Back to football ...

O-Cat,
I definitely appreciate the cyber venue that is this blog. We have definitely gone beyond topics of simply winning and losing.

NY

I'm Glad that we have these Blogs. Years ago if there were a way to communicate we could have solved a lot of the social issues and bought them to the forefront. I agree with you prior post.

Monrovia football is a sleeping giant. Sure we were 9-3 last year, but we have the potential to beat everybody in the valley. Our boys have the potential to be outstanding leaders. We just need to show them the way.It starts with parents then the principal then the coaches. One cohesive program.

A coaching change improved monrovia's basketball program, maybe one in football would too. It's just for both programs, a base for good attitudes and knowledge is necessary. Most student-athletes in football and basketball don't value their education and somehow find a way to give monrovia a bad reputation.

Oops. That one was mine a couple back.

Falcon,

You're not alone. A lot of organizations rotate managers to keep things fresh. I think Monrovia football could benefit from some additional leadership and new perspective. Baseball team has Co-Head Coaches. Maybe football could do that. Maybe Coach G could just take a sabbattical and coach at a JC for a couple years. Professors do that. Why not coaches? G has been grinding for years. Maybe it's time to step away and recharge the batteries.

i love the town, I well be in monrovia tomorrow, but how many opportunity does a cocah deserve? Honestly, I Went to more monrovia then duarte games last year(cuz i have family at monrovia). I'm not pointing out the flaws, there right in your face just ask former players.

ہ,

I'm not prepared to put it all on the maturity and attitude of the student-athletes.

Having the right alumni on staff is usually a great benefit to the team. It is a way to bridge generations. And of course, good alumni usually want the current generation to go beyond where anybody else has. Alumni on staff is not always necessary, though. However, I do think most strong programs have that dynamic. Unfortunately, there have not been many at MHS over the years. Eventually I hope more of the right ones will come back.

O-Cat,

I can't stand complacency in any organization. I also feel sorry for people and teams who are not confident in themselves or their employees, players or coaches. For instance, there is no reason to ever doubt your ability to be successful and close a deal or win CIF or whatever it may be. No excuse about not having every key ingredient. Nobody ever has all the pieces to the puzzle.

Ex Falcon,

I'm not mad at you, but I suppose I was a bit antagonistic with the Clifton and Santa Fe remark. We're good. Late 90's, huh? You must have played against my little brother and may have even gone to junior high with him.
Glad to see you are back, but I would prefer you share some stuff about Duarte, rather than pointing out Monrovia's flaws. But freedom of speech is just that. Stay up.

the problem with Monrovia is the attitude and maturity factors. a lot of student-athletes there think they're bigger than the team, think they're too cool for school and a lot of them like to joke around when times are serious. how to change this, i don't know but these problems usually occur only in the football and basketball programs. the perception of the basketball team has tremendously improved since the hiring of Jared Mix so maybe the same could be for the football program.

Ex-Falcon

I agree with you about Garrison...I never felt that Monrovia has ever played to it's full potential. I think more emphisis is placed on winning the Rio Hondo League and whatever in the CIF games. I also think that there needs to be more mentoring from former players so that they can lead them in the right direction. I'm a Much older Widcat and I truly believe that one of the best players EVER was a guy by the name of James DeCuir. If comparing LaVelle Peterson to anyone that I have ever seen play in the SGV I would say James DeCuir would be that guy. Coaching was the biggest Issue back then. I still dont think the Coaching issue's are at their best and maybe someone will point out the problems one day. Until then we have what we have and we try and give it our best shot every year.

Ex-F,
Nice post... He has had some great talent over the years. Did you know James Davis was ranked high than LaValle Peterson in the final RB standings for socal?

Does Coach G favor players? I know some about monrovia, but basically I am a arcadia fan.

the real hsfbfan,

I went to duarte but i lived in monrovia, all my friends went to monrovia, (the late 90's) they had more talent then they knew what to do with. Sometimes you have to mix it up. Show teams a different look he always has d-1 player and never can win the championship. I just think they need some need blood. Not change O - D coaches every year. This is high school you put your talent in a the best position to succeed.

Ex-F,

NY is doesn't seem pissed. He basically made a statement that puts this conversation to rest, although your words toward Garrsion was quite harsh.

I can foresee the Monrovia v Duarte game being a good one. Things are already heating up!

New York,

why are you made at me? chill out bro your playing days are over. oh #2 goes to the roc.

Leadbone:

Good post. You will get absolutely no argument from me about Coach Howard, and yes last year's HOF game was a debacle. He was simply a holdover after Riazzi left, and back to back 9-3 seasons has created a cushion for him. My gut tells me though that he knows his extreme limitations and will probably step down in the next year or so.

As far as Coach Crutch is concerned, I think your assessment is a little harsh. If you think about it, Crutch was guiding that Muir team in his mid to late 20's. To say he wasn't "worth a damn" is a bit much. At that age you are still learning and growing as a coach and naturally mistakes will be made. Crutch is a great coach, unfortunately, from what I hear he won't be back at Muir this year as was previously reported by Fred J a few months back.

First of all, S G will NEVER win. All they talk about is offense, but there problem is there defense. It has really sucked the past three years. Even when they went to the championship game in div. VII, they didn't win crap.Not the almont league, not the championship. the only accomplishment was that they played longer than anyone else (week 14). That year the D-cordinator in all his brillance decieded that on 4th and 25 he would blitz the free safety, and allow BG to score on the play.That phi beta kappa move lost the almont leage. After last years 3 and 7 campain it's very obivious that defense wins football games and SG will never amount to anything with the crappy 3-5-3 byu style of defense. Get someone who knows how to run the 50,and use your oversize lineman to plug the run. By the way, didn't jesse ramirez run for almost 450 yds against SG? AS for Muir, the guy who stated that they have no coaching is absolutly correct. They have more talent then any sgv school.
the problem lies that the current coaches only experience is coaching jaa with the pasadena panthers. His lack of experience was very evident durning the hof all-star game last july. That group of coaches made no (zero) adjustments thruout the game. From players who were there all they did was to play to the kids emotions, which is a last ditch effort. When you dont know x&o's you cant teach. Even the so called glory days with sultan, Tony cruthfield's ego was so big it constantly got in the way. He knew nothing about defense, and was living off his cup of coffee with the lions(all two weeks he was there). The tale tale sign was the second round game @ arroyo grande. they threw only two passes the whole game, and rushed for 425 yds on the ground.in the 2nd qtr tony cries out "i've run everything guys, i dont know what to do". Defense is a game of adjustments and neither of these guys were worth a damm.

Wassup NY?

Newsflash! Monrovia is getting about 50 "transfers" from Clifton and Santa Fe this summer.

Marquise Willams is the X factor for Monrovia...I used to think that of Kendall Boggs. But looking at the maturity of each of them I see a good future for Williams. Who is the Freshman that you are talking about?...

which 2 juniors are you talking about? marques williams and brandon brooks? kendell boggs maybe?

