CLICK HERE FOR A PHOTO GALLERY OF THE LA CAÑADA-MONROVIA GAME

Monrovia 43, La Cañada 7 -- The Nick Bueno Show officially kicked into third gear Friday night. That much was evident after Bueno rushed for 208 yards on the ground and scored on runs of 17, 81 and 23 yards. He also completed 10 of 14 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns (who said the kid can't throw?). Bueno almost single-handedly shredded the Spartans defense, completing two 40-yard touchdown passes to Grant Haggard and Jordan Trujillo. "We knew (Bueno) could throw," Monrovia coach Ryan Maddox said, "and to be quite honest, our receivers finally stepped up and caught some balls. There's no question in Nick's ability to throw." La Cañada (4-4, 2-2) hurt itself with penalties and turnovers, and it didn't help that quarterback Rocky Moore established little, if any, rhythm. He was intercepted by Monrovia's Derrin Jenkins and Evan Sanchez. Moore also couldn't withstand the constant pressure in the pocket -- Monrovia's Haggard, Ellis McCarthy, John Adams and Josh Lowden each recorded a sack; McCarthy, a sophomore, now has seven this season. The victory, however, didn't come without some level of concern. Monrovia sophomore De'Shawn Ramirez left early in the first quarter with a slight left ankle sprain. He iced it and retaped it in the second quarter but never returned. On that drive, running back Derrick Johnson capped a 10-play, 52-yard effort with a 3-yard run with 7:00 left in the first quarter to put the Wildcats on the scoreboard. Bueno ran for the 2-point conversion to give Monrovia an 8-0 lead. Later, Justin De La Nuez, a senior running back, left midway through the second quarter with an ankle sprain. He was taken to the hospital for X-rays. Now, here's the million dollar question -- with St. Francis losing and Monrovia winning big, are yall expecting a swap come Wednesday in the latest PSN rankings? I know they mean nothing, but hey, I gotta do 'em. Shout out to our boys from the desert. The Paraclete coaching staff sat in the La Cañada side, and I had a nice chat with 'Clete coach Norm Dhalia at halftime. Gotta love the in-game updates from Desert Rat.

Alhambra 14, Bell Gardens 7 -- Brandon Wilson led Alhambra on both sides of the ball -- two key sacks and two long receptions and a second-effort rushing touchdown. Alhambra led 7-0 at the half. With the win, the Moors keep their playoff hopes alive and can clinch a spot against Keppel next week at Moor Field. Alhambra's Vailele Peko was hurt in the second half and carried off the field. He was carried off the field.

Schurr 38, San Gabriel 30 -- While the Montebello and Mark Keppel high school football teams hired new head coaches and Bell Gardens, San Gabriel and Alhambra welcomed back seasoned quarterbacks, Schurr made no such noise in the offseason. As the old axiom goes, though, sometimes it's the quiet ones who are most dangerous. Schurr proved that again Friday night by claiming a share of its seventh consecutive Almont League title in defeating San Gabriel.

La Salle 45, Cantwell 35 -- Mike Alexander exploded in a good way, scoring four touchdowns and 387 all-purpose yards. The Lancers keep their playoff hopes alive with the win. They'll close out the season next week at Bosco Tech. I have the Lancers playing at 2 p.m. on Friday afternoon. If that's wrong, someone please e-mail yours truly. Our thoughts and prayers go out La Salle senior Mark Danhausen, who's father passed away Friday morning. Danhausen converted a 35-yard field goal, converted six PAT's and no kickoffs were returned.

Arcadia 42, Hoover 28 -- Facing a third-and-24 at their own 32-yard line with a 34-28 lead -- full momentum for Hoover -- Arcadia's David Maldonado got a screen pass and ran it back 68 yards for the dagger with 2:20 left in the fourth quarter. Arcadia's Garret Tuck and Taylor Lagace connected on touchdown passes of 23, 48 and 19 yards.

Temple City 35, South Pasadena 12 -- Temple City's David Spratt was the man. He scored three touchdowns to lead the Rams -- two on the air and one punt return. Next week's game is huge. A Temple City win, the Rams clinch a spot in the playoffs. A Temple City loss, oh boy, someone get me a Tylenol.

Muir 34, Glendale 7 -- The Mustangs defense had three interceptions and two fumble recoveries and a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown. Defensive ends Trayveion Yates and Michael White had a great game for Muir, holding Glendale to 180 yards on the ground. With the win, Muir keeps its playoff hopes alive and must beat Pasadena at next week's Turkey Tussle. I'm going on the record -- PHS wins.

Alemany 13, St. Francis 7 -- One year after transferring from St. Francis to Alemany, defensive back Deron Smith faced his former teammates Friday and came through with the performance of a lifetime. The sophomore intercepted two passes and broke up another key fourth-down pass, all in the second half, to help Alemany to the win and at least a share of the Mission League championship with one game remaining.

Workman 23, Duarte 0 -- Workman High School held winless Duarte to 110 total yards in cruising to a Montview League win on Friday. The Lobos (6-3, 3-2) were led by senior quarterback Richard Cabreros, who completed 4 of his 7 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown. Workman jumped out to a 6-0 lead when Michael Silva scored from a yard out. The score capped off a nine-play, 38-yard drive. After a Duarte turnover on downs, the Lobos drove 50 yards and scored on a quarterback sneak from Cabreros. The score pushed the lead to 13-0 early in the second quarter.

