Recently in Miller High School Category

It was a good day for San Bernardino County wrestlers, as a total of 26 advanced to next weekend's CIF State Championships in Bakersfield.

The county produced three champions: Chino Hills senior Christian Martin (113), Sultana sophomore Corey Griego (152) and Oak Hills senior Robert Marchese (195). Marchese is ranked No. 1 in the state and improved his record to 45-0.

A listing by school of state qualifiers, with some notes:

Alta Loma (4): Jacob Leon (2nd, 138, qualifies for 2nd straight year), Eli Mack (4th, 145, qualifies for 2nd straight year), Joseph Rodriguez (8th, 152), Anthony Flores (5th, 195, qualified last year while at Kaiser). First time 4 state qualifiers in same year.
Apple Valley (1): Anthony Ballinger (5th, 182)
Arroyo Valley (1): Bryan Garcia (9th, 160), first ever wrestling state qualifier from the school. Only 2nd state qualifier from school in any sport.
Bloomington (1): Derrick Jones (5th, 220, only a sophomore)
Carter (2): Casper Sherow (6th, 126, first Masters semifinalist in school history), Kenneth Clark (8th, 285). First time 2 state qualifiers from Carter in the same year.
Chino Hills (2): Christian Martin (1st, 113, qualifies for 2nd straight year), Brody Goens (6th, 182)
Colony (1): Anthony Soto (9th, 106 qualifies for 2nd straight year)
Etiwanda (2): Larry Cutbirth (3rd, 182, held out of Masters last year for academics), J.J. Everard (3rd, 220, qualifies for 2nd straight year). 2nd time in school history two state qualifiers the same year.
Granite Hills (1): Ryan Soto (2nd, 152)
Los Osos (2): Timmy Maldonado (3rd, 132), Jon Solano (3rd, 170). Both qualify for 2nd straight year
Miller (1): Raymond Sanchez (9th, 182)
Oak Hills (1): Robert Marchese (1st, 195, placed at state the last 2 years)
Rialto (1): Thomas Pegues (9th, 145) Was 5th last week at CIF-SS Southern Division. Third qualifier in school history.
Rim of the World (1): Seth Whisner (8th, 145, qualifies for 2nd straight year)
Serrano (1): Shaun Donley (7th, 170)
Sultana (3): Corey Griego (1st, 152, only a sophomore), Matt Williams (5th, 160) and Zach Williams (9th, 220). Williams are brothers
Victor Valley (1): Zack Douglass (6th, 160)

Miller football coach Marcus Soward reports that linebacker Reshawn Hooker, a first-team All-Sun selection, has given a verbal commitment to play for the University of Utah.
Soward said that the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Hooker chose Utah over Colorado, Arizona State and Hawaii.
"There were some other schools like SC looking at him as a DB, but its better for him to play a position he's been playing for years," Soward said.
Hooker had 112 tackles, eight sacks, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions in 10 games for Miller.

The 2010 season ended about as awkwardly as it could have for Miller, as the Rebels had a senior hazing incident spiral out of control and cost coach Jeff Strycula his job the night before they were going to play for a league title against Redlands East Valley. Predictably, the dysfunctional Rebels lost and were eliminated from postseason consideration despite finishing in a second-place tie in the Citrus Belt League.

But new coach Marcus Soward, who was hired to replace Strycula in the offseason after spending the past three years as Arroyo Valley's head man, hasn't encountered any of the awkwardness and chaos that spelled the end of the 2010 season.

"It's a great atmosphere out here," said Soward, who has also coached at San Bernardino High School. "It's a very family-oriented program and everyone is working well together. There are a lot of high-character kids, which makes it easy to coach."

The Rebels don't have a lot coming back from last year, as the Rebels were full of seniors in 2010. But Miller does receive perhaps the biggest impact transfer in the county in senior linebacker Reshawn Hooker (6-2, 210), who has 14 scholarship offers already after a first-team all-San Andreas League season at Arroyo Valley last year as a junior.

Upland wide receiver Kenny Lawler, Miller linebacker Reshawn Hooker and Colony athlete Bryan Harper were all named to Rivals.com's California top 100 when the website released its rankings Tuesday. Lawler was the highest ranked of the three at No. 32, as he is rated a four-star on Rivals. Lawler verbally committed to Arizona State in February but is considered a soft commitment to the Sun Devils as this point, as he is listening to offers from the likes of UCLA, Colorado, Nebraska, Washington, Oregon State, SMU and Arizona.

Hooker, a three-star linebacker, checks in at No. 49. He comes to Miller from Arroyo Valley High School, where he earned third-team All-Sun honors a year ago. Hooker currently has 11 offers from the likes of Arizona, Arizona State, Boise State, Colorado, Colorado State, Fresno State, Nevada, Purdue, San Jose State, UCLA and Washington State.

Harper, who transferred to Colony from Carter in the offseason, was ranked No. 94 by Rivals. The three-star athlete, who was a quarterback last year for the Lions, committed to Washington June 28 over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Colorado State, Montana and New Mexico State.

Miller two-sport athlete Jake Costantino signed with Lewis and Clark college in Portland, Ore. a couple weeks ago, according to a phone call from former Miller coach Jeff Strycula. Strycula said that Costantino will play both football and baseball at the college.

That very well could be the case tonight, as the Fontana Unified School District school board will meet in a closed-door session tonight to discuss the cutting of $8 million from the district's budget. That could include the entire athletic department, as stated in Referendum E.

"Suspension of All Athletic Programs (Ref. E).
This item is for consideration by the Board of Education to take action to suspend all Athletic Programs and eliminate the Athletic Directors ..."

I'm no economist and I won't pretend to have the slightest idea of all of the factors that presently has FUSD drowning in red tape. And I definitely am not going to advocate the resumption of athletics in FUSD sports at the expense of other extracurricular programs or teacher jobs. But it would just be an absolute shame if athletics were taken out as a response to the budget crisis.

Athletics are not only a fun extra-curricular activity, but a source of pride for the community and a diversion for the athletes from negative outside influences. They also provide a form of academic support, as an athlete has to make certain grades to be able to play athletics. It would be sad to see hundreds of students be deprived of that outlet. And it would stink as a sportswriter to miss out on the Summit football and basketball programs, the Kaiser football program, the Fontana boys soccer team, the Miller football program and see the development of Jurupa Hills cut off at the knees.

I'm not sure what is going to happen. But this could drastically change the landscape of Inland Empire and Southern California athletics permanently.

Arroyo Valley football coach Marcus Soward will be the next head coach at Miller pending approval at Wednesday's Fontana Unified School District board meeting, Soward said this afternoon.

"I accepted the job about a week ago," Soward said. "I've always had a dream of coaching in the CBL, having gone to Eisenhower High School, and this was the right time and right opportunity to make that move. I knew I wanted to do this someday and Miller is a great place to do it at."

Soward replaces Jeff Strycula, who was removed from his job less than 24 hours before the Rebels' season finale with Redlands East Valley in mid-November. Soward has coached at San Bernardino and Arroyo Valley High Schools, compiling a 15-16 record during the last three seasons with the Hawks and guiding Arroyo Valley to the playoffs in 2009. He served as an assistant at Arroyo under Tony DiThomas as well. But that playoff appearance isn't the thing that Soward is proudest of at Arroyo Valley.

"We had a team GPA of 3.29 last year," Soward said. "I had some great kids, some hard-working kids at Arroyo Valley and I'm thankful for them. We'll have a meeting after everything is official and I'm sure some tears will be shed, because I'll miss those guys."

That being said, Soward is excited about the opportunity that Miller - which made the playoffs three consecutive years before being eliminated by a coin flip this past season - presents.

"We are just looking to bring the title back west," Soward said. "It's been at Redlands East Valley and Redlands for too long and this is where it belongs. And I think we can do it. I was very impressed by the adminstration and there have been some great players come through here like (Green Bay Packers) linebacker Nick Barnett. I'm ready to go."

Miller sprinter Davonte Stewart will sign a letter of intent to run at USC at Friday at noon at Miller High School after committing to the Trojans last week according to Miller athletic director John Romagnoli. Stewart burst onto the scene during the track postseason last spring, winning both the 100 and 200-meter dashes at the CIF-SS championships and finishing second at the state meet in the 200.

Miller also saw quarterback Eric Shufford sign with Weber State last week. Shufford ran and passed for over 1,000 yards this past season in helping the Rebels tie for second place in the Citrus Belt League.

After flying the job through the district, Miller High School opened up the search for its next head football coach to out-of-district candidates Tuesday to what athletic director John Romagnoli described as a lot of interest.

"We have calls and resumes coming in from all over," Romagnoli said. "It's been a pretty hectic response. In-state, out-of-state, high school, college. We have a lot of people interested in this job and for good reason. We have a new stadium and a lot of talent."

The position opened up in a bizarre manner November 10, as Jeff Strycula was removed less than 24 hours before the Rebels played Redlands East Valley in their season finale with the league title on the line as a reaction to a hazing incident involving several players. Miller was coached by Mike Farnam, who is Miller's head track coach, in the game, which it lost 21-7 to eliminate it from the playoffs.

As far as Strycula's replacement, Romagnoli said that the ad for the position would be posted until next Wednesday, with finalists and interviews being chosen and given shortly after the posting closes.

"There were a lot of loose ends that had to be tied before we opened the job," Romagnoli said. "I made it my duty right after we got back from winter break to get this process going and we'll work hard to get a new football coach in here."

A huge game for the Miller football program took a turn for the bizarre Wednesday night, as Rebel head coach Jeff Strycula was removed from his position via a phone call as a response to an apparent hazing incident involving three of his players.

Those players - quarterback Eric Shufford, defensive end Sean Chaidez and linebacker Jamal Wilson - were held out of the first quarter of Miller's 21-7 loss to Redlands East Valley Thursday night. Details of the incident have yet to be released, but the punishment that Strycula received for it was far more severe.

"I got a call at 10:35 Wednesday night from the principal (Heather Griggs) telling me I was fired," Strycula said. "I've been an absolute wreck. I went to the hospital last night because I was vomiting, dry-heaving, had high blood pressure, wasn't eating. This whole thing has just taken a toll on me and my family. I think it's weird that the players involved were held out a quarter while I was removed from my job."

Miller was in a win-or-go-home situation against REV, as a win would have given them a Citrus Belt League title while the loss eliminated them from playoff consideration. Assistant coach Mike Farnam, who has worked alongside Strycula both at Miller and at Fontana High School, was made the interim football coach Wednesday night and was given the uneviable task of trying to deal with the chaos.

"You wouldn't have known what the kids were going through based on the way they played, because they played their hearts out, but last night was stressful," Farnam said. "There were several different rumors going around and it seemed like everyone had heard something else. To deal with that before a game was terrible. It was one of the worst things I've ever had to go through because of my friendship with Jeff and my love for these kids."

It's a situation that might not be completely resolved either. Rumors have surfaced that Strycula wasn't fired and that his removal from the proceedings Wednesday - he was banned from being at the school in any capacity Thursday - was more a suspension than a firing. Neither Griggs nor Miller athletic director John Romagnoli were available for comment Friday. Strycula is treating it as a firing.

"I was told that I was being relieved from my duties as football coach Wednesday night and could not return to school until Monday," said Strycula, a physical education teacher at Miller. "I haven't heard anything since then, so I'm assuming that I'm not the Miller football coach.

"I really don't know if I can even come to work Monday. The stress has already hospitalized me once and I just don't know if I can deal with teachers and students asking me about what happened and why I'm not the coach. I feel the worst for the kids and their families - I had a good group of kids and had a great time coaching them this year."

The incident which set in motion this chain of events, which neither Strycula or Farnam would divulge details of due to Fontana Unified School District policy, is the second hazing incident that the Miller program has dealt with in just over a year, as several players were disciplined in 2009 for an incident that was labeled hazing.

While the past 48 hours have been hard on Strycula, there was a glimmer of positivity for his family. His oldest son Andrew, a senior tight end at Redlands East Valley, caught a 21-yard touchdown pass for the game's final score Thursday, something that Strycula believes that REV coach Kurt Bruich made a point to do.

"I feel that Kurt planned that," Strycula said. "We've been friends for a long time and I had talked to him on Thursday before the game and I'm very happy that Andrew was able to get that opportunity. He's a good kid who has really had a hard time with this whole situation and I'm glad he was able to have that moment, though I would have loved to have had a chance to shake his hand and tell him 'good game' on the field after the game."

Redlands East Valley (8-2, 5-0) defeated Miller 21-7 tonight to win its second straight CBL title. The Rebels (5-5, 3-2), who could have gotten first with a victory, were eliminated from the playoffs outright, as they lost a three-way coin flip between Redlands - which defeated Fontana 45-0 - and Yucaipa, which took out Eisenhower 51-13. Redlands (7-2-1, 3-2) will get the second seed out of the league while the Thunderbirds (6-4, 3-2) will be the No. 3 team.

Doing this a day earlier than normal, as several county teams are pulling a Conference USA and playing on a Wednesday. Only dropped five games last week, which is tied with my high performance of the season to date. We'll see if I get any smarter this week.

