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Unlike the thriving softball teams, two rounds into the CIF-SS baseball playoffs only one local team remains alive, Division 3 No. 1 seed Bonita.

After a first-round 18-1 victory, the Bearcats ran into more resistance in Tuesday's second round but prevailed in a two-run game against Garden Grove. In Friday's quarterfinals, Bonita will host Paramount, the third-place team from the San Gabriel Valley League that has knocked off two league champions in as many postseason games.

The Damien baseball team, a Division 2 at-large playoff team from the Sierra League, failed in its bid to defeat a second league champ as Mission Viejo ousted the Spartans in the second round, 9-1. Alta Loma also went down in Division 2 as the Baseline League champions ran into the No. 2 seed and Mt. Baldy League winner Don Lugo lost to the Rio Hondo League champs in the second round.

True to the playoff mantra, there was drama Friday on the Bonita High School baseball field.

It lasted one inning.

After the top seed in CIF-SS Division 3 allowed an uncharacteristic run in the first inning, Bonita quickly pulled away for an 18-1 victory over San Gorgonio in the first round of the playoffs.

It may have only been one run, but considering the circumstances, it qualified as dramatic.

Bonita pitcher Justin Garza, who has signed with Cal State Fullerton and is sure to be selected in the Major League Baseball draft in June after leading the Bearcats (27-2) through a dominant regular season, walked eight batters in 65 regular-season innings. He walked the first batter of Friday's game.

Here is a recap of some of the action from Saturday's Diamond Bar Tournament, courtesy of Diamond Bar assistant coach Lisa Houk (who reported it) and our clerk, Adrian Cruz (who wrote it up). This did not make our deadline to appear in Sunday's paper.

Pool Play
Diamond Bar 4, Hacienda Heights Wilson 3
With the score tied 3-3 going into the final inning, tournament rules dictated an international tiebraker, which allows both teams to begin the inning with a runner at second. Diamond Bar held their own and did not allow the runner to score. In the bottom half of the frame, Diamond Bar loaded the bases with one out and up came Natalie Barajas. With Dani Wilson cheering her on from third base, Barajas ended the game with a walk-off HBP. Dani Wilson crossed the plate with the winning run and sent the Brahma players and supporters into a frenzy and into the championship game. Leadoff batter Breanna Gonzalez went 3 for 4 while Danielle Cornejo and Lizzy McCabe added two hits apiece.

Championship
St. Lucy's 4, Diamond Bar 1
The Regents scored all of their runs in the first two innings as Caroline Smith held the tournament-host Brahmas to one run over five hits to win the title. St. Lucy's Brandi Harkness had an RBI triple while Danielle O'Toole added a double.
For Diamond Bar, Brianna Gonzalez and Liz Rubalcava had a double apiece while Marissa McKendall went 2 for 3 with an RBI. An unusual play took place in the top of the seventh as Diamond Bar threw out two players at the plate. After a single to right, the Diamond Bar left fielder hit her cutoff man at first who then gunned out a St. Lucy's runner attempting to score from second at the plate with her throw to Rubalcava. Rubalcava alertly threw down to second after seeing the St. Lucy's initial batter attempting to go to second. However, one more St. Lucy's batter tried to come home with Diamond Bar's shortstop throwing back to home in time to record the out and a rare play all at once.

Most of the winter sports' league races have been decided, but there are a few with unfinished business heading into the final two days of the regular season.

After the Claremont girls soccer team's 2-0 victory over Ayala on Tuesday broke a tie for first place between the two, the Wolfpack needs to defeat West Covina South Hills tonight to secure an outright Sierra League championship.

The Ontario Christian boys basketball team will face Aquinas in a de facto Ambassador League championship game tonight in San Bernardino a year after the Knights broke a first-place tie with Aquinas with a win in the penultimate game of last year's regular season.

The Hacienda League girls soccer race took a turn on Tuesday when Diamond Bar's win over Bonita pulled the Brahmas into a first-place tie. Bonita needs a win over a struggling Rowland team to earn its share of the league title while Diamond Bar's road to at least a share of the league championship requires it to defeat a Los Altos team that won their first meeting, 3-2, on Jan. 23.

