January 2010 Archives

Chino High School didn't have to look far for its new head football coach. Matt McCain, who will retain his athletic director position at Chino, will be the fourth head coach of the Cowboys in the last six years, pending board approval that can come no earlier than Feb. 18.

The Chino graduate will replace the departed Greg Setlich, who went 2-18 in his two seasons at the helm following a two-year stint by Manny Saiz that netted seven wins.

"We've been through some challenging times recently, but there's a rich history," McCain said. "I think we can get it back on track. I think a lot of our kids at Chino. Chino High School is a great place to work and coach. Expectations are high."

McCain has been a large part of that rich history, playing for and coaching under John Monger during the legendary coach's 19-year tenure at the school.

With less than a week before national signing day on Feb. 3, here is a list of local football players who have already verbally committed to their respective colleges:

Sean Alston, Los Osos, CB - Fresno State
Kennan Anderson, FB/LB, Pomona - New Mexico Highlands (Division II)
Jamil Austin, Colony, RB - Portland State (FCS)
Jered Bell, Colony, CB - Colorado
Anthony Brown, Kaiser, CB - USC
Deron Jefferson, Pomona, OT - University of Texas at El Paso
Darrian Lewis, Pomona, DB - Eastern Michigan
Bobby Ratiff, Etiwanda, WR - Washington State
Angel Santiago, Etiwanda, QB - Army
Kenneth Scott, Colony, WR - Utah
Corey Sims, Upland, CB - Sacramento State (FCS)
B.J. Sonboli, Los Osos, OL - Drake (FCS)
Randall Telfer, Rancho Cucamonga, TE - USC
George Uko, Don Lugo, DT - USC
Tony Washington, Los Osos, DE - Oregon
Jacob Wass, Webb, DE - UC Davis (FCS)
Greg Watson, Rancho Cucamonga, QB - Fresno State

If I'm missing anybody who has already committed, please let me know.

The CIF girls wrestling southern regional was held last Friday and Saturday at Covina Northview High School.

Inland Valley wrestlers who placed in their respective weight classes included:
Brianna Munoz, San Dimas (5th, 138 pounds)
Gabriella Gongora, Upland (2nd, 154)
Ashley Montellano, Diamond Ranch (6th, 165)

Gongora entered the final against Whitter La Serna's Jackie Williams with three first-period pins in three matches. Problem was, Williams had done the same, and head-to-head, it was Williams who got the pin, in 1:49.

Spoke with Rancho Cucamonga quarterback Greg Watson today after the senior's verbal commitment to Fresno State on Saturday... the Bulldogs, who traditionally run a pro-style offense, informed Watson they will install a spread offense package for him as early as next season.

The other three quarterbacks that will be on next season's Fresno State roster - starter and rising senior Ryan Colburn (2,400 yards, 19 TD, 11 int), a rising sophomore and another incoming freshman - are all pro-style quarterbacks.

"(Head) coach (Pat) Hill is going to teach me how to play quarterback in a pro-style offense but they're going to put in a spread offense for me as a freshman," Watson said.

Whether Watson will be available to run that offense next season depends on how much he can learn between now and then.

"If I can learn enough by the first game, I can play and not redshirt," Watson said. "So, as of right now it's up to my brain. I can't wait to get up there and soak it all up like a sponge."

A scheduling conflict has created an opening in the field of the Chino High School Preseason Baseball Varsity Tournament in March. The event is seeking one more team to complete the field for the event with games on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from March 3 to the 16th.

Interested schools can contact Chino High School baseball coach Bob Sheehan at (909) 627-7351, extension 3706.

