excuse my lack of praise for Maranatha...success is new to you so I understand the excitement. A school with a 600-700 enrollment should do well playing in CIF Divisions with schools of enrollments of 400 or less. Both Maranatha (D5) and La Salle (D4) play at lower divisions than all of the schools the Star News has them ranked above. I’ve seen both Maranatha and La Salle girl’s play and in a head on match La Salle would prevail quite easily.

To The Voice:
You got the wrong person this time. The poster is underneath the comment. The one you’re going after is “impartial�?. But with some of JohnM’s bizarre comments it might be hard to distinguish one from another.

To "The Voice" -

La Salle gushing? Ever since the sports blog started, it has been "Maranatha this" and "Maranatha that." I suggest the Maranatha faithful get some offices on K street in Washington, DC with all the lobbying they do.

Play some real teams, and stop making excuses ("our basketball team would have beat La Salle if we had out two big players" and "our football team would be champs if we did not have kids as ball boys handling wet footballs in the rain - thats why we missed the kick.") Just show up to play, play some real teams, and everything will fall into place.

The Voice....I think you got the wrong guy. I think both Maranatha and La Salle are a bit overrated.

No team is great because of one player? What a stupid comment. One out of 11 can carry a team? This shows how ignorant you are. Maranatha fans are showing themselves to be ridiculous on here.

One player cannot make a team, any team.Especiallly when that player is a defender. What foolish comments both of you make. Who do you think is scoring and assisting at Lasalle? Johnson is a great player, yes, but LS wins without Johnson. Check the results. Lasalles scoring and assists are spead out all over the team pretty evenly. A young upstart team like maranatha brags too much because they aren't used to winning and its a rush to win all of a sudden. becareful of the unchecked bragging. It comes back to bite you when you play a real team

John M-

I had to say something to combat the obvious La Salle gushing that's going on here. (see my comments in response to your post)

Girls HS player of the year......hands down is

Kasey Johnson of La Salle. Without her they are ordinary.

(I have to agree with you about Kasey. She is a future Olympic player for sure. Also about the "ordinary comment" she will be very missed and La Salle should continue to keep Maranatha off of their schedule if they know what's good for them.)

ONLY other real players worthy of consideration are

Sarah Morgan of SMHS
Stephanie Chan of FSHA

(Nice choices but don't forget about "Super Sophmore" Teanna Robinson of Maranatha, who has 18 goals already this season.)

Maranantha kids having a great season, but quality of competition needs to be factored into POY award.

(I think you better re-examine that comment and look again.)

Davis of Westridge, Riley of FSHA, Turcios of La Salle would have 20 goals each playing Maranatha schedule.

(Don't forget that Maranatha Started their season with a tie of then top ranked Westridge.)

(Bottom Line is that La Salle is good because of one player and would still be a pretty even match with Maranatha. As for next year and beyond....well...let's just say that you better enjoy this year while you still have some talent...sort of like your guys basketball team!

La Salle girls soccer (15-2-1)

La Salle - 3
Notre Dame Academy - 1

Undefeated vs local So Cal teams

Maranatha 5 to 0 win over Whittier Christian. Let's see, the only undefeated team in the Star News area.
Way to go !!!!!!!!

MLS soccer is not real soccer. The level they play at is not close to those of Europe.

But really...what a sad day that we need to be excited with points and cannot understand the intricacies of soccer, the tactic, and the beauty

Prep FB realist is right -soccer is a fringe sport in the US and always will be. Even in Southern California with its growing hispanic population, attendance at Galaxy games are still down almost 20% year over year with hispanic attendance rising as a perecntage at all major LA sports teams -Dodger games, Angel games, SC and UCLA football games, Laker and Clipper games. As the hispanic population assimilates they move on largely to more traditional American sports. Let's face it - and I have a son who plays on one of the area soccer teams, and if he didn't play on the team I would never watch soccer - soccer is not an American sport, not enough scoring or as exciting as other American Sports and as such will never catch on in the US. The latest Beckham crazyness is the same stuff we heard 25 years ago when the then professional soccer league got Best (the Beckham of his day - actually bigger because he won a world cup and Pele - the best soccer player ever) and that league went out of business and without a Billionaire under writing the leage it would be out of business too. And frankly, I don't care that Europe or South America doesn't get American Football. The day I want to emulate them is the day I walk off the planet.

