DYNASTY!!! Monrovia THREEPEATS! and Rio Hondo Prep goes back-to-back

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Rio Hondo Prep 28, Mission Prep 21: Nate Tayco runs wild (173 yards, 4 TDs), Coach Ken Drain wins fifth CIF title, RHP wins 14th CIF title and Kares avenge earlier loss to very good Mission Prep team. Bowl game next? It was my first RHP game and it was great. I was VERY impressed with the quality of football. Very, very impressed.

Monrovia 23, Paraclete 7: Threepeat! Valley’s top football program right now. Only West Covina and RHP can make a case.

  • New York

    This is pretty awesome. Congratulations Monrovia. You boys and Coach
    Maddox and his staff have demonstrated remarkable character week in and
    week out for the last 5 years. Keep it going!

    • http://twitter.com/aramtolegian Aram Tolegian

      Congrats to you NY … and to Observantcat and Kennedy Bryant and Big Bob (RIP). A Threepeat is rare air. What a ride the past few years have been. They beefed up the division this year and M-Town took out the two teams they beefed it up with and won it all again. Epic.

      • New York

        It feels good as a Monrovian to see our boys experience winning. I didnt do anything for it, though. All praise goes to those boys, their families, the coaches and Principal Jackson.

      • Kennedy Bryant

        I just have to say Monrovia is a good football team, hope we get a shot at the State Playin Game. On the whole I look at how teams are, where they have been and loses to Ayala and SH are BAD Loses. In my opinion I think we could beat them if we played them right now but however they have every right to question my reasoning and I wont raise my voice if they chose to so.

        Im sure no one thought that Long Beach Poly would be PAC 5 champs after loses to Serra and Narbonne 50-0 and another team to be 1-3 early on. Teams sometimes just take time to jell, not sure if Monrovia could beat Amat or CO if we played them but who really cares Monrovia has a 3PEAT and possible state playin game and after loses to Ayala and SH most doubted that we would win CIF so go figure. Ayala and SH will have bragging rights that they beat a CIF and possible state champion and that’s good for them but how do you explain where your football programs are against the teams that matter, you know the one in your division.

        • TheRealAyalaBulldogFan

          Swap positions, we play your schedule, you play ours and see how that works out for you.

          DB – Win

          Ayala – Loss
          Cheyenne – Draw, but I’ll give you the benefit. Win.
          Glendora – Loss
          Kaiser – Loss
          Damien – Loss
          Chino Hills – Loss
          Charter Oak – Loss
          South Hills – Loss
          Claremont – Win

          That looks like 3-7. Not even making playoffs with those stats.

          Monrovia – Win
          Arcadia – Win
          San Dimas – Win
          SH – Loss
          St. Francis – Win
          So. Pas – Win
          LC – Win
          San Marino – Win
          View Point – Win
          …
          You get the picture.

          I get that CIF-SS leagues you. You have no control who’s in your League or your Division. I totally get that. Just stop pounding your chest. You’re beating up on little sisters of the poor. Stop scheduling weak teams like Ayala and South Hills in pre-season. Take on some strong opponents that we all respect and you’ll earn our respect. You’ve got 5 D1 players. With that talent, you should be able to take on a CH, CO, or maybe even an Upland and not embarass yourselves. But we all know what would happen in those games.

  • WCDan

    .
    Congratulations to Coach Maddox and the Monrovia Wildcats on winning their
    third Midvalley title, way to keep focus, great to see the joy in these boys faces
    during the interviews and aftergame celebrations, they look like a great group of kids. I like the way qb Blake Heyworth gave credit to his reciever for making a play and to his line for protecting him when asked about his big throw to Craft that started the Wildcat rally, many kids would keep the focus and credit on themselves instead propping up their teammates. Coach Maddox is a great example to these boys and it’s clear his influence is present both on and off the field.

  • WCDan

    Aram, last laugh is all yours, you called it before the season.

