October 2011 Archives

Well, let's start with the Almont League where Alhambra and San Gabriel are each 3-0, and as I had written in my Week 0 football column, this game would decide the Almont League championship. San Gabriel has really turned things around in league, and Andy Guerrero has a lot to do with that. It's also the reason why I'm picking San Gabriel to win Friday, and here's why. Guerrero is a threat passing and on the ground. He torched Bell Gardens last week with 350 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 146 yards on 22 carries. He helped the Matadors beat Montebello 48-17 with 312 yards passing and three touchdowns against zero interceptions. He also rushed for 138 yards on 14 carries. Keppel and Montebello are the common opponents, but I'm comparing just the Oilers for this instance. Alhambra last week had a hard time beating Montebello, 7-6. ... St. Francis-St. Paul is always a huge rivalry, and both have identical records (6-2, 1-2) coming into this must-win game. St. Paul on paper looked great starting the season but its 5-0 nonleague record was deceiving given that the teams it played right now have a combined 15-26 record, and if I'm correct at one point it was 5-22. To be fair, St. Francis' opponents have a combined record of 22-17. .... Maranatha is falling and falling hard. The Minutemen are in a dangerous spot at 0-2 in the Olympic League with two games left, both must-wins. I think Maranatha no longer is considered a title contender in the Mid-Valley Division. A darkhorse, perhaps. But right now neither of the two roles come into play if they don't finish .500 in league, and it starts with Village Christian (4-4, 1-1) on Friday, a team that got SMOKED by Rio Hondo Prep 31-13, all 31 points coming in the second half, 23 of which came in the fourth quarter after an 8-7 lead after the third quarter. It's time to buckle down and get some. In my opinon the biggest game of the week is Pasadena-Arcadia. Burroughs, Arcadia and Pasadena are tied for first in the Pacific League at 4-1. Arcadia lost to Burroughs 41-29, and no doubt the Apaches were going into that game too confident after beating Muir in the league opener. Both teams are talented with stellar quarterbacks. Arcadia's Myles Carr and Pasadena's Brandon Cox are two explosive players who can burn you with the pass, but it's Cox who adds another element with speed and vision when running. Arcadia's Jake Medel has given the Apaches another solid running back to balance the passing threat that also features WR Taylor Lagace. Pasadena's Cleo Bates is an incredible athlete who needs some traction to get his game going, and if he does watch out. Last and certainly not least is the San Marino-South Pasadena game, AKA The Crowley Cup. I saw San Marino last week, but certainly won't base my prediction based on their play against Monrovia, although the Titans did initiate some solid drives even if the scoreboard doesn't indicate that. Kwame Do will be a tough assignment, but I see South Pasadena finding a way with the size up front. The Tigers utilize the line well to open lanes which gives way for them to pound and pound and pound. The long drives could wear down the Titans, but I don't see it happening. Joey Harmon and Matt Wofford will be a nice battle to watch. A San Marino win all but gives it a second-place finish in the Rio Hondo League. South Pasadena would still need to play Monrovia.

*If this schedule is not accurate please leave a comment
WEEK 9 SCHEDULE WITH PREDICTIONS
Friday's games
Alhambra at San Gabriel, 7 p.m. -- San Gabriel
Keppel at Bell Gardens, 7 p.m. -- Bell Gardens
Marshall vs. Montclair Prep at Pierce College, 7 p.m. -- Montclair Prep
Bishop Montgomery at La Salle, 7 p.m. -- La Salle
St. Francis at St. Paul, 7:30 p.m. -- St. Francis
Gabrielino at Arroyo, 7 p.m. -- Arroyo
Mountain View at Rosemead, 7 p.m. -- Rosemead
La Puente at Duarte, 7 p.m. -- La Puente
Village Christian at Maranatha, 7 p.m. -- Maranatha
Pasadena at Arcadia, 7 p.m. -- Arcadia
Burbank at Muir, 7 p.m. -- Muir
Flintridge Prep vs. Pasadena Poly at Occidental College, 7 p.m. -- Poly
Chadwick at Rio Hondo Prep, 7:30 p.m. -- Rio Hondo Prep
Blair at La Canada, 7 p.m. -- La Canada
Monrovia at Temple City, 7 p.m. -- Monrovia
San Marino at South Pasadena, 7 p.m. -- South Pasadena

Above: Told ya!

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Friday's results
Monrovia 43, San Marino 7 -- De'Shawn Ramirez and Marquise Bias each scored two touchdowns and Blake Heyworth threw for two scores, connecting with Ramirez and Anthony Craft. Mason Bryant scored on an interception return as the Wildcats overwhelmed the Titans with their speed and size. San Marino scored midway through the fourth quarter on a Kwame Do 28-yard run for the Titans' lone touchdown.

La Salle 49, Mary Star 20 -- Josh Hall had two touchdowns and Israel Lacy, Austin Wallis, Mark Tappan, Bryce Harvey and Stephen Wright each scored a touchdown to help the Lancers snap a 17-game losing streak. Not gonna say that I called it ...

Muir 28, Burroughs 0 -- Mustangs totally dominated, giving up 6 rushing in the second half, 88 for the entire game. Zander Anding, however, did not play due to a collar bone injury he sustained last week, so that obviously was a huge difference. Freshman Darick Holmes Jr. came off the bench at quarterback and led the Mustangs to a nice 50-yard drive capped by a 7-yard touchdown pass to Kevon Seymour. Muir rushed for 170 yards on the ground.

La Canada 44, Temple City 27 -- Franklin Cervenka had six carries for 52 yards and two receptions for 99 yards, the longest a 60-yard touchdown pass from Matt Jones, who finished 7 of 11 passing for 166 yards and a throwing touchdown. Jones finished with 74 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns. Temple City's Anthony Valencia was 3 of 7 for 42 yards and struggled for most of the game. He rushed for a touchdown. Roger Tsung had 20 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown for the Rams.

Alhambra 7, Montebello 6 -- The Moors scored with less than 30 seconds lef tin the game in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Oilers on the road. Alhambra's win gives it a 3-0 record heading into next week's game at San Gabriel, which also is 3-0 after a gritty win over Bell Gardens.

Arcadia 44, Glendale 0 -- The Apaches record their first shutout of the season. Alex McElwee and Joe Wong each recorded an interception and Clarence Irvin helped Arcadia record a safety. Myles Carr was 7 of 9 for 120 yards and two touchdowns. He had 34 yards on the ground with a touchdown. Jake Medel had 143 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown. Rodney Arnett had 85 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. The win sets up a huge game against Pasadena, which is also 4-1 in the Pacific League.