Rosemead 52, El Monte 20 -- The Rosemead duo of Matt Macias and Matt Fregoso put on a show in the Panthers' easy win. The Panthers (4-5, 3-1) used 35 second-quarter points to pull away from the Lions (0-9, 0-4) and take a 42-14 halftime lead. Fregoso finished the game with touchdown runs of 10, 51, 64, and 32. He also had a 78-yard punt return in the second quarter to give Rosemead a comfortable 28-7 lead.

Maranatha 49, Marshall 0 -- Maranatha quarterback Cody Keith threw for 175 yards and running back Erik Johnson rushed for 200 to lead the Minutemen in Alpha League action Friday night at Pasadena High School. Maranatha (7-2, 6-0) will play for an outright league championship next week when it hosts Campbell Hall. The Minutemen last season finished in second place and have not won an outright league title in 23 years. Maranatha shared the league title in 2006. Maranatha's Ben Young led the defense with two interceptions. Minutemen coach Joel Murphy has been pleased with his team's balanced attack. "What's nice is the last month or so we've been incredibly balanced," Murphy said, whose team is on a seven-game winning streak. "We're not just proficient but we can excel at it, too."

San Marino 51, Blair 0 -- Stevie Yortsos lined up in the backfield at tailback and proved to be just as effective as he is at receiving by scoring three touchdowns on the ground to lead San Marino High School to a 51-0 win over winless Blair (0-9, 0-4) in Friday's Rio Hondo League game. The Titans (7-2, 2-2) led, 35-0, at the half. The game was played with a running clock in the second half. Everyone got a piece of the action for San Marino, including linebacker Trent Converse, who returned a fumble for a score. The win helped the Titans keep their playoff hopes alive as they head into next week's must-win game against visiting Temple City. But as far as San Marino coach D.R. Moreland is concerned, the postseason already began. "The playoffs started Friday night," Moreland said. "That's the position we find ourselves in and starting tomorrow we have to prepare for Temple City." San Marino will have to deal with an explosive offense led by Rams running back Max Ruckle and quarterback Justin Smith. "Temple City's both sides of the ball will be a challenge for us," Moreland said. "We're going to have to play one of our better games next week, that's for sure."

CLICK HERE FOR A PHOTO GALLERY OF THURSDAY'S PASADENA-BURBANK GAME

CORRECTION: Pasadena did not clinch a spot in the CIF-Southern Section Southeast Division playoffs with its 45-41 win over Burbank. The Bulldogs need Muir to lose to Glendale tonight to clinch a spot. Muir, however, is still in the hunt for a playoff spot with a win tonight, and would have to beat Pasadena in next week's Turkey Tussle to clinch a spot. It was erroneously reported in today's paper that Pasadena clinched a spot and in the process eliminated Muir from playoff contention. I jumped the gun and made a mistake. For that, I apologize. -- MM

Aaron Simpson connected on a 45-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Wells with 10.8 seconds left in the game to help Pasadena pull off a stunning 45-41 upset over Burbank on Thursday night in Pacific League action at Burroughs High. Pasadena (5-4, 4-2) clinched a spot in the CIF-Southern Section Southeast Division playoffs while also knocking rival Muir out of playoff contention can clinch a spot in the CIF-Southern Section Southeast Division playoffs if Muir loses tonight. Burbank (7-2, 5-1) had one final chance with 1.7 seconds left and attempted five laterals before several flags were thrown, including one for a forward pass. That ended the game and sent the Pasadena crowd into a frenzy. The Bulldogs were back at their own 32 with 1:20 remaining. Simpson, faced with fourth and 2 at his own 40, found an open Eugene Tripling for a 15-yard gain and a first down. On the next play, without any hesitation and his eyes focused on the end zone, Simpson threw a pass to Wells, who had three Burbank defenders on him. Wells caught the pass, prompting the Bulldogs players, coaches and administrators to rush the field. Pasadena turned to the Muir football players watching from the visitors stands and yelled, "You're next." The Bulldogs were assessed with an unsportsmanlike penalty, but the damage was done. Burbank's loss put a damper on next week's showdown against rival Burroughs (6-2, 5-0), which also had players at the game.

OH NO! WHAT WAS HE THINKING??? (Thanks TCCHAMPS)

Josh Peter over at Yahoo! Sports chronicles Cody Keith's path to Maranatha, his third school in three years. Keith is the Minutemen's starting quarterback, and we profiled him back in July. Peter writes: There are no simple answers with Cody Keith. Even to the biggest question: Can he be a star quarterback? On the night of Maranatha's season opener, Peterson watched Keith complete just 13 of 35 passes and throw three interceptions in a 20-14 loss to Linfield Christian. Afterward, Peterson still didn't know what to make of the 6-foot-4 senior. "You can see the potential is there," he said. "He has pretty good mechanics and he's making throws some quarterbacks can't make. I really can't say if he's a (college) quarterback." One thing is certain: He's been in the spotlight and under scrutiny for years. Warning, the story is pretty lengthy.

DIETRICH RILEY

Dietrich Riley, St. Francis, RB/DB -- Riley, one of the most coveted recruits in the nation, does just about everything for the Golden Knights. Offensively, he's rushed for 518 yards and nine touchdowns and has caught 21 passes for 381 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, he has three interceptions and averages six tackles per game. The scary part is Riley's played in only two complete games this season and played only the first half in the first six games of the regular season. Riley is perhaps the most versatile player in Southern California this season.

