October 2009 Archives
*Just thought I'd share this with you. Sam Farmer of the L.A. Times wrote a very inspiring story on Charlie Wedemeyer, who was diagnosed 31 years ago with ALS and told he had a year to live. Now, he guides players from sidelines in non-verbal language to his wife. Believe me, you will want to read this if you haven't already. Truly inspiring.
*La Cañada's win over San Marino gives meaning to next week's Monrovia- La Cañada game. Is this easily our game of the week?
*FYI: Every time I've picked San Gabriel to win, they've lost. Every time I've picked them to lose, they've won. Who do I have in next week's Almont League showdown pitting Schurr at San Gabriel? Undecided.
*What happened to PHS? They had this one. They had it! Someone on the blog mentioned there was no sense of urgency, but seriously, how is that possible with so much on the line?
*What happened to Arcadia? They were leading the Pacific League front-runner by six points before they let it slip away ... This one's probably the toughest game to swallow.
*Is there any more doubt St. Francis is the top team in the WSGV? No.
*La Salle coach Antoine Peterson sounded frustrated, exhausted and puzzled after Friday night's loss to Mary Star. Peterson was hoping the Lancers would play with some sense of urgency, and the bye didn't seem to help as some players showed rust.
*Isn't Rio Hondo Prep the "feel good team" of the San Gabriel Valley? They hop on a bus to Viewpoint early Friday and head home in traffic late in the afternoon with a 40-0 win. And in case you're wondering, Ken Drain is not just the head football coach. He's also the school's athletic director and boys basketball coach. Oh, and also the team's bus driver. Rueben Thomas, move over. We have a new Mr. Everything taking charge.
*With Muir's 25-0 win over Hover earlier this week, are the Mustangs' playoff hopes still alive? At the very least, it's looking like the Turkey Tussle will have more than just Braggin' Rights on the line.
*Athlete of the week considerations: Temple City's Justin Smith; San Gabriel's Isaac Valdez; Monrovia's De'Shawn Ramirez; and La Cañada's Rocky Moore. Picking one won't be easy.
LOOKING AHEAD AT WEEK 9
(Note: If the game's time/site changes please e-mail miguel.melendez@sgvn.com .. We're not that fond of surprises =)
THURSDAY'S GAME
Pasadena vs. Burbank at Burroughs, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY'S GAMES
Monrovia at La Canada, 7 p.m.
Bell Gardens at Alhambra, 7 p.m.
Schurr at San Gabriel, 7 p.m.
Cantwell Sacred Heart at La Salle, 7 p.m.
Hoover at Arcadia, 7 p.m.
South Pasadena at Temple City, 7 p.m.
Glendale at Muir, 7 p.m.
St. Francis at Alemany, 7:30 p.m.
Duarte vs. Workman at La Puente, 7 p.m.
Rosemead vs. El Monte at Arroyo, 7 p.m.
Keppel at Montebello, 7 p.m.
Viewpoint vs. Flintridge Prep at Oxy, 7 p.m.
Maranatha vs. Marshall at Paadena, 7 p.m.
South El Monte at Gabrielino, 7 p.m.
Blair vs. San Marino at PCC, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY'S GAMES
Rio Hondo Prep at Pasadena Poly, 2:30 p.m.
Serra at Bosco Tech, 1 p.m.
Also, check out this video ... Was the QB showing off or is it still a pretty cool throw?
CLICK HERE FOR QUARTER-BY-QUARTER SCORE UPDATES
TONIGHT'S RESULTS
San Gabriel 52, Alhambra 14 -- Valdez rushed for four touchdowns and passed for another as San Gabriel, 3-0 in league play, took off after a shaky start. Trailing 7-0, the Matadors took advantage of a 7-yard punt that gave them the ball at the Alhambra 38- yard line in the second quarter. Four plays later, Valdez scored on a 1-yard sneak to tie the game. Alhambra went backward in its next series, and a short punt and 22-yard return by Fabian Amaro put the ball on the 18. Four plays later, Valdez was in the end zone on a 4-yard bootleg run for a 13-7 lead. The game took more than three hours to play and featured 75 passes and 23 penalties, coupled with a 32-minute intermission for San Gabriel's homecoming activities. This game proved to be way too for Alhambra.
La Cañada 14, San Marino 10 -- San Marino mistakes limited its offense and LC quarterback Rocky Moore led a touchdown drive deep in the fourth quarter to give La Cañada's first lead of the game. San Marino's Benny Hung ran into a virtual wall, rushing for 93 yards on 29 carries. It didn't help that Titans QB Joe Forgatch did not connect on his final 10 passes the fourth quarter, and one was intercepted. In fairness, three were dropped. La Cañada's win sets up a huge showdown at home next week against second-ranked Monrovia.
Azusa 47, Duarte 6 -- Azusa's John Chavez threw for 129 yards and three touchdowns to lead the visiting Aztecs.
Rosemead 31, South El Monte 28 -- Rosemead withstood a furious rally by South El Monte and scored the winning touchdown on Matt Fergoso's 5-yard run with eight seconds left to stay in the hunt for the Mission Valley League title Friday night.
Burbank 33, Arcadia 27 -- The Apaches squandered a 6-point lead before Burbank's Anthony Cervantes caught a 19-yard pass from Adam Colman to close out a six-play, 65-yard drive, and Colman's run for the two-point conversation sealed the Bulldogs' win in a Pacific League game that saw six lead changes.
Temple City 41, Blair 8 -- Justin Smith passed for three touchdowns and ran for another three to lead the Rams (4-3-1, 2-1) over Blair in a bizarre Rio Hondo League contest Friday night at Muir High. With just under six minutes left in the game, the lights at Muir's new field went out, forcing the game to end quicker than expected.
Monrovia 35, South Pasadena 7 -- De'Shawn Ramirez put on a show. He had eight carries for 113 yards and four touchdowns. Monrovia led 14-0 at the half and scored 21 in the second half. The Wildcats sat out their starters for some of the third quarter and the entire fourth.
Mary Star 33, La Salle 14 -- Mary Star of the Sea (5-3, 3-0) scored early and often, handing La Salle (3-5, 0-2) a Camino Real League defeat that puts the Lancers' playoff hopes in shambles. The Lancers trailed 19-0 at halftime, but got within striking distance in the second half. La Salle scored early in the third quarter when Mike Alexander caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mike Novell to make it 19-7. The Lancers got within 19-14, but that's as close as they would get before Mary Star took over.
Crescenta Valley 38, Pasadena -- The Bulldogs amassed 555 yards of total offense, 294 through the air and 261 on the ground, including Nick Escoe and Charles Hendricks whom each had 100 yards rushing apiece. PHS quarterback Aaron Simpson passed for 294 yards, but turnovers proved to be the difference and they couldn't stop CV's offensive prowess. CV scored on six of eight possessions, and the two they didn't score ended the first half and the game.
Maranatha 19, Sierra Canyon 12 -- Cody Keith ran for a touchdown and connected on another with Danny Beckwith to help the Minutemen improve to 5-0 in Alpha League play. Maranatha led 7-6 at the half.
St. Francis 34, St. Paul 7 -- Converting Friedman Field into their own version of "The Pit" (St. Paul High School's notorious Cranham Field), St. Francis opened Mission League football play with a 34-7 victory over visiting St. Paul on Friday night. The Golden Knights (7-1) were led by running back Austin Nieves, who rushed for 157 yards on just seven carries. Quarterback Justin Posthuma completed 11 of 21 passes for 165 yards and a pair of touchdowns. St. Francis scored on four of its five first-half possessions, highlighted by a 79-yard touchdown run by Nieves for a 14-0 lead on the final play of the first quarter.
Rio Hondo Prep 40, Viewpoint 0 -- Cody Cowell returned an interception 78 yards for a score and added another with a 21-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Chris Llamas in the closing minutes of the first quarter to lead the Kares to a Prep League victory.
Rio Hondo Prep (8-0, 3-0) built a 37-0 lead at halftime, courtesy of J.T. Parker's two TDs in the second quarter -- a 1-yard scoring run and a 49-yard touchdown catch from Llamas in the closing seconds of the quarter.
Flintridge Prep 24, Webb 21 -- Trailing 21-17 with 2:30 remaining in the game and facing a fourth-and-6 from their own 20, the Rebels' Kory Hamane found a ball that was batted away by a Webb defender to keep their last-minute drive alive. Two plays later, Hamane took the ball around the left end from 14 yards for the winning score with 1:36 left left in the game. Flintridge Prep (2-5, 1-1) played tenacious defense and stopped the Gauls to make the score stand.
THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
MUIR (1-6, 1-3) vs. HOOVER (1-6, 0-4) at GLENDALE HIGH, 7 P.M.
CLICK HERE FOR QUARTER-BY-QUARTER SCORE UPDATES
So much for Muir High School competing for a Pacific League championship this year. Mustangs football coach Ken Howard was optimistic before the start of the season despite losing 24 players to graduation, but after an 1-6 start? Not so much.
Muir has won the league title four of the last six years, but at this point the only certainty is it won't happen this year. It used to be Muir's biggest challenge was not overlooking inferior opponents because of their records. It also used to be Muir could be counted on to beat Hoover (1-6, 0-4), but the way things have gone this season nothing's a certainty.
"Oh yeah, no doubt about it," Howard said as the Mustangs prepared to play Hoover tonight at 7 at Glendale. "I'm not going to take (Hoover) lightly because of their record because I can't complain about anybody or how they're doing. Look at us. We need to win. Period."
Muir quarterback Jarron Williams said the team needed heart after the Mustangs' 21-14 loss to Crescenta Valley last week. Muir trailed 21-0 at the half before mounting a comeback in the second half that fell short.
"Every year you get the same thing," Howard said. "We don't fight until we're up against the wall. I don't know why we do that, but we have to at some point start in the front court."
Pasadena (4-3, 3-1), meanwhile, is coming off an impressive 48-0 win over Glendale. The Bulldogs revamped the offense and installed the double-wing. Glendale was not ready to defend it and Pasadena took advantage. Howard said the Mustangs' offense will not be revamped, but there will be tweaks to the lineup.
"We have to try everything right now," Howard said. "Don't be surprised if you see guys playing different positions, whether it's Williams lining up at running back or something else. We're trying to find where we're going to click together."
Regardless, chances for a playoff spot are slim and Muir cannot afford another loss. "Last week was a win that would have made us comfortable, but we have to win (today)," Howard said.
If not?
"It's going to throw a wrench in the game," he said. "But I've seen stranger things happen. We're not going to give up."
Howard, in his 13th year at the school and seventh as head coach, took issue with growing whispers from those questioning play-calling and impatience.
"You look at the people that are naysayers and you figure they must have won every game in their life," Howard said candidly. "They must have never lost. But if you're not in someone's shoes don't condemn the guy before you know what's going on.
"If you knew how many guys graduated last year and how many young guys are playing ... you don't win every year. Lets be serious about this; is this program down? No. Right now we're not better than the teams in the past. If we don't make the playoffs, then of course it's a down year, but we're still fighting for a spot."
By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer
It's not hard to spot San Gabriel High School's Isaac Valdez.
If his kindness isn't captivating enough, then his infectious smile will do the trick.
And Valdez has plenty of reasons to smile.
He's the popular quarterback on the Matadors football team, he's always flanked by coaches, teachers, teammates and friends and is showered with love and support from his large family.
"But don't misunderstand," San Gabriel coach Keith Jones said. "Behind that smile there's still a competitive young man."
After hanging up the soccer cleats - "I think that's where I developed my footwork," he said - Valdez convinced his mother, Rocio, to let him play Pop Warner football in the eighth grade.
"She didn't want me to get hurt," Valdez said. "But she got used to it."
Rocio now is one of about 40 relatives who attend Valdez's home games. There still are three games left in the season, but Valdez already knows what he'll miss most - the high school football atmosphere unmatched by any other sport.
CLICK ON THREAD TO CONTINUE READING
Continue reading Football: Isaac Valdez leaving his mark on Matadors.
