CIF-SS: Alhambra, South Pasadena jump into Mid-Valley Division top 10; Maranatha still No. 1, Monrovia drops to No. 5; Arcadia is No. 2 in the Southeast Division.


Above: South Pasadena and Alhambra last year. The Moors prevailed, but this week’s meeting at Moor Field should be a closer contest.

MIDVALLEY DIVISION
RNK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) REC W/L OPPONENT SCORE
1. Maranatha (Olympic) 40 Won Salesian 3835

2. Covina (Valle Vista) 31 Won Walnut 426
3. San Dimas (Valle Vista) 31 Won Monrovia 3114
4. Arroyo (Mission Valley) 31 Lost Hart 1742
5. Monrovia (Rio Hondo) 12 Lost San Dimas 1431
6. La Puente (Montview) 30 Won Wilson/H.H. 2813
7. Alhambra (Almont) 40 Won Wilson/L.A. (LAS) 2814
8. Village Christian (Olympic) 22 Lost Bishops School (SDS) 2049
9. Whittier Christian (Olympic) 22 Won St. Margaret’s 287
10. South Pasadena (Rio Hondo) 21 Won Glendale 4921
MY THOUGHTS: It’s too bad that the loser of the Alhambra-South Pasadena game will likely drop a few spots, and in South Pasadena could be dropped. That’s not fair to either team since they’re playing well and should remain in the top 10. Maranatha will stay at the top if it wins the rest of the way, that’s no secret so don’t even give me the whole “jinx” thing. We knew Monrovia would drop after losing to San Dimas. How much grace the Wildcats will get from voters remains to be seen.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION
RNK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) REC W/L OPPONENT SCORE

1. West Covina (Hacienda) 31 Won Glendora 2019
2. Arcadia (Pacific) 21 Won Temple City 3721
3. Los Altos (Hacienda) 40 Won Ayala 2117
4. Bonita (Hacienda) 22 Won Marshall 5022
6. La Serna (Del Rio) 31 Lost La Mirada 031
7. Muir (Pacific) 21 Bye Bye Bye
8. Mayfair (Suburban) 22 Won Valley Christian/C. 3114
9. El Rancho (Del Rio) 31 Won Montebello 227
10. Whittier (Del Rio) 30 Won Roosevelt (LAS) 2720
MY THOUGHTS: Arcadia could run the table if it remains focused. How Muir drops one spot makes no sense to me.

WESTERN DIVISION
RNK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) REC W/L OPPONENT SCORE

1. St. Paul (Mission) 30 Won Garfield (LAS) 318
2. Chaminade (Mission) 21 Lost Alemany 1438
3. Arroyo Grande (PAC7) 31 Won Cabrillo/Lompoc 5621
4. Serra (Mission) 31 Won Banning (LAS) 277
5. St. Francis (Mission) 30 Won Venice (LAS) 2717
6. St. Joseph/Santa Maria (PAC7) 21 Won Mater Dei (SDS) 357
7. Culver City (Ocean) 30 Won Redondo Union 4023
8. Dominguez (San Gabriel Valley) 22 Won Jordan/Long Beach 258
9. Atascadero (PAC7) 31 Won Seaside (CCS) 497
10. Ventura (Channel) 40 Won Nordhoff 3520
MY THOUGHTS: St. Francis remains at No. 5, but check this out: three teams from the Mission League are ranked. Now that’s one tough league.

NORTHEAST DIVISION
RNK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) REC W/L OPPONENT SCORE

1. Desert Christian/L. (Desert Mountain) 40 Won Silver Valley 526
2. Bishop Union (High Desert) 21 Won Rim of the World 6219
3. Salesian (Santa Fe) 31 Lost Maranatha 3538
4. Rio Hondo Prep (Prep) 31 Won Boron 4038
5. Boron (Desert Mountain) 22 Lost Rio Hondo Prep 3840
6. Mojave (Desert Mountain) 30 Won Vasquez 460
7. Pasadena Poly (Prep) 30 Bye Bye Bye
8. St. Genevieve (Santa Fe) 40 Won Marshall/Pasadena 496
9. Kern Valley (High Desert) 30 Won Chadwick 4739
10. Desert (High Desert) 22 Won Antelope Valley 150
MY THOUGHTS: Rio Hondo Prep’s thrilling win over Boron last week causes a switch between the Kares and Boron, who drop to No. 5. As I’ve said before, Pasadena Poly won’t really be challenged until it meets rival Rio Hondo Prep in League play, consequently meaning the Panthers could have trouble gaining ground in the polls.

