CIF-SS Football Rankings: Monrovia keeps top spot in Mid-Valley; Poly and Rio in top 3 in Northeast

scoby

CIF-SS FOOTBALL RANKINGS

MID-VALLEY
1. Monrovia (4-0), 2. Arroyo (3-1), 3. Viewpoint (4-1), 4. Baldwin Park (4-0), 5. San Marino (3-1), 6. Pomona (5-0), 7. Paraclete (2-3), 8. San Dimas (1-4), 9. Sierra Canyon (1-3), 10. Northview (4-1). Other: Gabrielino (4-1).
Steve’s take: I can see any path where Monrovia doesn’t win this division, which likely means the Wildcats are going bowling. San Marino’s up to No. 5, with a chance to finish in the top three, which could make an All-Rio Hondo League title game.
NORTHEAST
1. Mission Prep (4-1), 2. Pasadena Poly (4-0), 3. Rio Hondo Prep (4-1), 4. St. Anthony (3-1), 5. Chadwick (5-0), 6. Salesian (3-2), 7. St. Genevieve (2-2), 8. Capistrano Valley Chr. (4-0), 9. Silver Valley (4-0), 10. Saddleback Valley Chr. (3-1).
Steve’s take: This is looking like it will be a rematch of Mission Prep and Rio Hondo Prep, which has won the division the past two years. But be wary of Poly.
NORTHWEST
1. Bishop Diego (4-0), 2. Nordhoff (4-0), 3. Oak Park (4-1), 4. Carpinteria (5-0), 5. El Segundo (2-2), 6. Whittier Christian (3-2), 7. La Salle (3-2), 8. Lawndale (4-1), 9. North Torrance (2-2). 10t. La Puente (3-1), 10t. Santa Paula (4-1).
Steve’s take: La Salle is the lone area team with a chance. The Lancers are up to No. 7, with a chance to rise higher if they run the table in the Del Rey, which is likely.
SOUTHEAST
1. Norwalk (5-0), 2. Diamond Ranch (4-1), 3. Los Altos (4-0), 4. Downey (2-3), 5. La Serna (3-2), 6. Santa Fe (3-1), 7. Burbank (4-0), 8. Muir (3-1), 9. La Mirada (1-4), 10. Diamond Bar (4-1).
Steve’s take: Muir is looking good. I think they can run the table in the Pacific, which means they could get a top four seed come November.
WESTERN
1. Serra (5-0), 2. Chaminade (3-1), 3. Lompoc (4-1), 4. Harvard-Westlake (4-0), 5. Cathedral (5-0), 6. St. Francis (4-0), 7. Camarillo (3-1), 8. Santa Monica (2-2), 9. San Marcos (5-0), 10. Culver City (1-3).
Steve’s take: The Mission League holds five of the six spots, including St. Francis, which could make an impact after going just one round last season.

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Star-News Pick ’em: Battle royale as area heavyweights Monrovia, St. Francis meet…who wins? I got St. Francis, but it’s close

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Keith and I are matching our knowledge of the area and high school football by offering our picks on the area’s games.

LAIR: 74-13 (18-1 last week)
RAMIREZ: 70-17 (18-1 last week)

Last week: We both have near-perfect weeks, winning 18 of 19 games. I missed on Frazier Mountain over Flintridge Prep, with Keith wrong on Sotomayor over Keppel.
This week: It doesn’t get any bigger for a regular-season game this week as the area’s top two teams, Monrovia and St. Francis, meet in M-Town. From our perspective, it has the feeling of championship week. It’s hard to pick a winner on this one, but someone has to win, right? I can see both winning, but we have to pick one and my choice is St. Francis, which I like mainly for the Golden Knights versatility on offense. St. Francis can hit with the run and senior Joe Mudie, or come at you via the air, with senior Ty Gangi, who has looked solid during the first four weeks. I wouldn’t want to be the defense coordinator this week, because Monrovia’s chance lies with its running game, which with star Kurt Scoby and quarterback Deshawn Potts, is at a higher level. But I see some inconsistency in the Wildcats pass game, and that should be the difference. But this one will be one for the ages.

This week’s schedule and predictions
Thursday
Burbank vs. Pasadena at Burroughs HS – Ramirez (Burbank); Lair (Burbank)
Friday
St. Francis at Monrovia — Ramirez (St. Francis); Lair (Monrovia)
Temple City at Rosemead — Ramirez (Rosemead); Lair (Rosemead)
Glendale at Muir — Ramirez (Muir); Lair (Muir)
South El Monte at San Marino — Ramirez (San Marino); Lair (San Marino)
St. Bernard at Bosco Tech — Ramirez (St. Bernard); Lair (St. Bernard)
Mountain View at Maranatha — Ramirez (Maranatha); Lair (Maranatha)
Workman at Duarte — Ramirez (Duarte); Lair (Duarte)
Arroyo at La Canada — Ramirez (Arroyo); Lair (Arroyo)
Beverly Hills at South Pasadena — Ramirez (SPas); Lair (South Pasadena)
Marshall at L.A. University — Ramirez (LAU); Lair (University)
Saturday
Flintridge Prep vs. Heritage Chr. at Granada Hills HS — Ramirez (Heritage); Lair (Flintridge)
ALL GAMES ARE SCHEDULED FOR 7 P.M.

