The Butler did it!

Glendora has had some nice success over the past two seasons. Coach Mark Pasquarella turning around the Tartans program was something many local pundits saw coming. Glendora has finished second and third, respectively, in the past two seasons in the very difficult Sierra League. The Tartans didn't make it out of the first round of the playoffs in either season mainly because they played in omni-tough Division II. Glendora's opponent in both seasons was Hart.

The question as the 2006 seasons beckons is can Glendora take the next step? With the current coaching staff, it's reasonable to expect Glendora to maintain where it is right now. But without more speed, it's unreasonable to expect the Tartans to be much better.
In order to win in the Sierra League, there must be a combination of size and speed. In order to compete in Glendora's division, the same combo must be present. When analyzing the Tartans, I always get the feeling that just one piece of the puzzle is missing. It's not quite all there.
In 2004, Glendora had a dynamic offense behind QB Jacob Crook and receivers Brandon Bryan and Andrew Kenz. Bryan and Kenz actually earned All-Area honors at receivers in each of their senior seasons.
Last season, with Crook and Kenz graduated, the offense was much more ball-control and had a dynamic running back in Ben Rodriguez and a simple passing system that relied on Bryan to "go up and get it."
Entering 2006, it's anyone's guess as to what the complexion of the offense will be. Rodriguez and Bryan are gone. The QB position wasn't a team strength last year and Garrett Crook, Jacob's brother who got some time under center last season, is likely to take over full time.
The ground game is also a question mark. It's unreasonable to expect another player the caliber of Rodriguez to emerge. Zack Butler and Jordan Edmond are both speedy weapons and the offense will likely be built around them.
Glendora took a step back defensively last season. The Tartans didn't offer much resistence against quality opponents - Covina (27), Amat (31), Arcadia (25), Chino Hills (43), Chino (31), Damien (29) and Hart (27). Basically, if you had speed, it wasn't hard to get behind the Tartans' defense. The secondary was the main culprit and made fans hold their breath when the opposing QB dropped back. I don't see much in the way of improvement coming for the Tartans' D.

Here's the sked:

at Covina (loss)
at Duarte (win)
Charter Oak (loss)
Capo Valley (win)
at Rowland (toss-up)
at Damien (loss)
Chino Hills (loss)
Chino (loss)
at Ayala (win)
Diamond Bar (win)

Projected record: 4-6 or 5-5
Sierra League: Fourth place
Playoffs: No

As of now, I am not optimistic about Glendora making the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Chino Hills looks far and away like the best team in the Sierra League. Chino won't simply evaporate just because Monger has retired. And Damien has the edge on Glendora right now because the Spartans have a playmaker at QB and more overall firepower.
Glendora just has too many question marks heading into summer to feel optimistic about this season. Not being sure about the QB position or the defense is a bad predicament to be in. The coaching staff is good enough to prove doubters wrong, but this is the Sierra League and the division formerly known as D-II we're talking about here. Coaching only takes you so far before horses are needed to go the rest of the way.

Posted by at 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)

the recruiting debate has broken out. It didn't come in the Los Altos or South Hills threads, but the CO thread pushed things over the top. What cracks me up is that people say it's OK for Amat or Damien to do it, and I am not saying they do or anybody else does. Seems to me that Amat loses more than it keeps these days. I like the Los Altos complaints considering that LA's top returning player just transferred out. Selective debating, gotta love it!

Posted by at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

How do you replace these guys?





Leon (left) and Salmon (right).

It was the end of an era for Arroyo football when QB Dominic Salmon and WR/DB Sergio Leon played their last games, respectively, against South Hills in the second round of the CIF-SS Div. VII playoffs last November.

Salmon and Leon were not only special because they were the catalysts of a strong three-year run for the Knights football program, but also because they were instrumental in helping change the complexion of Knights football during their time on-campus. Arroyo, with a capable QB like Salmon and legit deep threat like Leon, played with an explosiveness not common of Mission Valley League teams. Yes, what I am saying is that the Knights could pass first and run second. It was a lethal and rare combo.
In contrast, Rosemead this past season was what you'd expect from a typical MVL power. The Panthers ran the ball and played defense. Passing wasn't a strength.
South El Monte reached the semis this past season and Arroyo did so in 2004 because THEY COULD PASS. These weren't one-dimensional offensive teams. There weren't opposing defensive coordinators thinking "If we can just get Arroyo or South El Monte down and they have to pass, we got 'em." Both aspects had to be respected. I credit much of this league-wide sea change in philosophy to Salmon and Leon.
You could win during the regular season with either style. Rosemead proved that last season. But you're not going past the second round of the playoffs if you can't throw. Rosmead also proved that.
So, with Salmon and Leon gone, can Arroyo realistically expect to be as balanced offensively? Probably not. QBs like Salmon or SEM's Lee Aguirre aren't an everyday occurrance in the MVL. Please keep in mind that I haven't seen Salmon's replacement. I have no idea if Jim Singiser is going to try and stick with the same offensive philosophies or reign things in because of the new talent.
My vibe is that things must be played conservatively at first. I think Arroyo is going to be more ball-control. Going back to the roots, so to speak. I don't expect to see Salmon's replacement to come out winging it with multiple receivers in the pattern on each play.
Arroyo is a mystery team simply because of the quality of player that's graduating. Remember, Salmon and Leon also played a major role in the secondary. Leon gave Arroyo a DB that could match up to the other team's top speedster and usually shut him down. Again, this type of athlete isn't common in the MVL.
Here's the sked:

Temple City (toss-up)
Warren (probable win)
Alhambra (loss)
El Rancho (win)
Tustin (loss)
Mountain View (win)
South El Monte (win)
Rosemead (toss-up)
Gabrielino (win)
El Monte (win)

Projected record: 7-3 or 6-4
Mission Valley League: Favorite
Playoffs: Definitely. Second round is the ceiling.