    • http://twitter.com/aramtolegian Aram Tolegian

      I dunno, Dan. You think M-Town is No. 1 in the final rankings? I still don’t feel like I was “right” about making M-Town No. 1 back in August because I’m not sure a game with Amat and/or CO would even be close. But they have handled their own corner of the world quite well. If I thought M-Town would be in the game with Amat and/or CO in the fourth quarter, then it would be a no-brainer. But I just don’t think they would be. Things may change if depending on the next couple of weeks.

      • New York

        Aram, I agree with you only partly in that we should not be ranked ahead of CO and Amat. I do think the games would be close though because our athletic ability across the board and Coach Maddox’ halftime adjustments. Where I think we would fall short is our intensity and readiness in the first half against those two teams. I do think the scores would be close, though.

        • TheRealAyalaBulldogFan

          Look at what CO and SH did to us vs. what you did to us. The scores would NOT be close vs. Amat or CO. You’d be looking at a running clock at some point early in the 4th Quarter. You know it, we know it. No hate, just facts.

          • New York

            Facts? Since when is prognostication a fact? Your logic doesn’t hold up. Look what Charter Oak did to Chino Hills, a team that tied Amat, but look what Amat did to Charter Oak. No team has blown us out in a while. That is because our defense has great athletes and is well prepared. Our challenge has come on offense and special teams. Offensively, it took us 13 weeks to realize we can pound the ball with Frazier. Given the fact that Ainsworth ran through Ayala like a hot knife through warm butter, I’d say we had the tools to pound Ayala the whole time. Anyway, Monrovia’s athletic ability on defense would keep the scores closer against Charter Oak and Amat, but our offense probably would not score enough points in the first half, especially if we played them early in the season.

      • WCDan

        Aram I’m going off memory, but I gathered your rankings were based on how a team finishes in their corner of the world combined with how they would do on the field against the upper div. schools of the SGV.
        In that case I think Monrovia finishing their season winning their division, beating the best teams in their division [Paraclete, Sierra Canyon, San Dimas, San Marino] plus getting a three peat, gives them a strong head start for your rankings. I didn’t think how they would do against Amat or CO played as much a role in the SGV trib rankings, but for what its worth, I think at this time of year, especially with other teams injured [Velasquez from Amat, QB and several linemen from WC], and Monrovia having their key players healthy, Monrovia would be a good game with anybody in the valley,
        but winning a Title and getting a three peat should nudge them into the #1 spot.

  • WCDan

    Ohh and to New York, Greenie, KB, Philly B and the rest of the Monrovia bloggers, we’ll probably see you in the Southeast next year, unless WC gets moved up.

    • New York

      Dan, I can only hope so. That is the division we belong in, but I hope we are part of a better league as well. That is the only way that we will finally start reaching closer to our potential. We are still not playing at our potential.

    • tommy gun

      CIFSS is not scheduled to releague until 2014. There will be no movement of teams from league to league or leagues from division to division until 2014. And if Aram where to do a REAL year end Top 10 (who would beat who) the best that Monrovia could hope to be is 6th due to the fact that they lost ON THE FIELD to SH & Ayala and both those teams were destroyed by CH and CO. In addition to that CO was beaten by Amat.

      Final poll should be:
      1. Amat
      2. CO
      3. CH
      4. La Serna
      5. La Mirada
      6. SH
      7. Ayala
      8. Monrovia
      9 Westco
      10. Bonita (with Reggie Turner)

      You can’t argue with on the field results. The proof is in the pudding

      • New York

        Tommy, why do you think Monrovia would lose to La Serna and La Mirada? Furthermore, we are slow learners as evidenced by every second half first first half game out entire season. Given the fact that we outscored Ayala and South Hills in the second half, just as we did every team we usually play, why would you think Monrovia would lose to Ayala and South Hills this point? The legite knock against Monrovia is that it takes us a half to figure a team out. We already know Ayala and South Hills. So we would not need to figure them out again. La Serna doesn’t have the horses to beat Monrovia. La Mirada might. I concede to Amat, Charter Oak and probably Chino Hills.