Through the eyes of a teenager, football typically is viewed as the destination, not the vehicle. Football sometimes begets a free college education courtesy of the small number of lucrative scholarships, but in the case of the four captains of the Diamond Ranch High School football team, it's quite the opposite.

Whether it's congressmen or Ivy League school officials in the meeting room, game film never is a request, but football might be the most appealing extracurricular activity available. Jacob Ardron believes he likely wouldn't have been admitted to Columbia without the football prowess that made him an all-CIF middle linebacker. Andrew Fischer, a track-star receiver, was on the radar of Pacific-12 Conference schools but physics programs don't get much better than those he'll be in at Harvard next year. Blake Benjamin and Peter Neise will head off to Navy and Army, respectively, next year after completing rigorous application processes that required more time than they devoted to football.

Each of the four Diamond Ranch captains will sign with their respective schools Wednesday, national signing day, but their all-expenses paid educations are what they are most happy to be cementing. Each of the seniors maintain grade-point averages greater than 4.5 on a four-point scale, literally off the charts for your average high school student but fairly pedestrian in the Ivy League.

Offensive Player of the Year: Chris Solomon, West Covina, 12
Defensive Player of the Year: Dorrin Turner, West Covina, 12
Coach of the Year: Mike Maggiore, West Covina

OFFENSE
Running back:
Joey Davis, Santa Fe 12
OJ Medina, La Serna, 12
Zander Anding, Burbanks Burroughs, 12
Johnny Hills, La Mirada, 11
Jimmy Frazier, West Covina, 12
Justin Fa'aola, Los Altos, 12
Ryan Harris Bellflower, 12
Quarterback:
Myles Carr, Arcadia, 12
Gerry Myres, La Mirada, 11

Player of the year: Chris Solomon (West Covina)
Offensive player of the year: Jimmy Frazier (West Covina)
Defensive player of the year: Garrett Horine (Bonita)

FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB: Shane Virnala (Los Altos)
QB: Henry Omana (Diamond Bar)
RB: Justin Fa'aola (Los Altos)
RB: Aaron Salgado (West Covina)
RB: Cameron Griffin (Bonita)
RB: Terry Ford (Rowland)
TE: Ryan Ramirez (Bonita)
WR: George Katrib (Diamond Bar)
WR: Cody Lepp (Walnut)
WR: Austin Venegas (Bonita)

Diamond Ranch's Chris Miller verbally committed to Oregon State on Monday after receiving a written scholarship offer from Beavers head football coach Mike Riley, according to Diamond Ranch coach Roddy Layton. Miller, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound athlete, plays both running back and safety for Diamond Ranch. Washington, who has also shown interest in Miller, was coming on strong around the same time Oregon State made the senior his first offer.

The Diamond Ranch High School football team's approach has made it easier to dismiss it as a contender. Never one for pristine win-loss records thanks to difficult nonleague schedules, the Panthers were cast in the role of surprise team when they reached the CIF championship game in 2008. Until they did it again in 2009... finishing each season with a 7-7 record.

The only surprise last season was when Diamond Ranch didn't make its typical postseason run. After an 0-3 start to the 2010 season, Diamond Ranch suffered two lopsided losses to end the year before exiting the playoffs in the opening round for the first time since 2002. As it turned out, the three teams that defeated the Panthers at the end of last season all reached the semifinals in the Southeast Division.

So when Diamond Ranch's losing streak stretched into this season when the Panthers suffered their sixth consecutive defeat three weeks ago, it was easy to think their championship-game days were behind them.

If the natural rivalry of these neighbors wasn't enough, Diamond Ranch (2-3, 1-0) taking down Bonita last week only adds fuel to tonight's matchup against Diamond Bar (2-3, 0-1) that has major playoff implications.

41-0: Neither of these teams has forgotten the beating Diamond Ranch dealt Diamond Bar last season's league opener. The 41-0 victory for the Panthers can't be far from either team's mind.

