October 2010 Archives

A little bit of reshuffling at the bottom, as Summit wins its way back into the rankings.

Sun Top 10

1. Kaiser (8-0)
Previous ranking: 1. Last week: def. Riverside Norte Vista, 44-8. Up next: Friday vs. No. 10 Summit (6-1-1).

2. Chino Hills (6-2)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: def. South Hills, 51-14. Up next: Friday at Covina Charter Oak (5-6).

3. Redlands East Valley (6-2)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: def. Fontana, 56-0. Up next: Friday vs. Yucaipa (5-3).

4. Redlands (6-1-1)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: def. Eisenhower, 35-7. Up next: Friday vs. Miller (4-4).

5. Rancho Cucamonga (7-1)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: def. Upland, 35-31. Up next: Thursday at Etiwanda (4-4).

6. Serrano (7-1)
Previous ranking: 6. Last week: def. Oak Hills, 31-9. Up next: Friday at Barstow (1-7).

7. Chino (8-0)
Previous ranking: 8. Last week: def. Montclair, 37-0. Up next: Friday at Ontario (4-4).

8. Cajon (6-2)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Arroyo Valley, 30-14. Up next: Friday vs. Carter (5-2-1).

9. Colton (6-2)
Previous ranking: 10. Last week: def. Pacific, 73-12. Up next: Friday at San Gorgonio (4-4).

10. Summit (6-1-1)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Jurupa Valley, 63-0. Up next: Friday at No. 1 Kaiser (8-0).

Just missed the cut: Upland (5-3), Yucaipa (5-3), Aquinas (7-1).

Dropped out: No. 7 Upland (5-3).

Just got back from Oak Hills, where Serrano pretty much sealed up its second straight Mojave River League title.

AMBASSADOR LEAGUE
Aquinas 42, Linfield Christian 13
Ontario Christian 36, Western Christian 7

BASELINE LEAGUE
Rancho Cucamonga 35, Upland 31
Etiwanda 44, Los Osos 31
Glendora 42, Alta Loma 12

CITRUS BELT LEAGUE
Redlands East Valley 56, Fontana 0
Redlands 35, Eisenhower 7
Yucaipa 26, Miller 14

DE ANZA LEAGUE
Twentynine Palms 39, Desert Mirage 3
Big Bear 42, Shadow Hills 0

DESERT SKY LEAGUE
Victor Valley 9, Barstow 7

MOJAVE RIVER LEAGUE
Serrano 31, Oak Hills 9
Sultana 20, Hesperia 7

MOUNTAIN VALLEY LEAGUE
Citrus Valley 23, Jurupa Hills 13
Rim of the World 42, Banning 11
Rubidoux 29, Notre Dame 7

MT. BALDY LEAGUE
Garey 42, Ontario 9
Chino 37, Montclair 0
Don Lugo 34, Chaffey 14

SAN ANDREAS LEAGUE
Carter 42, San Bernardino 0
Colton 73, Pacific 12
San Gorgonio 35, Rialto 16
Cajon 30, Arroyo Valley 14

SIERRA LEAGUE
Chino Hills 51, South Hills 14
Claremont 42, Ayala 13
Charter Oak 31, Damien 17

SUNKIST LEAGUE
Kaiser 44, Norte Vista 8
Patriot 56, Bloomington 13
Summit 63, Jurupa Valley 0

NONLEAGUE
Silverado 27, Apple Valley 0

I regressed to nonleague form this past week, missing five of the 10 feature games and nine games overall. I'm not proud of what I've done and how I've acted. Let's move on amicably.

Upland at Rancho Cucamonga
This game is kind of a big deal. People know these teams, as they are the last two Central Division champions and are undefeated in league coming in. This matchup has gone Rancho's way in recent history, as the Cougars have won three in a row over Upland, including that CIF championship victory in 2008. I think the Cougars are a bit more complete of a unit right now. In a month, Upland might be better, but I'll take Rancho now and feel decent about it.
Rancho Cucamonga 31, Upland 27

Serrano at Oak Hills
This is the game in the Mojave River League, with Serrano being the big kid on the block and Oak Hills being the unafraid new kid. The Bulldogs threw it in my face last week, not only proving me wrong for picking Victor Valley, but ripping the Jackrabbits a new one. I'll be at this game tomorrow - my inaugural Oak Hills football game - and I'm looking forward to seeing what the Bulldogs have, though I don't think it'll be enough.
Serrano 28, Oak Hills 17

Kaiser at Norte Vista
Another week, another Kaiser shut out, its fifth of the season. The Cats pretty much suck all the anticipation out of games by just beating the living heck out of every team they play. Norte Vista, with its 2-0 league record and physical running game featuring junior running back Ryan Ruiz, won't be intimidated by the Cats. But intimidated or not, Kaiser is on a roll right now and doesn't look to be stopped this week.
Kaiser 38, Norte Vista 6

Yucaipa at Miller
This is expected to decide the third playoff spot out of the Citrus Belt League eventually, though Miller is tied with REV with a 2-0 league mark. Both of these teams have extremely dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks, with Yucaipa's Dylan Malone and Miller's Eric Shufford making this a potentially entertaining game. The Rebels are a bit more battle-tested and a year further along in their system, factors which will come to play in what should be a good battle.
Miller 31, Yucaipa 20

Cajon at Arroyo Valley
The Cowboys come into this matchup with their swag on 10, as they went into Colton and won a huge game to take control of the San Andreas League race. But Cajon would be advised not to take this game lightly. Arroyo Valley's offense has scuffled against most defenses with a pulse but their defense will keep this game relatively uncomfortable. I see the Cowboys winning, but not without an early scare.
Cajon 20, Arroyo Valley 14

Linfield Christian at Aquinas
The newbies from Linfield Christian have made a name for themselves in the Ambassador League, knocking off Ontario Christian last week to set up this showdown with Aquinas. Since losing to Desert Hot Springs in the opener, the Falcons have rolled off six wins in a row, ascending to No. 3 in the East Valley polls. Linfield is a quality opponent, but Aquinas has things on lock this year.
Aquinas 28, Linfield Christian 12

Granite Hills at Ridgecrest Burroughs
The Cougars threw a monkey wrench into the Desert Sky League race last week, pulling off the 8-6 upset over Silverado to move to 2-0 in league. For a school that hasn't had much success to speak of, this is pretty heady position going into the matchup with the league favorites. So can Granite pull this off two weeks in a row? It's defense has been awesome, but defending the Burros and third-year starting QB Derrick Dison might be a bit more difficult.
Burroughs 21, Granite Hills 12

Silverado at Apple Valley
The High Desert gets a high amount of love this week, as the aforementioned Hawks come into this nonleague matchup pretty ticked off. Not only because of the loss to Granite Hills, but the matchup with the Sun Devils, who whipped them in the playoffs last year. Both these teams should ultimately be in the playoffs, making this a possible preview. I think Silverado is going to be a little more annoyed and pull this out.
Silverado 24, Apple Valley 21

Chino at Montclair
I'm officially on the Chino bandwagon. I've wondered all year if the Cowboys were a mirage caused by a weak schedule, but Chino's whipping of Colony definitely convinced me otherwise. Plus I like the prospect of a player named Promise Amadi being in headlines in our paper. Opens up a ton of possiblities. Montclair has been surprising in going 4-3, but the Cavaliers don't have the horses to stay in this game.
Chino 45, Montclair 10