Prep FB realist, highschoolfan, goldennight, this go for all of you guys and the other people thinking that soccer doesn't belong here

hey first of all you have to get your facts straighten out first! greece wasn't the runners up! they won the cup...and then second...basketball in greece is big..but not as big as soccer! fans filled out the stadiums in greece, soccer is one of the most growing sport in this country...dont be mad because youth now is picking soccer over baseball and football. dont get me wrong baseball is a fun sport to play as well as football, but when you guys know the true facts about soccer, that children are playing soccer instead of the other sports not because they dont have the talent because they dont even try because they love soccer!...second of all if u dont believe my facts...you can ask anybody..well let see...you can ask example: kobe bryant and steve nash..of what they think about soccer...and i think after they give their answers you guys might not like them no more thats if you dont already do...but if you guys want i have some vids about it! haha...you people are just jealous about the sport...not sayin that soccer is better than basketball baseball or football...its a sport like any other one...if people love it more than the other ones...then deal with it! and ya we do suck in the international level..but eh what other sports don't we do good at the international level...we cant win a damn international tournament in basketball or baeball...hopefully will soon will...USA IS aiming for south africa 2010...

joga bonito people

Girls Soccer: So. Pasadena 1, San Marino 0

2-2 san marino/south pas tie, but sp was with out its leading goal scorer

Prep FB realist: Are you kidding? You list one country in South America and a couple of European countries, Canada and you really believe that proves soccer's popularity is dimishing in the world? Its true that its popularity might stem from the fact that you don't need much to play soccer so developing countries with fewer resources can be successful. good for them! It is the most played and watched sport in the world. Period. It's clear you have not been to many of these soccer playing, soccer-crazed nations or watched a live game in Europe or Latin America. Its true, most Americans. don't get soccer. So? Is that offensive to you as am American? Most of Europe, South America, Asia and Africa probably don't get American football.

Girls Soccer, you're going overboard, I would never use this forum to select players of the year. But I will allow it for bloggers who want to bring certain players to my attention.

obsessedwithfutbol,

I'm sorry. I know this blog should only be for soccer but I can't help but chime in. All I ever hear is that soccer is the world's sport and the US will eventually join in. I don't think so.

All I ever hear is that we don't get it and that this sport dominates the rest of the world. I'm not sure of that.

I think part of soccer's popularity comes from the fact that it's the only sport played in several countries. Look at other nations where other sports are played other then soccer and "futbol" is not so dominant.

Soccer is no longer the national sport of countries like Japan (baseball), the Dominican Republic (baseball), Puerto Rico (baseball), Cuba (baseball) and several other Central and South American countries.

Sure you have your Brazil's, Argentina's, Uruguay's and Chile's that will forever be soccer nations. But what about in Venezuela- a once dominant soccer haven- has more kids growing up wanting to play baseball.

Look at Canada (hockey) or Europe- Russia (hockey), Norway (hockey), Sweden (hockey), Romania (basketball), Albania (basketball). Even in Greece, the Eurocup runners up of 2004, basketball is bigger there then soccer.

I think soccer's success comes down to a choice or lack thereof. I could go down the list of countries that soccer is no longer the national pastime. Maybe FIFA should worry more about the rest of the world then just the US.

I have lost all respect for these blogs if 'impartial' can honestly sit here and think he knows everything about what is going on in soccer. How can those possibly be the "only people worth mentioning". honestly i think it is crazy that fred is honestly willing to listen to completely biased people "nominate" the players of the year. lets see some new faces being reviewed. you know how that happens? try going to more games! and you will find that there are ma ny other places who can outplay those big names.

Why not ask all of us, parents and all?
Trust me, no post will not get past a prompt reality check but any number
of wise commentors.

