RCHS boys XC earns bid to Nike Nationals

It might not have been quite as good a race as they had hoped, but it was still very good.
The Rancho Cucamonga High boys cross country team finished third in Division 1 at the CIF State Championships on Saturday in Fresno, the best finish in school history.
Later on Saturday, coach Terry Tierney was informed that the Cougars got one of four bids from the state to run next week at prestigious Nike Nationals in Portland, Oregon.
“We had a better team time than the Division 2 champion,” Tierney said. “After the power merge, we were behind them, but we both got to go.”
The event, including travel expenses, is paid for by Nike.
It’s a complicated process to earn a bid to Nationals that goes beyond team time or team score.
After all the divisions run Saturday, they take many of the top teams and “merge” the times together. Then they take the top few teams after that merge and merge them again, and find the top four teams. California gets two automatically, but there are also two at-large berths and California got those as well.
The top three teams in Division 1 got to go (Rancho Cucamonga, Mission Viejo Trabuco Hills and Arcadia) as did the top team in Division 2 (Santa Clarita Golden Valley).

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CIF-SS football quarterfinal results

Here are CIF-SS quarterfnal football scores from Friday. How about both Carter (who I predicted) and Rim (which I didn’t) pull off upsets of the No. 3 seeds?
The CIF-SS, in all of its wisdom, changed the scheduling for semifinals this year. In the past, in each division, 1 semifinal was on Friday and the other was on Saturday. Now, they’re all on Friday, so it keeps fans from seeing both semifinal games in a particular division.

INLAND DIVISION
No. 1 Corona Centennial 56, Temecula Chaparral 21
Rancho Cucamonga 9, No. 4 Redlands East Valley 6
No. 3 Upland 51, Covina Charter Oak 13
No. 2 Vista Murrieta 58, Riverside North 14
Next Friday’s semifinals: No. 1 Corona Centennial vs. Rancho Cucamonga at Los Osos HS; No. 3 Upland at No. 2 Vista Murrieta
CENTRAL DIVISION
No. 1 Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 42, San Gorgonio 28
No. 4 Colony 31, Moreno Valley 28
Carter 15, No. 3 Riverside La Sierra 14
No. 2 Palm Springs 42, Chino 14
Next Friday’s semifinals: No. 4 Colony at No. 1 Rancho Verde, Carter at No. 2 Palm Springs
EASTERN DIVISION
No. 1 Summit 42, SIlverado 10
No. 4 Serrano 35, Wildomar Elsinore 7
No. 3 Romoland Heritage 42, Kaiser 14
No. 2 Perris Citrus Hill 45, Ridgecrest Burroughs 10
Next Friday’s semifinals: No. 4 Serrano vs. No. 1 Summit at Miller HS, No. 2 Citrus Hill at No. 3 Heritage
EAST VALLEY DIVISION
No. 1 Chatsworth Sierra Canyon 38, Ontario Christian 0
No. 4 Santa Barbara Bishop Diego 21, Twentynine Palms 14
Rim of the World 23, No. 3 San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret’s 13
No. 2 Lancaster Paraclete 42, Aquinas 7
Next Friday’s semifinals: No. 4 Bishop Diego at No. 1 Sierra Canyon, No. 2 Paraclete at Rim of the World

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5 County cross country teams competing Saturday at State

The CIF State Championships for cross country take place on Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno. Unlike previous years, I will not be there. Ace reporter J.P. Hoornstra will be there instead.

Here is a look at the county teams/individuals that will be competing:
Division 1 boys, 12:20 p.m.
Rancho Cucamonga

The Cougars were ranked No. 1 in the state last week before finishing second at CIF-SS Finals. As well as Arcadia ran last week, it will take a vast improvement by Rancho Cucamonga and a drop off by Arcadia to win, but second place would still be impressive. This is the fourth straight year at state for the team, and for seniors Luis Gutierrez and Calvin Davis, who were on the varsity as freshmen.
Division 2 boys, 11:15 a.m.
Ayala

For the longest time, Ayala’s girls had the better reputation, but this is the third time in the last five years the boys are going. The boys finished fourth last week and will have to run well to maintain that position.
Division 2 girls, 12:50 p.m.
Colony