OTHER SCORES
Arroyo 28, Rosemead 21
Rio Hondo Prep 49, Flintridge Prep 0
Schurr 27, Keppel 7
Pasadena Poly 26, Webb 21
El Monte 48, El Monte 28
Duarte 17, Gladstone 14
Valley Christian 26, Maranatha 18
San Gabriel 37, Bell Gardens 31
Chaminade 31, St. Francis 13

Pasadena 49, Hoover 19: The final score indicates a blowout from the Pasadena High School football team, but the game within the game is where the Bulldogs came up on the wrong end. Brandon Cox threw for three touchdowns, Cleo Bates ran for two and Emmanuel Harris and CJ Collins each scored on special teams, leading Pasadena to a 49-19 win over Hoover in Pacific League play Thursday night. The biggest challenge Pasadena (5-3, 4-1) coach Randy Horton faced heading into this week's game was for the Bulldogs to overlook the Tornadoes (0-8, 0-5). But that's exactly what Pasadena did in a sloppy game that yielded three fumbles (one lost), defensive breakdowns and drive-extending penalties. Certainly this wasn't the impression the Bulldogs wanted to give with Arcadia looming ahead next week before finishing the season against Muir at the Rose Bowl.

South Pasadena 29, Blair 3: One rolling punt is all it took. Blair High School's Sheddrick Walker wisely let the South Pasadena kick roll to what he hoped would be into the end zone. But the Tigers made a diving grab to down the ball at the 1. It was all the difference in the world. South Pasadena, holding a 7-3 lead, took advantage of the field position to score two quick touchdowns en route to a 29-3 Rio Hondo League victory on a cold Thursday night at Muir. "We got the ball down there in their territory and punched it in," South Pasadena coach Martin Konrad said. "It kind of got the momentum going." Both teams moved the ball on their opening drives, but the Tigers went three-and-out on their second series. The punt was downed at the 1, much to the chagrin of the Blair coaching staff, who thought the defender had rolled with the ball into the end zone.

La Cañada's Barry Ritson has resigned as the Spartans boys soccer coach. More details to come later, but in just two seasons Ritson led the Spartans to two undefeated seasons in the Rio Hondo League and compiled a 43-3-1 record. Ritson twice was named Star-News Coach of the Year and led La Cañada to the second round and quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section Division V playoffs. Ritson is a very well known coach in the La Cañada community. He's the director of coaching for L.A. Premiere FC, one of the most elite soccer clubs in the nation. Ritson, who played at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, brought a wealth of experience having played for Sunderland FC's youth level as well as with the Burnley FC youth and reserve teams. La Cañada athletic director Craig Franzen said Ritson was an outstanding coach and that "he still wants to be involved in the program depending on the coach who gets hired." Franzen added: "I just don't think he can do the day-to-day stuff anymore." The search for a third coach in three seasons is under way. Jordan Jones resigned after his first season in 2008 to further his education.

By Keith Lair, Staff Writer

SAN GABRIEL - Rosemead High School's girls volleyball team rushed the Gabrielino court after the fifth game and jumped up and down in one big group hug. They cried in joy.

Gabrielino, meanwhile, cried in disappointment.

The Panthers may have scored their biggest volleyball victory Wednesday afternoon, ending the Eagles' 77-match Mission Valley League undefeated streak.

"We just put our hearts out there," Panthers junior outside hitter Priscilla Franco said. "I knew we could do it. It was all in ourselves."

Trailing 12-5 in the fifth game, the Panthers rallied for an 18-16 victory.

"Definitely, definitely not the best I've seen my team play, but the willpower and the heart shined through on this game," Rosemead coach Emily Hausler said. "That was something I had not seen in a long time come out of this team."

Gabrielino had not lost a league match since 2004, when the Eagles fell to Arroyo in four games.

"We leave it out on the court," Gabrielino coach Silvia Apodaca said. "They played hard, they just made mistakes they shouldn't have made. They knew (Rosemead) was going to bring it."

Rosemead, which is solidly in third place in league at 5-4, scored a 21-25, 25-16, 8-25, 25-23, 18-16 win. It was Gabrielino's fourth five-game match in league play this season, second in a row. The Eagles defeated the Panthers in five games in the first round of league play.

"Gab is our worst rival," Hausler said. "They're the best team in our league. In the past I've seen girls come through this program and they're terrified of them. It's been very intimidating for our girls.

"So this is a big turnaround."

The Eagles can still win the league title if they defeat visiting El Monte on Friday afternoon. The teams are tied for the lead at 8-1. The Lions defeated Arroyo in four games on Wednesday.

"It was disappointing, but they put up a big fight," Gabrielino setter Joann Chac said. "We just have to move on. We're going to use this loss to get ready for the Friday game."

Lizzy Lemus came off the bench to serve back-to-back aces and Priscilla Franco had two kills to help close Rosemead's 12-5 deficit to a 13-11 gap. Rosemead touched the net to give Gabrielino three match points, but Gabrielino touched the net and had a hitting error and then another Franco spike tied it at 14.

It was tied again at 15 and 16 with Gabrielino having match point each time.

Rosemead then got its first match point when Gabrielino's Jessica La hit a kill attempt long. Rosemead libero Sydney Hua made three huge digs during the extended rally.

"I was really nervous, but we had pushed through in the game before," Hua said of the 25-23 fourth game, in which the Eagles had led, 23-20.

A kill attempt by Gabrielino went into the net to end the match.

You probably know the byline by now. Mike Botticello is one of our best correspondents. He's been with us for about four years covering some of the best games in the area. This season alone, Botticello was excited about covering Muir and Pasadena, coming into the office after every Bulldogs game raving about QB Brandon Cox and WR Riian Simpson. He's such a big HS football fan he attended the Monrovia-Glendora game just to watch Ellis McCarthy in action. He'll be in Connecticut over the next few weeks tending to his family. We express our condolences to him and his family.

