CLICK HERE FOR A PHOTO GALLERY OF FRIDAY'S ROSEMEAD-SAN MARINO GAME

TONIGHT'S GAMES

San Marino 42, Monrovia Rosemead 20 -- Benny Hung rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns and quarterback Joe Forgatch completed 12 of 19 passes for 188 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Titans in the dominating victory. Rosemead's Matt Fregoso rushed for 190 yards on 26 carries and quarterback Matt Macias completed 12 of 22 passes with one interception and three touchdowns to lead the Panthers. Rosemead had no answer for Hung, who scored on runs of 17 and 13 yards. Forgatch connected on a 24-yard touchdown pass to Stevie Yortsos and a 53-yard dart to Ben Harwich. Forgatch also scored on runs of 1 and 10 yards. It looked like the game was going to be a slug fest, but San Marino put that theory to rest when it scored 21 unanswered points to end the first half. Hung was just tough as nails down the middle, smash-mouth football at its best. Yortsos is fun to watch. He returned an interception 32 yards from the end zone, tippy-toeing at the goal line and letting one then two defenders fly by to miss the tackle. Forgatch is much much improved from last year and provides a dual threat for the Titans. He's tough and is not afraid to get the extra yards. San Marino went all out, going 3 for 3 on fourth-down conversions. This team will be dangerous and were definitely fun to watch from the Titans sidelines.

Monrovia 40, South El Monte 7 -- You knew it would be Monrovia's day when on its opening drive Dejawn Jones recovered Ellis McCarthy's in the end zone for the opening score. Nick Bueno's first run was for a touchdown and his last two throws also were for scores. No starters played in the second half, which had a running clock the rest of the way. See you all in Lancaster, err, Palmdale.

Burbank 21, Alhambra 14 -- Tipping my hat here for Gil Ruedaflores who after 21 seasons steps down as the Moors coach. Alhambra had a 14-0 lead with two touchdown passes from quarterback Darrian Cazarin. But Alhambra's offense was limited to 27 yards in the second half and Burbank's 21 unanswered points sealed the deal.

Cerritos Valley Christian 45, La Cañada 0 -- The visiting Spartans (5-5) trailed 31-0 at the half in the first-round loss of the CIF-Southern Section Mid-Valley Division playoffs.
Valley Christian (8-3) is the Olympic League champion that knocked off Paraclete, the defending divisional champion, in the season finale. Cerritos Valley Christian will play the San Dimas-Workman winner in the quarterfinals. La Cañada won a Rio Hondo League playoff against Temple City last week to earn a playoff berth as the league's third-place team, and made a playoff appearance after a long absence.

Charter Oak 20, Muir 19 -- Muir missed a two-point conversion in the final play of the game to let this one slip away. Trailing by seven late in the fourth quarter, Mustangs quarterback Jarron Williams connected with Ormoni Duncan for a dramatic 30-yard touchdown on fourth and 18 with four seconds remaining and cut Charter Oak's lead to one. Perhaps pulling a play from Bill Belichick's book, Muir coach Ken Howard opted to go for two points for the win, but Williams' quarterback draw was stuffed at the line of scrimmage by Chargers standout linebacker Keith Smith.

West Covina 40, San Gabriel 7 -- West Covina was led by sophomore Chris Soloman who rushed for a career-high 192 yards on just 15 carries.

Maranatha 59, Frazier 13 -- The Minutemen's Erik Johnson did much of the damage, accounting for 145 yards of total offense, 60 on the ground and 85 through the air in the first half. The second-quarter scoring barrage was a balanced attack. The Minutemen's offense scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 4 yards, and quarterback Cody Keith threw two passes for touchdowns from 7 and 44 yards.

St. Francis 55, Ghar 34 -- St. Francis scored 21 points in the fourth quarter with nine minutes left. Justin Posthumas rushed for 102 yards and passed for 145 yards with two touchdowns. Ghar's Casey Nielsen passed for 405 yards in the losing effort.