Redlands East Valley at Miller
With Miller's upset at Redlands last week, this game is now for the Citrus Belt League title. These teams have played classics the last three years, with each game going down to the final minute. If the good Miller shows up and stays for a while, this game could very well be the same. I'll be out to see this game Thursday and I expect a close game that goes to be more even-tempered team - which is REV.
Redlands East Valley 21, Miller 14

Upland at Los Osos
The tide in this series turned in 2008, when Upland smacked down the Grizzlies in the CIF semifinals to end a sizable losing streak to Los Osos. The Highlanders have added two more wins since, including a CIF championship win last December. A Los Osos win would put the Baseline on tilt, as Upland, Los Osos and Etiwanda would have to flip for two spots behind Rancho Cucamonga. An Upland win would make things nice and easy. We like nice and easy.
Upland 28, Los Osos 24

Ridgecrest Burroughs at Victor Valley
It very well could be feast or famine for the Jackrabbits. If they defeat Burroughs at home, Victor Valley will be the Desert Sky League champions and the No. 1 seed out of the league going into the playoffs. A loss could send them into a three-way tie for second with Silverado and Granite Hills and a resulting coin flip. While Victor Valley is in good shape for the at-large, it wouldn't mind not going down that road. But it might have to, as I see Burroughs winning.
Burroughs 30, Victor Valley 17

Carter at Arroyo Valley
The SAL is nice and simple, as the top three playoff spots are set with seeding locked in and this game settling the No. 4 spot. Carter is extremely close to being undefeated, losing to Cajon and San G by one score and Colton in overtime. Arroyo Valley, meanwhile, wasn't really close in any of its games against the Big 3. While the transitive property is dangerous to use to predict games, I feel as if Carter is a bit more equipped for this game.
Carter 21, Arroyo Valley 13

Summit at Norte Vista
The SkyHawks gave Kaiser all it could handle last week, actually having the top-ranked Cats behind in the fourth quarter before relenting and losing 19-7. Now can Summit shake off a possible letdown and get its first second-place finish in league? Norte Vista is physical and will try to pound the Cats. A first-round home playoff game is at stake, which should be enough for Summit to overcome any thoughts of regret from last week.
Summit 28, Norte Vista 22

Apple Valley at Oak Hills
Another game between teams jostling for seeding happens in the Mojave River League, as Oak Hills wants to cement its first season in league with a solid second-place finish. Apple Valley has been erratic at times, struggling to put away Sultana last week to clinch the playoff spot. The Bulldogs piledrove Hesperia last week and should take care of the Sun Devils this week.
Oak Hills 27, Apple Valley 14

Big Bear at Twentynine Palms
This is another league-title showdown, as the Wildcats will try to capture their fourth straight De Anza title by beating the Bears on their home turf. I expect this game to be a dandy, as the Bears' option attack is being executed in tip-top form with junior quarterback Zakk Planz while the Wildcats have profited from the bruising running of fullback Chris Fuifui. However, I like the Bears here in a mild upset.
Big Bear 24, Twentynine Palms 22

Ontario at Colony
I could write a dissertation on the Mt. Baldy League playoff situation and still not explain it correctly. However, I'm going to defer to my colleague Clay Fowler on this, as I would probably turn myself crosseyed trying to explain how a five-way tie at 2-4 for two playoff spots (which is mathematically possible) could work. This game could contribute to that chaos, as Ontario is one of four teams at 2-3 playing a Colony team that has its spot already set. Colony could be nice, let the Jaguars win and save us all from grief, but it won't.
Colony 34, Ontario 14

Ayala at Chino Hills
This battle of Chino Hills typically has huge implications riding on it but really doesn't this year, at least for Ayala, as the Bulldogs are long since eliminated from the playoffs. Chino Hills could still sneak out with a Sierra League title, as South Hills' upset of Claremont last week opened up that door just a tad. The Huskies still need Claremont to lose to Damien for a league title to happen, but they'll do their part tonight.
Chino Hills 38, Ayala 6

Ontario Christian at Arrowhead Christian
With only two teams automatically making the playoffs out of the Ambassador League, Ontario Christian is in a precarious spot. Aquinas and Linfield Christian have the two spots locked up, which leaves the 3-6 Knights, who made the East Valley finals a year ago, scrambling for an at-large. How does this game with ACA factor in? Well, a few style points wouldn't hurt, so I expect Ontario Christian to put a hurting on the Eagles and hope for the best on Sunday.
Ontario Christian 44, ACA 10

Other games of note
Aquinas 48, Western Christian 14
Rancho Cucamonga 38, Glendora 13
Etiwanda 65, Alta Loma 7
Redlands 49, Fontana 6
Yucaipa 38, Eisenhower 10
Yucca Valley 45, Shadow Hills 0
Silverado 28, Barstow 6
Serrano 42, Hesperia 0
Chino 49, Don Lugo 20
Montclair 26, Chaffey 22
Rim of the World 56, Jurupa Hills 12
Riverside Notre Dame 45, Citrus Valley 9
Colton 28, Rialto 7
San Gorgonio 62, Pacific 14
Cajon 55, San Bernardino 12
Kaiser 43, Bloomington 6
Granite Hills 16, Sultana 6

Last week: 26-5
Overall: 226-78-3

As per tradition on this blog, the last week brings my team-by-team playoff breakdown. We'll start in the Citrus Belt League, which turned into a clusterbomb last week with Miller's upset of Redlands.

1. Redlands East Valley (7-2, 4-0): Have clinched playoff spot. Will win an undisputed league title and get the No. 1 seed with a win Thursday over Miller. A loss to the Rebels puts REV in the No. 2 spot by virtue of losing the head-to-head tiebreaker.

2. Miller (5-4, 3-1): Can clinch a playoff spot and the No. 1 seed with a win Thursday over REV. If the Rebels lose, they need either Redlands or Yucaipa to lose to avoid a coin-flip. A Redlands win over Fontana and Yucaipa loss against Eisenhower gives Miller the No. 2 seed because Miller owns the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Terriers. A Yucaipa win and a Redlands loss gives Miller the No. 3 seed, as Yucaipa owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. If Miller loses and Redlands and Yucaipa win, a three-way coin flip for two spots happens because each team is 1-1 against the other two (Miller beat Redlands, Redlands beat Yucaipa, Yucaipa beat Miller).

3. Redlands (6-2-1, 2-2): A win and a Miller win clinches a playoff spot for the Terriers no matter what Yucaipa does, as they own the head-to-head tiebreaker with Yucaipa. A a Yucaipa loss also clinches a playoff spot even if Redlands loses due to the head to head tiebreaker. A win, a Yucaipa win and a Miller loss causes the three-way coinflip for two spots. A loss and a Yucaipa win eliminates the Terriers, as there is no at-large playoff spot in the Inland Division.

4. Yucaipa (5-4, 2-2): Yucaipa gets into the playoffs with a win and a Redlands loss. A win, a Redlands loss and a Miller loss would give the Thunderbirds the No. 2 seed because Yucaipa owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Miller. A win, a Miller loss and a Redlands win causes a three-way flip for two spots. A win, a Miller win and a Redlands win eliminates the T-Birds, as they lose the head-to-head with Redlands. A loss in any scenario eliminates Yucaipa.

5. Eisenhower (1-8, 1-3): Eliminated from playoff competition. Could force a three-way tie for third with Redlands and Yucaipa if it beats Yucaipa and Redlands loses, but would lose the tiebreaker to Redlands.

6. Fontana (0-9, 0-4): Eliminated from playoff competition.

Big one in Fontana tomorrow heads off this slate. A little better performance last week, only missing two of the featured games, so we'll see if we can't tighten that up a bit more.

Summit at Kaiser
As I was evaluating this game, I suddenly wondered about what would happen if Kaiser had to play in a close game. The Cats have been drilling people - which is why they are No. 1 in the Sun, Daily Bulletin and Eastern Division polls - typically playing a half of football. Odds are that Summit, with Devon Blackmon and Montigo Alford, will test Kaiser like it hasn't been tested before. But I think the Cats will pass that test and continue their special season.
Kaiser 30, Summit 18

Rancho Cucamonga at Etiwanda
The Cougars came up with a big win last week, defeating Upland, but they can't afford to relax against a tricky Etiwanda squad. With QB Larry Cutbirth and RB Marcus Mason, the Eagles could have the most versatile and explosive offense in the county. But their defense gives up points almost as quickly as their offense scores them. Rancho will be tested tonight, but will make enough big plays to win another shootout.
Rancho Cucamonga 42, Etiwanda 34

Miller at Redlands
Last week's unexpected loss to Yucaipa puts Miller in desperation mode coming into this game, as they need to win at least one of the next two against the Redlands schools to have a shot at the playoffs. That's easier said than done though. Theoretically this looks to be the easiest of the two, but it's not that easy. Redlands has bounced back nicely from the REV heartbreaker and will continue to do so.
Redlands 27, Miller 13

Colton at San Gorgonio
Since both of these teams have already lost to Cajon, this matchup between 4-1 SAL teams is more for second place barring any slipups by the first-place Cowboys. San G has caught fire in league play, winning four in a row to jump into the playoff conversation. Colton has been up and down offensively, but their defense should have enough oomph to come through in this one.
Colton 21, San Gorgonio 14

Chino Hills at Charter Oak
The last time the Huskies went on the road against a Sierra newcomer, they fell in a classic to Claremont. Charter Oak has the talent and the coaching to give the Huskies problems, but the Chino Hills offense has caught fire after a tough start to the season. Expect Chino Hills to overpower Charter Oak just enough offensively for its defense to bring it home late.
Chino Hills 28, Charter Oak 14

Ridgecrest Burroughs at Silverado
This matchup between the Desert Sky League favorites was complicated a bit by Silverado's surprising loss to Granite Hills a couple weeks ago, as the Hawks are not only playing to get another DSL title, but to stay alive in the playoff hunt. Burroughs is in a bit easier position with a loss, but I don't think they'll have to sweat it out at all. The Burros will win and give Silverado some sleepless nights going into the finale.
Burroughs 27, Silverado 14

Twentynine Palms at Yucca Valley
The premier game in the Morongo Valley has some major implications, as Yucca's upset victory over Desert Hot Springs last week has them in position to get a league title with a win over three-time defending champion Twentynine Palms. A win assures the Wildcats at least a share of the De Anza title and sets up another showdown next week with Big Bear. I think this game will be low-scoring and nasty, with 29 winning again.
Twentynine Palms 19, Yucca Valley 13

Yucaipa at Redlands East Valley
The Thunderbirds have been a nice story in the CBL, taking to new coach Justin Price wonderfully in a 5-3 start that saw a big victory at Miller last week. Pulling off another road win against REV would really put the rest of the league, and the county, on its ear. This isn't the most explosive REV team, but its a solid group that should be able to repel the T-Birds, especially with QB Dylan Malone shaken up a bit.

Carter at Cajon
This isn't a game for the first-place Cowboys to sleep on, as Carter is a couple of plays away from being undefeated as well. Can Carter, which lost to Colton in overtime and San G by two points, get a signature victory? They can, but I don't think they will. Cajon is being Cajon, struggling early but finding its stride in league play. Think the Cowboys have a bit too much.
Cajon 24, Carter 17

Riverside Notre Dame at Rim of the World
With first-place Rubidoux having already dispatched these two teams, this matchup is for second place in the Mountain Valley League. Considering that only two teams per league get guaranteed playoff berths, that makes this game big. It's been a tough year for the Fighting Scots, though the reinsertion of Dillon Pretzinger in the offense has helped considerably. I'll take the home team in a coin-flip game.
Rim of the World 26, Notre Dame 23

Other games of note:
Aquinas 48, Arrowhead Christian 0
Ontario Christian 35, Calvary Murrieta 0
Linfield Christian 30, Western Christian 14
Los Osos 45, Alta Loma 7
Upland 34, Glendora 17
Fontana 20, Eisenhower 10
Big Bear 42, Desert Mirage 6
Victor Valley 15, Granite Hills 13
Serrano 28, Barstow 0
Oak Hills 34, Hesperia 6
Apple Valley 35, Sultana 17
Rubidoux 38, Citrus Valley 7
Banning 45, Jurupa Hills 13
Chino 48, Ontario 10
Colony 30, Montclair 10
Garey 38, Chaffey 19
Arroyo Valley 41, San Bernardino 16
Rialto 40, Pacific 9
Riverside Christian 24, Bloomington Christian 12
Damien 23, Ayala 17
Bloomington 33, Jurupa Valley 13

Last week: 25-7
Overall: 200-73-3

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

I guess I'm a little slow - which Victor Valley fans would agree with after I incorrectly picked against the Jackrabbits in the Bell Game - but I seem to be stuck in a rut of mediocre prognosticating.

Chino Hills at Redlands East Valley
The first step of REV's Bataan Death March-like four-game stretch went well, as the Wildcats subdued Orange Lutheran. It gets a bit harder this week, as the Wildcats play a Chino Hills team that's responded nicely after an upset loss to Corona Santiago. However, I'm not sure the Huskies are quite ready to come to Redlands and leave with a victory. The Wildcat defense will prevail here.
Redlands East Valley 19, Chino Hills 7

Arroyo Valley at Rialto
San Andreas League play gets going this week with several intriguing matchups, but when the season started, I don't think anyone would have identified this one as the most intriguing. But thanks to Arroyo Valley's QB issues and Rialto's surprising 3-0 start, it has been. Michael Yearwood is questionable due to injury and the Knights have some mojo going. Rialto continues its surge.
Rialto 16, Arroyo Valley 10

Rancho Cucamonga at Redlands
The Terriers have proven themselves to be outstanding scrappers, outlasting Los Osos in triple OT and defeating Carlsbad La Costa Canyon without starting QB Jojo Hernandez. Rancho has been on a pretty big roll and seems to thrive on playing away from home (or Los Osos if you want to get technical) and should have enough to put away the Terriers.
Rancho Cucamonga 24, Redlands 16

Kaiser at Palm Desert
The cliche' "the irresistible force against the immovable object" may be annoying, but it is completely appropriate here. The Kaiser defense has been completely dominant, allowing a garbage-time TD to Barstow in its opener and that's it. Meanwhile, Palm Desert's defense has put 113 points up the last two weeks. In these cases, I almost always go defense, so that's what I'll do here.
Kaiser 28, Palm Desert 18

Carter at Colton
One team is undefeated going into this game and surprisingly, it isn't Colton. Carter has been stout on the defensive end, giving up only 28 points in its first three games. But then again, Bloomington was cruising last week before getting backhanded 42-6 by the Yellowjackets. I expect the Lions to go through the same thing, though not nearly as savagely. Colton is awake and aware.
Colton 36, Carter 13

Silverado at Summit
The bye week couldn't have come at a more opportune time for the SkyHawks, who got an extra week to rest up Devon Blackmon's ankle and separate RB Montigo Alford further from a Week 0 concussion. I expect both players to play and be effective against Silverado, which will fight valiantly but doesn't quite have the big guns to pull the upset.
Summit 27, Silverado 17

Chaffey at Chino
This game looked like a dud before the season, but Chino's resurgence has made it pretty interesting. This will be the Cowboys' first Mt. Baldy League game since moving over and they'll try to exploit a struggling Chaffey squad with explosive senior Promise Amadi. I promise that it will be successful, as Chino moves to 4-0.
Chino 28, Chaffey 20

Big Bear at Rim of the World
This should be a fun one. For years I've wondered why this matchup didn't happen, so now that it's here, I expect it to be pretty fun. The Bears have been gashing people with their triple-option offense behind a stout offensive line, while Rim of the World has scuffled due to an injury bug that has taken out RB Dillon Pretzinger. However, I'm going with the home team to show a little something in this one.
Rim of the World 24, Big Bear 22

Miller at Oak Hills
Miller's nonleague gauntlet comes to a merciful end, as they play an Oak Hills team that, while good, isn't in the league of an Upland or a Carson at this point. The Bulldogs will be hungry in this game though, as they failed their first test of the season against a big school from down the hill, falling to Rialto. This should be a good one, but I think Miller is due to pull one of these close ones out.
Miller 27, Oak Hills 21

Riverside Notre Dame at Aquinas
The Holy War is always one of the more spirited rivalries in the area, as the IE's top two parochial schools face off. The Falcons have been impressive, especially defensively, since losing their season opener to Desert Hot Springs. I expect this to be a physical, ground-oriented, low-scoring game and am going with the home team.
Aquinas 19, Notre Dame 16

Other games of note:
Cajon 25, San Gorgonio 14
San Bernardino 35, Pacific 18
Colony 33, Don Lugo 13
Garey 26, Montclair 14
Granite Hills 24, Alta Loma 7
Yucaipa 38, Beaumont 20
Bloomington 28, Fontana 14
Ontario Christian 24, Cerritos Valley Christian 20
Temecula Great Oak 37, Eisenhower 6
Arrowhead Christian 30, Irvine Crean Lutheran South 12
Jurupa Valley 26, Hesperia 20
Claremont 42, Ontario 13
Serrano 28, Santa Clarita Golden Valley 13
Ayala 31, Santa Fe Springs St. Paul 24
Victor Valley 36, Sultana 10
Palm Springs 35, Twentynine Palms 9
Upland 23, Los Angeles Loyola 17
Rubidoux 21, Western Christian 17
Apple Valley 34, Indio 14
Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 30, Bloomington Christian 14

Last week: 26-10
Overall: 86-38-3

Did virtually the same this past week as I did the week before. I blame the Mt. Baldy League. I think i'm 2 for 20 on Mt. Baldy predictions.

