Keepin' it Real

The transfer of girls basketball players Chloe Wells and Cassandra Mitchell to Miller from Apex (N.C.) High School was denied by the CIF earlier this week according to Miller athletic director Dwight Berry, leaving the seniors ineligible for varsity play.

"They originally approved the transfer, but someone complained and I guess they decided to re-evaluate their decision," Berry said. "We knew that we would have to file the paperwork with CIF and we figured once it was approved, everything was fine. But they found something I guess that made them change their decision."

The blow to the Miller girls basketball program, which was 0-21 last season, is huge, as Wells was a two-time all-CIF and all-Sun first-team player for the Rebels as a freshman and sophomore, leading Miller to consecutive CIF titles before moving to North Carolina last offseason. The 5-foot-7 guard signed with Duke University late last week.

Mitchell, who is living with the Wells family according to Berry, is also no slouch, as she was second behind Wells in scoring for Apex last season.

The next step in the process is for the Wells family to appeal the decision, something that it will most assuredly do. Efforts to reach the Wells family have been unsuccessful to this point.

"It's not over," Berry said. "They can appeal to a panel, to a single arbiter or take it all the way to the state office. It's in the family's hands right now - I can provide them paperwork but that's about it at this point."

This isn't a unique situation for Miller, which went through a similar situation with football player David Dash last offseason. Dash, a senior running back on the Rebels, was originally banned from varsity play for two years after transferring from Fontana High School, but was cleared to play by a court order after appealing the decision.

Posted by TJ Berka at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Rialto Unified School District decided earlier this week not to renew the contract of Rialto High football coach Eric Rodriguez according to RUSD's Public Information Officer Syeda Jafri.

"Mr. Rodriguez was on a seasonal year-to-year contract and the prinicipal decided to take the football program in another direction," Jafri said. "Mr. Rodriguez is a valued employee and we appreciate the effort he has put out, but the decision was made to go in another direction."

Rodriguez coached the Knights for three years, accumulating a 3-27 record. Ironically, his last game - a 23-7 victory over Fontana High School this past Friday - was his first Citrus Belt League win. Attempts to reach Rodriguez for comment have been unsuccessful to this point.

As for the new coach, RUSD is accepting applications until next Wednesday according to Jafri. The applications will be evaluated after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Posted by TJ Berka at 2:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Got an e-mail earlier today from REV athletic director Rhonda Fouch mentioning a couple more signings of REV athletes to scholarships. According to the e-mail, softball player Leanne Lopez signed with Cal State Northridge while girls basketball player Shelby Kaenel signed with Cal Baptist.

Posted by TJ Berka at 1:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This has been the Norco-Centennial division for quite some time. However, Redlands East Valley is the No. 1 seed. Will the Wildcats be able to stop the Riverside County hammerlock?

Riverside La Sierra at No. 1 Redlands East Valley
The Wildcats start their quest for their first-ever CIF championship against a La Sierra team that's four years removed from its last playoff appearance. La Sierra doesn't seem to be much of a test for a battle-tested REV team, as I expect the Wildcats to win this game rather routinely to set up a grudge match with nemesis Chaparral.
Redlands East Valley 42, La Sierra 14

Temecula Chaparral 20, Corona Roosevelt 16

Miller at Corona Centennial
This isn't quite a state-championship caliber Centennial team, but the two-time defending CIF champions are about as tough of a matchup as Miller could have envisioned with its seeding. The Rebels have been tested, playing Redlands and Redlands East Valley tough, but I'm not sure they have the overall firepower to hang with Centennial.
Centennial 36, Miller 20

No. 4 Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 38, Temecula Greak Oak 15

Carter at No. 3 Norco
The Lions are a pretty good story, as they went from 2-8 last year to the playoffs this year. However, I doubt Carter's story had them playing Norco in the first round. Norco is always tough, but they might have their most explosive offense ever this year. I can't see this ending well for the Lions at all.
Norco 45, Carter 18

Murrieta Valley 28, Riverside Arlington 24

Moreno Valley Valley View at Redlands
The Terriers have a tough task ahead of them mentally, as they have to pick up the pieces mentally from their 37-7 loss to hated rival REV and get set for Valley View. Valley View doesn't really jump off the page at anyone with its 5-5 record and Redlands should be able to pound them with the running game enough to prevail.
Redlands 21, Valley View 13

No. 2 Vista Murrieta 35, Corona Santiago 16

QUARTERFINALS
Redlands East Valley over Chaparral
Centennial over Rancho Verde
Norco over Murrieta Valley
Vista Murrieta over Redlands

SEMIFINALS
Redlands East Valley over Centennial
Norco over Vista Murrieta

CHAMPIONSHIP
Norco over Redlands East Valley

Posted by TJ Berka at 6:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

St. Margaret's ruled this division with an iron fist last year, taking out 40% of the De Anza League en route to the division and, eventually, the small-school state title. Can anyone take them out this time around?

No. 1 St. Margaret's 38, Santa Paula 6

Chatsworth Sierra Canyon at Aquinas
This is basically a coinflip, as Sierra Canyon was second in the Alpha League with an 8-2 record while Aquinas won its third straight Christian League title in thrilling fashion over Ontario Christian. It's been a bit of an up-and-down ride for the Falcons thus far this season and I'm not quite sure if they'll be able to outfight Sierra Canyon.
Sierra Canyon 27, Aquinas 20

Los Angeles Brentwood 31, Bishop 14

Yucca Valley at No. 4 Fillmore
Yucca Valley doesn't have a pretty record, but it does have another berth in the East Valley playoffs. The Trojans opened some eyes in the playoffs a year ago, winning their first-round game and giving St. Margaret's a struggle in the second round, but I have a hard time seeing them repeating that trick this year.
Fillmore 33, Yucca Valley 13

Oak Hills at No. 3 Kern Valley
Oak Hills isn't your typical first-year program - or your typical at-large freelance cannon fodder squad. The Bulldogs are 8-2 and have some pretty big wins, so they won't be intimidated by a 9-1 Kern Valley squad. And quite frankly, I think Oak Hills is too young to realize that it shouldn't be doing this well. I smell an "upset".
Oak Hills 38, Kern Valley 27

Newport Beach Sage Hill 23, Simi Valley Grace Brethren 21

Ontario Christian at Twentynine Palms
How quickly can the Knights recover from their heartbreaking loss to Aquinas? That's the million-dollar question for Ontario Christian, as Twentynine Palms has been a Christian League-killer over the past few seasons. The Wildcats are surging, winning six in a row and went to the finals a year ago. I don't see Ontario Christian doing well here.
Twentynine Palms 34, Ontario Christian 13

No. 2 Pasadena Maranatha 40, Lebec Frazier Mountain 7

QUARTERFINALS
St. Margaret's over Sierra Canyon
Brentwood over Fillmore
Oak Hills over Sage Hill
Maranatha over Twentynine Palms

SEMIFINALS
St. Margaret's over Brentwood
Maranatha over Oak Hills

Championship
St. Margaret's over Maranatha

Posted by TJ Berka at 6:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Now to the Eastern Division, which sees Citrus Hill as the bully that's won 38 games in a row. They have to be due right? Guess we'll see.

Summit at No. 1 Perris Citrus Hill
The SkyHawks ramped up their nonleague schedule so they'd be prepared for playoff action after being disposed of rather easily by Palm Springs in the first round last year. However, it's hard to believe that their schedule has properly prepared them for the juggernaut which is Citrus Hill. Deontae Cooper will get his and Summit will have it take it.
Citrus Hill 45, Summit 17

Barstow at Palm Springs
The Aztecs pulled off the upset of the then-No. 3 seeded Cardinals on the way to the CIF title game last year and Palm Springs will be looking for revenge. But looking for it and getting it are completely different things. Barstow's offense is one of the hardest in the area to prepare for and even harder to stop in practice. Going with the Aztecs to force a rematch of last year's title game.
Barstow 28, Palm Springs 17

Palm Desert at Kaiser
I've actually gotten a chance to see Palm Desert in action and they can score at a pretty high clip. However, they were overpowered by Silverado when I saw them and seem like a finesse squad. Finesse squads do about as well with Kaiser as I do wooing supermodels. Look for the Cats to punch Palm Desert in the mouth quite a few times.
Kaiser 26, Palm Desert 13

San Jacinto at No. 4 Rim of the World
A dangerous game for the Fighting Scots, as San Jacinto always has talent and athleticism and is capable of putting up some big point totals. Whether they are capable of stopping the Rim rushing attack, namely junior RB Dillon Pretzinger, is the million-dollar question. Only one has so far and I don't think No. 2 will come this week.
Rim of the World 28, San Jacinto 22

Apple Valley at No. 3 Silverado
This is where I'll be tomorrow night, as the Sun Devils will try to ride RB Daryon Mosley and play keep away from the Silverado offense. That hasn't been the best strategy, as the Silverado D has steadily improved throughout the Hawks' 8-game winning streak. I think the Hawks have a few too many weapons.
Silverado 31, Apple Valley 18

Riverside Norte Vista 30, Riverside Notre Dame 20
La Quinta 27, Ridgecrest Burroughs 16

Menifee Heritage at No. 2 Serrano
The Diamondbacks have won seven in a row coming in. The Patriots have lost three in a row and four of five. In Snowline Stadium with the temperature falling and the fans at full-throat, I see no reason why either trend would reverse. Serrano wins in a romp.
Serrano 34, Heritage 10

QUARTERFINALS
Citrus Hill over Barstow
Kaiser over Rim of the World
Silverado over Norte Vista
Serrano over La Quinta

SEMIFINALS
Citrus Hill over Kaiser
Serrano over Silverado

CHAMPIONSHIP
Serrano over Citrus Hill

Posted by TJ Berka at 6:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just like last year, I'll break down by high school playoff picks by division every week. And just like a year ago, I'll give my predictions on the whole division in this entry. Will my predictions by worth anything? It's hard to tell, especially in a division as spastic as the Central.