ISAAC VALDEZ

Isaac Valdez, San Gabriel, QB -- Valdez leads the San Gabriel Valley in passing with 2,033 yards and 14 touchdowns. He's the primary reason why the Matadors are in hunt for an Almont League championship. In addition, he's also rushed for 444 yards and seven touchdowns.

JUSTIN POSTHUMA

Justin Posthuma, St. Francis, QB -- Looking at MaxPreps and it doesn't list Posthuma having thrown an interception. I'm not sure about that, but I could be wrong. Nevertheless, Posthuma's proven to be one of the Valley's elite quarterbacks. Dietrich Riley is the heart and soul of the team, but without Posthuma anchoring the offense it's uncertain how good the Golden Knights would be this season. He's thrown for 1,398 yards and 12 touchdowns, and if MaxPreps is correct, no interceptions. As if that wasn't enough, he's also rushed for 441 yards and eight touchdowns.

MAX RUCKLE

Max Ruckle, Temple City, RB -- Ruckle's been impressive with 1,043 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns. He's lightning quick and tough to bring down.

JUSTIN SMITH

Justin Smith, Temple City, QB -- Whether the Temple City fans will admit it or not, the Rams have on their hands a legitimate quarterback in Smith. He's thrown for 1,405 yards and 10 touchdowns, helping Temple City's offense with good deception. Smith is mobile and not afraid to take a hit. He doesn't go down without a fight.

NICK BUENO

Nick Bueno, Monrovia, QB -- Bueno is CIF's sixth-leading rusher at the QB position with 795 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. He's thrown for 517 yards and three touchdowns this season.

DARRIAN CAZARIN

Darrian Cazarin, Alhambra, QB -- He's thrown for 1,628 yards to lead the Moors offensively. He has 15 touchdowns and rushed for two more.

JOSH LOWDEN

Josh Lowden, Monrovia, LB -- Mr. 55 averages 11 tackles per game and has one sack this season. Monrovia heavily prides itself for its tenacious defense, and anchoring the D is Lowden.

DE'SHAWN RAMIREZ

De'Shawn Ramirez, Monrovia, RB -- The sophomore sensation has rushed for 732 yards and nine touchdowns. He averages nearly 12 yards per carry and has returned three kickoffs for touchdowns.

STEVIE YORTSOS

Stevie Yortsos, San Marino, WR/DB -- Yortsos has 27 receptions for 484 yards and six touchdowns. More impressively, Yortsos five interceptions to lead the West San Gabriel Valley.

ROCKY MOORE

Rocky Moore, La Canada, QB -- Moore is leading the Spartans to an unbelievable years. I wasn't expecting first-year coach Dan Yoder to have La Canada competing, but that's exactly what he's done. Moore is at the forefront and his numbers don't lie. He's thrown for 1,641 yards and 17 touchdowns with only two interceptions. Two!! If the Spartans make the playoffs you can bet Moore will be a serious candidate come season's end.

There's a better chance of me landing in the moon than anybody knocking off Monrovia for the Rio Hondo League championship. That being said, there are no assurances from second on down. Temple City (4-3-1, 2-1), La Cañada (4-3, 2-1) and San Marino (6-2, 1-2) are going to have quite the battle. With the remaining games left this season, here's what I think we all expected would happen before the start of the season: La Cañada loses to Monrovia, beats South Pasadena; San Marino beats Blair, loses to Temple City; Temple City beats South Pasadena; beats San Marino. Now, because La Cañada beat San Marino last week that kind of threw off the rest of the league. There are a few scenarios that can play out, but the most obvious people thought would unfold would have Monrovia, Temple City and San Marino headed to the playoffs. All eyes will be on South Pasadena-Temple City and Monrovia-La Cañada. The team with a decent chance at pulling off the upset in Week 9 is South Pasadena. The Tigers held Monrovia to 14-first half points. A Temple City loss would wreak havoc and put the Rams, Spartans and Titans all at 2-2. Then La Cañada beats South Pas in Week 10, putting them at 3-2. If Temple City beats San Marino, the Rams are 3-2, and they move represent the RHL at No. 2 because of its tiebreaker over LC, which would finish third. A San Marino win puts them at 3-2 but would finish third because of its loss to the Spartans. This, of course, will only play out if the Rams lose Friday night, but don't count on it.

Guru Says: Well, this is my favorite time of year. We are watching tons of film for 2010 prospects. But more than that, it's close to playoff time - which means it's time for a little bracketology for the playoffs. Let's dive into it.
First, what needs to be understood is the protocol directly from the CIF-SS Handbook that is online at cifss.org. "The initial step is to designate four teams (maximum) as seeds, with No. 1 and No. 4 placed in the top bracket, and No. 2 and 3 in the bottom bracket (see Diagram 1). An exception to this procedure would be if seeds in the same half of the bracket are from the same league......Is it possible to designate more than four seeds? The task would be virtually impossible on two counts. Attempting to delineate which team is the No. 7 seed, as opposed to No. 8, or No. 12 rather than No. 13, would result in 25 different answers by 25 different people. Additionally, an attempt at a "true seed" would be in opposition to the CIF-SS Constitution and By-laws, which specify a league's designated No. 1 entry shall meet a No. 3 entry, and a No. 2 shall meet another No. 2, where the draw provides for same in the opening round."

