September 2010 Archives

Will Lester/Staff Photographer
Garey running back Sothia Bun (6) is brought down by Montclair's Rudy Aguilar during the first quarter of Garey's 49-10 win Thursday night in its Mt. Baldy League opener. Bun rushed for 210 yards and 3 touchdowns on just 16 carries.

Based on what he had to say afterward, Montclair's Rick Ward can't be accused of taking Garey lightly in Thursday night's Mt. Baldy League opener. After the Vikings rolled up 42 first-half points in a 49-10 win over Montclair at Ganesha High, the Cavaliers head football coach more than included Garey in the conversation of Mt. Baldy League champion.

"A lot of people are going to see them coming in with 'Vikings' on the front of their jerseys and take them lightly," Ward said, "when they might be the best team in this league."

Thursday, Sept. 30 predictions
Mt. Baldy League
Garey 27, Montclair 13

Friday, Oct. 1 predictions
Hacienda League
Diamond Ranch 26, Diamond Bar 17
Montview League
Ganesha 24, La Puente Bassett 13
Mt. Baldy League
Chaffey 22, Chino 14
Colony 31, Don Lugo 14
San Andreas League
Arroyo Valley 30, Rialto 20
Colton 38, Carter 21
Valle Vista League
Baldwin Park 31, Pomona 14
San Dimas 41, La Puente Nogales 20
Nonleague
Alta Loma 21, Granite Hills 19
Chino Hills 24, Redlands East Valley 21
Kaiser 24, Palm Desert 12
Damien 24, Placentia El Dorado 12
Redlands 28, Rancho Cucamonga 26
Santa Fe Springs St. Paul 20, Ayala 13
Summit 38, Silverado 17
Upland 27, Los Angeles Loyola 17

The Mt. Baldy League has officially been turned upside down when the team that carried an 18-game losing streak into this season is considered a contender for the league title. On the eve of league play, though, Chino has made that the case.

Colony, which has won the league three of the last four years, began its season 0-2 under first- year coach Matt Bechtel. Chino, meanwhile, has not only won its first three games but is averaging a 30-point margin of victory. Chaffey, thought to be the league favorite at the season's outset, has not only lost three of its first four games but is averaging a 19-point margin of defeat.

"I think the preseason records are not indicative of who's going to be at the top of this league," said Bechtel, who took over at Colony after seven years as the Los Osos offensive coordinator. "The caliber of opponents has been different for everybody so far."

The Bonita football team returned one key player from injury only to see another go down. The Bearcats have compiled a 4-0 record against a difficult schedule, a feat that appears all the more impressive considering starting quarterback Garrett Pendleton has missed all four games with a hairline fracture in his throwing arm.

Pendleton, who started half the games as a junior last season was cleared to practice this week but Casey Horine, a senior wide receiver and linebacker who is arguably the Bearcats best player, appears to be finished for the season due to a torn ACL suffered against Claremont Sept. 10.

"(Horine) will have another MRI this week because the swelling has made it hard to tell what the damage is," Bonita head football coach Eric Podley said. "But it's looking like he won't be able to play this season."

Rancho Cucamonga High School's football team has lost just three of its last 32 games. The Cougars lost all but a couple of members of the defense that allowed less than 14 points per game on the way to the 2008 CIF-SS Central Division title. They came back and won 10 games in 2009, losing twice by three points and missing their second consecutive appearance in a title game by a touchdown.

Gone are the quarterback, running back and two leading receivers from last year's team. As Rancho Cucamonga's 4-0 record would seem to indicate, though, there hasn't been any drop-off yet.

"We've had good lower levels since I've been here," Cougars fifth-year head coach Nick Baiz said. "We feel like we've done a good job developing players. We've gotten a chance to really work on that the last few years once we got settled here."

INLAND DIVISION
(previous ranking)
1. (1) Vista Murrieta (3-0)
2. (2) Centennial/Corona (3-0)
3. (4) Norco (3-0)
4. (5) Redlands East Valley (3-0)
5. (6) Chino Hills (3-1)
6. (7) Rancho Cucamonga (4-0)
7. (3) Upland (3-1)
8. (9) Redlands (3-0-1)
9. (NR) Roosevelt (3-0)
10. (NR) Ayala (4-0)
Dropped out: No. 8 Charter Oak (2-2), No. 10 Glendora (3-1)
Others receiving votes: Charter Oak (2-2), Glendora (3-1), Claremont (3-1), Corona (2-1).

