Sierra League prediction: Chino Hills alone at the top

"I think too much is being made of that," Chino Hills coach Derek Bub said. "In this league, every game will practically be like a playoff game and (Charter Oak and South Hills) are used to playoff games. Every team in this league is used to winning."

Charter Oak has won six consecutive Miramonte League titles. South Hills claimed top honors in the San Antonio League five of the last seven years. Chino Hills has won at least a share of the Sierra League championship three of the last five years, Damien at least a share two of the last four years and Ayala won a share in 2008.

Claremont won at least a share of the Baseline title three times this decade and the Wolfpack appears to be emerging from a tough stretch. Much will be discovered tonight when Claremont meets Chino Hills.

"If you asked any coach in this league, I'd be surprised if they didn't say this was the toughest league they'd ever been in," Ayala coach Tom Inglima said. "This is the toughest league Ayala's even been in. I can tell you that much."

Chino Hills' Ifo Ekpre-Olomu is perhaps the most dynamic player in a league with plenty of young men who will be playing on Saturdays. The highly recruited defensive back was shifted to running back this season in an effort to get the ball in his hands more often.
Opposing defenses have accordingly keyed on the shifty 5-foot-10, 195-pound senior but Chino Hills' junior quarterback Andrew Chavez has come into his own in victories over Tesoro and Redlands East Valley. Regardless, with Ekpre-Olomu and Nate Harris in the secondary and nose guard Auston Johnson wreaking havoc up front, the Huskies defense carried them through a stacked nonleague schedule by allowing a meager 13.4 points per game.

Claremont, conversely, has relied on its high-powered offense. Senior quarterback Daniel Kessler and the receiving corps of Tanner Kuramata and Aaron Dockery may be the top passing combination in the CIF-Southern Section. Kessler has completed 69 percent of his passes to the tune of 303 yards per game with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. Claremont may not be as deep as some of the Sierra League programs but the Wolfpack's talent rivals that of anybody.

Ayala has found a new quarterback to jolt its offense in Caleb Carillo. Complimenting a typically stingy defense, the dual-threat senior has taken some of the heat off running back Mauricio Reynoso and the result has been four Ayala wins in its first four games.

Damien, a co-league champion last season along with Chino Hills and Glendora, was expected to drop off this season after losing 19 starters from a year ago. The Spartans, however, have given every indication they will be a factor in the league race. Damien's two losses have been lopsided ones to powerhouse teams, however, making the Spartans difficult to gauge.

Then there is Charter Oak and South Hills, who may be the most difficult of all to gauge.
"Before coming to the Sierra League, those two teams were willing to play anybody from any division," Inglima said. "Now they just have to do it on a regular basis."

Prediction
Chino Hills 5-0
Charter Oak 3-2
Claremont 3-2
Damien 2-3
Ayala 1-4
South Hills 1-4