Stating Monrovia’s case: CIF State officials made the right call in choosing the Wildcats over Wasco

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STATING THEIR CASE: Did Monrovia deserve the nod over Wasco? Yes, when you take the bias out and examine the facts.
Staff photo by Sarah Reingewirtz

Of the 20 teams selected to play in this weekend’s CIF State regional bowls, no choice was more controversial than Monrovia getting one of the two bids for South Region Division III. The Wildcats will host Madison, of San Diego, in the South Division III Bowl on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
It basically came down to the Wildcats or Wasco, which is near Bakersfield, which went 13-0 and won a Central Section title. Monrovia is 12-2 and won its third consecutive CIF-SS Mid-Valley title.
Wasco AD told the Bakersfield Californian that “it’s a sad day for small, rural communities throughout the state of California. We won everything outright, and it means nothing.”
But in reality, this came down to strength of schedule, and at the end of the day, Monrovia’s slate, especially what it had to do over the final two weeks made the Wildcats the obvious choice.
Wasco went 13-0 while facing teams that compiled a 74-72 record. The Tigers faced two teams with at least 10 wins. Monrovina, meanwhile, went 12-2 against teams that compiled a 89-70 record. The Wildcats faced four teams with at least 10 wins, including two with 11 wins (San Dimas and Sierra Canyon) and one with 12 victories (Paraclete).
The procedure CIF uses for picking teams are only section champions are eligible and uses the criteria of strength of schedule (your opponents’ combined record), record, head-to-head, if it applies, and common opponents, if any apply. In this case, you can throw out head to head since the teams did not play, and common opponents since both come from different sections and played teams within their section. That leaves record, which Wasco wins and strength of schedule, which Monrovia wins (8.8-4.4, if you go by Cal Preps’ schedule ratings). I personally think officials looked what Monrovia had to do the past two weeks as opposed to what Wasco did in its championship game. The Tigers beat a team, Bakersfield Christian, 29-22 for its section title. They beat that team, 49-10, earlier in the season. Monrovia, on the other hand, beat Cal Hi Sports’ Division IV No. 1 Sierra Canyon (42-31) and Division III No. 1 Paraclete (23-7) by a combined 27 points. Those are two impressive wins that could not be overlooked, and are likely what pushed the Wildcats in.

  • FredJ

    I disagree Steve, 13-0 teams should get in

    • Steve_Ramirez

      But to paraphrase Tom Smith: “13-0 against who?”

      • FredJ

        Hey, I’m glad Monrovia got in, what I’m saying is if the role were reversed and Monrovia was 13-0 and Wasco was 12-2, we would be complaining like heck that Monrovia didn’t get in.

        • me

          Not if all the other factors were there. I don’t think you’d be part of the “we” complaining either.

          • FredJ

            There is nothing I want more than Monrovia and Rio Hondo Prep to rep the SGV and win state titles. That would be amazing for the Valley. Everyone should be behind them.

        • GP AKA Green Machine

          Monrovia would have been a shoe in with 13-0 record with their schedule. Stop it

        • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

          Yeah we would complain, but those two loses would be what we would have to look at. if we didnt get in. After the lost to SH I thought the chances of a bowl bid was impossible but to see Monrovia get the nod is great!

    • me

      Good thing it doesn’t matter what you think Fred. It seems you always pick against Monrovia. There are so many other things that should be looked at when it comes to picking the teams that get these games. I’m sure if we were talking about Bishop Amat and all these same factors were at play, you would believe that BA should get the game against the 13-0 team. These boys have earned this over the last 4 years, and yes, the last 4 years should be included in this decision.

      • FredJ

        I’m sure the Wasco boys think they’ve earned it too, nobody beat them. While it may seem I always pick against Monrovia, not true. I predicted Monrovia to win titles in 2010 and 11, and they did. I took Paraclete this year and was wrong. I picked Ayala and South Hills in nonleague games over Monrovia this season and was right. I picked St. Francis over Monrovia and was wrong. My track record is my track record, but I’m certainly not going out of my way to pick against Monrovia. It’s my honest opinion of how I think they would do. Same with Amat, I’ve picked against them several times over the years, you win some, you lose some.

