January 2009 Archives

I received an email from Summit girls basketball coach Alexis Barile earlier this afternoon saying that the SkyHawks will be wearing pink uniforms for their home game against Bloomington at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 10. The SkyHawks will be "GOING PINK" in an effort to fight breast cancer.

The pink jerseys are being donated by Ken's Sporting Girls and Summit is expected to get pink items donated by Nike. The proceeds and donations taken will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for fighting breast cancer in honor of former N.C. State women's basketball coach Kay Yow, who passed away last week due to the disease. Summit also will be honoring community members that have survived or have lost someone to breast cancer.

Cajon defensive back Marlon Pollard verbally committed to UCLA after visiting the school on Jan. 10, decommitting from Notre Dame in the process. But that hasn't stopped the Fighting Irish from pursuing Pollard, a four-star recruit according to Rivals.com and Scout.com.

Notre Dame defensive coordinator Corwin Brown stopped by the Pollard household last Wednesday to meet with the 6-foot-1, 170-pound all-CIF and all-County first-team selection and will have an in-home with the Pollard family Wednesday night according to Marlon's mother, Rachael Pollard.

"We have a great deal of respect for Corwin and a great deal of appreciation for how Notre Dame has approached their recruitment of Marlon," Pollard said. "We believe in not closing doors and getting all the information possible. Corwin has been up front with Marlon throughout this entire process and wants to put all the information he has out on the table."

Rachael Pollard reiteriated that her son is 100 percent committed to UCLA, with whom Marlon committed to prior to his junior year at Valencia before decommitting after Karl Dorrell's firing for Notre Dame, citing the bond Marlon had with the players and UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel.

"Marlon has a bond with the UCLA players and really wants to stay home and play in front of his family and friends," Rachael said. "That's the reason why we moved back to the Inland Empire to begin with. Our family is out here and Marlon was born in Pomona and played youth football in Rancho Cucamonga. He wanted to come back to where he was from.

"He wants to play in Southern California for coach Neuheisel. (Neuheisel) was very upfront about mistakes he made in his past and very honest about it, which is something we appreciate."

Redlands East Valley defensive back Gary Walker recently committed to the University of Idaho according to REV coach Kurt Bruich. Walker, who was an all-CIF and all-County selection after transferring from Rialto High School last offseason, visited Idaho this past weekend and apparently loved every bit of his trip.

"After seeing Gary early this week, I had an idea of where he was going," Bruich said. "I know that he had a great time up there.

"He's a great pickup for Idaho. He's a special player. He plays fast and when you need an impact play, he'll come up with it for you."

Walker chose the Vandals over teams such as Arizona State and Fresno State. He had been to both campuses, but chose Idaho's instead. He is the third Wildcat to make that choice in recent years, joining kicker Trey Farquhar (2008) and linebacker Andre Ferguson (2007).

"We have a nice pipeline going there," Bruich said. "Gary knows those guys, which will definitely help him out."

In the hustle and bustle that comes with deadlines in the newspaper business, sometimes things get in too late to be put in the next day's paper. That happened with the San Bernardino boys basketball team, which is starting to turn some heads in the San Andreas League.

The Cardinals made history Wednesday night, defeating Arroyo Valley 81-74 for their first-ever varsity boys basketball win over the Hawks. The Cardinals (12-6 overall, 3-0 San Andreas League) went 23 of 27 from the free-throw line and had three players score over 20 points. James Harper led the way with 26 points, Jeremiah Tardy scored 22 and Devonte Chatman added 20.

Wednesday's win was the sixth in a row for San Bernardino, which plays at San Gorgonio Friday before hosting a big game with SAL co-leader Cajon next Wednesday.

Aquinas running back J.J. Ragan, the Christian League Offensive MVP and a third-team all-County performer, verbally committed to Northern Arizona University this past weekend according to Scout.com. Ragan, a bruising 5-foot-10, 215-pound senior, was one of the leading rushers in the County, rushing for 1,293 yards and 17 touchdowns in helping lead the Falcons to a Christian League championship.

The article detailing Ragan's commitment can be accessed here.

Arroyo Valley offensive lineman Michael Philipp, rated the No. 1 guard and the No. 38 player in the nation, has verbally committed to Oregon State, according to Arroyo Valley head coach Marcus Soward.

Philipp chose the Beavers over several suitors, most notably Stanford, UCLA, California and Oregon. The 6-foot-3, 320-pound Philipp took an official visit to Oregon State this past weekend.

"Mike committed yesterday," Soward said. "He didn't have a big speech planned about why he chose Oregon State and why it was the best place for him. He went up there and just felt comfortable. They have a real family environment and he just felt like it was the best place for him. They were straight shooters with him and Mike feels like he can make a real impact."

Philipp is the next in a long line of brothers to emerge in the Division I ranks. Paul Philipp went to Arizona after playing at San Bernardino High while Hans Philipp will be a redshirt sophomore at Arizona after playing at Arroyo Valley.

Soward, who graduated from Arizona State and played defensive back for the Sun Devils in the 1997 Rose Bowl, was happy to see Philipp join the fraternity of Pac-10 football players.

"I was hoping that he would go to a Pac-10 school," Soward said. "The great thing about Pac-10 schools is that they are great academic institutions that also play some great football. The Pac-10 was undefeated during bowls this year, which is a pretty incredible accomplishment."

Michael Philipp joins Hans Philipp (2007), Keenan Brown (San Jose State, 2008) and Robert Fuller (Utah State, 2008) as Arroyo Valley players that have or will sign with Division I programs.

"It's huge for our program," Soward said. "Can you imagine the type of impact a guy like Michael Philipp, a player who is getting a full ride to a Pac-10 school, would have on a freshman? It shows that if you work hard and take care of business in the classroom, you can go off to a Division I college, even a Pac-10 one if things go well."

Redlands offensive lineman Brock Morris, a first-team all-CIF and first-team all-County selection, verbally committed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo over the weekend after taking an official visit.

Morris, who was also looking at Army and Portland State, fell in love with the campus and committed right on the spot when asked.

"It was everything I was looking for," Morris said. "It's a great team, great school, great campus. I liked everything about it and I can't wait to get there (August 2). It feels good to have it over and be at a school that I really like."

