Football: Blair at St. Margaret's in Week 0?! Yup
No, that wasn't a typo. Blair will be traveling to the deep south of Orange County where they'll take on the defending back-to-back-to back CIF-Southern Section and CIF State champion St. Margaret's. it's hard to say why either school would agree to play this game. Sure, Maggies is in the small schools division but talent-wise one can argue the Tartans are the superior team. For answers we went straight to the source and asked Gary Parks, entering his second full season as the Vikings' coach. He gives us a brief outlook of the season and what went into scheduling such a heavy weight to start the 2009 season.
From The Sidelines: I see St. Margaret's is on your schedule. What is up with that?!?!?
Gary Parks: (Laughs) ... We need to find out where our program is early. We're returning eight lineman, our front is going to be averaging 6-foot-2, 275 pounds so we want to see what we're doing early.
FTS: I can see the advantage Blair would have in playing a perennial powerhouse in St. Margaret's, but what's the advantage for St. Margaret's playing Blair? Why would they agree?
Parks: Really, we chatted a bit and, yeah, there would be no advantage for them. It's be a disadvantage for them because if we win the game it looks bad for them, but they want to see their team competing public schools."
FTS: How did all this come about?
Parks: Pretty much I knew him through my ex coach and mentor, Lalo Mendoza. I was consulting with him and I told him we wanted to play a quality opponent and I was just asking him what he thought of St. Margaret's. He said that would be a great game for us. They're well-disciplined and well-coached. There's no better coach. it would be good to go back and learn from our mistakes. I just got the number from Lalo and gave him a call and we talked about it. He mentioned to me he had some concerns because they're a small school. I told him, 'Coach, you're back-to-back champions .. ' He called back a few days later and said we would play. This is going to be a one-year contract. We want to be able to establish ourselves as a top notch program. We want to be able to compete with whatever CIF offers; league, division championships and state championships. Our goal is to be competitive to claim those titles in the future.
FTS: Why so many road games to start the season?
Parks: We're doing this because next year we're getting our artificial surface. The plan is since we don't make gate money at Pasadena City College, we'll play on the road and have them play at our new field the following year so we get the gate money.
Here are some of the schedules we've received thus far. If you have any more give me a ring coaches. You know my digits:
BLAIR -- Sept. 4 at St. Margaret's; Sept. 12 at Don Bosco Tech; Sept. 25 at La Salle; Oct. 2 at Wilson; Oct. 9 at Brawley; Rio Hondo League action.
LA SALLE -- Sept. 4 vs. Village Christian; Sept. 11 vs. Maranatha; Sept. 18 at San Marino; Sept. 25 vs. Blair; Oct. 2 at Monrovia; Oct. 9 at Temple City; Oct. 16 at Verbum Dei; Oct. 30 vs. Mary Star; Nov. 6 vs. Cantwell; Nov. 13. at Don Bosco Tech, 2 p.m. (All games 7 p.m. unless noted)
MARANATHA -- Sept. 4 vs. Linfield Christian; Sept. 11 at La Salle; Sept. 18 Bye; Sept. 25 vs. Bakersfield Christian; Oct. 2 at Calvary Chapel Downey; Oct. 9 vs. Kilpatrick; Oct. 16 vs. Brentwood; Oct. 23 at Montclair Prep; Oct. 30 vs. Sierra Canyon; Nov. 6 at Marshall; Nov. 13 vs. Campbell Hall (All games 7 p.m.)
Maranatha football coach Joel Murphy wanted to schedule some local high schools for the upcoming season. He was unsuccessful, however.
"Because of their pre-existing contracts, our new league expansion, and inability to be flexible with some dates, it just didn't seem to work out," Murphy said. "That's what you get when you're the new kid on the block huh?
"Maybe next year we can get a game with a Rio Hondo or Pacific League school. Now, I'm not saying we'd win by any means, but it'd be good for us to start playing these guys."
No, it wouldn't be good. It would be AWESOME. But, again, what team would want to schedule a team like Maranatha. This is no knock on the Minutemen who advanced to the semifinals of the CIF-Southern Section playoffs before losing to, um, yes, St. Margaret's. I guess there would be no advantage for a team like, say, Monrovia, or Temple City, but starting with baby steps wouldn't be bad. Try South Pasadena and La Canada.
For now, Murphy was able to schedule Bakersfield Christian. Not exactly a name that pops out, but look at their resume. Bakersfield Christian comes to town on Week 3. They are the back-to-back CIF Central Section champions. They went 12-1 last year with its only loss coming to Oaks Christian in Week 0.
"Needless to say," Murphy said, "we've got our hands full with some big desert boys."
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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. |
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Did anybody read Park's statement that Blair's line will AVERAGE 275 lbs??
That is a lot of Top's Pastrami's!!
Blair's NT last year was over 300, so I guess that dude is returning. I think he wore #70. A former neighbor kid, Kelvin, is playing for the Vikes this year. Very large and very fast.
Look out RHL.
Funny you mention 63-0. That was the exact score Mission Viejo layed on the TC freshman team a few years back.
The Rams made one first down, which infuriated the MV bench and coaches. It was 50-0 at half. It was nauseating to watch. At the time, I was pissed at Mooney for agreeing to such a contest.
The following year those same TC freshman were RHL co-champs with Monrovia. (M-town had beaten TC 43-0 that freshman season as well)Last year many of those same freshmen kids went to the CIF semi-finals. Ruckle, Tinsley and our 4 returnees on O-line endured the MV freshman slaughter. The cause and effect may be a bit hard to tie to one another - but it is there.
"One preleague behemoth" at least as the Stang Fan points out. I applaud Blair for the scheduling. It will pay dividends down the road.
What are they thinking,
You are right, 63-0 might be a pipe dream, but as I mentioned there are some definite silver linings. One just happens to be the fact that the opportunity to play such dominant teams allows athletes to learn from the best. As a player, when you play such teams, you learn first-hand what it takes to be a great team. The discipline, the strength, the will, the desire, the teamwork, the commitment on every play, etc., etc. is facing you head on during every single play. Yes, you walk away with a major check in the loss column, but at the same time you realize what it takes to be a very good team. If a coach can capitalize on that and push his team to match that type of effort, then more often than not his team will have a successful year.
What? no Maranatha vs. Rio Hondo Prep, that was on a nice rivalry they had going,
Is Blair nuts? Sure, it's a lower level team but for a team like Blair to face a power like that is crazy. 63-0 might be a pipe dream.
Yes, St. Margaret… oohh scary and very intimidating. Kind of reminds me of last season’s first game with West Covina where are boys were hammered. However, it was good for them to get out there with a STRONG team and know what they are in for when league starts, with the exception of South Pas of course…
Blair = Sacrificial Lamb
Good for Blair! I'm of the belief that schools should schedule at least one behemoth a season to see what it's like to play against the best. Of course, you risk an ultimate beat down, which many feel is unnecessary, but I think offering your players a chance to compete against the best is worth the risk. Muir's preseason schedule versus the likes of Oaks Christian gets them ready for league, which is how it should be, and the results are evident with just one league loss in four years. Blair won't play ANYBODY like St. Maggies in league, and that game will prepare them for games against Monrovia and TC. Again, good job Blair!
Btw Miguel, Muir's preseason is the exact same as last year:
Week 0- Diamond Ranch @ home(3 games in the span of 15 months)
Week 1- @ Oaks Christian (much tougher than last year with 8-9 D-1 guys)
Week 2- Venice @ home (should be better than last year)
Week 3- Bye
Weeks 4-10- League play