Pasadena, Azusa and Nogales are gone from the nonleague sked. The series against Pasadena produced some thrillers, so it's kind of sad to see it end. Alhambra, Warren and Tustin replace the above games. The Knights are playing a deceptively tougher nonleague this season. Not sure this is the best year for that, but like I said before, "scheduling up" is the new coolest thing.
I expect Arroyo to finish its nonleague at either 3-2 or 2-3 and that would be a success.
The MVL schedule sets up nicely. The Knights will be heavily favored over Gabrielino or El Monte in the final two weeks of the season and that should mean either locking up the league title with those wins or securing the No. 2 slot out of the MVL in the playoffs.
Arroyo's new division is basically the same. La Habra and the Freeway League replace South Hills and the San Antonio League, thus making it possible the Knights season lasts into the second round.
I am not as high on South El Monte this season as other people. The MVL boils down to Arroyo and Rosemead, in my opinion. All three teams lose a lot of talent, but only Arroyo and Rosemead have shown the ability to continuously reload thru the years. The league title will be decided in Week 8 when the Panthers and Knights battle.

2006 GLENDORA SCHEDULE + ANALYSIS COMING SOON ...

Posted by at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

SGV still sending out ballerz!





Los Altos' Brigham Harwell ... the Trib's Player of the Year in 2003.

I like to save old sections and today I was thumbing my 2003-04 school year All-Area football and baseball teams. You're not going to believe the talent from that year and where they are now:

2003-04 School Year Tribune All-Area Football Team.
Football:
OFFENSE
QB - Charles Lacy (Wilson)
RB - Ian Johnson (Damien) starter at Boise State
RB - Price Wilks (Wilson) in the mix at Arizona State
WR - Walter Thurmond III (West Covina) playing at Oregon
WR - Jeremy Payton (South Hills) starting safety at Arizona State
UTIL - Patrick Fuller (Charter Oak) in the mix at Oregon State
Tight end - John Herrera (Northview)
OL - Alex Hernandez (Bishop Amat)
OL - Ryan Wendell (Diamond Bar) starting at Fresno State
OL - Elia Le'au (Wilson)
OL - David Dreisbach (South Hills) UCLA
OL - Kevin Montano (Los Altos)
DEFENSE
DL - Brigham Harwell (Los Altos) UCLA D-Line starter
DL - Jamel Greer (Amat) UCLA
DL - Michael Campos (Walnut)
LB - Daniel Drayton (Los Altos) starter in secondary at Oregon State
LB - Ronnie Williams (Arroyo)
LB - Ronnie Rodriguez (Los Altos)
DB - Randall Brown (Los Altos) I know he was an RB at MSAC
DB - Tau Alo (Los Altos)
DB - Will Harris (Charter Oak) was projected starter at USC before injury
DB - Bryan Payton (South Hills) Oregon State soon to be starter
DB - Randy Tresvant (Bassett) was at PCC
P - Aaron Perez (Charter Oak) starter at UCLA
K - Paul Jurado (Diamond Bar)

2003-04 School Year Tribune All-Area Baseball Team
BASEBALL
P - Steve Martlaro (Amat) USC
P - Wes Roemer (Glendora) CS Fullerton soon to be drafted
C - Mark Reed (Bonita) Cubs Double-A
INF - Danny Garcia (Nogales) HS senior soon to be drafted
INF - Tommy Mendoza (Sierra Vista)
INF - Jaime Pedroza (Northview) UC Riverside
INF - Brett Siegmund (Diamond Bar)
OF - Cody Kissell (Charter Oak) MSAC ... I believe
OF - Daniel Robertson (South Hills) Concordia
OF - Mark Robinson (Mountain View) Twins minor leaguer
UTIL - Erick Carranza (Mountain View) Rio Hondo

If anybody has an update on any of these players or where they are now isn't right, please drop a comment. Gracias!

Posted by at 3:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Some people don't like to deal with reality, but yes, this unfortunately really did happen.





And as much as it pains me to do this, and believe me I shouldn't have to, here's the Whittier Daily News and LA Times articles about the costly throw down ...

Brawl ends season
St. Paul, Hesperia booted from tourney
By Roger Murray | Staff Writer

St. Paul High School's baseball season came to an abrupt end Wednesday after the Swordsmen were involved in a brawl with host Hesperia in their CIF Southern Section, Division V second-round playoff game Tuesday.

Umpires ejected players from both teams and, following an investigation, officials from the CIF-SS office on Wednesday declared the game to be a no-contest. Officials also ruled that Woodcrest Christian, the team scheduled to play the winner between St. Paul, of Santa Fe Springs, and Hesperia, will move on to Tuesday's semifinal round.

In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, CIF-SS Director of Sports Information Thom Simmons said both schools are in violation of CIF-SS "Bluebook" Rule 1522, which states, in part:

"Any player ejected for any reason or any player who leaves the confines of the bench or team area during a fight that may break out or has broken out shall be disqualified from participating in the remainder of the game and will be ineligible for the team's next contest."

The CIF-SS' official statement also said that due to the number of ejected players on both teams involved in the incident, under the rule, neither school could resume this game, which Hesperia was leading, 6-3, in the top of the fifth inning.

Under National Federation of State High School Association rules, an official game must complete a minimum of

41/2 innings. Further, it is the position of the CIF-SS that to allow either school to be rewarded with a win in this situation also is in contrary to Bluebook Rule 12 or the 16 Operating Principles of Pursuing Victory with Honor.

St. Paul Athletic Director Marc Hernandez and head baseball coach Casey Morales both declined to comment. They said school officials are conducting an investigation into the incident, which began with a play at the plate with St. Paul batting and one out in the fifth inning.

According to a report in Wednesday's Victorville Daily Press, St. Paul's Ricky Rios attempted to score from third base on a ground ball to third baseman Fred Antuna.

Antuna threw to catcher Trevin Cano, who tagged Rios for the out as Rios crashed into him.

Rios' failure to slide or make an attempt to avoid the contact would have brought, as mandated by CIF rules, an immediate ejection.

But according to the Daily Press report, before the plate umpire could react, the two players became involved in an altercation that quickly accelerated into a physical confrontation.

Players from both benches then became involved as fans reportedly entered the field in an effort to quell the fighting.

Once peace was restored, the umpires ejected the players whose names were listed on the lineup cards and ruled the game over.