A lot of the draw toward Cal Poly SLO was their hiring of former Pacific graduate Saga Tuitele as co-offensive coordinator. Tuitele, a standout for the Pirates in the mid-1990s and a graduate of Portland State, was hired this month after spending a two-year stint as the offensive line coach at Army - where he was Morris' main recruiter.

"Having coach Tuitele at Cal Poly is a pretty big deal," Morris said. "He's the one that got me interested at Army and I built a pretty good relationship with him. I can't wait to go and play for him."

Morris is the second Terrier to commit to a Division I-AA school of high academic standing, with all-CIF and all-County first teamer Michael Poage having already committed to Columbia. Both Morris and Poage will sign their letters of intent to make their choices official February 4.

When San Bernardino senior defensive back Aarein Booker went on his official visit to San Diego State this past weekend, he wasn't necessarily thinking about committing. But after spending an entire day on the campus, he knew that he wanted to be an Aztec.
"I was thinking about everything right before I went to bed," Booker said. "When I woke up, I knew what I wanted to do."
Booker, a 6-foot, 180-pound jack of all trades for the Cardinals this season, gave his verbal commitment to San Diego State Sunday morning, becoming the first Division I-A football recruit out of San Bernardino since Paul Philipp committed to Arizona in 2001.
"This is a big deal for us," San Bernardino coach Nick Monica said. "For Aarein to be the first D-I guy we've had in eight years is a pretty big deal for us, especially since we were 2-8 this year."
The Cardinals may have struggled on the field, but none of the blame could be placed on Booker. Along with playing cornerback for San Bernardino, Booker ran for 1,058 yards and even served time at quarterback.
San Diego State is looking at Booker, who is also an accomplished sprinter on the Cardinals' track team, to play at corner. After talking to the Aztec defensive coaches, including defensive coordinator and former New Mexico head coach Rocky Long, Booker was pretty excited about his new role.
"I loved the defense they ran and I loved all the players I talked to," Booker said. "I really feel like I connected with the players and coaches and I really enjoyed the campus."
The trip also included breakfast at the beach on Sunday morning, something his other main suitor, Division I-AA Idaho State, couldn't offer. Booker was planning an official trip to Idaho State this upcoming weekend, but canceled it after committing.

Tara Roenicke and Summer Ross capped off a dominating run at the Australian Olympic Youth Festival Sunday afternoon Sydney time, sweeping the Australian duo of Mariafe Artacho and Zina Stone 21-17, 21-9 to capture the gold medal in girls beach volleyball.

Roenicke and Ross didn't lose a game in their run to the gold, winning all 10 of them en route to the championship.

"We had a goal of coming over here and not losing a game," Roenicke said. "We felt pretty good about how we matched up with all of these teams and we did it. I'm so excited right now I don't know what to do."

Roenicke called me on the tram in Sydney en route to watch the U.S. boys soccer team, which plays Australia in the gold medal game of that event. To get their gold medals, Roenicke and Ross toughed out a tight first game before turning it on in game two.

"Once we got that first game, I think they gave up a bit," Roenicke said. "It was so exciting. With every point I was just sitting there thinking 'Just one more.' It's an unbelievable feeling and I really don't even know how to act right now."

The third time in an international event was certainly the charm for Roenicke. She's competed the last two summers in the Under-19 World Championships in Poland and The Netherlands, respectively. She didn't receive a medal in those events, but the experience she obtained in those events definitely paid off.

"I felt real confident going into the gold-medal game," Roenicke said. "When I competed in Poland (in 2007), the team I was on was able to beat that team. I have a different partner, but I had a good feeling about this match coming in. I felt if we could beat Norway (in the semifinals) we'd have a good shot."

Roenicke, the United States' flag-bearer in the opening ceremonies, will hang out in Sydney for the closing ceremonies before flying back to Los Angeles on Tuesday and heading back to Los Osos Wednesday. And even though the resulting jet lag - Roenicke leaves Sydney Tuesday afternoon Australia time and arrives in Los Angeles Tuesday morning California time - will cause her to spend most of Tuesday adjusting, Roenicke knows the first thing she's going to do.

"I'm hanging up my gold medal in my room," Roenicke said.

Pacific sophomore wrestler Samantha Cardoza compete in the CIF-SS girls wrestling championships at Oxnard High School, finishing fifth in the 108-pound division.

Cardoza has competed in each edition of the two-year event, with this year being the first time she has placed. Now she has the option of either going to the girls' state event in two weeks in Sacramento or staying with the boys varsity team, where she competes in the 112-pound weight class.

I must say that my picks so far have been brutal. If you are using these for anything more than amusement, then stop. Please.

I will press on anyway, just because I'm contractually obligated at this point.

Philadelphia (-3.5) at Arizona
It's the classic matchup between the team on a late-season tear (Philly) against the team that is rallying due to a 'no respect' battle cry (Zona). I've picked against both in both of their games thus far, so I'm probably not the person to ask here. But honestly, can you really see the Cardinals in the Super Bowl? Seriously? I can't either. A Super Bowl victory would cement Donovan McNabb's legacy as a Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback and while I'm not ready to call that, I'll take Philly to make it to Tampa.
Philadelphia 28, Arizona 23

Baltimore (+6) at Pittsburgh
To be honest, the best bet in this game is to take the under. The current over/under is 33.5, but with the two best defenses in the NFL, the only way that this game goes over is if the defenses score on their own. With that said, I think the Ravens are being sold short in this game. They are banged up, but the Ravens have been tooth-and-nail with the Steelers in their previous two meetings, losing the last one on a controversial touchdown by Santonio Holmes. I'm getting a 2000 feeling about the Ravens, so I'm calling the upset.
Baltimore 14, Pittsburgh 13

Overall: 149-107-1. Record against spread: 119-135-3.

Just got a text message from Tara Roenicke in Australia. Roenicke, who is representing the United States in the beach volleyball portion of the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney, told me that her and Summer Ross defeated Norway today (Saturday in Australia) to advance to the gold-medal game against the host Australians.

Roenicke and Ross, from Carlsbad, defeated the Norweigan duo of Linn Lehre and Mari Aase Hole (not a made-up name, trust me on this) 21-16, 23-21 on what Roenicke called a day with "crazy wind." Roenicke and Ross will play Mariafe Artacho and Zina Stone in the final at 11:30 a.m. Sunday Australian time, which is about 5:30 p.m. Saturday here in California.