Redlands East Valley at Orange Lutheran
It's always fun to see county powers go against the elite from other parts of the Southland. REV pulled a fast one on O-Lu last year, scoring two touchdowns in the final minute to pull the shocker. I'm not sure how many players on either team remember it, as both teams have a ton of new starters. It should be a great game though. I expect REV to pull another one out.
Redlands East Valley 17, Orange Lutheran 13

Norco at Upland
Another meeting of the powers, as the No. 3 team in the Inland Division hosts the No. 4 one. It should be an outstanding matchup, as Norco has taken to its new-found spread offense like a duck to water, scoring 74 points in two games, while Upland's new-look defense seems to get better every week. There should be some scoring in this game, as Norco's D will give up points. I think Upland is a bit more experience.
Upland 28, Norco 27

Cajon at Kaiser
Kaiser has been flying under the radar thus far this year, but it won't for year much longer, as the Cats have been straight filthy on defense thus far, giving up six points in two games. Cajon has been uneven, getting worked by Claremont before destroying Eisenhower, but had its bye week last week to work out some kinks. I expect the Cowboys to be competitive, but I'm really liking Kaiser right now.
Kaiser 24, Cajon 9

Victor Valley at Apple Valley
The Bell Game is one of the most hotly-contested games in the High Desert and, recently, one of the most thrilling. The last two meetings between the Jackrabbits and Sun Devils have been decided by a combined four points, with Victor Valley winning by 3 last year and Apple Valley pulling out a one-point win in 2008. I'm heading up there and I'm expecting much of the same, with the host Sun Devils pulling it out late.
Apple Valley 26, Victor Valley 24

Miller at Etiwanda
These teams are a combined 1-5, so why am I featuring this game? Because these teams are a lot better than their record gives them credit for. Etiwanda's three-game stretch of Summit, Vista Murrieta and Norco may be the toughest in the Southland, while Miller hasn't exactly had a picnic with Upland and Carson. Having seen both of these teams in person, it's a coin flip, but I think Miller's D is a little bit better. But not much.
Miller 33, Etiwanda 29

Charter Oak at Rancho Cucamonga
This has been a hard-fought game the last two years and I don't see why it would be any different this year. Charter Oak has equipped itself admirably in the Inland Division thus far, going 2-1, while Rancho Cucamonga is perfect despite having to spend its first three games on the road. It is the first "home" game for Rancho - who doesn't play on campus - and I expect it'll show up well.
Rancho Cucamonga 27, Charter Oak 17

Bloomington at Colton
Although they reside in the same school district, these two teams don't play very often. This could be a surprisingly good game, as Bloomington has looked pretty good in going 2-0 while Colton sputtered quite a bit last week in a 14-3 loss to La Quinta. But I think Colton will be just fine in the home opener, overpowering the Bruins in the second half.
Colton 30, Bloomington 14

San Gorgonio at Yucaipa
This should be a pretty solid game, as both of these teams are in a bit of purgatory. The Spartans are 0-2, but they've had to play Rancho Verde and REV, so its hard to really have a true handle on them. Yucaipa stomped Canyon Springs, only to be stomped by Rancho Verde. I hate using the transitive scores property, but San G was a lot more competitive against Rancho Verde than Yucaipa was. I'll go with that.
San Gorgonio 31, Yucaipa 26

Redlands at Carlsbad La Costa Canyon
The Terriers played arguably the game of the year last week against Los Osos, gutting through a triple-overtime victory against the Grizzlies despite losing their quarterback Jojo Hernandez. I would imagine that Redlands is going to rest Hernandez for this one, which will be a tough one, as La Costa Canyon can ball. I'll go with the home team.
La Costa Canyon 23, Redlands 10

Granite Hills at Rialto
It might be time to start getting on the Knights' bandwagon. Rialto has won three in a row dating pack to last year, including an impressive 28-14 victory at a tough Oak Hills team last week. Granite Hills has been up and down this season and should be an opponent that Rialto can use to build momentum. Look for four in a row from the No. 5 team in the Central Division polls.
Rialto 26, Granite Hills 12

Other games of note:
Diamond Ranch 33, Chaffey 10
Aquinas 35, Shadow Hills 13
Arroyo Valley 28, Eisenhower 7
Ayala 31, Los Altos 20
Twentynine Palms 19, Banning 14
Quartz Hill 27, Barstow 12
Big Bear 37, Western Christian 20
Rim of the World 18, Bishop 14
Bloomington Christian 23, Arrowhead Christian 9
Yucca Valley 24, Calexico 16
Chino 30, Covina Northview 14
Murrieta Mesa 28, Citrus Valley 24
City of Industry Workman 23, Montclair 17
Colony 33, Alta Loma 14
Desert Hot Springs 45, Jurupa Hills 6
Don Lugo 24, Oak Park 14
Fontana 28, San Bernardino 21
Palm Desert 49, Hesperia 13
Ontario Christian 27, Jurupa Valley 22
Oak Hills 29, Lancaster 13
Vista Murrieta 38, Los Osos 16
Carter 27, Norte Vista 23
Chino Hills 31, Pomona 15
Serrano 34, Palmdale Highland 7
Sultana 27, Pacific 20
Silverado 21, Valencia West Ranch 18

Last week: 24-9-1
Overall: 60-28-3

I did better last week than in Week 0, but I'm still only batting at a 2 out of 3 clip. And this isn't baseball, so that isn't good.

Serrano at Upland
The game of the week, which will be covered by Louis Brewster. Clay Fowler and I were nice to let Lou have this game, because it should be a doozy. The Upland offense looked really good last week against Tustin and will be a challenge for the Serrano D, while running back Taylor Ruize is running wild for Serrano. The Diamondbacks have played Upland tough in the past and will play them tough again, but I gotta stick with the old No. 1 here.
Upland 24, Serrano 19

Los Osos at Redlands
Another entertaining nonleague tilt for Baseline League fans. The Grizzlies have looked good in wins over Colony and Riverside North, while Redlands has scuffled a bit in beating Great Oak and tying a shorthanded Summit team. I have to believe the Terriers will be a little more focused in this game. A win at Los Osos jumpstarted things for Redlands this year and I expect that pattern to hold true again.
Redlands 20, Los Osos 14

San Gorgonio at Redlands East Valley
This is where I'm headed in about an hour, as the Spartans and Wildcats resume their battle for Highland and other unincorporated town. Lost in REV's 56-10 beatdown of San G last year was the fact that the game was actually close, 14-10, for much of the first half. San G also played Rancho Verde tough last week and is improving, but they have a while to get on REV's level.
Redlands East Valley 28, San Gorgonio 9

Arroyo Valley at Miller
While neither of these teams has a win, both have looked good in spurts. It's still unknown whether Arroyo Valley QB Michael Yearwood will have his paperwork done in time for him to be cleared to play, but even with Yearwood, the Hawks will have a tough time against a Miller team that was very tough against Miller and Carson. Picking the Rebels to break through here.
Miller 28, Arroyo Valley 17

Colton at La Quinta
As far as coaching debuts go, it doesn't get much better than what Rick Bray did last weekend at Chaffey, as he led the Yellowjackets to a 55-8 victory. La Quinta will be a tougher test than the Tigers were, but this Colton team has the look of something special. The Yellowjackets traditionally play well in the Low Desert and there's nothing out there to suggest they won't tomorrow.
Colton 30, La Quinta 16

Kaiser at Riverside North
There aren't many programs in this area that can claim superiority over the Cats, who are consistently in the hunt. However, they are playing one of them. North has had Kaiser's number, winning six times over the Cats in the last four years. Usually I hate to bet against streaks but I have a good feeling about this Kaiser group. I'm expecting the streak to end in a doozy.
Kaiser 20, North 18

Rancho Cucamonga at San Dimas
The Cougars love the road apparently, as this is their third road trip in as many weeks. Rancho has looked great in its first two, winning decisively against Silverado and Great Oak and should be battle-tested enough to handle the Saints. San Dimas is a defending CIF champion, but the disparity in CIF divisions will be evident here.
Rancho Cucamonga 38, San Dimas 16

Granite Hills at Apple Valley
The Cougars put this crosstown rivalry on its ear last year, defeating Apple Valley in a thriller. After a win against Hesperia last week, a repeat of that victory could have Granite off and running and a threat in a wide-open Desert Sky League. A young Apple Valley team will be made well aware of its loss last year and will get revenge for it in another classic.
Apple Valley 24, Granite Hills 21

Silverado at Carter
The first two weeks haven't gone well for the Hawks, as they've been outscored 64-17. Of course, playing Rancho Cucamonga and Serrano will tend to make you look worse than you are. Carter rolled in its opener, clocking Alta Loma 51-7, but Silverado is a much tougher animal. And I expect the Hawks to be clicking a lot better offensively this week.
Silverado 24, Carter 18

Rancho Santa Margarita Tesoro at Chino Hills
The highly-regarded Huskies had a pretty big hiccup last week, losing 24-12 to a good-but-not-great Santiago team. Now they'll have their hands full with a Tesoro team that's one of the toughest in Southern California. This would be a big win for Chino Hills, but I don't think it has the guns to stick with Tesoro.
Tesoro 27, Chino Hills 14.

Other games of note:

Colony 20, Los Angeles Garfield 16
Ayala 34, Alta Loma 3
Chino 23, Oak Park 20
Aquinas 21, San Pedro Mary Star of the Sea 14
Bloomington 31, Eisenhower 14
Bloomington Christian 22, Calvary Murrieta 15
Damien 20, Chaffey 14
Don Lugo 24, Diamond Bar 17
Victor Valley 41, Hesperia 13
Citrus Valley 55, Indio Shadow Hills 6
La Puente Nogales 28, Ontario 12
Santa Ana Saddleback 19, Montclair 12
Norco 43, Etiwanda 20
Rubidoux 24, Pacific 22
Palm Desert 38, San Bernardino 19
Paraclete 26, Barstow 14
Oak Hills 30, Rialto 10
Rim of the World 42, Jurupa Valley 14
Silver Valley 20, Jurupa Hills 6
Sultana 24, Yucca Valley 13
Summit 43, Fontana 15
Bishop 24, Western Christian 10
Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 27, Yucaipa 13
Big Bear 36, Arrowhead Christian 12

Last week: 24-10-1
Overall: 36-19-2

Week 0 went tragically for me, as I barely won more games than I lost. Time for redemption.

Redlands at Summit
Should be a heck of a game, as an explosive Summit offense that went off for 42 points last week goes against a Redlands defense that forced eight turnovers in its opener. Devon Blackmon (who donned a UCLA cap after last week's game for you recruitniks) rolled his ankle and may be slowed a bit in this one. I think you'll see Redlands' offense catch up to its defense and pull this out.
Redlands 27, Summit 23

Colton at Chaffey
If you like hard-nosed, smash-mouth football where the forward pass is dismissed as the work of nancy boys, then you'll love this game. Both of these teams are devastatingly effective in the double-wing offense and if you see more than 10 passes combined in this game, it'll be a shock. This marks the debut of new Colton coach Rick Bray and even though Chaffey has a game in hand, Colton will emerge.
Colton 28, Chaffey 16

Palm Springs at Arroyo Valley
The season opener for the Hawks will be a doozy, as Palm Springs is the defending CIF-SS Eastern Division champions and is the No. 1 ranked team in the Central Division. Michael Yearwood will make some plays for Arroyo Valley, but Palm Springs will likely be too much.
Palm Springs 30, Arroyo Valley 17

Silverado at Serrano
The Hawks are traditionally slow-starting, so last week's 42-7 loss to Rancho Cucamonga isn't necessarily a harbinger of doom for the season. But Silverado isn't going to get much in the way of relief against Serrano, the No. 1 team in the Eastern Division. I expect this rivalry game to go to the Diamondbacks for the fourth straight year.
Serrano 31, Silverado 12

Colony at Ayala
This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Bulldogs, but after a 35-13 victory over Don Lugo, maybe expectations need to be recalibrated for Ayala. Colony suffered a tough loss to Los Osos last week, but expectations are still high for the Titans. I'll take Colony to win tonight's matchup.
Colony 24, Ayala 20

Miller at Carson
Another Thursday game and a game I'll be heading off to pretty soon. The Rebels equipped themselves nicely against Upland, having the defending Central champion Highlanders in a 9-9 fourth-quarter deadlock before Upland pulled away with 12 quick points. Going to Carson and playing the Colts, who defeated Mater Dei last week, is too tough a task though.
Carson 38, Miller 13

Twentynine Palms at Aquinas
Aquinas has several scores to settle against Twentynine Palms, which has defeated the Falcons three times in the last two years, including a rout in the 2008 East Valley playoffs. I really don't see it changing this year. The Falcons will be fine in the Ambassador League, but they'll still feel the growing pains of a freshman QB in this one.
Twentynine Palms 26, Aquinas 17