"Due to the seriousness of this incident and this organization's commitment to Victory with Honor, we could not allow either team to profit from this unfortunate and disppointing situation," said CIF Southern Section Commissioner of Athletics Dr. Jim Saunton. "This section will not tolerate this type of behavior from any school, team, administrator, coach or athlete."

With its bye into the semifinals, Woodcrest Christian awaits the winner of Friday's Nordhoff-Monrovia quarterfinal contest.

St. Paul, a Division V finalist last season and winner of its fourth consecutive Del Rey League championship this year, ends its season with a 20-8 record.

roger.murray@sgvn.com

Brawl Puts St. Paul, Hesperia Out of Playoffs
By Dan Arritt, Times Staff Writer
May 25, 2006

While many high school teams continue to fight their way through the playoffs, two baseball teams have fought their way out of them.

Santa Fe Springs St. Paul and Hesperia were removed from the Southern Section Division V playoffs Wednesday by section officials after a bench-clearing brawl Tuesday left both teams with too few eligible players to complete their second-round game, which will be considered a no-contest.
Players and coaches were involved in the melee, which occurred after a jarring home-plate collision between St. Paul's Ricky Rios and catcher Trevin Cano of host Hesperia in the top of the fifth inning with Hesperia leading, 6-3. According to observers, fans also entered the playing field.

Once order was restored, umpires ejected participants from both sides.

"We're not going to stand there and let our teammate get beat up by 15 other guys," said Hesperia junior Matt Serret, who was playing left field when the fight broke out. "I don't regret going out there and helping, but maybe if it was handled differently, we would still be playing."

Both schools were in violation of Southern Section Rule 1522, which states: "Any player ejected for any reason or any player who leaves the confines of the bench or team area during a fight that may break out or has broken out shall be disqualified from participating in the remainder of the game and will be ineligible for the team's next contest."

Under National Federation of State High School Assn. rules, a game must last at least 4 1/2 innings to be official.

"The rules are there for a reason and we're going to respect [the section's] decision," said Darren Goodman, boys' athletic director at Hesperia.

Bobby Hutter, a junior who was scheduled to be the starting pitcher against Woodcrest Christian in a quarterfinal game Friday, said Hesperia (14-12) was beginning to play some of its best ball of the season.

"We were hitting the ball finally," he said. "We felt like we could have gone kind of far."

A group of Hesperia parents wrote a letter to the section, asking for consideration of the situation, but section officials typically take a hard line with their rules, which are implemented by member schools.

"Given the seriousness of this incident and this organization's commitment to 'Victory with Honor,' we could not allow either team to profit from this unfortunate and disappointing situation," Commissioner Jim Staunton said in a release. "This section will not tolerate this type of behavior from any school, team, administrator, coach or athlete."

Last season, Arcadia's baseball team had to forfeit a Division I first-round victory over Villa Park because its coach was spotted watching the game from beyond the outfield fence, despite being ejected from the previous contest. Villa Park was allowed to advance but lost its next game. It was later learned that some Villa Park players had conducted pregame batting practice at a teammate's house, which is also a violation of section rules and led to the resignation of their coach.

Three years ago, Lakewood defeated Moreno Valley Valley View in a Division I second-round game, only to be disqualified for taking illegal pregame batting practice. Valley View went on to lose to Huntington Beach Marina, 1-0, in the championship game.

Woodcrest Christian will have a bye Friday and will play the winner of the Ojai Nordhoff-Monrovia game in a semifinal matchup Tuesday.

Posted by at 12:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (21)

Replacing this is the only concern Big Lou had this off-season

I have started CO as the unofficial No. 1 team in the area heading into Spring practice. Do I expect to find out something that makes me shake up the rankings? No, I don't. What you saw below with the rankings is merely a guideline for the summer. Tons will happen between now and the SGV Tribune football preview issue, which by the way, sports some serious one-day sales figures.

There is a lot of optimism surrounding the Chargers this season. Last year's team featured a load of sophomores who gradually developed into solid players. CO in September was much different than CO in November.
This season is the complete opposite. CO returns a bevy of players and some of the best overall talents in the area. And yes, we're talking ATHOLEETS.
There are concerns, though. Will offensive coordinator Dominic Farrar take the kid gloves off with QB Drew Carreon? Can the running game make up for Brian Hunter's graduation?
The defense will be strong again. CO had one of the better front sevens in the area last season and some key guys are back. The back four are very athletic and should matchup well to opposing speed.
Here's the sked:

9/8 Upland (win)
9/15 at La Mirada (win)
9/22 at Glendora (win)
9/29 at Damien (win)
10/6 Claremont (win)
10/13 at West Covina (toss-up)
10/20 Los Altos (win)
10/27 at Bonita (win)
11/3 Diamond Ranch (win)
11/10 Wilson (win)

Projected record: 10-0 or 9-1
Miramonte League: Favorite
Playoffs: Mos def with a strong chance at a top four seed and good chance at reaching the finals.

The first thing that jumps about CO's sked is the game with Glendora. This is a very key event, actually. There is a rivalry there, or at least there was. But Glendora is an up and coming program that needs one thing to take the next step - speed. Where might Glendora find the kind of athletes it needs? Right over the hill, so to speak, in CO's backyard. Don't scoff, these schools often vie for the same athletes. And yes, I mean ATHOLEETS. To the victor goes the spoils on September 22.
Bishop Amat is off the schedule. Big Lou should be commended for even having Amat and Damien on the schedule in the same season. Damien remains, which is a major revenge game. Like I've said before, I am not sure Damien beats CO last season if the game is played in November.
Having said all that, CO's schedule boils down to two weeks. They could be the best two weeks of the season or the worst. Fans should start arriving now for the October 13 (my b-day) game against West Covina. That's the game of the season in the SGV.
A week later, CO opens Miramonte League play with Los Altos. That game needs no introduction or hype.
There will be no breaks for the Chargers with this schedule, so the team must stay healthy.
I want to see if CO has versatility this season. That's my biggest question with this team. It appeared last year that CO liked to slow games down, keep it simple on offense and let the defense tee off. But can CO play a myriad of styles like most good teams can? Can CO win with Carreon throwing 25 times? Can it win with Carreon only making 10 attempts? These are the questions.
Passing league is worthless, in my opinion. But this might be a team to watch in the early summer months. You just know that the Farrars are contemplating ways to showcase WR Michael Johnson to college recruiters and that probably means Carreon will be asked to open it up. Passing league might be the first clue. Stay tuned ...