STAR-NEWS RANKINGS
1. St. Francis (6-1)
Meat of schedule up next

2. Arcadia (5-2)
Way to bounce back strong

3. Maranatha (6-1)
Relying on big plays

4. Monrovia (4-3)
Win over Blair proved little

5. South Pasadena (5-2)
Most improved team so far

6. Muir (4-3)
Big test coming up Friday

7. Rio Hondo Prep (6-1)
Big second half fuels Kares

8. Rosemead (4-3)
Bounced back vs. Gabrielino

9. Alhambra (6-1)
Team to beat in Almont?

10. Pasadena (4-3)
Impressed with offense, wins

Alhambra pitcher Gary Acuna, a left-hander who was instrumental in helping the Moors win 22 of their final 23 games heading into the CIF-Southern Section playoffs, has verbally committed to San Jose State. Acuna went 7-2 with a 1.52 ERA and 49 strikeouts as a junior. He combined with Frankie Wright for four no-hitters last season.

Despite a slow start to the season, many still consider Monrovia (4-3, 2-0) the team to beat in the Rio Hondo League, leaving others to dub any kind of league race as "the race for second place."

South Pasadena (5-2, 2-0) and San Marino (5-2, 2-0) clearly are the two teams vying for the second guaranteed playoff spot into the Mid-Valley Division playoffs. That there's a race at all goes to show the giant strides made at both San Marino and South Pasadena. The last time the Titans made the playoffs was under D.R. Moreland in 2009 when they reached the second round.

It's been much longer for the Tigers. They lost to Serra of Gardena in 2003, so when South Pasadena got off to a strong start this season, some wondered if the Tigers finally were ready to compete for a playoff spot, and so far they've shown they're definitely in the hunt.

"We put the pressure on ourselves," said South Pasadena coach Martin Konrad earlier this season. "That's the one thing these guys have to adjust to, expectations. You win games and people start expecting things about you and you have to be able to handle the pressure."

The Titans host Monrovia this week, a tall task in itself, while the Tigers take on Blair on Thursday. Regardless of the outcome, next week no doubt will have great significance because not only are South Pasadena and San Marino rivals, but the game could have playoff implications on the line.

Above: Muir has some talent, too.

Now that the fun and games are over, it's time for Muir to get down to some serious business.

The last two weeks have been light for the Mustangs (4-3, 2-2) after facing Hoover (0-7, 0-4) and Glendale (1-6, 0-4). Muir won those football games by a combined 91-10. It's usually in those games the Mustangs experiment and iron out offensive sets while players rack up yardage.

This week will prove to be much more difficult when Burroughs (4-3, 4-0) comes to town Friday. The visiting Indians have arguably the most explosive weapon around in running back Zander Anding, who has amassed 1,800 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Arcadia (5-2, 3-1) and Pasadena (4-3, 3-1) each had trouble stopping Anding. Against the Bulldogs, he rushed for 312 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. He also hurt Pasadena on special teams with a 99-yard kickoff return for a score. Against the Apaches, Anding rushed for 303 yards and five touchdowns on 33 carries. He scored three touchdowns in a span of 2:35 in the second half, so it's no surprise why Burroughs is unbeaten in league.

Muir hasn't faced a team with a run-first mentality, although the Mustangs did shut down San Gabriel in the season opener. Against Rancho Cucamonga, Muir had trouble stopping the pass and it wasn't until the second half that Rancho pounded the ball on the ground after wearing down Muir.

As it stands, it's still too early to tell which team will vie for the fourth and final playoff spot out of the Pacific League, but Muir sits there now with tough games coming up that also includes Burbank and of course Pasadena in the 58th Turkey Tussle at the Rose Bowl.

MID-VALLEY DIVISION
RANK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) REC. W/L OPPONENT SCORE
1. Covina (Valle Vista) 7-1 Won San Dimas 39-21
2. Arroyo (Mission Valley) 6-1 Won South El Monte 28-7
3. La Puente (Montview) 7-0 Won Sierra Vista 36-16
4. Monrovia (Rio Hondo) 4-3 Won Blair 48-0
5. Whittier Christian (Olympic) 5-3 Won Maranatha 24-21
6. Maranatha (Olympic) 6-1 Lost Whittier Christian 21-24
7. San Dimas (Valle Vista) 5-2 Lost Covina 21-39
8. Pomona (Valle Vista) 5-3 Won Nogales 43-15
9. Alhambra (Almont) 6-1 Won Schurr 18-8
10. El Monte (Mission Valley) 5-2 Won Mountain View 50-14

SOUTHEAST DIVISION
RANK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) REC. W/L OPPONENT SCORE
1. West Covina (Hacienda) 6-1 Bye Bye Bye
2. La Serna (Del Rio) 6-1 Won El Rancho 31-28
3. Arcadia (Pacific) 5-2 Won Hoover 49-7
4. Mayfair (Suburban) 5-2 Won Glenn 60-23
5. Bellflower (Suburban) 6-2 Won Artesia 54-20
6. Santa Fe (Del Rio) 3-4 Won California 31-10
7. California (Del Rio) 5-2 Lost Santa Fe 10-31
8. Los Altos (Hacienda) 6-2 Lost Bonita 28-35
9. Burroughs/Burbank (Pacific) 4-3 Won Crescenta Valley 35-22
10. Diamond Ranch (Hacienda) 4-4 Won Rowland 20-0

WESTERN DIVISION
RANK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) REC. W/L OPPONENT SCORE
1. Chaminade (Mission) 6-1 Won Harvard-Westlake 55-0
2. Arroyo Grande (PAC-7) 7-1 Won Righetti 28-7
3 Serra (Mission) 5-2 Won St. Francis 44-30
4 St. Paul (Mission) 6-1 Won Cathedral 38-0
5 Ventura (Channel) 8-0 Won Buena 20-6
6 St. Francis (Mission) 6-1 Lost Serra 30-44
7 Dominguez (San Gabriel Valley) 5-2 Won Warren 54-7
8 Santa Monica (Ocean) 6-1 Won Beverly Hills 36-14
9. Culver City (Ocean) 5-2 Lost Inglewood 10-30
10. Atascadero (PAC-7) 5-2 Won St. Joseph/S.M. 48-43

NORTHEAST DIVISION
RANK SCHOOL (LEAGUE) REC. W/L OPPONENT SCORE
1. Bishop Union (High Desert) 6-1 Won Frazier Mountain 42-0
2. Rio Hondo Prep (Prep) 6-1 Won Poly/Pasadena 32-0
3. Boron (Desert Mountain) 6-2 Won Lucerne Valley 2-0 (Forfeit)
4. Mojave (Desert Mountain) 7-0* Won Mammoth 46-6
5. Salesian (Santa Fe) 6-2 Won St. Genevieve 28-27
6. Desert Christian/L. (Desert Mountain) 6-1 Bye Bye Bye
7. Chadwick (Prep) 4-3 Won Webb 34-14
8. Kern Valley (High Desert) 6-1 Lost California City 31-38
9. St. Genevieve (Santa Fe) 5-2 Lost Salesian 27-28
10. Desert (High Desert) 5-2 Won Rosamond 53-14

WEEK 8 SCHEDULE WITH PREDICTIONS
Thursday's game
Blair vs. South Pasadena at Muir, 7 p.m.