NORTHWEST DIVISION
RNK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) REC W/L OPPONENT SCORE

1. Lompoc (Los Padres) 40 Won Dos Pueblos 230
2. South Torrance (Pioneer) 21 Lost Palos Verdes 744
3. Centennial/Compton (Pioneer) 30 Bye Bye Bye
4. Carpinteria (TriValley) 20 Bye Bye Bye
5. St. Bernard (Del Rey) 40 Won Lawndale 3914
6. Cabrillo/Lompoc (Los Padres) 31 Lost Arroyo Grande 2156
7. Verbum Dei (Del Rey) 31 Won Blair 5414
8. Santa Ynez (Los Padres) 11 Bye Bye Bye
9. Templeton (Los Padres) 21 Bye Bye Bye
10. Fillmore (TriValley) 31 Won Frazier Mountain 5930
Other Bosco Tech (Del Rey) 40 Won Santiago/G.G. 490
MY THOUGHTS: Bosco Tech’s dominating win (and that’s putting it lightly) over Santiago should have been enough for the Tigers to slip into the top 10. Not so, say the pollsters, who keep Bosco Tech in the same spot as last week. Not buying it, but rest assure, if the Tigers continue to win in similar fashion they’ll be in the top 10 and playoff-bound.

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Star Picks: Now that Maranatha and St. Francis are done invading our airwaves, let’s get back to making Week 4 (or Week 5 if that’s more your cup of tea) predictions.

I went 15-1 last week, the lone loss coming in the San Gabriel-Baldwin Park pick. Big games this week with the Pacific League opener that also happens to be a league showdown. Arcadia visits Muir. You all remember last year the Apaches pulled through to give coach Jon Dimalante his 100th career win at Arcadia. A first half domination allowed the Apaches to rest their starters in the second half against Temple City while at the same time giving the second and third units some valuable playing time. Muir is coming off a bye, and here’s hoping the game isn’t marred with penalty after penalty after penalty after penalty, etc … I still think the Apaches are on a roll and, at this point in the season, are more disciplined. The teams are tied, I think, when it comes to skill players. Muir’s Kevon Seymour, Tairen Owens and Darick Holmes Jr. are formidable weapons just as Arcadia’s Taylor Lagace and Sheldon McKinely. Arcadia, though, has the edge at quarterback with Myles Carr playing like a man on a mission. In the trenches, Muir seems a bit bigger up front but they’re prone to getting drawn offsides and into false starts. In short, this game could be a nail biter. South Hills will give Monrovia another wake-up call Friday. If you don’t think so just look at who the Huskies have played this season and the results: Lost to Colony 30-29, beat St. Monica 61-0; lost to West Covina 35-33. Cal Preps predicts the Wildcats beating South Hills in a close game 31-30, but I just don’t buy it after what Monrovia was selling last week. Blake Hayworth got the start at quarterback, and while the St. Francis transfer proved accurate in his throws, Hayworth’s first five attempts fell incomplete, though he had little help from his receivers. He’s a true pocket guy, but he needs protection and saw his lineman getting pushed back forcing the pocket to collapse. Defensively, the Wildcats were getting beat in the secondary and poor tackling led to extended drives. This is not the Monrovia anybody expected to see: undisciplined and lack for focus. Monrovia coach Ryan Maddox is too experienced and too good a coach to not have these kinks fixed come playoff time, but at this point the Wildcats definitely are in search of their identity: are they a passing team? are they a running team? Monrovia by my count handed the ball just five times apiece to DeShawn Ramirez and Marquise Bias. To make matters worse, defensive lineman Levi Helm dislocated his right shoulder, adding more to Monrovia’s plight when it comes to injuries.

WEEK 4 GAMES WITH PREDICTIONS
Friday’s Games

Arcadia at Muir, 7 p.m. — Arcadia
South Hills at Monrovia, 7 p.m. — South Hills
Alhambra vs. South Pasadena at Moor Field, 7 p.m. — Alhambra
La Canada at Maranatha, 7 p.m. — Maranatha
Burroughs at Pasadena, 7 p.m. — Burroughs
South El Monte at Temple City, 7 p.m. — South El Monte
Rosemead at San Gabriel, 7 p.m. — Rosemead
La Salle vs. Bosco Tech at Cantwell-Sacred Heart, 7 p.m. — Bosco Tech
West Ranch at St. Francis, 7:30 p.m. — St. Francis
Fulton at Keppel, 7 p.m. — Keppel
Pasadena Poly at Gabrielino, 7 p.m. — Gabrielino
Duarte at Bassett, 7 p.m. — Duarte
San Marino at Bell Gardens, 7 p.m. — Bell Gardens
Marshall vs. Paraclete at Antelope Valley College, 7 p.m. — Paraclete
Blair vs. St. Monica at Santa Monica College, 7 p.m. — Blair

Saturday’s Game
Flintridge Prep at Malibu, 1 p.m. — Malibu

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