Posted by at 10:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2602)

Wow, the SGV got shocked! Los Altos (Miramonte League champ), Northview (Valle Vista League champ), South Hills (San Antonio League champ), South El Monte (co- Mission Valley league champ) all ONE-AND-DONE!

CO, of course, is still going.

Those league champs, Nogales and Damien all said adios. I don't know how many of you catch my TV show on Adelphia, but I was asked, in consecutive weeks, about San Dimas' chances in the playoffs. I said repeatedly that we often see teams that finish second but go further than the league champ does in the playoffs. That would be San Dimas. I said that before the brackets were released and here we are with Northview gone and San Dimas still playing.
I was also asked which team out of San Dimas, Charter Oak or Damien would go furthest. I said Charter Oak because the Chargers got one helluva draw. CO drew La Puente while Northview got La Habra. No offense to La Puente, but La Habra is a much more difficult first round game. The Vikes were handed a tough assignment, no doubt.

Bishop Amat, Charter Oak, Chino, Mountain View and San Dimas are all that's left from this area. Yikes!

Meanwhile, the Sierra League flexed its muscle in softball. Diamond Bar, Chino Hills and Glendora all advanced. Diamond Bar shutout the top seed in the division. If you like softball, then you're treated by having the Sierra League in this area!

Posted by at 2:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

PLEASE USE THIS THREAD TO SHARE ANY RUMORS ABOUT THE UPCOMING FOOTBALL SEASON. ANY INFO TIDBITS FROM SPRING PRACTICE WOULD BE GREAT. BELIEVE ME, I WANT ANYTHING.
ALSO, I WILL POST WHATEVER I CAN ABOUT SPRING PRACTICES THAT I PERSONALLY SEE AND WHATEVER I HEAR.

I got to catch some of Amat's Spring football practice while I covered the school's CIF baseball playoffs game.

It looks to me like many of the coaches from Mike DiFiori's staff have been retained. I don't know all of the names, but the faces looked familiar. If anybody wants to help with this, let me know.
Amat looks smallish along the offensive line. I was surprised by the amount of overall athletes. But hey, it's spring, it's hard to tell much.
It looks like the backup QB from last year is the starter right now. I don't know his name either, but he's a slender kid. I didn't see him throw one pass in the short time I was there. Keep in mind, Los Altos QB Matt Castaneda would've been Amat's starter this season.
Also, there appears to be another capable running back beside Dominique Gaisie. Don't know his name either. What good am I?

RUMOR: Supposedly a receiver from Temple City was going to transfer to Los Altos, but it didn't happen. Not sure, but I think it was Dwight Broadnax, who's a pretty good player.

RUMOR: Another rumor is that former Los Altos running back James Davis, who transferred to Los Altos from Monrovia before the '04 season before transferring back to M-Town earlier this semester, is now living in Louisiana. Can anybody confirm this?

ALL-STAR - I have yet to see or receive Hall of Fame All-Star Game rosters for this year's game. As many of you know, I really like this game. It's kind of had its shaky moments i.e. bench clearing brawl, some naive La Salle kid going after yours truly, a Marshall lineman's on-the-field breakdown while yelling "PDL" (Pasadena Devil's Lane ... it's a pretty famous Pasadena gang) and not leaving the huddle even at his teammates' urging.
I always say that some of the kids who play in the game are going to college, jail or getting real life jobs after this game. But I like that.
Great intensity in that game. I NEED THE DAMN ROSTERS, THOUGH!
It's funny, legendary former Muir coach Jim Brownfield runs the game and he sends info to every sportswriter in our office, EXCEPT ME. Literally, letter after letter comes to other guys on our staff, and they all forward them to me. I am the one who tries to give the game blowout coverage. Whatever. Maybe he doesn't like me covering it. Who knows ...

Posted by at 7:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The Saints better toughen up in '06, or else ...






San Dimas was soft in 2005. There, I said it. This was a team that looked good in its uniforms, but wanted no piece of being aggressive - especially on defense. The Saints didn't like to tackle and there was just no nastiness to the stop unit.

San Dimas allowed almost 35 points per game. The defense was flat out embarrassed against Covina (55 points) and San Dimas (49 points). OK, those were both great offensive teams. But if San Dimas wants to be at a certain level, it can't get pushed around by comparably talented programs.
This year's schedule is deceptively tough. The Saints play two league champs (Gladstone and South El Monte) in nonleague action and also have the Smudge Pot game against Bonita.

Week 0 Gladstone (win)
Week 1 South El Monte (loss)
Week 2 Montclair (win)
Week 3 Carter (loss)
week 4 Bye
Week 5 Bonita (loss)
Week 6 Baldwin Park (loss)
Week 7 Northview (toss-up)
Week 8 Ganesha (win)
Week 9 Covina (loss)
Week 10 Pomona (toss-up)

Projected record: 4-6 or 3-7
Valle Vista League: Outside chance at third
Playoffs: Unlikely

Running back Roy Curry was San Dimas' best player in '05. He's gone as is QB Eric Samples and other running back Ryan Richard. QB Ricky Ochoa got some time last year, so he's not exactly a rookie. RB/DB Jacob Borzilieri was a good do-it-all player last year and probably the only Saint who appeared to like contact.
San Dimas has one of the better weapons around in receiver Jon Joe. He's 6-foot-4 and athletic. But lets be honest, he caught two TDs last year and how can he be properly utilized in coach Bill Zernickow's Wing-T?
I see more struggles for this program. I do, however, think Zernickow will turn this program into a contender. But when your league-mates have stars like BP's Aaron Harris and Covina's Mike McDonough, how much can you expect?

Posted by at 9:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)

The success is easily explained ...

This blog hits hard ...

It gets to the corner ...

Makes people nervous ...

While fighting through the pack ...

And ultimately winning!

KEEP THE COMMENTS AND HITS COMING.
And always remember our theme ... "This blog is my blog, this blog is your blog, this blog was made for you and me."