Friday's games
Monrovia at San Marino, 7 p.m.
Hoover at Pasadena, 7 p.m.
Burroughs at Muir, 7 p.m.
Arcadia at Glendale, 7 p.m.
Temple City at La Canada, 7 p.m.
St. Francis at Chaminade, 7:30 p.m.
Alhambra at Montebello, 7 p.m.
Arroyo at Rosemead, 7 p.m.
Flintridge Prep at Rio Hondo Prep, 7:30 p.m.
Mary Star at La Salle, 7 p.m.
Schurr at Keppel, 7 p.m.
Pasadena Poly vs. Webb at South Pasadena, 7 p.m.
Gabrielino at El Monte, 7 p.m.
Gladstone at Duarte, 7 p.m.
Maranatha at Valley Christian, 7:30 p.m.
San Gabriel at Bell Gardens, 7 p.m.

Saturday's games
Cantwell Sacred Heart at Bosco Tech, 1:30 p.m.
Campbell Hall at Marshall, 2 p.m.

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WEEK 7 RESULTS

Whittier Christian 24, Maranatha 21 -- Maranatha lost its composure in the final minute of play that saw two penalties against the Minutemen followed by two Maranatha players slamming their helmets on the ground as they came off the field. Maranatha trailed 24-14 late in the fourth quarter before their comeback fell short. Whittier Christian's Grant Escobar and Cody Bronkar led the way for the Heralds. Escobar scored on runs of 70 and 9 yards to finish with eight carries and 91 yards. Bronkar had 111 yards on seven catches and scored on a recovered fumble in the end zone. Maranatha's Andrew Elffers completed 11 of 19 passes for 199 yards but was sacked five times. Omar Younger scored on runs of 72 and 3 yards and Clifton Martin connected for a 53-yard touchdown pass from Elffers.

Muir 49, Glendale 10 -- Tairen Owens had a four-yard touchdown run but he had a 62 and 55-yard punt returns called back for clipping. Quarterback Mark Samuels threw for a touchdown and ran for another. Darick Holmes broke a 52 yard touchdown run for the Mustangs. Charles Clayton recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown. We knew Muir would win big, right?

Pasadena 27, Burbank 21 -- Brandon Cox had four total touchdowns (two air, two ground) despite playing with an injured back. Pasadena took a commanding lead 27-7 in the third quarter. Marcus Green had seven catches for 148 yards and a touchdown. Looks like Pasadena is making waves.

Arcadia 49, Hoover 7 -- Arcadia scored on the first play with a 73-yard touchdown pass from Myles Carr to Alex McElwee. Carr finished with 159 yards and three touchdowns on 8 of 15 passing. The starters were pulled in the first half. Running back Jake Madel had eight carries for 90 yards and a touchdown. Rodney Arnett finished with 100 yards on six carries and a touchdown. Arcadia finished with 427 total yards and held Hoover to 136 total yards.

Monrovia 48, Blair 0 -- Don't really have to get into this one after Blair suited only 18 kids. Ouch.

South Pasadena 21, La Canada 6 -- Sean Magill rushed for 86 yards on 11 carries and scored two touchdowns. Also, Telanto Harvey had two interceptions and recorded a 40-yard touchdown reception from Conor Bednarski. La Canada's Matt Jones went 16 of 26 with 176 yards and ran for the Spartans' lone score from 4 yards out.

San Marino 24, Temple City 13 -- San Mario's Kwame Do had 14 carries for 101 yards and two receptions for 56 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown catch from QB Matt Wofford, who completed 6 of 12 passes for 156 yards. He also rushed for a touchdown. Nick Gott had two sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked field goal and Garrett Glazier returned a blocked kick for a 75-yard touchdown score. Temple City's Anthony Valencia completed 8 of 14 for 162 yards but with two interceptions. Jaime Dea ran for 51 yards and a touchdown. Dareece Spratt had three receptions for 90 yards, including a 56-yard reception from Valencia.

OTHER SCORES
Rosemead 24, Gabrielino 6
Duarte 31, Workman 28, OT
San Gabriel 34, Keppel 16
Bishop Montgomery 24, Bosco Tech 0
Serra 44, St. Francis 30

By Steve Ramirez, Staff Writer

MONTEBELLO - It wasn't pretty, but Alhambra coach Lou Torres isn't about to give it back.
Not when his Moors are in first place and undefeated in the Almont League.

Sebastian Espinosa returned a blocked field goal 65 yards for a touchdown and visiting Alhambra held Schurr to 82 yards to lead the Moors to an 18-8 victory Thursday over the Spartans in an Almont League game.

Alhambra, also getting a 1-yard touchdown run from quarterback Joshua Mendoza, improved to 6-1 and 2-0 in league. Schurr, which got a 1-yard touchdown run from Bradley Powell, slipped to 1-6 and 1-1.

"We knew it would be a defensive game," Torres said. "We were like heavyweights. We just kept punching."

The first half was a survival of the fittest, and the visiting Moors took advantage of the lone break - a blocked field goal that Espinosa turned into a 65-yard return.

It was a strange turn of events after Schurr looked like it might gain the early advantage when David Pena intercepted a Mendoza pass and returned it 22 yards to the Alhambra 13-yard line.

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If you watched our 2-minute drill previewing Whittier Christian-Maranatha you noticed Aram asking me who would I take right now if Maranatha and Monrovia played. I adamantly picked Maranatha, and here's why.

Monrovia is hurting, plain and simple.

For starters, Ellis McCarthy has been held out since the South Hills game, and in that game he wasn't nowhere near 100 percent since taking a helmet to the knee against Arcadia, the second game of the season.