        • FredJ

          BTW, the last four years SHOULD NOT be included in this decision, it’s not a lifetime achievement award, it’s how you performed in 2012, end of story.

          • Knuckleheads

            Everyone that knows you is on the floor laughing right now after reading this comment. The next time you talk about Amat just remind yourself this, “it’s not a lifetime achievement award, it’s how you performed in _____, end of story.”

          • me

            And I disagree with that. Wouldn’t their performance over the course of
            the last 4 seasons have something to do with their rating? When they
            start each season their preliminary rating comes predominantly from
            their previous year’s performance. So tell me again how the last 4 years
            shouldn’t be included in this decision?

          • Steve_Ramirez

            I guess the real point is what would Monrovia’s record be if it played Wasco’s schedule and Wasco played Monrovia’s. Monrovia would be 13-0, not so sure Wasco would be 12-2. They mite not even make it to game 14.

          • GP AKA Green Machine

            Amen Case close…

          • FredJ

            Believe it or not Steve, at the end of the day, Monrovia didn’t play a super tough schedule. They lost to two average Sierra League teams, lost to a St. Francis team that almost finished last in the Mission. Their biggest win by far was Paraclete .. Maybe Wasco doesn’t beat Paraclete, I don’t know, but not a stretch to think a 13-0 team couldn’t hang with South Hills or Ayala.

          • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

            Nope it wasnt tough at all. I mean we rode the St francis win, maybe a week too long. but it was long overdue.
            Hopefully we can make our schedule tougher like Muir did this season

          • Steve_Ramirez

            Monrovia beat St. Francis. But what
            Monrovia has is two wins over two teams in back to back weeks who
            were ranked No. 1
            in their region and beat them by a combined 27 points. Monrovia didn’t just beat Paraclete, they dominated, allowing just 9 yards rushing.
            Wasco has no such victories. Put it this way, if undefeated Ohio State was eligible for the BCS, they wouldn’t bump Bama, which has 3 high profile wins, while OSU
            has
            0!

          • GP AKA Green Machine

            You have no Idea who Wasco played…You are making big assumptions. If you took a quick look… you would know that Wasco’s Section Runner up lost to Ontario Christian 31-7. Then Wasco Struggle with them 29-22. Monrovia would beat O Christian really bad.
            Take a look at Wasco comp before you let your blind hatred for Monrovia make you look even worse
            http://www.hudl.com/team/51851

        • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

          You predicted Monrovia in 2010?!?! Because I could of swore you had San Dimas beating MHS in the semi’s but yes fred it does seem like you want to play spoiler and pick against the cats but I mean Aram eventually came over after what they did to covina…you’ll come around eventually. But you are entitled to your opinion.

    • Don Anderson

      So, what you’re saying is that if Monrovia had played (and presumably blown out) say, Hoover and Keppel instead of playing (and barely losing to) Ayala and South Hills they would be more deserving of a bowl bid? Seriously?

      • GP AKA Green Machine

        if they don’t have those DI losses they don’t get in. 13-0 Monrovia without those game gets overlooked and Wasco gets in. Due to averaging almost 50 pts per game.

    • Knuckleheads

      Fred, can you expand on why 13-0 should get in? I’m curious to hear you explain this without blatantly just coming across as a Monrovia hater. Oh, and the two times you picked(not predicted) Monrovia to win, you really didn’t have much of a choice. Anyone that knew anything about football had Monrovia as the heavy favorite both those years and if you would have picked against them, you would have come across as not that knowledgeable in matters of football. But please explain to all of us here why 13-0 should get in over a 12-2 team based on their opponents.