Redlands East Valley at Clovis East
The Wildcats start off 2010 going through the scenic Central Valley to play a traditionally tough Clovis East squad. Typically you would pick against the team having to take the 4-plus-hour bus ride, but REV seems to excel in tough road situations such as this. I'm taking REV.
Redlands East Valley 21, Clovis East 17

Barstow at Kaiser
This should be another game where the forward pass will be used rarely, as both of these teams trend toward the smashmouth persona. The Aztecs got smashed at home last week against Apple Valley and I think they are a little too young and inexperienced to really test Kaiser right now.
Kaiser 30, Barstow 10

Tustin at Upland
The Highlanders struggled a bit with Miller last week, as their new-look defense gave up some serious passing yards to Rebel quarterback Eric Shufford. Tustin is typically a pretty tough team from Orange County and will give Upland a tussle, but I'm still going with the champs.
Upland 24, Tustin 20

Other games of note:
Don Lugo 26, Ontario Christian 21
Arrowhead Christian 12, Webb 6
Carter 28, Alta Loma 17
Rancho Cucamonga 28, Temecula Great Oak 13
Los Osos 27, Riverside North 20
Vista Murrieta 35, Etiwanda 14
Cajon 45, Eisenhower 20
Fontana 20, Littlerock 14
Yucaipa 21, Canyon Springs 16
Arcadia Rio Hondo Prep 20, Big Bear 17
Coachella Valley 30, Yucca Valley 14
Granite Hills 24, Hesperia 14
Rim of the World 33, Victor Valley 13
Oak Hills 28, Desert Hot Springs 15
Palm Desert 34, Apple Valley 19
San Bernardino 25, Sultana 23
Pomona 35, Montclair 12
Whittier 21, Chino 14
Rubidoux 30, Ontario 20
Bloomington 24, Banning 17
Citrus Valley 28, Burbank Bell-Jeff 20
Jurupa Hills 9, Calabasas Viewpoint 6
Pacific 19, Jurupa Valley 12
Rancho Verde 38, San Gorgonio 16
Chino Hills 31, Corona Santiago 20

Last week: 12-9-1
Overall: 12-9-1

A new wrinkle we added this year, the preseason all-area team wasn't very easy to put together. But I'm sure these guys will make me look somewhat smart.

OFFENSE
QB - Thomas Carter, Sr., Cajon
RB - Dillon Pretzinger, Sr., Rim of the World
RB - Jeremiah Armstead, Sr., Oak Hills
RB - Tyler Ervin, Sr., Colton
WR - Paul Pitts, Sr., Los Osos
WR - Angel Rivera, Sr., Arroyo Valley
TE - Rodney Hardrick, Sr., Colton
OL - Jamal Prater, Sr., Etiwanda
OL - Jordan Smith, Sr., Redlands
OL - Hector Sotelo, Sr., Serrano
OL - Gary Dixon, Sr., Summit
OL - Jesus Cortez, Sr., Chaffey
Util - Devon Blackmon, Sr., Summit
K - Cody Madsen, Sr., Redlands East Valley

DEFENSE
DL - Ethan Hillyer, Sr., Serrano
DL - John Siliga, Sr., Redlands
DL - Devon Lewis, Sr., Redlands East Valley
DL - Kyle Jerkins, Sr., Apple Valley
LB - Devan Hussey, Sr., Colton
LB - Dennis Taylor, Sr., Kaiser
LB - Jamal Wilson, Sr., Miller
LB - Jimmy Musgrave, Sr., Silverado
DB - Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Sr., Chino Hills
DB - Josh Armstrong, Sr., Redlands East Valley
DB - Desman Carter, Sr., Kaiser
DB - Demontae Kazee, Jr., Cajon
Util - Sateki Finau, Sr., Rancho Cucamonga
P - Jake Van Ginkel, Sr., Upland

Still got a couple more teams to get to in previews, but luckily they don't play this week. There are several teams that do play, however, and several intriguing games, including a doozy tonight.

Etiwanda at Summit
This is where I'll be in T minus-3 hours, as the Baseline co-champion Eagles play a Summit team that might have more explosion than any team in the area. I'm interested in two things a) how creative Summit is in using Devon Blackmon and b) how the Etiwanda offense will look after losing Angel Santiago and Bobby Ratliff, among others. I think Summit will have a bit too much firepower.
Summit 27, Etiwanda 17

Rancho Cucamonga at Silverado
I was originally slated to be at this game tomorrow, but changes out of my control prevent that. And that's really too bad, because I was looking forward to seeing the Cougars in the High Desert. Silverado doesn't dodge anyone in the nonleague schedule, but injury issues to its offensive line will make it tough for its skill players to dodge the Rancho defenders.
Rancho Cucamonga 31, Silverado 16

Upland at Miller
The Baseline League is all over Week 0 apparently. This game was highly anticipated when it was played at Upland last year and turned out to be prophetic, as a CIF-champion Highlander team choked out a highly-touted Miller team that eventually ended up underachieving. The Rebels will want to turn the tables, but I don't think they'll be able to.
Upland 24, Miller 10

Cajon at Claremont
Another intriguing Sun/Bulletin crossover game, as both teams feel they are ready for a considerable leap. For Cajon, the feeling is that the Cowboys will have a team comparable to its 2008 SAL champion and Central semifinalist. For the Wolfpack, the change to the Sierra League and a new opportunity is something they are stoked about. I'll go with the team that's more used to success in this one.
Cajon 26, Claremont 20

Temecula Greak Oak at Redlands
This is where I was switched to tomorrow and, despite my regret about not seeing Rancho-Silverado, I'm not going to complain. Great Oak handled the Terriers 24-7 in the season opener last year, something that I'll bet Redlands coach Jim Walker is reminding his team about. I think the Terriers will come out hungry and push Great Oak around a bit.
Redlands 19, Great Oak 13

Los Osos at Colony
The Bechtel Bowl should be a fun one, as former Los Osos offensive coordinator Matt Bechtel will be making his debut as the Colony coach against his old team. It will be interesting to see how the Titans handle Bechtel's system in game one and how much the Grizzlies can reload from last year. Los Osos has never lost a season opener and I'm not betting against that streak.
Los Osos 28, Colony 21

Apple Valley at Barstow
Both of these teams aren't really sure what kind of hand they have, as graduation losses have ravaged them. The Sun Devils won their first playoff game in over two decades last season, giving them some momentum, while Barstow is always a tough out, especially at home. In a game filled with uncertainty, I will go with the safe pick and take the home team.
Barstow 17, Apple Valley 12

Silver Valley at Citrus Valley
After a year of waiting, the Blackhawks will finally play their first game in their swanky new, on-campus stadium. A manageable league and a returning roster have expectations high at Citrus Valley. Playing a feckless Silver Valley team will only make them higher. The Blackhawks will get their first home victory in their first home game.
Citrus Valley 56, Silver Valley 6

Paraclete at Serrano
Paraclete gave Serrano an early wake-up call a year ago, throttling the Diamondbacks' young offensive line in a 13-3 victory. Well, that offensive line isn't so young anymore, as four starters return from a team that went to the Eastern Division championship game. Add in the homefield advantage of Snowline Stadium and Serrano's season starts out nicely.
Serrano 27, Paraclete 9

Ayala at Don Lugo
Two teams that I really don't have a handle on go head-to-head in this game. Ayala has suffered heavy personnel losses in the past two years, going from being a Central quarterfinalist to a team that might struggle in the Sierra League. The Conquistadores lost some top-line talent last year in George Uko and Steven Bethley. Once again, I will go with the home team here.
Don Lugo 21, Ayala 16

Other games of interest:
Montclair 27, Ganesha 12
Chaffey 42, Alta Loma 6
Aquinas 24, Desert Hot Springs 13
Chino Hills 30, Lakewood Mayfair 14
Granite Hills 31, Lancaster Eastside 21
El Monte Arroyo 30, Ontario 10
Twentynine Palms 38, Xavier Prep 6
Moreno Valley 20, Rialto 14
Ridgecrest Burroughs 41, Hesperia 13
Ontario Christian 23, Whittier Christian 21
Yucca Valley 26, Rubidoux 17
Pasadena Maranatha 23, Big Bear 17

Jeff Strycula's first year at Miller was what you would call awkward. Hired in late May after spring football practice after Jeff Steinberg took the job at Corona Santiago, Strycula never felt comfortable with his veteran team, a team that had come off a Citrus Belt League title the year before.

"I never really felt that it was my team last year," Strycula said. "I came in late and I don't think there was much unity last year. I feel a lot comfortable right now - I feel like the program is completely in my control. I feel like there's more of a team concept this year, that everyone is on the same page."

Miller was up and down last year, losing its first three non-league games before running through four straight wins in Citrus Belt League and taking a 27-7 halftime lead over Rebels. The Rebels then ran out of gas, blowing the 20-point lead to the Terriers and two of their final three games.

This didn't make it into my MLB draft day 2 story. Thanks to colleague T.J. Berka for the info and quotes.

Miller High pitcher Cesar Aguilar was drafted in the 14th round by St. Louis.

"It feels good to be drafted. I've been looking forward to this for a long time," he said.
"I didn't really know when I'd be drafted, so I wasn't that worried about it. I figured I would be drafted, but I wasn't sure when."

"I've been dreaming of this since I was a little kid. Every time I went to a major league game or a minor league game, I imagined playing on the field."

He plans on signing Thursday and will leave Friday. He received a $60,000 signing bonus.

"It's not bad for an 18-year old kid in high school. I'll just save it, There's really nothing I need to buy right now," he said.

Other top county players to go in Day 2: REV LHP Griffin Murphy (Toronto, 2nd), Upland RHP Scott Frazier (Philadelphia, 5th), ex-REV RHP Tyler Shreve (Toronto, 10th), Rancho Cucamonga Austin Reed RHP (Chicago Cubs, 12th).

County qualifiers and top alternates for Friday's CIF-Masters Track Meet at Cerritos College in Norwalk.

BOYS
100 meters: Davonte Stewart, Miller. Alternate: Justin Harris, Upland.
200: Josh Mance, Don Lugo; Davonte Stewart, Miller
400: Josh Mance, Don Lugo; Laijon White, Rancho Cucamonga
3,200: Daniel Rosales, Apple Valley; Dustin Fay, Rim of the World
110 hurdles: Devon Blackmon, Summit; Jered Bell, Colony. Alternate: Demi Adegoke, Los Osos
300 hurdles: Darron Usher, Eisenhower
High jump: Aaron Hale, Upland; De'Marrio Brooks, San Gorgonio; Larry Roberson, Granite Hills.
Triple jump: Justin Lovingood, Summit; Jaelen Spencer, Sultana. Alternate: Jonathan Chea, Cajon

GIRLS
100 meters: Brea Buchanan, Ayala; Omunique Thomas, Carter. Alternate: Treasurie Hatten, Victor Valley
200: Alternate: Omunique Thomas, Carter
400: Vanessa Jones, Etiwanda
3,200: Alternate: Melissa Telon, Rancho Cucamonga
100 hurdles: Brea Buchanan, Ayala; Shanice Stewart, Carter
300 hurdles: Ashley Cooke, Colony; Jordie Munford, Etiwanda; Haley Sanner, Cajon. Alternate: Ke'Nya Hardge, Miller
4x100 relay: Summit, Cajon, Los Osos
4x400 relay: Colony, Etiwanda
High jump: Ashley Henry, Rancho Cucamonga
Long jump: Shanice Stewart, Carter; Ashlie Curenton, Silverado
Triple jump: Mayra Carter, Alta Loma; Jenna Nordschow, Ayala
Pole vault: Nicole Larson, Upland
Shot put: Erin Randolph, Yucaipa

The list of qualifiers for next week's CIF-SS Division I meet at Cerritos College and their qualifying performances at Saturday's D1 prelim meet at Trabuco Hills.

BOYS
100 meters: 3. Davonte Stewart (Miller) 10.59, 5. Justin Harris (Upland) 10.67.
200: 1. Stewart (Miller) 20.84, 4. Harris (Upland) 21.51, 9. Mike Newton (Colton) 21.73
400: 1. Laijon White (Rancho Cucamonga) 48.32, 6. Jimi Alde-Chester (San Gorgonio) 48.85
3,200: 9. Luis Gutierrez (Rancho Cucamonga) 9:21.30.
110 hurdles: 3. Demi Adegoke (Los Osos) 14.62
300 hurdles: 8. Fred Rosser (Silverado) 39.27, 9. Trevor Stevens (Redlands) 39.40
4x100 relay: 6. Upland 42.79
4x400 relay: 5. Upland 3:22.19
High jump: T1. De'Marrio Brooks (San Gorgonio) 6-6, T1. Aaron Hale (Upland) 6-6
Long jump: 9. Brooks (San Gorgonio) 21-6.25
Shot put: 6. James Grigorian (Diamond Bar) 54-1; 8. Jordan Thomas (Redlands) 51-9.5; 9. Ryan Simms-Hunter (San Gorgonio) 51-3
Discus: 4. Grigorian (Diamond Bar) 160-0

GIRLS
100: 8. Breja'e Washington (Cajon) 12.03; 9. Ashley Franklin (Los Osos) 12.04
200: 9. Franklin (Los Osos) 24.66
400: 2. Vanessa Jones (Etiwanda) 55.72
3,200: 5. Melissa Telon (Rancho Cucamonga) 11:00.63
100 hurdles: 6. Jordie Munford (Etiwanda) 14.43; 7. Kenya Hardge (Miller) 14.56
300 hurdles: 1. Munford (Etiwanda) 43.46, 3. Haley Sanner (Cajon) 43.75, 7. Hardge (Miller) 44.55
4x100 relay: 4. Los Osos 47.32, 6. Cajon 47.79
4x400 relay: 2. Etiwanda 3:50.45
High jump: T1. Ashley Henry (Rancho Cucamonga) 5-4, T1. Tiana Jones (Rancho Cucamonga) 5-4
Long jump: 2. Ashlie Currenton (Silverado) 18-3.25, 4. Marya Carter (Alta Loma) 17-6.25, T9. Jenika Smith (Upland) 17-2.25
Triple jump: 6. Carter (Alta Loma) 38-.75
Pole vault: 1. Nicole Larson (Upland) 11-0
Shot put: 3. Erin Randolph (Yucaipa) 40-5.5, 6. Natania Toilolo (Cajon) 38-6.5
Discus: 9. Dee De Shaefer Robinson (Etiwanda) 114-1

A few county teams survived the first round of CIF-SS boys volleyball play Tuesday and will be playing in the second round today, with three teams (Miller, Arrowhead Christian and Summit) hosting games.