Ex-Falcon

What Player is he?...I know the core guys from the freshman team are still Wildcats....and I think that a lot of people will be surprised at this years backfield. The Two Jrs are pretty commpetitive. But I still love the rivalry.

skatin threw the towns classes, it didnt matter if they would have went to Long beach poly they still was going anywhere but to citrus.

those cats didnt even have grades when they came to duarte it did'nt matter. Well get a better cocah then garrison and you want have to worry about transfers.

Falcon,

Messengers bring news. Telling us that kids transfer to Duarte is not news.

Admittedly, some players who transfer are not pawns. Mike Adams hurt. Mike Mason hurt. George Aikens hurt. Darryl McGhee hurt, etc. etc. Oh well.

dont be mad a me im just the messenger,i know it happens, but that duarte is alot stronger then you think. Pond? ask garrison are any cocah if he is a pond.

Pawns.....By the Way I did Graduate D1......Next

O-Cat:

Ponds??????? Come on dude, don't embarass your school.

Ex-Falcon

As long as we keep our King & Queen and our Bishops....You may do with the Ponds what you like...But Good Luck Duarte...I would love to see a Monrovia-Duarte Final.

Ex Falcon,
There is nothing to beware of as the transfer across Mountain Ave is nothing new. Come and go, no big deal.

one of those monrovia freshman transferred to duarte. So Wildcats beware.

Frank P,

I am back to clear up my post. I made a mistake that some pointed out.

The 1998 was the year arcadia lost to St. Paul. I made a mistake and had to clear that up. In 1999, arcadia lost to Canyon High and 2000 lost to Mira Costa. Mira Costa had a RB/LB stud named Michael Okwno who just played for Stanford and was drafted in the NFL 3rd. Arcadia held him to 60 yards all night. Arcadia's biggest win in the 1998 was against Edison of Huntington Beach.

i am not sure how scott ended up doing at ucla, i know he was one of the best the west sgv valley's ever had. wasnt he like 6'8 300 in hs?

i know his brother played on the 2000 team. they had a pretty stellar offensive line that year. i think he got hurt. they also had another big tackle paul ahn who ended up as the lineman of the year in the pacific league. someone said he played at northern arizona, dont quote me though. they also had a stud center in nick klein.

that line played against some good ones.

-st francis - had some d-1 guys
-los altos - had shaun cody and another stud
-st paul - who had two college guys
-muir - had some good ones, i think one ended up going to nevada-reno
-mira costa - they had a fresno state guy i think.

Arcadia people,

You skipped over the 1998 season. Also, how did Scotty Wiegand end up doing at UCLA? I forgot that he had a younger brother. How did he do? They had a very nice family.

The Bulldogs and Indians are ready for the Apaches once again.

"Teflon Mills" doesn't have quite the same ring as the "Teflon Don", however it does seem somewhat appropriate.

NY
You make some excellent points and I agree with you about power over flash. What I don't like is that to many coaches hide behing the simplicty of the running game and do not develop the talent they have on their teams. How many fine athletes are wasted just blocking and not making plays all over the field.

I wish the Bulldogs & Coach Mills great luck this season... Too bad the Wildcats cant play dem DAWGS. I know that there are some background issues from the 1986 incident that prevents a game between M-town and PHS. Maybe someday we can erase the past and move on with future.

Go Cats
Go Dogs

I would call it the "Tom & Jerry game".

DAWG

Mills should be gone in my opinion

Hey, what does everyone think about Coach Mills getting his job back at PHS?

Dear Frank P.

Not really connected anymore to the team, but they all know me. But still connected with the staff. Can't help out this year. I was not a major coach, he allowed me to coach when I could. Job wouldn't let me do more. If you see coach D, ask him about Randall Cunningham for UNLV. I am not 100% positive but he picked him off while playing Corner for Fresno State. I am finally done. Retired from blogging. Very Nice to meet you!

are you still connected with the team? i think you wrote that you also coached at arcadia.

man, i'd love to take you guys out for a beer or so.

Mr. Frank P

All of this arcadia talk, got me on this blog today. I didn't want to. Arcadia fans know who I am. But you'll never see me again. Just for today.

All I can say, when it's all said and done, Coach D will have his name on the football stadium next to Dick Salter. He's knows the in's and out's of the game probably at a NFL level. I believe he even coached Lane Kiffin (Radiers) while he was coaching up at Fresno State. He's that amazing, think about what he does for kids after graduation... jobs, colleges and more. In return, we have seen great football arcadians that fought for our country, police officers, Doctor's, attorneys, accountants, teachers. He makes our SGV a better place.

That's what it's all about! He makes boys into men. I still get my strength from him and always will. When confronted with a daunting situation, I think what coach D taught me and I been very sucessful in life.

did a little analysis, seems like the 6th year of the decade is a bad year for the apache nation.
96 - missed the playoffs
06 - the disaster of a season that was

but there is hope for us!

97 - a semi final year!
07 - who knows...

its getting late. but lots learned today, no doubt.

No, we beat SF last in 2002, 2-0, we had the ball in the red zone many times, yet couldn't convert. Still came out with a "W".

looks like we may need a chat room with the overlapping posts.

whats your opinion of coach d? compare him to the other coaches you've seen/played for at ahs.

dang, well cant argue with that AHS historian. thats great work and an even more impressive memory. hope i didn't step on anyone's toes.

was 2003 the last time arcadia beat st francis?

where have you been all this time? but nonetheless a great post to start your blogging career with.

Arcadia beat St. Francis in 1996 and 2002. I forgot the 1996 score, first year playing, but in 2002 arcadia beat SF 2-0 (safety). In 2003, we lost 35-6 or close to that.

totally agree with you ny... was 2003 the only year arcadia has ever beaten sf?