    • GP AKA Green Machine

      What a hypocrite, You rank BA, CO, CH #1,2,3, over everyone, because of who they play but when, Wasco, Plays a team in the Finals that lost to Ontario Christian 31-7, and did not play an opponent all year with a higher rating that 19, and you think they should get it. Wasco Section Final, was not tougher than Monrovia’s League title game vs SM….Go Back to East side with that junk!!! I challenged you to change your picks during this whole playoffs. I told you Poly would beat BA, Downey would beat La Serna, and Monrovia would Beat Paraclete…You know that. Fred your credibility is burned this year. We know you don’t like Monrovia, but to say the a team in your area doesn’t deserve to go because someone won 2 more games vs teams that were terrible, is just sad. They did not play one upper division opponent.

  • Observantcat

    Say, aren’t you the same guy that though that LB Poly would loose to Bishop Amat?.. Now Poly is now repping the Southland and PAC 5 South in Div. 1 State bowl Bid…. Cant have it both ways… Or do you not think the LB Poly deserves to enjoy their ride either.

    • FredJ

      Not sure what you mean? But I’ll say this about the Pac-5, it’s the most unpredictable division of them all. Nobody, and I mean nobody, was talking about Long Beach Poly winning the Pac-5 when the brackets were released.

      • GP AKA Green Machine

        The Pac 5 is not unpredictable it’s been a Trinity league team or Long Beach Poly winning it for some time now. Stop it, the only thing predictable in the Pac is Ba losing in the first round. No matter how bad those teams start off, they find a way to win. BA started out 4-0-1, and they watching the LB Poly game Friday, and Monrovia game Saturday. They should go to western…Really they should. Just stop it Fred…

  • New York

    I am counting on Fred to pick against Monrovia. That is the only way we have a chance of winning this week. Every time Fred picks Monrovia we let him down.

    • GP AKA Green Machine

      you don’t think we can win?

      • New York

        Of course I know we can win. I’ve never seen the Cats in a game that we should not have won. I’m just joking about the cosmic forces related to Fred’s prognoses.

    • FredJ

      MTown and NYork are great, I call it like I see it and have been right most of the time…. Monrovia deserves all the accolades it gets for winning three straight titles and I would love to see them win a state title. But the fact remains then when I argue Monrovia is still not good enough to beat Charter Oak or Amat, I’m right. The same goes for Rio Hondo Prep. That’s keeping it real and not being biased. Even Aram will tell you Monrovia is not Charter Oak or Amat caliber yet. So obervant, not sure what crow I’m eating other than I took Paraclete in the final over Monrovia and got that wrong. Way wrong. But I’m not wrong in what I’ve argued in terms of best in the valley. You know it and I know it.

      • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

        True Fred, however Ive heard aram say Monrovia is a southeast team hands down. Yes not quite ready for CO and BA…But know this….Monrovia is getting closer than you think.

        • FredJ

          I agree with that, I think Monrovia is better than Downey, the Southeast champion. Personally, I don’t think there was much difference between the Southeast and Mid-Valley in 2012. Matter of fact, I think the Mid-Valley final four of Paraclete, Sierra Canyon, Monrovia and San Dimas was better than the Southeast final four of Downey, Santa Fe, West Covina and La Serna.

          What I will finally say about Monrovia is this, it has the potential to be the best team in the SGV, period. It has the potential to be as great on a state level as Muir was in 80s. It has one of the best facilities in the Valley. It has one of the best athletic staffs in the Valley. It has one of the best sports-administration’s in the Valley. It has one of the best football demographics in the Valley. If it continues to keep the best talent in the school, there is no doubt the area’s top area players will continue to gravitate there like they did Los Altos, South Hills and Chater Oak, they already are. So, whatever Observant thinks of me, I’ve always thought Monrovia has the greatest potential of all. They’ve already cracked the code by winning, now watch everything else fall into place the coming years. What I haven’t done is crown Monrovia yet, and by that I mean King of the Valley in terms of having better football teams than Amat and Charter Oak. But yes, I think they can get there and probably will.

          • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

            I agree with you about the potential monrovia has as being one of the areas best programs in the valley. But Im not sure about the mid-valley final four over the southeast final four. I mean Sierra Canyon and Paraclete’s schedule was all wins by double digits. Paraclete did beat dorsey but the Alpha league…my opinion isnt any better than the RHL. Monrovia, San Dimas, and San Marino could most definitely compete in the Southeast division. Im not sure who Downey plays or played this year, but Santa Fe and WestCo always have strong programs. Monrovia can’t be crowned as Kings of the valley until they beat teams over in the ESGV that go deep in the playoffs that same season, I feel thats the only way Monrovia will get any credibility. Im not sure if the contract is up with South Hills or not, but theres a few teams I’d like to see MHS match up against. Muir, WestCo, Bonita, Diamond Ranch, La Serna, La Mirada, Santa Fe.

          • Kennedy Bryant

            Ok Fred your honesty is greatly appreciated. And I agree with this post in its entirety

  • Observantcat

    Oh well Fred, Wrong Team, Wrong Topic! We can always count on you to go against the Green, you are our version of BA’s “Not since 1995″, but we proved you wrong once again. At the beginning of the season you even wrote about us not having a quivering chance in Hell of going to a state bowl after our 1 point loss to Ayala and you double stamped that notion with our 3pt loss to South Hills, but a lot of the Monrovia faithful new that there was still a way to climb back up that latter and get the not, AND WE DID. You were the guy that gave us the name BillyCats and had all of your Eastern side Bloggers using the term as though it was meant to stick. As it turns out you are becoming the Billy Writer and Guys like Steve and Aram are making themselves look like Genius’s because of you. I remember when you had us loosing in 2009 to Rosemead, San Dimas, Paraclete just to name a few, all we did was to get better and better and better, NOW BEST. As a fan I know our team has a long way to go to become an even bigger perennial power, but Hell What A Way To Start! When you can pick up you keyboard and type in the words “IM SORRY” then I know that you are as true and unbiased as I would have believed, but for now I’ll just sit here and watch you eat the rest of the crow left from your anti-MONROVIA Predictions for the past few years. As for years to come, I think that Monrovia will continue to get better and those who choose to become part of a winning tradition will soon step up and put on those cletes and be proud that they are Wildcats…… Obervantcat 2012 CHAMPS AGAIN 2012

    • GP AKA Green Machine

      Great Post!!!

      Monrovia has proven that they are too good for the mid valley. Others in which I refuse to name, have proven that they are not good enough for inland or Pac 5. I think I am about to stand outside of the games for those I refuse to name, and sell “Tribune News Group” Championship Rings and T-shirts. This way even if you don’t win league or CIF you still can get a ring and championship shirt every season.

      • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

        Monrovia is WAYYYYY to good for the mid valley and lets not bring up the RHL, yeah San Marino woke us up out of auto pilot like the movie flight but Im not sure I see that happening year in and out like the TC-MHS glory days. Haters are gonna hate but who cares, WIldcats will only get better in seasons to come

      • Future Alemany Parent

        You people always talk about how amat needs to drop, but please tell me who you will put in their place. I don’t know of any teams that are trying to move up. And taking the Serra league out of the Pac5 is not an option. The Serra from top to bottom can win games and compete in the Pac5. They may not win the division but what league would compete like they do from top to bottom. Just ask the teams in Oaks and Bonnies league what they think of the Pac5. If not winning a title means you should move down then we need more divisions so all these teams can drop so they can win one. One more thing, Good Luck to Monrovia on Saturday.