Los Osos at Etiwanda
Start with the Baseline, end with the Baseline. The loser of this game finds themselves in a pretty untenable position in a brutal league, as they'd be 1-2 and have to play one of the top two before the season ends. So yeah, this game is kind of big. Etiwanda might have the most potent offense in the county, but its defense gives up points almost as fast as its offense scores them. Los Osos will make enough stops to win this donnybrook.
Los Osos 36, Etiwanda 34

Other games of note:
Summit 56, Jurupa Valley 0
Ontario Christian 27, Western Christian 16
Glendora 38, Alta Loma 7
Redlands 45, Eisenhower 0
Redlands East Valley 49, Fontana 6
Big Bear 43, Shadow Hills 7
Twentynine Palms 38, Desert Mirage 0
Desert Hot Springs 30, Yucca Valley 15
Victor Valley 28, Barstow 6
Hesperia 17, Sultana 13
Citrus Valley 28, Jurupa Hills 9
Rim of the World 27, Banning 20
Don Lugo 23, Chaffey 18
Ontario 30, Garey 21
Colton 60, Pacific 0
Carter 35, San Bernardino 10
San Gorgonio 20, Rialto 9
Claremont 42, Ayala 14
Chino Hills 31, South Hills 6
Bloomington 20, Patriot 10
Arrowhead Christian 18, Calvary Murrieta 7
Bloomington Christian 26, Saddleback Valley Christian 14

Last week: 21-9
Overall: 175-66-3

CIF-Southern Section commissioner Jim Staunton, who has held his position since 1999, announced last week that he will retire effective July 29.

Staunton, who made his intentions to retire known to the CIF-SS administrative body in May, will pursue a teaching job in the masters program at Concordia University and retired in part to spend more time with his grandchildren.

"I'm gratified at the opportunity to serve this Section for the last eleven years," Staunton said. "This is an outstanding organization: one of the best in the United States. It has been a wonderful term of service."

Staunton oversaw much financial growth and was instrumental in the section expanding from 505 schools to its current membership of 580.

INLAND DIVISION
(previous ranking)
1. (1) Corona Centennial (Big VIII) 7-0
2. (2) Vista Murrieta (Southwestern) 6-1
3. (3) Rancho Cucamonga (Baseline) 6-1
4. (4) Roosevelt (Big VIII) 6-1
5. (5) Norco (Big VIII) 6-1
6. (7) Claremont (Sierra) 6-1
7. (6) Upland (Baseline) 5-2
8. (8) Chino Hills (Sierra) 5-2
9. (9) Redlands East Valley (Citrus Belt) 5-2
10. (10) Redlands (Citrus Belt) 5-1-1
Dropped out: None
Others receiving votes: Los Osos (Baseline) 4-3, Murrieta Valley (Southwestern) 5-2

CENTRAL DIVISION
(previous ranking)
1. (1) Rancho Verde (Inland Valley) 7-0
2. (2) La Quinta (Desert Valley) 6-1
3. (4) Palm Springs (Desert Valley) 6-1
4. (5) Arlington (Inland Valley) 6-1
5. (6) Chino (Mt. Baldy) 7-0
6. (7) Palm Desert (Desert Valley) 5-2
7. (NR) Cajon (San Andreas) 5-2
8. (3) Colton (San Andreas) 5-2
9. (NR) Carter (San Andreas) 4-2-1
10. (8) Rialto (San Andreas) 4-3
Dropped out: No. 9 Colony (Mt. Baldy) 5-3, No. 10 La Sierra (Inland Valley) 4-3.
Others receiving votes: Colony (Mt. Baldy) 5-3, La Sierra (Inland Valley) 4-3, San Gorgonio (San Andreas) 3-4

EASTERN DIVISION
(previous ranking)
1. (1) Kaiser (Sunkist) 7-0
2. (2) Serrano (Mojave River) 6-1
3. (3) Wildomar Elsinore (Sunbelt) 6-1
4. (4) Summit (Sunkist) 5-1-1
5. (5) Heritage (Sunbelt) 7-0
6. (6) San Jacinto (Mountain Pass) 6-1
7. (10) Ridgecrest Burroughs (Desert Sky) 4-3
8. (NR) Citrus Hill (Mountain Pass) 4-3
9. (NR) Oak Hills (Mojave River) 5-2
10. (NR) Granite Hills (Desert Sky) 4-3
Dropped out: No. 7 Silverado (Desert Sky) 3-3-1, No. 8 Victor Valley (Desert Sky) 5-2, No. 9 Beaumont (Mountain Pass) 4-3.
Others receiving votes: Silverado (Desert Sky) 3-3-1, Victory Valley (Desert Sky) 5-2, Beaumont (Mnt Pass) 4-3, Temescal Canyon (Sunbelt) 3-4, Apple Valley (Mojave River) 4-3, West Valley (Mnt Pass) 4-3

EAST VALLEY DIVISION
(previous ranking)
1. (1) Sierra Canyon (Alpha) 7-0
2. (2) Paraclete (Alpha) 6-1
3. (4) Aquinas (Ambassador) 6-1
4. (3) Brentwood (Alpha) 6-1
5. (6) St. Margaret's (Academy) 4-3
6. (7) Big Bear (De Anza) 5-2
7. (8) Sage Hill (Academy) 6-1
8. (9) 29 Palms (De Anza) 5-2
9. (5) Desert Hot Springs (De Anza) 5-2
10. (NR) Riverside Notre Dame (Mountain Valley) 5-2
Dropped out: No. 10 Campbell Hall (Alpha) 4-3.
Others receiving votes: Campbell Hall (Alpha) 4-3, Bishop Diego (Frontier) 4-3

The BCS might have a new No. 1, but mine remains the same.

1. Oregon (1) - Ducks put a hurting on UCLA. Now comes a tougher LA opponent.
2. Boise State (2) - The Broncos play Tuesday for some reason.
3. Auburn (5) - Another quality home win keeps moving the Tigers up the ladder.
4. TCU (4) - Horned Frogs have given up 10 points in four weeks.
5. Michigan State (7) - Spartans survive scare against Arby Fields and Northwestern.
6. Missouri (17) - Big win over Oklahoma makes Mizzou the big mover this week.
7. Utah (8) - Utes' offense keeps on rolling. Tricky trap game at Air Force this week.
8. Alabama (9) - Tide roll Tennessee and are in best position of one-loss teams.
9. Wisconsin (10) - Badgers impress with big road win at Iowa.
10. Ohio State (11) - Buckeyes take out frustrations of Wisconsin loss with blowout of Purdue.
11. Oklahoma (3) - Sooners tumble after Missouri loss.
12. Stanford (12) - Cardinal tread water after uninspired win over Washington State.
13. Nebraska (15) - Huskers slay undefeated Okie State to move up. Missouri looms next week.
14. Arizona (13) - Wildcats drop a spot after winning by 30. Life is tough sometimes.
15. Florida State (16) - Seminoles have tricky game at N.C. State coming Thursday.
16. LSU (6) - Les Miles finally exhausted all of his magic. Or so we think.
17. South Carolina (19) - Gamecocks survive despite not having star RB Marcus Lattimore.
18. Arkansas (21) - It's hard to say how good the Razorbacks really are at this point.
19. Miami (Fla) (23) - Canes get nice bump after blowing out North Carolina.
20. Iowa (14) - Hawkeyes will try to overcome heartbreaking Wisconsin loss to spoil MSU's hopes.
21. Virginia Tech (24) - Hokies have quietly rolled to six straight wins.
22. Oklahoma State (18) - Previously-untested Cowboys failed first exam against Nebraska.
23. USC (25) - Trojans have big opportunity with Oregon coming in this week.
24. Mississippi State (NR) - Five straight wins has Mississippi State in rankings.
25. Baylor (NR) - Bears ranked in polls for first time since 1993.