SOUTHEAST
Almont -- Schurr takes on San Gabriel for the league championship Friday night. Winner gets a home game for the first round. Looks like Bell Gardens will make the playoffs safely.
Del Rio -- For what seems like the 50th year in a row (just kidding of course) California will be playing Santa Fe for the league championship Friday night. What's a bit different is that Santa Fe has defeated San Clemente but lost to La Serna? Right now, California is in first place coming into the game going undefeated in league play. La Serna looks like their in prime position for the other playoff spot from the league if they can defeat El Rancho Thursday night.
Miramonte - One thing seems certain, Charter Oak will win out in the league and will garner the top-seed in the Division. It also seems a bit certain that Diamond Ranch will be the second place team from the league (if they defeat Los Altos this Friday night) and it looks as if Bonita will be the third place team from the league. No drama here if everything goes to hoyle these next two weeks.
Pacific -- Now it gets very interesting a bit confusing for the average fan. First off, Burbank is ranked third in the latest CIF Poll that was released on Monday. If they win out the next two weeks (including a big game against Burroughs next Friday night), they will hold on to their spot as league champs and will be the three seed in the division. Crescenta Valley is ranked fourth and if they run the table this week (including a huge game against Burroughs this Friday night) they will garner the four seed in the Division. One thing that is very interesting is that Burroughs is tied with Burbank for first place in the division. They can cause a seismic eruption in the bracket process if they run the table and win league. Remember, Burroughs is ranked 10th in the latest CIF poll. The other drama being played out is the battle for the final playoff spot in the league. If all goes to hoyle, Muir and Pasadena will not only play for bragging rights to the city of Pasadena next Friday night at the Rose Bowl but they will also play for the final automatic spot in the playoffs.
San Antonio -- Well, it's pretty easy. If South Hills runs the table the next two weeks they not only win league, but they will also will garner the second seed in the division. If SH runs the table - that means West Covina finishes second and Rowland will finish third (that is if Rowland defeats Nogales this Friday night). It all seems cut and try if South Hills does its job. But Husky fans remember that all SH had to do last year was win West Covina and they would have had a high seed and a home game in the first round. And you all know what happened that night?

Now that you have been explained what's going on in the league's, you can see that there is a lot that has to be determined. But for argument sake, let's say that these are the seeds that play out.

1) Charter Oak
2) South Hills
3) Burbank
4) Cresecenta Valley

That means that there are two teams from the same league that are seeded. That just means you have to jumble brackets - which means someone might be unhappy. Well, here is what we have projected going into Friday night....

UPPER BRACKET
(1) Charter Oak (Miramonte 1)
La Serna (Del Rio 3)

(Winner of Schurr v. San Gabriel) (Almont 1)
Burbank Burroughs (Pacific 3)

(Winner of Cal vs. Santa Fe) (Del Rio 1)
Bell Gardens (Almont 3)

(4) Crescenta Valley (Pacific 2)

West Covina (San Antonio 2)

LOWER BRACKET

(3) Burbank (Pacific 1)
Bonita (Miramonte 3)

(Loser of Schurr vs. San Gabriel) (Almont 2)
Rowland (San Antonio 3)

(Loser of California/Santa Fe) (Del Rio 2)
Diamond Ranch (Miramonte 2)

(2) South Hills (San Antonio 1)
(Winner of Pasadena v. Muir) (Pacific 4)

MID VALLEY DIVISION

Mission Valley -- Arroyo looks like there are projected league champs. But there is a three way tie for second between Rosemead, South El Monte and Gabrielino at 2-1. SEM takes on Gabrielino on Friday night with a playoff birth at stake.
Montview -- This league has four births available for the playoffs. Azusa is in control on the league and if they win out, they will be the third seed in the division. Gladstone and La Puente are 3-1 entering the week and they will play each other for second place next Friday night. Workman looks to have the inside track on the fourth and final spot in the division.
Olympic -- Paraclete is control of the league and will play for the league title next Friday night against Valley Christian. If they win, they not win the league, but could also garner the fourth seed in the Division. Look for Valley Christian to be second and Village Christian to be the third place team in the league.
Rio Hondo League -- Looking for the top seed in the Division. This is the team. If the Wildcats run the table the next two weeks, the win the league and garner the top. Temple City, La Canada and San Marino are battling for the second place spot in the league. I'll project Temple City and La Canada making it into the show.
Valle Vista -- Comes down to this. The winner of the San Dimas vs. Baldwin Park game next Friday night not only win the league title, but garners a seed in the Division. Meanwhile there is a three battle for third place in the league between Covina, Pomona and Ganesha. We project Covina being the third place team.

As you can see, it's a mess. But let's project the four seeded teams as the following

1) Monrovia
2) San Dimas
3) Azusa
4) Paraclete

So, this becomes a lot simpler with the protocol that CIF-SS has to follow.....