Mr. Frank P,

I had to come on this blog as a former coach/ Player for arcadia to correct the talk about arcadia in the semi's. First of all, I played on the 1994 & 1995 team. We went 9-3 in 1994, lost to Penninsula in the second round. Petro Papadakis had about 210 yards and 3 touchdowns. He broke our backs. The score was 17-7. We had to beat a tough Downey team in the first round. In 1995 we went 10-2 and lost in the second round to Pennisula again, but we lost by alot. We were led by a great line and a great running back by the name of Mathis Ward who had a full ride to Wisconsin. By the way, we beat glendale that year 40+ to 7. You are referring to the glendale team of 1985. After I graduated, in 1996 season, they did not make the playoffs. They lost 6 games by less than a 7 points, never got beaten badly, but just had a touch of bad luck. They had a good DB/WR, Demario Franklin. In 1997, arcadia made the semi and lost to arroyo grande. My brother tore is ACL and did not play that year. But they were lead by Policiy, Lewis, Leonardis, Sinclair, Weigand, and Bowman, and Hassan Abdulmalik. A real good apache squad that had so much pride. They lost to grande 16-0. In 1999, they were really strong, my brother came back, Williams, Bowman, Carrol, Schutz, Davis and More. They beat Saugus in the first round, but was overed matched by St. Paul in the second round, by Marcell Almond (USC) who scored on Def, Off, and Special Teams, quite a show. In 2000 they were hit by the injury bug, with 5 or 6 starter hurt for half the season. Williams was hurt, Bowman who benched 425 tore is ACL. They lost to Canyon Country in the first round. In 2000, they lost in the first round to Mira Costa. They lead the whole game but lost. They were lead by Weigand, Ahn, Ziska, Handy and Wilkins. Mira Costa made it to the finals that year and lost. In 2001, arcadia lost to St. Francis. The team was lead by HAndy and Golper. In 2002, arcadia beat a strong beverly hills team in the final 30seconds when Michael Howe scored on a 85 yard screen. Arcadia lost to AV in the 2nd round. They were lead by University of Texas, Michael Flath, Univeristy of Colorado Samson jaogas, and many more great apaches. In 2003, audarrius bailey, Michael Rider, Jordan Gardner lead the apaches, but lost to chaminade in the 1st. Bailey in 2004 lead the apaches again but lost to Lancaster. In 2005 Gowan, Bailey and Gunner, Larson, almost pulled off one of the biggest victories but lost to a VERY good chaminade team 33-31. Chaminade had NOrte Dame beat the week before, but lost by a touchdown. Well, in '06 we know what happened.

Dimalante took over in 1995 after Sheperd. Dimalante's first year was Mitulski, Sultan Malik, Hubinger, and Matt Sheperd's senior year. I think Demario Franklin was a junior that year.

Peninsula had Arcadia's number for at least two years.

Arcadia is definitely a consistent team. They have a tough schedule this year. It would be nice if they beat St. Francis once in a while. Playing teams close and actually beating them are very different.

coach d has been at arcadia for 10+ years... 12 if i had to bet on a number. so i would say 3 appearances in 12 or so years is pretty standard.

coach d is a great coach. he gets the most out of his players. in his first couple of years he really put us on the map. i mean winning the league and going deep into the playoffs right out of the gates is impressive. he did do it with some pretty talented players. he had some real horses in the beginning of his career.

however what really has impressed me lately is how he consistently does it these days with arcadia's demographics where they are today. they still contend for the pacific league title year in and year out. that 2003 squad, really played out of their minds. that squad has mike flath at UT as in "he played next to vince young, has a FAT national championship ring, and i saw him on tv in the rose bowl game." also, samson jagoras plays lb at the university of colorado.

the 2000 lost out in the first round, i am sure about that one. we lost to mira costa after being up the whole game. one freaking corner gave up 3 touchdowns that game. i wonder if he is still around in arcadia, i know i would have packed up shop. funny how vividly you remember some things...isnt it? i remember ditching work early to drive out to the beach to meet up with some old buddies, catch the game only to drive home pissed.

i am not exactly sure on the years so please dont quote me on this... but here it goes.

i think these were the semi final teams and who they eventually lost out to. im no historian so please dont take me to the bank on these but im pretty sure three out of the four are legit.
1996 - played Peninsula
1997 - played Arroyo Grande
1998 - played St Paul
2002 - played Lancaster

that 2000 team was fun to watch as well. chris handy and phillip potter took it to mira costa in a tough loss.

i think arcadia plays a pretty tough non-league schedule year in and year out. st francis is a solid team that coach d has played every year. then we've played teams like hb edison, los altos during the shaun cody years, upland, glendora? as well as muir and cv. this year they have st francis, monrovia, lynwood as well as well as the pacific league slate.

im not trying to take anything from the other schools, because muir played oaks christian the last two years... good luck with that.

i am not sure what to think of the newly remodeled pacific league. it became a three team race and sometimes it felt like it was planned out in the way muir, cv and arcadia seemed to always be tied for first place at the end of the year. with 8 teams, players really have to earn their all league status which i have no problem with. how does that get sorted out? is the pacific the only league with 8 teams?

Three trips to the D-3 semis within 4-5 years would be quite impressive. Are you sure? That sounds like the same thing SF fans always brag about.

Anon,

Thank you for the info! Good to hear they are back. New York, If i remember correctly, the 2000 season they went to the semis along with twice in the late 90's.

I only caught a little of the game due to commitments - Peterson broke off about a 60 yard run that was called backed due to a hold (I think). Lavelle looked in mid season form. I don't know how he ended up or the game for that matter.

BigA,
Todd Golper had an injured back and just need time to rest it and will be ready to go next week.
Eric Willim what ive been told, he sliced open the bottom of his foot and had stitches, and he should also be ready for the first day of camp.

Gang violence in NW Pasadena has been around since the mid 1980's...Is no news for the athletes. The community's observation and reporting susp incidents and the police need to shake down all susp vehicles and homies walking streets. They should bring back the old PPD-NCTF team to crack down on the homies. Just like the 1993 Halloween murders. Being proactive in policing, should ease up the problem.

DAWG

haha AV, you're absolutely right about Coach Oliva's offense! can you say the word EXPLOSIVE?!?!?! haha that 5'9 kid, #4?? Varela?? what a STUD..haha this year i wonder who is going to step up and fill those cleats..

New York,
You are right that teams do need balance but there are too many teams in the WSGV (ie: Rosemead) that try and power through the playoffs like they did in their league. it is ineffective come playoff time b/c they become predictable and i think that some teams that have athletes like MONROVIA would benefit with more of a spread attack.. but when talking about SG wideouts..VERY FEW CORNERS are able to jam them up. When at their best SG is very much like the RAMS, when they where contenders.

When are the three times that Arcadia has been to the semis with Coach D?

Has Walker ever thrown footballs wearing shoulder pads and a face mask?

Did anyone here how Lavelle "The Thrill" Peterson did in the All-Star game on Sunday? I heard besides Holt from Crespi it was the RB from Grant that was the star of the game.

Anon,

Obviously a kid with 5? Verbal and written offers from some big-time programs is talented. To say Walker is not a gamer or a great football player is probably the most ridiculous statement i've heard all year. I'm glad Michigan, UCLA and all the other schools that Walker has been verbal and written offered from have the coaches that they do and not you anon. They are a greater bunch of talent evaluators so IMO, they are right and your statement is ridiculous.

On to a lighter note, I heard from a father with a kid on the Apache squad that Walker is looking good at QB. Inconsistent, yet has his moments. I also heard that All-Area DB Eric Willm and ALL-league sophomore (name) Golper, will be back starting summer practice from injuries. Don't know what they were or to the extent, but I'm glad their back!

Frank P,

any knowledge on the extent of the injuries of Willm and Golper? Were they serious?

Unfortunately, the wave of gang violence in NW Dena is going to encourage the good athletes to continue leaving. San Bernardino looks more and more appealing every time I read the front page of the Star News.

