Tag Archives: football

Vinny Fazio is leaving Eisenhower; is Murrieta Valley the next stop?

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After just one impressive season when he led Eisenhower to a share of the Citrus Belt League title and a 7-3 record, Vinny Fazio has resigned as head football coach. His resignation came as a result of a termination letter he received in March and he had not yet been brought back.

Fazio, was The Sun’s Newcomer of the year in 2012 in leading the Eagles to the playoffs for the first time in eight years and to a winning record and a league title for the first time in 10 years.

Fazio, the Fontana High alumnus, will not be out of work long. He said he will have more to say about his future on Friday. However, it has been reported that Murrieta Valley will announce a new head football coach on Friday.

Fazio had a program a program back to where it was a perennial CIF title contender under former coach Tom Hoak.Now, that program is under a great deal of uncertainty with only one of Fazio’s assistants, Mike Clark, being a teacher on campus.

More later in Friday’s editions of The Sun and Daily Bulletin or on sbsun.com or dailybulletin.com.

Summit expects to have at least 5 sign D1 letters on Wednesday

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Summit, the Sunkist League football champions which lost in the first round of the CIF-SS Central Division playoffs, is expecting to have 5 athletes sign NCAA Division I National Letters of Intent, plus one NAIA letter on Wednesday.

Here they are:
Dontel James, 6-1, 205, RB/LB, Fresno State
Tarik Myles, 5-6, 144, WR/RB/DB, Azusa Pacific (NAIA)
Charles Okonkwo, 6-1, 188, CB, San Diego State
Justin Strong, 5-11, 189, RB/OLB, Oregon State
Brandon Stubblefield, 5-10, 185, OLB/SS, N. Arizona
Keenan Sykes, 6-3, 244, OL/DE San Jose State

College scouts are really discovering Summit, especially a year after Jamaal Williams (BYU) and Donte Deayon (Boise State) were among those who signed their letters.

 

Justin Nast close to being next Miller coach

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You may have seen the story about Clovis High assistant Justin Nast named as the next Miller coach.
I was cautioned that it not only is pending board approval, but it is pending reference and background check by the district’s human resources department. So it is not done, quite yet.
But if he does become the next coach, here are the pros and cons I caught from a phone interview I conducted with him.

PROS:

  • He is young (26) and he has the energy to take over a program that needs a nudge in the right direction, not an overhaul despite a 1-9 record last year.
  • He has experience working at two schools that have had success under different offensive systems and will adapt his offense based on personnel, not the other way around.
  • He is already breaking down film from last year, coming up with ideas on how to stop the offensive schemes of Miller’s opponents. That’s getting a head start if you ask me.
  • Coming from outside the area, he can have some fresh ideas and not have preconceived notions about Miller or the Citrus Belt League.
  • Especially at his current school, Clovis, he has shown a dedication to the athletic program as a whole, not just football.

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All Citrus Belt League football

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2012 All-Citrus Belt League Football

First team Offense
Levi Plante, REV, QB
Jimmy Walker, Redlands, QB
Taylor Thompson, REV, RB
Darryl Miller, Redlands, RB
Wesley Hill, Cajon, RB
Jerrion Burton, Eisenhower, WR
Brandon Scott, Yucaipa, WR
Daniel Gonzales, REV, WR
Jordan Ory, Redlands, WR
Micah St. Andrews, Eisenhower, OL
David Fortunat, Eisenhower, OL
Steven Chaparro, Yucaipa, OL
Donald Hale, REV, OL
Jared Layel, Redlands, OL
Desjon Burroughs, Cajon, OL
Dallas Mohler, Yucaipa, TE

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All-De Anza League football team

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2012 all-De Anza League football team

Offensive MVP: James Toland,  Shadow Hills, Sr.
Defensive MVP: Lucas Jenkins, Big Bear, Sr.
Special Teams MVP: Nate McClain, 29 Palms, Sr.

1st Team
Lane Dowty, Big Bear, Sr.
Taylan Seaman, Big Bear, Jr.
John Hawkins, Big Bear, Sr.
Tyler Babbit, Big Bear, Sr.
Lance Hubbard, Big Bear, Sr.
Tre Prudhomme, Big Bear, Jr.
Morgan Cole, 29 Palms, Sr.
Talo Wilson, 29 Palms, Jr.
David Failfitu, 29 Palms, Jr.
Marcus Chesnut, 29 Palms, Sr.
David Haney, 29 Palms, Jr.
Jake Culver, 29 Palms, Jr.
Hiram Rodriguez, Shadow Hills, Jr.
Rene Herrera, Shadow Hills, Sr.
Orlando Oretega, Shadow Hills, So.
Moises Contreras, Shadow Hills, Sr.
Brian McGowan, Yucca Valley, Sr.
Ben Hetz, Yucca Valley, Sr.
Logan Vallo, Yucca Valley, Jr.
Joey Rutherford, Yucca Valley, Jr.
Steven Steed, Desert Hot Springs, Jr.
Ace Lewis, Desert Hot Springs, Sr.
Nick Martinez, Desert Hot Springs, Sr.
Damian Gutierrez, Desert Mirage, Sr.
Alex Navarro, Desert Mirage, Sr.