Miller was the only Citrus Belt League team to survive the first round Tuesday, defeating Montebello in four games (21-25, 25-12, 25-22, 32-30) to notch the first playoff victory in school history. The Rebels will be tested tonight at 7 p.m. against Torrance Bishop Montgomery in Division 4 action.

ACA, the No. 4 seed in Division 5, will host Saddleback Valley Christian at 7 p.m. tonight after sweeping Gardena Serra in three games by the score of 25-15, 25-23, 25-23. San Andreas League champion Summit also advanced in D5 play by taking care of Glendale Adventist in routine fashion, sweeping it 25-10, 25-10, 25-13. The SkyHawks will host Bellflower St. John Bosco at 7 p.m.

Ontario Christian also advanced in the D5 playoffs with a four-game victory over Carson CAMS -- 25-16, 25-11, 21-25, 25-21. The Knights will play at No. 2 seeded San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret's at 5 p.m. today.

The second County Clash of the season will take place Saturday at Arrowhead Credit Union Park with a tripleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Yucaipa and Miller will start things off at 1, with Kaiser and Riverside Norte Vista playing at 4 p.m. and Fontana and Redlands playing in the nightcap at 7 p.m. Yucaipa is the only repeat from the previous County Clash, as the Thunderbirds defeated Carter 4-3 April 3.

Tickets to the Clash can be purchased at all of the above schools or at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.

Eight San Bernardino County players make up the list of CIF-SS All-Stars who will face off against the L.A. City Section All-Stars on Saturday April 24 at 5 p.m. at El Camino College.

Making the team are Etiwanda center Jasmine Bernard, Colony forward Te'onna Campbell, Ayala forward Rhema Gardner, Ayala guard Ariel Marsh, Miller forward Cassandra Mitchell, Chino Hills guard Ericka Norman, Summit guard and All-Sun Player of the Year Adrienne Thomas and Miller guard Chloe Wells. Wells and Mitchell did not play this year, as they were forced to sit out due to CIF-SS transfer rules.

After having the appeal of the CIF-Southern Section's ruling which made Miller senior girls basketball players Chloe Wells and Cassandra Mitchell ineligible denied last Thursday, the parents of Chloe Wells is trying to get the ACLU involved as part of a possible lawsuit.

The ruling on Wells - who starred for Miller's CIF championship teams as a freshman and sophomore before moving out to North Carolina for her junior season - and Mitchell was handed down by the CIF-SS offices in November, as they denied the hardship waiver for Wells and Mitchell, who moved with Chloe to Southern California over the summer. After taking it to the CIF-State appeals court, Chloe's mother Nyla is trying the ACLU route.

"It's just a shame what they are doing," Nyla Wells said. "It's not right and we are going to fight it. Cassandra left a bad home situation to come out here and get to play and hopefully, get a scholarship. How they can say she's not a hardship is beyond me."

The Wells have just started the process of getting the ACLU involved, as they have presented their case to the organization's lawyers. From there, the ACLU will decide whether they want to take on the case, a process that takes roughly a week according to Nyla Wells.

"We feel its gotten to the point where the civil rights of Chloe and Cassandra have been violated," Wells said. "Hopefully they'll take on the case and we can proceed with our next move."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Temecula Chaparral 20, Corona Roosevelt 16

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

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

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

Murrieta Valley 28, Riverside Arlington 24

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

No. 2 Vista Murrieta 35, Corona Santiago 16

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

SEMIFINALS
Redlands East Valley over Centennial
Norco over Vista Murrieta

CHAMPIONSHIP
Norco over Redlands East Valley

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

The bracket:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Misfired on Upland and Chino Hills last week, among others. And Ayala of course.

Miller at Redlands East Valley
At halftime last week, it looked like we were in for another Miller-REV undefeated clash in the CBL. Then Redlands decided to ruin it by erasing a 20-point deficit to tip the Rebels 28-27. But despite that, this is a very important game in the CBL. The Wildcats lost to Miller 18-15 to give up the CBL title last season and are intent on getting some sort of payback. They will.
Redlands East Valley 34, Miller 17

Rancho Cucamonga at Upland
The rematch of last year's Central Division championship game is basically an elimination game as far as the Baseline League title is concerned. Both have stumbled in recent upsets, with the Cougars falling to Los Osos and Upland losing to Etiwanda and it will be interesting to see which one steps up to the plate. I will go with the defending champs to put a complete game.
Rancho Cucamonga 21, Upland 15

Los Osos at Etiwanda
Gotta do the Baseline double dip this week. While the teams in the above game wonder what might have been, these teams are pointing and laughing at what has become. Etiwanda is the only undefeated team left and can put a hammerlock on things with a win and help, while Los Osos might be the most improved them from game 1 to game 8 in the county. I'll go with the Eagles in a thriller.
Etiwanda 27, Los Osos 23

Colton at San Gorgonio
Normally there might be a letdown for the Yellowjackets after a win like they had against Cajon, as San G is struggling in an injury-filled 2-6 season. But the Spartans upset Colton last year at Colton, leapfrogging the Yellowjackets for second place in league. It's doubtful that Colton has forgotten about that.
Colton 40, San Gorgonio 12

Chino Hills at Ayala
Ah yes, the battle of Chino Hills. There's a lot more at stake than just bragging rights or "The Bone" as both of these teams need to right the ship after upset losses a week ago. The loser of this, especially if its Ayala, will be in trouble, as there's no guarantee than the fourth-place team from the Sierra League will get the Central Division at-large bid. The Huskies seem more battle-tested than Ayala, so that's who I'll go with.
Chino Hills 23, Ayala 13

Silverado at Granite Hills
Silverado is arguably the hottest team in the county without the words "East Valley" in their school name, having won seven in a row to take control of the Desert Sky League. Granite Hills has already had its best year in school history and an upset win here would do wonders for its playoff chances. However, I think Silverado's roll is too much for the Cougars to slow.
Silverado 31, Granite Hills 16

Don Lugo at Colony
The Conquistadores have two legitimate Division I players in George Uko and Steven Bethley. Colony has an entire team of studs it seems. The Titans have been marching over everyone in their path since an opening-week loss to Los Osos and it seems doubtful that Don Lugo can prevent that from happening to them.
Colony 34, Don Lugo 10

Riverside Norte Vista at Summit
This game is basically for second place, as Kaiser as the Sunkist League title basically in its grasp (What else is new) after beating these teams the last two weeks. Of the two games with Kaiser, Summit's was the more competitive. Not sure how much you can read into that, but the SkyHawks seem to have the talent to overcome Norte Vista's physical attack.
Summit 21, Norte Vista 18

Rim of the World at Hesperia
The Fighting Scots have rolled their last two opponents after losing their opener to Serrano and just need to beat the Scorpions to clinch a playoff spot. Despite what has been a tough go of it to date, Hesperia is in control of its playoff destiny even with a loss today. That's good, because a loss is almost certainly going to happen.
Rim of the World 35, Hesperia 10

Twentynine Palms at Big Bear
These two East Valley powers seem to have found themselves after early struggles. The Wildcats have won five in a row since starting 0-4 and would love nothing more than to clinch a league title in Big Bear, which has won its last two and three of four. The Bears spoiled 29's bid for an undisputed league title last year but won't pull the trick twice.
Twentynine Palms 23, Big Bear 16

Other games of note:
Claremont 33, Alta Loma 7
Ontario Christian 28, Arrowhead Christian 17
Aquinas 45, Western Christian 13
Carter 34, Fontana 24
Redlands 38, Rialto 0
Yucaipa 48, Eisenhower 21
Barstow 20, Victor Valley 14
Apple Valley 42, Sultana 14
Chaffey 36, Garey 13
Montclair 38, Ontario 14
Arroyo Valley 45, San Bernardino 23
Cajon 51, Pacific 0
Kaiser 36, Bloomington 6
Glendora 40, Chino 7
Citrus Valley 24, Indio Shadow Hills 15
Oak Hills 48, Murrieta Mesa 6
Serrano 28, Ridgecrest Burroughs 13
Yucca Valley 30, Acton Vasquez 10

Week: 22-6
Overall: 201-55

Heading out to Colton in a bit for a rare Thursday night showdown. Missed Barstow-Silverado, the Los Osos upset of Rancho Cucamonga and Arrowhead Christian last week.

Cajon at Colton
This was the game last year where Cajon overpowered Colton in the second half to grab a blowout victory and wrest the San Andreas League title from the Yellowjackets' grasp. Well, it looks like its time for Colton to do the wresting. Cajon has not been very effective against quality competition and Colton is the best team its faced to date. Like the Yellowjackets to roll right now.
Colton 28, Cajon 6

Kaiser at Summit
Another great Thursday night bash, as SoFo goes to NoFo for a matchup that should be dope, yo. Anthony Brown has been running around crazy for the Cats in recent weeks, scoring eight touchdowns in two Sunkist League games. If he can continue that clip of production against a Summit defense that's pitched consecutive shutouts, Kaiser will roll. He likely won't, but I'll pick Kaiser anyway.
Kaiser 24, Summit 16

Redlands at Miller
The first of three titanic Citrus Belt League showdowns from now until the end of the season, as Redlands has won six in a row and Miller has won four in a row. It will be interesting to see how well the resurgent Miller offense does against the stingy Terrier defense. I personally think that Redlands comes in to Miller and pulls one out.
Redlands 20, Miller 14

Upland at Etiwanda
The classic battle between the explosive offense (Etiwanda) and the suffocating defense (Upland). With Rancho inexplicably slipping up to Los Osos, this game all of a sudden is a battle for first place. While Angel Santiago and company are enjoyable to watch, in a battle like this, I almost always go with defense. Upland will choke 'em out.
Upland 21, Etiwanda 10

Colony at Chaffey
The Tigers took it to Colony last year, going to the southside and defeating the Titans to grab the Mt. Baldy League title. You know that the Titans, who have won six in a row, are looking to settle the score and get this rivalry back in their favor. Chaffey will have some success, but this might be the best Colony team that Anthony Rice has had, which says a lot.
Colony 27, Chaffey 14

Ridgecrest Burroughs at Silverado
Having gone up the 15 and blasted Barstow, Silverado - winners of six straight games - can put a hammerlock on the Desert Sky League with a victory against a Burroughs team that has split heart-wrenching games to Barstow and Granite Hills. The Hawks have some pretty solid pelts and are on a huge roll, a roll I don't expect the Burros to stop.
Silverado 30, Burroughs 20

Glendora at Chino Hills
Finally, the cream of the Sierra League crop is actually going to play each other. After two weeks of pretty bad games, this one should be OK. I'm only going with OK because Glendora isn't quite what it's been the last two years. Chino Hills, on the other hand, is looking pretty strong and should have its way here.
Chino Hills 28, Glendora 16

Apple Valley at Rim of the World
It's been a tough two weeks for the Sun Devils, who have lost close games to Granite Hills and Serrano that very easily could be wins. It doesn't get much easier for Apple Valley, as they head up the hill to face a Rim team that traditionally gives it fits. The Sun Devils don't need to win this to make the playoffs, which is good for them, because I see the Fighting Scots fighting on.
Rim of the World 20, Apple Valley 17

Aquinas at Arrowhead Christian
Sort of a weird vibe coming into this game, as ACA is the team that comes in with a CIF ranking while Aquinas hasn't won on the field since Oct. 2. The Falcons aren't winless during that time, as the two-time defending Christian League champions got a forfeit win over La Verne Lutheran, but they want to show ACA that the road to the Christian title goes through them still. They will.
Aquinas 24, Arrowhead Christian 9

Yucca Valley at Twentynine Palms
The De Anza co-champs have been resurgent of late, as Twentynine Palms has won four straight after starting 0-4 while Yucca Valley has won back-to-back games after an 0-5 start. The winner of The Victory Bell takes control of the league championship race and while I like what Yucca has done, the Wildcats take this at home.
Twentynine Palms 28, Yucca Valley 13

Other games of interest:

Chino 48, Diamond Bar 40
Garey 30, Ontario 10
Los Osos 23, Claremont 20
Rancho Cucamonga 45, Alta Loma 0
Redlands East Valley 48, Carter 14
Yucaipa 35, Fontana 20
Rialto 42, Eisenhower 36
Big Bear 21, Desert Mirage 16
Granite Hills 23, Victor Valley 21
Serrano 27, Hesperia 6
Don Lugo 31, Montclair 10
Arroyo Valley 34, San Gorgonio 27
San Bernardino 38, Pacific 20
Ayala 28, Damien 17
Bloomington 35, Jurupa Valley 7
Barstow 28, Sultana 12
Murrieta Mesa 24, Citrus Valley 18
Laguna Beach 30, Oak Hills 24

Week: 26-3
Overall: 179-49

Dropped four last week, a slight move in the wrong direction from the week before. But I'm feeling a perfect week coming this week. Or I'm coming down with swine flu. Either way, good times for all.