Don Lugo at No. 1 Colton
This game was a mercy-killing when it was played in this round two years ago, as the Yellowjackets ran up, down and over Don Lugo. To be honest, I'm expecting more of the same this time around. This is a better Colton team than what Don Lugo faced two years ago and I'll be surprised if the Conquistadores stop them from scoring before the fourth quarter.
Colton 48, Don Lugo 7

Rancho Cucamonga at Glendora
Apparently Greg Watson is supposed to play for the Cougars after being knocked out of the Etiwanda game last week, which is welcome news for Rancho in its defense of its crown. Glendora is a tough team and will be a test, but having Watson running the Cougar offense seals the deal for me.
Rancho Cucamonga 28, Glendora 20

Chaffey at Hemet West Valley
Last year West Valley was the No. 3 seed until Glendora beat it down in the first round. I think West Valley is ripe for another upset, as Chaffey running back Ronald Douglas has 2,150 yards rushing and has been unstoppable lately. Chaffey went a bit tougher than usual in its nonleague schedule this year and that will pay dividends here.
Chaffey 24, West Valley 18

Arroyo Valley at No. 4 Los Osos
Arroyo Valley, while much improved over a year ago, has had a brutal time against quality competition, as it was dispatched in routine fashion by Silverado, Colton and Cajon. Los Osos has been unconscious the last four weeks since being shutout by Upland and has too much firepower for the Hawks.
Los Osos 38, Arroyo Valley 21

Chino Hills at No. 3 Wildomar Elsinore
If I'm Elsinore, I'm pretty ticked right now. In earning the No. 3 seed, you should be able to avoid teams like Chino Hills, which was the co-champion of the Sierra League and got a No. 3 seed due to coin flips. The Huskies are physical on defense and have an offense that's capable of gaining yards in a multitude of ways. Needless to say, I'm pulling the trigger on an upset.
Chino Hills 21, Elsinore 17

Cajon at Etiwanda
I covered this game last year and I must say, it was one of the more frenetic and enjoyable games I've covered at the Sun. The rematch won't quite be that way, as Cajon has employed a power-running game to eat the clock the last two weeks. That will be effective for a while against the Eagles, but ultimately, Angel Santiago and company will be too much.
Etiwanda 30, Cajon 17

Upland at Damien
If Elsinore is pissed, Damien is having a nuclear meltdown about this matchup. After winning four straight games to win a Sierra League co-championship and get the league's No. 1 seed, the Spartans get an 8-2 at-large team in Upland. The Highlander D, so lethal in the first two-thirds of the season, has become easier to move against, but the Upland O has also improved. Sorry Damien.
Upland 26, Damien 19

Menifee Paloma Valley at No. 2 Colony
The Titans are the best team no one is talking about, as the Titans have won nine in a row since losing their opener to Los Osos. There are questions as to the overall quality of Colony's schedule, but that won't matter against Paloma Valley. Colony has way too much talent to be truly threatened here.
Colony 34, Paloma Valley 14

QUARTERFINALS
Colton over Rancho Cucamonga
Los Osos over Chaffey
Chino Hills over Etiwanda
Upland over Colony

SEMIFINALS
Colton over Los Osos
Chino Hills over Upland

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Colton over Chino Hills

Posted by TJ Berka at 5:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bad week last week, as I'm at .500 for the first time since really early in the season. Time to turn this back up.

Carolina (-3) over MIAMI
DETROIT (-3.5) over Cleveland
Buffalo (+8.5) over JACKSONVILLE
Pittsburgh (-10) over KANSAS CITY
BALTIMORE (+1) over Indianapolis
Atlanta (+6.5) over N.Y. GIANTS
GREEN BAY (-6.5) over San Francisco
MINNESOTA (-10.5) over Seattle
DALLAS (-11) over Washington
TAMPA BAY (+11) over New Orleans
Arizona (-9.5) over ST. LOUIS
N.Y. Jets (+10.5) over NEW ENGLAND
Cincinnati (+9.5) over OAKLAND
San Diego (no line) over DENVER
Philadelphia (-3) over CHICAGO
Tennessee (+4.5) over HOUSTON

Week: 5-10
Overall: 71-71-1

Posted by TJ Berka at 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Redlands defensive end Jordan Thomas verbally committed to San Diego State this past weekend, according to Rivals.com. The 6-foot-1, 240-pounder, a three-star prospect according to Rivals, chose the Aztecs over San Jose State.

Thomas joins Colony cornerback Jered Bell, who verbally committed to Colorado last week after paying a visit to the campus in Boulder, Colo., on Nov. 6, according to Colony head football coach Anthony Rice. Bell was drawing interest from Colorado State, among others, but Colorado made his only scholarship offer.

This week also saw Los Osos forward Khalil Kelley sign with University of Pacific. The 6-foot-7 power forward averaged 9.3 points and 7.3 rebounds last season in helping the Grizzlies to a second-place finish in the Baseline League.

Posted by TJ Berka at 5:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One season after making it to the CIF-SS Division VI-A championship game, Packinghouse Christian has decided not to field a girls basketball team for the upcoming season.
With five players having graduated from last year's squad and a sixth out with a torn knee ligament, the Bears were reduced to three players, which necessitated the cancellation of the season.

"It's a very sad thing," Packinghouse Christian athletic director Paul Verhoeven said. "You never want to have to take that kind of step, but we also owed it to our opponents and the tournaments we were scheduled to play in to have a decision in the appropriate amount of time."

The Bears went around campus looking for players to fill the spots before making the decision to cancel last week. The boys team, which consists of six players, will play this season.

"One of the great things about a small school is the ability to jump right in and be able to play," Verhoeven said. "It's too bad more students didn't take advantage of the opportunity."

Posted by TJ Berka at 5:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A little break from the high school hoopla. Stanford is the big mover, as you would expect after it killed USC.

1. Florida (1) - Another week, another ho-hum win. It's almost as if the Gators are playing bored until the SEC title game.
2. Texas (3) - Longhorns are playing really well right now and I feel like finally rewarding them for that.
3. Alabama (2) - They drop, but it doesn't matter. They'll prove their worth one way or another against Florida in a few weeks.
4. TCU (4) - Absolutely destroyed Utah and might be just as good as the big three.
5. Boise State (5) - Killed in-state rival Idaho. Big whoop.
6. Cincinnati (6) - Had to scratch and claw a bit, but remained undefeated by beating West Virginia.
7. Georgia Tech (7) - Clinched a berth in the ACC title game by beating Duke.
8. Pittsburgh (8) - Held off Notre Dame to move to 9-1.
9. Oregon (9) - All of a sudden, the Ducks' loss to Stanford last week doesn't look so bad.
10. Ohio State (13) - Buckeyes wrap up trip to Rose Bowl with overtime win over Iowa.
11. LSU (14) - Sleepwalked through their victory against Louisiana Tech.
12. Oklahoma State (17) - Profitted by much of the lower half of the Top 20 losing.
13. BYU (18) - See Oklahoma State. Likely overranked at this position, but not a lot of options.
14. Stanford (NR) - Cardinal shoot from unranked to the Top 15 thanks to the 34-point beatdown of USC.
15. Penn State (20) - Nittany Lions might sneak into BCS if they beat Michigan State this week.
16. Virginia Tech (21) - Hokies break out a bit against Maryland.
17. Iowa (16) - Hawkeyes stay stable with tough OT loss at Ohio State.
18. Wisconsin (22) - Badgers stomp Michigan to move into top 20.
19. USC (10) - To be honest, I thought of putting the Trojans lower. But they have some good victories that keep them afloat for now.
20. Clemson (23) - Tigers are quietly on a five-game winning streak right now.
21. Miami (Fla) (12) - Hurricanes get bounced by old coach Butch Davis and North Carolina.
22. Oregon State (25) - Beavers could be sleeper in cluttered Rose Bowl race.
23. Houston (11) - Cougars barely hanging on to their ranking after losing to Central Florida.
24. Rutgers (NR) - 31-0 shutout of South Florida gives Scarlet Knights 7 wins in 8 games.
25. Utah (15) - Utes tumble after being destroyed by TCU.

Receiving consideration: Arizona, Nebraska, Navy
Dropped out: No. 19 Arizona, No. 24 South Florida

Posted by TJ Berka at 2:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Before I release the rankings, I have to admit that I had no idea how to rank the four Baseline League teams. They have alternately beaten and lost to each other and the two that were unranked last week turned out to be the co-champions of the league after last week's results.