Rio Hondo Prep 34, Desert Christian 0 -- Rio Hondo Prep's Charles Quintero was lights out for the Kares, returning a 109-yard interception for a touchdown and a 60-yard punt return for a score to lead the defending Northeast Division champions. Quarterback Chris Llamas ran for one touchdown and caught one, too. Yes, caught one, too. He caught 4-yard touchdown pass from J.T. Parker on the trick play in the second quarter.

Pasadena Poly 54, St. Genevieve 42 -- Pasadena Poly quarterback Hunter Marryman connected on a 68-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Capehart with 22 seconds left to cap a dramatic 54-42 win over St. Genevieve in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Northeast Division playoffs Friday night at L.A. Poly. Pasadena Poly (7-4) will play the Linfield Christian-CSDR winner next week at South Pasadena High. The Panthers withstood the Valiants' frantic effort in the waning minutes. St. Genevieve (9-2) had the ball at Pasadena Poly's 3-yard line but fumbled at the 1. The ball rolled for five seconds before the Panthers' Zach Murphy recovered with under a minute left in the game. Pasadena Poly's Blake Edwards had 295 yards on 25 carries and five touchdowns, helping the Panthers take a 47-28 lead at the half. "It was a track meet," Pasadena Poly coach Brenden McGrail said. "We got off to a good start offensively, but then we couldn't stop them and it was back and forth. In the end we were hanging on and we were fortunate to move ahead." Merryman completed 10 of 19 for 328 yards and two touchdowns. Crazy, indeed.

St. Joseph 55, La Salle 0 -- St. Joseph took a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and extended it to 48-0 at the half to overwhelm the visiting Lancers in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Northwest Division playoffs. The Lancers (5-6) trailed 48-0 at the half.

By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer

It was an early Friday morning when La Salle High School's Mark Dannhausen was getting ready for school and preparing for what was supposed to be a big day for him and the Lancers football team.

Dannhausen instead carried on with a heavy heart.

Two weeks ago, La Salle was in a must-win situation and desperately needed a win over Cantwell Sacred Heart to keep its CIF-Southern Section Northwest Division playoff hopes alive.

Even then, the game was a distant afterthought.

Not far across town, Mark's mother, Lynn, had just arrived at Regency Park, an assisted living home in Pasadena where she was visiting Mark's father, John "Jack" Dannhausen. He had been living there since 2005, four years after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

John's condition worsened as of late, to the point where Lynn, Mark and his older sisters Leigh and Michele spent the entire day beside him and preparing for the worst.

"We were informed it would be a lot slower before he'd be gone," Lynn recalled.

Only 10 minutes had passed since Lynn arrived to visit her husband of 30 years when she saw John - the man she met the summer of 1978 and married a year later - take his final breath.

CLICK ON THREAD TO CONTINUE READING

Mark made it to school later that day, but the news had spread. La Salle football coach Antoine Peterson pulled Mark to the side just before heading into chapel, hours before kickoff. Peterson looked into Mark's eyes and asked if he was ready. Without any hesitation, Mark said yes and sent a text to his mom that he would play.

"I don't know what I would have done if I would have used this excuse to sit on the sidelines," Mark said. "I would have regretted it."

He had the game of his life in converting a 35-yard field goal, all six extra points and having no kickoffs returned in La Salle's 45-35 win.

"Definitely the best game of my career at La Salle," Mark admitted.

John, 60, always smiled and "spoiled the kids rotten," as Lynn says.

"They all had a TV in their room and a stereo," she said. "Part of his upbringing was not with a lot of money and they were a big family. He was determined to make a good living and make good money and not live that way."

John and Lynn met in the summer of 1978 in Los Angeles. That year, the law firm John worked for merged with the firm Lynn worked for as a business manager.

"We met and he stayed," said Lynn, who married John in August of 1979. "We kind of figured it out pretty fast."

John was smart and a classic prankster. But more importantly, he was a devoted father who despite a rigorous work schedule found time to be involved with his kids.