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Friday Night Final: Monrovia, St. Francis win, set up next week’s area showdown

Who’s the best football team in the West Valley?
We’re about to find out as No. 1 Monrovia and No. 2 St. Francis scored wins, setting up a battle for the top spot next week at Monrovia.
The Wildcats, getting four TDs from Deshawn Potts and Kurt Scoby, rallied for a 31-13 victory over South Hills, scoring the final 21 points. St. Francis, meanwhile, across town got 188 yards rushing and a score from Joe Mudie and two rushing TDs from Areg Nazarian to beat Damien, 34-16.
The Spartans had closed to within 20-16 early in the fourth quarter before St. Francis put together a 66-yard drive that was capped by a Zach Washington’ 1-yard run. Nazarian, who rushed for 86 yards, then ran 66 yards to seal it at 34-16.
Monrovia beat St. Francis last season, 17-13, when the Golden Knights fumbled at the 1 in the waning moments.
St. Francis coach Jim Bonds: “I want to savor this one a little bit. They’re a good foootball team, and have a heckuva running back. We have our work cut out. We want to enjoy this one.”

Staff photo by Keith Birmingham

Staff photo by Keith Birmingham

TOP TEN
HOW THEY FARED

No. 1 Monrovia 31, South Hills 13 — The ‘Cats get ready for St. Francis by whipping South Hills. The Scoby and Potts show is tough to beat.
No. 2 St. Francis 34, Damien 16 — The Golden Knights withstood a challenge before beating the Spartans. There has to be a concern that after giving up 187 to Damien’s Leroy Cloud, how do they expect to stop Scoby.
No. 3 Muir 35, Hoover 3 — The Mustangs looked every bit like the league favorite on Thursday, but 212 penalties is a concern.
No. 4 Rio Hondo 50, Kilpatrick 8 — The Kares just keep on rolling, routing Kilpatrick on Thursday.
No. 5 San Marino 68, Beverly Hills 6 — The Titans look like a runaway locomotive, averaging more than 60 points during the past three weeks.
No. 6. La Salle 55, St. Bernard 0 — The Lancers opened defense of their Del Rey League title with a runaway win. Yep, I would say they are the favorite.
No. 7 Pasadena Poly 34, Brentwood 27 — Guess who’s 4-0 and No. 2 in the Northeast? It’s the Panthers.
Burbank 51, No. 8 Arcadia 14 — Some have Burbank as the favorite in the Pacific, and it looked the part tonight. The Apaches, getting 58 yards rushing from Joshua Benson, may be playing for third.
No. 9 Rosemead 30, San Gabriel 9 — The Panthers are looking like Mission Valley League contenders, winning their third consecutive game. Joe Nava led the way with 189 yards passing and three touchdowns. San Gabriel’s long season continues.
Eagle Rock 35, No. 10 La Canada 0 — The Spartans suffer their second consecutive big loss. Can they regroup in the Rio Hondo League?
OTHER RESULTS
Azusa 23, Duarte 22 —
Sam Edwards caught two TD pass as the Falcons lost at Citrus Collge, giving up a 24-yard field goal with about three minutes to play.
Maranatha 42, South El Monte 32 — A good rebound for the Minutemen, who were shutout last week at La Salle.
South Pasadena 27, Alhambra 7 — The Tigers get a much-needed win; The Moors’ struggles continue.
Crescenta Valley 42, Pasadena 18 — The Bulldogs were no match for the upstart Falcons.
California Military Institue 47, Blair 8 — The Vikings scored for just the second time this season.
Frazier Mountain 36, Flintridge Prep 29 — The Rebels, who made the quarterfinals last season, appear to have take a step back, falling to 0-4.
Sotomayor 41, Keppel 12 — The Aztecs drop to 1-3.
Gabrielino 28, California City 19 — The Eagles complete a solid nonleague slate. Can they keep it up in the Mission Valley League? We’ll find out.

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Thursday Final: Muir is ready to defend Pacific title, routs Hoover, 35-3…Rio Hondo Prep and Poly also win.

Staff photo by Keith Birmingham

Staff photo by Keith Birmingham

Muir came into Pacific League play as the prohibitive favorite, and the Mustangs showed why Thursday, routing host Hoover, 35-3, at Glendale High School.
Quarterback Dejon Williams accounted for two touchdowns to lead the Mustangs (3-1, 1-0), who led 13-0 at halftime. Muir held Hoover to 31 yards, and a minus-2 yards rushing. The Mustangs won despite having 212 yards in penalties.
Muir coach John Hardy: “There were a ton of penalties and a ton of mistakes,” Hardy said. “It’s hard to get a grip on it. It was a short week; I don’t know. We didn’t look like a well-coached team at all. … We did have some penalties we need to clean up. There were things we need to fix. If we do not fix them, we will have problems deeper in league.”
Defensive lineman Jasper Iheoso: “We worked hard. There were a couple of plays we could have done better on execution. But it’s all the same effort at the end of the game.”
OTHER SCORES
Rio Hondo Prep 50, Kilpatrick 6

Nate Tayco scored three touchdowns to lead the Kares, who improved to 3-1.
Pasadena Poly 34, Brentwood 27
Carter Griffin scored three touchdowns as the Panthers (3-0) survived a late rally to stay undefeated.

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