McCarthy, a 6-foot-5, 311-pound defensive tackle who was just named a U.S. Army All-American, suited up against La Canada last week but he didn't play. The simple answer? Monrovia didn't really need him. Either way, he had missed practice all last week, which contributed to him not playing, too. McCarthy said he would try to get back out to practice, and assuming he did practice this week, who's to say McCarthy will be needed against Blair on Friday night? Monrovia won't need McCarthy, but the problem is he needs to get back to game speed, according to Monrovia coach Ryan Maddox.

"This week I'm not going to speak about our needs for him, but he needs to start getting into game shape," Maddox said. "If he's not practicing then he won't play. If he's practicing this week and it feels good we might get him some limited reps on Friday and get him going. But he needs to get himself back into game shape. He played against South Hills but I don't know that he was at full strength. It's been since game 2 (vs. Arcadia) since he was at full speed and full strength."

Monrovia's woes don't end there.

George Frazier, who also suited up last week but did not play, likely will sit out Friday's game, too. The same goes for Brandon Wingenbach. DeShawn Ramirez took a shot to the hip and is bruised. He's also questionable for Friday's game.

Then there's quarterback Blake Heyworth. The junior took a shot to the shoulder last week against La Canada. He finished the game, but in actually what other choice did the Wildcats have?

"Blake finished the game after the shoulder injury because we didn't really have anybody," Maddox explained. "We suited George just in case something happened to Blake, and if it was a close game we would at least have someone to go to."

Heyworth is questionable for Friday's game. The new backup QB? De'Shawn Potts, a 5-foot-9 sophomore. As if things couldn't get any worse for the Wildcats, how's this for the cherry on top: Potts, the younger brother of former Monrovia QB David Potts, has sat out the last four weeks after suffering a broken toe from a 45 pound plate dropped on his toe in the weight room.

"So we'll see how he's running and how he's reacting," Maddox said. "It'll be a contingency plan this week at quarterback."

Which is why, right now, I have no qualms picking Maranatha over Monrovia.

EXTENDED VERSION

CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND BUY PHOTOS FROM SEYMOUR'S PRESS CONFERENCE

By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer

PASADENA -- Kevon Seymour was in the middle of his speech thanking family, friends, coaches and teammates after he was officially invited Tuesday afternoon to play in January's U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.

The room grew silent as Seymour -- standing at the podium with half a dozen cameras pointing his way -- did his best to gather himself when it came time to thank his mother, Veronica Starling Donald.

The long pause was followed by an impromptu applause that only seemed to fuel Seymour's overwhelming emotions.

"I didn't expect to go up there and cry in front of my teammates and reporters," Seymour said. "I got up there and it hit me. I couldn't say a word. I had to pause or else I wasn't going to be able to finish."

He looked back at his mother and offered a smile.

"I got teary-eyed myself," Veronica said. "Even though he's an adult he's still my baby. I was really happy for him. He had happy tears, so it was good."

There's plenty for Seymour to be thankful for. The four-star recruit is the No. 9-rated cornerback in the nation according to Rivals and he's the No. 85 overall rated player in the nation. Seymour has over a dozen offers from some of the finest college football programs in the nation, including Florida, Nebraska and a handful of Pac-12 schools.

Seymour's rise to elite status started in the rough and humble upbringing in the housing project Community Arms, better known as Snake Pits to those who live there inspite of a strong presence of drugs and gang violence. It's one of, if not the most, dangerous housing projects in Northwest Pasadena that also includes Kings Village. For 17 years, Seymour has called this place home.

"It's called the Snake Pits because of the fighting and gang violence that goes on in there," said Seymour, who carries a cummulitive 3.2 GPA. "I grew up there, my mother lived there and my mother's mother grew up there. So we have history. It's been hard because of the influence around me.

"I could have easily been sucked into that kind of life, but I wasn't because I'm a leader not a follower."

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Whittier Daily News prep editor Steve Ramirez takes an early look into Friday's showdown between Whittier Christian and Maranatha. It's no secret by now, that Marantha coach Pete Karavedas started at Whittier Christian, and both coaching staffs know each other well.

Ramirez wrote:

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By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer

MONROVIA - Ellis McCarthy can count himself among the elite high school football players in the country.

It's not as if the 6-foot-5, 311-pound defensive lineman hasn't played like one of the best, but that status became official during a press conference Monday morning when McCarthy was officially invited to play in January's U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.

In front of family, friends, teammates and Monrovia football coach Ryan Maddox, McCarthy was presented with an All-American jersey during the U.S. Army's Selection Tour that culminates with the game televised live on NBC.

The selection tour, which travels to more than 180 high schools to officially announce each All-American athlete, continues today at noon at Muir High School, where four-star recruit Kevon Seymour will receive his jersey

It's believed to be the first time the San Gabriel Valley has produced two U.S. Army All-Americans the same year. The U.S. Army All-American Bowl has produced 49 NFL first rounders, including seven Super Bowl champions, 30 Pro Bowl selections and five Rookies of the Year. It's also produced a Heisman Trophy winner in Florida's Tim Tebow.

McCarthy's handled the attention like a veteran, remaining humble throughout the whirlwind process, and it's that demeanor that makes him arguably the most coveted recruit in the nation.

"That's what everybody says, and it's nice to see that," Maddox said. "From the coaches to the media to everybody that talks to Ellis, he remains humble. It speaks of his family upbringing and the great job his parents have done raising him.
"It's good to see, because it can quickly go the other way with a lot of kids. They don't know how to handle newfound success and fame, and it kind of goes to their head, but Ellis has managed to keep an even keel, and he hasn't changed as a person."

Maddox also was invited to San Antonio, where he'll take part in the U.S. Army Coaches Academy, designed for 100 of the nation's top high school coaches and featuring NFL and NCAA clinicians.

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By Keith Lair, Staff Writer

PASADENA - What a difference one year makes.

La Salle High School's Daniel De La Torre is now lining up against the state's elite runners. Last year, that scenario would've been unimaginable.

"Last year I saw (Loyola's) Elias (Geydon), (Arcadia's) Ammar (Moussa) and (South Pasadena's) Sam (Pons) and I told myself I want to be elite just like them," the junior said. "What I realized was that when you run a race, no matter who you are racing, they're just human. They are just like you. If you work hard enough, you can beat them."

De La Torre is currently the top-ranked runner in the CIF-Southern Section's Division 4 heading into this weekend's 64th annual Mt. SAC Invitational.