Just received a call a little bit ago from Los Osos senior volleyball player Tara Roenicke, who is competing in the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney. Roenicke and beach volleyball partner Summer Ross of Carlsbad have cruised thus far, defeating teams from Australia, China and the United Kingdom to move to 3-0 in the tournament.

"It's going pretty well," Roenicke said. "The winds were really crazy and it was hard to get used to, but we are playing pretty well right now."

Roenicke and Ross defeated Australia's No. 2 team, 21-16, 21-14 ,and China, 22-20, 21-13 Thursday while adding a victory over the United Kingdom, 21-11, 21-11, Friday to move on in the playoff round, where they'll next play Norway on Saturday. Play ends Sunday with the medal round.

The volleyball has been part of a whirlwind few days for Roenicke, who took a 14-hour trans-Pacific flight out of Los Angeles Sunday night that landed in Sydney Tuesday morning Australian time. Of course, losing a day was made up by the cushy ride, as Roenicke and Ross were upgraded to business-class seating.

"The flight out was nice," Roenicke said. "We had these huge seats that we could stretch out, watch movies and sleep. It was weird losing a day, but we were ready to go once we got off the plane."

Roenicke carried the United States flag in Wednesday's opening ceremonies, giving her a chance to mingle with athletes from all 25 competing countries. And although Roenicke is no stranger to international competition, the experience of carrying the flag was something that will always stay with her.

"The opening ceremonies were so awesome," Roenicke said. "They were so organized and everything was just so beautiful and well-run. It was such an honor to hold the U.S. flag and getting to meet the athletes from other countries and talk to them. It's been such a rewarding experience."

We'll continue updating Roenicke's progress at the Olympic Festival throughout the weekend, so check back. Results also can be found here.

Twentynine Palms dominates the locals here.

Superlatives
Offensive Player of the Year - David Mothander, QB, Sr., San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret's
Co-Defensive Players of the Year - Alex Brolick, DB, Sr., St. Margaret's and Jeremy Baileys, DL, Sr., St. Margaret's
Coach of the Year - Harry Welch, St. Margaret's

Offense
QB - Josh Amster, Sr., Brentwood
QB - Drew Blumberg, Sr., Bishop
QB - Max Moreno, Sr., Santa Paula
QB - Kevin Ramay, Sr., Huntington Beach Grace Brethren
QB - Matt Schilz, Sr., Pasadena Maranatha
QB - Tyler Stirewalt, Sr., Aquinas
QB - Terrence Wells, Sr., Desert
RB - Jared Demoss, Sr., Twentynine Palms
RB - John Murayama, Jr., St. Margaret's
WR - John Carpenter, Jr., St. Margaret's
WR - Terrell Cornell, Jr., Maranatha
WR - Montreal Harris, Sr., Twentynine Palms
WR - Jim Jones, Jr., Aquinas
TE - Justin Hale, Sr., Malibu
OL - Jeff Askin, Jr., St. Margaret's
OL - David Esquivel, Sr., Fillmore
OL - Weston Mudge, Sr., Desert Hot Springs
OL - Elvis Percy, Sr., Twentynine Palms
OL - Andrew Rodriguez, Sr., Big Bear
OL - Colfax Selby, Sr., St. Margaret's
OL - Chase Smith, Sr., St. Margaret's
OL - Josh Villalobos, Sr., Desert
K - Zach Oliver, Sr., Ontario Christian

Defense
DL - James Batin, Sr., Yucca Valley
DL - A.J. Cabello, Sr., Arrowhead Christian
DL - Charlie James, Sr., Brentwood
DL - Jimmy Lohan, Jr., Ontario Christian
DL - Rusty Tausaga, Sr., Twentynine Palms
DL - Freddie Valencia, Jr., St. Margaret's
LB - Colin Cadarette, Sr., Brentwood
LB - Rob Caldwell, Jr., Twentynine Palms
LB - Joe Camacho, Jr., Santa Paula
LB - Austin Cole, Jr., Twentynine Palms
LB - Anthony Erickson, Sr., Yucca Valley
LB - Jake Henderson, Jr., Aquinas
LB - Logan Markely, Jr., North Hollywood Campbell Hall
LB - Michael Schmall, So., St. Margaret's
DB - Chris Adams, Jr., St. Margaret's
DB - Tim Berry, Sr., Bishop
DB - Niel Christensen, Sr., Twentynine Palms
DB - David Jacquez, Jr., Yucca Valley
DB - Willy Kelsey, Sr., Big Bear
P - Joshua Soles, Sr., Big Bear

Quite a few local players on here, especially from the High Desert. Then again, that's stating the obvious.

Superlatives
Co-Offensive Players of the Year: Caleb Herring, QB, Sr., Perris Citrus Hill; Deontae Cooper, RB, Jr., Citrus Hill.
Defensive Player of the Year: David Adams, LB, Sr., Citrus Hill
Coach of the Year: Doug Dubois, Citrus Hill

Offense
QB - Devon Blackmon, So., Summit
QB - Steven Saunders, Sr., Palm Springs
RB - Dionza Bradford, Jr., Serrano
RB - Jerrelle Green, Sr,. Barstow
RB - Rasheem Johnson, Sr., Indio
RB - Gavin Santos, Sr., Hesperia
WR - Maurice Brown, Sr., Silverado
WR - Maurice Culpepper, Sr., Citrus Hill
WR - Joe Dalacio, Sr., Palm Desert
WR - Jay Waddell, Jr., Hesperia
TE - Greg Smith, Sr., Citrus Hill
OL - Moises Barragan, Sr., Palm Springs
OL - Autry Horton, Sr., La Quinta
OL - Aaron Jeglin, Jr., San Jacinto
OL - J.R. Lafuela, Sr., Riverside Norte Vista
OL - Jesus Reyes, Sr., Barstow
OL - Alexander Soto, Sr., Hesperia
OL - Guillermo Villalobos, Sr., Citrus Hill
OL - Kyle Walsh, Sr., Serrano
Util - Jemeryn Jenkins, Jr., Silverado
Util - Damario Webb, Sr., Barstow
K - Mychal Kebeary, Jr., Palm Desert