1. Rancho Cucamonga (4-0)
Previous ranking: 2 Last week: def. Covina Charter Oak 40-28. Next: Friday at Redlands (3-0-1)
2. Kaiser (3-0)
Previous ranking: 3 Last week: def. Cajon 35-0. Next: Friday at Palm Desert (3-1)
3. Chino Hills (3-1)
Previous ranking: 4 Last week: def. Pomona 48-13. Next: Friday at Redlands East Valley.
4. Upland (3-1)
Previous ranking: 1 Last week: lost to Norco 35-21. Next: Friday at Los Angeles Loyola (1-3)
5. Summit (2-0-1)
Previous ranking: 5 Last week: idle. Next: Friday vs. Silverado (1-2-1)
6. Bonita (4-0)
Previous ranking: 7 Last week: def. Baldwin Park 29-0. Next: Sept. 8 at Diamond Bar (4-0)
7. Los Osos (2-2)
Previous ranking: 6 Last week: lost to Vista Murrieta 30-7. Next: Friday vs. West Covina South Hills (1-2)
8. Ayala (4-0)
Previous ranking: 8 Last week: def. Hacienda Heights Los Altos 35-7. Next: Friday vs. Santa Fe Spring St. Paul (2-1)
9. Claremont (3-1)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Rowland Heights Rowland 24-21. Next: Friday vs. Ontario (2-1)
10. San Dimas (2-2)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Monrovia 35-34 (OT). Next: Friday vs. La Puente Nogales (1-3)
Dropped out: No. 10 Damien (2-1)
Others receiving votes: Chino (3-0), Damien (2-1), Diamond Bar (4-0).

Arroyo Valley 49, Eisenhower 7
Ayala 34, Hacienda Heights Los Altos 7
Big Bear 42, Western Christian 28
Bonita 29, Baldwin Park 0
Carter 14, Riverside Norte Vista 8
Chino 47, Covina Northview 30
Chino Hills 48, Pomona 13
Claremont 24, Rowland Heights Rowland 21
Colton 42, Bloomington 6
Desert Hot Springs 58, Jurupa Hills 0
Diamond Bar 31, Brea Olinda 28
Etiwanda 33, Miller 28
Garey 35, Ganesha 0
Kaiser 35, Cajon 0
Montclair 28, City of Industry Workman 20
Norco 35, Upland 21
Oak Park 21, Don Lugo 7
Ontario Christian 31, Jurupa Valley 0
Rancho Cucamonga 40, Covina Charter Oak 28
Rialto 20, Granite Hills 13
San Dimas 35, Monrovia 34
Vista Murrieta 30, Los Osos 7
West Covina Citrus 33, Glendora 28

The third- and fourth-ranked teams in the Inland Division clash tonight in what could be a playoff preview in the new-look CIF-SS Inland Division. Upland (3-0), at No. 3, is defending Central Division champion and No. 4 Norco (2-0) is a perennial contender.

Spreading the love: No longer is Norco's offense three yards and a cloud of dust, although it rarely was limited to three yards. The longtime power running game isn't exactly gone but the Cougars do their running out of a different formation.

With freshman Coltin Gerhart - the youngest son of head coach Todd Gerhart - at quarterback, Norco decided to shift from the double-wing/I formation to a spread offense. The primary weapon in the offense, however, continues to be a running back. This season that is 5-foot-10, 192-pound senior Kelsey Young, who is verbally committed to Stanford.

Will Lester/Staff Photographer
Diamond Ranch's Jacoby Carter breaks a 50-yard run in the first quarter of the Panthers' 21-14 win over Chaffey Thursday.

Chaffey held the ball an astounding 36 minutes and 17 seconds Thursday night - there are only 48 minutes in a game. If only the Tigers could've held a lead.

Diamond Ranch possessed the ball for 4:08 of the 24 minutes in the second half but walked away with its first win of the season, a 21-14 victory at Chaffey High School. Diamond Ranch (1-3) ran nearly half the amount of offensive plays as Chaffey (1-3), but when the Panthers did have the ball they were successful, evidenced by three first-half touchdowns in five possessions and a 21-8 halftime lead.