The Colony girls have had Xochitl Navarrete and Valerie Mares go as individuals before, but never had their team go. The Titans are happy to be there after finishing seventh and grabbing the last qualifying spot, so just running a solid race is a good goal.
Melissa Fairchild, Serrano
The Sun’s runner of the year last year, she isn’t able to go with her team. Her team was expected to make it to state, but didn’t even make it to finals. She should be near the front of the pack.
Division 3 boys, 1:25 p.m.
Ismael Griego, Granite Hills

He was the No. 1 runner on the team that went to state last year. The team around him wasn’t as strong this year, so he’ll have to go it alone.
Division 3 girls, 11:45 a.m.
Granite Hills

Last year, Granite Hills took both the boys and the girls. Only the girls as a team are back, and looking to improve on their ninth-place finish last year.
Division 4 boys, 9:40 a.m.
Big Bear

Big Bear was a Division 4 mainstay at state for years, even after Ryan and Chad Hall graduated. After winning back-to-back state titles in 2007-08, they finished fourth in 2009. They didn’t qualify last year, so taking fourth at CIF-SS Finals is a step back in the right direction. Big Bear, led by Bryan Hayes (second at CIF-SS Finals), has a history of coming up big at the state meet.

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CIF football quarterfinals predictions

Here are my fearless predictions for the CIF-SS football quarterfinals, as the action continues to heat up.

INLAND DIVISION
Corona Centennial 35, Temecula Chaparral 24
Redlands East Valley 20, Rancho Cucamonga 16
Upland 38, Covina Charter Oak 24
Vista Murrieta 27, Riverside North 24
CENTRAL DIVISION
Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 31, San Gorgonio 24
Colony 28, Moreno Valley 17
Carter 20, Riverside La Sierra 17
Palm Springs 42, Chino 28
EASTERN DIVISION
Summit 24, Silverado 10
Serrano 28, Wildomar Elsinore 17
Kaiser 21, Romoland Heritage 18
Perris Citrus Hill 38, Ridgecrest Burroughs 24
EAST VALLEY DIVISION
Chatsworth Sierra Canyon 38, Ontario Christian 26
Santa Barbara Bishop Diego 28, Twentynine Palms 24
San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret’s 24, Rim of the World 14
Lancaster Paraclete 21, Aquinas 16

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Patrick Lord steps down at Ike

The Sun has learned that Eisenhower High School head football coach Patrick Lord has stepped down.
Lord, who played for Ike in the 1990s, went 5-25 in three seasons as head coach, including 3-7 this year and did not make the playoffs in any year.
He had been an assistant at Jurupa Valley before succeeding John Rice as Ike’s head coach prior to the 2009 season.

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Friday’s football playoff scores and quarters schedule

Here are Friday’s football scores in county divisions and next week’s matchups, showing home team (but not necessarily home sites)
INLAND DIVISION
No. 1 Corona Centennial 49, Redlands 35
Temecula Chaparral 38, Los Osos 14
Rancho Cucamonga 39, Chino Hills 38
No. 4 Redlands East Valley 20, Norco 15
No. 3 Upland 59, Murrieta Valley 21
Covina Charter Oak 63, Corona Santiago 21
Riverside J.W. North 27, Yucaipa 13
No. 2 Vista Murrieta 38, Damien 13
Next week’s games
Chaparral at Centennial, Rancho Cucamonga at Redlands East Valley, Charter Oak at Upland, Vista Murrieta at North
CENTRAL DIVISION
No. 1 Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 44, Don Lugo 0
San Gorgonio 44, La Quinta 41
Moreno Valley 43, Cajon 16
No. 4 Colony 28, Moreno Valley Valley View 14
No. 3 Riverside La Sierra 23, Chaffey 6
Carter 48, Palm Desert 22
Chino 26, Riverside Arlington 14
No. 2 Palm Springs 35, Rialto 0
Next week’s games
Rancho Verde at San Gorgonio, Colony at Moreno Valley, La Sierra at Carter, Palm Springs at Chino
EASTERN DIVISION
No. 1 Summit 26, Menifee Paloma Valley 18
Silverado 16, Oak Hills 7
Wildomar Elsinore 60, Hemet West Valley 39
No. 4 Serrano 45, Granite Hills 7
No. 3 Romoland Heritage 56, Sultana 21
Kaiser 37, San Jacinto 19
Ridgecrest Burroughs 27, Apple Valley 14
No. 2 Perris Citrus Hill 55, Riverside Norte Vista 28
Next week’s games
Summit vs. Silverado at Victor Valley HS, Serrano at Elsinore, Heritage at Kaiser, Citrus Hill at Burroughs
EAST VALLEY DIVISION
No. 1 Chatsworth Sierra Canyon 56, Desert Hot Springs 21
Ontario Christian 35, Huntington Beach Brethren Christian 0
Twentynine Palms 29, Rubidoux 14
No. 4 Santa Barbara Bishop Diego 35, Los Angeles Brentwood 0
No. 3 San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret’s 35, Temecula Linfield Christian 7
Rim of the World 38, Big Bear 22
Aquinas 19, Citrus Valley 9
No. 2 Lancaster Paraclete 42, Simi Valley Grace Brethren 7
Next week’s games
Sierra Canyon at Ontario Christian, Bishop Diego at Twentynine Palms, St. Margaret’s at Rim of the World, Paraclete at Aquinas