BOYS
DIVISION 1-AA
1. Mater Dei
2. Long Beach Poly
3. Corona Centennial
4. Rancho Verde
5. Etiwanda
6. Upland
7. Montebello
8. Thousand Oaks
9. Los Osos
10. Los Alamitos
11. Redlands
12. Pacificaills
13. Oxnard
14. Ventura
15. Lakewood
16. Palmdale

DIVISION 3
1. St Lucy's
2. Corona Santiago
3. Murrieta Valley
4. Riverside Poly
5. Harvard-Westlake
6. Riverside King
7. La Serna
8. El Rancho
9. Ayala
10. Temescal Canyon

BOYS
DIVISION 1
1. Millikan
2. Mater Dei
3. San Clemente
4. West Torrance
5. JSerra
6. Edison
7. Mira Costa
8. El Toro
9. Los Osos
10T. Harvard Westlake
10T. Servite

Apparently Rancho Cucamonga High School quarterback Greg Watson's trip to Fresno State this weekend went well. The senior verbally committed to the Bulldogs today, according to Rancho Cucamonga head coach Nick Baiz.

Fresno State was recruiting the 6-foot, 180-pounder as a quarterback as opposed to Oregon, which offered Watson as a defensive back last winter before pulling the offer shortly thereafter upon receiving commitment from another DB.

Webb High School football coach Robbie von Pertz is resigning his position due to medical concerns a season after leading Webb to its first playoff appearance since the program returned to 11-man football in 1998.

"The kids were devastated to hear the news of his departure, and while of course sorry to have to accept Coach von Pertz's resignation, we understand the reasons for it and wish him the best of luck going forward," Webb athletic director Stephen Wishek said in an e-mail. "He has built a solid foundation for the next coach to build upon."

Finally got a hold of the All-Christian League football team...

League MVP: Jim Jones, WR, Aquinas, Sr.
Offensive MVP: Andrew Lachelt, QB/WR, Ontario Christian, Sr.
Defensive MVP: Jake Henderson, LB, Aquinas, Sr.
Special Teams MVP: Derrick Radden, RB/SS, Aquinas, Sr.

Per this earlier blog entry, former Alta Loma High School running back Donta Abron has officially enrolled at Upland, confirmed by Upland assistant coach Mike Esquivel.

The 5-foot-8, 175-pound tailback, only a sophomore, rushed for 1,356 yards and seven touchdowns for a winless Alta Loma team last season. The second-team All-Inland Valley selection will join a backfield that graduated 57 percent of the rushing yardage from its 2009 CIF championship team. Upland head coach Tim Salter labeled Abron one of the best backs in the Baseline League.

This move probably hurts an Alta Loma program coming off an 0-10 season more than it helps Upland. Abron accounted for 80 percent of Alta Loma's rushing yardage and 55 percent of its total offense last season. Upland brings back starting running back Walkeem McDonald (72-452, 2 TDs) and leading rusher Cole Champman (86-513, 3 TDs), though they were two of many in the running back rotation as juniors. A year after going with the platoon approach to the rushing attack, it'll be interesting to see how much of the load Salter will allow Abron to carry.

Upland High School All-CIF cornerback Corey Sims verbally committed to Sacramento State of the FCS, formerly Division I-AA, on Monday, according to Upland assistant coach Mike Esquivel. Sims led the Highlanders with five interceptions and six pass break-ups on a defense that carried Upland to a CIF championship allowing less than 11 points per game.

The 5-foot-11, 182-pound speedster was the top vote-getter among All-CIF-SS Central Division defensive backs. He made 40 tackles and played a fair amount of running back for Upland, averaging over 10 yards per carry. Sims ran for 245 yards and four TDs as a senior and caught three passes for 74 yards.

When Redlands East Valley quarterback Tyler Shreve committed to Utah earlier this week, he cancelled his visit to Fresno State scheduled for this weekend. The next quarterback on Fresno State's list, according to director of the SGV/IE Scouting Service James Escarcega, is Rancho Cucamonga dual-threat quarterback Greg Watson.

Watson will visit Fresno State this weekend.... and they are recruiting the 6-foot, 180-pound senior who runs a 4.55-second 40, as a quarterback, according to Rancho Cucamonga head coach Nick Baiz. Oregon offered Watson as a defensive back last winter, but the offer was eventually pulled when Oregon received a verbal commitment from another DB while Watson held out for an offer to play quarterback. The 2008 CIF-SS Central Division MVP may soon have his wish granted.

I think Watson has the tools to play quarterback at the Division-I level, particularly in a spread offense. He's got the arm, the mobility, the speed... the only thing he's lacking is a couple of inches and he's only 16 years old, so he could easily hit another growth spurt.

