Hey Monrovia, when you think you’re tough, people wanna see how tough …

1. Bishop Amat (2-1) — Posted historic beatdown of Rancho.
2. Chino Hills (2-1) — Averaging 50 points per game!
3. St. Francis (2-0) — Hoping to show Monrovia who’s boss (again).
4. La Mirada (2-1) — May not lose again in regular season.
5. Monrovia (3-0) — Need better showing than last year vs. SF.
6. San Dimas (2-1) — Saints putting together impressive resume.
7. Charter Oak (1-2) — Woke up against Damien. Watch out
8. Pomoma (2-0) — Players deserved better than canceled game.
9. Los Altos (2-1) — Won big as expected vs. Wilson.
10. Damien (1-1) — Good looking team should get better.
11. Glendora (1-1) — Got worked by solid San Gorgonio team.
12. La Habra (1-2) — Defense better wake up vs. La Mirada.
13. La Salle (2-1) — Trampled by Bishop Diego again.
14. West Covina (2-1) — Gaining steam at a good time.
15. Ayala (2-1) — Might be a dangerous team after all.
16. La Serna (2-1) — Blanked Schurr in show of force.
17. Northview (3-0) — Nobody told me.
18. San Marino (3-0) — Averaging 56 points per game.
19. Diamond Bar (2-1) — Can’t be as bad as final score vs. SD.
20. Muir (0-2) — Need to take another step fwd vs. Hart.
21. Diamond Ranch (2-1) — Had better bounce back vs. Schurr.
22. El Rancho (1-1) — Can take out frustration on Montebello.
23. Claremont (2-1) — Why is Pack playing Mountain View?
24. Maranatha (3-0) — We’ll find out vs. La Salle.
25. Arroyo (2-1) — Coming back around.

… Don’t wake up in a roadside ditch.

1. La Mirada (2-0) — Gonna really find out vs. Servite.
2. Bishop Amat (1-1) — Testes dropped in Texas. Look out now.
3. Chino Hills (1-1) — Hart/JSerra exacta was bit much to ask.
4. St. Francis (1-0) — We’ll find out a lot more vs. Moorpark.
5. Glendora (1-0) — Trailing Alta Loma at half is ominous.
6. Monrovia (2-0) — Looking every bit like a Central favorite.
7. Damien (1-0) — A win over Charter Oak would go far.
8. Pomona (2-0) — The team you don’t want to play.
9. La Habra (1-1) — They can score. No doubt.
10. Charter Oak (0-2) — Mojo returns with a Damien win.
11. La Salle (2-0) — Like that PHS win a lot.
12. San Dimas (1-1) — Huge street cred win over LA.
13. Los Altos (1-1) — Got nailed late by San Dimas.
14. Diamond Ranch (2-0) — Had to work against Rosemead.
15. Diamond Bar (2-0) — Two games, two easy wins.
16. West Covina (1-1) — Last Friday was more like it.
17. Ayala (1-1) — Took out frustrations on El Dorado.
18. San Marino (2-0) — Where do they fit in Central?
19. La Serna (1-1) — Went to Grizzly country and got a bear.
20. Muir (0-2) — Much better showing vs. Cathedral.
21. Northview (2-0) — Can’t argue with success.
22. El Rancho (1-1) — Good showing vs. solid Troy team.
23. Claremont (1-1) — Salesian win is an eye opener.
24. Pasadena (1-1) — Moving up a spot after La Salle showing.
25. Maranatha (2-0) — Soft sked so far, but good results.

The Pasadena High School football program has been here before. Several times in the recent past the Bulldogs have had step-up games and come up way short of expectations.

Yet again, there’s optimism surrounding the Bulldogs and tonight they can show whether it’s justified when nearby La Salle pays a visit. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

“It’s definitely going to be a heated night,” Pasadena head coach Douglas Bledsoe said. “This is a rivalry game for us, because everybody knows each other. We want to win.”

Pasadena started the season with a resounding, 50-7 win over South El Monte last week. The Bulldogs have now equaled last year’s win total, but there’s a sentiment around town that many more happy Friday nights are on the way.

It starts with standout wide receiver Tyrek Adams, who is 6-foot-3 and also one of the top basketball players in the area. Pasadena was bolstered in the offseason by the transfer of quarterback Jorge Reyna, who guided Downey to a CIF championship two years ago as a sophomore.

“We feel we have the best quarterback in the area, we feel we have the best receiver in the area and we feel we have one of the best offensive lines in the area,” Bledsoe said. “Our kids are very confident. They’re going to play in front of the home crowd. We’re going to go out there and play hard, but we know La Salle is one of the better-coached teams around.”

Despite all of the Pasadena hype, La Salle is still considered to be prohibitive favorite tonight. The Lancers are led by quarterback Will Plyburn and feature some top-flight receivers of their own in Evan Rambo and Isiah Spencer.

But it was the Lancers’ defense that stole the headlines last week by putting the clamps on Compton in a 34-0 win that saw the visiting Tarbabes struggle to cross midfield. La Salle won last year’s game against PHS, 28-0.

“I’m really impressed with their quarterback,” Bledsoe said of Plyburn. “They have probably one of the best wide receiver tandems. They’re going to give us problems, but we’ve got the play them. You want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best.

“We know they’re a very talented football team, but like I said, they’re one of the better-coached football teams in the area. This is a big game for us and we’re looking for a big game. And we’re looking to come out with a victory.”