UPPER BRACKET

(1) Monrovia (Rio Hondo 1)
(Third Place from Mission Valley) (Mission Valley 3)

(Winner of La Puente/Gladstone) (Montview 2)
Baldwin Park (Valle Vista 2)

Arroyo (Mission Valley 1)
(Third Place from Rio Hondo) (Rio Hondo 3)

(4) Paraclete (Olympic 1)
Gladstone/Sierra Vista (Montview 3)

LOWER BRACKET

3) Azusa (Montview 1)
Village Christian (Olympic 3)

(Second Place from Mission Valley) (Mission Valley 2)
Covina (Valle Vista 3)

Valley Christian (Olympic 2)
(Second Place from Rio Hondo) (Rio Hondo 2)

(2) San Dimas (Valle Vista 1)
Workman/Sierra Vista (Montview 4)

Hopefully things will come into light after this weeks games. Have a good week.

Ricky Pickens has been relieved of his duties as head coach at Marshall High. Pickens was in his second season coaching the Eagles. He led Marshall to a thrilling 36-24 win over Pasadena Poly that helped the Eagles snap a 33-game losing streak earlier this season.

"We agreed to release him due to personal issues," said Jason Taylor, Marshall's athletic director.

Pickens said Taylor was supportive in his decision to leave with two games left in the regular season.

"My mom is sick," Pickens said. "She's got some health issues and it's something I want to take care of. I didn't want to stay around when I wasn't going to be 100 percent. I had made a decision that I was going to let (Taylor) know by the end of the season, but I wanted him to have ample time to look for someone so we just made a decision to go ahead now.

"I would have liked to finished but it's taken a toll on me. My mom doesn't live in the city. She lives in Victorville. I have to leave and get across the freeway and fight traffic and it becomes an issue. (Taylor) agreed and said your family comes first. I didn't want to do it like that beause I love Marshall. The opportunity I had was phenomenal. I certainly wish them the best and I"ll always be a fan. I do want to coach again once i iron these things, and I believe i can do it somewhere when this is over."

In his nearly two years at the helm, Pickens compiled a 2-16 record as head coach.

Germel Ford will take over on an interim basis. Ford served as Marshall's linebackers coach. He teaches physical education at Marshall.

"We felt that was a great fit," Pickens said, "and i definitely support it."

STAR-NEWS TOP 10 RANKINGS

1. ST. FRANCIS (7-1) -- Is there really any debating St. Francis is not the best ream in the PSN area? Enough. St. Francis is the undisputed No. 1 team in the WSGV. Despite losing a few weeks ago to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, the Golden Knights dropped only one spot to No. 2 in the CIF-SS Western Division rankings. Say all you want about the CIF polls' validity, but the pollsters finally showed a deserving team some respect, and that team was St. Francis. Most teams after losing a game drop several spots, just like San Marino did in the CIF-SS Mid Valley Division, dropping from No. 2 to No. 6 after losing to Monrovia, the No. 1 team in the Mid Valley. St. Francis' biggest task comes Friday night at Alemany. This won't be easy, and you'd be crazy to think Friday's outcome doesn't define the Golden Knights' season.

2. MONROVIA (8-0) -- The Wildcats have played down to opponents, and was that ever more evident last week against South Pasadena? Monrovia mustered 14 first-half points before De'Shawn Ramirez saved the day. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Monrovia's only enemy right now is itself. They can't play down to opponents and lose focus. If and when they do, they'll get caught off guard and the domino's will follow.

3. TEMPLE CITY (4-3-1) -- The Rams scored a yawner of a victory last week against Blair. The powers that be must have grown tired of watching Temple City have its way with Blair because with less than four minutes left in the game at Muir, the lights went out. Nevertheless, the Rams jump up one spot from No. 4 after San Marino's loss.

4. LA CÃNADA (4-3) -- The Spartans surprised the world when they knocked off San Marino. Despite a soft preseason schedule, the Titans were the favorite to win. Were they exposed? Rocky Moore is about as good as any quarterback in the Rio Hondo League, and probably the rest of the San Gabriel Valley. The Spartans' win over San Marino throws the Rio Hondo League into whack, a bit. La Canada is probably going to finish 3-2 in league after losing to Monrovia and beating South Pasadena, while San Marino will be 2-2 heading into its finale against Temple City. A loss to the Rams, San Marino is out of the playoffs. A win over Temple City and we've got ourselves quite the scenario that certainly will give us all a reaching for Tylenol.

5. SAN GABRIEL (5-3) -- San Gabriel's making me look bad, and I'm sure they're enjoying every second of it. As you may have noticed by now, I picked Schurr to win and already the SG fanatics are saying that guarantees the Matadors will win. Not necessarily. Schurr owns San Gabriel like I own my 2006 Accord -- I beat it up, wear it down and tear it down. Sure, San Gabriel's knocked off a few good opponents, but the Matadors are walking in uncharted waters right now. They're in prime position to take the driver's seat in the Almont League, but they'll probably fumble the opportunity to land the coveted seat because they'll succumb to pressure. I digress. This post was supposed to be about San Gabriel's impressive win over Alhambra. The Matadors didn't just win handily. They destroyed the Moors. My brother, a San Gabriel alum, gave me grief the entire Saturday morning. I got the last laugh when Oregon beat USC.