Under consideration: Hawaii, Nevada, Michigan

Dropped out: No. 20 Texas, No. 22 West Virginia

Some reshuffling here as Cajon surges back in the poll for the first time since Week 0.

Sun Top 10

1. Kaiser (7-0)
Previous ranking: 1. Last week: def. Riverside Patriot, 49-0. Up next: Friday at Riverside Norte Vista (4-3).

2. Chino Hills (5-2)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: def. Damien, 42-7. Up next: Friday vs. West Covina South Hills (2-5).

3. Redlands East Valley (5-2)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: def. Eisenhower, 48-12. Up next: Friday at Fontana (0-7).

4. Redlands (5-1-1)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: def. Yucaipa, 23-13. Up next: Friday vs. Eisenhower (0-7).

5. Rancho Cucamonga (6-1)
Previous ranking: 6. Last week: def. Alta Loma, 43-0. Up next: Friday vs. No. 7 Upland (5-2).

6. Serrano (6-1)
Previous ranking: 7. Last week: def. Sultana, 56-7. Up next: Friday at Oak Hills (5-2).

7. Upland (5-2)
Previous ranking: 8. Last week: def. Etiwanda, 53-34. Up next: Friday at No. 5 Rancho Cucamonga (6-1).

8. Chino (7-0)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Colony, 49-20. Up next: Friday at Montclair (4-3).

9. Cajon (5-2)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. No. 10 Colton, 29-20. Up next: Friday at Arroyo Valley (3-4).

10. Colton (5-2)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: lost to No. 9 Cajon, 29-20. Up next: Friday vs. Pacific (0-7).

Just missed the cut: Summit (5-1-1), Los Osos (4-3), Miller (4-3).

Dropped out: No. 10 Silverado (3-2-1).

Just got back a bit ago from the Cajon-Colton tilt.

SAN ANDREAS LEAGUE
Cajon 29, Colton 20
San Gorgonio 41, San Bernardino 6
Carter 14, Rialto 7
Arroyo Valley 69, Pacific 13

CITRUS BELT LEAGUE
Redlands East Valley 48, Eisenhower 12
Redlands 23, Yucaipa 13
Miller 36, Fontana 7

BASELINE LEAGUE
Upland 53, Etiwanda 34
Los Osos 38, Glendora 21

SIERRA LEAGUE
Chino Hills 42, Damien 7
South Hills 36, Ayala 33
Claremont 35, Charter Oak 32

SUNKIST LEAGUE
Kaiser 48, Patriot 0
Summit 22, Bloomington 13
Norte Vista 20, Jurupa Valley 13

MT. BALDY LEAGUE
Chino 49, Colony 20
Don Lugo 33, Garey 21
Montclair 7, Ontario 6

MOJAVE RIVER LEAGUE
Serrano 56, Sultana 7
Apple Valley 24, Hesperia 16

DESERT SKY LEAGUE
Granite Hills 8, Silverado 6

AMBASSADOR LEAGUE
Aquinas 48, Calvary Murrieta 8
Linfield Christian 14, Ontario Christian 7
Western Christian 35, Arrowhead Christian 7

DE ANZA LEAGUE
Big Bear 6, Yucca Valley 0
Twentynine Palms 28, Desert Hot Springs 24

MOUNTAIN VALLEY LEAGUE
Rubidoux 28, Rim of the World 7
Banning 42, Citrus Valley 12
Notre Dame 42, Jurupa Hills 0

NONLEAGUE
Oak Hills 36, Victor Valley 0

Starting to get into a groove now, as I had my best week of the season to date.

Cajon at Colton
This has become the de facto championship game in the San Andreas League and for good reason, as the teams have split the last five league titles and have won seven total since 2000. Needless to say, they are at it again, as both are undefeated in league. It's been a weird season for both, as Colton has become almost pass-happy while Cajon has shown off the double-wing. I think this one will be relatively low scoring, with the home team prevailing.
Colton 20, Cajon 10

Redlands at Yucaipa
The Terriers have the unenviable task of having to recover from a devastating Smudge Pot rivalry loss to Redlands East Valley last week. The schedulemaker didn't do Redlands any favors, as they'll have to play a sneaky-good Yucaipa team with an elite playmaker in quarterback Dylan Malone. The Terriers might be ripe for an upset, but I think they'll pull this one out late.
Redlands 23, Yucaipa 19

Colony at Chino
How real is Chino? That's the million-dollar question heading into this one. The Cowboys have gone from a feeble 0-10 team to a 6-0 juggernaut that is straight pile-driving opponents. However, Chino's opponents haven't exactly been SEC caliber to date. Colony's five-game winning streak has flown under the radar a bit, but the defending champs have a chance to make a splash. And I think they will.
Colony 28, Chino 23

Etiwanda at Upland
If they had odds on this game in Vegas (or on bodog.com) I would take the over because this thing is going to be a track meet. The Eagles have an explosive offense led by the leading passer in the county in Larry Cutbirth, who averages 275 yards per game through the air. Problem is that Etiwanda doesn't really stop anyone on defense. That will prove fatal against the Highlanders, which has a balanced offense and a little more defense.
Upland 44, Etiwanda 36

Oak Hills at Victor Valley
Kind of a slow week in the High Desert, as all the league games pit the haves against the have-nots, but this nonleague tilt has some teeth. Oak Hills has won a lot in its first year-and-a-half, piling up 13 wins, but still doesn't have that signature win over a large-school program. Victor Valley started out firing at 5-0 but lost to Silverado last week and wants to avoid a second-half slide. I think Victor will stem the slide and Oak Hills will still be searching.
Victor Valley 34, Oak Hills 26

Damien at Chino Hills
This game is usually a doozy and should be again this year, as the Huskies come in needing a win pretty badly after falling in a tough league-opener to Claremont this week. Damien came into this year having to overcome some massive personnel losses due to graduation but has equipped itself well, matching Chino Hills' 4-2 record. No one backs Bub into a corner though, as I feel the Huskies will come out swinging.
Chino Hills 23, Damien 9

Kaiser at Patriot
The question this week isn't whether or not Kaiser - the No. 1 team in the Sun, the Daily Bulletin, the Eastern Division and city of Fontana polls - will be Patriot tomorrow. It will. The question, er questions, are how bad and will there be a fifth shutout. I'm answering very bad on the first one and yes on the second. Patriot didn't muster a point against Summit last week - no way its scoring on Kaiser unless the Cats get bored.
Kaiser 48, Patriot 0

