Muir: Bring on Diamond Ranch!
Muir starts hell week on Aug. 18 but assistant football coach Antyone Sims (fourth year overall, second year offensive coordinator) is not shying away from heating things up. (Note: Head coach Ken Howard did not attend the coach's meeting Wednesday at Muir High)
Cocky? No.
Confident? Yes.
Sims talked about the team's strengths and there seems to be plenty. Sims added he's excited about the realignment for the playoffs. Time to declare the true San Gabriel Valley champion.
"We're ready to show we're for real," Sims said.
And he didn't blink when he said that.
St. Francis this, Diamond Ranch that, it didn't t seem to faze Sims or the Mustangs.
They're ready to show what they've got and against Diamond Ranch in Diamond Bar won't be walk in the park. The stands I'm sure will be packed for this game.
But first thing first.
Senior quarterback Reuben "Bingo" Thomas will lead the Pacific League champion Mustangs. He had 28 touchdowns last season, 13 of them on the ground and rushed for nearly 1,000 yards. Thomas threw just two interceptions.
As I've said already, Thomas will be a tough quarterback to prepare against. He threw for almost 2,000 yards last season.
Sims took it a step further: "Thomas is the best player in the area."
That's right. Not just the West, but the entire 626.
Those are some pretty gutsy statements and I'm sure St. Francis and others will have something to say about that.
But Thomas does have some weaknesses. His mechanics aren't the best but coach isn't too worried about that, saying they'll work on that during camp.
The Mustangs' spread offense won't compliment Thomas but he does have the skills to make it work.
Looks like the University of Nevada and some Pac-10 schools have shown interest.
Thomas' go-to guy will be Marcus Garves, a senior three-year starter splitting time at receiver and DB. They tell me he's a savvy player with good hands.
Senior Chris Dunlap is the fastest kid on the team, earning first team Pacific League honors on defense. Myles Campbell is explosive on his feet at the other wing.
Sims said he's excited about the new playoff realignment and why wouldn't he? The best of the West meets against the East.
The only weakness for the Stangs? No running back!
Sims said they're not too worried about not having a true running back.
There's a lot of talk about the East getting the edge on having more talent than the West.
But it sounds like Muir is ready to put those talks to rest.
Can the Mustangs represent the West and give them some bragging rights?
This of course can only be settled under the lights.
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About this blog
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Melendez worked as a correspondent for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for three years and later landed a job as a freelance writer at the Los Angeles Times before accepting an offer at The Orange County Register covering high schools. Melendez covered Major League Soccer at The Register for three years before being promoted to report on the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers for the Web. Melendez also worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Fresno Bee, Oakland Tribune and The Boston Globe. E-mail opinions, suggestions and tips to miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. |
In the Mid-Vally rankings TC comes out as 18th, with Blair, Monrovia, San Marino and La Canada all rated higher.
Of the RHL, only So. Pas is rated worse. Very interesting.
No Burroughs in top 12? I know they are not in the SGV, but they are still in that division.
I haven't heard that Tip went to phs to coach. That would really surprise a lot of people...myself included. 1) Why jv? 2) I thought he and Mills had MAJOR differences in philosophy.
Or was he just a wolf in sheep's clothing all along? Oh well, best of luck Tip. You'll need it over there on the east side.
As far as the Mid-Valley newspaper's rankings are concerned, they aren't that bad, although with all the hype SH is getting you'd figure th MV News would've ranked THEM in the 1 or spot. Way to take the road less traveled MV News!!!
From the Mid Valley News:
Mid Valley Southeastern Division Top 12
How fun. We get to put together this Southeastern Top 12 and get all of the hate mail out of the way early. That’s just it, it’s early, but there’s a lot of heavy action slated for this division. No confirmation yet that coaches have submitted division name change to “Black and Blue”
1.) Charter Oak (10-2-1): Give this team the benefit of the doubt they are on a nice run.
2.) Muir (8-3-0): Finally will have an opportunity to compete in the playoffs.
3.) South Hills (10-3-0): Could easily be number one, just may be after week one.
4.) Diamond Ranch (7-3-0): To deny Panthers talent is to deny the sun rising in the East.
5.) California (10-3-0): The new power in the Del Rio is here to stay.
6.) Arcadia (8-3-0): Might be a little high, a little early, Coach D. always finds a way.
7.) Santa Fe (5-6-0): The wheels came off, hopefully Schurr hangover from -06 is over.
8.) Alhambra (7-4-0): Mucho talent, loads of bad dudes, favorite in the Almont so far.
9.) West Covina (6-6-0): Season could come down to knocking down SH’s Deen.
10.) San Gabriel (9-3-0): Will climb the charts if they can beat Alhambra.
11.) Los Altos (4-6-0): Coach Aguilar comes at the right time.
12.) Bonita (6-5-0): Bearcats luck is always in, and always bad.
Rumor has it Tip Sanders is bac at PHS coaching the JV's. That's weak!
stangfan, the offense line at Muir will handle it. The seniors, juniors and now a sophmore.(the freshmen starter)
A Huckster sighting!!! THANK YOU!!! Good to have you back buddy.