After years of trying to schedule Diamond Bar to no avail, Diamond Ranch head coach Roddy Layton got his wish when both teams were moved into the Hacienda League last season, requiring them to play. The Panthers wasted no time dismantling a Diamond Bar team that was undefeated at the time after winning its first four games of the season.

Only two teams from the CIF-SS Southeast Division played 14 games last season. They both hail from the Hacienda League.

Bonita and West Covina played twice in 2010, once for the Hacienda League championship and once for the CIF title. West Covina walked away with all the hardware, though it took a late drive to earn a 37-33 win in the Southeast Division championship game.

With Hacienda League play beginning this week, West (3-1) Covina again sits atop the Southeast Division rankings, but the difference this season is Bonita is the league's only other team to grace the top 10. Six squads from the seven-team league formed last year spent time in the 2010 rankings.

The high school football game between Diamond Ranch and Diamond Bar on Oct. 7 will have more at stake this season than just a Hacienda League victory. The city of Diamond Bar is introducing the inaugural Mayor's Cup, a trophy that will be awarded to the winner of the matchup at Diamond Bar High School next week, with Mayor Steve Tye doing the honors.

The schools played each other last year -- a 41-0 Diamond Ranch victory -- for the first time since Diamond Ranch coach Roddy Layton took over six years ago. Layton, whose team hails from Pomona, attempted to schedule the Brahmas to no avail until they landed in the Hacienda League last season.

"Sports, particularly when they involve youth, have a way of bringing the community together," Tye said. "The Mayor's Cup is a means for celebrating that togetherness."

The Diamond Ranch High School football team took efficiency to unprecedented levels Thursday night. Without a single possession in the game's first 19 minutes, the Panthers managed to take a lead they wouldn't relinquish in a 29-6 victory over Chaffey.

Recovering an errant punt snap in Chaffey's end zone was the only positive play for Diamond Ranch (1-3) of the game's first 32. Having taken the field for the first time with 3:39 left in the first half, its safe to say the Panthers offense will be well rested heading into its Hacienda League opener against Bonita.

Diamond Ranch secured its first win of the season at the expense of a Chaffey that has lost three strait asit heads into Mt. Baldy League play next week.

"They're a good football team who could have beaten Damien, could have beaten Elsinore last week," Chaffey coach Chris Brown said of Diamond Ranch, which has lost its last two games by seven points. "But our offense was good tonight. We were able to control the ball a little bit."

Will Lester/Staff Photographer
Claremont receiver Andrei Tarankow pushes off Bonita's Garrett Horine (23) during the second quarter of Claremont's 18-15 win.

When a backup quarterback scores a team's first offensive touchdown in the fourth quarter, it's usually a sign that the outcome has long since been decided.

With Bonita, the No. 2 team in the CIF-SS Southeast Division, taking on a Claremont team that graduated 18 starters from last year's team, it looked as if plenty had decided the winner before Friday night's game began. But thanks to a gritty effort by its defense and some late field position, it was Claremont that emerged with an 18-15 victory over Bonita.
The Wolfpack (2-0) gained just 191 yards, 73 of which came on a reception that preceded a blocked field goal.

Dylan Kegans connected on two field goals and Claremont's two touchdowns consisted of an 87-yard interception return by Stan Reeder late in the first half and a 13-yard scamper by shifty backup quarterback Paul Manus for the go-ahead touchdown with 7:02 to play.

Coming off fantastic 2010 seasons, Bonita (1-0) and Claremont (1-0) began 2011 with a step toward proving they have ample replacements for their departed stars. Bonita, the No. 2 team in the CIF-SS Southeast Division, rolled to a 20-point victory over San Dimas while Claremont rallied for a win over La Palma Kennedy.

Not looking back at quarterback: The biggest shoes to fill at both schools are at quarterback after the departure of Claremont 3,500-yard passer Daniel Kessler and Bonita's Garrett Pendleton, who led the Bearcats to the CIF-SS Southeast Division championship game and threw for 2,000 yards despite missing the first four games of the season.