        • tommy gun

          More like you are playing less quality teams in the 2nd half of the season. Monrovia had a veteran team this year, there is no excuse for a slow start. Most teams improve as the season progresses. As good as you might think Paracleat is, Paracleat was destroyed by a good Eastern Division opponent earlier this year which was the only good, out of division opponent that they played all year. Who in the entire Mid Valley Division had even 1 signature win this year? The answer is nobody. Monrovia’s only big, out of Division win this year was against a 3-7 St Francis team that Monrovia got lucky to beat. Same ole Same ole, Monrovia beats their chest prior to season start then gets beat by mid to low end, Upper Division opponents and everything goes quite. Then the Mid Valley season begins and after a few games Monrovia Peeps are back to pounding on their chests again, saying, “we’re playing much better now then before” What is the common link here over the past 3 years? Lesser grade opponents is the answer. The answer to your question is, La Serna whipped a decent Pac-5 opponent in Westlake, something Monrovia continues to fail at while playing lessor, step up games.

          • Kennedy Bryant

            Who cares…. we are champs are your not. As we have said many times on the bloggs we are the home of scholars and champions. 5 guys on our team are going on to play Div 1 football next year with 3 straight CIF championships. WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR HIGH SCHOOL DOING. Ok I forgot that all SGV tribune is really nice.

          • New York

            I am referring to our slow start offensively in the first half of every game. Week #1 as well as week #14. My point is that by halftime Maddox figures out what needs to happen. I don’t think La Serna has enough talent to score an amount in the first half that we would not overcome in the second half.

            I am not talking about the first half of our season versus the second half of the season.

          • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

            Lucky?? I dont think so. Monrovia made the plays and won the game. Yeah St Francis isnt really a signature win, I agree with that all day. But if monrovia would of beaten SH and Ayala, and they had the season they did, you would probably still have some sort of knock on monrovia so whats your point? But 3 years in a row champs in a pretty competitive division this year and monrovia really wasnt challenged in the playoffs, how can you not think Monrovia isnt a southeast football team???

        • TheRealAyalaBulldogFan

          “…we outscored Ayala and South Hills in the second half…” Yet you STILL lost. Not sure what South HIlls
          JV and Frosh teams did to yours, but you lost TOP TO BOTTOM against Ayala, and they were convincing losses.

          • New York

            My point about outscoring both Ayala and South Hills in the second half (those are facts btw) is that Maddox tends to make great adjustments at half time. Our loss to Ayala 15-16 (real convincing…) can probably be attributable to coach Maddox mistakenly drinking decaf coffee all week.

            Bottom line is that we put to much of the game into the hands of our QB and WRs dropping balls, rather than Ainsworth who was unstoppable that night. On our opening drive, we rode Ainsworth all the way down the field, but then in the hot zone put him at full back and tried passing. We also tried a couple other people at running back that night as well. Why? Not sure, but it was our first game of the season and it was Ayala’s second game of the season. Maybe we were trying to assess who could do what in a game, rather than going for the jugular early and then letting others play.

            If Monrovia played Ayala now we would probably blow them out, because our playcalling evolved to use our muscle of Ainsworth and Frazier. Your guys could not stop that.

            A rematch with South Hills would be different because South Hills is far more physical than Ayala. When Monrovia played South Hills it was on a Thursday (we had a shortened week) and South Hills had a bye week and more time to prepare. Plus we were on their home field. Similar situation as last year with South Hills having a bye week. Anyway, we looked like crap with about 6 turnovers, I’d credit South Hills for creating 2 of those turnovers. Again, our defense was not the issue against their offense. Our offensive turnovers kept us out of the game and gave them good field position a couple times. With our more focused reliance on Ainsworth, Jones and Frazier running the ball, rather than the waisted pass attempts to guys who were not catching the ball, I think we would beat South Hills by a touchdown.