Stang Fan, the population of 1,200 will likely continue to dwindle or at least lose the kids who want to play football for a winning program unless your community plays hardball against the gang violence.

AV,

A team should naturally be weighted toward their strengths, BUT if any team is one dimensional they are eventually screwed when they play against a legite team with legite players and coaches.

During their heyday, even Bloomington was able to throw the ball (6-8 play action passes for 100-150 yards) when needed. Passing teams had better be able to run the ball when needed as well.

Typically, power beats flash when the playoffs roll around. It is easier for a flashy pass game to have its timing interupted just enough (pressure on QB, receiver getting jammed on line, nervous receiver drop the ball, etc) than it is to stop a power run game. Think about the St. Louis Rams superbowl (both) Florida vs. Nebraska 1995, Bills vs. Cowboys 1992, etc. However, teams need to be able to run and pass when needed. That's really what it all comes down to, being able to do what's necessary at the right times. Spread teams need to be able to punch it in once they get into the hot zone, otherwise they will have to live on field goals or hope for big plays. The other advantage that physical run teams have is that their defenses tend to be more physical because of what they are always practicing against.

AV,

A team should naturally be weighted toward their strengths, BUT if any team is one dimensional they are eventually screwed when they play against a legite team with legite players and coaches.

During their heyday, even Bloomington was able to throw the ball (6-8 play action passes for 100-150 yards) when needed. Passing teams had better be able to run the ball when needed as well.

Typically, power beats flash when the playoffs roll around. It is easier for a flashy pass game to have its timing interupted just enough (pressure on QB, receiver getting jammed on line, nervous receiver drop the ball, etc) than it is to stop a power run game. Think about the St. Louis Rams superbowl (both) Florida vs. Nebraska 1995, Bills vs. Cowboys 1992, etc. However, teams need to be able to run and pass when needed. That's really what it all comes down to, being able to do what's necessary at the right times. Spread teams need to be able to punch it in once they get into the hot zone, otherwise they will have to live on field goals or hope for big plays. The other advantage that physical run teams have is that their defenses tend to be more physical because of what they are always practicing against.

I don't get where all this Kevan WAlker hype comes from. The guy isn not even that good of an athlete. If you are the primary receiver on a team that plays as weak a schedule as arcadia does, you better at least have 700 yards. He was horrible at safety and quit in about half of their games. Everyone needs to realize that he is an average player on a very average team.

The reason you didnt play with the winter's brothers at south pas is because they didnt go to south pas. Now on the other hand the Wither's brothers did play at South Pas. Doug and Dan also went on to PCC where i played with them.

Frank P:

In regards to your comments about the small private schools all I have to say is-AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

And no you're not a bigot, just a realist.

What's up with people saying Kevin Walker "choked" vs. SF and Muir. The only time a reciever chokes is when he drops the ball. Period. If he gets open and the ball doesn't get there, that's not his fault. And if he gets absolutely locked down, like Walker did vs. Muir, than he simply gets outplayed. I didn't see Walker's game vs. SF but I was at the Muir game and he did not choke, dude got SHUT DOWN!

50+ receptions and 700+ yards with a SUBPAR quarterback says a lot too. walker is a good player whether you like him or not, he gets the job done

frank p

to say walker was inconsisten last year is a mis statement. against colton he had about 4 receptions for about 45 yards which is a 10+ YPC average. he did choke against st francis and muir but made up for it on defense. whether it was on defense or offense, he made it be known that he was on the field each game and gave 100% game in and game out. and to say that he had a subpar season is in a lot of ways false. if having 50+ catches and 700+ yards..plus adding another 50+ tackles and a few picks is a subpar year then i wish i was a subpar player in high school.

Hey Frank P. As long as Muir continues to have clueless coaches that can't whip those boys into shape and teach them some solid fundamental football they will continue to be the most talented underachieving team I've ever laid eyes on. That school has more quality athletes than the law allow but have no coaching. Send any 3 kids from Muir to any other WSGV school and you have and instant CIF contender.

Uno Baby what's up. Finally somebody who gets it. All this talk about these dinasour programs is killing me. You hit it on the head, the best show in town has been the SGH offence for those years you mention. The 03 team was the most exiting, high flying act to hit the WSGV in history. They were 10 min and one score away from beating a great South Hills team for the Div 7 championship. And after that team, they had a little bad ass 5'9" 140lb receiver catch 215 passes for 2,600 yard and 25 TD's. talk about throwing it around. All these old coaches have no clue how to throw the ball. They all have outstanding athletes but don't know how to use them. Four yards and a cloud of dust gets you some wins but gets your ass kicked in the playoffs. Coach Jude Olivas at SG is the future, when more coaches like him get jobs this area will take off. Speaking of which I'm suprised some smart AD hasn't snatched him up already.

im glad muir is loading up for next year. those were the glory days when the muculloghs (sp) and the leonardis' were in our backyard battling it out. im not as well versed in john muir mustang football but i know they are passionate about it and have great history. remember in the 90s (wow, NEVER did i think i would say that) when even a doormat like glendale used to eat arcadia's lunch? i think the '95 score was glendale 56 arcadia 21. is this thing cyclical? in 2015, will glendale be that force? hahaha!

it only makes the games better when both teams have lots to lose. i remember those arcadia - st francis tilts. remember like the year when they were tied at arcadia with like a second left and st francis runs a draw up the middle for 60 yds to win?! i mean those were heartbreaking. how have the recent games gone? i know st francis has owned arcadia in the past ten years but i've watched probably 7 of the past ten and trust me, the talent is just not there anymore. its funny, just ten years ago, st francis, bishop amat, muir, pasadena, arcadia, temple city, those names got instant respect and credibility. now, they are on a second tier. yes, even bishop amat. in the past they could have any player they wanted, now i hear they lose players to the publics!!! they had shaun cody in the backyard and couldnt get him. imagine if they didnt steal chris rix from arcadia. but to get back on track, now-a-days "football experts" like to come back with the orange county schools or oaks christian or the santa clarita schools. we have to bring credibility back to the west sgv!!! im sorry to sound like a bigot, but if rio hondo prep, or any other one of those prep league teams or LA SALLE is getting the press you've got a state of emergency. im sorry if you are spending money sending your kid to these schools or you ACTUALLY go to one of these schools but their are obviously more important things to you than football, and thats fair. i mean if you bled pigskin, you would have sent your boy to oaks christian or s.o norte dame right?