"In every recruit's mind, when you hear of a coaching change the first thing that comes to mind is de-commitment," said Rancho Cucamonga High School tight end Randall Telfer, who has been verbally committed to USC since April 2. "But I committed to USC, not Pete Carroll."

In other words, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound senior will honor his verbal commitment to the Trojans despite the departure of coach Pete Carroll to Seattle and arrival of Lane Kiffin from a brief stay at Tennessee. In fact, around this time last year, Kiffin was trying to lure Telfer to Tennessee.

During that 48-hour period after Carroll left for the NFL, Telfer admittedly didn't feel terribly comfortable.

"We talked about some other options if they hired someone he wasn't comfortable with," Rancho Cucamonga head coach Nick Baiz said. "But it really never had time to progress."

Kiffin's hire plus the new coach's decision to retain the coach that recruited Telfer, tight ends coach Brennen Carroll (Pete's son), erased most of the doubt. A few conversations with fellow USC committed players who intended to honor their pledges erased the rest.

"It would be difficult to just up and leave right now," Telfer said. "I've been with USC a long time and no matter what's happening with the football program, it's always going to be a good school."

Webb High School's Jacob Waas, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior, has verbally committed to play football at UC Davis. Waas was an All-CIF running back for Webb this season but will play exclusively defensive end for UC Davis, whose football team competes in the FCS, formerly known as Division I-AA.

Waas, a first team All-Prep League selection in 2008 and 2009, chose UC Davis among scholarship offers from Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins and the University of San Diego.

After a visit to West Point last weekend, Etiwanda quarterback Angel Santiago verbally committed on Tuesday to Army, the only of the three schools that offered him a scholarship to play quarterback.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound senior received offers from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to play cornerback and Division I-AA Idaho State to play wide receiver. With the option to remain a quarterback at a Division-I program, Santiago said the decision was not a difficult one.

"I know that I'm not your protypical 6-2, 6-3 quarterback," he said. "But I knew somebody that runs the spread or the triple option would give me a shot."

As usual, the Inland Valley didn't produce a lot of placers at the prestigious Five Counties Wrestling Tournament last Saturday at Fountain Valley High School.

Ayala 112 pounder Andrew Delgado finished eighth in his weight class, while Carter 140-pounder Chuck Wilson was also eighth.

Pomona High School football coach John Brown resigned Jan. 8 on the premise that the school offered his job to Colony fourth-year head coach Anthony Rice soon after Brown's first and only season head coach. Rice said that in a conversation about two months ago with Pomona athletic director Tom Sweeney, Rice's friend and former colleague, Sweeney floated the idea of Rice joining Pomona's coaching staff as the offensive coordinator under Brown.

"I was never offered (Brown's) job," Rice said Tuesday. "Tom (Sweeney) was talking to me about being the offensive coordinator and I just laughed it off. It was kind of a joke... I'm already a head coach, so why would I go be an offensive coordinator? He was kind of serious about it but I just laughed it off."

Mike Sweeney, the Ontario HS grad who has 207 home runs and a .298 batting average in 15 major league seasons, is hosting a one-day camp on Feb. 6 10 a.m-2:30 p.m.
It is for players aged 6-18. Cost is $85 and includes the camp, t-shirt, lunch and an autographed photo of Sweeney.
Proceeds will benefit the Ontario High baseball team, now coached by his father, Mike Sweeney Sr. For registration info, contact the student store at Ontario at (909) 988-7411 or Mike Sweeney Sr. at mikesweeney42@hotmail.com. Several current and former pro players will be instructors for the camp, including Bonita High School products Jeremy and Mark Reed. Jeremy, who played for the Mets last year, signed with Toronto today for 2010.

The Chino Valley Unified School District and Ayala High School girls basketball coach Mel Sims have confirmed that assistant coach Nick Masi resigned for "personal reasons." Neither Sims nor the district would give details as to the "personal reasons." Masi was in his second season as Sims' assistant and served as a substitute teacher in the district. Off-campus junior varsity coach Leonard Guinn will serve double duty as JV coach and varsity assistant. "You can't find another coach and get board approved this late in the season," Sims said.