"We felt like we could score at any time," Diamond Ranch coach Roddy Layton said. "Chaffey is good at what they do; they've been doing it for lots of years. But they were running out of time in the second half."

Thursday, Sept. 23 predictions
Diamond Ranch 21, Chaffey 13

Friday, Sept. 24 predictions
Bonita 26, Baldwin Park 24
Diamond Bar 28, Brea Olinda 13
Kaiser 14, Cajon 3
Rancho Cucamonga 24, Charter Oak 21
Colony 38, Alta Loma 17
La Puente Bishop Amat 24, Damien 20
Don Lugo 23, Oak Park 10
Garey 28, Ganesha 13
Rialto 23, Granite Hills 16
Ontario Christian 30, Jurupa Valley 21
Vista Murrieta 31, Los Osos 14
Etiwanda 32, Miller 31
San Dimas 31, Monrovia 20
Norco 27, Upland 20
Chino Hills 31, Pomona 7
Claremont 33, Rowland Heights Rowland 27

INLAND DIVISION
(previous ranking)
1. (1) Vista Murrieta (2-0)
2. (2) Corona Centennial (2-0)
3. (3) Upland (3-0)
4. (4) Norco (2-0)
5. (5) Redlands East Valley (2-0)
6. (7) Chino Hills (2-1)
7. (8) Rancho Cucamonga (3-0)
8. (9) Charter Oak (2-1)
9. (10) Redlands (2-0-1)
10. (NR) Glendora (3-0)
Dropped out: No. 6 Temecula Chaparral (0-2)
Others receiving votes: Roosevelt (2-0), Ayala (3-0), Damien (2-0).

Garey High School wide receiver Dominique Williams had a week anyone would have trouble duplicating. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound senior scored three touchdowns before the Vikings even ran a play from scrimmage... yes, you read that correctly.

He began with a 99-yard kickoff return and returned the first two punts 55 and 80 yards for scores in Garey's 49-0 thrashing of Duarte that gave the Vikings two wins in their first three games. Williams didn't play in the second half but he found the endzone a total of five times in the first three quarters thanks to a 46-yard touchdown reception and a an 8-yard touchdown run.

Entering the season, Williams had scholarship offers from Boise State, Utah, Oregon State, Washington State, San Diego State and Colorado State, according to Garey head coach Leonard Hudson. It's dafe to say games like this aren't going to turn anybody away.

1. Upland (3-0)
Previous ranking: 1 Last week: def. Serrano 14-7. Next: Friday vs. Norco (2-0)
2. Rancho Cucamonga (3-0)
Previous ranking: 2 Last week: def. San Dimas 21-10. Next: Friday vs. Covina Charter Oak (2-1)
3. Kaiser (2-0)
Previous ranking: 3 Last week: def. Riverside North 28-0. Next: Friday vs. Cajon (1-1)
4. Chino Hills (2-1)
Previous ranking: 5 Last week: def. Rancho Santa Margarita Tesoro 14-13. Next: Friday vs. Pomona (3-0)
5. Summit (2-0-1)
Previous ranking: 6 Last week: def. Fontana 51-7. Next: Oct. 1 vs. Silverado (0-2-1)
6. Los Osos (2-1)
Previous ranking: 4 Last week: lost to Redlands 27-20 (3OT). Next: Friday at Vista Murrieta (2-0)
7. Bonita (3-0)
Previous ranking: 7 Last week: def. Santa Fe Springs Santa Fe 13-12. Next: Friday at Baldwin Park (3-0)
8. Ayala (3-0)
Previous ranking: 8 Last week: def. Alta Loma 63-26. Next: Friday at Hacienda Heights Los Altos (0-3)
9. Claremont (2-1)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Walnut 38-13. Next: Friday vs. Rowland Heights Rowland (3-0)
10. Damien (2-0)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Chaffey 35-0. Next: Friday at La Puente Bishop Amat (3-0)
Dropped out: No. 10 San Dimas (1-2)
Others receiving votes: San Dimas (1-2), Miller (1-2), Chino (2-0).