Defense
DL - Galvin Emesibe, Sr., Hesperia
DL - Adam Labatos, Sr., Citrus Hill
DL - James Lynn, Jr., Silverado
DL - Kevin Pope, Sr., Serrano
DL - Josh Shirley, Jr., Kaiser
DL - Tulilo Tofi, Sr., Barstow
DL - Trent Wilder, Sr., Palm Springs
LB - Simon Martinez, Sr., Kaiser
LB - Lou Mele, Sr., Riverside Patriot
LB - Danny Reyes, Sr., Hesperia
LB - Dominick Sween, Sr., Ridgecrest Burroughs
LB - Donnell Welch, Jr., Palm Desert
LB - Daniel Zingg, Sr., Palm Springs
DB - Monroe Allen, Sr., Citrus Hill
DB - Trevor Bateman, Sr,. Palm Desert
DB - Jamaal Franklin, Sr., Serrano
DB - Adam Ramirez, Sr., Kaiser
DB - Derron Smith, Jr., Banning
DB - Curtis Webb, Jr., Barstow
Util - Domenic Betts, Sr., Banning
Util - Robert Hartfield, Sr., Indio
P - Ryne Clark, Sr., Palm Desert

Next to the Inland Division. Lots of Riverside County players, but the CBL represented pretty well considering how outmanned it was.

Superlatives
Offensive Player of the Year - Taylor Martinez, QB, Sr., Cajon
Co-Defensive Player of the Year - Vontaze Burfict, LB, Sr., Corona Centennial and Will Sutton, DL, Sr., Corona Centennial.

Offense
QB - Juan Flores, Miller
QB - Tyler Shreve, Redlands East Valley
RB - Arthur Burns, Centennial
RB - Jonathan Diaz, Temecula Chaparral
RB - Jonathan Norton, Moreno Valley
RB - Cam Phillips, Redlands
WR - Antoine Arnold, Chaparral
WR - Dalton Hunkle, Murrieta Valley
WR - Alex Jefferies, Eisenhower
WR - Ricky Marvay, Centennial
WR - Terrance Miller, Moreno Valley Rancho Verde
Util - Lyle Negron, Murrieta Valley
Util - Bradley Randle, Vista Murrieta
OL - Michael Armijo, Miller
OL - Trevor Fox, , Chaparral
OL - Ryan Gann, Corona
OL - Dennis Johnson, Murrieta Valley
OL - Jordan Johnson, Santiago
OL - Omar Marroquin, Rancho Verde
OL - Brock Morris, Redlands

Defense
DL - Joshua Appel, Norco
DL - William Golston, Rancho Verde
DL - Stuart Heilscher, Murrieta Valley
DL - Andrew Hudson, Redlands East Valley
DL - Ben Letcher, Centennial
DL - Michael Poage, Redlands
LB - Maurice Cox, Riverside North
LB - Fontayne Fuga, Chaparral
LB - Jacob Guzman, Miller
LB - Jared Koster, Norco
LB - Eric Martin, Rancho Verde
DB - Marquis Cox, North
DB - Kyle Figgins, Murrieta Valley
DB - Trayvon Ralph, Miller
DB - Richard Spencer, Rancho Verde
DB - Daimion Stafford, Norco
DB - Zach Stephens, Chaparral
DB - Gary Walker, Redlands East Valley
P - Manny Szwabowski, Redlands East Valley

The All-CIF football teams were released today and, in less than surprising news, local teams cleaned up in the Central Division.

Superlatives
Offensive Player of the Year - Greg Watson, QB, Jr., Rancho Cucamonga
Defensive Player of the Year - Daniel Fonua, LB, Sr., Rancho Cucamonga
Coach of the Year - Nick Baiz, Rancho Cucamonga

Offense
QB - Richard Brehaut, Sr., Los Osos
QB - Josh Nunes, Sr., Upland
RB - Davion Fleming, Sr., Upland
RB - A.J. Johnson, Sr., Chino Hills
RB - Walter Kazee, Sr., Cajon
RB - Courtney Samuel, Sr., Ayala
WR - Wallace Gonzalez, So., Glendora
WR - David Quiroga, Sr., Ayala
WR - Tyrone Richardson, Sr., Hemet West Valley
WR - Irshad Stolden, Sr., Rancho Cucamonga
WR - Randal Telfer, Jr., Rancho Cucamonga
Utility - Arby Fields, Sr., Los Osos
OL - Josh Andrews, Sr., Colony
OL - Gary Berwick, Jr., Rancho Cucamonga
OL - Thomas Lilly, Sr., Glendora
OL - Michael Philipp, Sr., Arroyo Valley
OL - Matt Shinn, Sr., Los Osos
OL - Shane Sweeney, Sr., Chino Hills
K - Alejandro Maldonado, Jr., Colton

Defense
DL - Marcus Bennett, Sr., Rancho Cucamonga
DL - Quayshawn Buckley, Sr., Colony
DL - Andre Henderson, Sr., Menifee Paloma Valley
DL - Sione Kauvaka, Jr., Rancho Cucamonga
DL - Ibe Nduka, Sr., Etiwanda
DL - Jake Salter, Sr., Damien
LB - Jesse Gonzales, Sr., Los Osos
LB - Lawrence Larivee, Sr., Ayala
LB - Logan Lazscyk, Sr., Chino Hills
LB - Buddy Welka, Sr., Rancho Cucamonga
LB - Chad Young, Sr., Glendora
DB - Deveion Bauman, Sr., Chaffey
DB - Nat Berhe, Sr., Colton
DB - Derek Brandon, Sr., Ayala
DB - Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, So., Chino Hills
DB - Osahon Irabor, Sr., Upland
DB - Taj Johnson, Sr., Upland
DB - Marlon Pollard, Sr., Cajon
Util - Justin Meng, Sr., Upland
P - Ethan Betance, Sr., Damien

Marlon Pollard had already decided that he was going to come back to UCLA, with whom he had originally verbally committed to before decommitting to Notre Dame, during his official visit on Saturday.

But before the Cajon senior cornerback officially announced that, he had another comeback to take care of first.