Twentynine Palms at Desert Hot Springs
The Wildcats have ruled the De Anza League the last three years, taking the league title each and every year. But DSH has been on an uber roll this season, taking out Aquinas and Rim of the World in the nonleague and grabbing a big win at Big Bear this past weekend. Twentynine Palms is playing pretty well, but the Golden Eagles seem to have some mojo going. That's good enough for me.
Desert Hot Springs 28, Twentynine Palms 18

Rubidoux at Rim of the World
Last week saw the return of Rim of the World running back Dillon Pretzinger from a foot injury. Not coincidentally, it also saw the Fighting Scots look more like the juggernaut that I expected them to be before the season. The table is set for Rim to win the inaugural Mountain Valley League title and while Rubidoux is much improved, I see Rim rolling here.
Rim of the World 28, Rubidoux 13

Glendora at Los Osos
With all respect to the Dallas-Minnesota game this past Sunday I feel that this game is the true "Desperation Bowl". Both of these teams, which came into the season with high expectations, are 0-1 in a three-playoff-berth league and an 0-2 mark would be a sure death sentence in a brutal Baseline in a division with zero at-large berths. So who gets to play the role of a despondent Tony Romo? Unless it goes into overtime, I think Glendora will.
Los Osos 35, Glendora 27

Other games of note:
Rancho Cucamonga 56, Alta Loma 6
Aquinas 40, Calvary Murrieta 0
Linfield Christian 21, Ontario Christian 17
Western Christian 24, Arrowhead Christian 16
Redlands East Valley 61, Eisenhower 12
Miller 38, Fontana 6
Big Bear 27, Yucca Valley 25
Ridgecrest Burroughs 34, Barstow 0
Silverado 26, Granite Hills 10
Apple Valley 38, Hesperia 14
Serrano 38, Sultana 7
Banning 28, Citrus Valley 23
Riverside Notre Dame 50, Jurupa Hills 6
Garey 31, Don Lugo 12
Ontario 27, Montclair 16
Arroyo Valley 45, Pacific 0
Carter 21, Rialto 18
San Gorgonio 36, San Bernardino 13
Banning Twin Pines 26, Bloomington Christian 20
Summit 39, Bloomington 10

Last week: 26-5
Overall: 154-57-3

The home stretch to the cross country season is approaching rapidly, with the CIF-SS prelims scheduled for November 13 and the CIF-SS and CIF-State finals scheduled for the following two weekends after that.

This weekend will be a big one in preparation for those important meets, as the Mt. SAC and Cajon Dog Days of Fall meets will be held.

The Mt. SAC race, taking place Friday and Saturday at the college, one of the premier meets in the Inland Empire and will feature an array of upper-level county teams. Granite Hills and Yucca Valley will run Friday while Apple Valley, Colony, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands and Sultana will participate Saturday. With both the CIF-SS prelims and finals to be held at Mt. SAC, this weekend's meet allows runners to get a test run on the course.

Saturday will also mark the debut of the Dogs Days of Fall event at Cajon, which will feature the Cowboys along with various other county teams. While it doesn't have the fan fare of Mt. SAC, it should be an intriguing race as well.

Redlands East Valley will be hosting a one-day, eight-team volleyball tournament Saturday featuring many of the top teams in Southern California. The REV Volleyball Classic will start at 8 a.m. with two pools of four teams each. Pool number one will feature REV, the No. 2 team in the most recent Division 1-A poll, Riverside King, Temescal Canyon and Sultana. Pool No. 2 will feature Palm Springs -- the No. 5 team in D2-A -- Wildomar Elsinore, the No. 7 team in D2-AA, Redlands and La Quinta.

Pool play will take place in the morning, with each match being played under the best-of-3, rally-scoring format. The top two teams from each pool will be placed in the Gold Bracket, with the championship game from that bracket being played at approximately 2 p.m. The bottom two teams from each pool will be placed in the Silver Bracket.

Well, Ohio State's run atop the poll didn't last long. We'll see if the new No. 1 has a bit more staying power.

1. Oregon (2) - Not a bad bye week, as the Ducks get the top spot.
2. Boise State (4) - Broncos sitting pretty, though their strength of schedule is lowering by the week.
3. Oklahoma (6) - Sooners were the big winner, getting blowout win to earn the top spot in the BCS standings.
4. TCU (5) - Horned Frogs have only given up three points in the past three games.
5. Auburn (7) - Tigers explode for 65 to vault into top 5.
6. LSU (8) - LSU wins ugly, but it wins. Huge game at Auburn coming up.
7. Michigan State (12) - All of a sudden, the Spartans are the top dog in the Big Ten.
8. Utah (10) - Utes quietly keep rolling.
9. Alabama (11) - Tide bounce back against Mississippi, but still not clicking on all cylinders.
10. Wisconsin (18) - Badgers shoot up rankings with upset of Ohio State.
11. Ohio State (1) - I can't in good conscience rank the Buckeyes ahead of Wisconsin, so here they are.
12. Stanford (14) - Cardinal move up while chillin' during the bye.
13. Arizona (16) - Wildcats win, but lose quarterback Nick Foles to injury.
14. Iowa (17) - Hawkeyes win shootout at Michigan to start tough three-game stretch. Wisconsin is next.
15. Nebraska (3) - Even underachieving Texas teams figure out how to beat Nebraska.
16. Florida State (15) - Seminoles go through motions in lackluster win over BC.
17. Missouri (19) - Tigers still unscathed, but have huge test this week with Oklahoma.
18. Oklahoma State (21) - Cowboys get first real test with Nebraska coming up this week.
19. South Carolina (9) - Post-Alabama letdown results in loss to Kentucky.
20. Texas (NR) - After two-week absence, Longhorns upset Nebraska and return to poll.
21. Arkansas (13) - Razorbacks score 43 points and still lose by three touchdowns.
22. West Virginia (NR) - After toeing around the periphery of the poll, Mountaineers finally rejoin the rankings.
23. Miami (Fla) (NR) - Somewhat iffy about this pick to be quite honest.
24. Virginia Tech (NR) - Five straight wins has Hokies back in top 25.
25. USC (NR) - Blowout of Cal gets USC ranked again.

Under consideration: Kansas State, Mississippi State, Michigan

Dropped: No. 20 Nevada, No. 22 Oregon State, No. 23 Air Force, No. 24 Florida, No. 25 Michigan.

No. 1 was easy, but everything after it was a headache. I couldn't justify ranking Chino Hills below REV considering they have the same record and the Huskies won the meeting between the two on the road. Not ready to move Rancho Cucamonga past Redlands yet either.

1. Kaiser (6-0)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: def. Jurupa Valley, 55-0. Up next: Friday at Riverside Patriot (2-4).

2. Chino Hills (4-2)
Previous ranking: 1. Last week: lost to Claremont, 31-30. Up next: Friday vs. Damien (4-2).

3. Redlands East Valley (4-2)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: def. No. 5 Redlands, 24-22. Up next: Friday vs. Eisenhower (0-6).

4. Colton (5-1)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: def. San Bernardino, 31-0. Up next: Friday vs. Cajon (4-2).

5. Redlands (4-1-1)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: lost to No. 3 Redlands East Valley, 24-22. Up next: Friday at Yucaipa (4-2).

6. Rancho Cucamonga (5-1)
Previous ranking: 6. Last week: def. Los Osos, 29-28 (OT). Up next: Thursday vs. Alta Loma (0-6).