I couldn't not rank them, nor could I not rank Rancho Cucamonga and Upland. So after hemming and hawing, I decided to rank them in the 5-8 spots in the order that they finished in league play. So my apologies to Kaiser and Rim of the World for dropping out of the polls through no fault of their own. Guess I have to make this a top 12 next year.

1. Redlands East Valley (10-0)
Previous ranking: 1. Last week: def. No. 10 Redlands, 37-7. Up next: Friday vs. Riverside La Sierra (6-4)

2. Colton (9-1)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: def. Pacific, 79-0. Up next: Friday vs. Don Lugo (5-5)

3. Colony (9-1)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: def. Montclair, 39-13. Up next: Friday vs. Menifee Paloma Valley (6-4).

4. Serrano (8-2)
Previous ranking: 6. Last week: def. Sultana, 50-12. Up next: Friday vs. Menifee Heritage (5-5)

5. Los Osos (6-4)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Alta Loma, 56-10. Up next: Friday vs. Arroyo Valley (7-3).

6. Etiwanda (7-3)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. No. 7 Rancho Cucamonga, 27-24 (OT). Up next: Friday vs. Cajon (7-3).

7. Rancho Cucamonga (8-2)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: lost to No. 6 Etiwanda, 27-24 (OT). Up next: Friday at Glendora (7-3).

8. Upland (8-2)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Claremont, 30-20. Up next: Friday at Damien (5-5).

9. Silverado (8-2)
Previous ranking: 7. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday vs. Apple Valley (5-5).

10. Redlands (8-2)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: lost to No. 1 Redlands East Valley, 37-7. Up next: Friday vs. Moreno Valley Valley View (5-5).

Just missed the cut: Kaiser (7-3), Rim of the World (9-1), Chino Hills (8-2), Cajon (7-3).

Dropped out: No. 8 Kaiser (7-3), No. 10 Rim of the World (9-1)

Posted by TJ Berka at 4:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The fourth and final goes to the smallest division, the East Valley. I'll be honest, I haven't had a chance to see these teams play, so there will be some more speculation in here than normal. I'm sure you guys can handle it.

The matchups:

Santa Paula (6-4) at No. 1 St. Margaret's (9-1)
Sierra Canyon (8-2) at Aquinas (6-3)
Bishop (5-4) at Brentwood (8-2)
Yucca Valley (3-7) at No. 4 Fillmore (7-3)
Oak Hills (8-2) at No. 3 Kern Valley (9-1)
Grace Brethren (5-5) at Sage Hill (7-3)
Ontario Christian (4-6) at Twentynine Palms (6-4)
Frazier Mountain (7-3) at No. 2 Pasadena Maranatha (8-2)

My initial impression is that St. Margaret's should have this division on tilt. They rolled to a CIF and state title a year ago and have a good draw to do the same thing. Aquinas could give them a test in round two, but the Falcons haven't done so well against the upper-level teams in the division, losing to teams like Oak Hills and Twentynine Palms. I see St. Margaret's rolling until the final.

I also see Oak Hills being a bracket buster. Being a brand-new school without a league, the Bulldogs weren't given much slack by the selection committee, having to face No. 9 Kern Valley. But Oak Hills has sparkled all year and has proven it can play with playoff-caliber teams, already having defeated Aquinas and Laguna Beach this year. Oak Hills has one of the more talented squads in this bracket - it's whether it can overcome its youth that will tell the tale.

I also like Twentynine Palms in the bottom half of the bracket. The Wildcats made it to the championship game last year and have won six straight games after starting out 0-4 against a nonleague schedule made of primarily larger schools. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Twentynine Palms took out Maranatha in the second round.

Posted by TJ Berka at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Next up is the Eastern Division, which saw very little surprise in the awarding the top 3 seeds to Perris Citrus Hill, Serrano and Silverado, respectively. It got a little nutty after that though.

The matchups:

Summit (5-5) at No. 1 Perris Citrus Hill (10-0)
Barstow (7-3) at Palm Springs (7-2)
Palm Desert (7-3) at Kaiser (7-3)
San Jacinto (7-3) at No. 4 Rim of the World (9-1)
Apple Valley (5-5) at No. 3 Silverado (8-2)
Riverside Notre Dame (8-2) at Riverside Norte Vista (9-1)
Ridgecrest Burroughs (5-5) at La Quinta (7-3)
Menifee Heritage (5-5) at No. 2 Serrano (8-2)

My initial impression is surprised that Rim of the World got the final seed. While the Fighting Scots have an impressive record, their nonleague record wasn't as ambitious as teams like Kaiser or La Quinta, who were seeded below the Scots. Rim's seeding had a chain effect, putting La Quinta in the same quarterfinal bracket as No. 2 seed Serrano. Serrano coach Ray Maholchic wasn't too happy about the prospect of seeing the Desert Valley League champions that early. As for Kaiser, it will have a chance to prove it's case against Rim in the second round, provided it can get by a tough Palm Desert team in round one.

I also think that the top half of the bracket is loaded. You have the defending CIF champions in Citrus Hill, you have the CIF runner-ups in Barstow, which would have two rematch games if it beats Palm Springs in round one. You have Kaiser, Rim, Palm Desert - all teams capable of making long runs. Meanwhile, the bottom half of the bracket seems more negotiable. I like Silverado's draw a lot, as they should be able to take Apple Valley and will have a talent advantage over the Norte Vista-Notre Dame winner.

As far as a sleeper, I like Kaiser. In watching Citrus Hill's semifinal and championship wins last year, the Hawks had issues with Serrano and Barstow coming right at them physically. While it's possible that Citrus Hill has become more hard-nosed, there isn't a team in this draw that's as good at mixing it up as much as Kaiser is. I see Kaiser being able to overpower its first-round and quarterfinal opponents and having a puncher's chance against Citrus Hill.

Posted by TJ Berka at 3:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Next we'll head to the Inland Division, as I woke up nice and early to drive down to Santiago High School for the unveiling of the bracket. It's not smart to party in Santa Monica on a Saturday night when you have to be in Corona Sunday morning. Just letting you guys know in case you are tempted to do that in the future.

The bracket:

Riverside La Sierra (6-4) at No. 1 Redlands East Valley (10-0)
Corona Roosevelt (8-2) at Temecula Chaparral (7-3)
Miller (5-5) at Corona Centennial (8-2)
Temecula Great Oak (6-4) at No. 4 Moreno Valley Rancho Verde (10-0)
Carter (5-5) at No. 3 Norco (9-1)
Murrieta Valley (6-4) at Riverside Arlington (9-1)
Moreno Valley Valley View (5-5) at Redlands (8-2)
Corona Santiago (5-5) at No. 2 Vista Murrieta (10-0)

My initial impression was that for a No. 1 seed, Redlands East Valley wasn't done any favors. While La Sierra should be a routine win for the Wildcats, despite being the alma mater of former Sun sports writer Dennis Pope, REV very easily could collide with a Chaparral team that has eliminated the Wildcats two of the last three years, including a 20-0 drubbing a year ago. Of course, REV is better and the Pumas lost quite a bit from last year's team, but seeing the Chaparral uniform has to create some skittish moments for REV fans. Oh yeah, REV might get defending state champion Centennial in the semis as well.

I also feel bad for Miller and Carter, especially Carter. The Lions had a gutty 5-5 season this year, winning in Yucaipa Friday to grab the final seed for the CBL in the playoffs. So as a reward, Carter gets Norco - one of the baddest kids on the block. I see Carter getting a few touchdowns, but losing 55-20 or something like that because it wouldn't be able to stop Norco. As for Miller, it gets Corona Centennial in the first round. Yeah, that's going to hurt.

As for a sleeper, when you have a division where the top four seeds have a combined one loss and a No. 5 seed that is the two-time defending division champion and defending state champion, sleepers are hard to come by. If I had to pick one, it would be Arlington, and not because its the alma mater of assistant sports editor Brian Goff. The Lions are red-hot, as they've scored 48 or more points the last four games. If they play Norco in the second round, they might have the firepower to hang around for a while. However, Arlington's first-round game with Murrieta Valley is no cakewalk.

Posted by TJ Berka at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After getting the brackets and deciphering them a bit, I'm going to break them down a bit. I'll start with the Central Division, which was basically put on tilt due to the craziness of the Baseline League. Here are the games.

Don Lugo (5-5) at No. 1 Colton (9-1)
Rancho Cucamonga (8-2) at Glendora (7-3)
Chaffey (6-4) at Hemet West Valley (6-4)
Arroyo Valley (7-3) at No. 4 Los Osos (6-4)
Chino Hills (8-2) at No. 3 Elsinore (8-2)
Cajon (7-3) at Etiwanda (7-3)
Upland (8-2) at Damien (5-5)
Paloma Valley (6-4) at No. 2 Colony (9-1)

A couple things stand out to me. First of all, the Sierra League got screwed the most from the Baseline League jumble. Damien, which won the coin flip for the No. 1 seed in the Sierra League, gets stuck with an at-large team in Upland that was ranked No. 1 in the division as recently as three weeks ago. Glendora, another one of the Sierra League tri-champions, gets stuck with Rancho Cucamonga - the No. 3 seed out of the Baseline and the defending division champions - in round one.