"I was playing pool with (UCLA freshman defensive back) Rahim Moore and the stakes were that if I lost, I had to commit right away," Pollard said. "I didn't make any off the break and then he sunk five balls in a row. I thought I was going to lose for sure."

Pollard ended up making the miraculous billiards comeback, allowing him to keep his intentions quiet. But that's not something that Pollard could do for along as Bruin players, recruits, coaches and parents gathered together at head coach Rick Neuheisel's house.

"One of the other guys, I forgot his name, got up and announced his commitment 15 or 20 minutes later and I was like 'What about me, coach? What about me?'" Pollard said. "The coaches let me announce the commitment and everyone was happy."

Most importantly, Pollard is happy with being a Bruin, ending a nearly two-year recruiting saga. The 6-foot-1, 160-pound defensive back committed to UCLA coach Karl Dorrell before his junior year, only to decommit after Dorrell was fired. He then committed to Notre Dame over the summer, but UCLA kept up their pursuit. Stanford also joined in late.

"UCLA has been recruiting Marlon for over two years," said Marlon's mother, Rachael Pollard. "He was the youngest player ever to commit to UCLA. We just felt really comfortable with the players and coaches. We felt it was one big family. I'm very thankful to Stanford and Notre Dame for the interest they showed in Marlon."

Rachael Pollard also cited the job security, or lack thereof, of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis as a factor. But ultimately, it was where Marlon felt comfortable that won out in her mind.

"It definitely helped that coach Neuheisel is going to be there 3-4 years at the very least," Pollard said. "But if there's one thing I've learned in this process, it's that at the end of the day, it's his decision. As a parent, you have your opinions, but it's needs to be his decision. And Marlon is really happy about UCLA and I'm happy for him. It's a comfortable, family environment with great education opportunities."

With Pollard, UCLA has a big Inland Empire contingent, as he joins Los Osos quarterback Richard Brehaut, Bloomington fullback Jayson Allmond and Diamond Ranch cornerback Brandon Sermons as Bruin committs. That connection, plus bonds he made with other players in the class, was important.

"Richard and I talk a lot," Pollard said. "I also have a pretty good relationship with (Carson TE) Morrell Presley and (La Puente Bishop Amat CB) Sheldon Price. I can't wait to play with all those guys."

Two of the top girls basketball teams in the County, Cajon and Etiwanda, will play each other at 3 p.m. Saturday at Staples Center as part of a tripleheader that includes the Clippers' game with the Milwaukee Bucks that night. The "Downtown Showdown" will start with a game between South Torrance and Palos Verdes at 1 p.m., followed by Cajon and Etiwanda at 3 and the Bucks-Clippers game at 7:30.

The 13-0 Cowgirls, the CIF-SS Division II-A champions a year ago, are led by 5-foot-9 senior point guard Layshia Clarendon, who has signed a letter of intent to play at California, and 6-2 senior center Darshae Burnside, who has signed with Arkansas. Clarendon averages 20.5 points, 8.8 assists, 8.5 rebounds and 3.9 steals per game while Burnside averages 19.8 points and 18.5 rebounds per game.

Etiwanda comes in with a 10-5 record but played the Cowgirls tough in the championship game of the Magnolia Classic on Dec. 20, falling 60-58. The Eagles are led by senior guard Amber Williams - who averages 17.5 points and 4.3 steals per game - junior guard Natalia Hawthorne (11.8 points, 3.7 steals) and 6-1 junior center Jasmine Bernard (10.4 points, 8.5 rebounds).

Tickets to all three games are $20 for upper-deck seats and $43 for lower-level seats prior to Saturday. On Saturday, they'll be selling for $25 and $50, respectively. You can also click this link or call Rob Strikwerda at 213.742.7541 to order by phone, or via email at RAS@Clippers.com

As I mentioned in earlier posts, I covered the Inland Empire All-Star Football Classic last night, a game that didn't go too well for the San Bernardino boys, who fell 38-7 to Riverside.

The San Bernardino team, coached by Los Osos' Tom Martinez, didn't have the full arsenal that Riverside had, as several highly-touted, Division I-committed players who were scheduled to play during the week dropped out. Among those were Arroyo Valley offensive lineman Michael Philipp - the No. 1 guard in the nation according to Rivals.com, Los Osos QB Richard Brehaut, Cajon CB Marlon Pollard, Upland CB Osahon Irabor and Upland CB Taj Johnson. Upland QB Josh Nunes also didn't play, as a hand injury suffered in the Central Division title game with Rancho Cucamonga hasn't fully healed.

After talking to UCLA commit Jayson Allmond at the conclusion of the Inland Empire All-Star Football Classic, I learned that Cajon cornerback Marlon Pollard has switched his commitment back from Notre Dame to UCLA. A corresponding story has gone up on Rivals.com which can be read here.

"I just heard tonight," said Allmond after San Bernardino's 38-7 loss to Riverside County at Los Osos High School. "It's great to have him as a Bruin."

Pollard is on his official visit to UCLA this weekend, which is why he didn't take part in the all-star game. The 6-foot-1, 160-pound cornerback transferred to Cajon from Valencia last winter. He had verbally committed to UCLA in the summer of 2007 but decommitted over this past summer after Karl Dorrell was fired and Rick Neuheisel was hired. He committed to Notre Dame in July and said his commitment was solid when Charlie Weis visited the Cajon campus in early December, but concerns over Weis' job security and Neuheisel's persistence seems to have won out.

Pollard joins an Inland Empire-heavy Bruin recruiting class which includes Allmond, Los Osos QB Richard Brehaut and Diamond Ranch CB Brandon Sermons. I'll have a more in-depth account with Pollard himself up tomorrow.

Well, that was a crappy start to the playoffs for me, as I lost the Colts (who I had going to the AFC title game) along with two other games. Moving on and trying to avoid the doughnut.

