Ridgecrest Burroughs High School: November 2010 Archives

Just got back in town from Thanksgiving and will get these done real quick before heading out to Ramona High School for Cajon-Arlington.

Inland Division

Corona Centennial at Upland
In the battle between defending CIF champions last week, Upland took down Chaparral to help the Baseline League to a 3-0 mark. While that victory was impressive, Centennial is a different, more potent beast. Upland will score some, but not nearly enough to keep up.
Centennial 52, Upland 21

Chino Hills at Etiwanda
Can the Eagles pull off another upset? The Etiwanda defense stepped up huge in the win at Redlands East Valley, but Chino Hills just put up 10 touchdowns on Corona. The Huskies are humming on that side of the ball and should win a shootout.
Chino Hills 45, Etiwanda 35

Rancho Cucamonga at Roosevelt
The Cougars are playoff-savvy and looked good against Murrieta Valley, while Roosevelt had to scratch and claw against Claremont. Look for Rancho to keep the Baseline contingent alive.
Rancho Cucamonga 34, Roosevelt 28

Vista Murrieta 41, Norco 27

Central Division

Rancho Verde at San Gorgonio
Rancho Verde is the top seed in the bracket, but they had to scratch and claw to get past the Spartans in week one. And that's before San G caught fire with its current seven-game win streak. I still like Rancho Verde though.
Rancho Verde 29, San Gorgonio 21

La Quinta at Chino
This is easily the toughest test that 11-0 Chino has had to face this year, as La Quinta is perennially among the top teams in whatever division it is playing in. Chino has been quite the story, but I'm not sure it's fully prepared for this.
La Quinta 28, Chino 22

Cajon at Arlington
The second-hottest team in the county goes against a red-hot player, as the Cowboys' 8-game winning streak will be tested by Arlington and their star RB Superiorr Reid, who has 32 touchdowns. Cajon is good but I like Arlington's smashmouth style.
Arlington 35, Cajon 24

Palm Springs at Colton
While both of these teams put up ridiculous point totals last week, I think we'll see some defense in this one. Both of these teams are stout on that side of the ball, though I feel Palm Springs has a bit more oomph.
Palm Springs 20, Colton 14

Eastern Division

Kaiser at Granite Hills
The Cats have apparently declared war on the city of Apple Valley, as they took out Apple Valley High last week. Granite Hills is scrappy, but they don't have the firepower to challenge Kaiser.
Kaiser 36, Granite Hills 6

Victor Valley at Elsinore
The Jackrabbits resurgence continued last week with another last-minute win, this time against Norte Vista. But Elsinore on the road is a tough task and I'm not sure if the Jackrabbits will be able to wave their magic wand again.
Elsinore 28, Victor Valley 24

Heritage at Summit
Heritage has been impressive this year, running off 11 wins to grab the No. 3 seed. But player for player, Summit might be the most talented team. I like the SkyHawks to come through with a mild upset.
Summit 30, Heritage 27

Serrano at Ridgecrest Burroughs
Going up to Ridgecrest is a tough task for anyone. But if there's any team that can handle it, its' the Diamondbacks. The Serrano D is playing at a high level, which should be the difference.
Serrano 17, Burroughs 9

East Valley Division

Paraclete 42, Grace Brethren 24

St. Margaret's at Big Bear
This has already been played, with St. Margaret's prevailing 17-6.

Twentynine Palms at Sierra Canyon
The Wildcats were impressive in rolling over Sage Hill, but going out to the San Fernando Valley from the High Desert is a lot to ask. Sierra Canyon will pull away late in this one.
Sierra Canyon 34, Twentynine Palms 16

Rubidoux at Yucca Valley
The Trojans pulled off the shocker of the playoffs, heading to San Bernardino and shocking No. 2 Aquinas. Now they face a Rubidoux team that they tied in September. I think Cinderella has another dance after this one.
Yucca Valley 20, Rubidoux 18

Now that I've predicted the games, I'll start finishing up these playoff scenario. After three pretty easy ones, the DSL is making my head spin a bit.

1. Ridgecrest Burroughs (6-3, 3-0): Burroughs is the only team to have clinched a playoff spot already and would clinch a league title and its No. 1 seed in the Eastern Division playoffs with a win Friday against Victor Valley. It would get the No. 2 seed in a loss by virtue of losing the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Jackrabbits.

2. Victor Valley (7-2, 2-1): The Jackrabbits would clinch a playoff spot, the league title and the No. 1 seed out of the DSL in the playoffs with a victory over Burroughs. It would also clinch with a loss and a Barstow win over Silverado, getting the No. 2 seed over Granite Hills by virtue of owning the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Cougars. However, a loss and a Silverado win would cause a three-way coin flip for two spots between Victor Valley, Granite Hills and Silverado by virtue of each team going 1-1 against the other two. Due to its record though, Victor Valley has a good shot at the at-large even if it loses the coin flip.

3. Granite Hills (4-5, 2-2): The Cougars are done with their league season and clinch a playoff spot with a Silverado loss or a Victor Valley win. If Silverado loses, Granite Hills is the No. 3 no matter what Victor Valley does, as the Cougars lose the head-to-head tiebreaker with Victor Valley. If Victor Valley wins, Granite Hills is the No. 3 no matter what Silverado does as the Cougars own the head-to-head over the Hawks. A Silverado win and a Victor Valley loss would bring about the three-way coin flip for two spots. Unlike Victor Valley, Granite Hills wouldn't have much of a shot at an at-large.

4. Silverado (4-4-1, 1-2): There is no way for Silverado to make the playoffs without winning a coin flip, but they must beat Barstow and have Victor Valley lose to get to that scenario. A win and a Victor Valley win would put the Hawks in a tie with Granite Hills for third, with the Cougars getting the nod due to the head-to-head tiebreaker. If Silverado finishes fourth in the above scenarios, it has a shot at the at-large playoff berth. A loss to Barstow would eliminate Silverado from consideration.

5. Barstow (1-8, 0-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

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

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

Victor Valley College hosted the cross country finals for both the Mojave River League and the Desert Sky League on Wednesday.
Granite Hills, as expected, dominated the DSL. The boys' 23 points, led by winner senior Cody Jordan (16:01) easily defeated runner-up Ridgecrest Burroughs (49).
In a race that had only 23 runners and three scoring teams, the Granite Hills girls (ranked No. 1 in the county) scored a perfect 15 with the first five finishers and seven of the top nine. Granite Hills sophomore Chelsea Bennis won in 19:15. Burroughs was second with 54.

As opposed to the four-team DSL, the five-team MRL had close finishes for both team titles. For the boys, Apple Valley, with five finishers in the top 12, edged out Serrano, 31-38. Serrano's Ben Minick won in 16:23, while Apple Valley's Nick Reynolds was runner-up in 16:38.

The MRL girls has two of the top teams in CIF. Sultana entered the week ranked No. 7 in CIF-SS Division 2, while Serrano is right behind them at No. 8.
And that's how it played out Wednesday. Sultana won with 29 points, to edge out Serrano, with 34. Again Serrano had the individual winner (Melissa Fairchild, 18:01), but not the team winner. Sultana's Hannah Munyan was second in 18:04.

Results were received by The Sun late on Wednesday and will not appear in Thursday's paper. Hope is they will run in Friday's paper.