Claremont's Gabe Schaper wasn't expecting to be the starter until junior Matt Simko transferred in July. The senior's first pass attempt as a starter was a 76-yard touchdown and his last an 18-yard go-ahead touchdown pass with 1:54 remaining in the 24-20 victory.

Bonita has a lot to live up to after last season's run to the CIF-SS Southeast Division championship game. With 190 players out for football, the most in coach Eric Podley's 12-year tenure, the Bearcats may do it. They'll have to deal with the loss of quarterback Garrett Pendleton, who threw for 2,000 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions despite missing the first four games of the season.

In all Bonita is replacing 16 departed starters but the most interesting battle for a starting job is at quarterback between talented sophomore Tanner Diebold and the experienced senior Aaron Burgett.

Receiver Garrett Horine, a preseason All-Valley selection who will play safety as well, leads a formidable group of skill players that will surround the quarterback to be determined.

The long-awaited resurgence of a once-proud Diamond Bar program appeared to be underway last season when the Brahmas won their first four games. It was promptly put to an end by three losses to open league, including a 41-0 beat down at the hands of Diamond Ranch. Under new head coach Ryan Maine, Diamond Bar is hoping this is the seaon of the real resurgence.

"It's tough because they're not going to believe you until you go out and win games," Maine said.

The Brahmas may feature the most-touted quarterback in the league as 6-foot-4 Henry Omana finally takes over his own team after rotating last season. Maine expects the strong-armed pocket passer to have a breakout year directing the spread offense along with a healthy dose of help from running back Jamaal Clayton, one of seven returning starters on offense along with standout receiver George Katrib.

Diamond Ranch was heading for apparent league title contention last season until dropping its final two games to Bonita and West Covina, who later played for the CIF title, by a combined score of 79-20. An uncharacteristic first-round playoff loss following consecutive trips to the CIF-SS Southeast Division championship game and the loss of its starting quarterback to baseball have created some uncertainty for Diamond Ranch this season.

The Panthers are replacing more than they expected after losing two running backs to college football and their star receiver in addition to a quarterback they figured would return. With Cesar Carillo electing to focus on baseball, senior Isiah Locke will step in to quarterback a team that will rely on a strong offensive front.

"We like what we're doing up front on both sides of the ball and that's where is starts," Diamond Ranch head coach Roddy Layton said. "If we have strong line play that will establish the running game and help open up the pass."

MVP: Justin Garza, Pitcher, Bonita, Jr.

First team
P: Kenny Mathews, Diamond Bar, Sr.
P: Henry Omana, Diamond Bar, Jr.
P: Kyle Peck, Los Altos, Sr.
P: Jacob Chonsky, Walnut, Jr.
INF: Robert Mier, Bonita, Sr.
INF: Justin Row, Bonita, So.
INF: Rouric Bridgewater, Diamond Ranch, Sr.
INF: Gio Morales, Los Altos, Jr..
OF: Matt Gelalich, Bonita, Sr.
OF: K.C. Huth, Bonita, Sr.
OF: Josh Viloria, Diamond Bar, Sr.
OF: Will Walters, Walnut, Sr.
C: Dylan Goodwin, Diamond Ranch, Jr.
Utility: Mark Lindsay, Bonita, Sr.

MVPs: Courtney Gano, Bonita, Sr., Stephany La Rosa, Diamond Bar, Sr.

First team
Bree Sandoval, Bonita, Sr.
Aninssa Sanchez, Bonita, Fr.
Jazzlyn Costa, Bonita, So.
Liz Rubalcava, Diamond Bar, Jr.
Brianna Gonzalez, Diamond Bar, So.
Alyssa Villapando, Los Altos, Jr.
Mariah Midyette, Los Altos, Jr.
Lexi Garcia, Los Altos, Jr.
Mercedez Cundiff, Rowland, Sr.
Kaylea Snaer, Rowland, So.
Justine Chavira, Walnut, Sr.
Taylor Castro, West Covina, Jr.
Dakota Monarrez, West Covina, Sr.
Alex Blanco, West Covina, Jr.