Silverado at Barstow
The Desert Sky League is ballin' this year and this should be the marquee matchup of the league slate. The Hawks and Aztecs played two great games last year in Victorville, with Silverado taking the regular season meeting and Barstow winning in the Eastern semifinals. I like what the Hawks have done during their five-game win streak, but I'm feeling Barstow at home.
Barstow 28, Silverado 24

Miller at Carter
The Rebels have made everyone forget about their 0-3 start (at least everyone but me) by putting the hurt on CBL foes Fontana, Rialto and Yucaipa. Of course, I picked Yucaipa last week, so I looked really dumb. I won't make the same mistake this week, although Carter is much improved from a year ago. Going with Miller to bump its CBL win streak to 12.
Miller 38, Carter 27

Rancho Cucamonga at Los Osos
The Grizzlies may be the best 2-4 team out there, as Los Osos has lost to Vista Murrieta (No. 3, Inland), Upland (No. 2 Central), Redlands (No. 7 Inland) and Riverside North. Unfortunately for Los Osos, it'll be the best 2-5 team out there when all is said and done, as they won't be able to take Rancho, the No. 1 team in the Central Division.
Rancho Cucamonga 34, Los Osos 17

Riverside Norte Vista at Kaiser
Typically the Sunkist is Kaiser, a few other teams, and some other teams thrown in for fun. Norte Vista is usually one of the teams thrown in for fun, but not this year, as the Braves have a perfect 6-0 record and the No. 8 record in the Eastern Division. But they aren't ready to sit at the big-boy table with Kaiser just yet. The battle-tested Cats will overpower Norte Vista.
Kaiser 22, Norte Vista 13

Cajon at San Gorgonio
We know that Cajon can go off on completely overmatched teams and can get throttled by very good teams. San G is somewhere in between, which makes for an interesting matchup. The 2-4 Spartans would love to get a signature victory under first-year coach Ron Gueringer, while the Cowboys want to prove that they can beat a team with a pulse. I'll pick the latter in a high-scoring affair.
Cajon 38, San Gorgonio 28

Garey at Colony
It's really hard to find a game worth picking from the Mt. Baldy League, so I went with this one. The Vikings aren't that bad, beating a decent Pomona team and fending off Montclair last week. But Colony is a darn good team with some pretty good pelts (Chino Hills, Kaiser) mounted on its wall. Garey is intriguing, but not intriguing enough to make me think about this prediction.
Colony 35, Garey 10

Serrano at Apple Valley
The Diamondbacks impressed the heck out of me last week, making Rim of the World tap out due to a physical, unrelenting defense. Apple Valley presents a few more looks than Rim did, as they've expanded their offense a bit past star running back Daryon Mosley. But Serrano has some elite talent to go with its traditional brawn, both of which will be too much for the Sun Devils to handle.
Serrano 28, Apple Valley 14

Chino Hills at Chino
Yeah, the Sierra League slate is that bad this week. It was either this or the Diamond Bar-Ayala game, another 0-6 vs. 5-1 matchup, so I went with the two county teams. I guess I could have gone without a Sierra game at all, but I'm not that mean. I'm not talking about this game much because there's not much to talk about. Chino Hills will win and it will likely be ugly.
Chino Hills 48, Chino 0

Twentynine Palms at Desert Mirage
Left for dead by some after an 0-4 start, the Wildcats have roared back by winning three straight games and not only look like the class of the De Anza League, but a contender in the East Valley playoffs as well. Desert Mirage runs the ball well and could be a sleeper, but I can't see them making this kind of leap just yet.
Twentynine Palms 27, Desert Mirage 11

Yucaipa at Redlands
Yucaipa is in week 3 of the CBL gauntlet, having dropped games to Redlands East Valley and Miller the last two weeks. While its not necessary for the Thunderbirds to beat Redlands to make the playoffs, it would make life a lot easier for Yucaipa. I wouldn't count on it happening though, as Redlands has consistently stepped up its game with each passing week.
Redlands 26, Yucaipa 13

Other games of interest:

Upland 36, Alta Loma 0
Etiwanda 48, Claremont 24
Ontario Christian 27, Western Christian 17
Fontana 41, Eisenhower 30
Redlands East Valley 63, Rialto 6
Yucca Valley 18, Desert Hot Springs 14
Ridgecrest Burroughs 27, Granite Hills 21
Rim of the World 42, Sultana 7
Chaffey 36, Montclair 12
Don Lugo 31, Ontario 6
Arroyo Valley 54, Pacific 7
Colton 58, San Bernardino 6
Ayala 38, Diamond Bar 13
Riverside Patriot 24, Bloomington 10
Summit 45, Jurupa Valley 3
Arrowhead Christian 20, Huntington Beach Brethren Christian 16
Victor Valley 21, Hesperia 17
Oak Hills 30, Palm Desert Xavier Prep 10
Big Bear 42, Citrus Valley 6

Week: 23-4
Overall: 153-46

Shaved another loss off the old total this past week, putting me down to three. Either I'm starting to get a handle on this season, or some of the teams are deciding to humor me. Guess we'll find out with most of the leagues starting this weekend.

Serrano at Rim of the World
I'll spend my second straight weekend taking Waterman Street up the mountains, as the D-backs and Fighting Scots face off in what should be a doozy. Both teams have great running backs in Serrano senior Dionza Bradford and Rim junior Dillon Pretzinger, but the game might come down to which quarterback can perform well enough to take pressure off the running back. I'm going with an experienced Serrano team in a minor upset.
Serrano 20, Rim of the World 14

Arroyo Valley at Colton
Both of these teams come in with identical 4-1 records, but its safe to say that Colton's 4-1 mark - complete with victories over Kaiser, Palm Springs, La Quinta and Apple Valley - is a little more impressive than Arroyo Valley's conquests over the Alta Lomas and Rialtos of the world. I see the Yellowjackets being a little too much to handle.
Colton 33, Arroyo Valley 16

Los Osos at Upland
This is always one of the more hotly contested games in the county but for the first time since 2005, its not a Brehaut vs. Nunes affair. Los Osos is still passing the ball quite well behind senior quarterback Blake Loncar, but has fallen short in some close games. Upland's played some stifling defense, something I expect will continue in this one.
Upland 21, Los Osos 13

Miller at Yucaipa
If any one is going to challenge the Redlands teams for Citrus Belt League supremacy, its one of these schools. Miller has started league with two routs of CBL underlings while Yucaipa hung with REV for a half before falling 35-7 last week. Both teams can score from anywhere on the field, so this game should be entertaining if nothing else.
Yucaipa 28, Miller 27

Silverado at Victor Valley
The battle for Victorville has been a one-sided affair of late, but this game sees the Jackrabbits coming in 5-0 and ranked No. 8 in the Eastern Division. Silverado is Silverado, winning four in a row after starting its season 0-2. The Hawks also have some big wins, taking out Summit, Palm Desert and Arroyo Valley, and I expect that to help them take this one as well.
Silverado 31, Victor Valley 24

Chino Hills at Damien
If you are Damien, you have to hate life right about now. After playing teams like Rancho Cucamonga, Charter Oak, Bishop Amat and St. John Bosco in the nonleague season, they start league with a very good Chino Hills squad. Perhaps Damien's brutal nonleague death march will help them, but I think the Huskies have a little too much mojo right now.
Chino Hills 24, Damien 17

Riverside Patriot at Kaiser
These teams battled in the season finale last year for the Sunkist League title, a game that Kaiser won going away. I expect much of the same this time around. Kaiser is the best 2-3 team in the county - heck, maybe in Southern California - and Patriot just got slapped down by Victor Valley. Expect the Cats to get in a few shots.
Kaiser 30, Patriot 10

Don Lugo at Chaffey
The Conquistadores, with DL George Uko and DB Steven Bethley, have the star power and three straight wins. But Chaffey had an ambitious nonleague schedule and employs a physical attack that belies its 2-3 record. I think you'll see the defending league champion Tigers triple-team Uko and just pummel the rest of the Don Lugo defenders.
Chaffey 26, Don Lugo 16

Yucca Valley at Big Bear
No one really expected these teams to come in with a combined 1-9 record, as both went to the East Valley quarterfinals a year ago. But as the De Anza League season opens, that's exactly where the Trojans and Bears lie, with a Big Bear victory over Oak Hills two weeks ago being the only non-loss. So it should be intense, though I'll go with the home team to make it two in a row.
Big Bear 23, Yucca Valley 14

Granite Hills at Apple Valley
Another crosstown rivalry in the High Desert that should be infinitely more entertaining than it usually is. Apple Valley has been outstanding offensively over the last two weeks, putting up 67 on San Bernardino and 56 on San Gorgonio, while the Cougars are off to a program-best 4-1 start. Granite is improved and will give the Sun Devils a game, but this will go the way it normally does.
Apple Valley 34, Granite Hills 23

Others games of note:
Etiwanda 40, Alta Loma 13
Rancho Cucamonga 38, Claremont 14
Arrowhead Christian 28, Western Christian 17
Carter 38, Rialto 15
Redlands East Valley 48, Fontana 10
Redlands 46, Eisenhower 12
Twentynine Palms 27, Desert Hot Springs 10
Barstow 33, Ridgecrest Burroughs 27
Hesperia 42, Sultana 13
Garey 28, Montclair 20
Colony 41, Ontario 7
San Gorgonio 55, Pacific 0
Cajon 49, San Bernardino 10
Ayala 44, Chino 6
Summit 34, Bloomington 16
Newport Beach Sage Hill 58, Citrus Valley 6
Aquinas 28, Oak Hills 20

Week: 21-3
Overall: 130-42

Better last week, as I only messed up six games. Of course four of those were in my featured 10, so I'm really not sure if I've really gotten smarter. This week starts Citrus Belt League play, so it's starting to get really good. Here are my picks before I head to Fontana High School for tonight's Fohi-Miller tilt.

Miller at Fontana
Before the season, this looked to be a speedbump for the defending CBL champion Rebels, as Fontana had only won five games the previous five seasons while Miller was returning much of their offense. But two Steeler wins and an 0-3 Miller start has made this game pretty key. While Miller had a brutal schedule and Fohi beat SAL cellardwellars Pacific and San Bernardino, its clear that Fohi is improved and Miller isn't. However, I'll pick Miller to survive, albeit barely.
Miller 28, Fontana 20

Carter at Redlands
Another intriguing CBL opener, because for whatever reason, the Lions play well against Redlands. The Terriers barely escaped at Carter 7-6 during their CBL championship season in 2006, lost to Carter at home in 2007 and struggled to beat the Lions last year. The Carter offense has shown explosive qualities, but Redlands has been stingy on defense. I'll take the savvy of Redlands in this one.
Redlands 21, Carter 12

Colony at Kaiser
These teams have both been battle-tested and quality approved, with Colony beating Chino Hills and Diamond Ranch already while Kaiser destroyed Cajon last week. Both teams are feeling confident and have talent to burn. However, Kaiser gave one of the better defensive performances I've seen in my three years here, especially given the quality of Cajon. I expect them to be slightly superior to the Titans.
Kaiser 19, Colony 16

Summit at Silverado
Silverado entertained the heck out of me last Thursday, breaking five touchdowns of 50 yards or more against Palm Desert. After a slow start, it seems as if the Hawks offense is running in full gear. Summit has that capability and while only 1-2, showed well in close losses to Etiwanda and Redlands. Expect some big plays and some crazy athleticism in the High Desert, with the home team prevailing in a classic.
Silverado 35, Summit 30

Hesperia at Barstow
Very interesting litmus test for both of these schools. The Scorpion offense finally broke out against Pacific, but playing the listless Pirates doesn't really compare to facing defending Eastern Division runner-up Barstow. The Aztecs also have something to prove after falling last week to Quartz Hill in upset fashion. Hesperia is improved, but I'll go with a veteran Barstow team at home.
Barstow 30, Hesperia 21

Chaffey at Colton
If there are 10 passes combined between the two teams, I'll be shocked. Chaffey likes to pound the ball with senior RB Ronald Douglas, the county's leading rusher, while Colton has a fleet of backs to excel in the double-wing. The Yellowjackets defense seems to have settled in after a tough opener against Vista Murrieta and will subdue Chaffey enough to pull out the win.
Colton 24, Chaffey 12

Upland at Bloomington
The positive vibes the Bruins got by winning their first two games were mostly eradicated in their 51-0 loss to Corona Roosevelt. It doesn't get much easier for Bloomington, as Upland and its lockdown defense come into town. Tim Salter gets a ton of credit in my mind for reshaping the Highlanders from a big-play, somewhat finesse squad into a hard-nosed physical unit. Bloomington will be heaping praise on Upland as well.
Upland 28, Bloomington 6

San Gorgonio at Chino Hills
After impressively winning at Hesperia in its opener, the Spartans have had a tough time of it in losing to Redlands East Valley and Yucaipa. Now they are going against a team that smacked them twice last year, including 52-13 in the playoffs. Chino Hills bounced back last week with a nice win over Diamond Ranch after losing to Colony the week before and will continue to roll.
Chino Hills 34, San Gorgonio 14

La Quinta at Cajon
La Quinta hasn't had a fun time in the Inland Empire the past two weeks, losing lopsided games to Colton and Norco. They come back again to face a Cajon team who's pride is a bit wounded after being shut out by Kaiser. It will be interesting to see how the Cowboys react to being punched in the mouth and how La Quinta will react to the travel. I'll go with Cajon in a close one.
Cajon 18, La Quinta 14

Indio at Rim of the World
This has all the makings of a beatdown. Indio has struggled after losing the bulk of its 6-4 team a year ago and faces a Rim of the World team that's a bit sore about losing to the Rajahs on the road a year ago. Expect the Fighting Scots to run on Indio early and often, keeping its undefeated start going.
Rim of the World 38, Indio 7

Other games of interest:
Redlands East Valley 55, Eisenhower 0
Yucaipa 48, Rialto 14
Apple Valley 31, San Bernardino 26
Arroyo Valley 34, Alta Loma 10
Ayala 47, South El Monte 3
Granite Hills 30, Cathedral City 17
Etiwanda 45, Chino 6
Pacific 28, Citrus Valley 10
Claremont 38, Ontario 14
Don Lugo 37, Jurupa Valley 9
San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret's 42, Ontario Christian 13
Aquinas 28, San Pedro Mary Star of the Sea 13
Serrano 38, Santa Clarita Golden Valley 3
Oak Park 24, Twentynine Palms 13
Victor Valley 33, Sultana 16
Yucca Valley 21, Arrowhead Christian 17
Big Bear 28, Oak Hills 27

Week: 24-6
Overall: 86-35

The updated top 10. With two top 5 teams taking a tumble, there was quite a bit of shuffling.

Sun Top 10

1. Rancho Cucamonga (1-0)
Previous ranking: 1. Last week: def. Damien, 27-14. Up next: Friday vs. Moreno Valley Canyon Springs (0-0).

2. Redlands East Valley (0-0)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday vs. Clovis East (0-1).

3. Colton (0-0)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday vs. Vista Murrieta (0-0).

4. Chino Hills (1-0)
Previous ranking: 6. Last week: def. Lakewood Mayfair, 30-6. Up next: Friday vs. No. 10 Chaffey (1-0).

5. Barstow (0-0)
Previous ranking: 7. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday vs. Rialto (0-0)

6. Kaiser (0-0)
Previous ranking: 8. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday at Apple Valley (0-0).

7. Etiwanda (1-0)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Summit, 20-17. Up next: Friday vs. Temecula Valley (0-0)

8. Cajon (1-0)
Previous ranking: 10. Last week: def. Duarte, 55-0. Up next: Friday at Eisenhower (0-0).

9. Upland (1-0)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Miller, 23-8. Up next: Friday vs. Glendora (0-0)

10. Chaffey (1-0)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Alta Loma, 34-10. Up next: Friday at No. 4 Chino Hills (1-0).