"He was the kind of guy where his kids were his world," Mark said. "He tried to be a coach for every sport we were in."

That he started coaching, which literally came as a surprise.

Leigh was 4 when John signed her up to play AYSO. Unbeknownst to John, Lynn's sister signed him up to coach the team.

"When they call you to ask if you'll coach he got the call," Lynn recalled. "He said, `I didn't sign up for that.' He ended up taking the classes and coached from then on."

You name it, John was there - soccer, T-ball, softball or baseball. And if he wasn't coaching, John somehow was involved.

During a soccer tournament one rainy November afternoon, Mark was running back to his car freezing and his uniform was soaked.

"I was at Muir," Lynn recalled. "Our daughters were playing and were soaked to the skin."

"I was freezing and dad had a box of Turkey tournament T-shirts," Mark said, smiling. "He told me to get in the back seat and cover myself underneath the pile of T-shirts and use them as blankets until we got home for a hot bath. There was a hot bath waiting and he threw me in, with full uniform and everything."

Then the early signs of Alzheimer's surfaced. In 1999, John was asked to step down as partner at the law firm Parker Stanbury.

"I'm sure it was because of his memory loss," Lynn said. "But he didn't get diagnosed until a couple years after that. We spent some time with psychologists who thought he was just depressed, but that wasn't the problem."

"Mom started noticing the signs when he started forgetting how to coach soccer and doing normal things around the house," Mark said.

For the last two years, Mark has been an integral part of the Lancers' lineup.

But for the last two years, John was confined to a wheelchair, which meant he never saw Mark step on the same field he'd seen his girls run around.

John slowly started losing weight the last few years and his strength deteriorated. By then, his voice was gone, too.

At 10, Mark felt he stopped knowing his dad. His sisters try to bring back vivid memories, but it's not easy.

"Sometimes specific memories don't have the same appeal," Leigh said. ""You can't tell him a whole memory with sensation, sight and sound or the emotion behind a memory."

Lynn and her daughters will hop on the bus Friday night and travel 174 miles north when La Salle visits St. Joseph of Santa Maria in the first round of Northwest Division playoffs.

Lynn's voice is lifted by excitement of the thought Mark will get to play one more game, evidence that resilience truly is a gift. Mark's determined to make it better than his last game, although he's just happy his father now gets to watch him from above.

Perhaps coaching, too.

miguel.melendez@sgvn.com

How long as it been, since Week 3 or Week 4 at least that we knew Monrovia would end up in the Mid Valley Division finals? They won't admit it, and why would they? But if you saw how the Wildcats manhandled San Dimas with such ease you'll realize why Monrovia early on became the clear cut favorite to win the Mid Valley Division. Three times Monrovia faced the No. 2 team in the division, first it was Rosemead, then San Dimas and then San Marino in Rio Hondo League action. Monrovia ran circles around the 'Mead and sent the Saints limping, err, marching back to the 909 licking their wounds. It's going to be no different this year. You can argue the game might be a bit closer, but how can you when Monrovia shredded the San Dimas defense, and it's likely the Wildcats will catch more fire now with everything on the line. To be fair, the Saints are a formidable opponent. The Valle Vista League champion has the necessary weapons to pummel opponents, but it's just not going to happen against Monrovia, who are much too fast, physical and smart to have a let down now. You really think Ryan Maddox is going to let it happen? No. The thing people don't seem to realize about the Wildcats is they have not played to their full potential and they have yet to unleash their entire arsenal, but guess what? It's coming, and it'll come hard, fast and often. The Eastsiders questioned Monrovia's physicality, conceding the Wildcats did have good team speed. And what happened when San Dimas and Monrovia met? Monrovia not only proved they were fast, but proved they were the more physical team, extending a 27-10 lead at the half to a 36-17 domination. It won't come easy, but Monrovia prevails.