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Final regular season Sun football top 10

We don’t run a final regular season San Bernardino County football top 10 in the paper, but here it is anyway. After previous No. 5 Yucaipa, No. 8 Oak Hills and No. 10 Chino Hills all lost, there is plenty of movement. There are plenty of schools worthy of being in the top 10 that didn’t make it, but for me I can’t move a team into the top 10 after a loss (see Los Osos, Kaiser).

1. Redlands East Valley (10-0)
Previous: 1
Last week: def. No. 9 Yucaipa 48-0
This week: vs. Norco (6-4)
2. Upland (10-0)
Previous: 2
Last week: def. Alta Loma 49-3
This week: vs. Murrieta Valley (7-3)
3. Rancho Cucamonga (9-1)
Previous: 3
Last week: def. Los Osos 38-14
This week: vs. Chino Hills (6-4) at Los Osos HS
4. Summit (9-1)
Previous: 4
Last week: def. Kaiser 21-7
This week: vs. Paloma Valley (2-8) at Miller HS
5. Serrano (8-2)
Previous: 6
Last week: def. Hesperia 48-10
This week: vs. Granite Hills (5-5)
6. Cajon (9-1)
Previous: 9
Last week: def. No. 8 Carter 24-7
This week: vs. Moreno Valley (4-6)
7. Colony (9-1)
Previous: NR
Last week: def. Montclair 58-6
This week: vs. Valley View (7-3)
8. Carter (9-1)
Previous: 7
Last week: lost to No.6 Cajon 24-7
This week: vs. Palm Desert (5-4)
9. Yucaipa (9-1)
Previous: 5
Last week: lost to No. 1 Redlands East Valley 48-0
This week: vs. Riverside North (9-1) at Riverside CC
10. Apple Valley (7-2)
Previous: NR
Last week: def. Oak Hills 26-21
This week: vs. Ridgecrest Burroughs (5-5)
Dropped out: No. 8 Oak Hills (8-2, lost to current No. 10 Apple Valley 26-21), No. 10 Chino Hills (6-4, lost to Covina Charter Oak 38-7).
Just missed the cut: Chino Hills (6-4), Kaiser (7-3), Los Osos (6-4), Oak Hills (8-2), Rialto (7-3), San Gorgonio (5-5).

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Fearless first-round football predictions

Here are the county’s first-round playoff games for Friday, with predicted score, seeds and site. All games are 7 or 7:30.