The Diamond Bar softball team's turnaround already was substantial before the Brahmas officially became league title contenders last week.

After a winless run through the Sierra League last season, Diamond Bar (12-9, 7-2) is a game behind first-place West Covina in the new Hacienda League thanks in large part to a 4-3 win over Bonita on April 27.

Last season, Diamond Bar posted a 6-18 overall record that included an 0-10 mark in league. The Brahmas surpassed last season's win total a month into this season.

Diamond Ranch offensive lineman Alvaro Estrella secured a priority walk-on from Fresno State on Thursday, meaning the senior will be guaranteed a spot on the Bulldogs next season but will not be receiving a scholarship. Estrella passed up a scholarship offer from Hampton, a FCS school in Virginia. Diamond Ranch kicker Jeff Stamp signed with Ottawa University, an NAIA school in Kansas. Ottawa head coach Kent Kessinger personally visited Diamond Ranch to sign Stamp.

Entering the final game of the regular season with 23 wins in 25 games, Bonita girls basketball coach Darren Baumunk admitted he still needed some convincing.
Losing eight straight meetings to one team apparently leaves a lasting mark.

Bonita defeated nemisis Diamond Ranch Friday night 66-58 to earn its second win over the second-place Panthers this season and finish undefeated in the Hacienda League.
Bonita built a 17-point lead in the first quarter but much like the first meeting allowed Diamond Ranch to storm back. It took a put-back with two seconds remaining for the Bearcats to claim the first meeting, a 50-48 win on Jan. 24.

"We had gone 0-8 against these guys coming into this year and sometimes you think maybe it was by luck that shot went in last time," Baumunk said. "I don't think we had gotten over that hump with them until tonight."

Player of the year: Chris Solomon, RB/LB, West Covina, Jr.
Offensive player of the year: Garrett Pendleton, Bonita, QB, Sr.
Defensive player of the year: Maurice Dupleasis, West Covina, LB, Sr.

FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB: George Johnson, West Covina, Sr.
RB: Beejay Lee, West covina, Sr.
RB: Chase Price, Diamond Ranch, Sr.
RB: Giamani Johnson, Bonita, Sr.
RB: Jacoby Carter, Diamond Ranch, Sr.
TE: Frankie Avalos, Los Altos, Sr.
OL: Mark Laffin, West Covina, Sr.
OL: Ray Amaya, West Covina, Jr.
OL: Jon Logan, West Covina, Sr.
OL: Joseph Gibson, West Covina, Sr.
OL: Mike Cortez, West Covina, Sr.
WR: Aubrey Coleman, Walnut, Sr.
WR: Jason Tsukada, Walnut, Sr.
WR: Leonardo Freeman, Rowland, Sr.
PK: Brian Drulias, Diamond Bar, Jr.

I'm here in Fresno for the CIF State Cross Country Championships, and it's cold. It'll be down close to freezing tonight, and the high tomorrow is only expected to get to the low 50s. At least rain isn't expected to move into the area until late afternoon, after the final race.
Check back here on this blog during the morning and early afternoon Saturday for updates on Inland Valley competitors: Ayala's girls team, Bonita's Marissa Scott, Claremont's boys team, Colony's Xochitl Navarrete and Nick Valenzuela, Rancho Cucamonga's boys team and Webb's Bailey Stockdale.

The races begin at 8:30 a.m., but the first race with an Inland Valley runner is Race 3 at 9:30 a.m., the girls Division 3, with Marissa Scott
--Pete Marshall

For those who wonder if they run cross country in the rain, the answer is definitely yes.
The CIF-SS Finals were held as scheduled, but on the rain course at Mt. San Antonio College on Saturday.

Three Inland Valley teams qualified for state by finishing in the top seven in their race: Rancho Cucamonga boys in Division 1, Claremont boys in Division 2 and Ayala girls in Division 2.
In addition, Colony's Xochitl Navarrete (girls Division 2) and Nick Valenzuela (boys Division 2), Bonita's Marissa Scott (girls Division 3) and Webb's Bailey Stockdale (boys Division 5) all qualified for the state meet as individuals, which is next Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno.