However, the third Sierra team, Chino Hills, could emerge as the sleeper in the division. The Huskies were made the No. 3 seed due to coin flips and play at No. 3 Elsinore, but the Huskies have the talent to make a run. Should they get past Elsinore, they'll have a winnable second-round game against the Cajon-Etiwanda winner and get either Colony, Upland and Damien should they get past that. While Colony dealt Chino Hills one of its two losses, I think Chino Hills could do well in a rematch. Beware of the Huskies.

Another thing I noticed are rematches, either scheduled or highly likely. Cajon and Etiwanda lock horns again this year in a rematch of their thrilling first-round game at Cajon a year ago that was won 28-27 by the Cowboys. Also looming is a second-round matchup between Rancho and the No. 1 seed in the division, Colton. They met last year in the first round with Rancho as the first seed, as the Cougars had to come back from a 10-point second-half deficit to grab a 21-17 victory in their toughest test en route to the CIF title. You know that Colton is thirsting for revenge.

Posted by TJ Berka at 2:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Apple Valley 17, Hesperia 14
Aquinas 24, Ontario Christian 20
Barstow 24, Granite Hills 13
Big Bear 37, Desert Hot Springs 24
Cajon 34, Arroyo Valley 19
Carter 28, Yucaipa 7
Chaffey 42, Ontario 21
Chino Hills 42, Diamond Bar 14
Colony 39, Montclair 13
Colton 79, Pacific 0
Damien 55, Chino 0
Don Lugo 42, Garey 28
Etiwanda 27, Rancho Cucamonga 24 (OT)
Glendora 34, Ayala 20
Kaiser 65, Jurupa Valley 0
Los Osos 56, Alta Loma 10
Miller 52, Eisenhower 12
Redlands East Valley 37, Redlands 7
Rialto 23, Fontana 7
Ridgecrest Burroughs 49, Victor Valley 20
Riverside Norte Vista 46, Bloomington 18
San Bernardino 22, San Gorgonio 19
Serrano 50, Sultana 12
Summit 35, Riverside Patriot 12
Upland 30, Claremont 20

Posted by TJ Berka at 10:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

In honor of going 3-7 last week, I'm just sticking to the picks and not doing any flowery writeups. They don't seem to be helping too much.

Stanford (+10.5) over USC
Ucla (-17.5) over WASHINGTON STATE
CALIFORNIA (-3) over Arizona
OREGON (-18) over Arizona State
Washington (+13) over OREGON STATE
CINCINNATI (-9.5) over West Virginia
Iowa (+16.5) over OHIO STATE
Notre Dame (+7) over PITTSBURGH
SOUTH CAROLINA (+17.5) over Florida
OKLAHOMA STATE (-4.5) over Texas Tech

Last week: 3-7
Overall: 46-52-2

Posted by TJ Berka at 3:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A three-loss week is a good way to go into the finale. With some of these games starting in 90 minutes or less, time to man up and make some picks.

Redlands East Valley at Redlands
This isn't until tomorrow, but a crosstown rivalry between the No. 1 and No. 5 teams in the area, who are both undefeated in league going into the league finale, is going to get top billing. That's the way it is. REV has never won three in a row against the Terriers and Dodge Field should be rocking for the first-ever on-campus meeting between the two. However, I think REV has too many weapons.
Redlands East Valley 24, Redlands 17

Etiwanda at Rancho Cucamonga
The battle of teams upset by Los Osos (guess it's disingenuous to call them upsets now) should be a high-scoring doozy, as both of these teams can score from any point of the field. Of course, I said the same thing before Upland and Rancho played in the regular-season finale last year, only to see a 13-2 game in gale-force winds. Barring a hurricane, this should be fun.
Rancho Cucamonga 41, Etiwanda 32

Ayala at Glendora
Ayala has lost two in a row, with a third loss in a row likely sealing a playoff-less fate. Glendora has the capability of rising up, as its already defeated Chino Hills this season. Ayala hasn't fared well against quality competition, which the Tartans certainly are. I'm taking Glendora.
Glendora 23, Ayala 14

Riverside Patriot at Summit
This is the game I'll be at in less than 90 minutes, as for the second straight year Summit has a live-or-die Thursday night game. They made a spirited comeback to beat Bloomington in this spot next year, but shouldn't need one this time around. Summit finishes the job.
Summit 31, Patriot 20

Granite Hills at Barstow
One of two live-or-die Desert Sky League games, as the Aztecs are faced with being shut out of the playoffs a year after going to the CIF final if they lose to Granite Hills, which has already won more games this season than any other time in school history. Even though Barstow's previous three losses have come at home, I'm going with the Aztecs in this spot.
Barstow 26, Granite Hills 21

Ridgecrest Burroughs at Victor Valley
The other DSL elimination game has the resurgent Jackrabbits, fresh off a one-point victory at Barstow, playing the battle-tested Burros. This has been a year of big steps for Victor Valley, which has taken down rivals Apple Valley and Barstow. Add 'making the playoffs' to those steps.
Victor Valley 24, Ridgecrest Burroughs 19

Ontario Christian at Aquinas
For the 8th straight year, this game is going to decide the Christian League title. Both of these teams have had their share of ups and downs to get to this point, but all is good in the Christian League world apparently. It's been good for the Falcons in this matchup the last two years and I think it will be again, as Aquinas has too many weapons for the Knights.
Aquinas 35, Ontario Christian 17

Garey at Don Lugo
The Vikings have had quite a resurgence and have the horses to come in and upset Don Lugo, which boasts two elite players in DT George Uko and DB/RB Steven Bethley. Garey has some players, but I have a feeling that they'll have to wait a year for their turn.
Don Lugo 27, Garey 17

Apple Valley at Hesperia
League play has been rocky for both of these schools, but things have fallen to where winning this game will make things a heck of a lot more enjoyable for one of the two. Apple Valley has just missed the playoffs the last two years and should finish the job this time around.
Apple Valley 34, Hesperia 16

Cajon at Arroyo Valley
Seems weird to have an SAL game this far down on the list, but there's no league championship or playoff invitation being settled in this matchup - just second and third place. However, this will be a fun game to watch, as junior QBs Thomas Carter (Cajon) and Michael Yearwood (Arroyo Valley) should star. I'll go with the Cowboys in a close one.
Cajon 30, Arroyo Valley 27

Other games of note:

Los Osos 45, Alta Loma 6
Upland 23, Claremont 10
Miller 53, Eisenhower 20
Yucaipa 37, Carter 34
Fontana 28, Rialto 14
Big Bear 20, Desert Hot Springs 16
Yucca Valley 24, Desert Mirage 13
Serrano 48, Sultana 0
Colony 45, Montclair 7
Chaffey 38, Ontario 0
Colton 60, Pacific 0
San Gorgonio 48, San Bernardino 31
Chino Hills 41, Diamond Bar 10
Damien 37, Chino 6
Kaiser 51, Jurupa Valley 0
Norte Vista 34, Bloomington 14
Arrowhead Christian 20, Boron 18
Oak Hills 55, Citrus Valley 6

Week: 25-3
Overall: 226-58

Posted by TJ Berka at 5:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After almost having my brain explode while typing the Sierra League breakdown, I can chill a bit on this one, as tonight's game between Patriot and Summit is the only one that matters.

1. Kaiser (6-3, 4-0): Clinched the No. 1 seed out of the league no matter how it does tomorrow by virtue of its head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over Norte Vista.

2. Norte Vista (8-1, 3-1): Clinched the No. 2 seed out of the league no matter how it does tomorrow, as it loses the tiebreaker to Kaiser and owns the tiebreaker over both Patriot and Summit.

3. Summit (4-5, 2-2): Clinches the No. 3 playoff spot with a win tonight over Patriot. Eliminated with a loss.

4. Patriot (4-5, 2-2): Clinches the No. 3 playoff spot with a win tonight over Summit. Eliminated with a loss.

5. Bloomington (3-6, 1-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

6. Jurupa Valley (0-9, 0-4): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

Posted by TJ Berka at 3:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A couple we missed in today's paper - and in the blog until now - that we are catching up with include Hesperia softball player Kelsey Byrd, who signed with George Mason, and Rancho Cucamonga gymnast Jordan Williams, who inked with Arizona.

Here's the list we have. Once again, let me know who else we've missed, if any:

This is what we got so far. Like I said, let us know who we are missing.