Baltimore (+3) at Tennessee
The only winner I did get right, the Ravens are looking a lot like they did in 2000 - dominating, big-play defense with a punishing running game and a unspectacular quarterback who avoids the big mistake. I'm tempted to pick them to beat the Titans, as Kerry Collins doesn't quite breed confidence in me. However, I did pick Tennessee to make the Super Bowl, so I can't go back now. I'll hedge my bet and take the points.
Tennessee 16, Baltimore 14

Arizona (+10) at Carolina
The Cardinals looked good for the first time in a month, as their defense shut out Atlanta's running game and made Matt Ryan look like a rookie, which is pretty rare. But putting that type of effort out two weeks in a row - especially against a well-rested, playoff-tested team like the Panthers - is easier said than done. I'm taking the Panthers big here.
Carolina 28, Arizona 13

Philadelphia (+4) at N.Y. Giants
The weather outside could be pretty frightful, as the New York metro area is supposed to be buried in 6-8 inches of snow between now and gametime Sunday. That bodes much better for the Giants, who have a healthy Brandon Jacobs ready to pound. That rest, plus the revenge factor toward an Eagles win at New York in early December, should be enough.
N.Y. Giants 21, Philadelphia 14

San Diego (+6) at Pittsburgh
Ready or not, the Chargers are coming. They proved me wrong against Indy last week and could give the Steelers a hassle this week. Pittsburgh's D is top notch, but Ben Roethlisberger and the offense have struggled to string together touchdowns offensively. I'll take the home team again, with the road team covering.
Pittsburgh 17, San Diego 13

Overall: 148-104-1. Record against spread: 118-132-3.

Los Osos senior volleyball player Tara Roenicke was chosen to be the flag bearer for the United States at the opening ceremonies of the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, which starts Wednesday in Sydney, Australia. The Youth Olympic Festival will host 1,500 athletes from 25 other countries.

This is the second international beach volleyball event for Roenicke, a 5-foot-11 senior who has signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Houston, since July and the third of her illustrious career. She is partnered with Summer Ross of Carlsbad and will begin play at the Youth Olympic Festival next Thursday, Jan. 15. The beach volleyball event runs until Sunday, Jan. 18.

In her career, Roenicke has represented the United States at the 2007 Under-19 World Beach Volleyball championships in Poland and at the 2008 U-19 World Championships in the Netherlands this past summer. In the most recent trip, Roenicke and Serrano graduate Caitlin Ledoux took fifth place, the best finish for an American girls team.

We'll have updates on Roenicke's progress at the event, but for information, the website for the Youth Olympic Festival is http://ayof09.olympics.com.au/.

Well, its over. That Florida-Oklahoma game, while close, wasn't anywhere close to awesome. It was almost like two teams got picked out of a hat...oh wait, they basically were. Once again, the college football system fails miserably.

What's the solution? Typically, one would say a plus-one playoff, but this year, that wouldn't work at all. There are four teams (Florida, Utah, Texas, USC) with legitimate claims for the title. I'd love these four to play a pair of semifinals - the Urban Meyer Bowl between Florida and Utah followed with a Texas-USC rematch perhaps? - with the winners playing in a end-all, be-all final. Has to be a lot better than the schlock that we saw tonight.

But since that can't happen, I guess I have to pick my own number one. Well, its also the number one LANG writer Scott Wolf came up with. So props to Scott and here we go.

1. Utah (6) - Big jump, but the Utes took out Alabama worse than Florida did. They also beat Oregon State (which USC can't claim), a top 10 team in TCU and won all of their games. In most countries and sports, winning every time out means something.

2. Florida (1) - The Gators are good and talented to all get-out, but they didn't do anything that Texas didn't do in beating Oklahoma by 10. They didn't do anything that Utah didn't do in beating Alabama. They only did one thing that Utah didn't do - that is lose. At home mind you. Sorry.

3. USC (5) - Yeah, yeah, the Big Ten sucks, blah, blah. That was a darn good Penn State team that USC bent over its knee and slapped the heck out of in the Rose Bowl. But that darn team from Oregon State just ruined it for SC, not only by beating the Trojans but by losing to Utah.

4. Texas (2) - I guess its unfair to drop the Longhorns, but someone had to be No. 4 and quite frankly, Texas was the least impressive of the top 4 in their bowl. Ohio State is good, but the Longhorns didn't make the statement that USC, Utah, and Florida did. Or at least the first two.

Everything after this ranking is pretty much window dressing. But then again, so is the college football postseason.

5. Oklahoma (3) - Shouldn't have been in the game in the first place and quite frankly, shouldn't be in any BCS games for a while after losing five in a row. I don't understand why Ohio State gets so much guff for its BCS struggles when Oklahoma has been clearly worse.

6. Alabama (5) - They got smoked by Utah, but they shouldn't be ashamed by it. Their only losses this season came via the top two teams in this ranking and the Tide had their best year since Gene Stallings was around. Good work fellas.

7. TCU (11) - This has to be the highest the Horned Frogs have been ranked since World War II. If not, then I'm a moron. Anyway, TCU was a darn good team - only losses were to Oklahoma and Utah - and are one of the best under-the-radar programs in the country.

8. Penn State (7) - Not punishing the Nittany Lions too bad for losing basically a road game to USC. Playing the Trojans in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on New Year's Day is a thankless task for anyone not named Vince Young.

9. Boise State (9) - They lost, but you can't disrespect what the Broncos have done. If Utah wins the AP title (doubtful), it can thank Boise for its win over Oklahoma two years ago in the Fiesta Bowl.

10. Oregon (14) - Big win for the Ducks over Oklahoma State, getting them ten wins and a top 10 spot. Had to put them below Boise State because they lost to the Broncos in September though.

11. Ohio State (10) - The Buckeyes lost another BCS game, but gave Texas all it could handle. As far as OSU BCS losses go, this one wasn't anything to be ashamed of.

12. Mississippi (20) - My big riser, the Rebels are the only team to beat Florida and were extremely impressive in dispatching of Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. They could be a team to watch next season.

13. Texas Tech (8) - Um, well, at least they beat Texas. Kind of a letdown in the Cotton Bowl after such a great season, but the Red Raiders shouldn't fret. What they'll do after Harrell (graduation) and Crabtree (likely NFL early entry) will be interesting.

14. Georgia (18) - The Bulldogs finally beat a team with a pulse in the Capital One Bowl, defeating Michigan State. Kind of a disappointing season for Georgia, which now loses Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno to early NFL draft entry.

15. Virginia Tech (21) - It wasn't pretty, but the Hokies got to 10 wins by beating Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl. Va. Tech might be the most anonymous program to win 10 or more games in five straight years.

