By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer

LA CAADA-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.

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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 Caada 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 CAADA (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 Caada 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 Caada 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.