BASEBALL
Brian Derryberry, Yucaipa - UC Riverside
Scott Frazier, Upland - Pepperdine
Jack Heildman, Claremont - San Diego
Jake Hernandez, Los Osos - USC
Kyle McNutt, Redlands East Valley - UNLV
Griffin Murphy, Redlands East Valley - San Diego
Wyatt Padgett, Yucaipa - BYU
Austin Reed, Rancho Cucamonga - San Diego State
Ernesto Zaragosa, Kaiser - San Diego State

BOYS BASKETBALL
Derek Brown, Chino Hills - San Jose State
J.J. O'Brien, Alta Loma - Utah

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Jasmine Bernard, Etiwanda - UC Irvine
Maiya Michel, Summit - Denver
Ericka Norman, Chino Hills - Sacred Heart
Adrianne Thomas, Summit - Arizona State
Chloe Wells, Miller - Duke

GYMNASTICS
Henrietta Green, Cajon - Iowa State
Jordan Williams, Rancho Cucamonga - Arizona

SOFTBALL
Kelsey Byrd, Hesperia - George Mason
Samantha Dodd, Miller - DePaul
Sarah Free, Claremont - Holy Cross
Jessica Garcia, Redlands - San Jose State
Stevie Goldstein, Aquinas - Loyola Marymount
Jessica Hall, Ayala - UCLA
Erin Jones-Wesley, Los Osos - Long Beach State
Whitney Jones, Upland - Washington
Amy Nece, Redlands East Valley - North Carolina
Alyssia Palomino, Kaiser - Auburn
Natalee Pulver, Etiwanda - Marshall
Talee Snow, Chino Hills - UCLA
Bre'jae Washington, Cajon - Texas

VOLLEYBALL
Delainey Aigner-Swesey, Serrano - Long Beach State
Johnna Fouch, Redlands East Valley - San Diego State

GIRLS WATER POLO
Chelsea Parks, Los Osos - Long Beach State

Posted by TJ Berka at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Now to a pretty complicated one. Lots of ins and outs and what-have-yous in the Sierra, especially when you factor in a possible at-large berth.

1) Chino Hills (7-2, 3-1): Clinches a playoff spot with a victory tomorrow against Diamond Bar. Will clinch the No. 1 seed with a win and losses by Glendora and Damien, or a win and a Glendora loss, as the Huskies own the head-to-head tiebreaker with Damien. Would get the No. 2 seed with a win, a Damien loss and a Glendora win, as Glendora owns the head-to-head tiebreaker with Chino Hills. If Chino Hills, Glendora and Damien all win, a three-way flip for seeding ensues, as each team is 1-1 against the others.
Now, if Chino Hills was shocked by Diamond Bar, hilarity could ensue. A Chino Hills loss and wins by Glendora and Damien would put the Huskies in the No. 3 spot. A loss and a Damien loss would put the Huskies No. 2 by virtue of their tiebreaker over Damien. A loss and a Glendora loss to Ayala would create a three-way tie for third and a coinflip would be held to determine the two spots, as each team would be 1-1 against the other two. A loss by Chino Hills, Damien and Glendora would create a four-way tie for first. In this situation, Chino Hills would get first, as its 2-1 record against the other three teams would be equal to Damien's and head of the 1-2 mark for Glendora and Ayala. At that point, Chino Hills would win the head-to-head tiebreaker against Damien for the No. 1 seed.
So basically, the only way Chino Hills doesn't get an automatic spot is a loss, a Glendora loss and a Damien win. That being said, the Huskies would have a great chance at the at-large against Etiwanda or Claremont. Not so much against Upland though.

2) Glendora (6-3, 3-1): Clinches a playoff spot with a victory tonight over Ayala. Clinches the No. 1 seed with a win, a Damien loss and a Chino Hills win by virtue of owning the head-to-head with Chino Hills. Clinches the No. 2 seed with a win, a Damien win and a Chino Hills loss by virtue of Damien holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over Glendora. A win by all three teams will cause a three-way flip for seeding, as they all would be 1-1 against the others.
A loss to Ayala would throw things in flux. A loss coupled with wins by Damien and Chino Hills would leave Ayala and Glendora tied for third, with Ayala getting the seed by virtue of its head-to-head win. A loss coupled with a Damien loss would also leave the Tartans out, as Damien would be 2-0 against the other two teams, Ayala would be 1-1 and Glendora 0-2. A loss coupled with a Chino Hills loss would cause a three-way flip for two spots, as Chino Hills, Glendora and Ayala would have 1-1 records against the other two. A loss by all three would cause a four-way tie for first and Glendora would be left out, as Chino Hills and Damien would grab the two two spots by virtue of their 2-1 records against the other three, leaving Glendora and Ayala head-to-head for the third spot, which Glendora would lose.
Basically, Glendora needs to win. There's only one loss scenario that can get them in the playoffs, and they'd lose out in the at-large debate to everyone in the Baseline League except possibly Claremont.

3) Damien (4-5, 3-1): Has already clinched a playoff spot. Clinches the No. 1 seed with a win, a Glendora win and a Chino Hills loss, as it owns the tiebreaker over Glendora. Clinches the No. 2 seed with a win, a Chino Hills win and a Glendora loss, as Chino Hills owns the tiebreaker over the Spartans. A win by all three would cause a three-way flip for seeding, as each team has a 1-1 record against the other two.
A loss to Chino only matters because it would eliminate any possibility of the Spartans getting the top seed. A loss coupled with wins by Glendora and Chino Hills would tie Damien with Ayala for third, giving the Spartans the No. 3 seed by virtue of owning the tiebreaker against Ayala. A loss and a Chino Hills loss would make Damien the No. 3 seed as well, as Damien loses the tiebreaker to Chino Hills. A loss plus a Glendora loss would put Damien, Glendora and Ayala in a three-way tie for second, with Damien getting the No. 2 seed because of a 2-0 record against the other two. A loss by Damien, Chino Hills and Glendora would cause a four-way tie for first. Damien and Chino Hills would separate as the top two seeds thanks to their 2-1 records against the other three, with Damien getting the No. 2 seed due to Chino Hills holding the tiebreaker.

4) Ayala (6-3, 2-2): Basically Ayala clinches a playoff spot with a win over Glendora in every scenario but one. That scenario would be a win coupled with a Damien win and a Chino Hills loss, which would cause a three-way flip between Chino Hills, Glendora and Ayala for the last two spots, as each team is 1-1 against the others. A win and wins by Chino Hills and Damien puts the Bulldogs tied with third with Glendora, giving them the No. 3 seed by virtue of the win over Glendora. A win, a Chino Hills win and a Damien loss would put Ayala in the No. 3 spot as well, as Damien would win the tiebreaker for the No. 2 spot by virtue of wins against the other two, while Ayala would beat out Glendora in the head-to-head tiebreaker.
A loss and Ayala is left hoping for an at-large. And unless Claremont is the eligible at-large from the Baseline League, the Bulldogs will not get the extra spot.

5) Diamond Bar (1-8, 1-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

6) Chino (0-9, 0-4): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

Posted by TJ Berka at 1:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With Thursday games starting this week and lasting the rest of the season, I'm moving up my NFL picks. Just in case you were having a "What the hell?" moment.

SAN FRANCISCO (-3.5) over Chicago
N.Y. JETS (-7) over Jacksonville
Denver (-3.5) over WASHINGTON
Cincinnati (+7) over PITTSBURGH
Buffalo (+6.5) over TENNESSEE
MINNESOTA (-16.5) over Detroit
New Orleans (-14) over ST. LOUIS
Atlanta (-1.5) over CAROLINA
Tampa Bay (+10) over MIAMI
OAKLAND (-2) over Kansas City
Seattle (+9) over ARIZONA
Philadelphia (+1.5) over SAN DIEGO
Dallas (-3) over GREEN BAY
INDIANAPOLIS (-3) over New England
Baltimore (-10.5) over CLEVELAND

Week: 7-6
Overall: 66-61-1

Posted by TJ Berka at 1:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With several games going on tonight, I have to hustle some of this stuff out. So I'll give you the SAL, which is another easy one.

1) Colton (8-1, 4-0): The Yellowjackets have clinched the No. 1 seed out of the SAL regardless of what it does against Pacific tomorrow by virtue of owning the head-to-head tiebreaker with both Cajon and Arroyo Valley. A win likely wraps up the No. 1 seed in the Central Division for Colton though.

2) Arroyo Valley (7-2, 3-1): Wraps up the No. 2 seed with a win over Cajon tomorrow no matter what Colton does, as the Yellowjackets own the head-to-head tiebreaker. A loss to Cajon drops the Hawks to the No. 3 seed.

3) Cajon (6-3, 3-1): Wraps up the No. 2 seed with a win over Arroyo Valley tomorrow no matter what Colton does, as the Yellowjackets own the head-to-head tiebreaker. A loss to Arroyo Valley drops the Cowboys to the No. 3 seed.

4) San Gorgonio (2-7, 1-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

5) San Bernardino (2-7, 1-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

6) Pacific (1-8, 0-4): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

Posted by TJ Berka at 1:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Because the MRL was so easy, I thought I'd write this before getting some sleep. Also helps that its not excessively complicated, as there's only one game that really matters this week.

1) Colony (8-1, 4-0): Has clinched the No. 1 seed out of the Mt. Baldy League regardless of what it does tonight against Montclair by virtue of winning the head-to-head tiebreaker with Chaffey.

2) Chaffey (5-4, 3-1): Has clinched the No. 2 seed out of the Mt. Baldy League regardless of what it does tonight against Ontario because it loses the head-to-head tiebreaker to Colony and owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Don Lugo-Garey winner.