Former Pomona High School football coach John Brown's statement that the Pomona administration contacted other coaches about replacing him as early as the middle of his first and only season as the head coach was not substantiated by those he said were contacted.

Brown said Colony head football coach Anthony Rice was offered his job after the season and Diamond Ranch coach Roddy Layton was contacted about his job in the middle of the season. When reached Friday, both Rice and Layton said they weren't contacted about or offered the head football coaching job by Pomona High School.

Both Layton and Rice, who graduated from Pomona Unified School District's Ganesha High and Garey High, respectively, acknowledged knowing many in and around Pomona's football program. Layton was an assistant coach on the 1996 Pomona staff with Brown.

"I never got a phone call from anybody at Pomona and I've never been offered a job at Pomona," Layton said. "I'm sure if my name pops up - I'm a product of Pomona Unified, I coached there for a year and I'd like to think I've had some success recently - it's because my name pops up in a lot of places."

Pomona High School head football coach John Brown resigned Friday after discovering the school, unbeknownst to Brown, was searching for his replacement as early as the middle of this season, his first as Pomona's head coach. Brown said Pomona contacted Colony head coach Anthony Rice after the season and Diamond Ranch coach Roddy Layton mid-season about the Pomona head coaching job.

Pomona principal Roger Fasting, however, denied that the school contacted anybody about Brown's job.

"None of that is true," Fasting said. "His letter came as a surprise to us because he hadn't talked to us about resigning. I'm not sure where he got his information or how he heard that story."

Said Brown: "I'm telling you he's lying. They interviewed another guy for my job in the middle of the season. They told me the only reason they're doing this is because they want an on-campus coach. And that's fine, but don't go about it like this."

There were plenty of debatable names left on and off the All-CIF football teams released this week. Here are three players who didn't make the cut in the Central Division who left the debate behind about four months ago.

• Don Lugo defensive lineman George Uko, who scout.com rates the No. 2 player at his position in the country somehow didn't make the All-CIF team in his own division. The best defensive lineman in Southern California, who played for a playoff team, wasn't deemed a top 8 defensive lineman in the Central Division. USC's probably going to take the 6-foot-4, 300-pound senior, who was the most highly recruited player in the Inland Valley, anyway.

• Chaffey running back Ronald Douglas had the third-most rushing yards in California when his season ended on Nov. 27 but somehow missed the cut for All-CIF in the Central Division. Douglas rolled up 2,671 yards and 24 TDs on 343 carries, averaging nearly 8 yards per carry. His Chaffey team nearly defeated eventual Central Division runner-up Los Osos in a 28-26 quarterfinal playoff game. Chaffey coach Chris Brown wasn't pleased with the snub of the player that would have set Chaffey's all-time rushing record had he not been on the bench for a few second halves. "I know I'm venting a little bit but what they did is just flat out wrong," Brown said. "If you look at this team it just doesn't make sense."

• Garey's 6-foot-3 junior receiver Dominique Williams had 45 receptions for 1,213 yards and 10 TDs for a Garey team that passed for just 1,800 yards 17 TDs - and Williams threw one of those TDs! - but was a less attractive option than a receiver in his own league with 600 less yards, five less catches and four less TDs? As for the argument that Williams' Garey team wasn't relevant, the Vikings were one win away from the school's first playoff appearance since 2000.

When prospective colleges call to inquire about Etiwanda High School's 5-foot-10 quarterback, Eagles head coach Steve Bryce makes sure to slip the name Jeremiah Masoli into each conversation.

"Same height," Bryce said. "Of course Masoli is 220 pounds and Angel is about 185."

Despite the weight disparity between the Oregon QB and his own, Santiago's efforts have landed him scholarship offers from Army, Idaho State and Cal Poly SLO with an offer from Northwestern potentially coming soon. Idaho State, in the process of a conversion to the same spread offense in which Santiago piled up 9,500 yards and 65 TDs as a three-year starter at Etiwanda, wants him to play quarterback. Army is offering him as an athlete.