It's not like I'd come on here and post:....
"I nominate Mary Smith, she goes to Rose City Cont. Ed. School and
even though they have no team she is the best AYSO Rec. player around.
In the off season she does community service in an orange vest on the side of the 210 freeway.
Simply a dynamic and goal producing forward. A real asset to any team.
Definitely worth the 'Player of the Week' interview.
And, hey, those rumors about her assaulting a teacher are just that; rumors.
Thanks, I look forward to your phone call.
Steve Smith, Dad.

anonymous...I know what you mean...it's not always easy to be objective when your kids are involved.

And isn't it a bit ridiculous to ask parents to post suggestions about a position their own daughters might be competing for? And to do it anonymously so that no one knows they are the parents? There has to be a better way.

Isn't it just a little early in the season to be selecting the player of the year?

Girls HS player of the year......hands down is

Kasey Johnson of La Salle. Without her they are ordinary.

ONLY other real players worthy of consideration are

Sarah Morgan of SMHS
Stephanie Chan of FSHA

Maranantha kids having a great season, but quality of competition needs to be factored into POY award.

Davis of Westridge, Riley of FSHA, Turcios of La Salle would have 20 goals each playing Maranatha schedule.

LaSalle girls 2 Bishop Montgomery 0
LS 14-2-1

San Marino ranked above SP sounds like a joke to me. I guess that will be proved on the field tommorow.

ps is it true they lost to Temple City, who hasnt won a game besides blair for the past 5 years...

La Salle plays Notre Dame Academy Saturday at 11:00am at La Salle. Should be a good game.

Wow, this is starting to look like a football thread. Girls soccer game for me tomorrow is Maranatha-Whittier Christian at 2:30. That gives me enough time to cover Muir girls game at 5. Please, keep us posted on Spas-SMarino.

I'm not a huge soccer fan but as a staff member at Bosco Tech I want to say they had an impressive win against St. Paul yesterday. Their only two goalies were both injured (one in practice, another early in the game) and came back from a 1-0 defecit and then a 3-2 defecit to win 5-3. An excellent game and a great win.

big game tommorrow with RHL playoff implicationson the line between SP and SM, great rivalry!

Is there any chance of coverage Fred?

So ..who has the scores from yesterdays Rio Hondo , Mission League and Alpha League games..

fred...the CIF rankings seem fairly accurate with the exception of LaSalle...based on what they have done so far I see them as the favorite in D4.

JohnM,
Clever - I knew you would have a good come back - what are you 2?

High school fan....I won't respond to your rants any more because the reason I follow this blog is to discuss West SGV high school soccer, not to fight a battle of wits with an unarmed person (that would be you!)....so why don't you spew your negativity in a forum that caters to your ilk?

JohnM,
Your right I forgot they moved a couple of years ago when they couldn't get a sufficient amount of people to fill 20% of the Rose Bowl and nice try with your usual misdirection. While I was born in the US both my parent are 100% Hispanic. What BS comment/ misdirection/off point/ name calling are you going to pull from where the sun doesn't shine now? You are never good when it come to staying on point when you lose an argument.

To continue the discussion this blog was established to facilitate...it would be interesting to see a paper like the Star News start a regular coach’s poll to rank the area teams in the sport they coach. I'm not really sure of the semantics of establishing such a poll, but it would certainly be interesting to follow.

High school fan...if nothing else you are just awesome with the facts!
The Galaxy stopped playing at the Rose Bowl several years ago so I won’t be able to take your advice and go to a Galaxy game there. You may want to update you ignorance database for future outbursts.
It seems you may have some issues with Hispanics and their interest in soccer. I don’t think anyone appreciates the racist undertone of your posting. Maybe you can find a white supremacy blog where your comments will be more welcome.

Thank you, Goteamgo! Get a life people! I want to hear about the scores of the high school games that were played yesterday, but not reported!

RHL? Mission? Prep? etc...

goteamgo....I agree with getting this back to talking about West SGV high school soccer. Fred, can you post a different photo on this blog? The one that's there now is...well, please just change it.