Above: For you Monrovia fans, here's what Freddy looks like in case you want to give him an earful.
Fred Robledo, who has covered San Gabriel Valley Preps almost as long as I've been alive, makes a very interesting point about Paraclete possibly reaching the Mid Valley Division finals again and why Monrovia will lose in the semifinals.
Mid-Valley rankings 1. Monrovia, 2. San Dimas, 3. Azusa, 4. Baldwin Park, 5. Paraclete, 6. San Marino, 7. Village Christian, 8. Arroyo, 9. Gladstone, 10. La Puente. I post these rankings to show the championship is going to be San Dimas and Paraclete. Sorry MTown, Paraclete is a different animal and its a shame that because they lost to some very tough teams, they will probably get the No. 4 seed when the playoffs start, which means they will knock off No. 1 Monrovia in the semis. I'm guessing San Dimas will beat Baldwin Park for the VVL title, knocking Baldwin Park behind Paraclete and thus moving Paraclete to No. 4. There is no way Azusa is losing to anyone in the Montview, so they're locked in at No. 3. Just as San Dimas and Northview found out last year, being No. 1 isn't always fair. Monrovia should play someone like Azusa in the semis, but with Paraclete looming at No. 4, I'm afraid they won't get to stop San Dimas again, Paraclete will.
All joking aside, Robledo makes a very good point and gives the CIF rankings a whole new meaning when looking at it in perspective. What have you say Observantcat and New York?
If you're Monrovia (7-0, 2-0) how do you stay pumped when you're going up against the likes of South Pasadena, La Canada and Blair? You remember that if you don't beat those teams there's a good chance you drop from the No. 1 ranking in the CIF-SS Mid Valley Division. But even so, Paraclete is the defending Mid Valley Division champion. They put a whoop on Rosemead last year and if the Wildcats are to claim a CIF championship they realize it's Paraclete's to defend first.
"Absolutely," Monrovia coach Ryan Maddox said. "They proved last year that they're the team to beat. Until somebody in our division beats them and as long as they come out of their league on top, which in all likelyhood will happen, they're the team to beat."
Desert Rat, Spirit Xpress, what have you say?
Above: Steve Yortsos & Co. will have their hands full when San Marino hosts La Cañada on Friday.
THE PSN TOP 10 RANKINGS
1. ST. FRANCIS (6-1) -- The Golden Knights' 27-23 win over Loyola last week was huge, the first in 27 years. Talk about breaking a bad spell. I wasn't at the game but from reading the story it sounded like it was a good one. And good for St. Francis QB Justin Posthuma redeeming himself. And I agree, good story from Eric Sondheimer at the L.A. Times. Posthuma connected with sophomore Travis Talianko for a 3-yard touchdown with 11 seconds left in the game.
2. MONROVIA (7-0) -- I've gotten quite a few emails asking why Monrovia is unbeaten yet ranked No. 2 instead of No. 1. Well, as I've explained before (haven't I?) St. Francis has played much much tougher competition. They were this close to beating Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and just beat Loyola, and in spite of losing running back Anthony Barr (broken leg) early in the season and their head coach Jeff Kearin -- who resigned halfway through the season for personal reasons -- the win over the Cubs (3-4) is still impressive because Loyola's a perennial power in the CIF-Southern Section Pac-5 Division. However, there is no doubt the Wildcats are the best team in the Mid-Valley Division and arguably the best team in the SGV. From this point on it'll be up to Monrovia whether it finishes unbeaten or not. Then, of course, the playoffs begin and there's no telling from there on.
3. SAN MARINO (6-1) -- The Titans will have their hands full Friday night when they host the Spartans. Both teams are coming off impressive wins over South Pasadena and Blair, respectively. If I had to guess, the Rio Hondo League finishes like this: 1. Monrovia; 2. San Marino; 3. Temple City; 4. La Cañada; 5. South Pasadena; 6. Blair.
4. TEMPLE CITY (3-3-1) -- Well, what can you say about the Rams. They are hurting right now with injuries depleting the roster. That said, Temple City shouldn't run into any problems with Blair on Friday night. For the sake of argument, why not let Max Ruckle dictate the offense, just to see if the Rams' ground attack is superior to the passing game. If Ruckle runs wild for 300+ yards then you have your answer. But then again, this would be coming against Blair so there wouldn't be much revealing.
5. ALHAMBRA (4-2) -- In retrospect, the Moors should have moved up to No. 4 in these rankings. Alhambra's coming off a 28-21 win over Montebello, and this game was all the more impressive because Alhambra won on the road. The road show continues when the Moors travel to San Gabriel. I'm going to try to make it out for the first half, but no promises. Keith Lair will be there on assignment.
6. RIO HONDO PREP (7-0) -- The Kares exacted vengeance last week when they derailed Chadwick, 43-7. Some competition. Rio Hondo Prep, however, still has some kinks to iron out when it comes to its passing game, and they'll need one when they head to the playoffs. For now the offense can survive without it, but not come playoffs.
7. SAN GABRIEL (4-3) -- C'mon, who really pegged the Matadors to win at Bell Gardens, and by a blow out no less. Certainly not me, but as usual San Gabriel wakes up in the nick of time. Last week's 49-28 win over Bell Gardens was impressive because the injury-plagued Matadors held the Lancers scoreless in the second half.
8. LA CAÑADA (3-3) -- No Josh Hanson meant Spartans QB Rocky Moore was left without his biggest and best target when they played host to Temple City. With Hanson back in the lineup La Cañada has a legitimate shot at knocking off San Marino and putting its playoff hopes in doubt.
9. MARANATHA (5-2) -- I still don't have a hold of Maranatha. I'm not sold yet, I'm not doubting either. I'm down the middle. "Cheer- leader!" posted in the Star-Picks thread that Maranatha is a cute team ... Yeah, cuz "cute" make teams win.
10. LA SALLE (3-4) -- The Lancers are in a must-win situation on Friday when they host Mary Star of the Sea (4-3, 2-0). Mary Star brings a balanced offense whose offense is spotty at best. QB Cole Webb has 476 yards passing with two touchdowns and six interceptions. James Hungerford leads the ground attack with 388 yards and five touchdowns. La Salle (3-4, 0-1) is coming off a bye, and it couldn't have come at a better time as the Lancers are nursing some injuries. La Salle QB Mike Novell has completed 61 percent of his passes (727 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions).
OTHERS CONSIDERED: Pasadena (4-3, 3-1).
It may be a lot of pressure to put on Monrovia with three Rio Hondo League games left before the start of the highly-anticipated CIF-Southern Section playoffs. But can you think of any reasons why the Wildcats wouldn't bring home the school's first CIF football championship? There's been a lot of debate about Monrovia quarterback Nick Bueno, whether he can play Division I or II or III. But the reality is, who cares? You think Bueno's thinking about that right now? The goal right now is win Friday against South Pasadena, etc. You can't deny the kid's talent. He's smart, elusive, poised and a proven leader. Bueno weathered the "pressure" of starting at quarterback his sophomore year, and he delivered. As proven, Monrovia has not thrown the ball because simply put the Wildcats haven't had to. This is a simple case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". We must be naive to think that Bueno can't throw just because he hasn't as much as he did last year. I thought as much heading into the Temple City game, but the reality is Bueno doesn't have to throw, and Ryan Maddox knows that. He's as dangerous on the ground as he is through the air, but so far the ground attack has been excruciating for opposing teams to defend. When talking about a championship you need to have balance, a great defense and a true offensive threat, and Monrovia has all three. Monrovia's stable of running backs is unparalleled; the defense is as fast as they are physical from Josh Lowden and Ellis McCarthy to Craig Brown, Christian Blanco and Charlie Cimmarusti. Why would you bet otherwise? This is about as good a chance as Monrovia's ever had in the last 15 years.
Temple City was literally hurting after its 38-21 loss to Monrovia last week. The Rams (3-3-1, 1-1) will have to deal with injuries to Josh Simangunsong (concussion), Josh Lin (dislocated shoulder), Andrew Torres (mild concussion) and Sean Stanton (bone contusion) as they prepare for Blair on Friday. Simangunsong, a junior, took it hardest last week, and teammates tried consoling him after he learned he wouldn't play the rest of the game. Simangunsong was injured in the second quarter, and from that point the dominos kept falling. After Stanton suffered a bone contusion to his left leg, Lin was called up to take his place at defensive back, and it wasn't long before he went out with a dislocated left shoulder. Torres suffered a mild concussion after catching a 47-yard pass from quarterback Justin Smith to pull the Rams within 19-14 with one second left in the second quarter. Torres played a few minutes in the third quarter before he was taken out for the rest of the game. Senior offensive lineman Matt O'Malley couldn't overcome constant cramping in his left leg. He missed most of the fourth quarter. "We're kind of banged up," Temple City coach Anthony White said, "but we don't like to make excuses." Simangunsong will likely miss Friday's game, and Torres will be limited.
Temple City High School's David Spratt and Bosco Tech's Alex Burrola were involved in a single-car accident Saturday night in Temple City. Spratt, a senior wide receiver on the Rams football team, and Burrola, a senior defensive back for the Tigers, were transported to San Gabriel Methodist Hospital after the car they were in flipped over at the corner of Encinita Avenue and Pentland Street.
Burrola was treated for a cut on his left arm and Spratt had a bruised right knee and a sore back. They were released later that night. Burrola was driving Spratt home after Bosco Tech's 35-30 loss to Verbum Dei at St. Matthias High School in Downey. Spratt has been a friend of Burrola for three years. "We lost control (and hit the sidewalk) when we were turning (onto Encinita Avenue), and next thing I remember is that I was upside down," said Spratt, who sat out Monday's practice. Spratt saw smoke and pulled Burrola out of the driver's seat. "Then a friend on the street we were on heard and came and helped us," Spratt said.
The Stang Fan last week: ?????
Melendez last week (overall): 15-2 (81-47-1)
Last week: My lone losses were Bell Gardens (lost to San Gabriel) and Marshall (lost to Kilpatrick).
This week: Got this interesting comment from cant believe it!
ALL I WANT TO KNOW IS........WHY WEEKEND AND WEEK OUT DO U JUST TALK ABOUT TC? THEY DONT WIN! THEIR NOT THAT GOOD BUT UR ALWAYS ON THEIR JOCK!! HELLO! THERE IS OTHER TEAMS OUT THERE! BUT NO ALL WE EVER SEE IN THIS STUPID PAPER IS TC TC TC TC TC!!! MAN GET SERIOUS!! TALK ABOUT SOME OTHER TEAMS WITH SOME TALENT!! I MEAN U NEED 2 CHANGE UR NAME 2 TC MELENDEZ OR TC MIGUEL! DID U PLAY 4 THEM? DOES UR SON, NEPHEW, COUSIN, BROTHER PLAY 4 THEM? I MEAN SERIOUS! ENOUGH ABOUT TC ALREADY!!! ITS REALLY BORING AND PLAYED OUT!!
My response?
You nailed it! I was a star defensive end at Temple City under the Mooney Era and my son and nephew were on the team. Even my daughter was a water girl!
Obviously, I was being sarcastic. I never went to Temple City and I don't have any sons or daughters, why would I? I do, however, find it funny when people try to figure out where I went to school according to the teams I cover. In fact, if not for some you who read my bio when it was announced I would take over Galleti, you might not even know where I went to school. For the record, I went to eight schools growing up, and to this day I have no idea why. I never asked and I don't plan to. On that note, I bring you this week's game of the week: San Gabriel at Alhambra. The Matadors look to improve to 3-0 in Almont League action while the Moors look to go one game above .500. I'm going with the Moors, but more on that later this week. San Gabriel still has Schurr and Montebello on its schedule while Alhambra has it a bit easier with Bell Gardens and Kepppel; all are home games for SG and Alhambra. In the Rio Hondo League, the winner of the La Cañada-San Marino game improves to 2-1 and increases its chance at a possible second-place finish, though Temple City will have something to say about that when it meets San Marino later this season. The St. Francis-St. Paul game has been switched to St. Francis. Dietrich Riley, who was injured in last week's win over Loyola, is expected to play. Upset of the week honors go to Pasadena. They'll beat CV, 28-21. C'mon, who really expected to see a double-wing last week? Eh? Eh?