Posted by at 1:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

here's your thread. Click here to read about the latest.

I don't know. It sounds like sabotage to me.

Posted by at 9:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Things haven't been this exciting around the Rowland football program since, well, most of this year's team wasn't a lock to make it thru the night without wetting the bed. So, it's pretty exciting.

Rowland broke through in a big way last year. Fans are now hoping for another step forward this season. Last year's success, believe it or not, was something most observers saw coming. Rowland sports one of the best soon-to-be senior classes around. These guys have taken great pride in turning around the program. It's amazing they stayed together and lived up to the promise.
What jumps out at me is that the Raiders' sked is chalk full of games worthy of seeing. The Glendora game is an odd matchup. Wilson as the league bye is another good one. And of course, the wars with South Hills and WestCo are priceless.

California (win)
Sonora (win)
Montebello (win)
Don Lugo (toss-up)
Glendora (toss-up)
Nogales (win)
South Hills (toss-up)
Walnut (win)
Wilson (toss-up)
West Covina (loss)

As you can tell, this team has a chance for a very productive season. Nobody can say right now which way the Don Lugo, Glendora , South Hills or Wilson games go.
I think 7-3 or 8-2 is a good projection right now. Rowland has a good QB in Chase returning, which is something I really like at the high school level. A good QB with experience is an incredible headstart at this level. RB Rene Small was hyped going into last year and he flashed signs of worthiness, but it was Mark Burgos who did most of the Raiders' damage on the ground.
The defense has some big shoes to fill with Gorb and Reagan Seui gone. Their loss can't be underestimated. LB Chad Norys must now anchor the entire defense. There is a new head coach in Snyder, but he was there last season as a coordinator, so it's hardly a sweat.
This will be a good team to see toward the end of hell week. But the potential is there for another big year.

Projected record: 7.5-2.5
League: Second place
Playoffs: Yes. Semifinals darkhorse.

Posted by at 10:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

It's very important for all of you to know that the athletes discussed or pictured on this Web site are getting some excellent exposure and props due to the sick amount of hits this blog continues to receive.

That's a "Kristy"

This is a "Kirsty"

Next, Kirsty Ferrell swam lights out last night, but she was slightly behind a freak. Automatic All-American times for Ferrell, though, and she will be involved on Tuesday at Masters.
Alex Verdegem (Damien) and Chris Quemena (Arcadia) also had good nights. The SGV was kind of light the rest of the day.
It was only further established that Long Beach is the future home of yours truly. It occurred to me when I walked in, and I said this to CIF Media Relations Director Thom Simmons upon arrival, I really should have just gotten a hotel room somewhere around Ocean Blvd and stayed overnight since I will be back later today to cover D-II finals today. And the stay could've been further extended to Tuesday, since I will be there again for Masters.
Minus the chlorine and press accomodations, I had a great time. Nancy Ferrell, you continue to be a godsend.

Posted by at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

The guy couldn't sleep on his side for a while after the Tesoro game ...
Covina QB Mike McDonough

Glendora (win)
Ontario Christian (win)
Walnut (win)
Montain View (win)
Sonora (win)
Pomona (win)
Northview (win)
Baldwin Park (win)
San Dimas (win)
Ganesha (win)

Projected record: 10-0
Valle Vista League: Overwhelming favorite
Playoffs: Championship contender depending on what side of bracket Oaks Christian is in.

The first thing that jumps out is that the schedule sets up very well. Glendora will be a challenge in the opener, but I DON'T think the Tartans will simply push Covina around. And I DO think the Colts' speed will give Glendora similar trouble to last season.
It's hard to think Covina will be better than last year's team. This is a veteran team, however, but running back is a major concern with Art Combest graduating and no apparent replacement. The defense will be good again. Soon-to-be sophomore Jazz Daniels is a beast and could develop into a scary D-Lineman. Obviously, the offense will be strong with McDonough back at QB and receiver Jamal James playing a bigger role. Daniels could see time at tight end. If so, he gives McDonough another scary target.
I expect Covina's offense to slow it down this season and not spread the field as much in its core formations.
There's a good chance that Covina will get the No. 2 seed in its new division and thus make the playoffs on the opposite side of Oaks Christian. If that happens, Covina stands a solid chance at making the championship game. Getting a high seed and being on the right side of coin flips would be a big plus for the Colts in a new division where every opponent could be located an hour or further away.

Posted by at 3:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

This post is dedicated to Charter Oak offensive coordinator Dom Farrar, who once said he wanted to follow me around and see what a normal week in the life of a prep sportswriter was like.

There was just no way I could avoid stopping by Golfland before covering the Mountain View at South El Monte baseball game on Wednesday.
No, I didn't want to play golf. I wanted to play Galaga. You see, places like Golfland are more than cheap entertainment venues for the masses. Guys like me know they're also video game graveyards where decades old machines like Galaga still haunt a corner of the room.
Since it was 2:45 p.m. and first pitch wasn't until 3:15, I knew I had more than enough time to get a few games in.
Upon walking in to the arcade, I headed for the back. Before I could scan the wall for Galaga, I was greeted by a teen couple making out. Freshmans, maybe sophomores. Uh yeah hi, don't mind me, I am actually here to play the games.
As I got past them, I was greeted by another duo of soon-to-be-parents-if-they-don't-watch out. This couple looked at me as if to say "What's your problem?" Again, I thought, I am just here to play the games.
And then there it was. Staring me right in the face ... the hallowed Galaga machine.