In the Clovis Invitational two weeks ago, De La Torre lined up against this year's elite class for the first time, on the same 3-mile Woodward Park course that will be used in November's CIF State meet. That meant facing Buchanan's C.J. Albertson and Knight's Bryan Guijarro.

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I'm on my way to catch Ellis McCarthy's press conference for his Army Bowl jersey presentation. When I get back, or later this week, I'll elaborate on my picks and give you my reasons for picking Rio Hondo Prep and Maranatha to win this week. If there are any changes or if I have your team scheduled on the incorrect day/time, please leave a comment on here so we can coordinate. Thanks.

WEEK 7 SCHEDULE WITH PREDICTIONS
Thursday's game
Marshall vs. Kilpatrick at Pasadena, 7 p.m.

Friday's games
Alhambra at Schurr, 7 p.m. -- Alhambra
San Gabriel at Keppel, 7 p.m. -- San Gabriel
Bosco Tech at Bishop Montgomery, 6 p.m. -- Bosco Tech
St. Francis at Serra, 7 p.m. -- St. Francis
Rosemead at Gabrielino, 7 p.m. -- Rosemead
Workman at Duarte, 7 p.m. -- Workman
Whittier Christian at Maranatha, 7 p.m. -- Maranatha
Glendale at Muir, 7 p.m. -- Muir
Burbank at Pasadena, 7 p.m. -- Pasadena
Blair at Monrovia, 7 p.m. -- Monrovia
La Canada at South Pasadena, 7 p.m. -- South Pasadena
Temple City at San Marino, 7 p.m. -- San Marino

Saturday's games
La Salle vs. Verbum Dei at L.A. Southwest College, 7 p.m. -- Verbum Dei
Flintridge Prep vs. Viewpoint at Occidental College, 7 p.m. -- Viewpoint
Rio Hondo Prep at Pasadena Poly, 3 p.m. -- Rio Hondo Prep

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Tonight's games with predictions

St. Francis 23, Harvard-Westlake 20 -- Billy McCreary hits three field goals, none more important than his 37-yard field goal with two seconds left to give the Golden Knights a come-from-behind win. St. Francis trailed 20-10 in the third quarter and stormed back with an impressive defensive stand late in the third quarter, then again late in the fourth quarter to force Harvard Westlake to punt. Jared Lebowitz was impressive once again, and Travis Talianko, Austin De Los Santos and Christian Hess made huge plays to keep important drives alive in the second half.

Arcadia 38, Burbank 7 -- Myles Carr had 158 yards passing, 151 yards of which were in the first half. He finished with three touchdowns. Taylor Lagace had 91 yards total offense, including a 57-yard touchdown catch. Arcadia's Jake Medel came up big with 161 yards rushing. Arcadia's Zan Williams had a 75-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The Apaches also recorded two safeties.

San Marino 55, Blair 0 -- San Marino had an easy time scoring 48 points in the first half. Their second and third strong played the whole second half. Kwame Do ran for 137 yards on 10 carries and touchdowns of 9, 3, 26 in the first half. Nick Gott had 49 yards on 4 carries and scores of 14 and 28 yards. Blair was held to 78 yards of total offense and did not make it across their own 50. They had 4 fumbled, 2 recovered by the defense and three 4 interceptions, the first was returned 27 yards for a touchdown by San Marino's Kieran Ryan.

South Pasadena 28, Temple City 6 -- South Pasadena took advantage of the fact Temple City did not have starting quarterback Mikal Quintanilla, who was in street clothes. According to sources, Quintanilla was out with a concussion possibly suffered in last week's game. South Pasadena's Bertin Ngnibogha returned a fumble 25 yards for a touchdown and also had an interception.

Pasadena 53, Crescenta Valley 42 -- Brandon Cox passed for 273 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for two touchdowns to pull the upset over the Falcons. Riian Simpson caught five passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Crescneta Valley was up 28-27 at the half. In the third quarter, Pasadena shut out Crescenta Valley, 14-0. Told you guys the upset was coming. You heard it here first.

Muir 42, Hoover 0 -- The Mustangs defense dominated Hoover, limiting them to 94 total offensive yards. Kevon Seymour recorded an interception in the first half before going out with an injury early in the second half. Injury doesn't seem to be too serious (according to interim coach Dave Mitchell). The Mustangs scored on the very first drive of the game with a Joshua Muema-Washington 18-yard pass to Darick Holmes. Joshua Muema-Washington was 11 of 18 for 151 yards and 3 TDs. Travonta Herod rushed for 97 yards on 10 carries with 2 TDs. Lamarr McDaniels played big for the defense recording two sacks. The Mustangs improve to 3-3, 1-2 and Hoover falls to 0-6, 0-3.

San Gabriel 48, Montebello 17 -- Andy Guerrero had an awesome game, completing 19 of 22 passes for 204 yards, three touchdowns and one rushing touchdown and 100 yards on 16 carries. Defensively, the Matadors had three sacks, an interception, forced four fumbles (recovered three) and one fumble returned for a touchdown by Hunter Garcia for 63 yards. San Gabriel's Chris Valdez recorded the interception.

OTHER SCORES
Rio Hondo Prep 50, Viewpoint 14
El Monte 31, Rosemead 28
Alhambra 32, Keppel 7
Sierra Canyon 49, Marshall 16
South El Monte 13, Gabrielino 10

LIVE TWITTER UPDATES FROM HARVARD WESTLAKE-ST. FRANCIS GAME

By Keith Lair, Staff Writer

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE - Monrovia High School was missing its two marquee defensive players, but the Wildcats did not miss a beat in their Rio Hondo League opener Thursday night.

Highly recruited defensive lineman Ellis McCarthy and junior middle linebacker George Frazier V were suited up but did not play in the visiting Wildcats' 47-2 victory over La Cañada.

"The kids that were in really, really stepped up," Monrovia coach Ryan Maddox said. "We have some people beat up, but we were lucky and fortunate we did not need them. We have to get healthy and better each week."

The Wildcats defense held the Spartans to 80 rushing yards and 94 total yards. The Spartans' two points were scored when the ball was snapped over the head of Monrovia punter Brandon Wingenbach and out of the end zone in the third quarter.

"We knew they were going to try and stop the run," La Cañada coach Dan Yoder said. "We felt like if we got to that first level, we would be OK. A few times we did. We just never were able to bust one.

"We couldn't string a bunch of them together."