JohnM,
There you go again with the name calling - every time you have the losing end of an argument that is what you resort to. Soccer will never catch on in our life time in the US - guys like you have been trying for 30 years to push this fiction on us and without Anschutz propping it up the sport up (what does he own? - 80% of the teams)it would NOT exist professionally in the US. You are the one that looks foolish - face the music and facts - soccer is okay for kids when they are young and playing swarm ball, but once they reach an age of say 10 boys who are athletic and can do more than kick a ball move to the US sports and all your name calling is not going to change that. The US has a population of 300 million and after 30+ years of this nonsense being pushed on us and we still can't regularly beat countries with one-tenth our population. So give it up - all your rhetoric as well as the others on this blog will not change that fact. The only real growth in that sport is the growing hispanic population and that is it. If you don't believe me I suggest you go to a Galaxy game at the Rose Bow - who by the way reduced the seating capacity for those games due to the lack of interest, and note the make up of the people in attendance.

I agree with last comment from Puhleeze! If the kids are doing something positive that they enjoy, who are we as adults to question it?

Let's get this blog back to talking about our area's kids and prep sports - this blog was to talk about the area soccer rankings, not debate whether soccer is a "real" sport. If we want to do that, let's ask Fred to set up another blog page. Then we can debate whether golf is a sport, whether water polo is a sport, etc. George Carlin defined a "sport" very simply - in his comedy routine, he said figure skating and gymnastics are not sports, because no one gets hit.

Puhleeze.....NO!!!

Can't we all just get along?

Soccer is utilizing public and school fields? How socialistic of them!
Every sport has equal access to permits for all fields. Youth soccer organizations, unlike some other sports,
donates and invests tens of thousands of dollars in fields and facilities around town.
Just a guess but I would venture to say; 10 times as many kids play youth soccer than youth football.
Don't see a whole lot of girls, which is half the population, playing football.

Soccer not popular in the US? You have got to be kidding! That sounds like the stuff I heard back in the 70's when the first attempt at a pro soccer league was launched...and it was true then, But if you have half a brain you realize that 30 years of wide spread FAMILY participation in youth soccer has spawned an interest in the world's most popular sport that is just beginning to get a full head of steam.
If you don't like soccer that's great, but when you knock its growing popularity and the fans that are fueling that growth, you just make yourself look foolish...anonymous or not.

$250 million for a bench warmer from Europe - proves my point about how desperate the sport is and how the U.S, can't even produce one international star after 30 years of that sport being push on us. BTW, Beckham had to come to the US to avoid the 80% tax rates in Europe. TripDave I will be happy to get a life as soon as soccer gets off the football and baseball fields of our youth - now go back to Europe or South America - so we can get back to playing U.S. sports.

Hmmm..Show me the football, and or basketball player that makes$250 million dollars Mr HighSchool Fan... Football is so boring stopping every 2 mintues... and yes we are not a socialist country thats why we can express oursevles and like any sport that we want!!!!

Beckham signs for $250 million
If that is Socialism, where do I sign up?
Again, it always cracks me up when anonymous commentors to a board, click on a sport they don't like,
reads through all the posts, takes the time to pull up the comment section, types up a reply then send it;
stating the exact opposite about how they don't like the sport, even though it just consumed 30 minutes of their time.
In order to save time and not have to dwell on a sport you don't like, next time just post:
"I need to get a life" and we will know what you mean.

I think GirlsSoccer is right. If you ask that quesiton, you will get parents on here acting like theyre someone else telling you that their kid is incredible. I think its already happend in fact...you can't take that seriously Fred.

High School fan and golden knight: both of you show tremendous ignorance and such a narrow vision of sports. The world matters, not just America. And the world loves soccer for its finesse and creativity and precision and athleticism and..on and on. Americans don't like soccer because there isn't a lot of scoring and they haven't learned to appreciate all of the skill and talent shown in bewteen the scoring. Maybe saying, "i find soccer boring" is OK, but a definitive statement about what it is or isn't? And to label it "socialist"? The biggest money-making sport in the world is socialist? your ignorance is showing.

What was the score in the girls' soccer game -- San Marino v. Temple City?