Nevermind that there was some semi-passed out teenage girl leaning on the machine, playing it I thought.
I casually turned around to find something else to play while this girl concluded her daze or buzz or high. But of course all I saw was three teenage couples ... two of which were now closely negotiating second base.
I thought: You've got so much time to ruin your lives, why start now?
That's it, I thought, the only way I can make myself useful in here is to either hand out Planned Parenthood brochures or kick Ms. Dazed and Confused 2006 off of the Galaga machine and get the quarters rolling.
I crept up to her and said "Are you playing, because I'd like to." This girl was literally asleep on the machine, no joking. She woke up and left without a word. Next time, sleep on something worthless like Pole Position, I thought.
The couples quasi-stopped their sessions and stunningly looked at me actuailly attempt to play a game like what most people who aren't attempting to escape the watchful eye of school administrators so they can practice what they think they know about sex do in an arcade.
First quarter - nothing. Second quarter - nothing. Is there any way a machine sporting a 1981 copyright would actually still feature a working change release button?
It worked and when I bent down to retrieve my quarters (half defeated) I read the best financial news I've digested in years. "This machine takes nickels only," a sign read. Say what? Something from my childhood actually costs five times less than it did in the '80s?
What would the Galaga gods think if they knew this? Was I the only who remembered the most intimidating thing a kid in an arcade could see in the 80s - a 50-cent video game? Dragon's Lair anyone?
Galaga had gone the other way, though. And I would've paid a dollar!
By this time the couples had left. Or maybe they moved on to night club life early.
My first game was under way. The bees came down. I didn't hit as many as I used to. My first two stages produced no double fighters because I blew all the mother ships to smithereens (pure rust).





I did poorly in the challenge stage and soon my allotment of fighters was gone. Another game, same result. By this time it was nearing first pitch and the Mission Valley League title was on the line. I left for the high school.
What a game! Two great pitching performances. Some amazing defense. It all made for a great day with some major conclusions.
1. Arcades, as we knew them, are on their last leg. Galaga coming down in price is a sign that machines like or Frogger or QBert or Ms. Pac Man are nearing extinction.
2. My recent experiences on high school campuses or their adjacent surroundings have bordered on all-out orgies and I feel bad for administrators because this can be a major problem that I am not too sure many people want to touch. (By the way, a usually on-campus experience comes at night when the young turks have calmed down and it's time to play basketball or football.)
3. High school baseball games are still one of the best ways to spend an afternoon.

Posted by at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Am I the only person in the SGV who feels like the OC is a totally different world?
I really like Orange County's intensity toward high school sports. I like the fans, I like the OC Register, I like the dedication, I like Disneyland, I like my NL-only fantasy baseball league which is based out of North Orange County, I like Newport Beach in August ... I just like it all.

One local coach semi-remarked that it's like what the SGV was in the 1970s. I don't know about that because I wasn't born until 1975, but I do get the general vibe.
I don't know if it's me, but when it comes to football, I just pick up something of a stigma that OC teams have. But is the stigma worth it? Am I way off base? Maybe it doesn't exist and my Juan Pollo just settled wrong.
I just keep getting this poker vibe (you know the one where you have a king-high flush and you know the guy across from you has the ace-high flush) which tells me that there is a bit of a stigma to OC teams.
Again, is it worth it? I went back to last year and looked at the CIF champions. Going in I thought the OC probably won five or six titles. Wrong! It won two - Newport Harbor (DVI) and Tesoro (DIX). OC teams were runner-up four times.
I know, I know, that was only one year. But Mission Viejo is overrated every year. Three years ago they stiffed against Hart. Two years ago they won D-II. Last year they were big favorites and choked in the semis against Hart. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't Mission Viejo the marquee team in the OC now?
No doubt, the OC has produced juggernaut after juggernaut. The question here is: Are they good but overrated at the same time?
Look, I don't want any Slade Smileys in the OC reading this and getting pink-faced while driving his Hummer over the flowers in his front yard on his way to the Tribune office. I have a lot of respect for the OC teams. I can't say it enough. And I love the large fan base associated with many of the schools. I am just wondering if the region is overrated? That's all.

Posted by at 10:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

We're all waiting to see what happens.

TOP 10 (pre-Spring practice)

1. Charter Oak - Chargers enter May practice on top.
2. West Covina - Demond Wallace - just WestCo needed (another weapon)
3. Bishop Amat - Youngest head coach in the area.
4. Damien - Spartans defense needs to be better this season.
5. Covina - WANTE! Warm body to play running back.
6. Rowland - Can the defense stay strong?
7. South Hills - QB battle will be raging this spring.
8. Los Altos - Gano not sweating James Davis transfer ... interesting.
9. Wilson - This team has some serious skill players.
10. Glendora - Pasqy always seems to have a contender.

The update is that Glendora takes over for Diamond Ranch at No. 10. I just can't feel good about Diamond Ranch with that schedule. The Miramonte League is going to be insane this year, so the last thing the Panthers needed when they're down on confidence is to play Oaks Christian and Servite among others.

Posted by at 8:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (33)

I can do this because I have the sources. Here's what some of the top coaches in the area think about the legitimacy of all-league and Tribune all-area teams.

Because this ended up being such a hot topic on another thread, I decided to get the opinions of some local coaches because I have access to it.

If any other coaches want to post their opinions, then please leave your name with your post. Start with all-league voting opinion and then Tribune All-Area. Please be honest, there will be no hard feelings whatsoever.

Greg Gano, Los Altos football

All-League: "I've been in some meetings, when I was at Northview, where you'd ask a guy 'What films have you been watching?' And you can quote me on that. I'll give you a story - We had a kid at Northview named Marcel Perez. He was probably the best football players to go to Northview. A coach voted him a zero at linebacker and gave him an eight for MVP. What does that tell you? I really think our (Miramonte League) coaches do a good job. Overall, I think we do a good job because we have guys who know what they're doing. Our league, with Podley, Lou and Oviedo, we talk about it. A lot of it is honest opinion."

Trib All-Area: "To be very honest, I can look at the all-Valley teams for the past couple years and say they've been right. I take your word for it because you've seen all these guys live. You take the kid from Covina (Mike McDonough) and see what he did and he had some of the best statistics in the Valley in some time. And it's not because they didn't play anybody. They played some good football. I might be the last guy you should ask about this because we've had some great players. But last year we had one kid make all-Valley. Three years ago we had six, but we were loaded. There's reasons why. You could say 'Did Los Altos deserve six on the all-Valley?' But at the same time, we had the best six kids in the Valley (at their positions) and they deserved it."