BUT TO SAY MARANATHA OR LA SALLE is setting the pace for the west san gabriel valley!?!?! i mean where are the john muirs, the monrovias the temple citys even and the apaches in an uproar? they must have better things to do than blog hs football at 10:30 in the morning and i realize there are only about 20-30 bloggers who even have the guts to break the anonymous shield and one blogger who lives in another time zone (new york ;) ) but some of these fans might need to come back to earth. please trust me, put la salle vs arcadia, it would be like playing hoover/glendale.

well the knock on picard is that he only played in four games last year. also, he had to move around on the defense from inside lb to a de spot. also, coming back from a major injury (ailment), people are going to be more conservative in hyping up players in that situation.

with kevan walker, i think it'll be whatever kind of year he wants it to be. last year he was very inconsistent and down right terrible vs colton. he had an 80 yarder in the first qtr vs pasadena just to be never heard from again. he came in clutch vs monrovia and burroughs. i am sure coach walker is in his ear motivating him. it is true most coaches sons are overrated. however, i have all the respect in the world for our trojan killer and i know he wont ALLOW his son to have another subpar season.

regarding all this recruiting talk, i dont think walker rates anywhere close to the former apache greats. think about the playmakers we had in the past, chuck leonardis, blair lewis, addul-malik, ROCKY SETO, andrew policky, quincy williams, dexter davis, chris handy, phillip potter, samsom jagoras, mike flath... i mean those guys got it done. their was none of this doubt ever surrounding those guys. i can go back even further but i mean in the past ten years, we've had the talent. also, the offensive lines were beastly, i mean remember the mutlskys, the wiegands, brad bedell (duh) its a shame we are giving full rides to these unproven guys (not necessarily a knock solely on walker) these days when plenty of greats got past over. i think leonardis ended up going to a d-3 school, he should have been right there at usc with abdul-malik.

wow looking back on this post coach d has built this program. sure we don't have a title but we've been to the semis like 3 times, a couple of qtrs. and the playoffs and a pacific league title pretty much every year. how is that for consistency.

As usual the trio of Arcadia, Monrovia, and TC is quite strong on this blog. Big ups to their fans for reppin' on this blog. I wish we could get some more posts from people in 'Dena. Where you at Muir, H.S., Blair, Marshall fans?

Anyhow, from what I hear on Muir's end is that they probably have the best defensive backfield in the area. Thompson, Daniels, Graves, Owens, and Dunlap comprise a fantastic rotation. THe backers aren't superb but they'll get the job done. The D-line is the biggest question mark. We have one all-league DE returning but the other positions are pretty much up for grabs I think.

On the offensive side of the ball everything starts with our run game and Willie Youngblood. Our front five should hold up o.k. Our recievers are pretty talented, but the biggest question is who will throw to them? All in all there is definitely enough talent to win the Pacific, not quite sure if we have the depth to go deep into the playoffs however, which as I (and New York) have discussed in the past is a result of the small population at the school. I still say it's pretty damn impressive what we have been doing with only 1200 kids.

AV, you're right...everyone here wants to talk about running the ball..to me thats boring. give me a 4 wide offense that throws the ball all over the field, like SG of '03, '04, and '05. Shoot even S.E.M. is starting to throw the ball..THOSE ARE FUN GAMES TO WATCH

The Real HSFBFAN,

I did not get a chance to play with the Winters brothers. I came in about 2 years after they graduated which means I didn't get to play with Gavin Peries either. Dougie and Gavin played against each other in a bowl game when Doug was at Purdue and Gavin was at K-State.

The best player I played with is a guy you probably never heard of. Paul Wilkens. NASTY receiver, who never dropped a ball. He could have played D-1 AA but decided to go to SC and not play anything. He was part of the 98 team which was the I think the last time SP beat TC. I can't even remember the last time SP beat Monrovia...

What's the word on other Rio Hondo League teams? SP, SM, LC and Blair? I know Monrovia and TC are at the top of the RHL right now but I'd be interested to hear updates on the other schools.

walker sucks st francis will own him

walker sucks

very interesting on walker. i had my doubts about this kid seeing how hes a coaches son and about 60% of coaches sons are all hype when it comes to producing on the game field. but after seeing kevan play and how hard he works in practice, ill go out on a limb and say that he is underrated. thats right i said it. if you look at his highlights on rivals.com, this kid has MAJOR playmaking ability. i was one of the ones bagging him during the season ill admit, but going out to arcadias spring practice and watching him, he literally has everything you need. has the speed, GREAT size, quickness, some UNBELIEVABLE hands and is a flat out competitor. with his leadership skills alone i feel that arcadia will win league, along with their other playmakers in picard,willm,ahmaz, and the rest of the apaches.

as far as walker is concerned san diego state, virginia tech, washington, and michigan have all visited arcadia and said that they will offer walker before the season. even usc has come to visit him. hmmm could it be a walker-walker/usc-ucla showdown one day?

The apaches skilled players obviously start off with walker playin qb, then there is willim that will most likly be walkers go to guy in the pass game, then amhaz which will be the key to arcadias run game, and rambeau another reciever.
I believe these guys make up the secondary for the apaches as well

Frank P,

I would have to disagree about Picard. He is built like a truck and has the speed and endurance to excel on both sides of the ball. I'll go as far to say that he will do better than Hess. Willim is one of the better returning kids in the pacific league. He had 80+ tackles and is very dependable. Amhaz #22 is similar in built to Willie Youngblood. He'll be a load to deal with if he holds on to the ball. He runs below pad level. Arcadia's good offesnsive line play is because there coach from Northern Arizona. He brings a college atmoshpere type of coaching environment.

Awesome information, thanks! I'm glad someone your around the program so you can give our hsfbfan and myself some info on our apache squad.

What are the doubts on picard? He had a great game against Pasadena...

On Walker, are there any schools pursuing him despite his commitment to Minn.?

How are the skill positions looking? Any depth?

thanks

what college is dwight broadnax going to???

well i know kevan walker is a minnesota commit. i think ucla is the only other school to offer a scholarship but no surprise there.

i tried to make it out to their spring ball practices and i caught the tail end of it. i know they will look very different next year and it looks like there will be some growing pains.

22 the rb ran pretty hard last year. he looks thick but he has a major fumbling problem. he fumbled on the 1/2 yd line vs monrovia and he must have coughed up the ball about a dozen times against the two burbank schools. i still remember vs burroughs, their d-lineman literally took the ball out of his hands and ran the other way to score a touchdown. what is his problem?

the offensive line has three of the five coming back and honestly they played pretty well from the bell gardens game on.

i think the defense will struggle mightily this year. they were sub-par (to put it nicely) last year and their best player is now gone. their only playmakers are walker and junior to be golper. personally, i think picard will be a beast but many in apache nation seem to have their doubts about him. i also hear good things about rambeau and wilm however i have my doubts. rambeau looks the part but is inexperienced and wilm is very limited athletically. the dline looks to be a major concern. #75 looks the part but played too soft in the games last year, he'll be a senior. other than him they have no other solid players up front.

Frank P,

You seem to know the Arcadia team well. Do you have any updates regarding Walkers recruitment along with any other players at Arcadia?

Glouster coach,

Since you are an SPAS grad, did you play with Doug and Dan Winters?