First round
West Covina over Bellflower
Santa Fe over Burbank
Diamond Ranch over Mayfair
Burbank Burroughs over El Rancho
La Mirada over Muir
Bonita over California
Arcadia over Norwalk
La Serna over Walnut

Quarterfinals
West Covina over Santa Fe
Diamond Ranch over Burbank Burroughs
Bonita over La Mirada
La Serna over Arcadia

If you love cross country -- and I'm sure there are many of you who do - Mt. San Antonio College is the place to be the next two Saturdays, Nov. 13 and 20.
The CIF-SS released the heat sheets for the CIF Prelims Nov. 13. In all, there will be 33 races, beginning at 7:45 a.m. and the last one beginning at 4:05 p.m. There will be an Inland Valley team or individual competing in 25 of 33 races. It was also announced Saturday that the Webb and Western Christian boys teams were picked as at-large entries for Division 5.

Here are some races to keep an eye on:
Race 18, Girls Division 2, 11:35 a.m.
Although it's Ayala with the much stronger team, it's notable that the Bulldogs will be running against Chino Valley district rival Don Lugo.
Race 21, Girls Division 3, 1:22 p.m.
Bonita, a young and up-and-coming team, will be facing the top team in San Bernardino County, Granite Hills.
Race 26, Boys Division 1, 2:33 p.m.
This one has four Inland Valley teams (Chaffey, Diamond Bar, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland) plus another individual (Christian Navarro of Los Osos). Rancho Cucamonga is the class of this group.
Race 31, Girls Division 1, 3:38 p.m.
Baseline League champion Rancho Cucamonga is in this race, as is Baseline third-place team Los Osos. Redlands, the Citrus Belt League champion, will be one of the teams battling with Rancho Cucamonga for a spot in the finals.
Race 33, Girls Division 1, 4:05 p.m.
Similar to Race 18. Chino and Chino Hills, two teams from the Chino Valley district who are not in the same league, will be facing each other in this race.

Given that its league began play two games earlier this season, Diamond Ranch had to begin its annual turnaround a little earlier in 2010. No longer in the five-team Miramonte League, rather the seven-team Hacienda League, the Panthers have adjusted their schedule accordingly.

Despite an 0-3 start to the season - the Panthers began 2008 and 2009 with 1-6 records but finished each season with a CIF championship game appearance - Diamond Ranch has won its first three league games to position itself nicely for a stretch run at the Hacienda League title. Diamond Ranch trailed Walnut 21-0 at halftime but pulled off a 35-28 win in overtime Oct. 8 before exploding for 21 fourth-quarter points in a 35-14 victory over Rowland on Saturday.

Diamond Ranch running back Chase Price compiled 388 total yards and four touchdowns in a 35-28 double-overtime win over Walnut on Friday. The senior committed to San Diego State carried 35 times for 320 yards and a pair of touchdowns and added 68 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions, including a 47-yard TD catch that tied the game at 21 after the Panthers trailed 21-0 at the half.

Thomas Cordova/Staff Photographer
Diamond Ranch QB Cesar Carillo (8) only had to throw six passes thanks to the running back duo of Chase Price (25 carries, 215 yards, 3 TDs) and Jacoby Carter (8-146, TD) who carried the Panthers to a 41-0 win over Diamond Bar Friday night.

Historically, when games matter most the Diamond Ranch High School football team is at its best. Friday night's game didn't provide the typical postseason motivation that has driven the Panthers to back to back CIF championship game appearances, rather, it was a specific opponent that raised the stakes. For the first time since Diamond Ranch opened in 1997, the Panthers lined up on a football field across from neighboring Diamond Bar. The Panthers made it count, emerging with a 41-0 win in the Hacienda League opener for both teams at Ganesha High.

After a typical slow start for Diamond Ranch (2-3, 1-0) this year and an atypical fast start for Diamond Bar (4-1, 0-1), which went 1-9 last season, the combination of pride, playoff position and 23 year-old itch made for quite the atmosphere Friday night.