Top Seeds: 1. Monrovia (10-0), 2. San Dimas (9-1), 3. Azusa (9-1), 4. Arroyo (8-2).
Unseeded Sleepers: Cerritos Valley Christian, Rosemead, San Marino, Baldwin Park.

Top Bracket
South El Monte 3-7 (MVL 3) at No. 1 Monrovia 10-0 (Rio Hondo 1)
Paraclete 6-4 (Olympic 2) at La Puente 7-3 (Montview 2)
Gladstone 7-3 (Montview 3) at Baldwin Park 8-2 (Valle Vista 2)
Whittier Christian 7-3 (Olympic 3) at No. 4 Arroyo 8-2 (MVL 1)
Bottom Bracket
Covina 5-4 (Valle Vista 3) at No. 3 Azusa 9-1 (Montview 1)
Rosemead 5-5 (MVL 2) at San Marino 8-2 (Rio Hondo 2)
La Canada 5-4 (Rio Hondo 3) at Cerritos Valley Christian 7-3 (Olympic 1)
Workman 6-4 (Montview 4) at No. 2 San Dimas 9-1 (Valle Vista 1)

Quarterfinals
Top Bracket
Monrovia vs. Paraclete
Baldwin Park vs. Arroyo
Bottom Bracket
Azusa vs. San Marino
La Canada vs. San Dimas
Semifinals
Monrovia vs. Arroyo
San Marino vs. San Dimas
Championship
Monrovia over San Dimas

From The Best High School Sports Blog ...

Charter Oak (9-1) is the defending Southeast Division champion and No. 1 seed, but don't expect Muir (4-6), which started 0-5 and needed to win its last three game to make the playoffs as the fourth place team from the Pacific League to be intimated when they visit the Chargers in the first round on Friday. Muir has played one of the toughest schedules in the division, losing to Southern Section powers Oaks Christian and Venice. In the Pacific League they lost three games, though just by a combined 11 points, which included a 29-28 loss to fourth-seed Burbank. "It's another team, they're not the team of old, that's a good thing for us," Muir coach Ken Howard said of Charter Oak. "We don't mind getting them because now they have all the pressure. They have everything to lose and we have nothing to lose. We have been struggling in the playoffs the last couple years and they won a championship. We're not going to worry about it, we're going to show up and give them our best shot."

Melendez last week (overall): 11-5 (119-62-1)

I'm off today, but I wrote this Sunday afternoon and auto-published the thread today. After all, what's a Monday without your favorite Star Picks thread? .... Now that you've gathered yourself and got up off the ground from all the laughing, lets slap on a serious face and get right down to business .... First, if your site, date and time changes PLEASE call or e-mail me with your changes (miguel.melendez@sgvn.com). There's nothing like having the wrong dates and sending a correspondent to the wrong high school. Also, there are two potential "Game of the Week" candidates as we get ready for the first round of playoffs. Rosemead seems to have gotten its act together, and could be a dark horse in the Mid Valley Division (Paraclete ... not so much). The Panthers visit San Marino, who had an unbelievable weekend. Then you have Muir at Charter Oak. You gotta love how Diamond Ranch last year was an at large team and went all the way to the finals. Will Muir have that kind of luck? Ken Howard is banking on it, and the way the Mustangs played last week in the Tussle -- flawless, punishing football -- it's not out of the realm of possibilities Muir knocks off the defending champion. I'm calling it now: Muir 21-13.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE -- WITH PREDICTIONS

Rosemead at San Marino, 7 p.m. -- San Marino
South El Monte at Monrovia, 7 p.m. -- Monrovia
Alhambra vs. Burbank at Glendale, 7 p.m. -- Burbank
La Canada at Cerritos Valley Christian, 7 p.m. -- La Canada
Muir at Charter Oak, 7 p.m. -- Muir
San Gabriel at West Covina, 7 p.m. -- San Gabriel
Frazier at Maranatha, 7 p.m. -- Maranatha
Gahr at St. Francis, 7:30 p.m. -- St. Francis
Desert Christian at Rio Hondo Prep, 7 p.m. -- Rio Hondo Prep
Pasadena Poly at St. Genevieve, 7 p.m. -- St. Genevieve
La Salle at St. Joseph/SM, 7 p.m. -- St. Joseph