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Friday’s CIF-SS football finals scores

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Here are Friday night’s CIF-SS football championship game scores. County games in bold:

Eastern Division
Perris Citrus Hill 38, Serrano 24
East Valley Division
Rim of the World 34, Ontario Christian 31
Inland Division
Corona Centennial 30, Vista Murrieta 28
Mid Valley Division
Monrovia 23, Lancaster Paraclete 7
Northeast Division
Arcadia Rio Hondo Prep 28, San Luis Obispo Mission Prep 21
Southwest Division
Huntington Beach Edison 28, Villa Park 10
Western Division
Gardena Serra 30, West Hills Chaminade 28

Running game doomed Serrano

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When Serrano lost to Perris Citrus Hill 38-24 in the CIF-SS Eastern Division it wasn’t due to quarterback Daniel Epperson and the passing game.

Epperson finished 19 of 29 passing for 339 yards and two touchdowns, but the Diamondbacks had difficulty running the ball.

Star running back Michael Hawkins finished with 58 yards rushing on 18 carries and a touchdown, but one of those carries was a 32-yard run in the second half when the game was already decided. Hawkins has been hampered by injuries recently and hasn’t practiced in the last two weeks.

“They just beat us up up front,” Serrano coach Ray Maholchic said.

Epperson was the only other ball carrier for Serrano, with five carries for eight yards

 

CIF-SS East Valley championship game moved; my CIF championship game picks

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If you haven’t already heard, the CIF-SS East Valley Division football championship game pitting Rim of the World and Ontario Christian on Friday night has been moved to Citrus Valley because of the threat of inclement weather at Rim.

Here are the games that include Inland Empire teams, the dates and times and my prediction. San Bernardino County teams in bold.

Friday’s Games
INLAND DIVISION
No. 2 Corona Centennial (12-1) at No. 1 Vista Murrieta (13–0), 7 p.m.
Prediction: Vista Murrieta 31, Corona Centennial 27
Storyline: Team from the I.E. advances into the state championship semifinals.
EASTERN DIVISION
No. 3 Serrano (13-0) at No. 1 Perris Citrus Hill (13-0), 7 p.m.
Predicton; Citrus Hill 35, Serrano 28
Storyline: Serrano can’t quite contain Citrus Hill’s explosive spread offense and the Diamondbacks drop to 1-3 in CIF-SS championship games
EAST VALLEY DIVISION
No. 1 Ontario Christian (13-0) vs. unseeded Rim of the World (11-2) at Citrus Valley HS, 7 p.m.
Prediction: Rim of the World 41, Ontario Christian 27
Storyline: Rim running back Jacob Taylor becomes the sixth back in U.S. history to go over 4,000 yards. He finishes with 4,077 yards and Rim continues its offensive roll. Rim’s tough league pays dividends.
Saturday’s Game
CENTRAL DIVISION
No. 3 Kaiser (12-1) at No. 4 Moreno Valley Rancho Verde (10-3), 7 p.m.
Prediction: Kaiser 15, Rancho Verde 14
Storyline: Kaiser coach Phil Zelaya decides to go for 2 late in the game rather than kick the extra point and a tie and go to overtime. He gets it and the Cats win the title.

This week’s CIF-SS semifinal football picks

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I am out of town this week, but keeping close tabs on this week’s CIF-SS semifinal games, so here are my predictions for Friday’s games.

Game I’m most interested in? Banning-Rim. That’s because I was at the first matchup and Banning’s Sty Hairston and Rim’s Jacob Taylor are two dynamic runners who were nearly unstoppable in a 49-41 Banning win, combining for 800 yards by my count. Now they’re back at it at Rim. My prediction is also that the winner of that game will win the CIF title.

I’m also very interested in Carter-Serrano, obviously for a very different reason. These teams have been on a collision course since early in the season, but haven’t played. Both lost in the semifinals last year, in different divisions.

INLAND DIVISION
Vista Murrieta 42, Rancho Cucamonga 17
Corona Centennial 52, Upland 35
CENTRAL DIVISION
Rancho Verde 30, Paloma Valley 27
Heritage 24. Kaiser 21
EASTERN DIVISION
CItrus Hill 41, Tahquitz 34
Serrano 17, Carter 14
EAST VALLEY DIVISION
Ontario Christian 40, Jurupa Hills 32
Rim of the World 49, Banning 45