THIS WEEK'S GAMES -- WITH PREDICTIONS
THURSDAY
Hoover at Muir, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY
Alhambra at San Gabriel, 7 p.m. -- Alhambra
La Cañada at San Marino, 7 p.m. -- San Marino
Burbank at Arcadia, 7 p.m. -- Burbank
Temple City vs. Blair at PCC, 7 p.m. -- Temple City
South Pasadena at Monrovia, 7 p.m. -- Monrovia
Mary Star at La Salle, 7 p.m. -- La Salle
Crescenta Valley at Pasadena, 7 p.m. -- Pasadena
Azusa at Duarte, 7 p.m. -- Azusa
Mountain View at Gabrielino, 7 p.m. -- Gabrielino
Sierra Canyon at Maranatha, 7 p.m. -- Maranatha
Rosemead at South El Monte, 7 p.m. -- Rosemead
St. Paul at St. Francis, 7:30 p.m. -- St. Francis
Marshall vs. Campbell Hall at Crespi, 7 p.m. -- Campbell Hall
Rio Hondo Prep at Viewpoint, 3 p.m. -- Rio Hondo Prep
Keppel at Bell Gardens, 7 p.m. -- Bell Gardens
Webb vs. Flintridge Prep at Oxy, 7 p.m. -- Flintridge Prep
SATURDAY
Cantwell Sacred-Heart at Bosco Tech, 1:30 p.m. -- Bosco Tech
Pasadena Poly at Chadwick, 2 p.m. -- Chadwick
Discuss anything and everything you want ... especially football ....
*Not 10 minutes had passed and I got bird droppings on my brand new watch and brand new shirt. Normally I wouldn't have made a fit about it, but the Kenneth Cole watch and Van Heusen studio shirt was styling Friday night. Thankfully the droppings were wiped clean, but I still have to say getting bird droppings any time has to be a bad omen, no?
*I still think Temple City got burned by bad calls from the refs. Believe you me, if not for those questionable calls we have ourselves a much different ball game.
*Monrovia linebacker Josh Lowden proved to be a thorn in Temple City running back Max Ruckle's side. Ruckle was limited to under 100 yards rushing and at the center of the human wall was Lowden. On one play, Ruckle took a handoff and threw to Justin Smith who later completed a long play. Ruckle was thrown to the ground by Lowden who received a roughing the passer penalty. But talk about class. Lowden and Ruckle slapped each other's helmets and went on with the game. Throughout the game Lowden tackled Ruckle and their sportsmanship was still full on display.
*In the third quarter of the Monrovia-Temple City game, some knucklehead started yelling "Go back to Rosemead" ... This guy (and I'm being nice by calling him "guy") was yelling and letting it known he was not happy with Temple City coach Anthony White. To my surprise nobody seemed bothered by his classless act, in front of the Temple City crowd no less. There's no room for that kind of behavior at HIGH SCHOOL football games.
*St. Francis won. Monrovia won. Try figuring out who is the new No. 1 team in the SGV. I know, I know. Our meesly top 10 rankings mean little to nothing, but pride is still at stake. I'll let you guys figure this one out.
*Any thoughts on game of the week next week? I'm staying in the office Friday night, but I might sneak out to catch the first half of a nearby game. Right now I have my eyes set on Alhambra-San Gabriel. Anyone care to persuade me to go somewhere else?
*I was told by our Keith Lair that the way Pasadena played against CV last week and the way Muir played against CV on Thursday, and if the Turkey Tussle was this week, PHS would easily hold a 30-0 lead at the half. And that's saying something because PHS had a bad game against CV last week. The Bulldogs took care of business when they had to and beat down Glendale, 48-0. But then again, who hasn't beaten Glendale?
CLICK HERE FOR A PHOTO GALLERY OF FRIDAY'S MONROVIA-TEMPLE CITY GAME
CLICK HERE FOR QUARTER-BY-QUARTER SCORE UPDATES
TONIGHT'S RESULTS WITH COMMENTARY
Monrovia 38, Temple City 21 -- Temple City was stymied by questionable first-half penalties. Two pass interferences and a fumble that wasn't? Craig Brown returned a 37-yard fumble to give Monrovia a 19-7 lead. That fumble came after Temple City quarterback Justin Smith threw a pass to Andrew Torres, who had the ball bounce off his chest and onto the ground before Brown picked it up. The whistle never blew, much to the chagrin of Temple City coach Anthony White. C'mon! If not for those penalties the Rams are in it in the second half. Despite a 73-yard touchdown pass from Nick Bueno to De'Shawn Ramirez, I thought Monrovia played a stale first half. Their special teams need some work. Monrovia was lucky to be leading 19-14 heading into halftime. Temple City showed a lot of heart, especially in the closing seconds. Torres caught a 47-yard touchdown pass from Smith in the closing seconds of the second quarter to pull the Rams within 19-17. The pass from Smith came with less than five seconds to go and bounced off Monrovia's Jay Henderson and Charlie Cimmarusti before falling into Torres' hands. Temple City got within 26-21 after Smith connected on a 37-yard touchdown pass to David Spratt. Ramirez finished with 136 yards rushing and scored on runs of 68 and 44 yards. Smith completed 12 of 26 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns but he also had three interceptions. Max Ruckle, aside from his 46-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, was nonexistent. The San Gabriel Valley's leading-rusher was stuffed for 80 yards.
San Marino 41, South Pasadena 14 -- Stephen Yortsos caught three of quarterback Joe Forgatch's four touchdown passing to lead San Marino High School to a 41-14 Rio Hondo League victory over South Pasadena at Ray Solari Stadium on Friday night. "San Marino just cleaned our clock. They deserve all the credit. They're a very good team," South Pasadena coach Edward Smith said. The victory gave San Marino (6-1, 1-1) its first league victory as well as the inaugural ownership of the Crowley Cup, a newly-instituted trophy that will now go to the victor of this long-standing rivalry. The cup's namesake, Paul Crowley, was in attendance at the game, as he has been at each of the 55 games in the series, starting in 1955. Yortos had touchdown receptions of 66, 10 and 30 yards for the Titans, all in the first half. Yortos accounted for 23 first-half points by also kicking all five of the PATs. The senior led all receivers with 7 catches for 150 yards. He also had 46 yards rushing on three carries.
Rio Hondo Prep 43 Chadwick 7 -- The highly anticipated showdown of the unbeatens proved to be a Rio Hondo Prep rout. The Kares, behind five rushing touchdowns by four different players, improved to 2-0 in league and 7-0 overall with a 43-7 rout of Chadwick in a Prep League game Friday night. Chadwick, ranked No. 1 before the game, fell to 1-1 in league and 6-1 overall. The only number that will matter to the Dolphins coaching staff will be 310 -- the number of rushing yards their defense gave up to the physical Kares' line.
St. Francis 27, Loyola 23 -- Travis Talianko caught a 3-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds left in the game to lift the Golden Knights at L.A. Valley College. St. Francis quarterback Justin Posthuma had 229 yards total offense to lead the Golden Knights. He rushed for 74 yards and one score and passed for 155 yards. He completed 13 of 19 pass attempts, including a second touchdown pass of 10 yards to Dietrich Riley -- who also rushed for 84 yards -- earlier in the game. The Golden Knights' comeback bid started when linebacker Ryan McAleenan intercepted Loyola quarterback Jerry Neuheisel with 4:30 left in the game. Neuheisel, the son of UCLA football coach Rick Neuheisel, completed 14 of 21 passes for 202 yards and two scores.
Pasadena 48, Glendale 0 -- Pasadena High School racked up 432 rushing yards in a brand-new double-wing offense, defeating visiting Glendale
Alhambra 32, Montebello 27 -- Senior quarterback Darrian Cazarin passed for 338 yards and three touchdowns and also ran three yards for the game-winning score with just 36 seconds remaining, giving the Moors a come-from-behind 32-27 win over Montebello.
La Canada 42, Blair 6 -- Spartans quarterback Rocky Moore's five touchdown passes, which totaled 129 yards, gave him a school-record 31 for his La Cañada career. Teammate Michael Arkfeld led the Spartans in scoring with two touchdown receptions.
Burroughs 35, Arcadia 25 -- Burroughs High School's Tyler Tilton returned a fumble recovery 98 yards to help lead the Indians to a 35-25 victory over Arcadia in Pacific League play on Friday night. On fourth down from the Burroughs 1-yard line, Arcadia quarterback Garrett Tuck rolled out to his right side, was hit and fumbled the ball on the 2. Tilton picked the ball up on the run and went untouched to the end zone to break open a close contest, giving the Indians a 35-19 lead. Five Apaches turnovers proved to be costly.
Rosemead 41, Moutain View 7 -- Matt Fregoso had an impressive third quarter and almost single-handedly was the difference as Rosemead routed winless Mountain View. Fregoso scored four touchdowns and accounted for 98 of his 163 rushing yards in the decisive third quarter. With Rosemead (2-5, 1-1) entering the third quarter holding on to a slim 14-7 lead, Fregoso took it upon himself to lead the way.
Schurr 28, Keppel 7 -- The Spartans took advantage of Aztecs miscues and roughed up Keppel en route to a 21-0 halftime lead in an Almont League game Friday night. "We couldn't get anything going early," first-year head coach Bobby Madrid said. "They were just physical and kicked our butts in the first half. Unfortunately, you can't do that against Schurr or anybody else in our league." The Aztecs (1-6, 0-2) went to backup quarterback Henry Ahn in the second half. He threw an 18-yard TD pass to Edson Pena in the fourth quarter.
San Gabriel 49, Bell Gardens 28 -- The monkey is definitely off San Gabriel High School's back. Until two years ago, the Matadors had never won a football game at Bell Gardens. Friday night in an Almont League game, they made it two in a row over the Lancers, and three consecutive including last year's win at San Gabriel, with a 49-28 victory. The Matadors held a four-point lead at the half, but kept the Lancers (5-2 overall, 1-1 in league) scoreless in the second half.
Maranatha 35, Montclair Prep 16 -- Maranatha began the season 0-2, but the Minutemen have gradually begun to grasp coach Joel Murphy's new schemes. Friday, the Minutemen won their fourth consecutive with a 35-16 victory over host Montclair Prep game in an Alpha League contest at Pierce College. "We're kind of catching our stride," Murphy said. "The kids are obviously understanding and believing in it. It's just the little things. The way we warm up and finish a game. But I like our progress. We're doing good things, but we're not at our potential yet." The Minutemen (4-0 in league) took a 35-0 lead into the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers (1-6, 1-3) scored on a pair of big plays.
THURSDAY NIGHT SPOTLIGHT
MUIR (1-5, 1-2) vs. CRESCENTA VALLEY (4-2, 2-1) at Glendale High, 7 p.m.
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No matter how you look at it, this is a must-win game for Muir if it wants to keep its playoff hopes alive. What team shows up today is beyond me. It could be the offense, it could be the defense, who knows. If the Mustangs get a win tonight it's seemingly downhill from here, schedule-wise at least. Muir would only have Hoover, Glendale and Pasadena while Crescenta Valley still has Burroughs on its schedule. And some of you I think are right -- the final playoff spot may come down to the end result of the Turkey Tussle. Put in a call to Muir coach Ken Howard and he agreed tonight's game is a must-win.
"It's a must-win," he said. "If we don't win we're going to need a lot of help, but I don't believe anybody else is going to help me."
Muir has been sort of an enigma. So how does Howard get his team to play consistent?
"Right now we've coached them up as much as we can coach them up," he said. "One week it's the offense believing and trusting themselves or vice versa. They have to understand both sides have to have a perfect game in order to win the game."