So Muir is going to lose in the first round? Ok...sooooo you haven't looked at the new division, have you? Here's the thing. NO first-place Pacific League team will lose in this new division...PERIOD!!! The leagues in the Southeast are extremely top heavy, with the exception of the Miramonte. So any third-place team that the winner of the Pacific League plays will be a VERY weak team...VERY WEAK. I think our league will actually have three teams in the second round and two in the semis, and of course none of those teams will be phs...but you already knew that.
Does a sound running game and good coaching win playoffs? Of course...but you forgot the key ingredient...DEFENSE. I promise you that Muir will again have the stingiest D in the league, you know, the one that held your "prolific" offense to just nine points last year. And as far as a running game is concerned, it is an issue that certainly needs to be addressed, but you know we'll get that established fairly soon. After all, it's Muir we're talking about...one of Willie's back-ups will step it up, and if not we can easily find a RB somewhere on our campus. Not only that but Bingo's threat to run will open up a lot open of space for our speedsters to find and run through.
I will tell you this though. If the Pacific league recieved only three playoff spots, you guys would DEFINITELY not qualify. As it is now, you guys are going to struggle with CV for that fourth spot. Good luck with that.
Glad to see you back bro...
LET'S GO STANGS!!!!!!
Huck put down the bottle!!!!! The dogs are going to lose to muir just like last year!!!! your opinion is pointless! I believe you guaranteed a victory last year!
Coach Sims, is out of his mind if he thinks "Bingo" is better than "Riley" of St. Francis! Muir is not going that far, because they will have no running game to save them. They're not the most physical team and the East Valley has better coaching than the West Valley! The playoff's are won with a running game and good solid coaching! Muir will lose first round like last year! Go Dogs!!!!!!
Regarding Blair
Sounds like Viking supporters have come out of SprinklerGate without a scratch and are talking about challenging for the RHL crown once again. Just about everybody around seemed to forsee a return to old ways at Blair, basically meaning a less competitive team would take the field.
Of course, like every other team around, it don't mean zip yet. Either way, here is hoping Blair DOES NOT slide backwards. Judging by the comments here, the pride that was renewed last year is still intact.
Fred,
In regards to the all-star game, yes TC did have an amazing game and virtually won it by himself, but let's remember that the ENTIRE PSN all-area team played in the other all-star game....and most of us view Duarte as a west team.
GA & NY,
You guys are absolutely right. I've never understood why Muir seemingly never gets those huge protoype hogs. Obviously, a part of it is our low population, but MAN I can only imagine how tough we'd be if we had those types year to year. And yes NY, Shell (as he's referred to at Muir) used to sell high school gear at the games with his buddy Coach Hill. Coach Shell is a GREAT dude!!!
stang 15,
what's the up-and-coming JV players name...he sounds promising. Is he a junior or sophomore?
Far as Muir's oline, they are returning 3 starters and a back up from last year. The d-line has 2 returning starters and a few backs coming back. Muir Has a kid moving up from JV 6"2 about 260 with long arms..... Him and the true freshmen starter will be something to watch for the next couple of years!!!!!
StangFan,
I'm pretty sure Sheldon sold T-Shirts and other types of Wildcat gear at Monrovia games during the late 90's. He has been on the Muir staff for a very long time and has seen several different coaches.
That is a great point, Goldenarm. It is also true of any team hoping to win a championship. The Patriots lost to the Giants largely due to the Giants' defensive line penetrating what had typically been somewhat of a force-field around Tom Brady.
I am looking forward to hearing BigMLover's assessment of Monrovia's interior line. An offensive line that moves in unison, low, explosively and until the whistle blows, can make good running backs and quarterbacks look great. If you combine that type of line play with talented running backs, coached to set-up as well as read blocks, HOLD ONTO THE FOOTBALL and finish the run (preferably in bounds), then you have something special to build around. Obviously, that vision is one of the toughest to fulfill, and it takes major commitment from the top.
Regarding Muir, the only point (and a crucial one) not touched on is the fab five, meaning O and D line. If the right people, scheme and chemistry is not happening up front, the Stangs could easily start off 0-3, against these teams that surely are going to bring some beef to the show.
Muir's talent and speed is a given. I am hoping the pain was paid in the offseason by the Stangs big people. Maybe The Stang Fan or Miquel can touch on this. I know they have the one kid that was on Varsity as a freshman...he should be looking big time strong about now. What about the balance of the line players?
Freddie J,
You hit the nail on the head!!! Except for adding phs in the mix, just fill-in Burroughs instead, they are going to be much better than the dogs are.
You mean to tell me that South Hills has a CIF ring for beating SAN GABRIEL!!!! Trust me, I'm not trying to knock SG at all, it's just that we are used to going to battle against much tougher schools in the playoffs. We will no longer be seeing the ND's and Colony's in the 2nd round anymore....more like Alhambra, West Covina, Schurr, Bontia, etc. That doesn't sound bad at all...