Just missed the cut: Serrano (0-1), Los Osos (1-0), Ayala (1-0), Miller (0-1)

Dropped out: No. 4 Miller (0-1), No. 5 Serrano (0-1).

Before prediciting this weekend's games, here is my Top 10 that ran in The Sun Sunday.

1. Rancho Cucamonga
A CIF champion with a USC-bound tight end (Randal Telfer) and a Division I athlete at quarterback in Greg Watson seems like a good No. 1 to me. It'll be interesting to see how the defense jells, but the offense will be scary good.

2. Redlands East Valley
This has almost become a default pick, as the Wildcats have it rolling to that extent. With third-year starting QB Tyler Shreve being a Division I level quarterback and a tenacious defense led by DE Andrew Hudson, REV is the favorite in the CBL.

3. Colton
The Yellowjackets struggled, at least in comparison to most Colton teams last year, going 6-4-1. But most of the team returns and there is speed to burn in RB/DB Derrick Malone, DB Jonathan Mack and junior QB Jordan Mixon.

4. Miller
If Jeff Steinberg was still coaching, the Rebels would be at least No. 2 and even have an argument (though not a great one) for No. 1. But with freshman coach Jeff Strycula being hired late, I'm taking a bit of a wait-and-see look right now.

5. Serrano
The Diamondbacks are pretty darn tough even without Division I talent. But with RB Dionza Bradford and DE Everett Beed both committed to UNLV, Serrano has top-level personnel. That could make 2009 a special year in Phelan.

6. Chino Hills
This team pretty much made me look stupid last year and I refuse to underrate them this year. They came within a last-second touchdown of beating Los Osos in the Central quarters and have ball-hawking safety Ifo-Ekpre Olomu and QB Ryan Verdugo back.

7. Barstow
The Aztecs almost pulled off the huge upset in the CIF title game, battling Citrus Hill to the wire in the 31-27 loss. Barstow will be experienced (32 lettermen returning) and physical in their double-wing offense and have all the makings of a title contender.

8. Kaiser
Dick Bruich may be gone, but the talent isn't. USC-bound running back Anthony Brown will lead a physical, run-oriented offense while defensive end/linebacker Josh Shirley, a top 150 recruit, is an absolute matchup nightmare for opposing offenses.

9. Etiwanda
The Eagles should fly this year behind do-everything dual-threat QB Angel Santiago and star WR Bobby Ratliff. With Los Osos and Upland dealing with major graduation losses, the door is open for Etiwanda to move up the Baseline pecking order.

10. Cajon
The Cowboys lose several impact players from its 11-2, SAL championship team from a year ago, the biggest being RB Walter Kazee (San Diego State) and CB/WR Marlon Pollard (UCLA), but the Cowboys still should be an SAL factor.

Others receiving consideration: Summit, Ayala, Hesperia, Chaffey.

Yes, I realize I still have a few more teams to highlight, but high school football action starts tonight with Colony-Los Osos and Montclair-Ganesha. So we will do our Week 0 picks, where I try to look smart and end up sounding like something else. On that note...

Colony at Los Osos
The namepower of this game is pretty intense, as the Titans are just a season removed from back-to-back Central Division titles while the Grizzlies are just a season removed from three straight Baseline League titles. But both come into 2009 with something to prove.
Colony, which backslid to third place in the Mt. Baldy League last year, needs to show that 2008 was an aberration - not a trend. Los Osos loses quarterback Richard Brehaut and running back Arby Fields and will depend on 6-foot-5 senior quarterback Blake Loncar, who was accomplished at the JV level.
I'll go with Osos on this one due to homefield advantage and general skepticism about Colony.
Los Osos 21, Colony 13

Miller at Upland
Just wrote a bunch about this game for Friday's paper, but the main focus is on two things. First off, how will Miller do with Jeff Strycula taking over for Jeff Steinberg? He has some offensive weapons in QB Juan Flores and RB David Dash, but a new coaching staff plus some drama from the hazing incident leaves questions.
Upland has to replace a three-year starting QB in Josh Nunes (Stanford), RB Davion Fleming (Northwestern) and CB Osahon Irabor (Arizona State), which will be a tough task. How well are they able to do that in the early season?
I'm tempted to pick Upland here, but I have Miller ranked higher. I'll stay true to my rankings at this point.
Miller 26, Upland 24

Summit at Etiwanda
The SkyHawks are stepping up their game a notch as far as nonleague scheduling, with Etiwanda joining Redlands and Silverado on a ratched-up slate. Summit broke through with an 8-3 record last year and have a talented QB duo in juniors Josh Owes and Devon Blackmon, who will see a lot of time at WR.
Etiwanda was a mere point away from upsetting Cajon and had several other close losses in a 5-6 season this year. I'd expect a couple of those losses to turn into wins for the Eagles this year.
Etiwanda 34, Summit 23

Serrano at Paraclete
Ray Maholchic and the Diamondbacks don't exactly screw around during the nonleague schedule and this is no different, as Paraclete won the Mid-Valley championship a year ago. This will be a doozy, as Serrano outlasted Paraclete 35-28 at home a year ago and are going into the Antelope Valley for a rematch.
Expect another classic, but the result to be the same.
Serrano 27, Paraclete 24

Silverado at Gardena Serra
I just got done trumping up Serrano's schedule, but no one has a more masochistic nonleague schedule year in and year out than Silverado. I'm pretty sure if USC has a bye week next year, Carl Posey will be on the phone to Pete Carroll trying to set something up. Ok, I'm overreacting but still, starting with the Northwest Division champions is pretty crazy. Should be a fun game at the very least.
Serra 38, Silverado 26

Redlands at Temecula Oak
The senior-laden Terriers weren't able to fulfill their high expectations a year ago, going 5-6 with several close losses. Redlands will be younger but still should be tough in the trenches, which will be essential against a Temecula Oak team that comes from the tough Southwestern League.
Redlands 19, Temecula Oak 16

Damien at Rancho Cucamonga
A rout of Damien in the opener last year got the Cougars rolling last year, a roll that didn't stop until they won the Central Division championship. Damien has a new coach and a new approach, but that won't matter at all against the No. 1 team in the coverage area.
Rancho Cucamonga 35, Damien 16

Don Lugo at Ayala
If you look at last year, this should be a mismatch, as the Bulldogs were co-Sierra League champions while the Conquistadores couldn't make the playoffs in a questionable Mt. Baldy League. But Don Lugo has the top end talent in DT George Uko and DB Steven Bethley to make things uncomfortable for Ayala. I'm expecting a Bulldog victory, but it'll be tough.
Ayala 23, Don Lugo 17

Rim of the World at Banning
Two years ago, this game would have been a laugher, as Banning was one of the worst teams in the Southern Section. But they had a renaissance last year, sending out Dick Bruich and Kaiser in the first round of the playoffs last year. Against a Rim team that will be feeling its way early, Banning should have its way.
Banning 27, Rim of the World 10

Alta Loma at Chaffey
The Jose Fuentes era at Alta Loma starts with a tough matchup against the physical Tigers, led by RB Ronald Douglas and OL Jesus Cortez. Beating Chaffey is probably a little too much to ask of the Braves at this point.
Chaffey 23, Alta Loma 12

Other games of note:
Montclair 23, Ganesha 18
Big Bear 49, Simi Valley Grace Brethren 31
Cajon 26, Duarte 13
Yucca Valley 24, El Centro Central 20
Chino Hills 30, Lakewood Mayfair 25
Ontario Christian 38, Whittier Christian 17
Twentynine Palms 28, Indio 23
Western Christian 21, Covina Gladstone 6
Ontario 34, La Verne Lutheran 10

Last year was about as good as it's ever gotten for the Miller football program since it started in 1991. With a veteran, hardnosed defense and an explosive, multifaceted spread offense, the Rebels cruised to an undefeated regular-season record, a Citrus Belt League title and a playoff win over Corona Roosevelt before losing to Vista Murrieta in the Inland Division quarterfinals.

But things have been a bit tumultous at Miller since the loss to Vista Murrieta. Jeff Steinberg, who led the Rebels from the middle of the CBL pack to the top, left for Corona Santiago right after spring practice in May, leaving Miller to scramble for a new coach late in the game. A hazing incident, highlighted here by J.P. Hoornstra in this morning's Sun, has the status of several varsity players unknown.

Former Eisenhower High School football coach John Rice, who resigned in December after three years coaching the Eagles, has found a home on Jeff Steinberg's staff at Miller, joining the staff as a defensive assistant.

"Jeff and I have talked in the past about being on the same staff together if the opportunity presented itself and it was something we were both interested in," Rice said. "He's done a great job of building that program and I'm happy to be a part of it."

Rice, who has served as a defensive coordinator in previous coaching stops, has worked with Steinberg before, albeit briefly. Rice assisted the Miller defensive staff when Steinberg coached the San Bernardino All-Stars in the 2008 Inland Empire All-Star football classic.

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.

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.

Doing this a little early, as I'm off doing the holiday thing for the next two days. Not a bad week last week, though its fair to say that I screwed up games involving public schools in the Redlands Metropolitan Area.

CENTRAL DIVISION

Paloma Valley at No. 1 Rancho Cucamonga
So my upset special wasn't special. Actually, my real upset special was Glendora, but it's all good. Paloma Valley did well, but they'll have their hands full with Rancho, which received quite a scare last week for Colton. Look for Greg Watson and the Rancho passing attack to carry their big fourth quarter over.
Rancho Cucamonga 33, Paloma Valley 20

No. 4 Cajon at Ayala
I was at the Cajon-Etiwanda game last week and it was a hum-dinger, as both teams played their hearts out. The win was big for the Cowboys' psyche, just because they don't have to hear the 'Well, you are just a product of the SAL' talk as much. What they will have to deal with is a darn good Ayala team that can come at you in waves. I picked Ayala before the playoffs and am sticking with that.
Ayala 30, Cajon 27

Glendora at Upland
The jaw-dropping score of the week definitely came from Glendora, which destroyed No. 3 Hemet West Valley. I'll pat my back because I predicted an upset, but I didn't expect the beatdown that took place. Upland beat down Chaffey, which was expected, and plays the Tartans for the third time since last November. Each team has one, and I'm predicting Upland to win the rubber match.
Upland 34, Glendora 28

No. 2 Los Osos at Chino Hills
Richard Brehaut used his legs more than his arm to lead the Grizzlies to victory last week. That's nice, but that ain't going to fly against Chino Hills. The Huskies bulldozed San Gorgonio 52-14 thanks to a monster day from RB A.J. Johnson. Chino Hills keeps plugging along to little fan fare (despite Fowler's exemplary article) and will do so again, "upsetting" Los Osos.
Chino Hills 27, Los Osos 21

EASTERN DIVISION

No. 1 Perris Citrus Hill 36, Palm Desert 25

Serrano at Banning
I'm not going to lie, Banning's win over Kaiser shocked me. I did not see that coming. I guess i should get to know more about Banning, but I don't think they are going to knock off another Eastern power. Serrano trounced La Quinta behind junior RB Dionza Bradford and could very well be the dark horse in this bracket. The Banning story is a good one, but one that will end.
Serrano 28, Banning 14

No. 3 Palm Springs at Barstow
The Aztecs are another one of those teams that doesn't get hype but wins. They can throw three RBs at you in the double-wing and have some massive hombres blocking. But Palm Springs is red-hot and this is pretty much what they do. After whipping Summit, Palm Springs will have its way with Barstow late.
Palm Springs 23, Barstow 16

No. 2 Hesperia at Silverado
Don't look now but the Hawks, who started 0-6, are amazingly still alive and quite a threat behind QB Jemeryn Jenkins. Jenkins is a ridiculous talent, slicing and dicing Patriot for 406 yards last week. However, Hesperia put on a clinic against Notre Dame, barely breaking a sweat in winning 55-27. The rested Scorpions have a little too much sting.
Hesperia 31, Silverado 19

EAST VALLEY DIVISION

No. 1 St. Margaret's at Yucca Valley
Yucca Valley has been an awesome story, recovering from several tattered years to win a De Anza League co-championship and a playoff game. It's a great job Tim Connavo is doing out there. However, this isn't going to be pretty. St. Margaret's hasn't been challenged all year and Yucca, for all their strengths, don't have the ability to.
St. Margaret's 41, Yucca Valley 16

Pasadena Maranatha at Big Bear
The Bears made me look smart, which is hard to do, coming up with the brassy 33-32 upset over No. 4 Santa Paula. It's been a tough year at Big Bear, but you know the Bears will growl at playoff time. I'll be up the hill to watch them take on Maranatha, which is just annoying to type. So I'll predict. I am tempted to take the Bears, but I picked the other team (see what I did there?) last week. Can't change now.
Maranatha 24, Big Bear 20

No. 3 Aquinas at Twentynine Palms
I kind of wish I was at this game Friday, because this one is going to be a war. Aquinas has been rolling over fools this year behind QB Tyler Stirewalt and his merry band of skill-position playmakers, but the Falcons' only loss came to Twentynine Palms - a team that put 63 up on Brethren Christian last week. I expect the Palms to be jumping, but Aquinas to exact revenge.
Aquinas 28, Twentynine Palms 26

No. 2 Brentwood 27, Fillmore 13

INLAND DIVISION

No. 1 Corona Centennial 42, Vista Murrieta 10

No. 4 Miller at Murrieta Valley
The Rebels looked awesome on offense in their 48-21 victory over Roosevelt, gaining well over 500 yards and looking like the juggernaut unit it was last year under A.J. Springer. yeah, Juan Flores and David Dash next year could be mad scary. However, the defense has showed some signs of slippage lately, which won't be helped by Murrieta Valley. I have the Rebels losing a heartbreaker on the road, similar to their loss to Chaparral last year.
Murrieta Valley 28, Miller 23

Redlands East Valley at No. 3 Temecula Chaparral
After impaling the Santiago Sharks, REV looks to take out a Chaparral team that's been hell on the CBL in recent years. The Pumas took out REV two years ago and Miller this year, meaning they have run up quite a tab. The REV offense has erupted lately, but I don't see them evening the bill this week. I will be at the game though to see if I'm wrong and to see if Lindsay Soto is there. I can always hope.
Chaparral 23, Redlands East Valley 19

Norco 27, Riverside North 17

Last week: 26-6. Overall: 232-54-4.

Leaving the biggest division for last (not for any build-up, just for alphabetizing's sake), here are my Inland Division picks, both for this week and the future.