But it'll get easier, no? I man, c'mon. It's Hoover (yawn), Glendale (hmmm?) and Pasadena still left on the schedule. It's an easy road to the playoffs if Muir can just buckle down and get it done.
"You know what," Howard said, "anybody can say easy but they're not in my shoes. I've only won one football game. It might look easy on paper but they still put on their pants the same way we put our pants on. I don't think about it as easy. Either we win tonight or we need a lot of help. There's a couples teams ahead of us that still have to see Burroughs and Burbank. We just have to bring a little heart to the table and see if we can dance with these guys."
By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer
Justin Smith had no intention of playing football again for Temple City High School.
He was coming off a successful baseball season two years ago as a sophomore and earned second-team All-Rio Hondo League honors as the Rams' No. 2 pitcher. It was normal to want to focus solely on baseball, but it proved to be much too difficult after his junior year.
For starters, Smith's friends were on him every day.
Max Ruckle always was in his ear and telling Smith they needed him back. Some of the offensive linemen told Smith they didn't want to block for anybody else.
Then there was lineman Victor Dominguez, who was the mosquito Smith couldn't get rid of.
You're gonna play, right?
You're gonna be quarterback, right?
Smith's former teammates knew what he was capable of.
As a sophomore, Smith led the junior varsity team to a Rio Hondo League championship with a 7-6 win over Monrovia. Smith weathered the pressure of facing a Monrovia team that was 19-0 in two seasons heading into the game.
Not long after Anthony White was hired at Temple City, the new Rams coach received an e-mail from Ruckle's father, Terry.
I hear Justin Smith is thinking about coming back.
As the buzz spread about Smith possibly changing his mind, there was renewed excitement among potential players because of a young and energetic new coach.
Smith grew curious.
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Continue reading Football: Smith proving to be a good sport for Rams.
Despite losing 28-24 last week to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, St. Francis moved up to the No. 1 spot in the latest Star-News top-10 rankings. Monrovia (6-0) may not have much to say about that, especially after its stale 14-12 win over previously unbeaten San Marino (5-1) in last week's Rio Hondo League opener. The Wildcats were stymied offensively and couldn't establish any rhythm. The Golden Knights (5-1), on the other hand, got the nod because of their strong effort against Notre Dame (5-1). St. Francis led 14-0 in the first half, and if not for a fumble inside the Notre Dame 10 with less than a minute left, the Golden Knights might have pulled out the upset over the No. 4-ranked team in the CIF-Southern Section Pac-5 Division, easily the toughest of the 13 divisions in the Southern Section. Bosco Tech (3-3) dropped out of the rankings, allowing Maranatha (4-2) to jump back in at No. 10 after a 3-0 start in the Alpha League. Making the biggest jump was Rio Hondo Prep, going from No. 10 to No. 6 after the Kares improved to 6-0.
STAR-NEWS TOP 10 RANKINGS
Compiled by Miguel A. Melendez
1. St. Francis (5-1)
2. Monrovia (6-0)
3. San Marino (5-1)
4. Temple City (3-2-1)
5. Alhambra (3-2)
6. Rio Hondo Prep (6-0)
7. San Gabriel (3-3)
8. La Cañada (2-3)
9. La Salle (3-4)
10. Maranatha (4-2)
NOTE: Apparently the video shown here is from a 2006 Almont League game pitting Alhambra vs. Schurr. I made about six calls to Alhambra coach Gil Ruedaflores yesterday before posting the video to get a comment, but to no avail. He e-mailed late last night to say the clip shows Rob Alaveraz, the Moors QB in 2006. Ruedaflores went on to say Cazz took a shot, but it didn't bother the Alhambra coaching staff. "He's a tough a kid," Ruedaflores said. If this thread continues with bashing and belittling coaches I will shut down the threat. Carry on ....
Above: St. Francis' Dietrich Riley (4) intercepts a pass as Cardinal Roger Mahony watches from the sideline during Friday night's game against Notre Dame.
OK, you're not gonna tell me you weren't surprised by what happened at halftime of the Notre Dame-St. Francis game. No, not me taking a good fall with the bench. During halftime, the announcer welcomed Cardinal Roger Mahony. The visiting and home crowds gave Mahony a welcoming applause. When it was done, the announcer wondered who Mahony was cheering for to win, but then suggested Mahony might want to instead keep that answer to himself. Without hesitation, Mahony looked up to the St. Francis crowd and pointed to the Golden Knights sidelines, prompting the standing-room only home crowd to erupt in cheers. Perhaps it was a bad omen. St. Francis lost, 28-24, in the waning minutes.
EAST VALLEY DIVISION
RANK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) RECORD W/L
1. St. Margaret's (Academy) 6-1 W
2. Campbell Hall (Alpha) 5-1 W
3. Sage Hill (Academy) 5-1 W
4. Arrowhead Christian (Christian) 5-1 W
5. Maranatha (Alpha) 4-2 W
6. Santa Paula (Frontier) 4-2 W
7. Kern Valley (High Desert) 5-1 W
8. Brentwood (Alpha) 3-3 L
9. Fillmore (Frontier) 4-3 W
10. Sierra Canyon (Alpha) 5-1 W
Other Frazier Mountain (High Desert) 5-1 W
Other Aquinas (Christian) 3-3 L
MID-VALLEY DIVISION
RANK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) RECORD W/L
1. Monrovia (Rio Hondo) 6-0 W
2. San Dimas (Valle Vista) 5-1 W
3. Azusa (Montview) 6-1 W
4. Baldwin Park (Valle Vista) 5-1 W
5. San Marino (Rio Hondo) 5-1 L
6. Paraclete (Olympic) 4-3 W
7. Gladstone (Montview) 5-1 W
8. Arroyo (Mission Valley) 4-2 W
9. Village Christian (Olympic) 6-1 W
10. Pomona (Valle Vista) 5-1 W
Others: None
NORTHEAST DIVISION
RANK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) RECORD W/L
1. Rio Hondo Prep (Prep) 6-0 W
2. Linfield Christian (Big Sky) 6-0 W
3. St. Genevieve (Santa Fe) 7-0 W
4. Chadwick (Prep) 6-0 W
5. Boron (Desert Mountain) 4-2 W
6. Mojave (Desert Mountain) 4-1 B
7. Riverside Christian (Big Sky) 3-2 W
8. Pasadena Poly (Prep) 4-2 W
9. Salesian (Santa Fe) 5-2 W
10. St. Anthony (Santa Fe) 4-2 W
Other Calvary Murrieta (Big Sky) 4-3 W
Other Bellarmine-Jefferson (Santa Fe) 4-3 L
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
RANK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) RECORD W/L
1. Rowland (San Antonio) 6-0 W
2. Charter Oak (Miramonte) 6-1 W
3. South Hills (San Antonio) 4-2 W
4. Burbank (Pacific) 5-1 W
5. Walnut (San Antonio) 5-1 L
6. Bell Gardens (Almont) 5-1 W
7. Crescenta Valley (Pacific) 4-2 W
8. Schurr (Almont) 4-1-1 W
9. Santa Fe (Del Rio) 4-2 L
10. El Rancho (Del Rio) 4-2 W
Other Burroughs/Burbank (Pacific) 4-2 W
Other Alhambra (Almont) 3-2 L
WESTERN DIVISION
RANK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) RECORD W/L
1. Mira Costa (Bay) 4-2 W
2. Alemany (Mission) 4-2 W
3. St. Francis (Mission) 5-1 L
4. Culver City (Ocean) 5-1 W
5. Palmdale (Golden) 4-2 W
6. Leuzinger (Bay) 5-1 W
7. Palos Verdes (Bay) 4-2 W
8. Warren (San Gabriel Valley) 5-1 W
9. Chaminade (Mission) 5-1 L
10. Lynwood (San Gabriel Valley) 4-2 W
Other West Torrance (Bay) 4-2 L
Other Eastside (Golden) 3-3 W
Other Beverly Hills (Ocean) 3-3 W
The Stang Fan last week: 12-1 in Friday's games
Melendez last week (overall): 10-6 (66-45-1)
LAST WEEK: The Stang Fan (aka TSF) was on a roll last week. And talk about a roll of the dice -- I picked PHS to beat Burroughs; Brentwood to beat Maranatha and La Salle to beat Verbum Dei. Those picks were way off. Alhambra's loss was a close one but Bosco Tech's and El Monte's loss wasn't so much. And don't get me started on St. Francis. Great game and all, but they had it. THEY HAD IT! ... Just wanted to answer to my boy The Lancer, who unsuccessfully tried getting me to attend La Salle vs. Verbum Dei on Saturday night. I had planned to attend the game after I read your comment. But I wasn't anticipating a 15-hour work day Friday. By the time I got home at 1:30 a.m. I was exhausted, but I had to get up early to pick up my little sister so I could take her to her first UCLA football game. Sitting under the hot sun didn't help. I looked at the clock and it was 6:30 p.m. when I texted our correspondent for directions to St. Matthias. In the end, I was just way too tired. I'm sorry to hear Verbum Dei was classless. Yes, classless. Running up the score and the starters still playing late in the game? Unbelievable.
THIS WEEK: There's no question about it, the game of the week belongs to the Rio Hondo League showdown Friday night. Bring your binoculars and a stop watch because a lot of speed will be on display Friday night at Temple City High when the host Rams (3-2-1, 1-0) take on the No. 1 (No. 2?) Monrovia (6-0, 1-0) Wildcats. Does it get any better than this? This is like Leno vs. Letterman. Jay-Z vs. Nas. Kobe vs. LeBron. Bueno vs. Ruckle. I don't mean to disregard the rest of the team because we can spend the day dissecting Temple City's and Monrovia's roster, but to be honest I'm excited to see how Max Ruckle and Nick Bueno will try to out duel each other. The lone trap is each of them trying to do too much. They must stay the course just like Bueno did against San Dimas and Rosemead and Ruckle against Arcadia and La Canada. This game is so good I'm thinking of bringing my boy who is a huge 49ers fan. He's a fan of speed, so why not this game, right? For a second ... (JUST A SECOND!) ... I almost picked Temple City beating Monrovia, but I couldn't pull the trigger. I'm still a bit confused about what happened with Monrovia last week. Maybe I provided bulletin board material for San Marino. Not sure. Maybe the Titans are just that good. Maybe I need to give them the credit they deserve. I'm all about spreading the love, and maybe after Friday's valiant effort San Marino deserves a second look. I leave it up to you to try and figure out the best way Temple City can stop Monrovia. Is there an upset in the making after last week's results? Yeah, try figuring that out. If not for a season-ending injury to Loyola star running back/child-turned-man Anthony Barr, I would have gone to see St. Francis vs. Loyola. Are you kidding me? Dietrich Riley going heads-to-head with Anthony Barr, another stud fielding offers left and right, including UCLA. I'll take SF by 14.
THIS WEEK'S GAMES -- WITH PREDICTIONS
THURSDAY
Muir vs. Crescenta Valley at Glendale, 7 p.m. -- Crescenta Valley
FRIDAY
Monrovia at Temple City, 7 p.m. -- Monrovia
San Marino at South Pasadena, 7 p.m. -- San Marino
St. Francis vs. Loyola at L.A. Valley College, 7 p.m. -- St. Francis
Glendale at Pasadena, 7 p.m. -- Pasadena
Alhambra at Montebello, 7 p.m. -- Alhambra
Blair at La Canada, 7 p.m. -- La Canada
Burroughs at Arcadia, 7 p.m. -- Burroughs
Mountain View at Rosemead, 7 p.m. -- Rosemead
Gabrielino at Arroyo, 7 p.m. -- Arroyo
Schurr at Keppel, 7 p.m. -- Schurr
Montclair Prep vs. Maranatha at Pierce College, 7 p.m. -- Maranatha
Marshall vs. Kilpatrick at PCC, 7 p.m. -- Marshall
San Gabriel at Bell Gardens, 7 p.m. -- Bell Gardens
Chadwick at Rio Hondo Prep, 7:30 p.m. -- Rio Hondo Prep
SATURDAY
Flintridge Prep vs. Pasadena Poly at La Canada, 7 p.m. -- Pas Poly
Bosco Tech vs. Verbum Dei at St. Matthias, 7 p.m. -- Verbum Dei
Discuss anything and everything you want ... especially football
*No. 1 Monrovia -- Ugly win vs. San Marino or San Marino just that good?