Thursday, Sept. 16
Azusa 31, Ontario Christian 10
Chino 49, Oak Park 19
Colony 27, Los Angeles Garfield 12
Garey 49, Duarte 0

Friday, Sept. 17
Ayala 63, Alta Loma 26
Bloomington 40, Eisenhower 6
Bonita 13, Santa Fe Springs 12
California City 28, Webb 21
Chino Hills 14, Rancho Santa Margarita Tesoro 13
Claremont 38, Walnut 13
Damien 35, Chaffey 0
Diamond Bar 24, Don Lugo 17
Glendora 28, Canyon 7
Jurupa Hills 34, Silver Valley 28
Kaiser 28, Riverside North 0
La Quinta 14, Colton 3
Miller 10, Arroyo Valley 0
Montclair 13, Santa Ana Saddleback 3
Norco 49, Etiwanda 35
Ontario 39, La Puente Nogales 23
Pomona 48, Ganesha 7
Rancho Cucamonga 21, San Dimas 10
Redlands 27, Los Osos 20 (3OT)
Rialto 24, Oak Hills 14
Silverado 13, Carter 13
Summit 51, Fontana 7
Upland 14, Serrano 7

If somebody would have told me that two games into football season, Chino would be the only undefeated team in the Mt. Baldy League I probably would have stopped listening. However, the same team that went winless last season is now 2-0 (and that record hardly does justice to what Chino has done so far).

After last night's resounding victory over Oak Park, the Cowboys have hung 42 and 49 points on their 2010 opponents. Not a bad way to break an 18-game losing streak. A logical question: what is the caliber of the two teams Chino has faced? Whittier, a 42-0 victim of the Cowboys Week 1, last made the playoffs in 2006 but it was Chino on the business end of a 35-13 blowout when these two met last year. Whittier went 5-5 in 2009, including two wins over playoff teams, one of which was a 10-2 L.A. Roosevelt team.

Thursday, Sept. 16 predictions
Garey 31, Duarte 13
Los Angeles Garfield 22, Colony 17
Oak Park 17, Chino 14
Azusa 28, Ontario Christian 20

Friday, Sept. 17 predictions
Ayala 28, Alta Loma 12
Miller 24, Arroyo Valley 21
Bloomington 30, Eisenhower 14
Bonita 21, Santa Fe Springs 12
Webb 27, California City 13
Damien 17, Chaffey 14
Don Lugo 26, Diamond Bar 24
Riverside North 20, Kaiser 17
Ontario 24, La Puente Nogales 20
Los Osos 31, Redlands 23
Montclair 14, Santa Ana Saddleback 13
Norco 37, Etiwanda 27
Pomona 17, Ganesha 14
Rancho Cucamonga 31, San Dimas 20
Chino Hills 36, Rancho Santa Margarita Tesoro 28

Diamond Bar High School receiver George Katrib had seven receptions for 115 yards and three touchdowns in a 48-27 win over Hacienda Heights Wilson Friday that gave the Brahmas their second win in as many games this season. Thanks in part to the heroics of Katrib, the Brahmas now have one more win in 2010 than they did all of last season.

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound junior also intercepted his second and third passes of the year Friday. Diamond Bar is averaging 43 points per game but its opponents this far are a combined 0-3. If the Brahmas can extend their win streak to three with a win Friday over perennial playoff team Don Lugo, it will certainly add to their credibility.

INLAND DIVISION
(previous ranking)
1. (2) Vista Murrieta (1-0)
2. (3) Corona Centennial (1-0)
3. (5) Upland (2-0)
4. (6) Norco (1-0)
5. (7) Redlands East Valley (1-0)
6. (1) Chaparral (0-1)
7. (4) Chino Hills (1-1)
8. (9) Rancho Cucamonga (2-0)
9. (10) Charter Oak (1-1)
10. (8) Redlands (1-0-1)
Others receiving votes: Glendora (2-0) Roosevelt (1-0); South Hills (1-0); Los Osos (2-0); Corona (1-0); Riverside Poly (1-0); Yucaipa (1-0); Ayala (2-0); Damien (1-0).

Entering this week's game with perennial Inland Empire power Norco, the Etiwanda High School football team is winless two games into the season. Looking a little deeper than the number in the win column, the Eagles may have already demonstrated their program is in better shape than expected after losing the largest football senior class in school history.

It wasn't determined until the final seconds of the game, but Etiwanda dropped its season opener 42-35 to a Summit team that appears very much on the rise. Last week the outcome was less in doubt in a 49-27 loss to a Vista Murrieta team that finished a touchdown short of the 2009 CIF-SS Inland Division championship. For an Etiwanda team replacing six starters on each side of the ball, including three-year starting quarterback Angel Santiago who accounted for 9,500 yards and 65 touchdowns during his tenure, there have been plenty of positives thus far.