          • TheRealAyalaBulldogFan

            Varsity was not a convincing win by Ayala. I was thinking JV and Frosh. It came out wrong. As far as Varsity goes though… you had “5 D1 Guys” on the team. No excuse to not pound Ayala. Ayala has maybe 1 D1 guy… MAYBE. Yet you lost. You lost to a Team that has not been in the playoffs for, oh, what, 4 years? Not a single player in their entire system has played in a playoff game. NOT ONE!!! That speaks volumes. So pound your chest about beating up on little sisters of the poor, but just know, if you were in the Sierra League (Inland Division whipping boys), you might win 1 game. MIGHT. And if you played Ayala’s schedule, you might… MIGHT have 3 wins at the end of the season. You know it, I know it, we ALL know it.

          • New York

            I certainly do NOT pound my chest about the Mid-Valley but I do pound the ground about losing to the bottom of the Sierra, because I realize that we underperform and still have a long way to go. My main point earlier is that Monrovia really does not get blown out anymore. Our defense is loaded with athletes who can keep games in reach. We need to play a much tougher schedule from Week #1 through week #14 so that our coaches and players will be forced to play a complete game. Anyway, I dont want to rehash all the stuff I posted 15 weeks ago. Ayala, South Hills and now Madison did what it took to win and Monrovia did not.

            As far as your spouting about You know it, I know it, we all know it…I don’t think we are on the same page as far as assessing the real reasons for the outcomes but I dont really care anymore. Good luck to Ayala. You are one of the few local teams own a victory over Bishop Amat.

      • Football_Club

        Those rankings are pretty much on point, but don’t forget WC beat So Hills and So Hills beat Monrovia. WC has the balls to play Loyola and Chino Hillls. Monrovia has a powder puff schedule all year round. They should be demoted from your top 10 list for the simple fact they beat and really played nobody. Com’n beat teams like South El Monte, Temple City and other no name schools I’ve never even heard before. What a joke!

        • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

          You’ve never heard of last years state champion Sierra Canyon??? The last time Monrovia had a powder puff schedule was when they still played Duarte and I dont even remember when that was. Monrovia could play WC, Bonita, La Serna, or La Mirada and compete and even possibly beat. You diss South El Monte but they’re league was pretty solid this year. But our Athleticism hasnt been matched with the exception of SH and Ayala and I know those teams are not the top dog of the ESGV but you cant blame those kids for the schedule that’s in front of them, They said it themselves they get up for non-league games because they know how sorry their league is, even though San Marino gave em a game. The Joke is the hater thats in you lol

      • Eastern Ave.

        Why so bitter?

    • Football_Club

      Monrovia’s a joke. South Hills beat them and they play a cream puff schedule. They’re like Division 20 football, lol.

      • Knuckleheads

        Jealous aren’t you? It’s so obvious. Still, you are pathetic.

      • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

        So Much Hatred. But its all good though. You might not be able to get past our 2nd place team San Marino. If they have some studs returning as seniors and some solid players from jv the next step is for SM to go east of the 605 fwy. If Monrovia’s a joke, they’re jokes with rings lol

    • Kennedy Bryant

      I appreciate the love

    • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

      It would surrreeee beee nice. But if there’s a two year wait before CIF makes any changes then so be it. Then for the next two years, monrovia will more than likely dominate our weak league, possibly get another CIF title and ESGV bloggers will still probably still say Monrovia aint nothin. I would hope WC wouldnt get moved up, so that Muir, WC, and Monrovia could be in the same division.

  • Eastern Ave.

    Welome to the party Aram, Glad to know you have seen with your own eyes the sound football played by RHP.

    It may be cloudy outside but the sun is shining at Rio Hondo Prep and Monrovia high today! Congratulations to both schools!

    The little engine that could Rio Hondo Prep has done it again.

    RHP beat an excellent football team from San Louis Obispo.

    Coach Drain and his staff came in with a modified offensive scheme as well as defensive adjustments that allowed the KARES to free up their running game and contain the Royals strong air attack!

    Conditioning and discipline were huge factor for Rio. Most of the players on RHP play both sides of the ball and in the 4th quarter when it matters the team from SLO was running on empty.