MID VALLEY DIVISION
Top Bracket
South El Monte (MVL 3) at No. 1 Monrovia (Rio Hondo 1)
Paraclete (Olympic 2) at La Puente (Montview 2)
Gladstone (Montview 3) at Baldwin Park (Valle Vista 2)
Whittier Christian (Olympic 3) at No. 4 Arroyo (MVL 1)
Bottom Bracket
Covina (Valle Vista 3) at No. 3 Azusa (Montview 1)
Rosemead (MVL 2) at San Marino (Rio Hondo 2)
La Canada (Rio Hondo 3) at Cerritos Valley Christian (Olympic 1)
Workman (Montview 4) at No. 2 San Dimas (Valle Vista 1)

SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Top Bracket
Muir (Pacific 4) at No. 1 Charter Oak (Miramonte 1)
San Gabriel (Almont 2) at West Covina (San Antonio 2)
Rowland (San Antonio 3) at California (Del Rio 1)
Alhambra (Almont 3) at No. 4 Burbank (Pacific 1)
Bottom Bracket
El Rancho (Del Rio 3) at No. 3 Schurr (Almont 1)
Diamond Ranch (Miramonte 3) at Burroughs (Pacific 2)
Crescenta Valley (Pacific 3) at Santa Fe (Del Rio 2)
Bonita (Miramonte 3) at South Hills (San Antonio 1)

EAST VALLEY DIVISION
Top Bracket
Santa Paula (Frontier at large) at St. Margaret's (Academy 1)
Sierra Canyon (Alpha at large) at Aquinas (Christian 1)
Bishop Union (High Desert 2) at Brentwood (Alpha 2)
Bottom Bracket
Oak Hills (Freelance at large) at Kern Valley (High Desert 1)
Grace Brethren (Frontier 2) at Sage Hill (Academy 2)
Ontario Christian (Christian 2) at 29 Palms (De Anza 1)
Frazier Mountain (High Desert at large) at Maranatha (Alpha 1)

NORTHEAST DIVISION
Top Bracket
Desert Christian/L (Desert Mountain 3) at Rio Hondo Prep (Prep 1)
Riverside Christian (Big Sky 3) at Saddleback Valley Christian (San Joaquin 1)
Animo Leadership (San Joaquin 3) at Salesian (Santa Fe 1)
Calvary Murrieta (Big Sky 2) at Mojave (Desert Mountain 2)
Bottom Bracket
Bell-Jeff (Santa Fe 3) at Boron (Desert Mountain 1)
Bloomington Christian (San Joaquin 2) at Chadwick (Prep 2)
Pasadena Poly (Prep 3) at St. Genevieve (Santa Fe 2)
CSDR (San Joaquin 4) at Linfield Christian (Big Sky 1)

NORTHWEST DIVISION
Top Bracket
Santa Ynez (Los Padres) at Oaks Christian (Tri-Valley 1)
Harvard-Westlake (Del Rey 3) at Centennial (Pioneer 1)
Mary Star (Camino Real) at Cathedral (Del Rey 2)
Lawndale (Pioneer 3) at Pioneer Valley (Los Padres 2)
Bottom Bracket
La Salle (Camino Real 3) at St. Joseph/SM (Los Padres 1)
El Segundo (Pioneer 2) at Nordhoff (Tri-Valley 2)
Nipomo (Los Padres 3) at Verbum Dei (Camino Real 1)
Oak Park (Tri-Valley 3) at Serra (Del Rey1)

