Covina vs. South Hills last season ... Who would have won?
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
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this is to brendan..i didn't mysteriously transfer to south hills...its was lagit, and rick and marquies both went there for all four years you need to get your facts right MEAT!
p.s. we would've smashed covina
is ty really mike mcdonough
FYI ... For the record. The Covina High running back was and is a great talent. But he was also a transfer from Nogales.
Covina wins vs South hills in a pretty close game.
the only thing that would keep south hills close is there coaching staffs preparation for that game. the only thing that could stop Covinas attack was the weather and that night it did. You honestly think Mike Mcdonough would let his team lose to that team from across town. its not happening. Mike Mcdonough undoubtedly was and is the best pure "FOOTBALL PLAYER" in the valley. if u had to start a team this kid is the 1st one you should pick. this kid is no joke as a football player.
Yes they were a first rnd KO but remember they played with heavy injuries against a real good team, all three running backs were out so they had to use a reciever for tailback, so now this reciever is not in his position so you have a backup at reciever also. Their offensive line was injured to the point that they used the free safety at offensive guard for the last two games.
[vs Charter Oak and Orange in the playoffs]. If you would have seen the team in mid season form you would have seen a much better team than you
saw at the end of the season.
dan,they were a first round ko
" and by the way west covina healthy or not wouldnt stand a chance"
Ouch!!! it hurts to hear that about my favorite team joe. Regrettably I never made it to a Covina
game last year, now I wish I had. West Co's defense had some good physical db's last season with good speed in fact we held South Hills to 139 total yards offense for the whole game when we played them, but since I didn't see Covina I can't really compare the two teams, the only thing I can say is if them & South Hills were close then I think a healthy West Co would have been close with them too.
south hills vs. covina. last year?
if you can't move on, the 1975 Steelers should be thrown into the mix.
seen covina play and they had to much team speed for south hills.iwould have to take covina and by the way west covina heathy or not wouldnt stand a chance.
Would have liked to see a healthy West Co. team play them,I think it would have been close. I agree with you about South Hills capitalizing on mistakes this past season, that and big plays was the key to their season.
Yah, no bashing on this site. Do you really think James didn't deserve to be MVP of the Valle Vista League? Oh wait, you can't respond because you never saw him play this year. Now, that's a great kid!
Any kid who makes an all-league list should feel great about it. I am not trying to diminish any athlete's accomplishment. But what about the kids who should have been MVPs or should've been first or second team, but weren't because of politics? Should somebody in "my position" sit back and not speak up for them?
Also, please remember that there will be no personal attacks on kids at this site. Some comments have come in that were great until they bashed a kid. Teams, schools, coaches and myself are all fair game. There will be nothing accepted that personally attacks kids.
"All-league voting? Those are the most political, worthless lists ever invented." Tell that to the kids who work their butts off in hopes to make that "Worthless list"....Man, someone in "your position" sure doesn't think before he opens his mouth. But hey, it's your world..we are just posting on it!
Overall, I would trust a coach's judgement of characater. I truly believe that most coaches are stand up guys. Obviously, they are around the kids more than anybody, so they know. However, it was the judgement of character by coaches who created the debauchery that was the Mission Valley League all-league voting this past season. Only it was coaches judging the character of other coaches. When you start talking about judgement of character it gets pretty subjective and errors are made.
Yeah, coaches don't know anything, you are right. Give me a break. Political? Think again. Perhaps coaches know too much, they tend to take into consideration a players CHARACTER! Try that one on....
Oh please! All-league voting? Who's that done by? Yeah, the coaches, 'nuff said. Those are the most political, worthless lists ever invented. Please see this season's Mission Valley League all-league voting if you don't believe me.
If it were up to me, we wouldn't even run all-league lists in the paper.
Damian James had a monster season, no doubt about it. He played well at QB and DB.
The runner-up for Trib Player of the Year, by the way, was Marquies Winbush. And the only player one could make an argument for after that was Jonathan Cornell of Amat.
McDonough passing: 2,942 yards and 36 TDs
McDonough rushing: 664 yards and 14 TDs
As I recall, McDonough was the player who Tesoro fans gave a standing ovation to after the semifinals. And that's probably because of how he played on defense! Oh yeah, and that was with a bad shoulder for which he kept having to leave the game only to come back in and make flying tackles, leading with his bad shoulder, of course.
McDonough is also the same player who played running back instead of QB in the first round and tore it up.
What was the only thing holding Covina football back in recent seasons? A good quarterback is the answer. You saw what happened when they got one. The Colts had more success last season in the playoffs than the entire league combined in the post-South Hills era and that includes all the time in between. The fact he wasn't the league's MVP just proves what crap all-league lists are.
"Covina had undoubtedly the Valley's Player of the Year in QB Mike McDonough."....
That's funny, he couldn't even win MVP of his own league, or his own team for that matter. James of Northview was the MVP of the Valle Vista League and Combest finished second in votes. How can you be the best player in the "Valley" if you can't even win MVP of your own league? Just a question!
Well, Aram you have great points on each side, but let me give you some what ifs. What if Covina RB/LB Joe Olivarez does not mysteriously transfer to South Hills his senior year and what if Ricky Cortez goes to school in Baldwin Park where he lives or Winbush goes to BP also, where he lives, you are looking at a completely different team. The year before the SH star receiver was from Azusa? Covina HS vs South HS "kids" Covina wins. Covina vs South Hills all-stars, South Hills in a nail biter.
Besides that this was last season and it is all over. Glendora would have beat them by even more in November by an even greater score so any way
Go Tartans and we will win again this year
The season is never over. Jimmy The E, you are many things, but the voice of reason isn't one of them. Thanks for the computer projection.
Aram, Season's over buddy...time to move on. But, FYI, here is what calpreps.com gives as the projected final score between South Hills and Covina; South Hills (West Covina, CA) 38, Covina (CA) 21
Oh well, time to move on and start racking up the bus miles...if you a Covina fan. Enjoy!!