"We're not at all disappointed with where we are," Etiwanda coach Steve Bryce said. "We play this schedule because we want to expose our weaknesses so we can fix them. We could have scheduled some teams we could have beat 60 or 70 to nothing but what good is that going to do us?"

1. Upland (2-0)
Previous ranking: 1 Last week: def. Tustin 42-21. Next: Friday vs. Serrano (2-0)
2. Rancho Cucamonga (2-0)
Previous ranking: 3 Last week: def. Temecula Great Oak 34-17. Next: Friday at No. 10 San Dimas (1-1)
3. Kaiser (1-0)
Previous ranking: 4 Last week: def. Barstow 37-6. Next: Friday at Riverside North (0-1)
4. Los Osos (2-0)
Previous ranking: 5 Last week: def. Riverside North 26-21. Next: Friday at Redlands (1-0-1)
5. Chino Hills (1-1)
Previous ranking: 2 Last week: lost to Corona Santiago 24-12. Next: Friday vs. Tesoro (2-0)
6. Summit (1-0-1)
Previous ranking: 6 Last week: tied Redlands 24-24. Next: Friday at Fontana (0-1)
7. Bonita (2-0)
Previous ranking: NR Last week: def. Claremont 42-20. Next: Friday at Santa Fe Springs Santa Fe (1-0)
8. Ayala (2-0)
Previous ranking: NR Last week: def. Colony 25-0. Next: Friday vs. Alta Loma (0-2)
9. Claremont (1-1)
Previous ranking: 8. Last week: lost to Bonita 42-20. Next: Friday vs. Walnut (1-0)
10. San Dimas (1-1)
Previous ranking: 10 Last week: def. South El Monte 55-0. Next: Friday vs. No. 2 Rancho Cucamonga (2-0)
Dropped out: No. 7 Chaffey (1-1), No. 9 Diamond Ranch (0-2)

Aquinas 20, Twentynine Palms 14
Bloomington 26, Banning 7
Bonita 42, Claremont 20
Cajon 51, Eisenhower 0
Carter 51, Alta Loma 7
Chino 42, Whittier 0
Citrus Valley 51, Bell-Jeff 24
Colton 55, Chaffey 8
Corona Santiago 24, Chino Hills 12
Damien 26, Diamond Ranch 19
Diamond Bar 48, Hacienda Heights Wilson 27
Don Lugo 35, Ontario Christian 21
Garey 42, Nogales 28
Jurupa Valley 34, Pacific 27
Kaiser 37, Barstow 6
Los Osos 26, Riverside North 21
Ontario 26, Rubidoux 14
Palm Springs 21, Arroyo Valley 9
Rancho Cucamonga 34, Temecula Great Oak 17
Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 28, San Gorgonio 14
Redlands 24, Summit 24, tie
Redlands East Valley 21, Clovis East 6
San Dimas 55, South El Monte 0
Serrano 22, Silverado 10
Upland 42, Tustin 21
Victor Valley 35, Rim of the World 13
Vista Murrieta 49, Etiwanda 27
Webb 33, Arrowhead Christian 16
Western Christian 32, Calvary Chapel Downey 7
Yucaipa 55, Moreno Valley Canyon Springs 12

Ayala 25, Colony 0
Ayala is 2-0 after taking advantage of six Colony turnovers and running away with a competitive game with 14 fourth-quarter points. Ayala first-year starting QB Caleb Carillo ran for 84 yards and a TD on 13 carries and threw for 90 yards on 8 of 16 passing with a TD and no interceptions. The story of this one was missed opportunities for Colony, which fumbled away its first three possessions, two inside the Ayala 15-yard line. Trailing just 11-0 at the half, Colony gained just 45 yards in the second half and threw two costly fourth-quarter interceptions that led to 14 Ayala points.

Pomona 13, Montclair 0
Demetrius Counts rushed for 206 yards on just 19 carries as Pomona scored its second victory in as many games under head coach Anthony Rice despite three turnovers and several costly penalties. The Pomona defense shut down a winless Montclair team that has scored just 12 points in two games and got a 1-yard touchdown run from QB Tavia Cobbs on a key fourth-and-goal play in the second quarter before Counts scored on a 20-yard run late in the third.