*No. 2 St. Francis -- After a 14-0 lead dissipated the Golden Knights lose, 28-24, to Notre Dame. Good loss? Enough to move St. Francis to No. 1? I can see it happening.
*Who was the Week 6 player of the week? Have your say now or forever hold your peace.
*In case anybody's wondering, I feel OK after taking a good fall at the ND-St. Francis game. Thanks to the Glendale News-Press reporter who got up off the bench, I took a good fall and almost hit the ground because I was sitting too close to the edge. The crowd had a good laugh, and so did I. But now my back's killing me. Any good lawyer's out there? I keed, I keed.
*After Monrovia's sub par performance Friday, is Monrovia-Temple City still the Week 7 game of the week? Either way, I'll be there. I think.
Above: Victor Wright, 48, receives his John Muir High School football varsity letter during halftime of the Muir-Arcadia game Friday night. Muir won, 27-7.
LETTER FINALLY ARRIVES
Paralyzed in 1976, former player given school honor
By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer
This story originally published on A1 in the Star-News section on Saturday, Oct. 17
It had been 33 years since Victor Wright had gone anywhere near John Muir High School's football field.
There wasn't much reason for him to return.
That was where Wright, a talented sophomore on the Mustangs' frosh/soph team, suffered a devastating injury that paralyzed him from the neck down on Sept. 26, 1976.
It's a memory Wright, now 48, remembers down to every detail - from the moment his knee gave out, which prevented him from squaring his shoulders for a clean tackle, to the second when everything went dark.
"When I made the tackle I fell to my left," Wright recalled. "But I did not hit the player square. I made impact with the left side of my head and I went down."
He still remembers feeling an electrical shock run through his entire body.
"I knew I was laying on the field and I knew I had just made a tackle, then I felt my body curl up."
Wright's high school football career came to an abrupt end on that warm Friday afternoon. And the kid they called "Bullet" never got a chance to move up and play varsity football for his beloved Mustangs.
The years have passed and in that time Wright has accomplished just about everything he's set out to do - from earning a college degree to starting a nonprofit organization.
But those who saw Wright play knew he was good enough to one day play varsity football under Muir's legendary coach Jim Brownfield.
They wanted to remind him, and on Friday night they did.
For the first time since being carted off the field and into an ambulance 33 years ago, Wright returned to Muir's football field and was honored with a varsity letter from Mustangs head football coach Ken Howard.
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TONIGHT'S RESULTS WITH MY THOUGHTS
Notre Dame 28, St. Francis 24 -- An impressive showing for St. Francis despite the loss. They were eight yards away. EIGHT YARDS!!! But a fumble inside the Notre Dame 10 was recovered by the visiting Knights who escaped with the win. It was a packed house and the game was not as advertised -- Almost everyone pegged Notre Dame winning, and winning big. Not so. St. Francis led 14-0 at the half, led by Dietrich Riley who intercepted a pass in the first quarter and returned it 60 yards for a score. He intercepted Notre Dame QB Ryan Kasdorf's fourth pass of the game. St. Francis was rockin and rollin until the second half came, particularly the fourth quarter. Notre Dame's first lead of the game came on a 2-yard run by the unstoppable Kenneth Boggs. He rushed for a 2-yard score to give Notre Dame a 24-21 lead. Notre Dame put the final nail in the coffin when Kasdorf took off for a 10-yard score with 3:49 left in the fourth quarter. On that scoring drive, Kasdorf and Boggs escaped from tackles in the backfield. If St. Francis makes those tackles we'd be celebrating a St. Francis win and I'd be enjoying lunch next week courtesy of another reporter. But alas, Notre Dame took advantage of a Justin Posthuma fumble inside the Notre Dame 10 to earn the win. Posthuma completed 18 of 25 passes for 218 yards and he rushed for 102 yards and one touchdown. That one fumble really bothered him after the game. His head hung while St. Francis coach Jim Bonds consoled him immediately after the game. Regardless, this was an awesome game to watch, and the standing-room only crowd proved it.
Monrovia 14, San Marino 12 -- The Wildcats offense was not firing on all cylinders. The running game controlled the ball but they just couldn't score. Monrovia's defense came up huge, led by senior linebacker Josh Lowden. San Marino defensive game plan worked effectively and Monrovia couldn't find a way to adjust. Monrovia seemed a little rusty and they didn't make any in-game adjustments, allowing San Marino to stay within striking distance. The San Marino offense was patient and executed, but in the end Monrovia's was just enough to earn the win. Lowden was the star of the game. He had a couple huge tackles for a loss and a sack. Ellis McCarthy also had a sack and pressured San Marino QB Joe Forgatch to force an incomplete pass on a two-point conversion in the final two minutes.
Muir 27, Arcadia 7 -- The Muir defense came up big. They had five interceptions, including two that were returned for interceptions. Muir's offense, however, stunk the place up. They couldn't run or throw the ball. Jarron Williams completed 5 of 10 passes for 30 yards. Ouch. Arcadia had 155 on offense to Muir's 106 and were still down at the half, 20-0.
Maranatha 27, Brentwood 7 -- The Minutemen were led by running back Erik Johnson who rushed for 124 yards on 24 carries. He was like Steve Nash, setting up the Maranatha offense. Quarterback Cody Keith completed 7 of 12 passes for 90 yards and one touchdown over the air and one on the ground. This was a big win for the Minutemen who are 3-0 in Alpha League play.
Schurr 28, Alhambra 21 -- There was no stopping Schurr wide receiver Carlos Arrendondo who had 11 catches for 135 yards and three touchdowns. Make that 5 out of 6 wins for the Spartans.
South Pasadena 27, Blair 20 -- The Tigers (2-4, 1-0) built up a comfortable 20-0 lead going into halftime. But they were hit with an injury to quarterback Conor Bednarski before the end of the second quarter. Second-string QB Andrew Molina came in for his first rookie start. But the Tigers lost momentum and couldn't contain Blair's homecoming spirit. The Vikings scored back-to-back touchdowns in the third quarter to make it 20-12. The Tigers' Matthew Nelson scored the longest touchdown of the night with a 57-yard reception from Molina with 10 seconds to go in the third. "It's a cliche, but that was an ugly win," South Pasadena coach Edward Smith said. "We came out with a 'W' and have a two-game winning streak." South Pasadena's head trainer, Tamar Berberian, said Bednarski has a right-knee sprain after getting hit by a helmet
Gladstone 40, Duarte 14 -- It'll be easier for Duarte next week as a much-needed bye approaches.
Gabrielino 21, El Monte 14 -- The Eagles earned their first second win of the season. Gabrielino (2-4, 1-0) jumped out to a 7-0 lead when Oscar Rivas took a handoff 55 yards for the score on the third play of scrimmage. After an El Monte (0-6, 0-1) punt, the Eagles drove 85 yards on 15 plays, capped by a Joshua Acosta 10-yard touchdown run, to push the lead to 14 midway through the first quarter.
San Gabriel 21, Keppel 7 -- Capitalizing on miscues by its opponent and Fabian Amaro's two touchdowns propelled the visiting Matador in the Almont League opener. With the game knotted at 7-7 early in the third quarter, the Matadors (3-3, 1-0) had quarterback Isaac Valdez hit receiver Mark Covarrubias on the last three plays of the first series of the second half. Valdez connected on passes of 30, 27 and finally, a 13-yard strike to Covarrubias. That gave San Gabriel a 13-7 lead. It concluded a nine-play, 70- yard drive. On the night, Valdez was 13-for-19 for 139 yards with an interception.
Arroyo 14, Rosemead 12 -- Arroyo held off a late fourth-quarter rally to defeat the Panthers. Rosemead had a chance to tie the game with 3:28 left, but Mike Amaya broke up a two-point conversion pass attempt and the Knights (4-2) hung on for the win. The Knights offense struggled early but took advantage of a turnover to score late in the first quarter. Amaya grabbed an errant lateral at the Panthers 13-yard line with 4:51 left in the first quarter. After a penalty, Steven Rivera hit Mikey Vasquez on a swing pass for an 18-yard touchdown.
Rio Hondo Prep 48, Flintridge Prep 0 -- Quarterback Chris Llamas passed for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Kares dropped the Rebels to 1-4 on the season. Rio Hondo Prep was just too good, scoring in its first five possessions to build a big lead.
Mary Star 28, Bosco Tech 13 -- Mary Star of the Sea High School found the holes in the Don Bosco Tech defense Friday night. The Stars scored on three long plays, two in the second half, to knock off the Tigers 28-13 in the Camino Real League opener for both teams at Daniels Field in San Pedro. "Those three big runs just killed us," Bosco Tech head coach Chris Shockley said.
Calvary Chapel 55, Marshall 15 -- The Eagles got banged up and the Grizzlies took advantage in an Alpha League game on Friday night. Quarterback Salvador Murillo went down in the third quarter, and the Eagles also lost two key linebackers. "Injuries cost us the game," Marshall head coach Ricky Pickens said. "We lost a lot of key guys." Murillo completed a 70- yard touchdown pass to Jessie Wright. But when Murillo went down, Pickens went to Aaron Shanklin, who hadn't played the position at all this season.
Temple City 40, La Cañada 20 -- What a game. Temple City soon will right the ship, and Thursday night was as good as start as ever. Max Ruckle rushed for 95 yards on 21 carries, but more importantly he went nuts and wandered into happy grass four times with scores from 9, 4, 7, and 5 yards to propel the Rams (3-2-1, 1-0) to a 40-20 win. Senior quarterback Justin Smith was just as spectacular in completing 14 of 18 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns. He threw for a 23-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Pultz and rushed for a 2-yard score. The unsung hero of the night has to go to senior wide receiver Andrew Anda. He caught 4 passes for 130 yards, and though he didn't have a touchdown he did help set up two of the Rams' six scores. He caught a 52-yard pass and a 56-yard pass to help set up Ruckle from 5 yards out in the fourth quarter and Pultz with 7:32 left in the fourth quarter. La Cañada (2-3, 0-1) played sloppy and dug itself a hole from the beginning. It was tough already playing without stout wide receiver Josh Hanson, but to help Temple City score its first three touchdowns just wasn't called for. The Spartans turned the ball over twice and a personal foul (late hit to Max Ruckle) kept a Rams drive alive that was eventually capped on an 8-yard run by Ruckle to give Temple City a 20-0 lead with 6:15 left in the second quarter. Spartans quarterback Rocky Moore completed 14 of 30 passes for 259 yards and one touchdown and one interception. It was Moore's first interception of the season, courtesy of Temple City sophomore Andrew Gibson. This is also Moore's fifth straight game in which he throws for at least 250 yards. My favorite play of the night, which had me jumping and hooting and hollering, was Ruckle's leaping over a Spartans defender (photo below). I've seen that on TV and live when covering USC football a few years back, but never in person at a high school game. Someone should tell the Temple City band to play the "Pretty Fly for a White Guy" song next week when TC plays Monrovia.
Burroughs 35, Pasadena 12 -- Huckster, who let you out of your cage? Relax, dude. Mike McFarland is not 100 times worse than Kevin Mills. Everybody knew Pasadena was up against a tall task facing Burroughs. I still commend McFarland and what he's done thus far this season. Take it all in perspective. The Bulldogs are still 2-1 in the Pacific League and have a very good shot at making a playoff appearance. This loss to Burroughs will be growing pains for the young Bulldogs. Burroughs scored 21 points in the first quarter. That right there was a huge hole for the PHS defense to dig out of. "We got a wake-up call," McFarland said. "We've had some success the last few weeks and we got taught a lesson on what it takes to win in this league against tough opponents."
Photo courtesy of Carlos Mota Sr. Awesome photo!!!