I haven't spoken to Santiago lately but I can't imagine him passing up an offer to play quarterback in college. I was afraid he wouldn't get a single offer to play QB and if scouts were afraid of offering him at a positon they'd never seen him play, that could have left a great, great high school player out in the cold. Now Santiago is not only going to play college football, but he has options.

CIF-SS SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Offensive Player of the Year: Adam Muema, RB, Charter Oak, Sr.
Defensive Player of the Year: Keith Smith, LB, Charter Oak, Sr.
Coach of the Year: Lou Farrar, Charter Oak

OFFENSE
Quarterback
Gus Viramontes, Diamond Ranch, Sr., 6-1 190

Running back
Amari Staten, Diamond Ranch, Sr., 5-11 185
Dalton Williams, Burbank Burroughs, Sr., 5-10 205
Ulisies Ochoa, Burbank, Jr., 5-11 190
Terris Jones, California, Sr., 5-8 165
Nick Castillo, Schurr, Sr., 5-8 185

Here are the boys basketball matchups for the Martin Luther King one-day event at Los Osos High School. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for students.

8 a.m. - Ontario vs. San Dimas
9:30 a.m. - Bishop Amat vs. Charter Oak
11 a.m. - Serrano vs. Claremont
12:30 p.m. - Diamond Bar vs. Rancho Cucamonga
2 p.m. - Chino Hills vs. Los Alamitos
3:30 p.m. - Glendora vs. Garey
5 p.m. - Twentynine Palms vs. Alta Loma
6:30 p.m. - Santa Monica vs. Etiwanda
8 p.m. - Los Osos vs. Ayala

EASTERN DIVISION
Co-Offensive Players of the Year: Michael Karls, QB, Palm Springs, Sr. & Nephi Garcia, RB, Palm Springs, Jr.
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Josh Shirley, LB, Kaiser, Sr. & Christian Spears, LB, Palm Springs, Sr.
Coach of the Year: Steve Fabian, Palm Springs

OFFENSE
Quarterback
Nigel Barksdale, San Jacinto, Sr., 6-0 180 12
Derrick Dison, Ridgecrest Burroughs, Jr., 6-0 175

CIF-SS CENTRAL DIVISION
Co-offensive players of the year: Angel Santiago, QB, Etiwanda, Sr.; Jamil Austin, RB Colony, Sr.
Defensive player of the year: Tim Helton, LB, Upland, Sr.
Coach of the year: Tim Salter, Upland

OFFENSE
Quarterback
Greg Watson, Rancho Cucamonga, Sr., 6-0 190
Chad Jefferies, Glendora, Jr., 6-3 180
Ryan Verdugo, Chino Hills, Sr., 6-1 195

Running back
Derrick Malone, Colton, Sr., 6-3 205
Tyler Ervin, Colton, Jr., 6-0 175
Cody Rogina, Los Osos, Jr., 5-10 185
Michael Boyd, Rancho Cucamonga, Sr., 5-10 180

The Damien High School representation had nothing but good things to say about graduate Mark McGwire on the day the former MLB slugger admitted to using steroids "off and on for a decade," including to set the single-season home run record in 1998.

Here is a link to a story by our own Daniel Tedford quoting Damien High School athletic director Tom Carroll, who coached Mark McGwire in high school.

DIVISION I-AA
1. Mater Dei
2. Long Beach Poly
3. Corona Centennial
4. Upland
5. Rancho Verde
6. Etiwanda
7. Thousand Oaks
8. Montebello
9. Oxnard
10. Los Alamitos
11. Los Osos
12. Redlands
13. Jordan
14. Lakewood
15. Ventura
16. Vista Murrieta

A team of San Bernardino County all-stars, many of whose names you'll recognize, will try to avenge two straight defeats at the hands of the Riverside County all-stars Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Corona High School.

I'll be there and will provide some thoughts on the players, many of whom are making one last push for a scholarship before national signing day on Feb. 3. Click the link below and take a look at the rosters for both teams.

As some suspected, the scholarship offer Don Lugo defensive tackle George Uko received in June from USC was probably the only one he ever needed. The five-star recruit, rated the second-best DT in the country by scout.com, indeed committed to the Trojans on Christmas Day with offers standing from Oregon, LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Cal, UCLA, Miami and many more.