Inland Division
at No. 1 Corona Centennial 38, Redlands 14
Los Osos 24, at Chaparral 21
at Rancho Cucamonga 35, Chino Hills 21 (at Los Osos HS)
at No. 4 Redlands East Valley 24, Norco 7 (at Redlands HS)
at No. 3 Upland 42, Murrieta Valley 14
at J.W. North 28, Yucaipa 12 (at Riverside CC)
Central Division
at No. 1 Rancho Verde 48, Don Lugo 0
San Gorgonio 27, at La Quinta 21
at Cajon 28, Moreno Valley 13
at No. 4 Colony 24, Valley View 17
at No. 3 La Sierra 28, Chaffey 6 (at Norte Vista HS)
at Carter 21, Palm Desert 14
at Chino 24, Arlington 21
at No. 2 Palm Springs 30, Rialto 16
Eastern Division
at No. 1 Summit 42, Paloma Valley 7 (at Miller HS)
Oak Hills 17, at Silverado 14 (at Victor Valley HS)
at No. 4 Serrano 31, Granite Hills 14
at No. 3 Heritage 38, Sultana 21
at Kaiser 21, San Jacinto 10
at Apple Valley 27, Ridgecrest Burroughs 17
East Valley Division
at Ontario Christian 48, Brethren Christian 10
at Twentynine Palms 21, Rubidoux 20 (at Twentynine Palms JHS)
at Big Bear 34, Rim of the World 24 (at Lucerne Valley HS)
Aquinas 29, at Citrus Valley 27

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Inland, Central, Eastern brackets, with records

Here are the brackets for the Eastern, Central and Inland football divisions. Records are included, and some of the sites are included as well. I didn’t do too bad in predicting the matchups. Almost all of the home teams I got in the right spot in the brackets, and most of the road teams.

EASTERN DIVISION
First Round
Paloma Valley (2-8) vs. No. 1 Summit (9-1) at Miller HS, Oak Hills (8-2) vs.Silverado (5-5) at Victor Valley HS, West Valley (5-5) at Elsinore (7-3), Granite Hills (5-5) at No. 4 Serrano (8-2), Sultana (7-3) at No. 3 Heritage (9-1), San Jacinto (7-3) at Kaiser (7-3), Ridgecrest Burroughs (5-5) at Apple Valley (7-2), Norte Vista (5-5) at No. 2 Citrus Hill (10-0).
CENTRAL DIVISION
First Round
Don Lugo (6-4) at No. 1 Rancho Verde (10-0), San Gorgonio (5-5) at La Quinta (6-4), Moreno Valley (4-6) at Cajon (9-1), Valley View (7-3) at No. 4 Colony (9-1), Chaffey (5-5) at No. 3 La Sierra (9-1), Palm Desert (5-4) at Carter (9-1), Arlington (5-5) at Chino (8-2), Rialto (7-3) at Palm Springs (10-0).
INLAND DIVISION
First Round
Redlands (4-6) at No. 1 Corona Centennial (9-1), Los Osos (6-4) at Chaparral (6-4), Chino Hills (6-4) vs. Rancho Cucamonga (9-1) at Los Osos HS, Norco (6-4) vs. No. 4 Redlands East Valley (10-0), Murrieta Valley (7-3) at No. 3 Upland (10-0), Corona Santiago (7-3) at Charter Oak (9-1), Yucaipa (9-1) vs. J.W. North (9-1), Damien (7-3) at No. 2 Vista Murrieta (5-5).

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How Eastern Division bracket might look

I predicted the Inland Division earlier. Now I’m trying the Eastern Division. I found the Central Division too difficult, because of a three-way tie in the Inland Valley League for the last two spots and the at-large spot. Although this one could be difficult too. I didn’t spend enough time to really feel comfortable, but here’s my guess.

Sunbelt No. 3 (whoever wins the tiebreaker-Temescal Canyon/Lakeside/Paloma Valley) at No. 1 Summit (9-1)
Oak Hills (8-2) at Silverado (5-5)
West Valley (5-5) at Elsinore (7-3)
Norte Vista (5-5) at No. 4 Serrano (8-2)
Sultana (7-3, at-large) at No. 3 Heritage (9-1)
Ridgecrest Burroughs (5-5) at Kaiser (7-3)
San Jacinto (7-3) at Apple Valley (7-2)
Granite Hills (5-5) at No. 2 Citrus Hill (10-0)

Anyway, Eastern DIvision bracket will be released in a little more than 8 hours. We’ll see how it looks then.

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