I have the Dodgers winning in six. Then it's on to beat the hated Yankees in 5 (I mean, really, who in the heck would want a Freeway Series. East vs. West, New York vs. L.A. C'mon, the West Coast is the best and L.A. is the greatest city in the world). The bigger question is will I call in sick to attend the Dodgers parade and what will I wear that day? My Dodgers jersey. Hmmmm ... decisions, decisions, decisions. A lot of my friends wanted to play the Rockies. Even one guy in our newsroom said we'd have an easier time facing Jim Tracy & Co., but I say bring on the Phillies. It's time to exact revenge for what they did last year. I'm not a fan of Shane Victorino, not because he's not a good player, but because of how he took the sword and twisted it on the back of every Dodger fan last year. Game 1 is tonight at 5. Hmmm ... Phillies-Dodgers or Temple City-La Cañada? Decisions, decisions, decisions. Just kidding. I just turned down an offer for four tix in the lodge section for $110 each. So, yes, I'm banking on the TC-LC game being just as exciting.
By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer
LA CAÑADA-FLINTRIDGE - Dietrich Riley's road to stardom had humble beginnings on the fields of Victory Park in Pasadena.
This was where he played flag football, and having lived in Altadena and later in Pasadena, Victory Park practically became Riley's backyard.
Also at the time, St. Francis High School football coaches noticed an aggressive Riley, who was heading into the eighth grade the summer he attended St. Francis' football camp.
Since then, it was Riley's dream to play at St. Francis. The three-year letterman not only accomplished that dream, but he's built a legacy at the school.
Riley, with over 20 major Division I offer, including USC, UCLA, Florida, Notre Dame, Alabama, Michigan, Oklahoma and Tennessee, has no doubt left a foot print at the football-rich program.
That he's one of the most coveted recruits in the nation is a testament to Riley's unparalleled work ethic on and off the field.
That he got there at all is a true testament to Riley's mother, Marika McWhorter.
CLICK ON THREAD TO CONTINUE READING
Continue reading Road to Stardom: St. Francis' Dietrich Riley is top recruit.
It used to be that every year (at least since I've been here, which is what, all of 14 months) people were lamenting there wasn't a Muir-St. Francis showdown. Everybody wanted it and I called on it too in a column early last season. To think of Muir-St. Francis would have played this season. Holy cow! St. Francis probably would have run away with a win. Sure, the game itself would have appeased the masses, but what's the point? All anyone talks about now is who can beat who if Monrovia and St. Francis squared off. My money would be on Monrovia, but that's just me. St. Francis coach Jim Bonds said Monday after practice that quarterback Justin Posthuma is one of the best in the Valley. You can make the argument, sure. Posthuma had an off night last week against El Rancho, but otherwise has posted impressive numbers, on the ground and over the air. Is he better than Nick Bueno? No way. Bueno's much too fast on the ground. I'm sure Dietrich Riley and Christopher Cabrera would like a piece of Bueno charging up the field. There's no argument: a Monrovia-St. Francis matchup is coveted given both teams are the top-ranked team in the Mid-Valley and Western Division, respectively. When putting together the top 10 every week there's no argument Monrovia and St. Francis belong in the top two spots. Where exactly is an argument both teams can make. Still, it's becoming more clear every week that this season it's all about Monrovia and St. Francis, and then the rest follow. Weak football season in the WSGV? Not so, but it's not all that far off. Temple City is 2-2-1 but you can't forget they advanced all the way to the semifinals of last year's playoffs with pretty much the same team. Rosemead and Muir have fallen off the face of the Earth, their absence perhaps weakening the top 10 rankings. There's yet to be a dominant week by the top 10 corp, and if there's a week to get it done it has to be this week to proof this season is not a down year for high school football in the West. Otherwise, the sentiment resonates:
Monrovia.
St. Francis.
Then the rest.
1. MONROVIA (5-0) -- Well, what can you say. Disciplined, focused, talented, young and tough. Certainly last week's bye refueled the Wildcats even more as they get ready for the Rio Hondo League.
2. ST. FRANCIS (5-0) -- Now, this game should have been played at Cowboys Stadium. Notre Dame comes to town with a 4-1 record. This game will serve as a good measure to see where the Knights stand. But so far the Golden Knights have been impressive.
3. SAN MARINO (5-0) -- A lot's been said about the Titans' schedule, soft or not? We'll see how San Marino stands against the SGV's best. It'll be a tough task, but someone's gotta do it.
4. ALHAMBRA (3-1) -- The Moors look like they're getting their act together on offense. Schurr will be a tough start to the Almont League, but Alhambra might as well get it out of the way. The result of this game could shape the rest of the Almont League.
5. TEMPLE CITY (2-2-1) -- Max Ruckle rushed for 203 yards last week and scored three touchdowns. There will be games when QB Justin Smith shines and games when Ruckle leads the Rams, sometimes both. That's the beauty of the spread offense, it's an added dimension in the long run. The feeling here is Thursday's La Cañada will be a fun one to watch with the action swinging back and forth.
6. SAN GABRIEL (2-3) -- The Matadors took a beating in preseason. I know they'd like to think otherwise, but losses to Cathedral, Burbank and San Marino have been a bit demoralizing. I guess if we're going to get down to it we should also question San Gabriel's schedule, which includes wins over South Pasadena and Contreras. Yeah, never heard of them either.
7. LA CAÑADA (2-2) -- The Spartans are off to a good start. They will be good this season and very much will contend for a playoff spot this season. A missed tackle here and there is what has La Cañada staring at a 2-2 record instead of 3-1. QB Rocky Moore is every bit as advertised. He's thrown for at least 250 yards in each game this season and is yet to throw an INT (I really hope I don't jinx the kid). Josh Hanson is also fun to watch. He's an athletic (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) wide receiver with slick moves, quick feet and good hands. He put a sick move on an Arroyo defender for the Spartans first TD last week. He scored on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Moore. When he caught the ball, Hanson went left, right, left, quickly spun around and raced down the Spartans sideline and into the end zone. That's probably the sickest move I've seen all season long.
8. BOSCO TECH (3-2) -- The feeling here is the Tigers will make the playoffs. Bosco Tech had a tough stretch offensively when facing the likes of Salesian and Pioneer. They were losses the Tigers pretty much handed themselves with silly mistakes and penalties. To be fair, Bosco Tech did play without its heart and soul -- senior Johnny Calderon.
9. LA SALLE (3-3) -- I'm no fan of moral victories, but the Lancers will come out stronger after this tough preseason schedule. Anytime you schedule teams playing in tougher leagues and divisions there's always a lesson to come from it, and La Salle definitely will grow from that experience. I think I missed my chance at checking out QB Mike Novell and the exciting Mike Alexander. Looking at the schedule the rest of the season I just don't picture myself covering a La Salle game. Luckily, Novell's a sophomore.
10. RIO HONDO PREP (5-0) -- The Kares are taking care of business like they're supposed to, which is why they are ranked. The defending CIF-SS Northeast Division champions have a huge target on their back, and Flintridge Prep is the first team from the Prep League with a chance to knock off Rio Hondo Prep when they meet Friday night at 7:30 at Rio Hondo Prep.
It's hard not to think about what Ryan Maddox has done in less than two years as head coach at Monrovia. Are the glory days back at Monrovia?
Think about it: Monrovia is unbeaten at 5-0 heading into league action; they're the No. 1-ranked team in the CIF-Southern Section Mid-Valley Division; they're the No. 1-ranked team in the WSGV; and their young studded lineup makes them the favorite to win the Mid-Valley Division championship.
Monrovia's plummeting opponents to a pulp with little regard, and they've done it against two teams (Rosemead, San Dimas) who previously were ranked No. 2 in the division at the time they faced Monrovia.
They'll take on San Marino on Friday night, the third team the Wildcats face that are ranked No. 2 in the division.
You guys remember the late 90's when Monrovia made three straight CIF finals appearances in 1997 (vs. Mira Costa), 1998 (Paso Robles) and 1999 (Paso Robles).
In talking with Steve Garrison today it seems that 1998 game still stings and lingers to this day. The Wildcats lost, 24-22, but what made it harder to deal with the loss was knowing Monrovia dropped two passes in the end zone.
There were other good times. Who can forget when Monrovia didn't lose a Rio Hondo League game from 1996-1999.
Monrovia this season's yet to accomplish anything and at the very least whatever they have done is subjective.
But you can't deny they're an awesome team to watch and they have the makeup of a championship-caliber team. The signs are there -- Monrovia's glory days are looming.
"I don't think there's any question about it," Garrison said. "They're getting back to where it used to be. Coach Maddox's done a fantastic job. Him and his staff have put together a championship team. I think they're certainly on their way, and they're the team to beat."
I don't see Monrovia getting ahead of themselves. Maddox and his staff are much too smart to let it happen.
Since Maddox's arrival there was discipline from the start on and off the field. That this young squad has maintained humble and remain level-grounded is a testament to Maddox and his coaching staff, which is why I don't see Monrovia getting ahead of themselves.
Maddox and his staff are much too smart to let it happen. Earlier this week, Maddox stressed the significance of staying humble, and Garrison echoed his sentiments.
"I truly hope Maddox and the Wildcats bring home the school's first CIF championship," Garrison said. "As much as I like it in my heart -- and I have a lot of Wildcat in my heart -- we still have the Rio Hondo League to get through; Temple City, La Cañada and San Marino will have a say in it before it's all over.
"It's important to stay grounded and realize this is still a one game, one week at a time adventure. If you start getting ahead of yourselves, it can come back to bite you."
Garrison hasn't had a chance to watch any Monrovia games this season. Damien's bye landed the same week as Monrovia's. But he sees the kids' excitement filter into Monday after each Friday night victory.
He was in his office when giving me a brief history lesson. He has Monrovia pictures plastered all over his wall, a constant reminder Garrison's still very much part of the Wildcats football program.
"Without a doubt," he says. "This was my first head coaching experience. To sit here and say I forget about it ... I'd be lying to you."
The experience went far beyond the gridiron.
"This head coaching experience helped me grow as a coach and also as a man and I just," said Garrison, before taking a deep breath and continuing, "they're fond memories I'll never forget."
Monrovia, St. Francis and San Marino are not likely to move from their current standing, and even though the Titans barely got past San Gabriel last week, a win is a win, right? Nevertheless, places 4-10 are still up in the air. It's unlikely a new team will jump into the top 10. No, not Muir. Not Rosemead. Not Pasadena. Who else is really out there? Exactly. This means Alhambra, Temple City, San Gabriel, La Canada, Bosco Tech, La Salle and Rio Hondo Prep will remain in the top 10. The question is, where? Should San Gabriel drop a few spots? Should the stay at No. 6? If not for that fumble the Matadors probably win. They definitely shouldn't move up, right? I'm putting together the top 10 right now, so have your input. I turn in my rankings at 5 p.m. today.
Above: PHS students going all out in the Bulldogs' first game on their new field against Salesian Saugus.
I know Huckster wants none of my ink on the Bulldogs, but oh well. If you open today's page 2 in sports you'll see a nice headline on PHS, and I did that just for Huckster -- the story, not the headline. Anyway, it seems there are many people riding the PHS bandwagon after its 2-0 start in the Pacific League. Don't worry, Huckster. No way I'm ranking the Bulldogs just yet. I haven't even thought about it. But I will take a close look at the Bulldogs and wait anxiously Thursday night to hear back from our Keith Lair, who will cover Thursday's game at Burroughs. I got a phone call this morning from a reader who said he had just moved to Pasadena (I'm assuming from out of state) and read my story this morning. He wants to follow PHS the rest of the year and asked where Burroughs High was so he can attend the game. Pretty cool, huh? It's unlikely the Bulldogs will win the Pacific League, and a playoff berth isn't out of reach. Either way, it's pretty cool that the ground is shifting even if it's just a bit, and people are now rooting for the Bulldogs. Basketball? What basketball?