6. RIO HONDO PREP (8-0) -- The Kares are taking care of business the way Monrovia isn't. Rio Hondo Prep is the No. 1-ranked team in the Northeast Division and they're leaving no doubt they are the best. The only reason why Monrovia hasn't dropped from No. 1 is because they haven't lost, but they've yet to dominate opponents like they did at the start of the season, particularly against Rosemead and San Dimas. One thing the Kares do need is a more efficient passing game. This week's showdown with Pasadena Poly took a hit when Panthers sophomore Jackson Allan suffered a serious head injury and underwent brain surgery over the weekend. While the game has Prep League implications on the line it's certain everyone will be thinking about Allan and his family.

7. SAN MARINO (6-2) -- De ja vu? San Marino exposed Monrovia a few weeks ago and now they got a taste of its own medicine against La Canada last week. The Spartans secondary was a virtual wall against the Titans offense. A lot will be riding on the Temple City-San Marino game on Nov. 13. Wish I could be there.

8. ALHAMBRA (4-3) -- The Moors still have a shot at the playoffs if they beat Bell Gardens and Keppel. Alhambra coach Gil Ruedaflores said the Moors would need a balanced attack to beat San Gabriel, but there was quite a lot of passes thrown and Alhambra never really established the run. This was a problem last year and it's a problem this year.

9. MARANATHA (6-2) -- The Minutemen escaped with a 19-12 win over Sierra Canyon. Maranatha coach Joel Murphy said the team's made drastic improvements since the starting the season at 0-2. It's safe to say the Minutemen will extend their streak to seven after taking on Marshall on Friday.

10. PASADENA (4-4) -- Huckster I'm sure is banging his head somewhere on Sierra Madre Boulevard after seeing the Bulldogs make the list. Sure, Pasadena lost to Crescenta Valley, but after La Salle (3-5) dropped out of the rankings there was no other viable team to replace the Lancers. The Bulldogs in my book have surpassed all expectations. I'm sure that's not what coach Mike McFarland is saying, but already at Week 9 he's set the bar for next season. He's building a solid foundation for Pasadena football, and in only his first year it appears McFarland has the Bulldogs ready to dethrone Muir from its pedestal that is the Turkey Tussle streak. Never mind that Muir's having an atrocious season thus far. That's besides the point. I last covered Pasadena against Saugus. The defense was solid and nearly came away with a win. That was Week 2. Lets see what things look like Thursday night.

As usual, the top 10 rankings will more than likely start with Pasadena on top, but what about everybody else? Temple City lost the San Gabriel Valley's highest scorer in James Chen; Alhambra is doing without coach Joe Petralia who retired after nearly three decades at Alhambra; Monrovia and La Salle are young this season, and was Keppel a one-year wonder or can they be counted on as a basketball school?

LAST YEAR'S REGULAR-SEASON FINAL RANKINGS

1. Pasadena (19-5); 2. Temple City (15-7); 3. Alhambra (16-8); 4. Monrovia (16-7); 5. La Cañada (18-6); 6. Flintridge Prep (16-6); 7. Keppel (15-9); 8. La Salle (13-11); 9. Marshall (16-6); 10. Blair (12-9)

=================================

There never seems to be a shortage of good girls basketball teams, is there? Monrovia and Muir advanced to the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division III-A playoffs. The Wildcats mounted an amazing comeback after trailing by 22 points, and then-freshman Gina Hendreson dropped 38 points. Muir lost in the final seconds to Inglewood, and if not for those two losses we have ourselves an all-WSGV final. Keppel met its nemesis in Bishop Amat early in the playoffs, and you know La Cañada is always tough and disciplined with Tamar Hill at the helm.

LAST YEAR'S REGULAR-SEASON FINAL RANKINGS

1. Muir (18-3); 2. Keppel (15-10); 3. Monrovia (15-5); 4. La Cañada (18-6); 5. Pasadena Poly (17-4); 6. La Salle (14-9); 7. South Pasadena (14-9); 8. Alhambra (13-9); 9. Rosemead (10-10); 10. Flintridge Prep (13-10).

I unsuccessfully tried installing just a Top 5 for soccer this season. I'm not saying last year was a down year for soccer, but after the top 5 it was a real struggle putting together a legitimate 6-10 ranking. There's no doubt St. Francis and La Cañada will always compete in boys soccer; they're the Muir in football, they don't rebuild, they reload. (Well, maybe not Muir this year, but you get what I'm saying). Then you have Monrovia and Pasadena which had a strong year last year. Rosemead also was in the mix. Nevertheless, I'm asking your input for the top 10 preseason rankings this year. Is it going to be another down year? Is St. Francis star Eric Verso playing this year? Will St. Francis successfully defend its CIF Southern California championship? Who is No. 1? Monrovia? St. Francis? That was the big debate last year. I guess it never ends, whether it's football this year or soccer -- St. Francis vs. Mornovia, the matchup we'd all like to see.

LAST YEAR'S FINAL REGULAR-SEASON RANKINGS

1. Monrovia (17-2-3); 2. Pasadena (10-1-6); 3. St. Francis (12-5-4); 4. Temple City (5-4-4); 5. La Cañada (15-6-2); 6. Rosemead (11-4-4); 7. Muir (6-6-2); 8. Alhambra (5-5-1); 9. San Marino (8-9-2); 10. Blair (6-8-2).

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In girls soccer, Alverno is the defending CIF champion in Division VII, and I can already hear all the talk about how Alverno played a weak schedule ... yada, yada, yada, yada ... The word on the street is La Salle is the top team in the WSGV. If you get a chance you will want to check out La Salle's Samantha Whitehead. She's a junior with tremendous speed.