  • Observantcat

    Fred, Weren’t you wrong last season as well? Covina vs. Monrovia 2011, even though that was the Semi’s you believed that Covina had the decisive edge on Monrovia as far as skill players. You spoke very lowly of Ellis McCarthy and you bought up the fact that Monrovia hadn’t played anyone big enough at that time as though Covina did. As we all recall Covina did go into overtime with the team that you boasted was far greater than any team left standing WC. The reality of last season Monrovia proved you wrong once again by a double digit winning score over Covina in those semi’s. So the pattern of you seeming to never give Monrovia its props is what we all wonder about. You even made mention last season that Muir would beat Monrovia in a head to head match up…. the exact wording was that Monrovia would be intimidated by Muir! I’m still laughing at that line. But I’m sure you know where I’m going with this. Sometimes you need to stick to one story, every time Monrovia makes gains you don’t have to bring up what Bishop Amat should have done or what Charter Oaks did do because on any given day a good team meets another good team and the results might just surprise you. I do like to bring up the fact of LB Poly, because on a much higher pedestal they played the likes of Bakersfield, Narrbone, and Mater Dei early in the pre-season and suffer a bit of humility in their losses, but as you see they came back at the end of the season and whipped every team in their paths behinds kind of like Monrovia did in the end. It’s great that you have your every year hope that Amat will rise, but sometimes you have to give props to the teams that have arisen. I give props to RHP as well because they have arisen an taken care of their business, for a school with only 100 kids I would say that they have done we’ll, but you seem to alway put them in the same sentence when speaking of what Monrovia has done, and you place BA so far above the rest it’s ridiculous. Charter Oaks is good and made statements in most of their games this season and to loose to Amat by a many as they did you would have thought they wouldn’t recover, but at the same time they make more strides to have as great a season as Amat and probably could have done a LB Poly on Amat at seasons end. So all the humdrum about who’s greater than who is only relevant when teams play head up, until then it’s only one writers dream.

    • FredJ

      Observant, again, and for the last time, is it really bias to argue that Bishop Amat is better than everyone in the SGV? I would guess 80-90 percent of football folks would argue the same way. Is Amat good enough to win their division. No. Is Charter Oak good enough to win their division? No. But at the end of the day, I’m just keeping it real. Monrovia is owning their division and has done is three straight times, and give them all the props in the world for that. It’s an impressive, impressive accomplishment. Heck, Charter Oak would be on their fifth straight title had they stayed in the Southeast, but they were forced to move on. My point is, you get upset because I live in reality and know that Amat and Charter Oak are on a level of football that Monrovia aspires to be at. Is that so wrong?

      • FredJ

        In terms of the Covina game, I thought Covina would get them, got that wrong. I’m sure you got it wrong taking Monrovia over Ayala and South Hills, right? I got those right, you didn’t. I took Monrovia over San Dimas this year and got that right. Took Monrovia over Sierra Canyon and got that right. When it comes to picks, you win some, lose some. As much as you want to make it seem like I always go against Monrovia, obviously you’re wrong and just pushing your Fred’s a Monrovia hater agenda. I keep it real, you don’t.

        • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

          I didnt think they would get Ayala, just because I wasnt sure where the cats were at week 1, but they hung with them, should of got the win, but maybe next year. But South Hills was a huge disappointment in my eyes, but that also doesnt matter because Monrovia did what they were expected to do, run the midvalley. And state bowl playoff is just a bonus, I just them to play hard, and remember “Who’s House?…CATS HOUSE!” And represent the sgv and let it be known that Monrovia can play some ball on the main stage

        • New York

          Well Freddy, eventually the witch doctors make it rain as well.

        • Kennedy Bryant

          Freddie go take a couple tablespoons of cough syrup to help with that bad cough. You also seem to be a bit sensitive on the Monrovia Hater stuff and I dont wanna hear “growing up in Monrovia gives you some warm and fuzzy feeling about Monrovia. Fred the evidence is clear…. Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles could see that. Monrovia is not your favorite team and MOST OF THE time you are in objection to Monrovia. I think you must have had your lunch money stolen everyday @ Bradoaks elementary lol or Chris Congo (a good friend of mine) beat you out of your favorite Steele Dan album when you were kids . Anyway love what you do Fred, you give us Monrovia faithful fuel to blog like crazy so keep up the good work.

    • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

      Both fred and Aram had Covina heavily favored and we know what happened that year. I mean BA is in the pac-5 division so it is what it is, and to put MHS and BA in the same sentence when it comes to football is blasphemy. I mean I respect both BA and CO and Ive been on record in the past saying Monrovia isnt ready for those two schools yet. But I know Fred would like to see Monrovia win state, it’d be good for the SGV, but Eventually when talking football, after you say BA, CO, CH, Monrovia should start being the next team you speak of in the SGV. Yeah Im sure I’ll hear “Well monrovia has to beat the bottom feed teams of the ESGV before that happens” Blah Blah, Maybe….But what the wildcats have done, sorry division or not, should not be overlooked.
      Go Cats! 3time champs bowl bound

      • FredJ

        Great post

        • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

          Thanks fred. You know I love my wildcats but I pay homage to the big boys of the SGV and I always root for muir because I feel like they should be a powerhouse and maybe they might build from their run this season onto next season

      • GP AKA Green Machine

        Well CH is not a SGV school so that eliminates them. CO has more impact players from other cities than Covina produces , and only has this rep because they won with Monrovia and Pasadena players. Prove me wrong! Bishop Amat recruits and Players choose to go there….I get it, But they hurt SGV more than they help the SGV…If there was no Bishop Amat, The SGV would not have any schools with a D I titles, which is true, but we would probably have more schools with CIF Titles overall. They are not doing anything in their division with talent they are sucking from the surrounding schools. There is no evidence that they will revive their D1 competitive prowess. SGV demographics are schools more similar to Monrovia, West Covina, San Dimas, Muir ETC. So even if Bishop’s record against the World is phenomenal, they have not done squat in their Division since they had 3 All Americans on the roster at the same time. Both of those schools have had more players come and go than any other programs in the SGV. Truthfully if South Hills, West Covina, and Muir could keep their talent, they would be the “best” and most consistent performing teams in the SGV. So if you going to crown teams that’s fine, but tell the whole story about why they are the best other than beating everyone else with kids from the their own school.

  • FredJ

    In any case, glad we go the needle moving on this thread….Go Wildcats

    • New York

      Freddy,
      Looking back at the Cal Hi polls going into the CIF finals, Monrovia was #3 and beat #1 and Madison was #5 and beat #2. Wasco was #4. So…why didn’t you make the argument that Wasco deserved more so than Madison? I hate to jump on the “Fred hates Monrovia bandwagon”, but you really did just focus on Monrovia here on this thread…

  • GP AKA Green Machine

    The teams left playing in the Midvalley Semis this season had 6 titles and a state title among them in the last 5 years… Wasco didn’t play anyone….

  • Observantcat

    Fred, you know I’m always good for moving the chains…. We needed this shake down. Always keeping it Monrovia Football.

  • New York

    The key this week is our ability to stop their run game with our front 7 as well as essentially Ainsworth and Walsh putting alot of heat on that QB. Offensively the stretch should be very effective. Madison certainly has some favorable matchups of their own with their tall receivers. That’s why our pass rush needs to seriously frustrate their QB before he gets the ball off.

  • New York

    Wasco is not our concern. For some reason Wasco is Fred’s concern, probably because the name is so similar to WestCo….

    • Kennedy Bryant

      Nicely said

  • New York

    Madison is the real deal, with an interesting parallel to Monrovia. Madison won its first division title three years ago as well. They then got to play in a state bowl. This program has already been to a state bowl…similar to Sierra Canyon.

    That said, Monrovia is the REAL deal as well that still has not played to our potential. We are on the way though!

  • terence

    The central sec sends teams up to camps in L.A. every year,( bakersfield high ) being one of the teams that always go’s and every year we run the hell out of the kid there , they cant keep up with are kids. I think they cant stand to have a small town beat up on a big city. When we lose it is to teams in our valley.