Yucaipa at No. 1 Corona Centennial
The prediction here is pain. Yucaipa did a good job under first-year coach John Hallenbeck to make it this far, but they are playing against a team that is among the elite nationally. Centennial has a linebacker going to USC, a wideout going to UCLA, a quarterback going to Nebraska and several others with D-1 aspirations. It will be tough for Yucaipa to stay within 40.
Centennial 56, Yucaipa 7

Roosevelt at Miller
The Rebels have never really been given their props this year. They are one of those "yeah, but" teams. Miller is 10-0. Yeah, but the CBL was kind of weak this year. Miller has a great defense. Yeah, but have the honestly played against real offenses? And so on and so forth. This week, Roosevelt is a yeah, but team, as their 6-4 record will be propped up by a "Yeah, but they play in the Big VIII." I'm not betting against a disrespected Miller team.
Miller 27, Roosevelt 10

Corona Santiago at Redlands East Valley
A tasty rematch of last year's Inland semifinal, won by the Sharks in upset fashion. A repeat wouldn't be nearly as surprising this year, as the 9-1 Wildcats just don't have the firepower that they've had the last two years. The defense has done a wonderful job of keeping the Wildcats in the win column, but Santiago isn't going to be intimidated.
Santiago 20, Redlands East Valley 17

Redlands at Riverside North
This could be the most even, most intriguing matchup. Redlands may be the second-best team in the CBL (they'll admit that they should have won the REV game) and they have a star RB in Cam Phillips. North has won two straight CIF titles in the Eastern Division, but this division is a drastic step up. I have a feeling that the Terriers are going to pull a minor upset here.
Redlands 23, North 21

Other games of note:
No. 2 Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 27, Norco 9
No. 3 Temecula Chaparral 31, Moreno Valley Vista del Lago 10
Murrieta Valley 28, Riverside Arlington 6
Vista Murrieta 27, Moreno Valley 21

Quarterfinals
No. 1 Corona Centennial over Vista Murrieta
Murrieta Valley over Miller
No. 2 Rancho Verde over Redlands
No. 3 Chaparral over Santiago

Semifinals
No. 1 Corona Centennial over Murrieta Valley
No. 3 Chaparral over No. 2 Rancho Verde

Final
No. 1 Corona Centennial over No. 3 Chaparral

The CIF-Southern Section football playoff brackets were released a few hours ago. Definitely some interesting things going on in the pairings. Here are some early observations on the brackets, which can be downloaded from www.cifss.org.

Central Division
- Rancho Cucamonga wasn't done any favors. Although the 9-0-1 Cougars were awarded the No. 1 seed, they got paired up with Colton in the first round. The Yellowjackets may not be as good as they usually are, but that double-wing offense is a headache to defend. Los Osos, on the other hand, got the No. 2 seed and is hosting Elsinore out of the Sunbelt League. If it wins, it'll face the Chino Hills-San Gorgonio winner.

- Chaffey also should be a little perturbed, as the Mt. Baldy League champions get the pleasure of hosting Upland, the third-place team in the Baseline League. It will be tough for the Tigers to match up with that firepower.

- Chino Hills-San G is a rematch of a game played on Oct. 3 at San G, won 42-20 by Chino Hills. Needless to say, tough draw for the Spartans.

- Cajon, the SAL champ, gets wild-card Etiwanda in the first round. The Cowboys were the No. 4 seed but will be tested by an explosive Eagles team. Ayala, the Sierra No. 1 seed, also gets a tough draw by hosting two-time defending division champion Colony.

Eastern Division
- Hesperia has a pretty favorable draw. As expected, the Scorpions got the No. 2 seed in the division behind Citrus Hill and draws Riverside Notre Dame in the first round. It'll get the Silverado at Patriot winner in the quarterfinals if it wins. The other league champion on its side of the bracket - Palm Springs - was 7-3 in a mediocre Desert Valley League.

- Rim of the World has a rough matchup, having to face No. 1 seed Perris Citrus Hill and its star RB Deonte Cooper. Ridgecrest Burroughs wasn't done many favors either, as it hosts Palm Desert - which was ranked near the top of the division rankings all year.

- Kaiser gets Banning in the first round and has a very intriguing second-round matchup if it wins, as it will face the La Quinta at Serrano winner.

East Valley Division
- Aquinas gets the No. 3 seed and hosts Kern Valley in the first round. Should it win, it could have a tasty rematch with Twentynine Palms, which dealt the Falcons their only loss. There's also potential for a Big Bear-Ontario Christian rematch in the second round.

- Arrowhead Christian and Big Bear qualify as at-larges and have tough first round matchups, as the Eagles play at No. 2 seed Brentwood while the Bears head to Santa Paula.

Inland Division
- Miller gets the No. 4 seed and hosts Roosevelt, which is making its first playoff appearance in school history.

- Lots of revenge possibilities. Redlands East Valley is on the same side of the bracket with Redlands, and the Wildcats get a chance to avenge their loss to Corona Santiago in the Inland semifinals a year ago. If Redlands wins at Riverside North and Norco wins at Moreno Valley Rancho Verde, a rematch of their overtime semifinal two years ago would happen.

- Rancho Verde, the No. 2 seed, got a tough first-round matchup with a seasoned Norco squad and isn't done any favors in round two, having to face Redlands or two-time Eastern Division champ North.

- Yucaipa gets the unenviable task of facing Corona Centennial. That could get ugly quick.

Here we go going into the playoffs. The same 10 teams make up the poll for the third straight week.

1. Miller (10-0)
After a pseudo-scare against Eisenhower last week, the Rebels got back to dominating by whupping Fontana this week. I wasn't surprised by it, as the Rebel players I saw at the REV-Redlands game last week guaranteed a better effort this week. It will be interesting to see where they are slated tomorrow.

2. Rancho Cucamonga (9-0-1)
Wind gusts at Los Osos High School really changed the dynamic of their game against Upland, but Rancho, as has been the case all season, stepped it up. Winning a loaded Baseline this year is extremely impressive.

3. Hesperia (10-0)
The Scorpions are straight ballin' right now, just destroying everyone in the High Desert at this point. I'm expecting Hesperia to be the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Division when brackets are released tomorrow.

4. Redlands East Valley (9-1)
The Wildcats showed no emotional hangover from the Redlands win, disposing of a decent Eisenhower team pretty easily. It will be interesting to see how REV's bend-but-don't-break defense plays in the postseason.

5. Los Osos (8-2)
Arby Fields celebrated his commitment to Northwestern by running wild against Etiwanda, assuring the Grizzlies of a high seed in the Central Bracket tomorrow. This team is probably the most complete one that Osos has seen.

6. Cajon (9-1)
The Cowboys laid waste to the San Andreas League, breaking the Colton strangehold on that lead. How their game will translate against teams from the Baseline and Sierra Leagues remains to be seen.

7. Chino Hills (9-1)
The Huskies avoid the late-season swoon that has happened the past couple of years by beating Diamond Bar. They are definitely a team no one wants to face in the Central Division.

8. Upland (8-2)
This seems a little harsh, but your offense needs to be able to score points no matter what the conditions are. But, barring another onslaught of gale-force winds, Upland is a No. 3 seed that is going to anger whoever is unlucky to face them this week.

9. Ayala (8-2)
Losing to Glendora isn't the best way to celebrate the Chino Hills victory, but it was ultimately harmless in the grand scheme of things, as Ayala won the coin flip and the No. 1 seed anyway.

10. Kaiser (6-3-1)
The Cats are rolling and will be a tough team to beat in the Eastern playoffs. Sure, Patriot was overrated a bit, but it doesn't detract from the impressive nature of Friday's victory.

Just missed the cut: Chaffey (8-2), Serrano (7-3), Aquinas (9-1).

I've decided to expound on Monday's article about playoff scenarios this week, going league by league in the Sun coverage area with team-by-team scenarios. I'll start with one of the simpler ones, delving into the Citrus Belt.

1. Miller (9-0, 6-0): Has already wrapped up the No. 1 seed out of the CBL by virtue of its 18-15 win over REV on Halloween. Purely playing for overall seeding in the Inland Division bracket at this point.

2. Redlands East Valley (8-1, 5-1): Has already wrapped up the No. 2 seed by virtue of its 14-12 victory over Redlands last weekend. A win this weekend could give REV a first-round home game in the Inland Division playoffs.

3. Redlands (4-5, 4-2): Has already wrapped up the No. 3 seed, winning all possible head-to-head tiebreakers with Yucaipa and Eisenhower. A win this weekend would help the Terriers avoid a first-round matchup with a team like Rancho Verde or Temecula Chaparral.

4. Yucaipa (4-5, 3-3): The Thunderbirds are in as the No. 4 seed with a victory Friday against Rialto, as it owns the head-to-head tiebreaker with Eisenhower. Yucaipa would still get in with a loss if Ike loses as well.

5. Eisenhower (5-4, 3-3): Having lost the head-to-head tiebreaker with Yucaipa, the Eagles have to defeat REV this weekend and have Yucaipa lose to Rialto to get the No. 4 seed. Even at 6-4, Ike would have very little chance at the one at-large bid in the Inland Division, as either Corona Santiago or Riverside North from the Big VIII or Riverside La Sierra from the Inland Valley League would be chosen before the Eagles.

6. Carter (2-7, 2-4): Eliminated from playoff contention.

7. Fontana (2-7, 1-5): Eliminated from playoff contention

8. Rialto (1-8, 0-6): Eliminated from playoff contention.

A little late on all my blogging, so I'll try to catch up a bit. Only real movement this week involved the Sierra League.

1. Miller (9-0)
The Rebels had a letdown against a spirited Eisenhower team and didn't exactly win many style points in their 28-21 triumph. However, I'm not going to down a team for being a little flat after two emotional wins. Plus, the Rebels seem to realize what being No. 1 means - the best effort from every opponent.

2. Rancho Cucamonga (8-0-1)
I kept the Cougars here at two despite another impressive win. However, they have a huge showdown this week with Upland. Get a win there and Rancho might have a good case to jump Miller.

3. Hesperia (9-0)
Winning up on the mountain 41-12, which Hesperia did against Rim of the World, is pretty impressive, especially coming off the emotional win over Serrano. Only Apple Valley stands in the way of an undefeated regular season and plush playoff seed.

4. Upland (8-1)
The Highlanders had to scratch and claw to get away from a game Etiwanda team, but that doesn't deserve any grief. However, a similar performance against Rancho Cucamonga would not be advised.

5. Redlands East Valley (8-1)
The Wildcats aren't flashy and quite frankly, could have very easily gone down to Redlands this weekend. But REV seems to have a "refuse-to-lose" moxie to them, something that will help them immensely in the postseason.

6. Los Osos (7-2)
The Grizzlies took care of Claremont to the surprise of absolutely nobody. But their finale will be a dogfight, as they'll be facing an Etiwanda team that could be playing for its playoff life.

7. Cajon (8-1)
The Cowboys destroyed Arroyo Valley this week, so they earn the right not to get jumped. I was tempted to put Ayala here, but I gave Cajon the benefit of the doubt, if just for this week.

8. Ayala (8-1)
The Bulldogs won "The Bone" again by beating Chino Hills. I'm not sure they recognize the trophy, but Ayala definitely recognizes a chance to be the fifth different Sierra League champion in five years.

9. Chino Hills (8-1)
Tough, tough loss for the Huskies. It will be interesting to see how Chino Hills responds and how much mental toughness they have in comparison to some CHHS teams of the recent past.

10. Kaiser (5-3-1)
Kaiser destroyed Jurupa Valley, which doesn't really surprise anyone. You know that the Cats, who saw Jurupa kill their 31-game Sunkist win streak a year ago, had to feel good about getting revenge. A showdown with Riverside Patriot for the Sunkist League title awaits.

Just missed the cut: Chaffey (7-2), Serrano (6-3), Aquinas (8-1)

The Miller-Eisenhower football game, originally scheduled for Friday at Eisenhower High School, has been moved to Thursday at 7 p.m.

If you know of any other games that have been moved, hook me up with a comment.

Lots of topsy-turviness this week, as last week's poll was turned upside down.

1. Miller (8-0)
Congratulations to the Rebels, who shut down previous No. 1 Redlands East Valley, giving the Wildcats their first regular-season loss since September 2006. Miller now can see a Citrus Belt League title staring it in its face.

2. Rancho Cucamonga (7-0-1)
I'm a man of my word if nothing else. I said should Rancho defeat Los Osos, it would make a huge jump. The Cougars did that and now have the pole position in the chase for a Baseline League title. Just a great story, especially given the star power of Osos and Upland.

3. Hesperia (8-0)
The Scorpions took a huge step toward that elusive Mojave River League title, beating a Serrano team that has traditionally been a thorn in its side. A tricky road game at Rim of the World is next, but Hesperia is looking pretty darn good right now.

4. Upland (7-1)
The Highlanders were impressive, showing no hangover from the loss to Los Osos. I felt kind of funny putting Upland past the Grizzlies, but I feel that Los Osos' two losses give me justification for such a move.

5. Redlands East Valley (7-1)
The Wildcats tumble to here, as their inconsistent offensive play finally caught up with them against Miller. It doesn't get much easier for REV, as a tricky crosstown showdown with Redlands next on the docket.

6. Chino Hills (8-0)
Big win for the Huskies at Glendora, as Chino Hills continues to march on. I contemplated moving the Huskies even higher than this, but like with Rancho, they'll eventually get there if they take care of business.

7. Los Osos (6-2)
This was the toughest team to rank, as I almost dropped the Grizzlies to 8th after their loss to Rancho. However, their quality wins are quality, and I couldn't possibly justify putting Los Osos behind a Cajon team that it beat on the road.

8. Cajon (7-1)
The Cowboys actually moved down despite rolling Pacific, but that was more due to big wins by Rancho and Chino Hills than anything the Cowboys did or didn't do. Either way, Cajon stayed on track for a San Andreas League title.

9. Ayala (7-1)
The Bulldogs took care of business against Damien, setting up a huge crosstown showdown with Chino Hills as the Sierra League title hangs in the balance. Should be a great one at Chino Hills High on Friday.

10. Kaiser (4-3-1)
This last spot was tough, as there were 4 or 5 other teams that could have conceivably been in this spot. However, I like the way Kaiser has played of late and would put their three losses (Riverside North, Cajon and Los Osos) against anyone else's. So the Cats get the nod for now.

Just missed the cut: Chaffey (6-2), Etiwanda (5-3), Serrano (5-3).
Dropped out: No. 9 Serrano (5-3).