The Stang Fan: 7-3
Melendez: 4-6
A week late, I know. Much like the rest of the WSGV, I wish I had another crack at picking last week’s winners, which weren’t all that much better than my atrocious start last year. While I got a chance to catch both Monrovia/Arcadia and Diamond Ranch/Muir, I’m sad to say I won’t get a similar chance this week. There’s a lot of hype surrounding Arroyo, which hosts Temple City on Friday night. The Anthony White era begins amid question marks at key positions, including QB. Then you have the La Salle/Maranatha showdown. Last year’s epic battle will be hard to match, but you just never know what will happen in what’s becoming a true crosstown rivalry. It’s hard to choose, really. Minutemen or Lancers? In-N-Out or tri-tip? I know, I know, I’d go with In-N-Out any day, too. As far as the game itself? Well, that’s hard to gauge. Maranatha led through the fourth quarter until it self-destructed after surrendering two late touchdowns. Is it a matter of new QB Cody Keith (14 of 35, 168 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT’s) having first-game jitters playing in warm Southern California, Keith still getting used to new teammates or simply a poorly executed game by the Minutemen? Bad luck? Maybe. Linfield Christian got a lucky bounce to score its first points of the game, coming in the third quarter. Quarterback Justin Carter threw to Austin Maranville for a 26-yard gain before he was stripped of the ball by a Minuteman defender. However, Linfield Christian’s Brandon Blake scooped up the ball and ran in the remaining 28 yards for the score. Not making excuses for our boys at Saint John Ave., but sometimes you just don’t get the bounces to go your way, and the Minutemen did have a valiant effort on the defensive end with Josh Jones’ two INT’s and Brandon Wilson and Chris Cornell each adding apiece. Meanwhile, La Salle needed a Marcus Well to score a late TD and recover a fumble with 1:19 to play to stop a last-minute Village Christian drive. The air quality won’t affect team practices, so lets hope we get the best of how these teams can play, and the guess here is when it’s all said and done, Maranatha comes out on top.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Maranatha (0-1) at La Salle (1-1), 7 p.m.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
(All games 7 p.m. unless noted)
Maranatha at La Salle — Melendez (La Salle);
St. Francis at Arcadia — Melendez (St. Francis)
Temple City at Arroyo — Melendez (Temple City)
Monrovia at Duarte — Melendez (Monrovia)
Saugus at Pasadena — Melendez (Saugus)
Covina at Rosemead — Melendez (Rosemead)
Gabrielino at San Marino — Melendez (San Marino)
San Gabriel at South Pasadena — Melendez (San Gabriel)
Muir at Oaks Christian — Melendez (Oaks Christian)
Kilpatrick at Rio Hondo Prep, 7:30 p.m. — Melendez (RHP)
Marshall at Salesian — Melendez (Salesian)
SATURDAY’S GAME
Blair at Bosco Tech, 1:30 p.m. — Melendez (Bosco Tech)
Sherman Indian at Pasadena Poly, 2 p.m. — Melendez (Pasadena Poly)
St. Genevieve at Flintridge Prep, 2 p.m. Melendez (Flintridge Prep)