7. Serrano (5-1)
Previous ranking: 7. Last week: def. Apple Valley, 41-14. Up next: Friday vs. Sultana (1-5).

8. Upland (4-2)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Alta Loma, 56-16. Up next: Friday vs. Etiwanda (3-3).

9. Chino (6-0)
Previous ranking: 10. Last week: def. Garey, 41-14. Up next: Friday vs. Colony (4-2).

10. Silverado (3-2-1)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Victor Valley, 35-20. Up next: Friday at Granite Hills (3-3).

Just missed the cut: Summit (4-1-1), Cajon (4-2), Victor Valley (5-1).

Dropped out: No. 8 Victor Valley (5-1).

Got back from an outstanding Smudge Pot game.

Redlands East Valley 24, Redlands 22
Yucaipa 43, Fontana 8
Miller 49, Eisenhower 0
Cajon 28, Rialto 7
Carter 64, Pacific 0
Colton 31, San Bernardino 0
Rancho Cucamonga 29, Los Osos 28 (OT)
Upland 56, Alta Loma 16
Aquinas 28, Ontario Christian 14
Linfield Christian 34, Arrowhead Christian 14
Western Christian 22, Calvary Murrieta 6
Twentynine Palms 49, Shadow Hills 14
Silverado 35, Victor Valley 20
Granite Hills 14, Barstow 0
Serrano 41, Apple Valley 14
Oak Hills 30, Sultana 6
Rim of the World 49, Citrus Valley 14
Colony 21, Chaffey 0
Ontario 31, Don Lugo 14
Claremont 31, Chino Hills 30
Charter Oak 54, Ayala 7
Kaiser 54, Jurupa Valley 0
Summit 50, Patriot 0

While there have been a couple of leagues that have already started playing, league play will really get going this week. And this is when high school football gets good. I seem to finally be getting into some sort of groove, only dropping five games this week.

Redlands at Redlands East Valley
The battle of the Smudge Pot is always a battle and will be again. Both teams are smarting a bit, Redlands from three straight losses in this rivalry and REV from two consecutive losses where it was outscored 55-17. The Terriers are fresh off a bye week and confident after going 4-0-1 against a tough nonleague schedule and look to have the mojo going in. Which is why I'm going the other way. I think REV will circle the wagons and hoist the Smudge Pot again.
Redlands East Valley 17, Redlands 14

Silverado at Victor Valley
Another crosstown rivalry that should be a doozy, as the Jackrabbits have their best chance in a decade to knock off Silverado. Victor Valley has played well in going 5-0, winning The Bell over Apple Valley for the second straight year, but they haven't faced the schedule Silverado has to date. And the Jackrabbits don't have a win like Silverado's victory over Summit two weeks ago. This is when the Hawks start to turn it on and I think Silverado wins a thriller.
Silverado 30, Victor Valley 28

Rancho Cucamonga at Los Osos
This was the Grizzlies' coming-out party a year ago, as a struggling Los Osos team shocked Rancho, starting a seven-game winning streak that didn't end until the Grizzlies lost to Upland in the Central Division title game. Los Osos isn't struggling this year, sporting a solid 3-2 record, but they are the underdogs to a stout Rancho team led by senior RB Sateki Finau. The Cougars have had two weeks to overcome their loss to Redlands and will prevail tomorrow.
Rancho Cucamonga 26, Los Osos 20

Aquinas at Ontario Christian
The bellwether game of the Christian League is expected to be the same in the new Ambassador League, as this holy war is always one of the must-see games in the county. Aquinas has won the last three and comes in with momentum, having won four in a row after a season-opening loss to Desert Hot Springs. The Knights, meanwhile, have struggled, losing three in a row. They'll get back to winning, but after this week, as I'm going with the Falcons.
Aquinas 34, Ontario Christian 23

Chino Hills at Claremont
The Baseline League has gotten the hype as the toughest league west of the 15, but that title may actually go to the Sierra. And that reason is due in large part to the play of these two teams. A senior-laden Claremont squad has erupted to a 4-1 start behind QB Daniel Kessler, who has thrown for 302 yards per game. The Wolfpack haven't faced a defense nearly as stout or as talented as Chino Hills' though and will be slowed down enough by the Huskies.
Chino Hills 27, Claremont 17

Arroyo Valley at San Gorgonio
The Hawks have been in a holding pattern on offense this year with the travails of quarterback Michael Yearwood, who has missed all but one series due to transfer paperwork and a knee injury. The latter will have him out for this key game, putting the onus on an impressive Arroyo Valley defense to shut down a potent San G attack. The Spartans got a big win last week at Carter and are thirsting at the chance to go on a winning streak. And I think they will.
San Gorgonio 20, Arroyo Valley 14

Serrano at Apple Valley
The Diamondbacks are the king poobah of the Mojave River League and despite having issues in the passing game during the nonleague season, always seem to be ready to roll this time of the year. Apple Valley has done a good job of adjusting to its personnel, going from a power-running option attack to a more balanced attack that has featured senior WR Cavion Flournoy. Serrano has size and experience in the trenches, which will tell the tale in this one.
Serrano 28, Apple Valley 13

Chino at Garey
Two of the surprises of the Mt. Baldy League meet to see who is the most for real. The Cowboys have been devastating offensively under first-year coach Matt McCain, averaging 45 points per game. Garey will be Chino's toughest test to date, as the Vikings possess possibly the best player in the league in senior WR Dominique Williams. But I like the groove Chino is in and look for it to continue tonight.
Chino 35, Garey 24

Bloomington at Norte Vista
This league opener, which I'll be at in a couple hours, could eventually decide the third Sunkist League playoff spot behind Kaiser and Summit. The Bruins have already equaled their win total from last year at 3, though were defeated handily by Paloma Valley last week, while the Braves are looking to recapture the form that brought them 11 wins and a Eastern Division semifinal appearance a year ago. I look for the Braves to do that and win a crucial game.
Norte Vista 23, Bloomington 18

Desert Hot Springs at Big Bear
Saturday afternoon brings a big matchup in the mountains, as both of these teams have taken tremendous steps forward from a year ago. DSH has already knocked off some name county foes, beating Aquinas and Rim of the World, while the Bears have sparkled behind the nifty option work of junior quarterback Zak Planz. The winner here takes a huge step toward ending Twentynine Palms' reign atop the De Anza League and its basically a coin flip. So I'll go with the home team.
Big Bear 35, Desert Hot Springs 32

Other games of note:
Linfield Christian 38, Arrowhead Christian 9
Western Christian 20, Calvary Murrieta 10
Glendora 35, Etiwanda 30
Upland 49, Alta Loma 0
Miller 45, Eisenhower 13
Yucaipa 28, Fontana 12
Twentynine Palms 36, Shadow Hills 10
Yucca Valley 47, Desert Mirage 0
Barstow 16, Granite Hills 14
Oak Hills 30, Sultana 10
Rubidoux 42, Jurupa Hills 6
Rim of the World 35, Citrus Valley 14
Colony 42, Chaffey 10
Ontario 23, Don Lugo 21
Colton 38, San Bernardino 12
Cajon 27, Rialto 14
Carter 54, Pacific 12
Bloomington Christian 20, Fairmont Prep 10
Charter Oak 24, Ayala 17
Kaiser 59, Jurupa Valley 0
Summit 38, Patriot 16
Last week: 21-5
Overall: 128-52-3

Cajon girls volleyball player Mackenzie Roddy has made a verbal commitment to Northern Illinois University according to a call received tonight from Cowboys coach Paula Bougie-Thomas. Roddy chose the Huskies over Cal State San Bernardino.