WESTERN DIVISION
Top Bracket
Quartz Hill (Golden 4) at Mira Costa (Bay 1)
Chaminade (Mission at large) at Inglewood (Ocean 2)
Gahr (San Gabriel Valley 2) at St. Francis (Mission 2)
Santa Monica (Ocean 3) at Palmdale (Golden 1)
Bottom Bracket
Highland (Golden 3) at Alemany (Mission 1)
West Torrance (Bay 3) at Warren (San Gabriel Valley 1)
Knight (Golden 2) at Redondo (Bay 2)
Dominguez (San Gabriel Valley 3) at Culver City (Ocean 1)

CLICK HERE FOR A TURKEY TUSSLE PHOTO GALLERY SHOT BY PASADENA STAR-NEWS ACE PHOTOGRAPHER KEITH BIRMINGHAM

TONIGHT'S RESULTS

Muir 34 Pasadena 12 -- All is well in Westside Pasadena.
A season that started in despair for John Muir High School ended with a sweet ring of "The Bell." John Muir regained its old form and muscled its way to a 34-12 win over rival Pasadena for the 12th consecutive year in the 56th annual Turkey Tussle on Friday night in front of an estimated 4,200 at the Rose Bowl. Jarron Williams, who completed 9 of 21 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns. He also scored twice on the ground. Senior running back Eddie Tripp proved unstoppable, rushing for 105 yards on 12 carries.

San Marino 19, Temple City 14 -- Stevie Yortsos caught three touchdown passes, rushed for 107 yards and made a key fourth-quarter interception to lead San Marino High School to a 19-14 victory over visiting Temple City in a Rio Hondo League showdown on Friday night. "That is huge. Our guys just stepped up,'' San Marino coach D.R. Moreland said. "It's inspiring to watch them play when they play like that against a great team like Temple City. "I'm so proud of our guys. It's really fun." The Titans' victory, the first over the Rams since 1997, created a tie for second in the Rio Hondo League. San Marino (8-2, 3-2) won a coin flip after the final whistle to officially become the second seed for the upcoming CIF-SS playoffs.

St. Francis 32, Chaminade 25 -- St. Francis High School quarterback Justin Posthuma was playing with virtually one arm Friday night, but it was enough to lead the Golden Knights to a 32-25, come-from-behind victory over Chaminade in both teams' Mission League finale. The victory was their first over Chaminade (6-4, 1-2) since 2004 and clinched second place in league for the Golden Knights (8-2, 2-1). Posthuma's left arm was in a cast, but it didn't affect him in the second half as he used his right arm to rally the Golden Knights from a 25-7 halftime deficit with two touchdown passes.

La Cañada 39, South Pasadena 20 -- La Cañada did double duty Friday night. First, the Spartans overcame a sluggish first half to capture a 39-20 victory over South Pasadena and create a three-way tie for second place in the Rio Hondo League. Then they defeated Temple City in triple overtime to take the league's final CIF-Southern Section playoff berth. The Spartans had to wait for Temple City to arrive from San Marino, which won the three-way coin toss after its 19-14 victory over Temple City. Each team got the ball at the 25-yard line. The Spartans broke the tie when quarterback Rocky Moore hit Michael Arkfeld on an out pattern in the corner of the end zone on a two-point conversion

Maranatha 38, Campbell Hall 21 -- Maranatha's Cody Keith passed for 214 yards on 15 of 23 attempts, including three touchdowns, and rushed for 52 yards to lead the Minutemen to an outright Alpha League championship.

Rosemead 37, Gabrielino 14 -- Matt Fregoso rushed for 195 yards to help the Panthers pull away with the win.

Alhambra 31, Keppel 12 Alhambra's Mitchell Crockom had 114 all-purpose yard and two touchdowns to lead the Moors to a CIF-Southern Section playoff berth.

Monrovia 52, Blair 12 -- Quarterback Nick Bueno ran for two touchdowns and passed for two scores, Derrick Johnson caught one of those TD passes and ran for another, and Ellis McCarthy caught the other TD pass. The Wildcats led 46-0 at the half. None of the Monrovia starters played in the second half, when there was a running clock.