3) Don Lugo (5-4, 2-2): Would clinch the No. 3 seed out of the league with a win over Garey tonight because it loses the head-to-head tiebreaker with Chaffey if the Tigers lose. A loss would eliminate the Conquistadores, as there's no chance of the Mt. Baldy League getting the at-large bid.

4) Garey (4-5, 2-2): The Vikings would clinch the No. 3 seed out of the league with a win over Don Lugo tonight because they lose the head-to-head tiebreaker to Chaffey if the Tigers lose. A loss would eliminate Garey from playoff consideration using the same logic that was used for Don Lugo above.

5) Montclair (3-6, 1-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

6) Ontario (1-8, 0-4): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

Posted by TJ Berka at 4:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is one of the more simple breakdowns I have. Which is probably why I'm doing it at 4 in the morning.

1) Serrano (7-2, 3-0): Has clinched the No. 1 seed in the Mojave River League. Even a loss to Sultana Friday wouldn't change that, as the Diamondbacks own the head-to-head tiebreaker with Rim of the World.

2) Rim of the World (9-1, 3-1): Has clinched the No. 2 seed in the Mojave River League.

3) Apple Valley (4-5, 1-2): Earns a playoff berth and the No. 3 seed out of the MRL with a win over Hesperia Friday. Eliminated from consideration with a loss.

4) Hesperia (3-6, 1-2): Earns a playoff berth and the No. 3 seed out of the MRL with a win over Apple Valley Friday. Eliminated from consideration with a loss.

5) Sultana (0-9, 0-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

Posted by TJ Berka at 4:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is the only league where everyone has clinched or controls their own destiny. That makes for a simple theme to the DSL - win and you are in, lose and you go home. So for all intents and purposes, the playoffs have already begun.

1) Silverado (8-2, 4-0): Has clinched the league championship and the No. 1 seed out of the league.

2) Victor Valley (7-2, 1-2): To be honest, 2-5 are virtually interchangeble. If the Jackrabbits defeat Burroughs Friday, they are in the playoffs. If they lose, they are out, as there is no at-large berth available in the Eastern Division. Victor Valley will be the No. 2 seed if it wins and Barstow beats Granite Hills, as the Jackrabbits hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Aztecs. If Granite Hills wins along with Victor Valley, the Jackrabbits get the No. 3 seed, as Granite Hills owns the tiebreaker over Victor Valley.

3) Barstow (6-3, 1-2): The Aztecs, last year's Eastern Division runner-up, has to beat Granite Hills to earn a playoff spot. As I explained before, the Aztecs will get the No. 3 seed with a win and a Victor Valley win, as the Jackrabbits own the tiebreaker. However, if Burroughs and Barstow win, Barstow gets the No. 2 seed, as it owns the tiebreaker with the Burros.

4) Granite Hills (6-3, 1-2): The Cougars already have the best win total in school history and a win over Barstow would give them a playoff berth as well. They own the head-to-head tiebreaker with Victor Valley, so they would get the No. 2 seed with a win and a Jackrabbit win. If Burroughs wins, Granite Hills drops down to the No. 3 seed, as the Burros own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Granite Hills.

5) Ridgecrest Burroughs (4-5, 1-2): With a win, the Burros make the playoffs for the third straight year. A win and a Granite Hills win puts Burros in the No. 2 seed by virtue of head-to-head tiebreaker, while a win and a Barstow win has them in the No. 3 slot for the very same reason.

Posted by TJ Berka at 1:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This one is pretty much all subjective, as the top two spots in the De Anza League are sealed up, leaving Big Bear, Desert Hot Springs and a freelance upstart to fight for bids.

1) Twentynine Palms (6-4, 4-0): The Wildcats clinched the De Anza League championship and top seed with a victory over Big Bear Saturday.

2) Yucca Valley (2-7, 2-1): The Trojans have clinched the No. 2 spot in the De Anza League, as they own head-to-head tiebreakers over Big Bear and Desert Hot Springs.

3) Big Bear (3-6, 1-2): Have to defeat Desert Hot Springs Friday to have any shot at an at-large bid, as the Bears lose the head-to-head tiebreaker in event of a win and a Yucca Valley loss. Even then, 4-6 might not be good enough to get in.

4) Desert Hot Springs (3-6, 1-2): The Golden Eagles are in the same exact boat as Big Bear, as they need to win to have any shot at an at-large bid. And it still may not be enough.

5) Desert Mirage (3-6, 0-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

And the two freelance teams, which are eligible for the East Valley playoff if I'm not mistaken.

1) Oak Hills (7-2) - I really can't see any way the Bulldogs don't make the postseason. Not only do they have a lot of wins, but they have quality wins over teams like Aquinas and Laguna Beach. Can't imagine a scenario where they wouldn't be able to play in the playoffs.

2) Citrus Valley (2-7) - Eliminated from playoff consideration.

Posted by TJ Berka at 8:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This league is pretty easy, as the top two teams are playing for No. 1 and there are two teams playing for No. 4.

1) Redlands East Valley (9-0, 6-0): Receives the CBL's No. 1 seed - and likely the No. 1 seed in the Inland Division - with a victory over Redlands Friday. Gets the No. 2 seed in a loss.

2) Redlands (8-1, 6-0): Receives the CBL's No. 1 seed with a win over Redlands East Valley and the No. 2 seed with a loss. Will likely get a first-round home playoff game either way.

3) Miller (4-5, 4-2): Clinched the No. 3 seed in the CBL no matter what it does thanks to a head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over the Carter-Yucaipa winner.

4) Yucaipa (5-4, 3-3): Clinches the No. 4 seed out of the CBL with a win over Carter Friday. Likely eliminated with a loss, as the at-large bit is expected to come out of the Southwestern League.

5) Carter (4-5, 3-3): Clinches the No. 4 seed out of the CBL with a win over Yucaipa Friday. 99% eliminated with a loss.

6) Fontana (3-6, 1-5): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

7) Eisenhower (1-8, 1-5): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

8) Rialto (0-9, 0-6): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

Posted by TJ Berka at 5:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Just got a call from Redlands East Valley athletic director Rhonda Fouch notifying me of three REV athletes signing during the early signing period. Volleyball player Johnna Fouch will sign with San Diego State Friday at 7 p.m. in the REV ASB room, while softball player Amy Nece will sign with North Carolina early next week, as will baseball player Griffin Murphy with San Diego. Nece is going on an official visit to North Carolina this upcoming weekend according to Fouch.

Posted by TJ Berka at 4:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Arrowhead Christian's football team was able to find a replacement for its forfeited game with La Verne Lutheran this week, as it'll host Boron at 7 p.m. at Arrowhead Christian High School. It's not a pushover matchup, as Boron comes in with a 7-2 record after clinching the Desert Mountain League championship this past week.

Posted by TJ Berka at 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This league was definitely bizarre during the regular season, as La Verne Lutheran's decision to forfeit its schedule three weeks into the season threw a curveball into the proceedings, as the Christian League will only have two automatic bids.

1) Aquinas (5-3, 2-0): It's pretty simple for the Falcons. If they beat Ontario Christian this week, they win their third straight league title and get the No. 1 seed out of the league in the East Valley playoffs. If they lose, they are the No. 2 seed.

2) Ontario Christian (4-5, 2-0): Copy and paste what I typed for Aquinas, subbing out Falcons for Knights and Ontario Christian for Aquinas.

3) Arrowhead Christian (5-4, 1-2): There's no chance of the Eagles, who have a bye this week because of the La Verne Lutheran forfeit, of getting an automatic playoff spot. But ACA, which was ranked as high as No. 4 in the CIF standings this year, should be in good position for one of the four at-large spots in the East Valley Division.

4) Western Christian (1-7, 0-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

5) La Verne Lutheran: Apparently eliminated from playing at all.

Posted by TJ Berka at 3:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's that time of year again. With high school football down to its last week, its time to get my math skills in order and break down the playoff fortunes of each team in each league of the county. We'll start with the Baseline League because a) it might be the best league top to bottom and b) its first in alphabetical order.

1) Los Osos (5-4, 3-1): The equation is simple for the Grizzlies - beat Alta Loma Friday and grab the league's No. 1 seed. The Grizzlies own head-to-head tiebreakers over the teams that it is tied with (Rancho Cucamonga and Etiwanda), so no matter who wins that battle, Los Osos will finish ahead of them. However, if Alta Loma pulls the shocker, everything could be chaotic. If Los Osos loses and Upland loses to Claremont, the Grizzlies would get the No. 2 seed over the Rancho-Etiwanda loser. If Los Osos loses and Upland wins, there would be a three-way coin flip between the Grizzlies, Upland and the Rancho-Etiwanda loser for two spots, as each team is 1-1 against the other two. If Los Osos loses that flip, it would have to sweat, as its 5-5 record might not be good enough to hold off Glendora or Ayala from the Sierra League for the at-large berth in the Central Division.
That being said, Los Osos isn't losing to 0-9 Alta Loma.