LAST YEAR'S FINAL REGULAR-SEASON RANKINGS

1. Flintridge SH (15-4-3); 2. Arcadia (13-4-2); 3. Alverno (15-1-1); 4. Monrovia (6-5-3); 5. La Cañada (11-4-3); 6. Maranatha (13-6-4); 7. Ramona Convent (15-5-1); 8. South Pasadena (10-7-4); 9. La Salle (11-5-4); 10. Westridge (5-4-3).

Below: Can Alverno repeat as CIF champions this season?

If you want to show your support for this young man and his family, visit his Facebook page by clicking here. Tina Cocumelli, a teacher at Pasadena Poly, perhaps said it best. "You are so precious to all of us in your Poly family," Cocumelli wrote Sunday night on Facebook. "Coach Ryan spent a lot of time on the junior trip telling me that you're the "toughest guy on the team"; well, we've all seen proof of that on the playing field. We know you'll use that same toughness to battle back to full health ... "When you're well enough to read this page, you'll know that there's a spiritual army of people loving you and praying for you and your family. None of us will rest until you're safely through this and back "home" with us at Poly."

Story in today's sports section of the Star-News on page B2

Pasadena Poly sophomore Jackson Allan, injured in a football game Saturday, underwent brain surgery over the weekend to remove swelling and a blood clot, according to accounts posted on Facebook and the school's Web site.

Allan is in critical but stable condition, said his father, Les, who has been updating his son's status on the Facebook group page "Get Well Jackson Allan," which was created Saturday.

"Jackson had a good night and his mom and I are with him constantly," wrote Les Allan on Facebook. "He is at UCLA Harbor and in the best possible hands. He had surgery which went as well as it could have. He remains stable but critical, and the next few days are key. He is under very heavy sedation but still manages an occasional response to the loving and kind words that we are relaying to him.

CLICK ON THREAD TO CONTINUE READING

Allan sustained the head injury during the fourth quarter of Pasadena Poly's Prep League game against host Chadwick on Saturday afternoon. The game was called with 3:27 left in the fourth quarter and Chadwick leading, 31-19.

Allan came off the field after the injury, sat on the bench, and after exchanging words with a teammate it was apparent the extent of his injuries were worse.

"(Allan) complained of a headache, went to the side, collapsed, fell into a coma, stopped breathing and we were all there to attend to him," said Dr. Drew Pinsky, whose son Doug plays for the Panthers and assisted in the treatment of Allan.

Allan was tended to by several physicians in attendance, including an emergency room doctor, then taken by ambulance to Harbor UCLA Medical Center for further treatment.

The Allan family is asking that for the time being, only family members visit the hospital.

"Once Jackson is more comfortable, the family will communicate with the school about possible visits from his teammates and friends," said Debbie Reed, the head of school.

Dr. Pinsky performed CPR on Allan after he had extreme difficulty breathing. His quick response helped save Allan's life.

"We are especially grateful for the heroic efforts of Dr. Pinsky and prompt care and attention of Dr. (Roger) Lewis, a (Chadwick) faculty member and emergency room doctor at Harbor Medical," Reed said through a statement. "Together with the emergency medical personnel, they made all the difference in Jackson's progress."

Allan is a running back and linebacker on the Pasadena Poly team. He's rushed for 175 yards and two touchdowns and has 24 tackles this season.

Well over 1,500 members have joined Allan's Facebook page and hundreds posted get well wishes, including family, friends, and players from the Chadwick and Rio Hondo Prep football teams.

"You are in the mind of the entire Chadwick community, get well soon," wrote Jacob-Diesel Scott Radeski.

"Rio Hondo Prep is praying for (you)," wrote Kares junior wide receiver Ryan Horton.

"You are so precious to all of us in your Poly family," Tina Cocumelli, a teacher at Pasadena Poly, wrote Sunday night on Facebook. "Coach Ryan spent a lot of time on the junior trip telling me that you're the `toughest guy on the team'; well, we've all seen proof of that on the playing field. We know you'll use that same toughness to battle back to full health ...

"When you're well enough to read this page, you'll know that there's a spiritual army of people loving you and praying for you and your family. None of us will rest until you're safely through this and back `home' with us at Poly."

miguel.melendez@sgvn.com

The Stang Fan last week: (TSF, anyway you can e-mail me your picks/results?)
Melendez last week (overall): 14-5 (95-52-1)

Last week: My five losses were Pasadena (lost to Crescenta Valley); Alhambra (lost to San Gabriel); Bosco Tech (lost to Cantwell); La Salle (lost to Mary Star); and San Marino (lost to La Cañada). PHS and San Marino made it close, but can't say the same about the rest.