Frank P:

In the WeAreSC webpage (scout.com) Muir's Austin Daniels was said to have been arguably the best corner at thier one-day skills camp. I believe Muir had 4-5 guys at the camp.

Frank P,

Hess signed with Cal SLO. Golper has a bad back and Willim substained an injury also.

golper was on the sideline with an injury so he couldn't have looked impressive...he wasn't practicing

Did Hess from Arcadia ever get a scholarship? I thought he was a great prospect.

this is regarding the center position at arcadia.

the guy that moved from left tackle to center looks more like a center. he's about 6 foot and like 250 pounds from what i saw briefly. its not like coach d moved his 6'5 300 pound left tackle inside.

about this todd golper kid, i didn't see anyone that impressive at the spring ball practices. ( i already know k. walker) is he in the same mold as say kevan hess?

does anyone know about our LOCAL PRIDE that has gone to any of the camps over the past few weekends?

who cares about dorian..he's not that good..what were his stats from last year?

My running back is better than your running back BLAH, BLAH, Blah. I'm bored reading this crud. Hey guy's in case you haven't noticed there is something called the forward pass. If your teams could throw it around a little maybe you go deeper in the playoffs. Stuffing the run is easy if you have some players and a decent coach. Which is what you get in the playoffs.

I bet Do will have at least one game over 200 yards this season. TC does still play Blair right? I'll even put up my old Alma Mater South Pas up there as a possibility. Over the years you'd think we would figure out how to stop the TC dive...

Fred,
I heard that a South Hills HS football player was killed over the weekend in a auto accident. Can you investigate further from the SGTribune and confirm?

DAWG

It is true, Dorian Wells has enrolled at South Hills. I swear, they should list the hometowns on South Hills football programs.

Lavelle who?
Grant's Fred Winborn was the top running back at Birmingham on Sunday and will be one of the top rb's in juco next season.

Players to recognize for the 07 season coming out of Muir is Willie Youngblood. Why? Shades of Ricky Ervins thats why? Hard runner tough to tackle decent speed but quick and same built.

if you be talkin about an underclassmen, my teammate todd golper got invited to the ultimate 100 camp in new york or new jersey or somethin like that. only the top 200 sophomores in the nation get invited from what i know of it.

Fan,
I'm not sure if we always start strong or play strong in the middle of the season or in league. However, you do bring up a real concern which is a lack of consistency. The good thing about all of Monrovia's concerns, though, is that they are all within our own control. That is what is so encouraging. The other thing that is encouraging is that guys like Coach A and M are out there making sure the kids are working hard and having fun at the same time.

there is a real buz around monrovia about the football program.according to some real good sources they are loaded at tail.some transfer from texas(ask garrison freddie)including marquis williams and those freshman studs.its also nice lookin to see one of the top 150 underclassmen in nation ol/dl josh lowden monrovia h.s.will be one of the best in a while.6'1 210 sophmore next year

Does anyone know if arcadia scrimage TC again in week 0?

NY,
M-town played that perfect game against arcadia last year, nearly flawless. Potts did not turn the ball over nor the backs.
It seems like Monrovia doesn't know how to put together a good 2nd half of the season. You guys always come out of the gates strong, though.

Do is a good ball player, and TC kids have learned how to work hard and play together. Thankfully, we at Monrovia have so much talent that once we decide to do the same we will win a CIF title, not just brag about beating our league rival and getting bounced in our annual second round loss.

Well, it will take more than just playing together and great chemistry and such. We do need to stop making silly mistakes: sending plays in late, jumping offsides, fumbling, formation errors, false starts, not running out of "passing formations" or passing out of "run formations" enough, making things more complicated than they need to be (this is high school football, remember?).

All in all, I am very glad that TC brought it to us last season. (Unfortunately, I flew out to watch it...Still enjoyed watching a home game.) You all really exposed us on a lot of levels. Pretty much gave us a blue print of what we need to do better.

All you Ram fans had better hope that the current group is more forgiving than mine was. The last time TC beat us on homecoming we beat them on theirs the following year 34-7, with the 7 coming against our Goof Troop.

Keep talking and this year's game will be a similar scene to the one in Bronx Tale when the bikers were roughing up the neighborhood bar when Sonny walked in, locked the door and said,"Now yous can't leave."

How did Lavelle do at the East vs West game from Sunday?

Too much talking... let the statement of the game tell the final outcome after the M-Town vs TC game. Let history be history, lets look at the future and have a great game for the fans of SGV.

Go Cats.

DAWG

Look to the future...You are rplacing most if not all of your offensive line and Losing a running back that had 84% of your yardage. What's left?....A mediaocar back at best...he's definatley not a 300 yard back like you wish too guess..I be he wont even have a 200 yrd game this season. Thats not to put the guy down but the truth is that Your team pretty much compares to LC last years squad - LaVelle..You go DO):

Observantcat guess what though Dwight Broadnax himself had 300 yards against MTown. The only reason Lavelle didnt do anything is because he is a one man team, and after a while you dont care. And with TC's tradition of a great offensive front I give Will 250-300 yards himself. Fast doesn't mean anything you guys had a fast backfield the years before as in Sparks, Davis, Thompson and what happened not one of them got over 60 yards against TC.

Something for you TC fans...to think about....Imagine Do trying to do what LaVelle Peterson Did....It will never happen. I've watched him play and he would make a great fullback. Tailback! I dont think so.

OK TC Fans...Get ready for a track meet this year. We house some of the Fastest group of running backs we have had in a long time and guess what they are all sophmores and Juniors. It will be intersting to see a new coach make adjustments on your defense to stop the run. Start running the Hill...or railroad tracks. Monrovia Vs..TC...when will the rivalry end?....hopefully never.

NY:
Do played mostly fullback last season but he and another guy shared the load against la salle last season with broadnax out

All in all he had 7 rushes for 71 yards

Word on Aram's blog is that Dorian Wells is headed to South Hills. At least they have green uniforms....

O-Cat,
If BigM were on campus, with his aura of a champion, teaching those guys the fundamentals and exemplifying excellence, then even the waterpolo coach could call the offense and get four touchdowns per game. It would be a similar run to the late 90's, except we would get over the top.

Is Do the guy who carried the load against La Salle last year?

Former NFL Colt and Superbowl champion Jason David (Saints) will be hosting a skills camp for all levels at Charter Oak HS this weekend.

If interested I have further information on this camp.

DAWG

Its about time we got some talk from some TC folks!

For weeks its been nothing but Monrovia fatcats and Arcadia fans who think they own this blog hyping up their teams and then they complain when a rival tries to have their say

Observantcat:
If you think that TC has run out of runningbacks when Big Will Do is on the roster you're out of your mind.
As to your injury prone statement, i dont think the kid has missed a game in two years of varsity play.
The only time i remember him getting up hurt was after he fell funnyl diving for a touchdown against MONROVIA

TC already talking it up and it's June. Gotta love it.