The schedule for the Coach Tony baseball tournament to be held Saturday at Redlands East Valley and Redlands High Schools has been set. The tournament is being held in remembrance of former REV freshman baseball coach Tony Hernandez, who passed away last month due to a heart attack. Hernandez has a son, Drew, who is a senior infielder on the Wildcats.

The schedule for the games at both sites is as follows. At Redlands East Valley the Wildcats will play San Gorgonio at 8 a.m., followed by a game against Chino at 10:30 a.m. Chino will then play Yucaipa at 1 p.m., with the Thunderbirds playing San Gorgonio at 6 p.m.

Redlands at Cajon will start off the RHS action at 8 a.m., with the Cowboys then playing Citrus Valley at 10:30. Redlands will play again at 1 p.m. against Rancho Cucamonga, with the Cougars playing Citrus Valley in the final game of the day at 3:30 p.m. All donations from ticket sales and concessions will go to the Coach Tony Scholarship, which REV will give out to a senior at the conclusion of every season.

The Citrus Valley girls volleyball team will be dedicating its October 28 game against Riverside Notre Dame to breast cancer awareness as part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A baked-goods drive will be held at the game with pink t-shirts to be sold for $12 each. All proceeds from the sales will go to Susan G. Komen for The Cure.

Along with the t-shirt sales, which are expected to get a big boost from the girls tennis team, there will be a speaker at 4:30 p.m. before the game.

After forfeiting last Friday's game to Anza Hamilton due to a rash of injuries, Bloomington Christian will be able to host its Homecoming game Friday against Fairmont Prep according to Ravens athletic director Brad Stott.

"We were in a tough spot with injuries and we thought the best decision would be to forfeit the Hamilton game to rest up some players and get them ready for our first league game and our Homecoming game," Stott said. "We didn't want to risk that game, so we decided to forfeit against Hamilton."

Last week's decision was a culmination of a rash of injuries that wiped out the top four running backs on the depth chart and several key players at other positions, as a roster that was already low at 25 to start the season was in the mid-teens a week ago. But the 1-4 Ravens are expecting to be ready to go come Friday.

"A lot of our injured players were a week away last week and should be good to go this week," Stott said.

With Alabama losing, we got a new No. 1 and a whole lot of shuffling.

1. Ohio State (2) - Buckeyes moved into top spot with rout of Indiana.
2. Oregon (3) - Ducks win ho-hum game with overmatched Washington State.
3. Nebraska (5) - Cajon/Corona Centennial product Taylor Martinez absolutely devastating at QB for Cornhuskers.
4. Boise State (4) - Broncos waste Toledo to keep rolling.
5. TCU (6) - Horned Frogs register second straight shutout.
6. Oklahoma (7) - Sooners move up during bye.
7. Auburn (9) - All of a sudden, the win over South Carolina looks pretty darn good.
8. LSU (11) - I don't get how they do it, but the Tigers keep winning.
9. South Carolina (19) - Gamecocks make huge jump after jumping Alabama.
10. Utah (10) - It's rough to score 68 points and not move up. Such is life.
11. Alabama (1) - Can't justify ranking them higher, especially with Florida and Penn State tanking.
12. Michigan State (16) - Spartans make statement with lopsided win at Michigan.
13. Arkansas (12) - Razorbacks drop after narrow win over Texas A&M.
14. Stanford (13) - Jim Harbaugh and the Cardinal have USC's number.
15. Florida State (21) - 45-17 win over Miami most impressive Seminole win in a long time.
16. Arizona (8) - Oregon State catches Wildcats napping.
17. Iowa (15) - Hawkeyes still below Arizona for now. Has a chance for quality road win this week at Michigan.
18. Wisconsin (20) - Badgers can throw Big Ten race into chaos with an upset of Ohio State this week.
19. Missouri (23) - Tigers have been extremely stifling on defense.
20. Nevada (22) - Wolfpack stay undefeated under QB Colin Kaepernick.
21. Oklahoma State (24) - Cowboys feasting on soft schedule right now.
22. Oregon State (NR) - After near-misses against TCU and Boise State, Beavers finally get the big road win they were looking for.
23. Air Force (NR) - Falcons move into poll for the first time.
24. Florida (18) - Gators are in a freefall with two straight losses.
25. Michigan (17) - Apparently Denard Robinson is human.

Under consideration: West Virginia, Miami (Fla), Virginia Tech

Dropped out: No. 14 Miami (Fla), No. 25 Kansas State

Nothing too crazy this past week, as there were a lot of teams resting up for league play.

1. Chino Hills (4-1)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday at Claremont (4-1).

2. Kaiser (4-0)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: def. Hesperia, 55-14. Up next: Friday vs. Jurupa Valley (1-4).

3. Redlands (4-0-1)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday at No. 5 Redlands East Valley (3-2).

4. Colton (4-1)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: def. Arroyo Valley, 27-14. Up next: Friday at San Bernardino (3-2).

5. Redlands East Valley (3-2)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: lost to Mission Viejo, 42-14. Up next: Friday vs. No. 3 Redlands (4-0-1).

6. Rancho Cucamonga (4-1)
Previous ranking: 6. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday at Los Osos (3-2).

7. Serrano (4-1)
Previous ranking: 7. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday at Apple Valley (3-2).

8. Victor Valley (5-0)
Previous ranking: 8. Last week: def. Riverside Patriot, 35-21. Up next: Friday vs. Silverado (2-2-1).

9. Upland (3-2)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday at Alta Loma (0-5).

10. Chino (5-0)
Previous ranking: 10. Last week: def. El Monte, 40-16. Up next: Thursday vs. Garey (4-2).

Just missed the cut: Silverado (2-2-1), Summit (2-1-1), Los Osos (3-2).

Dropped out: None.

Just got back from Mission Viejo, so here we go.

Mission Viejo 42, Redlands East Valley 14
Colton 27, Arroyo Valley 14
Cajon 60, Pacific 7
Rialto 21, San Bernardino 6
San Gorgonio 27, Carter 25
Colony 28, Garey 7
Barstow 20, Sultana 15
Chino 40, El Monte 16
Etiwanda 38, Eisenhower 20
El Rancho 33, Fontana 14
Hemet Tahquitz 54, Citrus Valley 7
Kaiser 55, Hesperia 14
La Quinta 34, Yucaipa 16
Los Osos 43, South Hills 28
Paloma Valley 38, Bloomington 14
Maranatha 59, Western Christian 7
Riverside Notre Dame 43, Arrowhead Christian 6
Twentynine Palms 20, Cathedral City 12
Victor Valley 35, Patriot 21
Oak Hills 48, Laguna Beach 24

Well, last week wasn't a banner one in the history of T.J. Berka high school prognostications. While I actually only messed up on nine games - I thought I had missed double that - I was a pretty shoddy 5-5 on the feature games. Not quite enough to put a bag over my head, but close.