Los Angeles Carson 40, Miller 27
Miller scored 20 consecutive points to take a 27-20 lead entering the fourth quarter against a Carson team that defeated Mater Dei in its season opener, but Carson scored the decisive TD with 5:22 left before taking advantage of a Miller fumble to seal the game. Miller senior QB Eric Shufford ran for 85 yards and threw for 126 yards on 15-of-31 passing but the Rebels gave up 372 yards and four TDs through the air.

The over-under on total passes thrown in Friday night's game could be in the single digits. That means lots of smash-mouth football is in store for Colton (0-0) and Chaffey (1-0), two contenders for the CIF-SS Central Division title.

Playoff preview?: Each of these teams' 2009 seasons ended courtesy of tight quarterfinal playoff games against Baseline League teams no longer in the Central Division, meaning tonight may not be the only time Colton and Chaffey play this season.

On its way to a San Andreas League title and No. 1 playoff seed, Colton defeated Chaffey, the Mt. Baldy League's second-place finisher, 35-12 in a Week 4 matchup last season.

Thursday, Sept. 9 predictions
Ayala 24, Colony 14
Los Angeles Carson 31, Miller 10
Pomona 27, Montclair 14

Friday, Sept. 10 predictions
Arrowhead Christian 34, Webb 13
Carter 17, Alta Loma 10
Kaiser 24, Barstow 6
Whittier 21, Chino 13
Chino Hills 28, Corona Santiago 27
Claremont 24, Bonita 14
Colton 21, Chaffey 20
Diamond Ranch 21, Damien 10
Diamond Bar 31, Hacienda Heights Wilson 24
Cajon 28, Eisenhower 10
Vista Murrieta 31, Etiwanda 21
Garey 17, La Puente Nogales 7
Littlerock 17, Fontana 14
Don Lugo 13, Ontario Christian 10
Rancho Cucamonga 34, Temecula Greak Oak 10
Redlands 21, Summit 20
Riverside North 27, Los Osos 20
Rubidoux 31, Ontario 7
San Dimas 42, South El Monte 13
Upland 22, Tustin 7

INLAND DIVISION
(Previous ranking)
1. (1) Chaparral (0-0)
2. (2) Vista Murrieta (0-0)
3. (3) Centennial/Corona (0-0)
4. (4) Chino Hills (1-0)
5. (6) Upland (1-0)
6. (7) Norco (0-0)
7. (8) Redlands East Valley (0-0)
8. (9) Redlands (1-0)
9. (10) Rancho Cucamonga (1-0)
10. (5) Charter Oak (0-1)
Others receiving votes: Roosevelt (0-0), South Hills (0-0), Los Osos (1-0), Glendora (1-0).

Claremont senior quarterback Daniel Kessler threw for 374 yards and three touchdowns in an impressive season-opening 31-14 win Friday over a Cajon squad that returned 15 starters from the team that finished second in the San Andreas League last year. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior completed 18 of 31 passes with one interception and also ran for a touchdown. He had two receivers go for at least 145 yards.

The San Dimas High School football team won 10 more games than Bonita last year. It returned 14 starters from a 2009 team that won the CIF-SS Mid-Valley Division championship, the first in school history. After three consecutive losses to the school's biggest rival, entering Friday night Bonita's seniors were facing the prospect of never winning the Smudge Pot back from San Dimas.

"I don't think too many people were picking us to win," Bonita coach Eric Podley said. "And the people that did think we could win, I don't think they expected that point differential."

Coming off a three-win season, Bonita claimed its first victory over San Dimas in three years with an emphatic 41-20 win Friday night. The Bearcats led 24-7 at the half and swelled their advantage to 20 points in the third quarter. All this despite receiving the news a week ago that starting quarterback Garrett Pendleton would miss the first half of the season with a hairline fracture in his throwing arm.