I think it will be TC vs. Alhambra in week two.

Do vs. Brown

Observantcat Monrovia is and always will be runner up to TC. And my boy Will is and never injury prown so i dont know what your talking about, but what i do know i got footage that it took not 1,2,3,4,5,6 but damn near the whole team to tackle will, hey and guess what he was still going. and as david potts couldnt hold onto the ball at the end of the game who was the one that fell on it. and who scored twice that game last year oh will did. and with Dwight gone now Will will be the number one running back just imagine a whole summer for him to get bigger, they couldnt tackle him last year so what makes you think they will do it this year. hahahahah your funny

i hear walker is also considering virginia tech

Yes Annonymos TC Fan....those were your day's..but this is NOW and you should pray that your injury prown William Do survives the preseason. Despite what you may think, Monrovia will be much faster this year than they were last year. And as for the Homecoming Game, I will be played at your house this year Ask your parents if you can attend the afterparty at the Monrovia high Gym. I think TC has just about run out of Running Back..Back to 3 and out's for a few years. Remember you wont be able to play Catch up with the team you have fielded this year. Focus on El Monte they will be more of your speed for the next few years.

Observantcat,
first off TC whooped the living hell out of Monrovia at Monrovia's HC game last year. and what the sad thing is that you guys had the best chance last year, but you have to many individuals and not a team. That's why TC beat you guys 2 years straight and about to make it a third.

And watch for Williams Do #30 he will run down and through the wildcats.

BigM & New York

I wish you guy's were coaching the Wildcats. I would apply for Offensive coordinater and leave My $100,000.00 a year job. I think that between the two of you, You have enlightened many of these bloggers about the real side of what football is all about...Hat's off to you guys.

Gloucester and BigM,

I know the importance of center, but let's not complicate things too much, as is common in high school football. A lot of players figure out where to set the huddle five yards off the ball as well as call out an even or odd front. We don't need a situation where a guy needs to identify a 4-3, 5-2, 5-3, 6-2, 7-1n etc. Just keep it even or odd. Plus, zone blocking helps with a lot of the confusion anyway. I've even seen Guards calling out the fronts with a rookie center next to him. Perhaps that is a decent compromise. It is a lot easier to do stuff (pull, set screens, secure the perimeter) with your tackles and guards. Of course some NFL centers are now athletic enough to pull, but that takes a very special athlete as well as a talented supporting cast around him not to mess things up inside.

Big M,
Welcome back! I don't think we need Aram on this one. Either or all of those three names you listed would be great. I know we got buried by Charter Oak a couple years in a row, but I think things would have been different if we had approached the game with more confidence. I don't think punching bags ever win a fight...

San Gabriel is fielding a young team this year with the quarterback position up for grabs. The high powered offense should light up the scoreboard as in past years especially if Michael Varela is distributing the ball. Like Rosemeads' [Sumler] SG has its own legacy brother ready to step up. Oh and by the way Sumler and Varela were teammates on the Rebels JAA team.

Lynwood vs. Arcadia that should be an interesting match up. Arcadia seems to be the weakest team on Lynwood's pre season schedule. They play Notre Dame Sherman Oaks, Servite, and Compton Centennial after that.

Just so that you know Annonomous, TC is not the same TC it has been over the years and getting worse by the Day. I will never count them out but I will never over credit them with their past sucesses either. If you look at Monrovia's Roster you will see that they are truly the team to beat. Talk about speed and power, I think the wildcats will have them both this year. And I think that they will be better next year and the year after.

Beckman is in second or third year of Varsity. They just graduated their first senior class. They have an enrollment of approximately 1900-2000. Play in the Pacific Coast league which used to be ok. I actually thought these guys had lost to Azusa recently.

Of course, Aliso Niguel was 4-6 the year before they beat us which preceded a 14-0 year, but I don't forsee that with Beckman. South El Monte was brand new in 1993...

coach Backus if you get this message, can you get in contact with me.
-zeke

coach Backus if you get this message, can you get in contact with me.
-zeke

I'm sorry to see that the Monrovia-West Covina game wasn't renewed... that game has been a barometer for both teams over the years.

I wish, if we were to replace them on the schedule, that we would pick-up another ESGV power. Someone like South Hills, Los Altos, Covina... Aram would probably be able to provide a decent list of potential opponents.

Our new Week 4 opponent is Beckman. I know little of Beckman... they are in Irvine and in only their 2nd year of Varsity competition? They played Azusa last year... and beat the Aztecs 28-9.

Does anyone know anything about Beckman?

NY...

The reason why the Left Tackle position is well-paid in the NFL is because of the importance of the QB in the pros...

I like my smartest lineman at Center and my most athletic lineman at Left Tackle (providing we are talking about a right-handed QB). The difficulty comes when they are one in the same... as you are well aware of, NY!

I am so happy that the season is upon us...

New York and Real,
Although the Left Tackle position is very important, I do see the Center as the "qb" for the lineman. He is calling out the blocking schemes and blitzes, he calls the huddle and sets the pace for the line. I don't think it's necessarily a bad move for Arcadia.

TC will win the RHL next year. The only team that's a threat is Monrovia, but they shouldn't be too bad.

Paul,
At this point, anything other than a CIF Title is disappointing at RHP. The bar is pretty high.

pasadenapreps--

Here's your Prep League finish.
1. Rio Hondo
2. Chadwick
3. Flintridge
4. Viewpoint
5. Poly
6. Webb

RHP is bigger than they have been in years. The returning line will sport three guys over 230, one at 210 and another at 175 (don't forget it's Prep League). Expect them to be in running shape and ready to go both ways. The skill positions return veteran players that know the system. A solid preseason schedule should have them ready for the run to reclaim the league title. Always known for their tough D, this coming year they may notch more then a couple shut outs.

Poly lost most of its players to graduation--still I expect them to be in most of their games but lacking experience. I thought Chadwick showed the most promise in making a run the coming season. Their QB is a pretty tough guy and definitely a competitor. It's hard to put a gauge on Flintridge because they didn't show well last year. Viewpoint might surprise a few and Webb is, well, Webb (a fun place to play).

This is what Im talking about!!! FOOTBALL is back on the blog.

DAWG

Only 5 coaches have applied for the TC coaching slot, Backus and Kerr are two and the other three are unknown right now, interviews begin next week

I don't see any reason why a kid would not be allowed to play for the team that is in his natural enrollment district, especially when it would mean that he no longer has to pay tuition. It should be a done deal if the kid's parents want him at MHS.

Wouldn t that be awesome .If somehow that young man from AMAT was cleared to play for the CATS.Dorian vs. Kevan week 2.I m sure he would go right to the QB spot.Anyways with or without Mr. Wells Monrovia is going to do just fine but Dorian back home where he belongs I m sure is O.K with the CATS

Well there's a reason that Left Tackle has become the second highest paid position in the NFL. It has to do with the level of importance and impact on a team...