Colton at Arroyo Valley
The question, as has been the question throughout the season, is will Michael Yearwood play. It's a game-time decision according to Arroyo coach Marcus Soward and his presence will change the game considerably. If Yearwood plays, Arroyo stands a chance, as Colton was pushed to the brink last week by a fast, physical Carter team. If not, the Hawks don't have enough firepower to hang. I think Colton wins a low-scoring game.
Colton 20, Arroyo Valley 9

Redlands East Valley at Mission Viejo
After a tough loss to a physical Chino Hills team, the last thing REV needed to do was play the No. 1 team in Southern California. Whoops. Mission Viejo, the alma mater of Mark Sanchez, is No. 1 in the Pac-5 Division and a state bowl contender. This would be a good game next year, as REV has deep sophomore and junior classes. I'm not expecting much from the Wildcats in this game though. Mission Viejo is filthy-good.
Mission Viejo 28, Redlands East Valley 10

Yucaipa at La Quinta
The Thunderbirds have looked pretty good so far under Justin Price, winning three of their first four games behind an explosive offense led by Dylan Malone's nine TDs. Is Yucaipa a legitimate playoff contender though? This game will help answer that question, as La Quinta has already defeated Colton this season and is one of the traditional powers of the Low Desert. I don't think Yucaipa wins, but the T-Birds will scrap.
La Quinta 23, Yucaipa 14

San Gorgonio at Carter
I feel bad for San G. They go through a brutal four-game stretch to start the season - losing to Rancho Verde, REV, Yucaipa and Cajon, thinking that this could be the game they break out in. But the Lions are darn good, taking Colton to overtime at Colton in a game they easily could have won. If Carter doesn't have a hangover from that tough loss, it'll continue San G's misery.
Carter 26, San Gorgonio 13

Garey at Colony
Colony has been the grand poobah for the most part in the Mt. Baldy League during the last five years, winning four league titles and CIF titles in 2006 and 2007. Garey, meanwhile, hasn't made the playoffs. But the Vikings are dangerous this year, featuring all-everything WR Dominique Williams, and will be a formidable test for the Titans, who have won three straight since an inauspicious 1-2 start. Will go with the home team, but barely.
Colony 23, Garey 21

South Hills at Los Osos
The bye week couldn't have come at a better time for Los Osos, which was fresh off a triple-OT loss to Redlands and a lopsided loss against Vista Murrieta. South Hills has struggled in its move up the food chain, losing its last three. They'll likely have issues in a stout Sierra League and will have issues tomorrow with a sneaky-good Los Osos squad.
Los Osos 28, South Hills 16

Rialto at San Bernardino
The Knights were the darling of the San Andreas League during the nonleague season, winning their first three games to move up to No. 3 in the Central Division rankings. But a loss to Arroyo Valley has them in almost a must-win situation against a San Bernardino team that has quietly won three out of its first four games. The Cardinals can make it three in a row with a win here, but I'm not ready to give up on Rialto just yet.
Rialto 19, San Bernardino 16

Victor Valley at Patriot
While Rialto might have been the darlings of the SAL, Victor Valley has been the story in the High Desert, as the Jackrabbits have rolled to a 4-0 start with big victories over Rim of the World and Apple Valley. They head down the hill for the first time to take on a Patriot team that has been solid under new coach Scott Pearne. It should be a good test for Victor, one that I expect they'll pass with flying colors.
Victor Valley 30, Patriot 20

Barstow at Sultana
These teams limp into this one, as Barstow hasn't won a game while Sultana lost to Victor Valley this week. Why am I previewing this game then? Well, its a pretty thin week and I need 10 games to write about and the winner here could be a darkhorse in their respective leagues. Emphasis on could. I think Barstow, while anemic to date, is probably due here.
Barstow 16, Sultana 14

Ontario at Chaffey
When worse comes to worse, end the featured games with the Cat Bowl. This longtime rivalry will be played tonight at Chaffey and it could be competitive just for the simple fact that Chaffey seems to be down this year. The Tigers have struggled mightily in going 1-4 and could be vulnerable to the Jaguars, but I think their power-run game will be too much.
Chaffey 28, Ontario 12

Other games of note:
Riverside Notre Dame 30, Arrowhead Christian 10
Anza Hamilton 36, Bloomington Christian 14
Twentynine Palms 23, Cathedral City 16
Chino 45, El Monte 20
Etiwanda 54, Eisenhower 10
Pico Rivera El Rancho 24, Fontana 14
Hemet Tahquitz 27, Citrus Valley 16
Kaiser 58, Hesperia 0
Oak Hills 33, Laguna Beach 14
Bloomington 27, Menifee Paloma Valley 19
Summit 45, Murrieta Mesa 9
Desert Hot Springs 28, Rim of the World 20
Pasadena Maranatha 35, Western Christian 13
Yucca Valley 27, Imperial 14
Don Lugo 26, Montclair 16
Cajon 48, Pacific 6

Last week: 21-9
Overall: 107-47-3

The Redlands East Valley baseball program will be holding the "Coach Tony" fall baseball tournament Oct. 16 in memory of former freshman coach Tony Hernandez, who passed away Sept. 24 because of a heart attack.

Hernandez, an active Wildcats baseball supporter and the father of senior infielder Drew Hernandez, also will have a scholarship in his name given out annually in his name at Redlands East Valley every June. Proceeds from next weekend's tournament will go to that scholarship and to charity.

"It's a tough loss for the whole REV community because Tony meant so much," coach James Cordes said. "In talking with the family, they wanted a tournament honoring Coach Tony because of his love for baseball. I called and e-mailed some coaches and the response was great."

The tournament will take place at Redlands East Valley and Redlands highs and have a round-robin format, with each team getting two games. Other participating schools include San Gorgonio, Yucaipa, Chino, Cajon, Citrus Valley and Rancho Cucamonga.

San Gorgonio high school inducted four former athletic icons into its Hall of Fame Saturday, with swimmer Kelly Goddard-Sautel, runner Richard Adams, soccer player Lindsi Parnell-Wake and former equipment manager Keith Porterfield all being honored.

The foursome join nearly 70 Spartan athletic legends in the Hall of Fame, which was founded during the 1993-94 season. Goddard-Sautel, who graduated in 1997, was a four-year all-CIF swimmer and holds the school record in the 50-meter freestyle. She also saw at UNLV, where she qualified for the NCAA meet during her career.

Both Adams and Parnell-Wake graduated in 1999. Adams was an all-SAL runner for three years and qualified for the CIF finals in the 300 hurdles as a senior before going on to run at Cal State Fullerton and Purdue. Parnell-Wake was an all-CIF player as a junior and senior, set the single-season goals record with 46 as a freshman and the career goals record with 113.

Porterfield recently retired as San G's equipment man after 28-plus seasons on the job. Starting in 1981, Porterfield was a very important person behind the scenes at San G before retiring this past spring to spend more time with his family.

The largest cross country meet in the Inland Empire will take place Saturday at Glen Helen Park in Devore, as the Inland Empire Challenge Invitational will be held.

A who's who of teams and runners from both San Bernardino and Riverside counties will face off in the meet, both for county pride -- the battle of the counties is an intriguing subplot in the meet -- and in preparation for the postseason races that begin in a few weeks.