1. Upland (1-0)
Previous ranking: 1 Last week: def. Miller 21-16. Friday vs. Tustin (1-0)
2. Chino Hills (1-0)
Previous ranking: 2 Last week: def. Lakewood Mayfair 28-14. Friday at Corona Santiago (0-1)
3. Rancho Cucamonga (1-0)
Previous ranking: 3 Last week: def. Silverado 42-7. Friday at Temecula Great Oak (0-1)
4. Kaiser (0-0)
Previous ranking: 4 Last week: idle Friday vs. Barstow (0-1)
5. Los Osos (1-0)
Previous ranking: 5 Last week: def. Colony 20-7. Friday at Ayala.
6. Summit (1-0)
Previous ranking: 8 Last week: def. Etiwanda 42-35. Friday vs. Redlands (1-0)
7. Chaffey (1-0)
Previous ranking: 9 Last week: def. Alta Loma 35-21. Friday vs. Colton (0-0)
8. Claremont (1-0)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Cajon 31-14. Friday at Bonita (1-0)
9. Diamond Ranch (0-1)
Previous ranking: 6 Last week: lost to Rancho Santa Margarita 56-0. Friday vs. Damien (0-0)
10. San Dimas (0-1)
Previous ranking: 7 Last week: lost to Bonita 41-20. Friday at South El Monte (0-0)

Friday, Sept. 3
NONLEAGUE
Ayala 35, Don Lugo 13
Bonita 41, San Dimas 20
Claremont 31, Cajon 14
Chaffey 35, Alta Loma 21
Chino Hills 28, Lakewood Mayfair 14
Diamond Bar 38, Nogales 21
El Monte Arroyo 35, Ontario 14
Glendora 28, Charter Oak 21
Los Osos 20, Colony 7
Pomona 21, Garey 14
Rancho Cucamonga 42, Silverado 7
Rancho Santa Margarita 56, Diamond Ranch 0
Redlands 23, Temecula Great Oak 16
Rialto 21, Moreno Valley 12
Serrano 35, Paraclete 14
Upland 21, Miller 16
Whittier Christian 49, Ontario Christian 20

The Los Osos High School football team's season began about 22 minutes after Colony's on Friday night. Once the Grizzlies' season got rolling, it couldn't be stopped. Late in the first half, Kalaukoa Labonta returned an interception 54 yards for a touchdown to give Los Osos the lead for good in a 20-7 victory over the Grizzlies' former offensive coordinator Matt Bechtel in his first game as Colony's head coach.

Until the 2:18 mark of the second quarter Colony had outgained Los Osos 149 yards to 56, numbers reflected in the game's momentum as the Titans marched 42 yards after taking over on their own 1-yard line. Everything changed on the sixth play of the drive when a wide receiver screen pass from quarterback Dominick Barnett, who rushed for 137 yards and a first-quarter touchdown, slipped through the fingers of Chaz Nelson and into the waiting arms of Labonta.

"We knew that was one of the plays (Bechtel) liked to run, so our defensive coordinator had a little something for him," Los Osos coach Tom Martinez said. "That play turned the whole game around."

Friday, Sept. 3 Predictions
Chaffey 34, Alta Loma 10
Ayala 17, Don Lugo 14
Claremont 32, Cajon 28
Chino Hills 36, Lakewood Mayfair 17
Diamond Ranch 23, Rancho Santa Margarita 21
Garey 24, Pomona17
Diamond Bar 27, La Puente Nogales 13
Colony 24, Los Osos 21
El Monte Arroyo 31, Ontario 3
Rancho Cucamonga 28, Silverado 20
Moreno Valley 26, Rialto 12
San Dimas 33, Bonita 28
Upland 21, Miller 10
Whittier Christian 38, Ontario Christian 31

OFFENSE
QB - Daniel Kessler, Sr., Claremont
The 6-foot-4 Claremont senior threw for 2,419 yards with 24 TDs and seven interceptions last year, his first full season as a starting quarterback.

RB - Donta Abron, Jr., Upland
After rushing for 1,350 yards for a winless Alta Loma team last season, Abron could be in for a big year behind the Upland offensive line.

RB - Montigo Alford, Sr., Summit
Also a prized basketball recruit, the lightning quick Alford averaged 10.6 yards a carry on the way to 1,146 yards and 17 TDs last season.

Both of these teams have plenty to prove, but that is hardly the most interesting dynamic of a season opener that pits new Colony head coach Matt Bechtel, the Los Osos offensive coordinator for seven years, against his former team and coaching staff.

It's not practice anymore: Matt Bechtel and Kevin Price have done battle on the Los Osos practice field "probably a million times in seven years," but tonight the chess match has a much different feel. Los Osos is coming off the school's first appearance in a CIF championship game -- the Grizzlies lost 19-7 to Upland on Dec. 11 -- but returns just seven starters. Colony, which retained only two starters from last season, is eager to kick off the Bechtel era and prove there won't be a drop-off from the successful teams in Colony's recent history.