Anonymous,
Goldenknight is right on the money. I will bet I have seen more international and world cup soccer games in person than you. Soccer is boring and hasn't caught on in the US in any substantial way because it is boring. Thier players are in great shape but so what - so are marathon runners - doesn't mean I want to watch a marathon. No matter how hard people like you try and push it and you have been for over 30 years - taking up the local fields pushing off more traditional U.S. sports, which is a crime - it won't catch on because it is boring, we aren't a socialist country and the kids that play that sport are the largely the kids that can't make the other sports team - how else do you explain our pathetic international showings after 30 years of this sport being push on us and our kids by wannabes cosmopolitans like you. In the US it is run by a bunch of guys who don't want their kids getting hurt playing the other sports or know their kids don't have the talent to play other sports. Spend all their time in the local city counsel agruing to use up the local sports field for a sport no one cares about while spouting "this is the biggest international sport in the world and is only a mtter of time before it takes over in the US", all the while knowing you are really doing this because your kid can't cut in a traditional U.S. sport. As for injuries those shin splints must be killers.

Mr. Goldenknight, yes your limited knowledge of soccer is amazing...Soccer players are the most fit athlete of any sport, how many football players can run for 40-45 minutes continually...Soccer players do not wear protective gear on their heads or shoulders.. the only protective gear they wear is the shin guards.. And soccer players to get serious injuries...Oh yes it is an international sport and the most popular sport in the world.. not like football which is an American sport..And oh yes they do play other sports like baseball and even football..so before you start ragging on the sport find out a little more about it ...Football seems like a silly sport to many people..I hope other bloggers at to this..

Is it me or is soccer the most boring boys sport. It is very socialistic where even the worest team can be beat the best team - just look at the world cup - the USA (stinks) beat or ties (i don't remember) the Italians (the team that won the world cup). I know we have a very good team - I wish our football or basketball team was as good. But it does seem like a sport for kids who are not good enough to play basketball or baseball or their parents wouldn't let them play tackle football -"might get hurt Skipper". And the soccer parents and kids act like it is the king of sports when everyone know these are the kids who didn't have what it takes to play one of the more traditional non socialist American Sports. Maybe it is just me. How soon until football season?

SF 2-1 over Crespi

Girls Soccer, it's just a fun question for discussion, and helps identify the area's best players. A little exposure never hurt anyone, especially for a sport that needs it. As long as bloggers are keeping it fun, I find nothing wrong with the question. After all, I do have a to select a player of the year.

Louisville 3, Flintridge Sacred Heart 3
FSHA is now 8-3-4 and 1-1-1 in Mission League action.

In soccer, all the positions are important. and it seems really rediculous to announce a question like who are the best players because in this forum it only presents a chance for mommys and daddys to brag about their kids. Is that the point of this?

And SuperSoccer, if a forward is such an easy position (as you stated), then why are there so few great ones around the world. And why hasn't the U.S. national team ever produced a great forward. Sure, you can name the good midfielders like Beasley and Donovan, but name one great American forward? You can't. That's because the truly great strikers around the world like Henry, Owen, Van Nistelrooy, Rivaldo and Raul, are hard to come by.

Boys Soccer
Temple City 2, San Marino 0
Monrovia 1, South Pasadena 1

Anonymous, Supersoccerfan, I agree that a midfielder is the most creative position on the field, and links the defense and offense. And that defenders are extremely important and can't let down for a second. But good forwards don't just sit up top and wait for breakaways. Good forwards pressure defenders, they drop back and help start attacks, and they do have the most demanding job of finishing goals.

girls soccer:

blair 1

la canada 5

blair was up the first half but couldn't hang in that lead.

