All-Encompassing SGV(N) Top 25 heading into Spring Practice … Follow me on Twitter @ChemicalAT

Editor’s note: This is the second Top 25 of the offseason. The first was put out before most of the transfers and coaching changes took place. There will be another Top 25 put out after spring practice once I’ve had a chance to make the rounds. As we move closer to August, the picture will become much more clear.

1. Monrovia — The most complete team around. Period.
2. Bishop Amat — Defense may not have size, but it has plenty of experience.
3. West Covina — How to use Noodles, and where, the big question this spring.
4. Charter Oak — Loss of leading passer/rusher will be very hard to overcome.
5. Damien — Waiting to see what’s up this summer, but this could be No. 1 by fall.
6. Chino Hills — High-upside team has talent, but lacks experience. Scary.
7. La Habra — If you thought last year was a reload, wait until you see this year.
8. St. Paul — New regime has been reportedly working hard to get talent infusion.
9. La Mirada — Leading passer, rusher and receiver all back.
10. St. Francis — QB returns, but there’s tons of question marks elsewhere.
11. La Serna — QB Palmer is one of the best dual-threats around.
12. Arcadia — Down compared to last year, but still solid enough to bang with most.
13. San Dimas — Consistency, not talent, is program’s greatest attribute.
14. Maranatha — Division switch should put Minutemen in thick of title chase.
15. Muir — Loss of Talifero stings, but decent talent remains for new head coach.
16. Duarte — By far the best transfer haul of the offseason.
17. Cantwell — Skill talent is there to do damage in the Northwest.
18. Arroyo — Can rely on ground game and defense until new QB is settled in.
19. Pasadena — Insiders tell me how great things are, then later admit it’s a one-man show.
20. San Gabriel — Hearing some very interesting things about SG. A team to watch!
21. Bonita — New head coach/old staff. Bearcats should be solid if nothing else.
22. Diamond Ranch — Really need to see what Roddy’s working with this spring.
23. Azusa — Aztecs had to cringe at Duarte’s upgrades.
24. Claremont — ‘Pack have decent skills, but need a toughness upgrade badly.
25. Diamond Bar — Some of the best talent around in spots, but toughness?

Follow me on Twitter @ChemicalAT

DRAFTED: La Habra’s Ronnie Hillman taken 67th overall by Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos!

Former La Habra High football standout Ronnie Hillman is now a Denver Bronco. Hillman, who played at San Diego St., was taken 67th overall by the Broncos.

That means he will quite likely be taking hand offs from Peyton Manning. Hillman was a member of La Habra’s 2008 CIF championship team. He put up two strong seasons at San Diego St. in 2010 and ’11.

Aram’s take: Congrats to Hillman and the Highlanders familia You next, Muema!

Just so you guys know, there was some SERIOUS DRAMA at the CIF-SS Council meeting that had NOTHING TO DO WITH TRANSFERS …

During the Century League’s final appeal of having the Sunset League (Los Alamitos et al) taken out of the PAC-5 and placed in the Southwest Division, the league made the suggestion at Wednesday’s Southern Section Council meeting that the Sunset be placed in the Inland Division and the Sierra League be placed in the Southwest.

The Century League reportedly contacted all the schools in the Sierra League to inform them of this proposal and those who responded reportedly liked the idea, but the Sierra was handcuffed because it did not originally appeal the new playoff grouping proposal.

The council voted down the suggestion, but the fun wasn’t over. The Empire League, which is also part of the Southwest Division, was up next and momentarily sent a room that just hours earlier had voted 41-40 to pass part of the controversial transfer proposals into a frenzy by moving to have ALL PLAYOFF GROUPING PROPOSALS denied and revisited in two years during re-leaguing.

Technically, legally, you’re not allowed to suggestion such a thing. But even CIF President Bill Dabbs momentarily was thinking that it was a valid request because “telling” the section that is HAS TO APPROVE the playoff grouping proposals is not reasonable.

A lengthy debate ensued and for a while the playoff grouping proposals were hanging in the balance. Then, things calmed down and a vague rebuff of the Empire League’s proposal put the fire out.

But I’m telling you, for several minutes it felt like the council was going to vote on whether to even enact ANY of the playoff regrouping proposals.

Aram’s take: In my opinion, moving the Sunset from the PAC-5 to the Inland makes way more sense in terms of competitive equity than moving the Sunset all the way down to the Southwest. Yes, the Southwest makes way more sense geography-wise, but as we all know geography is an argument that people often use to support their point when it’s convenient. And of course, the Sierra League is a way better fit in the Southwest than it is in the Inland where the league has won THREE playoff games in two seasons.

Miguel reporting that Arcadia has hired Chris Long as its new head coach …

Lost in the shuffle of the MONUMENTAL vote by the Southern Section Council yesterday was Miggy Melendez reporting that Arcadia has hired Chris Long to replace Jon Dimalante as varsity football head coach.

Aram’s take: Kudos to Arcadia for moving quick on this. They were up against it timing-wise and got somebody in. And kudos to Miggy for the nice scoopage.