2) Rancho Cucamonga (8-1, 3-1): A win over Etiwanda wraps up at least the No. 2 seed in the Baseline League. If Los Osos wins, Rancho is No. 2, as it lost to the Grizzlies head-to-head. If Los Osos loses, Rancho would grab the top seed with a win. If Rancho loses to Etiwanda, a whole bunch of things could occur. A Rancho loss coupled with a Los Osos win and an Upland win would have the Cougars in the No. 3 slot, as they'd win the head-to-head tiebreaker with Upland. They'd also get the No. 3 seed if Los Osos and Upland lost, as they'd lose the tiebreaker to Los Osos for second. A Los Osos loss and Upland win would cause a three-way coin flip for two spots. If Rancho lost that flip, it would be snatched up as the at-large in less than a second.

3) Etiwanda (6-3, 3-1): A win over Rancho wraps up at least the No. 2 seed in the Baseline League. If Los Osos wins, Etiwanda is No. 2, as it lost to the Grizzlies head-to-head. If Los Osos loses, Etiwanda would grab the top seed with a win. If Etiwanda loses to Rancho, a whole bunch of things could occur. An Etiwanda loss coupled with a Los Osos win and an Upland win would have the Eagles in the No. 3 slot, as they'd win the head-to-head tiebreaker with Upland. They'd also get the No. 3 seed if Los Osos and Upland lost, as they'd lose the tiebreaker to Los Osos for second. A Los Osos loss and Upland win would cause a three-way coin flip for two spots. If Etiwanda lost that flip, it would almost assuredly be picked as the at-large.
And yes, I did copy and paste the Rancho writeup and just switch some words around.

4) Upland (7-2, 2-2): It's amazing that Upland, the No. 1 team in the Central Division two weeks ago, could be forced out of the playoffs. But a loss to Claremont Friday eliminates the Highlanders, as Claremont would jump Upland in consideration for the at-large berth. A win over Claremont pretty much guarantees at least an at-large berth for the Highlanders, as an 8-2 team with wins over Serrano, Miller and Los Osos isn't staying home. Upland can finish as high as second if Los Osos loses, as it would be in a three-way coin flip with the Grizzlies and the Rancho-Etiwanda loser. A Los Osos win would put a victorious Upland in fourth, as it would lose the head-to-head tiebreakers to the Rancho-Etiwanda loser.

5) Claremont (5-4, 1-3): The Wolfpack still have some hope. It's pretty simple - they need to beat Upland and hope that they are selected for the at-large berth over either Glendora or Ayala. It'd be about a 50/50 shot for Claremont, as a win over Upland would give its resume a huge boost. A loss eliminates them from playoff consideration.

6) Alta Loma (0-9, 0-4): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

Posted by TJ Berka at 2:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is what we got so far. Like I said, let us know who we are missing.

BASEBALL
Brian Derryberry, Yucaipa - UC Riverside
Scott Frazier, Upland - Pepperdine
Jack Heildman, Claremont - San Diego
Jake Hernandez, Los Osos - USC
Griffin Murphy, Redlands East Valley - San Diego
Wyatt Padgett, Yucaipa - BYU
Austin Reed, Rancho Cucamonga - San Diego State
Ernesto Zaragosa, Kaiser - San Diego State

BOYS BASKETBALL
Derek Brown, Chino Hills - San Jose State
J.J. O'Brien, Alta Loma - Utah

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Jasmine Bernard, Etiwanda - UC Irvine
Maiya Michel, Summit - Denver
Ericka Norman, Chino Hills - Sacred Heart
Adrianne Thomas, Summit - Arizona State
Chloe Wells, Miller - Duke

GYMNASTICS
Henrietta Green, Cajon - Iowa State

SOFTBALL
Samantha Dodd, Miller - DePaul
Sarah Free, Claremont - Holy Cross
Jessica Garcia, Redlands - San Jose State
Stevie Goldstein, Aquinas - Loyola Marymount
Jessica Hall, Ayala - UCLA
Erin Jones-Wesley, Los Osos - Long Beach State
Whitney Jones, Upland - Washington
Amy Nece, Redlands East Valley - North Carolina
Alyssia Palomino, Kaiser - Auburn
Natalee Pulver, Etiwanda - Marshall
Talee Snow, Chino Hills - UCLA
Bre'jae Washington, Cajon - Texas

VOLLEYBALL
Delainey Aigner-Swesey, Serrano - Long Beach State
Johnna Fouch, Redlands East Valley - San Diego State

GIRLS WATER POLO
Chelsea Parks, Los Osos - Long Beach State

Posted by TJ Berka at 2:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Its not a Fall Signing Period without some input from the Yucaipa baseball team, which will have two players signing this week. First baseman Wyatt Padgett will sign with BYU while outfielder Brian Derryberry will sign with UC Riverside at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, according to a voicemail I received from YHS athletic director Mark Anderson.

Any other coaches, athletic directors or parents who have athletes signing with Division I schools this week should e-mail me at tj.berka@inlandnewspapers.com or comment on this blog. We don't want to miss anyone.

Posted by TJ Berka at 1:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cajon High School will have two athletes signing Friday as part of the 2009 Fall Signing Period, with softball player Bre'jae Washington signing with the University of Texas and gymnast Henrietta Green signing with Iowa State. The signings will take place at 10 a.m. in room B-24 on the Cajon campus.

Posted by TJ Berka at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pretty self-explanatory, though I feel that Upland is way too low in the Central Division.

Central Division
1. Colton
2. Rancho Cucamonga
3. Colony
4. Elsinore
5. Los Osos
6. Chino Hills
7. Arroyo Valley
8. Etiwanda
9. Glendora
10. Upland
Also receiving votes: Ayala, Cajon

Eastern Division
1. Citrus Hill
2. Serrano
3. Silverado
4. Rim of the World
5. Kaiser
6. Norte Vista
7. La Quinta
8. Palm Springs
9. Palm Desert
10. Victor Valley
Also receiving votes: Riverside Notre Dame, Barstow, Granite Hills, San Jacinto

East Valley Division
1. St. Margaret's
2. Maranatha
3. Kern Valley
4. Sage Hill
5. Sierra Canyon
6. Campbell Hall
7. Fillmore
8. Santa Paula
9. Frazier Mountain
10. Twentynine Palms
Also receiving votes: Aquinas, Bishop Union, Ontario Christian

Inland Division
1. Redlands East Valley
2. Vista Murrieta
3. Norco
4. Rancho Verde
5. Corona Centennial
6. Redlands
7. Chaparral
8. Arlington
9. Roosevelt
10. Murrieta Valley
Also receiving votes: Greak Oak

Posted by TJ Berka at 6:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kaiser pitcher Alyssia Palomino will sign a letter of intent to play softball at Auburn on Thursday, according to an e-mail sent a few minutes ago by Kaiser softball coach John Stevens. The signing will be at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the principal's conference room at the high school. Wednesday is the first day of the Fall National Signing Period.

Other softball players expected to sign Wednesday are Aquinas pitcher Stevie Goldstein (Loyola Marymount), Chino Hills second baseman Talee Snow (UCLA) and Ayala pitcher Jessica Hall (UCLA). E-mail me at tj.berka@inlandnewspapers.com or comment on this blog if you know of any other signings going down this week.

Posted by TJ Berka at 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Top 3 stay the same this week, but everything else is a huge jumble right now, as you'll see below.

1. Florida (1) - Boring win over Vanderbilt, which is the way it should be.
2. Alabama (2) - Beating a good LSU team, even with perhaps some replay official help, keeps Tide here.
3. Texas (3) - Jordan Shipley goes off in random November game with Central Florida.
4. TCU (6) - The Horned Frogs are straight rolling people right now.
5. Boise State (4) - Close call with Louisiana Tech, plus Oregon loss, drops Broncos a spot.
6. Cincinnati (7) - Actually was tested this week by UConn. Schedule gets tougher from here on out.
7. Georgia Tech (10) - Winning in OT against Wake Forest shoots Jackets up, as they were a rare one-loss team to hold serve.
8. Pittsburgh (13) - The big winners this week, as romping Syracuse puts Panthers in top 10.
9. Oregon (5) - Don't fall too much because a) a bunch of other teams lost and b) Stanford isn't bad.
10. USC (12) - An ugly win over Arizona State, but good enough to get back in top 10.
11. Houston (14) - Pulled one out by the skin of their teeth against Tulsa.
12. Miami (Fla) (15) - Brutalized Virginia to make a jump.
13. Ohio State (16) - Big win at Penn State has almost erased memories of Purdue.
14. LSU (9) - Handled themselves well against Alabama. This may be too far down to be honest.
15. Utah (17) - Utes keep winning to continue collison course against TCU.
16. Iowa (8) - The Hawkeyes finally got burned in a close game and lost their QB to boot.
17. Oklahoma State (18) - Cowboys best of the non-Longhorn teams in the Big 12 at this point.
18. BYU (19) - Threw up a 52-0 beating on Wyoming.
19. Arizona (21) - Wildcats keep quietly winning and moving up, but schedule is going to get real tough real quick.
20. Penn State (11) - Looked completely overmatched against Ohio State at home.
21. Virginia Tech (24) - Hokies got revenge against East Carolina in ugly win.
22. Wisconsin (25) - A little more dramatic than needed to be, but Wisconsin took down Indiana.
23. Clemson (NR) - Tigers have nice little four-game win streak going.
24. South Florida (NR) - A bit of a self-correction from last week here.
25. Oregon State (NR) - Beavers go into Berkeley and knock Cal around to break into rankings.