Coach Simms is a hell of a coach. Rumor has it that he in fact is the brains of the operation at Muir. Not taking ANYTHING away from Coach Howard, I just hear that Howard is grooming Simms and has basically handed the nuts and bolts of the coaching over to Simms. I even think that Simms was a defensive coordinator before taking over the offense. Anyhow, Miguel you spoke with the absolute right guy.
ANd if the Sheldon you spoke with was a heavy-set guy, then you were in the right hands. That guy has been helping out at Muir for years with coaching and security...helluva guy. You should spend some time with him one day to talk about the old days.
In terms of what he said, Simms didn't come off as arrogant at all. Like you said, just confident. I do disagree about the best player tag however, that belongs to Dietrich. We all have to remember that Dietrich is still just a junior. As I mentioned before, if Bingo played WR he would be an absolute BEAST!!! Great hands, super quick feet, superb jumping ability, and great off of the ball. I can't WAIT to see what he does this year.
Diamond Ranch does have a tougher than Muir, but Amat's is the toughest. Muir's schedule, as mentioned by Big M Lover, is always hurt by the Glendale schools and others, and the fact that they now only have three preseason games as opposed to the traditional five.
As far as talent compared to the east is concerned, Muir has never lagged behind. In fact, take some of Pasadena's, Altadena's, Monrovia's, and Duarte's best away from the east schools and some of them wouldn't be NEARLY as good. This will be the funnest November/December than we've seen around these parts in a LONG time!!!
29 days and counting........
LET'S GO STANGS!!!!!!!!!!!
In all honesty westsiders, I think Muir, Arcadia and PHS will do well in the Southwest. From a physical standpoint, they can compete in the trenches where in years past playing in upper-divisions, they got manhandled once they reached the quarters or semis. South Hills, Charter Oak, Diamond Ranch, Bonita, and West Covina are well coached teams with a few division one standouts here and there, but it's not like Muir facing Notre Dame in the playoffs, like they did a few years ago. Heck, even when San Gabriel got to the championship against South Hills and the Peyton brothers a few years back, the Matadors hung for most of the game. I'll bet Muir would have given them a better run for their money. Trust, it's going to be fun.
Actually, Amat has the toughest schedule
@ Los Osos
Orange Lutheran
Damien
Diamond Ranch
@St. Francis
Chaminade
Crespi
at Notre Dame
That's scary, but its what you get for being in the Pac-5.
In fact, they have the Falcons ranked at #18!
GO CATS!
CalPreps Mid-Valley Preseason rankings:
No love for Duarte and the rest of the Montview...
GO CATS!
Miguel...
CalPreps has So El Monte, Rosemead and El Monte ranked in the top 10 in the Mid Valley division (4, 6 and 7 respectively).
Can you talk a little more about these teams? Especially Rosemead...we see them in the 3rd game.
GO CATS!
Ha, thanks BigMLover.
But Freddy does bring up a good point and it'll be interesting to see how the West teams fare up against the East teams in the new playoff realignment.
And I agree with Fred that Diamond Ranch does have the toughest schedule. Don't get me wrong, Muir's schedule is tough but the SLIGHT edge on this side of town goes to DRanch.
Much love for Miguel...
GO CATS!
Is it weird that I'm feeling a little jealous cuz Freddy invaded my blog? ha ha
Until the Pacific League dumps Hoover, Glendale, Burbank and CV, Muir's league sched will always be easier.
But D-Ranch's non-league sched is pretty impressive.
GO CATS!
I would argue that Diamond Ranch's schedule is even tougher:
Muir
@Colony
@Oaks Christian
Chino Hills
@Bishop Amat
@Charter Oak
Bonita
(Records in 2008)
Hey Fred...
Muir has the toughest non-league sched in the SGV:
If they come out of that horror 2-1 (with all there teeth intact) they should be #1.
GO CATS!
Well, the west won with Tribune players, like South El Monte's four touchdown performer Tommy Cogburn and others from Duarte, who played a big role...But I'm loving the new CIF realignment, we'll know exactly where the strength of the San Gabriel Valley hails from by December.
Come on Fred...You ranked them last year and swore by the fact that your east/west all star rivalry would be an East cake walk. Lets wait until after week 0 to make any whole valley predictions. I bet you'll change your opinion from top to bottom.....
Trust the Observer!
Come on Fred...You ranked them last year and swore by the fact that your east/west all star rivalry would be an East cake walk. Lets wait until after week 0 to make any whole valley predictions. I bet you'll change your opinion from top to bottom.....
Trust the Observer!
Okay, if I'm ranking the entire SGV, which is fitting considering the new regionalization of the CIF playoffs, it would look like this..
1. South Hills
2. Bishop Amat
3. Charter Oak
4. Muir
5. St. Francis
6. Diamond Ranch
7. Bonita
8. Arcadia
9. San Dimas
10. South El Monte
And don't forget Brennan now is in the NFL. Redskins?
Re: Thomas, "His mechanics aren't the best..."
Colt Brennan doesn't have good mechanics...but he set the NCAA passing mark. Mechanics will be something for the coaches to work on, but it isn't as important as the results...they obviously speak for themselves.
Thomas is definitely on the short list of "Best in the Valley"...