La Salle 31, Bosco Tech 21 -- Michael Alexander threw a 57-yard pass to set up a score and caught a 63-yard touchdown pass, and Antoine Peterson went 57 yards untouched to give La Salle a 31-21 victory.

San Gabriel 36, Montebello 8 -- Isaac Valdez went 17-for-24 passing for 273 yards with three touchdowns and an interception to lead the host Matadors.

Rio Hondo Prep 46, Webb 0 -- The Kares built a 26-0 first-quarter lead and substituted freely the rest of the way to complete an undefeated regular season and their sixth consecutive Prep League crown. Rio Hondo Prep did not play last week because of Pasadena Poly's cancellation.

Pasadena Poly 56, Viewpoint 12 -- The Panthers returned to the football field after a traumatic two weeks and made it worthwhile, earning a berth in the CIF-Southern Section Northeast Division playoffs. The Panthers didn't play last week's game against Rio Hondo Prep because of the head injury of running back Jackson Allan two weeks ago in their loss to Chadwick. Friday afternoon, the 6-4 Panthers wore patches with his number 41 on their jerseys and opened a big lead to clinch third place in the Prep League and the playoff berth.

Chadwick 35, Flintridge Prep 15 -- "It was kind of a back-breaker," Rebels coach Perry Skaggs said. "If we stay close, we get the opening kickoff and can come back. But they made the big plays. They're too good and too talented." The Rebels needed a victory to create a three-way tie for second place in the Prep League. Instead, they finish 2-3 in league, 4-6 overall. Chadwick took second at 4-1, 9-1.

STAR-NEWS RANKINGS

1. MONROVIA (9-0) -- Nick Bueno. Nick Bueno. Nick Bueno. Nick Bueno. Nick Bueno. Just thought I'd get writing Bueno's name out of the way. Some "Monrovia" folks are saying they themselves are tired of hearing/reading about Bueno. But if you read my story last week carefully, I wrote: "While it's Bueno garnering most of the attention, there's also no doubt Monrovia (9-0, 4-0) is pummeling opponents with a valiant team effort. For instance, Bueno's 23-yard run with 9:13 left in the fourth quarter was set up by Monrovia junior Christian Blanco, who on third and 8 from the La Ca ada 33 ran for a 10-yard gain to give the Wildcats a first down. Bueno connected with Grant Haggard for a 40-yard touchdown score with 8:33 left in the second quarter. Bueno did it again with 10:58 left in the fourth quarter, this time with Jordan Trujillo, whose score also was from 40 yards. La Canada (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." .... Anyway, the Wildcats are the No. 1 team after St. Francis lost last week.

2. ST. FRANCIS (7-2) -- The Golden Knights drop to No. 5 in the Western Division rankings. They were ranked as high as No. 1 early in the season. St. Francis can't afford another loss this week when they travel to play Alemany Chaminade on Friday.

3. TEMPLE CITY (5-3-1) -- Isn't it odd that the Rams are not ranked in the Mid Valley Division? If you look closely, Temple City's opponent, San Marino, is ranked at No. 9. Aside from the Turkey Tussle, here's a huge showdown if you can't make it to the Rose Bowl.

4. RIO HONODO PREP (9-0) -- The Kares earned their second forfeit win of the season. To be fair, Rio Hondo Prep probably would have won anyway last week. Still, the Kares I'm sure would have wanted to play and keep their juices flowing.

5. LA CANADA (4-4) -- Nice try last week, but no dice. The Spartans were overwhelmed in all facets of the game by Monrovia.

6. SAN MARINO (7-2) -- Must-win game is Friday at home. What's the game plan? How do you stop Temple City?

7. SAN GABRIEL (5-4) -- I saw it coming. A loss to Schurr, again. The Spartans are used to playing in these pressure-moment situations. Simply put, San Gabriel is not.

8. PASADENA (5-4) -- The Bulldogs not only climbed a few spots in our rankings, but they also made their debut in the Southeast Division poll. Pasadena sits at No. 9 after its stunning win over Burbank. Aaron Simpson has become one of my new favorite players.