"We wanted to win like this," Diamond Ranch Roddy Layton said. "This game wasn't about the rest of our league, it was just about Diamond Bar High. Now the hard part is convincing the team they've got to wake up tomorrow and play a game next week that matters just as much as this one."

The Hacienda League is doing its best to indicate how the multitude of contenders in its possession stack up prior to the opening of league play tonight. It's using the CIF-SS Southeast Division rankings as its own personal leaderboard.

Though it's just one of four leagues populating the division, the newly formed Hacienda League occupied five of the top 10 spots in the latest CIF rankings, including three of the top four. In other words, league play may not be the only time this group will face each other this season.

Coincidentally, up to five teams from the league could make the playoffs, given the four automatic playoff berths provided by the seven-team Hacienda League and the one at-large berth afforded by the Southeast Division.

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."

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."

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.

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.

Diamond Ranch senior-to-be Rouric Bridgewater has verbally committed to Arizona State, who offered him a full scholarship on July 20. The third baseman chose the Sun Devils over offers from USC, UCLA, Oregon, Loyola Marymount, San Diego State and Costal Carolina, which was his second choice, according to his father Steve Bridgewater.

Bridgewater, a first-team All-Valley and first-team all-CIF selection as a junior, batted .580 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs in just 26 games last season.

San Dimas head football coach Bill Zernickow, among others, provides some education on the Smudge Pot... and I don't just mean the annual rivalry football game between defending 2009 CIF champion San Dimas and Bonita that will be played Sept. 3 this year. That's 24 days from now!

Diamond Ranch High School's Chase Price verbally committed to San Diego State on Wednesday, according to Diamond Ranch head coach Roddy Layton. The fullback that has helped the Panthers to consecutive CIF championship game appearances received interest from other schools, but no other official offers besides that of San Diego State.

"It's Division I, it's in Southern California and it's far enough away so that he can get the college experience but it's not too far away from his family," Layton said. "I think it's a perfect fit."

Inland Division (no at-large entries)
Baseline
Big VIII (4 entries)
Citrus Belt
Sierra
Southwestern
Notes: The Baseline League essentially had four entries for the two seasons it was in the Inland Division, claiming the lone at-large berth each year. Last year the at-large team, Upland, won the entire division. In an Inland Division where it produced one collective playoff victory in its last two seasons there, life is going to be different for a Baseline League that produced six of the last eight semifinalists in the Central Division.

Central Division (no at-large entries)
Mt. Baldy (4 entries)
Desert Valley
Inland Valley (4 entries)
San Andreas (4 entries)
Notes: Colony won this division two years in a row before the arrival of the Baseline and Sierra Leagues two seasons ago. New coach Matt Bechtel, formerly Los Osos High's offensive coordinator, likely won't be disappointed he doesn't have to face his old league foes in the playoffs.

When the new league alignment that begins in September for the Mt. SAC Area was approved last fall, one of the forgotten things was that since essentially the remainder of the Miramonte and San Antonio leagues (plus Diamond Bar from the Sierra) were combined for a 7-team league, what would they call the new league?
I figured they would probably call it either the Miramonte or San Antonio. But no, it's the Hacienda League. A league that predates me (and I've been in the area for almost 15 years), but I am aware of it. Must be some old school principals.

I don't know all the alignments of the Hacienda Leagues, but at least from 1984-85, the alignment was:
Bonita, Chino, Diamond Bar, Etiwanda, Ganesha, Garey, Montclair, Ontario.
In 1986, Diamond Bar left and it was left with a 7-team league I believe, and by 1988, Chino was out and left it a 6-team league. I believe the league ceased to exist around 1991, when Etiwanda left to join the Baseline League, then a year later joined the all-Chaffey district Mt. Baldy League.

The new Hacienda League? It's got Bonita, Diamond Bar, Diamond Ranch, Los Altos, Rowland, Walnut, and West Covina. So I'm guessing it's either Bonita principal Bob Ketterling or Diamond Bar principal Denis Paul at work to resurrect the Hacienda League name, since those are the only 2 schools that cross over from what I have.