Mike LeDuc, Glendora basketball

All-League: "I think the all-league voting is legitimate. I think they do what they feel in their hearts is right. There are disagreements, but I don't think there's anything unethical. I would say over the years that 90 percent of the time, in my personal experience, ethics is involved and everybody does what they think is right. And there are no grudges or paybacks. I would say 10 percent of the time, and I have been to probably 30 meetings, I would say three times that I felt that (grudges and paybacks)."

Trib All-Area: "In my experience, and I happen to know you, your predecessor, his predecessor and his predecessor, you take a lot of pride in your jobs and I think you do what you can to get it right. I may not agree with every selection, but that means nothing. I think you're very ethical and you do everything you can to get the very best team. Most often, you do. The more interesting argument is whether you should have them or not? You spend 11 months a year telling kids 'It's about team,' and then you spend a month figuring out individual awards. I don't agree with that. I don't understand why we even give out MVP awards. If you go to our banquets, the best player gets the same award as our 15th man."

Darryl Thomas, Covina football

All-League: "I'll tell you what I tell the kids: People are always going to be upset. That's one of the things we talk about as athletic directors - what's the best way to get kids recognized and make sure it's fair? The top tier kids will always get recognized. It's the last few kids who often get left off because of the coaches. It can go either way. Sometimes a coach will score a kid lower just so his own kids get in."

Tribune All-Area: "I think you guys do a pretty good job. You're not going to go 2-8 and be on there. I think you do a good job of getting out there. I know you've talked to me and asked about players. Whether you do it right or wrong, somebody is always going to be unhappy. It was interesting to see four girls from the same basketball team make it. What I really like is that it gets people talking."

Jim Singiser, Arroyo football

All-League: "I think it's probably, at least in football, the most honest indication of a kid's achievements - nine times out of 10. No matter what, you're going to get a general consensus of the coaches. It doesn't mean games can't be played. I think last year was an anamoly for us. It's a Catch-22. The all-league thing had some issues, but by the same token there were some other things going on. The relationship and cooperation between coaches wasn't what it should've been. I would more go with your all-Valley thing than a coaches opinion on who should get it. It's an unbiased opinion. If you're going to have people vote, they ought to be informed. They should know what's going on. I think it all works out in the end. In terms of all-league things, there is politics involved."

Tribune All-Area: "It's not freakin' AYSO, so not everybody has to get an award. I have to suck a little gas this year because I thought Dominic (Salmon) deserved some things and he didn't get in. A lot of it has to do with you have kids from South Hills getting a lot of ink. But they're winning a lot of games. It's like how many games does South Hills have to win before they deserve it? If you put five South Hills kids on there and they didn't win a CIF championship, I'd say you're a homer. But they won a CIF title. If you go to the semifinals like Covina, then you deserve to have a bunch of guys get awards."

Posted by at 5:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (20)

BUT FIRST A DIATRIBE: When I go cover a game I often form opinions about the teams, players and coaches, most of which doesn't come out in my game story. Or at least they're not supposed to. Anyway, a game story isn't supposed to include Aram Tolegian's opinion of a team, its players and coaches. It's supposed to be "here's the final score, this is what happened, and my best explanation of why." Only in columns do my opinions come out. But columns (in print) are rare. However, I do often wonder the same things that fans do. But in game stories I can't say what I really think, only what happened. And sometimes there just isn't enough to say to fill a column. That's why I have this blog. This is what I truly think. If you no likey, then post a counter argument. If you really no likey, then kick rocks. There are plenty of other places in Al Gore's Internet where you can go be miserable. I also have this blog because I like to read the opinions of others, no matter if we agree or disagree.

And now to down to business. This is really the last chance to discuss what would've happened had South Hills played Covina last season.
On one side you have the CIF-SS Division VII champs in South Hills and on the other you have Division IX semifinalist Covina. They're from the same darn school district!!!
Uh, I saw both teams extensively this season. Here's how it is:

COVINA ARGUMENT:

Record: 11-2, undefeated Valle Vista League champs.
Points per game: 43.3
Points allowed: 13.1
Notable wins: beat Pacifica 49-21.
Common opponents: Walnut (Covina won 47-3, South Hills won 37-13).

Covina also would have won Division VII.
Covina lost to Tesoro in the semis, which went on to win the division for the second consecutive season. Tesoro will be in Division I next season.
Covina beats Tesoro if it's not raining that night. And then the Colts would've gone on to win the division.
Covina's speed would have caused South Hills some major problems.
Covina had undoubtedly the Valley's Player of the Year in QB Mike McDonough.
Covina's best testament of its strength arguably came in losses to Glendora and Tesoro. That's a Division II team in Glendora that hung with Hart and a soon-to-be Division I team in Tesoro, which Covina pushed to the brink.

ANOTHER DIATRIBE: Save the "But, Covina is Division IX" crap for somebody who cares. The Colts would've waxed any team in the area not named Bishop Amat or South Hills. If they played Glendora in November, instead of September when they spotted the Tartans a 35-0 lead in a 35-27 loss, Covina would've won.

I wonder who Walnut's coaching staff thinks was better - South Hills or Covina? If anybody on that staff is reading, please let me know.


SOUTH HILLS ARGUMENT:

Record: 12-2, undefeated San Antonio League champs.
Points per game: 36
Points allowed: 16
Notable wins: beat La Habra 14-9, beat Rowland 40-20, beat South El Monte 70-21, beat Orange 41-16.
Common opponents: Walnut (Covina won 47-3, South Hills won 37-13).

South Hills has the best coaching staff in the Valley. It would've been amazing to see Coach Steve Bogan gameplan for Covina's offense.
South Hills played Division I power Esperanza to the wire before losing late.
South Hills' offensive/defensive lines - physically - would laugh at Covina after having played Espy and Rancho Cucamonga. Not saying Covina didn't have good offensive and defensive lines. But South Hills was on another level.
South Hills would have won Division VI.
South Hills' running game, led by Marquies "Don't call me Marquis" Winbush, would've done some damage in this game.

I think South Hills would've won a very, very close game. Covina would've popped some big plays for scores. But South Hills just didn't make mistakes this season and the Huskies created/capitalized on mistakes better than any team I've seen in a while. The West Covina game comes to mind.
My vibe is the rest of the Valley didn't quite realize just how good Covina was last season. I am confident in saying the Colts would've beaten Damien, Glendora (in a rematch), Los Altos, Rowland and Charter Oak. And I'm not sure some of those games would've been close.