Summit 42, Etiwanda 35
Despite Etiwanda junior Larry Cutbirth passing for 339 yards and three TDs, Summit escaped Etiwanda Thursday night when Summit super recruit Devon Blackmon nabbed Cutbirth's third interception at the 2-yard line as time expired. A dramatic finish included a fourth-down touchdown catch by the Eagles' Mike Sena (9 receptions, 121 yards, 2 TDs) with 41 seconds left before Etiwanda recovered an onsides kick. Summit piled up 353 rushing yards and ran for five touchdowns. Running back Montigo Alford led a balanced effort with 154 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 30 carries.

Ganesha 31, Montclair 12
As evidenced by the state-record 49-game losing streak it mercifully ended in 2008, Ganesha has been on the wrong side of its share of blowouts. Thursday night the Giants were on the right side of a lopsided score as quarterback Terry Francis rushed for 243 yards and two touchdowns on just 18 carries. The explosive senior broke 54- and 59-yard scoring runs in the second quarter to give Ganesha a 21-0 lead.

Pomona isn't usually the subject of the most curiosity in the Inland Valley. Given that it has a two-time CIF champion coach on the sideline this year, the Red Devils might be the most intriguing team in 2009. Pomona appeared on the rise last season, raising the stakes for this year, but consider that the five teams they beat during a 5-1 start averaged 1.6 wins last year.

Due to a slightly deceiving 6-4 record in 2009, I think a lot of people expect coach Anthony Rice, who won a pair of CIF Central Division titles in four years at Colony, to step in a lead Pomona to its first playoff appearance since 2003. That's a pretty tall order, especially considering he lost his best player a couple weeks ago when running back Taj Teague transferred to Claremont.

"It's a work in progress," Rice said. "We want to pick up where they left off last year when they took a solid leap forward. We want to work hard, add a little more discipline and focus on the little things to win games."

1. UPLAND (12-2)
he defending CIF-SS Central Division champion returns just three starters from the best defense in the Inland Valley, but junior running back Donta Abron, an Alta Loma transfer, and returning quarterback Justin Nunes could help turn the Highlanders back into an offensive force.

2. CHINO HILLS (10-3)
Fifteen starters return from a team that lost a semifinal playoff game to eventual Central Division champion Upland by six points. With the electric Ifo Ekpre-Olomu at running back full time, the biggest question mark seems to be new quarterback Andrew Chavez.

3. RANCHO CUCAMONGA (10-3)
The Cougars graduated a banner 2009 class, but with a mammoth offensive line in front of veteran running back Sateki Finau and a revamped defense, Rancho Cucamonga doesn't figure to drop off.

Bill Zernickow sounded practically as happy a few days ago as he did through the press box wall at Citrus College on Dec. 12 - only a little less muffled. Winning the first CIF championship in school history will do that to somebody, muchless if you defeat the No. 1 seed in a dramatic six-point, rain-soaked victory. "It's something you can take to your grave," Zernickow said.

Fortunately for San Dimas, the Saints can probably afford to be a little fat and happy considering they return 14 starters from the team that went 13-1 in 2009. The entire offensive and defensive lines are back as are playmakers Jordan Taylor and Dillon Corona.

But it's not all gravy for San Dimas. One of those returning starters, junior quarterback Shawn Kennedy, is out until midseason with a shoulder injury suffered playing baseball. In Ryan Kohler and Tre Evans, the Saints graduated 2,374 rushing yards and 37 TDs.

David Fleming's thick Boston accent doesn't make Ganesha's concerns sound any less daunting. In 2010, however, the Ganesha head football coach will have some company that can relate when the Giants move out of the Valle Vista League -- home to defending CIF champion San Dimas, among others -- and into a seven-team Montview League with programs more comparable to Ganesha's.

After breaking a state-record, 49-game losing streak in Fleming's first season and entering his third at the helm, the former Diamond Ranch assistant has collected three total victories in two years. However, Duarte averaged three points a game during a winless 2009 season while Montview League foe La Puente Bassett's roster dwindled to seven players in the spring because of coaching issues. Two Montview League head coaches are in their first season with their respective teams while three are in their second.