16. Oregon State (24) - Taking after their baseball team's back-to-back College World Series championships in 2006 and 2007, the Beavers got a three-run homer to beat Pittsburgh 3-0 in the Sun Bowl. 9 wins, one being over USC, constitutes a heck of a season in Corvallis.

17. Iowa (25) - The Hawkeyes were the only team in the Big Ten to represent at all, destroying South Carolina in the Outback Bowl for the conference's only bowl victory. Like Ole Miss, look for Iowa to be a darkhorse in its conference next season.

18. Florida State (NR) - The Seminoles looked like the Florida State teams of old in thrashing Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl. If FSU can sustain that offense in any way next season, look out ACC.

19. Cincinnati (12) - Well, the Bearcats' first BCS bowl experience wasn't ideal, but getting there in a season where they had to play four different quarterbacks is very impressive.

20. Oklahoma State (16) - Couldn't quite finish off Oregon, but a good season for the Cowboys, who have built a nice little program in the shadow of Oklahoma. The "I'm a man, I'm 40" jokes have lessened a bit. Ok, no they haven't.

21. Missouri (NR) - It wasn't pretty, but the overtime win over Northwestern in the Alamo Bowl gave the Tigers a second straight 10-win season. Not bad at all.

22. LSU (NR) - Didn't want to rank LSU, but you can't overlook a 38-3 beating of a good Georgia Tech team. Can't do it.

23. Georgia Tech (13) - Now that LSU is ranked, I can rank Georgia Tech. Oh goody.

24. BYU (14) - I guess going to the Las Vegas Bowl for the fourth straight year wasn't appealing to BYU, as it lost to a hungry Arizona team.

25. Michigan State (19) - The Michigan part of me wants to not rank the Spartans due to them losing to most teams with a pulse. But 9-4 is a pretty good year in East Lansing.

Just missed the cut: Nebraska, West Virginia, California.

Dropped out: No. 17 Pittsburgh, No. 22 Ball State, No. 23 Boston College

I finally found the thing in the office, so by request, here it is.

MVP - Herman Huezo, QB, Ontario
Offensive MVP - Deveion Bauman, Chaffey
Defensive MVP - Ronald Douglas, Chaffey

First Team

Chaffey
Jacob Ahmad, Jr.
Robert Cook, Sr.
Mike Martinez, Jr.
Jesus Cortez, So.
Alejandro Alamillo, So.
Anthony Gamez, Sr.
Matt Hooyenga, Sr.
Jacob Klinefelter, Jr.

Ontario
Ray Lazard, Sr.
Josh Ramirez, Sr.
Mike Chavers, Sr.
Jose Flores, Sr.
Justin Randall, Jr.
Juan Bustamante, Sr.

Colony
Ed Todd, Jr.
Joshua Andrews, Sr.
Quayshawn Buckley, Sr.
Jordan Bell, Sr.
Nick Gonzales, Sr.
Kenneth Scott, Jr.

Montclair
Shawn Abbott, Sr.
Tory Gilroy, Jr.
Ray Gutierrez, Sr.
Brian Chang, Sr.

Don Lugo
George Uko, Jr.
Steven Bethley, Jr.
Shane Spolar, Jr.
Abraham Aguirre, Jr.
Jayson Campos, Jr.

Garey
Dewayne Williams, Jr.
Jesus Perez, Sr.
Martin Verdin, So.

Second Team

Chaffey
Francisco Leal, Sr.
Kwmaine Harrison, Sr.
Jonathan Lira, So.
Vincent Esparza, Sr.

Ontario
Bryan Martinez, Sr.
Tony Marquez, Sr.
Nick Austin, Sr.
Jesse Rodriguez, Sr.
Rafel Mora, Sr.
Alan Jacquez, Sr.

Colony
Jared Bell, Jr.
Keith Hutchins, Jr.
Cory Grant, So.
Tony Wilson, Sr.
Dylan Bautz, Sr.
Gabriel Munoz, Jr.
Tama Tauai, Jr.

Montclair
Lafayette Cole, Sr.
Gerardo Morales, Sr.
Tim Jacquemain, Sr.
Eric Silva, Sr.

Don Lugo
Reggie Rucker, So.
Dylan Torres, Sr.
Anthony Wilson, So.
Blake Anderson, So.
Rodolfo Conchas, So.

Garey
Dominque Williams, So.
Robert Farley, So.
Chris Jimenez, So.

Got some changes in the San Bernardino roster for Saturday's game. If history is any precedence, these won't be the last.

Los Osos QB Richard Brehaut, a UCLA commit who played with Upland QB Josh Nunes (Stanford) in Sunday's Under Armour All-Star Game in Orlando, is out and will by replaced by Hesperia's Ian Harriman. Harriman has efficiently led Hesperia to 20 wins and a Mojave River League championship during the last two years.

Arroyo Valley offensive lineman Michael Philipp, who played Saturday in the U.S. Army All-American Game in San Antonio, also dropped out. Philipp, a four-star recruit and the best guard in the nation according to Rivals.com, is considering schools such as Oregon, Cal, Stanford, UCLA and Oregon State. He'll be replaced by Colony's Joshua Andrews, a first-team all-County and all-Inland Valley selection. Andrews has verbally committed to Oregon State.

A couple of Upland guys dropped out as well, as cornerback Osahon Irabor, an Arizona State commit, and cornerback Taj Johnson, another D-I caliber recruit, are out. They'll be replaced by Miller's Trayvon Ralph - a first-team all-County and all-Inland Valley selection - and Eisenhower receiver Taijuan Martin.

Other players on the original roster that won't play are Twentynine Palms wide receiver Montreal Harris, Etiwanda wide receiver Willie Mebane and Chino kicker Jared Taylor. Replacing them are Los Osos RB Arby Fields, a Northwestern commit, Aquinas fullback J.P. Ragan and Los Osos kicker Josh Repp.

I made a nice little comeback last week, but still am guaranteed to finish below .500 for the season. Those are the breaks. We'll see if I can't be somewhat unterrible during the playoffs.