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WHARTON, NJ (Oct. 12, 2011) - The 2012 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Tour will visit Monrovia High School on Monday, Oct. 17, 2011, to select defensive lineman Ellis McCarthy to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Monrovia High School will honor McCarthy before his teammates, classmates, fans and family during a press conference at lunch time in the middle of the new quad.

The five U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Tour teams travel across the country from late September to mid-December to announce all 90 players and 125 marching musicians to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and log a combined 30,000 miles.

For more than 11 years, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl has been the nation's premier high school football game, serving as the preeminent launching pad for America's future college and NFL stars. Adrian Peterson, Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, Ndamukong Suh, Marcus Lattimore and Andrew Luck all made their national debuts as U.S. Army All-Americans. The 2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl drew a crowd of nearly 38,000 to the Alamodome, and was the most-watched sporting event on television over the weekend, excluding the NFL playoffs.

SELECTION TOUR EVENT DETAILS
Who: Defensive lineman Ellis McCarthy
Where: Monrovia High School quad
825 W. Colorado Blvd.
Monrovia, CA
When: Monday, Oct. 17, 2011
Event Start Time: 11:12 a.m. PT - 11:52 a.m. PT
Television: The 2012 U.S. Army All-American Bowl will be televised live on NBC, from the Alamodome on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, at 12:00 NOON (CST)
Website: www.usarmyallamericanbowl.com
www.goarmy.com/events/aab
www.facebook.com/usarmyallamericanbowl
www.twitter.com/armyallamerican

It was near the end of last winter when Pasadena High School junior quarterback Brandon Cox got a novel - yet simple - idea from his father, Brian.

Cox's father was a star quarterback at Fairfax High before playing at New Mexico State and later at Hampton University.

"He told me about how him and his receivers would go on Sundays and just clean up on timing," Cox said.

So off went Cox, still a sophomore at the time, gathering his receivers and getting them to meet him at Pasadena High or nearby Victory Park to work on routes and timing, among other things.

"I rallied my guys and worked on fundamentals and worked out technique," Cox said. "We wanted to get better as a unit."

Over the past two games, Cox has almost single-handedly taken over with an impressive offensive showing that arguably gives Pasadena (2-3, 1-1) a Pacific League MVP candidate. He's completed 36 of 54 passes for 634 yards and six touchdowns while doing his best impression of Michael Vick with 204 yards rushing and six touchdowns in league against Burroughs and Glendale.

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The fourth annual Breast Cancer Awareness Night will be held when San Gabriel (1-4) hosts Montebello (2-3). Boosters will sell pink bracelets, ribbon pins, and T-shirts. Gift baskets also will be raffled off with proceeds benefiting breast cancer awareness. Four years ago, San Gabriel coach Jude Oliva and his then-fiancee, Diana, started raising awareness at San Gabriel High when Oliva learned that three of his players' mothers each were diagnosed with breast cancer. The Olivas helped purchase pink wristbands for coaches and players, and they also purchased pink ribbon stickers that were placed on the back of the Matadors' helmets. San Gabriel will do the same Friday and will wear the ribbons the rest of the season.

WEEK 6 SCHEDULE WITH PREDICTIONS
Thursday's game
Monrovia at La Canada, 7 p.m. -- Monrovia
Duarte vs. Azusa at Citrus College, 7 p.m. -- Azusa

Friday's games
Rio Hondo Prep at Viewpoint, 3:30 p.m. -- Rio Hondo Prep
Harvard-Westlake at St. Francis, 7:30 p.m. -- St. Francis
Burbank at Arcadia, 7 p.m. -- Arcadia
Blair vs. San Marino at Muir, 7 p.m. -- San Marino
South Pasadena at Temple City, 7 p.m. -- South Pasadena
Crescenta Valley at Pasadena, 7 p.m. -- Pasadena
Muir vs. Hoover at Glendale, 7 p.m. -- Muir
Montebello at San Gabriel, 7 p.m. -- Montebello
South El Monte at Gabrielino, 7 p.m. -- South El Monte
Rosemead at El Monte, 7 p.m. -- Rosemead
Alhambra vs. Keppel at Moor Field, 7 p.m. -- Alhambra
Marshall vs. Sierra Canyon at Pierce College, 7 p.m. -- Sierra Canyon

Saturday's games
St. Bernard vs. Bosco Tech, 1:30 p.m. -- Bosco Tech
Pasadena Poly at Chadwick, 2 p.m. -- Pasadena Poly

Updates from South Pasadena-Maranatha ...

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My record today: 8-2

FRIDAY'S RESULTS
Maranatha 35, South Pasadena 14 -- There was an impressive showing from both teams. South Pasadena pounded the ball in the first half that resulted in 33 plays, 13 first downs and 232 total yards. The game was tied 14-14 at the half, but Maranatha scored 21 consecutive points in the second half to run away. Darien McGee opened the second half with a 94 yard kickoff return and in less than two minutes scored again on an Elffers 2-yard run fueled by a 40-yard pass to McGee on the first play that put the ball to the South Pasadena 2. South Pasadena's first drive chewed up a lot of clock and its 13-play, 77-yard drive was capped by a Nathan Lee 5-yard touchdown run. Maranatha answered back in all of 1 minute, 12 seconds as Andrew Elffers connected on a 51-yard touchdown pass to Robert Flewelling.

Crescenta Valley 27, Muir 20 -- Kevon Seymour had four catches for 111 yards and a touchdown, an 85-yard strike from Josh Washington. Seymour also recorded an interception and Tairen Owens had 4 catches for 88 yards that included a 66-yard touchdown catch. Muir, however, couldn't contain Marro Lee, who ran for 126 yards on 23 carries and ran the clock down on CV's final possession. Muir had a chance to tie or win the game with 10 seconds left on CV's 20-yard line, but Washington was intercepted by Jack Lutynski to seal the fate.

Monrovia 40, Paramount 36 -- The Wildcats trailed 23-7 and stormed back on the road and pulled within three at 36-33 with 2:44 left in the game. Monrovia then from its 13 yard line and with 25 seconds, Blake Heyworth connected on a 37-yard touchdown pass to Mason Bryant to seal the comeback.

Burroughs 41, Arcadia 29 -- It was the Zander Anding show at Arcadia. The senior running back rushed for 303 yards and five touchdowns on 33 carries. He scored three touchdowns in a 2 minute, 35 second period in the second half. Burroughs led 14-7 at the half. Arcadia scored 19 straight points in the fourth quarter, but Anding's fifth touchdown ended the Apaches' comeback with less than a minute to go. Taylor Lagace finished with 16 catches for 170 yards. So in the end it looks like the Apaches just couldn't stop the run and had trouble fielding short kickoffs. So much for Arcadia in the Pacific League driver's seat.