Colts QB Mike McDonough

Posted by at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (21)

I know, I know ... we're all sweating it, too!

League finals are now history and it looks as though the SGV is going to have swimmers to reckon with at next week's CIF-Southern Section swim finals.

Will it be Utama time in Long Beach???

Will Rachel Grant be rocking the pink nails again?

The more I cover swimming, the more it hits me that swimmers might have the highest IQs of any group of athletes in the prep sports world. I'm not calling anybody stupid, it's just an observation.
I want to give special thanks to Matt Grant (Rachel's pops) and Nancy Ferrell (Kirsty's momz) for providing some great insight not only on their kids, but the entire local swim scene. It's amazing how much info these two have. It's amazing that they know extensively about other kids, not just their own.
It was great talking to the both of you and I look forward to seeing you at Belmont. Oh wait, I'll be in the storage closet behind the stands typing away, so I might not see you. But if you do see some big thing running out the side door and onto the sand, please say hello.

Posted by at 1:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Got the call from Tribune correspondent John "Nuttin' Honey" Honell" yesterday afternoon to tell me the streak is over.

Just being honest, Thursday's game against Nogales was all that stood between the Stangs and an undefeated regular season. But there truly is no difference between those two teams and it showed. Great job by both teams on putting together strong seasons. Kick butt in the playoffs!

Posted by at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Walnut's Mustangs are now 16-0 with three more games standing between them and a perfect regular season.

Unless you're from Nogales or Rowland, or you're a reporter and you have to stay impartial, you probably should be rooting for the 'Stangs to pull it off!

By the way, I ticked off Walnut coach Jenny Fredrickson by harping on her about the possible undefeated season. Hey, I'm a reporter ... it's what I do.

Angie Q is a big reason why the Stangs simply mash at the dish.

Posted by at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Temple City HS alum Jimmy Conrad made the US World Cup team. Read about it here

Since I am also a Temple City grad (barely), I am quite happy about seeing a fellow Ram and friend have success like this.

It's kind of funny, but the school honored its "50 most celebrated graduates" a couple of years back, and I don't think Jimmy made the cut along with quite a few others who should have. I am not 100 percent sure about this, but I do know there were some very big names missing on the list. And no, I am not saying I should have been on the list. Of course, I think I was automatically disqualified for NOT being a teacher in the district.

Actually, Jimmy and I were semi-friends. He hung out with a group of friends who hung out with my group of friends. At parties, while most other people were getting "loaded", I can remember Jimmy and I playing one-on-one basketball. Our friends partied at the same house for about a month during one summer. Anyway, Jimmy and I balled instead of doing the other party activities. At the time, Jimmy wasn't even considered a legit D-1 soccer player. But he walked on at UCLA, won a national title, plays professionally and now made the US World Cup team. Pretty impressive ... I do a local cable access TV show, so I'm not sweating it either.
About the pick-up hoops games, I was actually a decent player for my weight. But I had other ambitions. And Jimmy really wasn't a basketball player so much as he was a natural athlete. Point being that I just wanted to be in the action and he wanted to be the action.
Good for him and now I have even more reason to watch US World Cup soccer games at all hours of the day!

Posted by at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Panthers will be all out to produce a regular season like 2005

Going 10-0 never felt so bad. Rosemead put together a dominant regular season in 2005, only to see the empire come crashing down with a bad loss in the first round of the CIF-SS Division VII playoffs - as a No. 4 seed!

Last year's team accomplished a lot and embarrassed quite a few teams along the way. But many of those players i.e. RB/DB Deon Sumler and a killer defensive line, are gone. OK, one defensive lineman returns - Anthony Gonzalez, and he's a good one.
Coach Matt Koffler's staff also saw some attrition, namely Jim Arellanes, who tookover for Todd Quinsey at Northview.
Rosemead is definitely one of the biggest mysteries in the area as it enters Spring practice. And more often than not, being a mystery isn't a good thing. The good news, however, for the Panthers is that Koffmead always has a good pool of players to choose from. Rosemead and Arroyo, by far, reload more effectively than any other Mission Valley League schools.
Here's the sked:

9/8 Los Altos (loss)
9/16 Piedmont Hills (win)
9/22 at Northview (toss-up)
9/29 at Temple City (win)
10/6 at Orange (loss)
10/13 El Monte (win)
10/20 at Gabrielino (win)
10/27 at Arroyo (toss-up)
11/3 Mountain View (win)
11/10 South El Monte (win)

This team has some talented underclassmen, who will play big roles. So it's plausible that Koffmead will be better in November than it will be in September. The Los Altos game comes at the wrong time, but "scheduling up" is the new coolest thing among local coaches. If somebody has info about that, then please post it. I wish Monrovia would've remained on the schedule. Piedmont Hills is a team from NoCal. Not much is known about them, but I doubt Koffler would schedule anything close to De La Salle, so lets say Koffmead beats them just because of the travel edge.

PROJECTED RECORD: 8-2 or 7-3
LEAGUE: co-favored with Arroyo in wide-open league.
PLAYOFFS: Yes

Posted by at 4:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)

This is what I felt like doing when I heard the numbers!





SGVN Internet coordinator Adrian Guerrero has informed me that this blog has had nearly 5,500 hits since it opened on April 10. Thank you all!

Those are some big time numbers, folks! I don't want to brag, but you've really come to the right place for prep sports opinion and info. I have no problem with this blog branching out to other areas of SoCal, or remaining local to the SGV.
If you want it to turn into "the place" for swimming discussion, that's fine. It can be whatever people make of it and more.
The swimming contingent has been the most vocal thus far, and it's going to start paying off this week.

The one thing I would like is MORE COMMENTS. You can remain anonymous, use a fake email, I don't care. Just don't bash high school kids and we're cool. Anything else, including me or the Tribune, is fair game.

Guys, chill out! Save it for when we pass 10,000 in another two weeks.

Posted by at 3:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Utama time!

What's the deal with the Sierra League and San Antonio League swim finals? I need times and locations!

Posted by at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)