    RHP played with a passion, conviction, a charge to keep not seen since the victory against St. Margret’s a few years back.

    Rio Hondo Prep, the little engine that could, did.

    And RHP has rolled their engine into December football!

    ” Some people say Football is not a matter of life and death, I can assure you, its much more important than that.” Bill Shankly

  • Spartan 03

    First and foremost, congratulations to Monrovia and Rio Hondo Prep on you division titles!

    Aram,
    In August the teams most people thought had the best chance to win their divisions were Monrovia, West Covina, and Rio Hondo Prep. In the end, Monrovia and RHP did what was expected of them.

    I read your tweet last night that RHP looked like an elite Mid Valley team or a good Southeast team. In my opinion, Monrovia could be described the same way. Does that mean they can bang with the likes of Monrovia, Sierra Canyon, Paraclete, and San Dimas? I am more interested in seeing where RHP ends up in your final rankings. In the last rankings you published, RHP was 10. With your rankings being the best in their corner of the world, no reason why RHP shouldn’t be #2 behind Monrovia, especially after you describing them as an elite Mid Valley team. Fred’s argument has always been you never give RHP enough respect in your rankings. After you seeing RHP in person and reading your comments, I think your feelings have changed on how you view RHP.

    • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

      An Elite Mid Valley team? Im not really sure if that’s saying much with the mid valley div. not really getting much respect from the upper division fans. I saw San Marino make a big step in the right direction, hopefully that wasnt a fluke and they can actually give monrovia a challenge every year and go deep in the playoffs. RHP would have to play someone that they were a huge underdog and win

    • http://www.facebook.com/philip.b.blackwell Phil Blackwell

      Maybe schedule a team like Northview, Azusa, San Dimas, or San Marino? Then RHP would turn some heads but until then there’s no way you can put them #2 but. They are doing big things in a small division and props to them.

  • Colt74

    Congrats to Monrovia for number 3. Pretty amazing actually. Also congrats to Rio Hondo Prep.

  • PAC 5

    Monrovia still the sleeper to get a state bid . Madison and wasco are both the front runner to play each other . The winner of the south game plays the north . In PAC 5 narbonne will play corona centenial in open division south game . Winner will play winner of north game between de la salle and Folsom . Lb poly will play Clovis for division 1 south title . I didn’t know they there was an extra round added this year . Should make it interesting .

    • Kennedy Bryant

      The selections will be announced @ 2:00 pm tomorrow on FSW

    • tommy gun

      I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see LB Poly left out of the Regional games all together. With a blow out loss to Narbonne, a significant loss to a D4 Serra team and a loss to a Bakersfield team that didn’t even make it out of the 2nd round in the Central Section, I would suspect that the San Diego Section will get one of their top teams in at the D1 level to go up against North Clovis. Another possibility will be that the Southern Section will try to move CC into the D1 game so that there will not be the possibility of no Southern Section team representing one of the top State Games. With Narbonne going up against North Clovis in the Open and CC going up against a Top San Diego team. With this move the Southern Section will assure themselves of at least 1 Southern Section team playing in one of the top games.

    • Football_Club

      That would be funny to see Monrovia get murdered in the State Championship. LOL I know the CIF Commissioners couldn’t be that stupid.

      • PAC 5

        I don’t think they would get murdered . With that many athletes in a lower division they would be favorites . Don’t know much about mAdison or wasco .

        • Colt74

          Wasco is a good team but the pundits don’t see a good win against a higher division team in them. What I find amusing is those same pundits call the losses Monrovia has to Ayala and South Hills ” good losses ” because they lost by 3 points or less to a higher division team. So in CIF’s world a 12-2 record trumps a 13-0 one. Like Aram said..CIF always wins.

      • Knuckleheads

        Football Club. You sound like one of the Monrovia players stole your girlfriend. You’re such a hater. Move on with your life man, it’s just football.