9. ALHAMBRA (5-3) -- Squeezed past Bell Gardens last week. A win's a win, and they'll need to find one Friday to make the playoffs. Alhambra should get the win, they play Keppel. And there's no way the Gil Ruedaflores era should end without a playoff trip. Regardless, Ruedaflores should be carried off the field and on the shoulders of his players. Over two decades at one school. That's impressive. Thanks for the memories, coach.

10. MARANATHA (7-2) -- Quite a few things are on the line for the Minutemen. They have not won an Alpha League championship outright in a long long time. Not only that, but the Minutemen are hoping to keep their No. 2 ranking in the East Valley Division.

Melendez last week (overall): 13-5 (108-57-1)

Last week: I'm still buzzing from last Thursday's game. PHS's Aaron Simpson connects on a 45-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Wells with 1.7 seconds left to give the Bulldogs an incredible 45-41 win over Burbank. It was easily the best game I've covered all season. I got wrong picks when I went with Bell Gardens (lost to Alhambra); Cantwell (lost to La Salle); St. Francis (lost to Alemany); Duarte (lost to Workman); and Burbank (lost to Pasadena).

This week: This is it. After today, some of you will never wear a football uniform again. For the seniors, soak in the experience. The lights. The band. The smell of the food. The smell of the dirt. The smell of the grass. When you walk onto that field it may be the last time you get to enjoy the roar of a crowd. Enjoy the night or day while it's still there. Win or lose, you were part of something special you'll cherish the rest of your lives. We will have Turkey Tussle coverage every day this week, leading up to Friday's game at the Rose Bowl. But this game isn't the only one with playoff implications on the line. St. Francis, Temple City, San Marino, Alhambra, La Salle, Flintridge Prep and Pasadena Poly all need to win to get an automatic bid. Flintridge Prep seems to have the hardest road there because it not only plays Chadwick but the Rebels also need the Panthers to lose. Thursday I'll be covering Arcadia and Friday I'll once again be at the Rose Bowl.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE -- WITH PREDICTIONS
Thursday
Arcadia vs. Crescenta Valley at Glendale, 7 p.m. -- Arcadia
Sierra Canyon vs. Marshall at Pasadena, 7 p.m. -- Sierra Canyon

Friday
Muir vs. Pasadena at Rose Bowl, 7 p.m. -- Pasadena
Temple City at San Marino, 7 p.m. -- Temple City
St. Francis at Chaminade, 7:30 p.m. -- St. Francis
La Canada at South Pasadena, 7 p.m. -- La Canada
Campbell Hall at Maranatha, 7 p.m. -- Maranatha
Keppel vs. Alhambra at Moor Field, 7 p.m. -- Alhambra
Blair at Monrovia, 7 p.m. -- Monrovia
La Salle at Bosco Tech, 1:30 p.m. -- La Salle
Duarte at Bassett, 7 p.m. -- Duarte
Rosemead at Gabrielino, 7 p.m. -- Rosemead
Montebello at San Gabriel, 7 p.m. -- Montebello
Rio Hondo Prep at Webb, 2:30 p.m. -- Rio Hondo Prep
Pasadena Poly at Viewpoint, 2:30 p.m. -- Pasadena Poly
Flintridge Prep at Chadwick, 3 p.m. -- Chadwick

Pasadena High School was vandalized Sunday night in anticipation of the Turkey Tussle against rival John Muir.

School officials said parts of the school's field, including a depiction of the school's bulldog mascot, were painted blue, which are John Muir's colors.

Obscenities were spray painted in parts of the field as well as the word "Muir."

Police are investigating the vandalism, but don't know whether the culprits are Muir students or possibly just a couple of the school's football fans.

The two high schools meet Friday at the Rose Bowl.

Officials said that vandalism happens most years, but were hoping to avoid it this year since the high school put in a new field.

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)