This week: This week's "game of the week" is still up in the air. Does La Cañada have a chance against Monrovia? Not many expected the Spartans to come into Titan territory and knock them with a dose of reality. What about St. Francis at Alemany? A huge Mission League showdown. Both teams are 1-0 in league and the winner all but claims the league title, something St. Francis hasn't done in quite a while. For the record, Calpreps has the Golden Knights winning by 10. My only problem with this game is that it's way over in Mission Hills, and with a 7:30 start it could get ugly come deadline. Then we have Schurr at San Gabriel, a HUGE Almont League showdown. The winner of this game gets in the driver's seat for a league championship. I hear folks at San Gabriel are worried I might pick the Matadors to win. As you recall, every time I've picked San Gabriel to win they've lose and every time I've picked them to lose, they've won, except for the Keppel game. Nevertheless, the nod here goes to Schurr because lets face it, the Spartans own the Matadors. Most likely I'll be covering PHS on Thursday night. It's homecoming, isn't it? The 30 minute halftime show should be fun. So we'll have PHS in the cover Friday, a school TBD in the cover Friday.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE -- WITH PREDICTIONS

THURSDAY'S GAMES
Pasadena vs. Burbank at Burroughs, 7 p.m. -- Burbank

FRIDAY'S GAMES
Monrovia at La Cañada, 7 p.m. -- Monrovia
Bell Gardens at Alhambra, 7 p.m. -- Bell Gardens
Schurr at San Gabriel, 7 p.m. -- Schurr
Cantwell Sacred Heart at La Salle, 7 p.m. -- Cantwell
Arcadia vs. Hoover at Glendale, 7 p.m. -- Arcadia
South Pasadena at Temple City, 7 p.m. -- Temple City
Glendale at Muir, 7 p.m. -- Muir
St. Francis at Alemany, 7:30 p.m. -- St. Francis
Duarte vs. Workman at La Puente, 7 p.m. -- Duarte
Rosemead vs. El Monte at Arroyo, 7 p.m. -- Rosemead
Keppel at Montebello, 7 p.m. -- Montebello
Viewpoint vs. Flintridge Prep at Oxy, 7 p.m. -- Flintridge Prep
Maranatha vs. Marshall at Paadena, 7 p.m. -- Maranatha
South El Monte at Gabrielino, 7 p.m. -- South El Monte
Blair at San Marino, 7 p.m. -- San Marino

SATURDAY'S GAMES
Rio Hondo Prep at Pasadena Poly, 2:30 p.m. -- Rio Hondo Prep
Serra at Bosco Tech, 1 p.m. -- Serra

*Just thought I'd share this with you. Sam Farmer of the L.A. Times wrote a very inspiring story on Charlie Wedemeyer, who was diagnosed 31 years ago with ALS and told he had a year to live. Now, he guides players from sidelines in non-verbal language to his wife. Believe me, you will want to read this if you haven't already. Truly inspiring.

*La Cañada's win over San Marino gives meaning to next week's Monrovia- La Cañada game. Is this easily our game of the week?

*FYI: Every time I've picked San Gabriel to win, they've lost. Every time I've picked them to lose, they've won. Who do I have in next week's Almont League showdown pitting Schurr at San Gabriel? Undecided.

*What happened to PHS? They had this one. They had it! Someone on the blog mentioned there was no sense of urgency, but seriously, how is that possible with so much on the line?

*What happened to Arcadia? They were leading the Pacific League front-runner by six points before they let it slip away ... This one's probably the toughest game to swallow.

*Is there any more doubt St. Francis is the top team in the WSGV? No.

*La Salle coach Antoine Peterson sounded frustrated, exhausted and puzzled after Friday night's loss to Mary Star. Peterson was hoping the Lancers would play with some sense of urgency, and the bye didn't seem to help as some players showed rust.

*Isn't Rio Hondo Prep the "feel good team" of the San Gabriel Valley? They hop on a bus to Viewpoint early Friday and head home in traffic late in the afternoon with a 40-0 win. And in case you're wondering, Ken Drain is not just the head football coach. He's also the school's athletic director and boys basketball coach. Oh, and also the team's bus driver. Rueben Thomas, move over. We have a new Mr. Everything taking charge.

*With Muir's 25-0 win over Hover earlier this week, are the Mustangs' playoff hopes still alive? At the very least, it's looking like the Turkey Tussle will have more than just Braggin' Rights on the line.

*Athlete of the week considerations: Temple City's Justin Smith; San Gabriel's Isaac Valdez; Monrovia's De'Shawn Ramirez; and La Cañada's Rocky Moore. Picking one won't be easy.

LOOKING AHEAD AT WEEK 9
(Note: If the game's time/site changes please e-mail miguel.melendez@sgvn.com .. We're not that fond of surprises =)

THURSDAY'S GAME
Pasadena vs. Burbank at Burroughs, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY'S GAMES
Monrovia at La Canada, 7 p.m.
Bell Gardens at Alhambra, 7 p.m.
Schurr at San Gabriel, 7 p.m.
Cantwell Sacred Heart at La Salle, 7 p.m.
Hoover at Arcadia, 7 p.m.
South Pasadena at Temple City, 7 p.m.
Glendale at Muir, 7 p.m.
St. Francis at Alemany, 7:30 p.m.
Duarte vs. Workman at La Puente, 7 p.m.
Rosemead vs. El Monte at Arroyo, 7 p.m.
Keppel at Montebello, 7 p.m.
Viewpoint vs. Flintridge Prep at Oxy, 7 p.m.
Maranatha vs. Marshall at Paadena, 7 p.m.
South El Monte at Gabrielino, 7 p.m.
Blair vs. San Marino at PCC, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY'S GAMES
Rio Hondo Prep at Pasadena Poly, 2:30 p.m.
Serra at Bosco Tech, 1 p.m.

Also, check out this video ... Was the QB showing off or is it still a pretty cool throw?