NY,
I agree about your statement regarding arcadia's o-line. I think arcadia is going try everything with Walker, like a Kordell Stewart.

Do Arcadia fans forsee an option attack coming with Walker and Ahmaz?

By the way, I strongly disagree with the decision to move an all league tackle down to center. I like keeping my best linemen at tackle so I can at least control a corner/side.

walker from arcadia is going to look amazing this year what i realy like is troy amahaz running behind that offensive line their all league left tackle from last year has moved to center and is leading that o-line

I'd be curious to know what Prep League followers see happening for the upcoming season.
I think this will be the first year in several that Poly and Rio Hondo won't be the top two. RHP has to be the favorite and Poly will have to fight Flintridge Prep and Chadwick for the remaining two playoff spots.
Feedback?

Lavelle sure the hell finishes his runs. It's like he looks for contact. Jim, how many yards after contact did he have this past season?

O-Cat,

Another often overlooked detail is the importance of running backs and receivers blocking well, holding onto the football, etc. RB's are just as responsible for pass pro. as are linemen. WRs are just as responsible for run blocking are is the line.

Jim,

Lavalle is compares to Marice Drew-Jones, however Drew-Jones has better (flexible) hip movement. LaValle looks somewhat stiff, but his power and speed is apparent. IF LaValle works on that, then he should be deadly at the next level.

NY

You are absolutly right. If Coach Garrison were to fucus on his line We would probably never loose another RHL game. Mistakes have cost Monrovia over the years not lack of talent. I remember when the offensive linemen were jumping offsides in very critical points of a game and costing the game. Those are the things I would hope Garrison and his coaching staff would work on. Every Year Monrovia has a couple of Running Backs that could play just about anywhere else and start and become superstars in their own right.

Actually there is a 6'4 275+ coming from one of the Monrovia jr. highs my source has been hearing about this kid for some time now .He will be a freshman next year.They say he's better then Tom-Tom already,and I loved me some Tom-Tom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL7Pfoln6Kw

I hope some of you come out and watch Lavelle "The Thrill" Peterson this Sunday.

He has never stopped working out and now weighs 217 pounds and runs like the wind.

You will see what Utah is getting next year if everything goes well.

I saw Monrovia's Varsity and JV line coaches in action at spring ball. I liked what I saw during the two practices, and I can tell that Garrison picked a couple guys with great character.

O-Cat,

Obviously TC never forgets how important it is. Otherwise, they would have been a .500 team lately.

They definately have some Cornfed Brotha's stepping up and If they can be trained to become good lineman then Monrovia could probably compete with anyone. Sometimes we do forget how important a good line can mean to a great set of running backs. I honestly see Monrovia having its greatest years ahead. They have the talent and the motivation too compete with some of the best.

So now there are two La Salle coaches rumored to be interested in the TC job? Well, DiFiori took them to the semi-finals his last year there...They should give Backus a shot. He's been there a long time and knows what he has to work with.

Of course, from Fred's posting about various concerns, it sounds as if TC maybe headed the way of Keppel if they don't land somebody as elite as Mooney.

Is Coach Stueck available?

That's great about Ward...he left Monrovia for Basset in 1993, was their head coach a couple years and then was Duarte's defensive coordinator for a little bit.

O-Cat,
That must be the same kid you made reference to a couple months back. I'll ask my brother. He was a D-Hawks coach the past couple years.

Truthfully, I'd be more excited hearing about some bad ass defensive tackles coming up through the ranks...are there any more Thomas Herrings running around town?

More like 6'3 155'lookout he is the real deal

Thanks Observant, I'll check it out

Hey NY....Have you heard anything about the Santa Fe Kid that is going to be a freshman? He is supposed to be the next great QB in the San Gabriel Valley, He played for the Duarte Hawkes Pop Warner and I heard he was all that and then some. He's about 6'2 roughley 19 and gowing. Fred check out this story from Garrison.... If he starts on the JV team that could be a perfect situation for him. I know the Bishop Amat Coaches were hounding his parents to death.

FYI: Former Monrovia high football Leon Ward has been named the head football coach at Bassett High School. Ward replaces John Paredez Jr., who went 2-18 in two seasons.

Aram just posted a RUMOR on his blog that La Salle assistant and former Bishop Amat and Temple City coach Mike DiFiori might be re-applying for the Temple City football position. Aram graduated there, so maybe he knows some inside info. In any case, this is JUST A RUMOR, and my question is, would DiFiori be a good fit going back to T.C.?

Dorian would need to move out of Monrovia to play ball at MHS. Public to Private or vice versa CIF tranfer rule states he must sit out a year because his LIVES in Monrovia.

Wells to Monrovia?

I think the rule regarding transferring from a private to a public school is that no change of residence is necessary for elligibility. The rationale (I believe) is that if a family can no longer afford a private education the athlete should not be punished with a year of elligibility taken away for going to a public school. Anyone correct me if I am mistaken.

TomS...haven't you heard that the Maranatha - St Margarets game has been moved to 9/17 so ESPN can broadcast it nationally?

Wouldn't the new transfer rules prohibit Well's participation at Monrovia for his senior year unless his family changed their official residence? If he already lives in Monrovia, as some have suggested, it would be interesting to see whether he could become immediately eligible at Monrovia by moving to a different residence within the Monrovia boundary lines as a way to fulfill the change in residence test. If he doesn't live in Monrovia, then the test is simple, he just needs to move to M Town to gain immediate eligibility.

Galetti and Campa will share volleyball, cross country duties in the fall

Will Campa handle the volleyball season again?

I hope to catch-up with Walker soon, he'll certainly be someone we feature in the fall. And yes, Campa loves Maranatha and the road trips, and if a hot dog is included, it's a done deal.

Fred: I think Campa might be a good candidate to travel down to St. Margaret’s. He like’s when were on the road. Let’s see, the last Maranatha game he was at was our semi-final game against Brentwood. I owe him a hotdog with extra mustard.

Fred,

Who will u be interviewing from this year's Arcadia team?
Walker?

Your right about that Tom. We don't normally send a reporter out that far for a nonleague game, but I will see what we can do.
And thanks hsfbfan, looks like there could be some truth to the rumors. I'm sure Monrovia folks are crossing their fingers.

Fred: Looks like you missed one of the biggest pre league games scheduled. On Sept 14th Maranatha travels to St Margaret’s for a rematch of the Div XIII championship game. Now that deserves some coverage.

When Dorian Wells was in i believe 8th grade he ran in the AAU junior olympics, the 400 meter. Here's a link that shows his home town as monrovia.

http://www.dyestat.com/3us/4out/JO-AAU/results6aug.htm

Dorian Wells 90 Monrovia, CA 55.95 3

Your right Fred and Big A, Arcadia v. SF is the correct pick, although duarte v. mornovia should be a battle.