By Melissa Rohlin over at the L.A. Times has a compelling story about cheerleaders at risk without safety precautions or supervision. She writes: Statistics confirm the danger. Cheerleading injuries resulting in emergency room visits have increased almost sixfold since 1980, to nearly 30,000 in 2008, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported. The exact number of serious injuries isn't known because there is no formal reporting system, but annual statistics tracked by Mueller's organization offer a snapshot of the situation. Over 26 years, disabilities or deaths caused by head or spine trauma are almost double for female high school cheerleaders than for female players of all sports combined: 73 "catastrophic injuries" -- including two deaths -- from fall 1982 to spring 2008. Gymnasts were second, with nine injuries.
The Stang Fan: You should e-mail me your record every Saturday so I can update it when I start this thread. Step to it, bro!
Melendez last week: 9-4 (Total: 56-39-1)
Last Week: My four losses were Keppel, La Canada, San Gabriel and Arcadia. I very well could have gone 12-1 if not for last-minute losses by La Canada and San Gabriel. I think Keppel wasn't too far off either. Impressive win by Pasadena. I mean, really. How can you not want to root for the 'Dogs? (Unless of course you're allegiance is to 1905 Lincoln Ave) ... There's a lot of raw talent on that PHS team. Great defense, but they can only do so much with a mistake-prone offense digging holes. If they can limit the silly mistakes and be more disciplined in terms of turnovers then you have a PHS team with a lot of upside.
This Week: How can I not be at the Monrovia-San Marino game Friday night? Easy. Notre Dame visits St. Francis. The pick here goes to Monrovia, obviously. I know, shouldn't have used the word obviously, but really, c'mon. The Wildcats are the No. 1 team in the CIF-SS Mid-Valley Division and what weaknesses does Monrovia really have? Maybe Observantcat can enlighten us. Monrovia is a battle-tested team, and despite that the Wildcats have pretty much steamrolled through the competition. San Marino, not so much. I still think Benny Hung, if he plays, will present a formidable challenge to a young defensive line. QB Joe Forgatch and WR Stevie Yortsos are an offensive prowess all by themselves, but I don't see them testing the Monrovia secondary. Speed, speed, speed. Should be a good first half. Back to St. Francis ... This will be my first-look at Dietrich Riley. I hear Justin Posthuma had an off night last week, but I'm sure he'll bounce back. I'm eager to see how cohesive the Knights defense is playing this season. But first, I'll be at the Temple City-La Canada game Thursday night. Someone said it best, think it was Goldenarm -- the winner of Friday's Monrovia-SM and TC-LC game will shape the outcome of the Rio Hondo League. I'm banking on Monrovia and Temple City earning a "W" and setting up next week's showdown at Temple City. Bring it!
THIS WEEK'S GAMES (WITH PREDICTIONS)
THURSDAY'S GAMES
Temple City at La Canada, 7 p.m. -- Temple City
Pasadena at Burroughs, 7 p.m. -- Pasadena
FRIDAY'S GAMES
Notre Dame at St. Francis, 7:30 p.m. -- St. Francis
Monrovia at San Marino, 7 p.m. -- Monrovia
Arcadia at Muir, 7 p.m. -- Muir
Brentwood at Maranatha, 7 p.m. -- Brentwood
Alhambra at Schurr, 7 p.m. -- Alhambra
South Pasadena vs. Blair at PCC, 7 p.m. -- South Pasadena
Gladstone at Duarte, 7 p.m. -- Gladstone
Gabrielino vs. El Monte at Arroyo, 7 p.m. -- El Monte
San Gabriel at Keppel, 7 p.m. -- San Gabriel
Arroyo at Rosemead, 7 p.m. -- Arroyo
Flintridge Prep at Rio Hondo Prep, 7:30 p.m. -- Rio Hondo Prep
Saddleback Valley Christian at Pasadena Poly, 1 p.m. -- Pas Poly
Mary Star of the Sea at Bosco Tech, 1:30 p.m. -- Bosco Tech
Marshall vs. Calvary Chapel at Downey, 7 p.m. -- Calvary Chapel
SATURDAY'S GAME
La Salle vs. Verbum Dei at St. Matthias, 7 p.m. -- La Salle
Discuss anything and everything you want ... Especially football
*Well, when Pasadena said it wanted to go in a new direction, they weren't kidding. Mike McFarland's got the Bulldogs up 2-0 in the Pacific League. Impressive wins over Long Beach Jordan (on the road, mind you) and now at Arcadia has people giving PHS a second look. I sure wasn't expecting PHS to win Friday night, but when am I ever right?
*Muir just can't get a break can't they. They were leading, 14-7. They got a lucky break when Burbank fumbled in the first overtime. And still the outcome was a double overtime loss, on a two-point conversion pass, no less. Still a top 10 team? Uh, no.
*Someone from La Cañada suggested I stay off the Torta Depot. The truth is, I was wearing my oversized polo shirt over a long sleeve XXL shirt. Yes, XXL! That's what I used to be two summers ago when I was hitting the scale at almost 300 pounds, 285 to be exact, but I'm down to 230. Anyway, come soccer season you'll see the new and improved wardrobe of your favorite sportswriter. Calvin Klein, Stafford and of course ... Eddie Bauer. Anyway, I'll be at the Temple City-La Cañada game Thursday if you want some wardrobe tips.
*So is Maranatha finally back on track? The Minutemen are 2-0 in Alpha League action, but those wins aren't exactly mind blowing, but not all that bad either. Still, there is obvious work needed on the offensive side. No passing touchdowns from Cody Keith against Kilpatrick? But lets be fair. Keith did score three TD's on quarterback sneaks. Lets see how this unfolds.
*Rule of thumb: Go with San Marino when they play San Gabriel. I learned my lesson. I'm gonna just go right ahead and say it, Isaac Valdez is not playing like the superstar he was last year. We know he's talented. Nobody can argue that. But the offensive prowess is lacking this season, and who knows if early season injuries to star receiver Alex Lopez contributed to the shortfall. San Gabriel should turn things around come Almont League action.
*If you have suggestions for "Athletes of the Week" be sure to e-mail me. We always like your suggestions for those. Also, if you have a student-athlete with a good story to tell e-mail me a Thursday feature suggestion. You know me, I like writing tear-jerkers.
*Is Notre Dame-St. Francis next week's Game of the Week? No question about it.
Above: There was just no stopping the Arroyo Knights.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTO GALLERY OF FRIDAY'S ARROYO-LC FOOTBALL GAME
CLICK HERE FOR QUARTER-BY-QUARTER SCORES
FRIDAY'S SCORES
Arroyo 31, La Cañada 27 -- The Spartans just couldn't find a way to stop Arroyo's Mikey Vasquez who rushed for 187 yards and scored three touchdowns. Anything La Cañada did the Knights had an answer for. Rocky Moore completed 16 of 31 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns. In four games this season, Moore's yet to throw an interception. I hope I just didn't jinx him.
Temple City 42, La Salle 20 -- Max Ruckle led the Rams attack by rushing for 203 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries as Temple City scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to record its second win of the season. I'll be at La Cañada next Thursday to check out the Max Ruckle Show.
South Hills 30, Rosemead 9 -- The Huskies (2-2) jumped out a 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter and then struggled to hold on for the win. The Panthers pulled within five points, 14-9, when Matt Macias hit Greg Parham on a 79-yard touchdown play. "It's hard to score points on them," Rosemead coach Matt Koffler said. "We were trying to run the ball and get their safety down low and he did and we got our play."
Pasadena 19, Arcadia 14 -- The Pasadena High School defense came up big. Again. The Bulldogs pushed host Arcadia back when the Apaches were primed to re-take the lead in the waning minutes of Friday night's Pacific League contest.
The Bulldogs prevailed, 19-14, to remain undefeated in league play at 2-0, 3-2 overall. The Apaches fell to 1-1, 1-3-1. "They were huge," first-year Pasadena head coach Mike McFarland said. The Apaches drove to the Bulldogs 10 in their final drive. On first down, a pile of Pasadena players threw the Apaches for a 10-yard loss on a pitchout. Arcadia was called for holding, and on third down, Chris Conell sacked Arcadia quarterback Myles Carr. The drive was stopped on the 17. "The kids are fired up," McFarland said. "It's been a long time since the school has beaten Arcadia. The kids were excited to end the streak."
Burbank 29, Muir 28, 2OT -- Muir had a 14-7 lead but relinquished that lead and headed into overtime tied at 21. Muir had a chance to win it in overtime after recovering a Burbank fumble. But quarterback Jarron Williams was sacked and three incomplete passes later the Mustangs found themselves heading into second OT. Williams scored to put Muir on top in the second OT, but Burbank answered with Sam Bethany 2-yard score and a two-point conversion from Adam Colman to Ulises Ochoa. Tough break for the Mustangs, who are now 0-5 overall and 0-2 in Pacific League.
San Marino 14, San Gabriel 13 -- The Matadors counted on a short field and a recovered fumble in the closing minutes of its last nonleague game of the season to stay undefeated. Morgan Myers helped the Titans erase a six-point deficit with 1:10 to play in the game on a 2-yard touchdown run, followed by a Stevie Yortsos extra kick to help them get by San Gabriel, 14-13. Myers' decisive score concluded a seven-play, 54-yard march for San Marino (5-0) that lasted 1:55. On the next drive, the Matadors (2-3) used all three timeouts, but they didn't amount to much after an Isaac Valdez fumble that Ben Harwich recovered at the Titans 42.
Maranatha 22, Kilpatrick 6 -- The Minutemen (3-2, 2-0) were led by quarterback Cody Keith, who completed 11 of 24 passes for 118 yards and one interception. Keith rushed for three touchdowns, all on quarterback sneaks from the 1. It was a sloppy game of sorts for Maranatha, which had numerous miscues and sloppy plays at times.
Sierra Vista 33, Duarte 7 -- Duarte's defense held the Dons' high-powered running attack to 14 points in the first half despite allowing 138 rushing yards and over 12 minutes in time of possession. But it didn't matter. Jose Maldonado and Erick Garcia led Sierra Vista with two touchdowns each.
Pioneer 31, Bosco Tech 19 -- Pioneer had a strong second half in the win. Turnovers stymied the Tigers who have now lost two straight games.
South Pasadena 26, Keppel 14 -- The Tigers won their first game of the season, taking advantage of Aztecs miscues. A week after Keppel ended a 40-game losing streak, the Tigers picked off five Evan Blackman passes and recovered a pair of fumbles. "We did not play very well," Keppel first-year coach Bobby Mildred said. "Those five interceptions put us in a hole." The Tigers led, 7-0, at the half. Keppel got down to the 10, but fumbled the ball away. "As bad as we played, we were still in the game," Madrid said. We just shot ourselves in the foot. After last week, I'm really disappointed." The Tigers took a 14-0 lead. Bachman scored the first of his two TDs on a quarterback sneak.
Rio Hondo Prep 40, Desert 6 -- Juniors Nick Preciado and Charles Quintero each rushed for more than 100 yards and the Kares remained undefeated with a relatively easy victory. Rio Hondo Prep led, 20-6, at the half. Andrew Quintero, up from the junior varsity team, scored a TD and Preciado and Charles Quintero had the other TDs. Preciado had a TD reception from Chris Llamas. Jimmy Davis and Jason Wiley both had interceptions, Wiley returning his 50 yards.
Blair XX, Brawley XX -- Did not report
Marshall XX, Montclair Prep XX -- Did not report
The Stang Fan: ???
Melendez last week: 16-2 (Total: 47-35-1)
Last Week: My only misses were Muir and Bosco Tech. The Mustangs were in control but gave up nine points in the last two minutes. Where does Muir land in the rankings? Completely out? Because guess what, I've seen Burbank play and they're pretty damn good, and the guess here is Muir will be 0-5 after this week. I feel so bad for Bosco Tech. The one time I show up to one of their games and they self-destruct as soon as I get there. I showed up with about nine minutes left in the second quarter. First offensive play I see and the Tigers throw an INT. Salesian converts a field goal. On the ensuing drive, Bosco Tech fumbles. Then, at the start of the second half, Johnny Calderon goes down with an ankle injury. I left in the third quarter, but the damage was done. My bad. .... Great for Keppel to get the win. Aztecs coach Bobby Madrid was winded when we talked Friday night. The way Keppel's playing combined with South Pasadena's inconsistency and who knows, maybe the Aztecs string a two-game winning streak by week's end. Someone mentioned I should have changed my pick from Flintridge Prep to Malibu. So much for that. I stuck with my guns and the Rebels came through, and so did Temple City.