"(USC) was in the lead from the beginning," said Uko, the most highly recruited player in the Inland Valley. "I grew up watching 'SC and I knew it was a good school. As a freshman I didn't think I could get there. But when I knew I could, that's where I wanted to go."

The decision came down to four schools: UCLA, Cal, Oregon and USC. It was Oregon, Uko said, he thought the most about before finally commiting to the Trojans.

Thomas Cordova/Staff Photographer

The Baseline League boys basketball race has been fairly uncomplicated the past two seasons - thanks to Etiwanda High School. Since Feb. 2, 2007, the back-to-back outright league champs have lost one league game.

Leading up to league play this year, that simplicity seemed to have graduated along with eight of the top nine players who led Etiwanda to the semifinals in the largest division of the CIF-Southern Section last season. The Eagles were a pedestrian 8-6 entering Tuesday's league opener against Alta Loma (the same Alta Loma team that beat them by 10 on Dec. 17 in the quarterfinals of the Inland Empire Invitational tournament it eventually won).

Having lost four of its past seven games before Tuesday, league foes had to be wondering if Etiwanda finally was vulnerable this year.

"I think people on the outside thought so, but the coaches in this league knew we lost to some pretty good teams," Etiwanda head coach Dave Kleckner said. "Nobody's going to take Etiwanda for granted. Four of our losses came to teams that were probably in the top 20 in the state."

Don Lugo High School all-everything defensive tackle George Uko verbally committed to USC on Dec. 25, according to rivals.com and scout.com. I've got a meeting set up with Uko on Wednesday to confirm his committment.

The 6-foot-4, 295-pound senior chose the Trojans from a top five of USC, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Miami and LSU. The five-star defensive tackle, according to scout.com, had copious other offers from schools around the country, including Cal and Oregon.

Uko, who played in the Under Armor All-America game on Saturday, had 88 tackles and 15 sacks this season.

In my recent interview with Upland's Tim Salter for the football Coach of the Year story, I wasn't asking all the questions. Fresh off a CIF championship, the Upland coach, who is one of the most engaging in the Inland Valley, had a question for me.

"Why weren't we in your preseason Top 10?"

A valid question, to say the least, given that the Highlanders lost two games by a total of five points this season on the way to a CIF title. Ironically, with one spot left in my preseason Top 10, I was debating between two teams: Upland and Los Osos - the two that eventually squared off in the CIF-SS Central Division championship game. I gave the spot to Los Osos, which seemed to have lost slightly less from its star-studded 2008 team.

Recalling my preseason efforts, or lack thereof, I thought I'd do final rankings based on all that transpired in the 2009 season. Not just a Top 10 but a slotting of every team in the Daily Bulletin coverage area...

Upland High School is graduating 15 starters from the team that claimed the CIF-SS Central Division championship but the Highlanders may be adding a significant piece to their football team next season. Rumors are circling that Alta Loma sophomore Donta Abron, a second-team All-Inland Valley running back who rushed for 1,356 yards last season, may soon transfer Upland.

Upland head coach Tim Salter confirmed that Abron had not yet enrolled, but if he is going to it will likely be when Upland's second semester begins in three weeks.

"It sounds like he's going to register but I don't know because I haven't talked to him," Upland coach Tim Salter said. "So as of now it's a no."

Alta Loma head coach Jose Fuentes, who's team went 0-10 in 2009 (making Abron's 1,451 total yards and 7 TDs that much more impressive given his status as the primary target of every defense) said he was unaware of any plans for Abron to transfer but knew his sophomore running back was absent from school on Monday.

Abron would undoubtedly be a welcome addition to an Upland team graduating 57 percent of the rushing attack that was the driving force of its offense. The Highlanders are graduating three from a platoon of running backs that ran five players deep. The two returning are junior starter Walkeem McDonald (72-452, 2 TDs) and leading rusher Cole Champman (86-513, 3 TDs), also a junior.

"(Abron) was one of the best backs in the league," Salter said. "He ran hard, especially for a sophomore. He played well against just about everybody in our league."