  • Football_Club

    Monrovia would embarrass So Cal in the State Championship for small schools. They play cupcake football all year round. Come on South Hills beat them. Name one State ranked team they beat in the preseason? None and they wouldn’t schedule a ranked team cause they’d get smashed on. Monrovia you’re in Division 11 which is equivalent to powder puff football, 8-man football and flag football. Like I said beat a State ranked team even No. 25 and beat them which I highly doubt and you’ll earn some respect. Until then you are not Wildcats more like the Pussycat Dolls!

    • AMAT 73

      If all you can do is come on here and post this kind of crap you are one sick person. These kids played their hearts out this season and got the championship and bid to the regionals . Why not get behind them instead of knocking them . By the way , what team do you root for on Fridays so we can get a better understanding of your ignorant post . How far above D11 is your team ??????? And what state ranked team did they beat ?????

  • tommy gun

    Much to my surprise, the Southern Section was able to get Monrovia into the Regional game Vs Madison @ Monrovia on Saturday –

    Regional Games:

    1. Open Narbonne Vs CC @ Cerritos College

    2. D1 LB Poly Vs North Clovis @ Veterans Stadium

    3. D2 Serra Vs Edison @ Orange Coast College

    4. D3 Madison Vs Monrovia @ Monrovia

    5. D4 RHP Vs Santa Fe Christian @ Del Norte High School

  • GP AKA Green Machine

    We ARE IN!!! We are asking all SGV football fans to support Monrovia 730 pm Saturday Night at Wildcat Stadium!

  • GP AKA Green Machine

    Madison has Univ of Arizona commit Pierre Comier! He is one of the best backs in Div 3. This game will be extremely tough. Madison is the favorites, that is why Monrovia will be hosting. They have state level experience Monrovia doesn’t Cif has given the SGV a shot with 2 teams representing on the state level. This is huge!!

  • Colt74

    Saturday night @ Monrovia vs Madison from San Diego. Should be a burner.

  • understand

    Monrovia will do fine. All you trash talkers…The kids can only play who they put in front of them. They can’t control what league they are in…CIF makes those decisions. They scheduled teams that could/would schedule them and that helped them get ready for league. Like C.O. they will eventually move up and there will be a learning curve. You play the toughest teams possible and sometimes you get punched in the mouth. You learn and get better. It is a process. At this point Monrovia cannot lose. They have a great bunch of kids that will represent….win or lose..Good Job!!!!

    • Football_Club

      I’ve been watching high school football for awhile now. Trust me, Monrovia will get spanked tonight! LOL 3-Titles in Division 11 is not worthy of a D3 spot representing the South. If I’m wrong I’ll never post a bad thing about M-Town again and will cheer the Wildcats on in the State Championship!

  • New York

    Once again the Amat fans are classy and everyone who has never been at the top are showing petty jealousy. A quick question for people: why not focus on the fact that Madison jumped Wasco in the polls? Going into the final week it was

    #1 Paraclete

    #2 St. Augustine

    #3 Monrovia

    #4 Wasco

    #5 Madison

    #3 Monrovia beat #1 Paraclete and #5 Madison beat #2 St. Augustine. Somehow in the process, that allowed #5 Madison to jump passed #4 Wasco.

    It seem that Wasco got jumped possibly because they did not have a game that week, or possibly because That had not beaten anyone in the top 5 of that poll. Maybe that got screwed because lack of availability.

    Monrovia was fortunate in the playoffs to play at the time Division 4 #1 Sierra Canyon and then Division 3 #1 Paraclete in consecutive weeks.

  • Football_Club

    I got to give props to Monrovia. They are down in the 4th qtr 14-10 and have the ball on there 20.

  • TheRealAyalaBulldogFan

    What, no mention of Monrovia’s loss to Madison???

    • WCDan

      Actually that was a pretty close game that could have been Monrovia’s.
      Madison has convincingly beaten St. Augustine and Lincoln, two good San Diego teams who both had close games with Cathedral Catholic,[within a td]. Cathedral Catholic is a San Diego power who was beating Vista Murietta this year for most of the game till VM scored in the final minutes.
      At this time of year I would put my money on Monrovia to beat Ayala.