Races will begin at 7:45 a.m. with the large-school freshman boys race and will end at 11:19 with the middle-school junior varsity races. The sweepstakes races at 9:30 (boys) and 9:50 (girls) are the headliners, with 115 of the best male runners and 85 of the best female runners in the region going head to head.

CENTRAL DIVISION
1. Rancho Verde
2. Colton
3. La Quinta
4. Palm Springs
5. Arlington
6. Palm Desert
7. Chino
8. La Sierra
9. Rialto
10. Coachella Valley
Receiving votes: Garey, Carter, Colony, Arroyo Valley, Cajon.

EASTERN DIVISION
1. Kaiser
2. Serrano
3. Elsinore
4. Summit
5. Victor Valley
6. Heritage
7. San Jacinto
8. Citrus Hill
9. Bloomington
10. Ridgecrest Burroughs
Receiving votes: Apple Valley, Silverado, Granite Hills, Norte Vista, Temescal Canyon

EAST VALLEY DIVISION
1. Sierra Canyon
2. Paraclete
3. Brentwood
4. St. Margaret's
5. Aquinas
6. Sage Hill
7. Campbell Hall
8. Big Bear
9. Desert Hot Springs
10. Rim of the World
Receiving votes: Arrowhead Christian, Twentynine Palms, Linfield Christian, Riverside Notre Dame, Grace Brethren.

INLAND DIVISION
1. Corona Centennial
2. Norco
3. Chino Hills
4. Vista Murrieta
5. Redlands
6. Redlands East Valley
7. Rancho Cucamonga
8. Upland
9. Glendora
10. Ayala
Receiving votes: Corona Santiago, Roosevelt, Claremont, Corona, Damien, Charter Oak, Murrieta Valley, Los Osos

I feel confident in my top 9. After that, its a crapshoot.

1. Alabama (1) - Impressive destruction of Florida removes any remaining doubt.
2. Ohio State (2) - Buckeyes struggled, but took out Illinois. May be on notice though.
3. Oregon (4) - Destruction of Stanford was impressive. Probably not a better second-half team out there.
4. Boise State (3) - Now that Boise is playing WAC dregs, its ranking won't improve much.
5. Nebraska (5) - Had week off before big Thursday game at Kansas State.
6. TCU (6) - Struggled a bit offensively against Colorado State.
7. Oklahoma (9) - Beat Texas for only second time in six years.
8. Arizona (10) - Wildcats move up despite not playing.
9. Auburn (11) - Tigers impress against bad Louisiana-Monroe team.
10. Utah (12) - Feel weird about having Utes here, but they are the best alternative currently.
11. LSU (14) - May be luckiest team in America, as Tennessee's inability to count bailed the Tigers out.
12. Arkansas (15) - Most impressive of the one-loss teams to date.
13. Stanford (8) - Can't hate on the Cardinal too much for Oregon loss.
14. Miami (Fla) (17) - Nice win at Clemson sets up big game with Florida State
15. Iowa (18) - Hawkeye own Penn State, beating Nittany Lions for eighth time in nine tries.
16. Michigan State (24) - Big win over Wisconsin vaults Spartans up the list.
17. Michigan (19) - Great offense, bad defense. Big game with Michigan State upcoming.
18. Florida (7) - Gators were embarrassed against Alabama. Have low-scoring game with LSU on tap.
19. South Carolina (20) - May be best team in lackluster SEC East.
20. Wisconsin (13) - Badgers tumble after loss to Michigan State.
21. Florida State (21) - Seminoles have chance to establish themselves as ACC favorites this week against Miami.
22. Nevada (25) - Wolfpack quietly standing out with punishing run game.
23. Missouri (NR) - Tigers finally make it in on bye week.
24. Oklahoma State (NR) - Cowboys outlast Texas A&M to move into rankings.
25. Kansas State (NR) - Have chance to make statement with Nebraska coming to town.

Others receiving consideration: West Virginia, USC, Air Force.

Dropped out: No. 16 USC, No. 22 Penn State, No. 23 Texas.

The rankings went into bizarro mode this week. We have our third different No. 1 in as many weeks and a lot of movement.

1. Chino Hills (4-1)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: def. No. 4 Redlands East Valley, 14-3. Up next: Oct. 15 at Claremont (4-1).

2. Kaiser (4-0)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: def. Palm Desert, 47-0. Up next: Friday vs. Hesperia (1-4).

3. Redlands (4-0-1)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. No. 6 Rancho Cucamonga, 21-13. Up next: Oct. 15 at No. 4 Redlands East Valley (3-1).

4. Redlands East Valley (3-1)
Previous ranking: 1. Last week: lost to No. 1 Chino Hills, 14-3. Up next: Friday at Mission Viejo (5-0).

5. Colton (3-1)
Previous ranking: 6. Last week: def. Carter, 21-14 (OT). Up next: Friday at Arroyo Valley (2-2).

6. Rancho Cucamonga (4-1)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: lost to No. 3 Redlands, 21-13. Up next: Oct. 15 at Los Osos (2-2).

7. Serrano (4-1)
Previous ranking: 7. Last week: def. Santa Clarita Golden Valley, 35-14. Up next: Oct. 15 at Apple Valley (3-2).

8. Victor Valley (4-0)
Previous ranking: 10. Last week: def. Sultana, 35-14. Up next: Friday at Riverside Patriot (2-2).

9. Upland (3-2)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: lost to Los Angeles Loyola, 30-13. Up next: Oct. 15 at Alta Loma (0-5).

10. Chino (4-0)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Chaffey, 47-16. Up next: Friday at El Monte (1-3).

Just missed the cut: Carter (2-1-1), Silverado (2-2-1), Summit (2-1-1).

Just got back from watching Chino Hills whip REV. Talking about whippings, my top 10 and my predictions took a beating tonight. I might have to take a picture with a bag on my head for next week's picks.

Apple Valley 35, Indio 0
Aquinas 35, Riverside Notre Dame 28
Arrowhead Christian 34, Irvine Crean Lutheran South 6
Arroyo Valley 16, Rialto 8
Big Bear 35, Rim of the World 21
Bloomington 35, Fontana 7
Cajon 28, San Gorgonio 12
Cerritos Valley Christian 28, Ontario Christian 3
Chino 47, Chaffey 16
Chino Hills 14, Redlands East Valley 3
Claremont 56, Ontario 0
Colony 32, Don Lugo 10
Colton 21, Carter 14 (OT)
Granite Hills 24, Alta Loma 0
Hesperia 28, Jurupa Valley 0
Kaiser 47, Palm Desert 0
Los Angeles Loyola 30, Upland 13
Miller 25, Oak Hills 14
Redlands 21, Rancho Cucamonga 13
Rubidoux 55, Western Christian 21
San Bernardino 54, Pacific 30
Santa Fe Springs St. Paul 28, Ayala 6
Serrano 35, Santa Clarita Golden Valley 14
Silverado 20, Summit 18
Victor Valley 35, Sultana 14
Yucaipa 26, Beaumont 7

Summit basketball player Dorian Cason verbally committed to the University of Portland Wednesday according to Keith Howard, Cason's travel ball coach. Cason, a 6-foot-7 senior forward, averaged 12.5 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots a game for the SkyHawks last season en route to all-Sunkist League honors.