Rosemead 35, Temple City 9 -- Rosemead did three things right tonight: executed its balanced attack, eliminated penalties substantially and the Panthers didn't play down to their level of competition. Matt Eddy rushed for 112 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns. Quarterback Adan Guillen went 9 of 14 for 220 yards and two touchdowns. Temple City's Jamie Dea had 121 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown in the losing effort. It's Rosemead's third straight win while the Rams fall to 0-5 for the first time in some 50 years.

Pasadena 47, Glendale 46 -- There were 93 points scored tonight. Wow. Pasadena's Brandon Cox once again was the man. He had the go-ahead score on a 15-yard run with 17 seconds left and had the game-sealing interception in the end zone. He passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns. He was Michael Vick-like with 91 yards and three touchdowns. Ryan Simpson had 211 yards receiving on nine catches and grabbed all three touchdowns from Cox. Glendale's Evan Norton was 24 of 39 for 440 yards and three touchdowns. Alex Yoon had 101 yards rushing and three touchdowns and 119 yards receiving in the losing effort. Pasadena, though, couldn't stop Michael Davis, who had 12 catches and 248 yards and two touchdowns.

Arroyo 23, La Canada 21 -- The Spartans were up 21-7 in the second quarter, but went away with what was working. Grant Owens started at quarterback instead Matt Jones. Owens rushed for 116 yards on 12 carries and scored on a 64 and 12-yard run. Andy Painter also added an 18-yard run. Arroyo's Steven Rivera went 17 of 30 for 237 yards and two touchdowns, and he must have had at least 12 passes dropped. He intercepted a pass at the end of the first half and also recovered a fumble that sealed the win for the Knights. Arroyo's Peter Alholoka finished with 155 yards rushing.

OTHER SCORES
St. Bernard 49, La Salle 17
Pasadena Poly 28, Sage Hill 0
Duarte 21, Ganesha 0

San Marino 38, Golden Valley 20: For the record, it's 11:14 p.m. as I'm writing this, finally back here at the Star-News office from Canyon Country where I saw one of the most impressive performances. San Marino beat Golden Valley 38-20, but it was the way the Titans went about beating them, the epitome of teamwork leading the way. Matt Wofford is a warrior. Dude got up from getting sacked five times, including four times from one player alone. Wofford also recorded two interceptions and finished with about 190 yards passing and a 26-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Cordova. Here are some other guys who were just impressive: Matt Vargas, Kwame Do, Nick Gott, Garrett Glazier, Paul Myint, Ryan Blasher and Ryan Hill. Wofford scored 26 of the Titans' 38 points. He kicked a 39-yard field goal, passed for a touchdown, ran for two and kicked all of the PATs. Yup, a warrior. Golden Valley's Earl Johnson 371 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries, but the Titans came up big when it mattered and roared back to take a 24-20 lead, preserved it and sealed it with an impressive drive that saw four first downs capped by a Gott touchdown run.

St. Francis 9, Paso Robles 3: St. Francis made a strong stand, keeping Paso Robles to midfield almost the entire game. The closest Paso Robles got to the end zone was to the 20-yard line. St. Francis improves to 5-0.

By Brian Charles, Staff Writer

PASADENA - A confidential school district memorandum calls into question the behavior of a football coach and a "belligerent" student who were involved in a scuffle that lead to the coach being placed on administrative leave.

The memo, written by Pasadena Unified School District Superintendent John Gundry, was obtained Wednesday by this newspaper. It not only purports to detail the actions of football coach Ken Howard, but outlines an apparent lack of oversight by Muir High School administrators.

Gundry's memo also describes injuries suffered by a student in the Sept. 28 scuffle. The student's name was not released, however Gundry notes the teen was taken to Huntington Memorial Hospital.

According to the confidential memo, Howard "grabbed (the student) by the neck and then took him into the hallway where he pushed him up against the lockers. The pictures (taken by PUSD employees) show a significant scratch on the student's neck along with what appears to be a thumb print."

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This from Flintridge Prep football coach Antonio Harrison, who announced the Rebels will cancel their game Saturday night against Webb at Occidental College:

"You are all probably aware by now after reading last week's summaries that varsity will not play against Webb this Friday. With two players still not cleared to come back and two more getting hurt at Malibu, plus an ejection, we simply don't have enough once again to field a team.

"I haven't slept for three days and have been feeling horrible for these boys. All they want to do is play, win or lose, they just want to play and I feel tremendous weight that I cannot provide that for them and that I have to announce to other teams (that) their boys don't get to play that week either. It sucks having to the guy to look them in the face and tell them that all the hard work during the off season will not be put to use for them to reap the benefits because we simply do not have enough players.

"I am extremely proud of these young men for continuing to fight, believing in this program, in me, in themselves and their teammates, and for being willing to fill in where needed and attempting to recruit guys on campus. Since we have no game this week and a bye week next week that gives us 3 weeks to prepare for homecoming against Viewpoint and get all our guys healthy. We are optimistic that by that time we should be able to field a team and give our typically largest crowd a great game to watch and great team to cheer for. JV will be playing Friday at 4pm as scheduled at Oxy."

By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer

PASADENA -- Football players Monday returned to practice at John Muir High School without their head coach Ken Howard.

Highly-touted recruit Kevon Seymour and teammates prepared for weight-lifting before hitting the field for practice in preparation for Friday's road game against Pacific League foe Burroughs of Burbank.

"We want him back," said Seymour, a standout defensive back and wide receiver. "It was shocking when we found out that he would be gone (on leave). I would love to have him back. The whole team would love to have him back."

On Friday the popular Howard was placed on administrative leave last week after an altercation Wednesday with a student who was reportedly armed with a knife. A scuffle between Howard and the student ensued after Howard attempted to search the student's backpack.

Howard said he was told to search the backpack by an administrator at the school. His attorney Joe Hopkins identified the administrator as Dr. Charles Park.

"(Howard) was trying to protect other people from being harmed by some missing deadly weapons, i.e. knives," Hopkins said. "He was trying to find where they were and the result is he ends up being suspended ... (it) makes me think Howard is the scapegoat."

Park did not return three phone calls seeking comment.

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