Fred, when a forward loses the ball, what happens? Maybe a counterattack but there is time to stop it. If a defender loses the ball, the other team can score quickly. Pressure is always on the defender. Midfielders tend to be the most creative players and they have to defend, attack and create (forwards have only one job: score). And midfielders are said to run miles each game, no other position does that.
Forwards have it pretty easy in terms of exertion. But they get most of the glory. But remember, rarely do we have goals that aren't set up by defense or the midfield. So, i disagree with you.

boys RHL
South Pas 1, Monrovia 1

Sarah Morgan is a really great choice for player of the week. She has really picked up her game this year. I have a suggestion for player of the week next week, i think you should look at Katie Davis from westridge she's amazing

Girls Soccer: Monrovia 2, South Pasadena 1

Fred, I disagree that forward have the hardest jobs..They do not have to run past the half line for defensive plays, they get to stay at the mid line and up top! Yes the do need accuracy, but midfielders are great scorer.. Landon, Beasley, McBride are all midfielders and they can play a little defense as well. I have always heard that a forward is and easy position

Anonymous, You say it's easy to pick forwads who JUST score, but a forward is the most demanding position there is. In a game between two good teams, you might only get four or five chances a game, and finishing chances is what separates the winners and losers in a game where 1-0, and 2-1 results are common.
I'm not taking anything away from defenders and midfielers who set them up, but the pressure on a forward is tremendous, because it's a position where you're going to fail 75 to 80 percent of the time, but have to remain confident enough that your time will come.
Look at the U.S. National team. They're full of great defenders and so-so midfielders, but they've never had a truly great striker, which is what separates the elite teams from the average ones.

I agree, easy to pick forwards who score and defense/GKs that have solid shut-outs as players of the week, but kids handing out assists and starting plays from midfield rarely get named. id say midfielders are the unsung heroes

asking who the best player is in a blog seems like an immature invitation for parents to brag about their best players. maybe we should let the games do the talking.

Supersoccerfan, you're right, that's the nature of choosing athletes of the week. It's tough enough picking players just on stats, but how would you suggest we do it, knowing we can only to attend four to five games a week when there are more than 50 varsity games going on in all four sports combined?

It is really easy to name goalkeepers and forwards as players of the week. What happens to the defenders or midfielders that assist the goalkeeper by stopping multiple balls before they even get to the keeper or assisting the forwards by getting the ball to them..They hardly get any recognition...

Nice pick on girls player of the week. Sarah Morgan played amazing against Maranatha last week. The game easily could have been 5-0 with another keeper in.

There has not been any news from LCHS boys or girls...It seems they both have new coaches.

Opening day of Rio Hondo League boys and girls soccer matches, I want all the results posted here. Can't wait to sort this out. Big game, Monrovia boys hosting South Pas, and South Pas girls hosting Monrovia today at 3:15 p.m.

I encourage everyone to listen to Andrew Campa's athlete of the week interviews with with St. Francis' Nick Goldreich and San Marino's Sarah Morgan, who talks about attending Michigan next fall.

We will see how well these Tigers will be now that they have all their players...they have so many players now the coach is moving a couple players down to JV!

But once this offense gets going Im not sure this team can be stopped.

Fred- Are you coming out to Burbank tomorrow to watch the Pacific League's top girls player Kristina Amela? The sophomore lit up Muir with 3 goals on 3 shots today in the victory. By the way-she did not play against Arcadia the first time-that's why it was a tie.

What happened to the girls soccer team at La Canada, thought they would be better this year?

John M, Right, no Kevorkian, Aarti Jain, Brittany Klein, but I'm sure someone will rise as the season goes on.
Yeah, that was the only girls soc pic, our galleries are starting to go up again, so we should have more pictures coming soon.

Big RHL match-up tomorrow ...Monrovia at SPHS. Should be a good indicator of how the league will shape up this season. If SPHS can get there offense together it should be close

anonymous...no doubt about it....La Salle boys should be #1! That 3-3-5 record speaks for itself!!!!!

Well, as far as the boys standings ...how can you rank LaCanada at#7 and they have only played 7 games with 3 losses...Temple City's record is 4-1-4 and they did not dominate their last game at all..as #6 and they have only played 9 games..La Canada has the weakest record of all the teams on the list and they are ranked higher than team with a better winning record... I don't get it...

fred....pretty solid top ten. Was that the only girl's soccer picture available? Jeez!
Selecting the top girl's player in the area is tough, there is no Lisa Kevorkian type in the area this year....but I'm sure you'll get some impartial feedback from La Salle fans to get the discussion moving.