Atlanta (-1) at Arizona
If you took either one of these teams, especially the Falcons, to make the playoffs before the season started you'd be paid off pretty handsomely right about now. However, the NFC West champion Cardinals have been sluggish since winning the NFC West and will be going against Atlanta's bruising rush offense of Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood. The first playoff game in Arizona (involving the Cardinals at least) will be the last until at least next year.
Atlanta 28, Arizona 21

Indianapolis (-2) at San Diego
The Colts might be the hottest team in the NFL right now, winning nine straight. However, the Chargers aren't that far behind, winning four straight to become the first team in NFL history to make up a three-game deficit to win a division in the final three weeks. In other words, this matchup is two locomotives ready to pulverize each other. The Chargers pulled the upset in Indy last year, but I still don't trust Norv Turner. Going with the Colts here.
Indianapolis 30, San Diego 26

Baltimore (-3.5) at Miami
The Ravens made it here with a rookie quarterback and a great defense, while Miami somehow went from a one-win team to the winners of the AFC East. These teams met in the regular season, with Baltimore romping, and I see much of the same happening in this matchup. Look out for the Ravens as a darkhorse Super Bowl team.
Baltimore 23, Miami 10

Philadelphia (-3) at Minnesota
It's pretty unheard of to see all of the home teams as underdogs. It would be equally as unheard of for the road team to win all four wild card games. The home team will get one, and I believe this is the one. The Vikings run the ball and can stop the run, two prerequisties for playoff success. Plus, the Eagles have been up and down all season. After killing Dallas, they are due for a letdown in the Twin Cities.
Minnesota 24, Philadelphia 17

Here's a quickie forecast for the rest of the playoffs.

AFC
Divisional
Tennessee over Baltimore
Indianapolis over Pittsburgh
Championship
Tennessee over Indianapolis

NFC
Divisional
N.Y. Giants over Atlanta
Carolina over Minnesota
Championship
Carolina over N.Y. Giants

Super Bowl
Carolina over Tennessee

Overall: 147-101-1. Record against spread: 117-129-3.

The title explains it all. The first practices for the all-star game will be from 8 a.m-noon Saturday at Los Osos.

Moe Barragan, OL/DL, Palm Springs
Ken Braden, LB, Riverside Patriot
Vontaze Burfict, LB, Corona Centennial
Arthur Burns, RB, Corona Centennial
Lawrence Butler, DE, Murrieta Valley
John Byrd, DB, Riverside Arlington
Jamar Calhoun, QB, Riverside North
Marquise Cox, CB, Riverside North
Mo Cox, LB, Riverside North
Maurice Culpepper, WR, Perris Citrus Hill
Andrew Fisk, WR, Riverside Ramona
Fontayne Fuga, LB/WR, Temecula Chaparral
Ryan Gann, OL, Corona
Kameron Henderson, OL/DT, Moreno Valley
Caleb Herring, QB, Perris Citrus Hill
Malik Humphries, DE, Moreno Valley Rancho Verde
Dennis Johnson, OL, Murrieta Valley
Jared Koster, LB, Norco
Omar Marroquin, OL, Moreno Valley Rancho Verde
Eric Martin, LB, Moreno Valley Rancho Verde
Sean Martin, DB/WR, Corona Santiago
Tren McSearch, DL, Palm Desert
Terrence Miller, LB, Moreno Valley Rancho Verde
Lyle Negron, QB, Murrieta Valley
Jonathan Norton, RB/DB, Moreno Valley
Eric Pesante, RB/DB, Roosevelt
Will Prescott, OL, Riverside King
Bradley Randle, RB, Vista Murrieta
Tyrone Richardson, RB, Hemet West Valley
Michael Sikorski, DE, Temecula Chaparral
Chance Simon, K/P, Norco
Greg Smith, TE/DL, Perris Citrus Hill
Richard Spencer, S, Moreno Valley Rancho Verde
Damion Stafford, DB, Norco
Jordan Stip, QB/DB/WR, Riverside Poly
Will Sutton, DL, Corona Centennial
Sam Tautolo, DL, Moreno Valley Valley View
David Watkins, DL, Temecula Chaparral
Trent Wilder, DE/TE, Palm Springs
Stevie Will, WR/DB, Riverside King
David Williams, CB, Wildomar Elsinore
Jeff Wright, OL, Riverside Poly

First of all, I hope everyone had a great holiday season. Now that it's over, I'll be posting again with a little bit more frequency. You'll be seeing more basketball posts, but with the Inland Empire Football Classic set to take place next Saturday at 7 p.m. at Los Osos High School, here's another football one.

This is the San Bernardino roster for the game, with college choice in parantheses. Of course, it's subject to change throughout the week.

Shawn Abbott, WR/DB, Montclair
James Adams, DT, Redlands East Valley
Jayson Allmond, RB, Bloomington
Nat Berhe, DB/RB, Colton
Richard Brehaut, QB, Los Osos
A.J. Cabello, DE, Arrowhead Christian
Nalik Davis, DL, Miller
Travis Everard, RB/LB, Lucerne Valley
Daniel Fonua, LB, Rancho Cucamonga
Kevin Garnuscio, DL, Alta Loma
Jesse Gonzales, LB, Los Osos
Ricky Gonzalez, OL, Eisenhower
Kevin Guerra, G, Colton
Jacob Guzman, LB, Miller
Montreal Harris, WR/DB, Twentynine Palms
Osahon Irabor, CB/WR, Upland
Alex Jefferies, WR/DB, Eisenhower
Larry Johnson, LB/TE, Granite Hills
Taj Johnson, DB, Upland
Walter Kazee, RB, Cajon
Louie Lara, OL/NG, Pacific
Robert Larivee, LB/TE, Ayala
Ray Lazard, WR, Ontario
Orie Lupear, OL, Redlands East Valley
Simon Martinez, OL/LB, Kaiser
Willie Mebane, WR, Etiwanda
Rex Meikel, DL, Yucaipa
Brock Morris, OL, Redlands
Michael Philipp, OL, Arroyo Valley
Joseph Pitre, OL, Silver Valley
Marlon Pollard, DB/WR, Cajon
Kevin Pope, DE, Serrano
Mitchel Rosnagle, LB/DE, Los Osos
Matt Shinn, OL, Los Osos
Tyler Stirewalt, QB, Aquinas
Irshad Stolden, WR, Rancho Cucamonga
Jared Taylor, K/WR/DB, Chino
Dominique Williams, WR/DB, San Bernardino