This week: I'll get my first look at Dietrich Riley on Thursday. I won't be covering the game, but I'll be roaming the sidelines and watching Riley, Christopher Cabrera and of course the man of the hour, Justin Posthuma. I'll be at the La Cañada game Friday night to get a look at this Rocky Moore everyone speaks of. Should be fun because Arroyo's the No. 2-ranked Mid-Valley Division team and should give the Spartans a good test. The guess here is La Cañada comes through in the waning minutes.
THIS WEEK'S GAMES WITH PREDICTIONS
TONIGHT'S GAME
El Rancho at St. Francis, 7:30 p.m. (Keith Lair, staff art)
FRIDAY'S GAMES
Arroyo at La Cañada, 7 p.m. -- Melendez (LC)
La Salle at Temple City, 7 p.m. -- Melendez (Temple City)
Rosemead vs. South Hills at Covina Field, 7 p.m. -- Melendez (South Hills)
Pasadena at Arcadia, 7 p.m. -- Melendez (Arcadia)
Muir vs. Burbank at Burroughs, 7 p.m. -- Melendez (Burbank)
San Marino at San Gabriel, 7 p.m. -- Melendez (San Gabriel)
Rio Hondo Prep at Desert, 7 -- Melendez (Rio Hondo Prep)
Kilpatrick at Maranatha, 7 p.m. -- Melendez (Maranatha)
Sierra Vista at Duarte, 7 p.m. -- Melendez (Sierra Vista)
Bosco Tech at Pioneer, 7 p.m. -- Melendez (Pioneer)
Keppel at South Pasadena, 7 p.m. -- Melendez (Keppel)
Blair at Brawley, 7 p.m. -- Melendez (Brawley)
Marshall vs. Montclair Prep at Pierce College, 7 p.m. -- Melendez (Montclair Prep)
By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer
Wearing nothing but diapers and an oversized Muir High School boys basketball T-shirt, Rocky Moore roamed the basketball court as a 2-year-old chasing loose balls and tumbling after taking charges.
It was on Muir's basketball court where Moore, the second-year senior starting quarterback at La Cañada, learned that playing a physical style was fun. It was also there where a strong father-son bond began.
Moore's father, Bill "Rocky" Moore, coached the Muir program to basketball supremacy, leading the Mustangs to the 1993 and 1996 CIF-Southern Section championships. Surrounded by driven, future Division I athletes is how Moore learned to build a strong work ethic. Among them was Jacques Vaughn who played under Roy Williams at Kansas and is a 12-year NBA veteran starting his fourth season with the San Antonio Spurs.
Moore spent countless hours on the hardwood learning the game his father loved, but equally as important it was watching older and much taller guys play with such high intensity. It was an environment Bill Moore wanted his sons to be surrounded by.
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Continue reading Football: Early experiences pave way for Rocky road.
Muir has won 10 of the last 13 Turkey Tussles, but is this the year PHS breaks that dreaded 10-game losing streak and brings home The Bell? It may be too early to tell. Spoke with Muir coach Ken Howard yesterday and he said the Mustangs are still a top 10 team despite an 0-4 start. I beg to differ, at lest for now. But lets get one thing straight here: Just because the Bulldogs beat a tough Long Beach Jordan and scored a sound win vs. Hoover doesn't mean PHS is a top 10 team. Far from it. This isn't to say the Bulldogs can't be good. Hell, I saw an awesome defense play strong against Saugus before penalties and turnovers doomed PHS. Nevertheless, they are mistakes that can be overcome by good coaching, and we all know the 'Dogs finally got a no-nonsense guy in Mike McFarland. So will PHS finally break that streak? If nothing else, this is as close as the Bulldogs will get in the last decade.
Bold move? Perhaps. But after unimpressive performances last week Muir (0-4) and Rosemead (1-3) had to go. It was only a matter of time until the "We play a tough schedule" excuse ran out of gas. At some point the "We were in the Mid-Valley Division finals" reason lost its rationalization. Sorry, Matt Koffler. It used to be that those excuses had substance, but after Muir lost 9-6 to Burroughs last week and Rosemead dropped only 13 points against Temple City, it's becoming clear these teams are in rebuilding stages. It's hard to admit, especially since both schools are known as football powers, not just in the San Gabriel Valley but in their respective divisions as well. Aside from Monrovia and St. Francis, I can think of four other teams that can push Muir and Rosemead to the limit, and probably win, too -- La Cañada, San Marino, Temple City and Alhambra. Sure, it's subjective to say any of those four teams can hang with Muir and Rosemead, but looking at each team's personnel and comparing it with that of Muir and Rosemead you can see why the Mustangs and Panthers would struggle. An uninspiring 9-6 loss to Burroughs? How do you give up nine points in the last two minutes?!? There seemingly was little improvement by Rosemead from the time they lost to Monrovia, then Harvard-Westlake and now Temple City. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a reflection of the coaching staff. Koffler and Ken Howard have impressive credentials. But it's now fair to say both teams -- once considered long-standing powers -- are in rebuilding mode. So, with Muir and Rosemead out of the top 10, which teams deserve to fill the spots? Speak now or forever hold your peace.
MIGUEL MELENDEZ COLUMN
This column appeared on page B2 in the Star-News sports section on Tuesday, Oct. 6
THERE wasn't the usual runaround or answers littered with excuses.
That just wasn't going to happen, not under Joe Conte's watch.
Conte, the San Gabriel Valley Football Officials Association's liaison to the CIF-Southern Section, didn't hide or sugarcoat a lapse in judgement by the officiating crew that two weeks ago refused to grant Temple City and Arcadia high schools overtime after a 28-28 tie.
It didn't help that one official responded with "You just can't pay me enough to work overtime" when asked if there was going to be overtime.
Conte was flooded with calls the next day. It spilled into the weeks ahead.
Understandably there was outrage. The crew's actions not only abruptly ended an exciting game everyone wanted to see finished, it also put the association and profession in a bad light.
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Continue reading Melendez: No excuses made over officials' miscue.
Above: These Rams are a happy bunch. I'm sure Goldenarm will love this photo.
CLICK HERE FOR QUARTER-BY-QUARTER SCORES
TONIGHT'S SCORES
Burroughs 9, Muir 6 -- Muir was up 6-0 from the second quarter but just couldn't hang on. The depleted Mustangs gave up nine points in the last 2:14. Burroughs scored from 8 yards out before Muir blocked the PAT. The things is, the Mustangs fumbled on the ensuing kickoff as Burroughs recovered at the Mustangs 21-yard line. Burroughs converted a 21-yard field goal with 21 seconds to win the game. Wow.
Temple City 27, Rosemead 13 -- Our Keith Lair will have the recap in tomorrow's sports page.
St. Francis 41, Rio Mesa 0 -- Speechless.
Monrovia 48, La Salle 14 -- Our correspondent Guillermo Tovar says Monrovia is NOT the No. 1 team in the WSGV, not after what he witnessed Friday night Four fumbles, and lots of penalties. Tovar says they played complacent. Monrovia has to be careful not to play down to its opponents, which sounds like it may have done against La Salle.
Pasadena 21, Hoover 13 -- Would you look at that!! Bulldogs are 1-0 to start Pacific League action.
Brentwood 44, Marshall 16 -- Brentwood scored early and often and built a 20-10 lead at the half before running away. There was a scary moment when the game was stopped for 20 minutes in the second quarter. Senior running back Bijon Callum sustained a neck injury on a kickoff return. He was transported to a hospital and was released three hours later with a pinched nerve. "He may miss a week," Pickens said. "He felt good enough to come back but out of precaution we'll hold him down."
La Puente 62, Duarte 3 -- At least the Falcons got on the board.
Flintridge Prep 23, Malibu 20 -- Flintridge Prep took advantage of a Malibu miscue and overcame a second-half deficit en route to a 23-20 win in nonleague action Friday night. The Rebels (1-3) took a 14-13 lead with 40 seconds left in the second quarter after Chris Wirphlin scored from 2-yards. Malibu (1-3) scored early in the third quarter to take a 20-13 lead.
Flintridge Prep had a chance to tie it, but Eric Kazgian fumbled at the goal line midway through the fourth quarter. Fortunately for the Rebels, the Sharks went three-and-out before a bad snap at the Rebels 20 was recovered by Flintridge Prep for the safety, pulling to within 20-16. After another Malibu three-and-out, the Rebels marched to the Malibu 6-yard line where Kazgian redeemed himself and scored to seal the win for Flintridge Prep. The Rebels played stellar defense to make the score stand.
La Canada 42, Firebaugh 6 -- Spartans built a 28-6 lead at the half en route to the win. LC gets a big test at home next week against Arroyo.
Hacienda Heights Wilson 42, Blair 0 -- LoooOOOOooOOoong season for Vikes ...
Alhambra 30, South Pasadena 6 -- Moors go on the offensive in win.
Keppel 36, Mountain View 0 -- Absolutely huge win for the Aztecs. Huge. Edson Pena scored three touchdowns in the win.
Pasadena Poly 21, Webb 6 -- Hunter Merryman threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another to lead the Panthers (3-2, 1-0) in the Prep League opener at South Pasadena High. Running back Adam Burpee rushed for 247 yards. Kevin Capehart and Jack Porter each caught a touchdown pass for the Panthers, who led 14-0 at the half.
San Marino 21, Cantwell-Sacred Heart 6 -- Solid win for the Titans.
Pomona 18, Gabrielino 7 -- Is it baseball season yet?
By Miguel A. Melendez Staff Writer
THERE'S a 12-second voice message on Jesse Hernandez's cell phone. The call came from Arturo Beristain just before 10 p.m. about three months ago.
"I'm going to the mountains tomorrow. Early, not too early. Call me back ... please ... if you want to go ... bye."
Hernandez, a senior and starting center on the Pasadena High School football team, saves that message every few weeks. He's heard it a dozen times, each time a flurry of emotions overwhelming him - anger, sadness, encouragement.
The emotions stem from a terrible Tuesday morning while hiking through a treacherous area in Eaton Canyon.
Hernandez, 17, and Beristain, 25, had known each other five months, but instantly struck up a friendship when they met at Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena.
They shared a lot of interests - from watching movies to playing the drums and congas to hiking. But most of all, they shared a passion for serving in the Christian ministry.
For a while, they talked about going hiking together.
Then Beristain called.
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Plain and simple, the officials blew it.
That was the conclusion the San Gabriel Valley Football Officials Association came to after a nearly two-hour- long special meeting Tuesday night.
Joe Conte, the association's liaison to the CIF-Southern Section, met with the officiating crew working last week's Temple City-Arcadia game, which ended in a 28-28 tie after the crew refused to stay for overtime.
Temple City coach Anthony White and Arcadia's Jon Dimalante agreed to play overtime. Officials, however, informed both coaches they were not going to stay and proceeded to jog off the field, much to the dismay of a disappointed crowd that booed the officiating crew.
White said he heard one of the officials make a statement about overtime pay. Dimalante didn't recall that, but was disappointed with how the situation was handled.
Conte said he asked each member of the five-member crew if anyone mentioned anything about overtime pay.
The first four officials answered "no," but the fifth official - the official working the Temple City sideline - stood up, looked straight at Conte and said he indeed made the statement. Conte said the exact quote was: "You just can't pay me enough to work overtime."
"I looked at them and they were astounded, because they had no idea that a statement was made across the field," Conte said.
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Continue reading Football: Refs officially blew Temple City-Arcadia game.
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. |
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