Receiving consideration: West Virginia, Stanford, Texas Tech
Dropped out: No. 20 Oklahoma, No. 22 Notre Dame, No. 23 California

Posted by TJ Berka at 2:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Also released Sunday were the water polo brackets. There aren't any county teams with seeds, but Los Osos is the defending champion in Division V.

Continue reading "CIF-SS boys water polo brackets" »

Posted by TJ Berka at 6:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The volleyball and boys water polo playoff pairings were released today by the CIF offices. As far as volleyball goes, Redlands East Valley grabbed the No. 1 seed in Division II-AA while Upland Christian earned the top seed in D4-A. Victor Valley Christian (D5-AA) was the other seeded county team, grabbing the No. 4 spot.

Continue reading "CIF-SS volleyball pairings" »

Posted by TJ Berka at 6:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lots of shuffling after five. To be honest, how to rank teams 9-13 confused the heck out of me.

Sun Top 10

1. Redlands East Valley (9-0)
Previous ranking: 1. Last week: def. Miller, 28-20. Up next: Friday at No. 5 Redlands (8-1)

2. Colton (8-1)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: def. San Gorgonio, 42-19. Up next: Friday at Pacific (1-8).

3. Rancho Cucamonga (8-1)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: def. No. 9 Upland 34-31. Up next: Thursday vs. Etiwanda (6-3).

4. Colony (8-1)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: def. Don Lugo, 42-10. Up next: Thursday at Montclair (3-6).

5. Redlands (8-1)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: def. Rialto, 31-14. Up next: Friday vs. No. 1 Redlands East Valley (9-0).

6. Serrano (7-2)
Previous ranking: 8. Last week: def. Ridgecrest Burroughs, 29-12. Up next: Friday vs. Sultana (0-9).

7. Silverado (8-2)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Granite Hills, 25-14. Up next: Eastern Division playoffs, TBA.

8. Kaiser (6-3)
Previous ranking: 10. Last week: def. Bloomington, 41-0. Up next: Friday at Jurupa Valley (0-9).

9. Upland (7-2)
Previous ranking: 7. Last week: lost to No. 3 Rancho Cucamonga, 34-31. Up next: Friday at Claremont (5-4).

10. Rim of the World (9-1)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Hesperia, 34-0. Up next: Eastern Division playoffs, TBA.

Just missed the cut: Los Osos (5-4), Chino Hills (7-2), Etiwanda (6-3), Arroyo Valley (7-2).

Dropped out: No. 6 Etiwanda (6-3).

Posted by TJ Berka at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Another crappy week. Starting to slip guys.

Kansas City (+6.5) over JACKSONVILLE
Baltimore (-3) over CINCINNATI
INDIANAPOLIS (-8) over Houston
ATLANTA (-9) over Washington
Green Bay (-10) over TAMPA BAY
Arizona (+3) over CHICAGO
Miami (+10.5) over NEW ENGLAND
NEW ORLEANS (-13) over Carolina
SEATTLE (-10) over Detroit
SAN FRANCISCO (-5) over Tennessee
San Diego (+4.5) over N.Y. GIANTS
PHILADELPHIA (-3) over Dallas
Pittsburgh (-3) over DENVER

Week: 5-8
Overall: 59-55-1

Posted by TJ Berka at 11:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lost in the hubbub last night was the fact that Redlands East Valley defensive end Andrew Hudson committed to the University of Washington Friday afternoon. Hudson, a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com, chose the Huskies over a final three that included Arizona and Oregon State.

"I'm just happy to have this over," Hudson said after REV's 28-20 win over Miller last night. "I know where I'm going to college and it's a great feeling."

Hudson joins a virtual army of REV players that have made the trip up to Seattle, as he joins sophomore quarterback Ronnie Fouch, sophomore defensive back Marquis Persley and redshirt freshman running back Chris Polk on the Huskies. I'm at the Rose Bowl right now to work on a story on Polk and Fouch (Persley didn't make the trip) so this adds another possible angle.

Posted by TJ Berka at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the University of Redlands right now after watching REV beat Miller in an emotion-filled game. Will update more after I head back to the office.

Apple Valley 49, Sultana 6
Aquinas 34, Western Christian 7
Arroyo Valley 47, San Bernardino 15
Cajon 50, Pacific 0
Carter 53, Fontana 27
Chaffey 22, Garey 7
Chino Hills 14, Ayala 7
Claremont 45, Alta Loma 21
Colony 42, Don Lugo 10
Colton 42, San Gorgonio 19
Kaiser 41, Bloomington 0
Los Osos 58, Etiwanda 35
Montclair 40, Ontario 15
Oak Hills 42, Murrieta Mesa 0
Ontario Christian 49, Arrowhead Christian 10
Rancho Cucamonga 34, Upland 31
Redlands 31, Rialto 14
Redlands East Valley 28, Miller 20
Rim of the World 34, Hesperia 0
Riverside Norte Vista 44, Summit 29
Riverside Patriot 52, Jurupa Valley 7
Serrano 29, Ridgecrest Burroughs 12
Silverado 25, Granite Hills 14
Victor Valley 29, Barstow 28
Yucaipa 50, Eisenhower 41

Posted by TJ Berka at 10:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Why do I keeping picking college football games despite being bad at it? For the laughs of course, and to show you guys that I'm part human. Not a great week or season for me thus far. Thankfully I'm better at the high school picks.

USC (-10) at Arizona State
Will the Trojans slog around after their lopsided loss to Oregon? Or will they come out inspired and rough up a mediocre Arizona State team? This game is inexplicably the sixth road game already for the Trojans. Whoever made their schedule had a sick sense of humor in my opinion. I expect USC to go through the motions a bit but do enough to win.
Pick: Arizona State

Washington (+5.5) at UCLA
I'll be at this game tomorrow working on a story about the Huskies' REV triumvirate, especially RB Chris Polk. UCLA showed some spunk last week hanging with Oregon State in Corvallis and with Washington's struggles on the road, the Bruins may be able to break through and get that first Pac-10 win. I have a hard time picking them to cover though.
Pick: Washington

Oregon (-7) at Stanford
I see this as the classic letdown game. The Ducks have been the toast of the Pacific Northwest after their savage beatdown of USC last week and its going to be hard for them to rebound and come out hungry against a sneaky-good Stanford team. Ultimately, Oregon should win this, but don't be surprised if the Cardinal put some fear in them.
Pick: Stanford

Oregon State (+7) at California
This is the time of year where the Beavers start to roll. But then again, Cal seems to have overcome its late September troubles and is rolling. This is a huge game for Cal QB Kevin Riley, who had a huge brain fart in the final seconds two years ago which prevented the then-No. 1 Golden Bears from kicking a game-tying field goal in a 31-28 loss. Riley gets his revenge.
Pick: California

Washington State (+32) at Arizona
Another big spread for the Cougars to try to stay within. Honestly, anyone who has taken the Cougars and the ridiculous amounts of points they receive from Vegas every week is making a huge profit. Wazzu is bad, but not bad enough. It'll be the same type deal this week, as Arizona wins easily but the Cougars win money for everyone who bet them.
Pick: Washington State

LSU (+7.5) at Alabama
I'm conflicted on this one. On one hand, I feel that LSU is slightly overrated and not really that good. On the other hand, Alabama seems ripe to be messed with a bit, as evidenced by their near-miss against Tennessee. I think the Tide wins, but the LSU defense keeps this low-scoring and close.
Pick: LSU

Oklahoma (-4.5) at Nebraska
This used to be the marquee rivalry in the Big 8. However, the Big 12 for some reason decided to make this rivalry a two-years-on, two-years-off affair, pretty much ruining one of the best matchups. It also doesn't help that they haven't been good at the same time since the 1980s. Both of these teams are very good defensively, but only one is competent offensively. That will be the difference.
Pick: Oklahoma

Ohio State (+5.5) at Penn State
The Nittany Lions come into this game red-hot, having won their last five games since dropping their conference opener to Iowa. The Buckeyes have looked better on offense the last two weeks, but then again, that's not hard against Minnesota and New Mexico State. I have a hard time seeing this Ohio State group winning at Happy Valley.
Pick: Penn State

Connecticut (+17) at Cincinnati
It's been a brutal past few weeks for the Huskies. One of their starting safeties gets stabbed and dies in tragic fashion, UConn loses three games in a row, two in heartbreaking, last-minute fashion. And now they get a Bearcats team that's been killing everything in its path. I don't see this going well for UConn.
Pick: Cincinnati

Duke (+10) at North Carolina
No, this is not a mistake. And no, this is not a basketball game. In fact, this is a surprisingly competitive football game, as the Blue Devils are 3-1 in the ACC and actually tied for first in the loser's column in the ACC Coastal Division. UNC was disappointing under Butch Davis, but is fresh off an upset of Va. Tech last week. I see UNC's talent ultimately winning out, but Duke is going to make this a game.
Pick: Duke

Last week: 4-6
Overall: 43-45-2

Posted by TJ Berka at 5:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)