NEW: 2-minute drills are up ...
Go here and then click on the game of your choice for audio breakdowns.
This week's game are:
Los Altos at Bonita
Diamond Ranch at Charter Oak
West Covina at Walnut
San Dimas at Covina
Northview at Baldwin Park
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The numbers favor the Huskies ...
Interesting L.A. Times article about separating public and private schools ...
What's happened to Brigham Harwell?
POSTGAME: Talk your smack or cry me a river ...
PREDICTION TIME: Make your picks here ...
The Weekly Aaron Harris OVER/UNDER Game ...
NEW: 2-minute drills are up ...
« September 2006 | Main | November 2006 »
Go here and then click on the game of your choice for audio breakdowns.
This week's game are:
Los Altos at Bonita
Diamond Ranch at Charter Oak
West Covina at Walnut
San Dimas at Covina
Northview at Baldwin Park
No. 12, as in Danny Pertusati or as in where Damien ranks in the Inland Division?
Latest Inland Division Top 10
1 Centennial(Corona)
2 Vista Murrieta
3 Corona
4 Chino Hills
5 Redlands
6 Norco
7 Upland
8 Temescal Canyon
9 Chaparral
10T Carter
10T Temecula Vly
Other Rancho Cucamonga
Aram thoughts: Here's my problem with this. Lets say that Damien beats current No. 4 Chino Hills next week, the Spartans will obviously join the rankings, but where? If Chino Hills wins, you can bet your mortgage payment the Huskies will be one of the Top 4 seeds in the playoffs. But what about Damien? Will the Spartans go from unranked to being one of the Top 4 seeds in a matter of a week? That's probably not going to happen. Considering how tough this division looks, it would be a great advantage to be a Top 4 seed and it doesn't look like Damien will be that, even with a win. That means the road to the finals won't be as easy as it should be. What stuns me is that Rancho Cucamonga is the "other receiving votes" not Damien. Not good for the Spartans. Why take the long road when you can take the scenic route?
The handwriting was on the wall about Chino Hills property values, and you did nothing.
Here are the latest power ratings. These are from calpreps.com ... laugh all you want, but at this time of year, I actually put some stock into these digits.
SGV Top 10
1. Chino Hills 29.2
2. Damien 25.2
3. Bishop Amat 22.6
4. Glendora 22.2
5. Rowland 18.1
6. Covina 17.8
7. Charter Oak 17.4
8. Diamond Ranch 14.6
9. Los Altos 14.1
10. South Hills 11.6
Top 5 divisions in the Southern Section
1. Pac-5 (D-1) 25.9
2. Inland (D-2) 17.7 (home of the Sierra League)
3. Northern (D-4) 12.8 (Bolstered by St. Bonnies)
4. Western (D-3) 9.8
5. Southwest (D-6) 9.7 (home of the Miramonte and San Antonio Leagues)
League ratings within the Southwest Division
1. Century 20.7
2. Sea View 15.1
3. Miramonte 11.1
4. San Antonio 2.5
5. Suburban 0.0
Aram's thoughts: There's a very real possibility that if Rowland wins out and Los Altos is the No. 3 team in the Miramonte League, those two teams could meet in the first round. Think of it, the Battle of the 60-Freeway. I tell you what - I'd spend that entire Friday in the 'Heights. First, I'd visit my grandmother's grave in Rowland Heights, then I'd wack out some dim sum for lunch and then a little Sam Woo right before the game. Why do I get the feeling that nobody does the SGV as well as I do? Anyway, it's obvious the Miramonte and SAL teams are going to be substantial underdogs in the playoffs to Century and Sea View League powers. But that's OK. Speaking of the Southwest Division ... no surprise it's one of the toughest in SoCal. Ahh, the old D-6 is going to be a throwdown. Come on SGV ballers, somebody get me to Home Depot Center!
Kids, sit down! Save your applause for the 100,000-hit month. It's coming.
NUMBERS DIGESTION: Some people in our ownership group have accused me of having a big family. Nope, believe me that's not it. It's just that the SGV prep sports fans are the best around. I can remember when I used to wonder about when this site would reach 100,000 hits, total. Now, it's not a wild monthly goal. This blog gets considerably more hits month after month. September had around 57,000 hits. We have almost 20,000 more this month. If this keeps up, maybe we'll do 100,000 hits in a month. Anyway, like I've said before, this is great exposure for our area athletes and it's good for killing time while at work. How can you lose?
This is by the L.A. Times' Eric Sondheimer. And it's also available on their prep sports site.
Call it a public-vs.-private schools feud that is simmering, if not starting to boil.
It has come to the point that Newhall Hart Coach Mike Herrington, a member of the Southern Section football advisory committee and someone respected for his calm, clear thinking, says he's ready to propose that the Southern Section create separate playoff divisions for public and private schools.
"The equality is not there," Herrington said of the current alignment.
Front and center in the debate are Westlake Village Oaks Christian and Ventura St. Bonaventure, private schools that were placed with public schools in the Tri-Valley and Channel leagues, respectively, and aren't just winning but wiping out the competition.
In Ventura County, the public school coaches are fed up. And now Herrington, after four consecutive losses to St. Bonaventure in nonleague games, is wondering if the unlimited attendance boundaries enjoyed by private schools is too great an advantage to overcome.
Herrington said that as media coverage has expanded because of television and the Internet, private schools have gained added exposure.
"They are more visible than ever and kids say, 'I want to go there,' and they can," he said. "There might be a kid in Ventura County say, 'I want to go to Canyon,' but they can't unless they move."
Public schools were given a brief boost when the state legislature passed the open-enrollment law that took effect beginning with the 1994-95 school year. It allows students to attend any public school within their school district, regardless of where they live as long as there is room.
And that's the problem today. Open enrollment has fallen to a trickle in many districts because of space limitations.
That leaves an unequal playing field, at public and private schools. In the Los Angeles Unified School District, high schools that still have open enrollment slots continue to attract athletes for top programs, such as Chatsworth in baseball, Woodland Hills Taft in basketball and Lake Balboa Birmingham in football. Other schools that want to offer open enrollment spots can't because they're overcrowded.
Private schools have complained that they are at a disadvantage because they charge tuition, but financial aid, or "scholarships," as coaches like to say, have become commonplace.
Bill Redell, football coach at Oaks Christian, has grown frustrated with the continuing criticism of his program and said he would support a separate playoff division for private schools.
"It might be a good idea," he said. "Then you'd quit all this controversy about us taking all their players."
Setting up such separate playoff divisions would be such a complicated task, its chances of happening are improbable, Westlake Village Westlake football Coach Jim Benkert said.
Benkert tried to come up with a plan last year but abandoned the idea because, "I could never get it to the point where I could answer all the questions."
In Honolulu, there are separate football leagues and playoffs for public and private schools before they join for a Hawaii state championship tournament. But there are 28 public and 26 private high schools on Oahu compared to 360 public and 204 private high schools in the Southern Section.
In Chicago, there's a public school league and a Catholic school league, and the top football teams from each, if they are not involved in the state playoffs, play each other at Soldier Field at the end of the season. .
Whether this issue is important enough to attract interest from many schools in the Southern Section remains to be seen.
Thom Simmons, a Southern Section administrator, said, "No coach has called me, 'Thom, there's a problem with public versus private schools.' "
That may be because many coaches have given up hope that something can be done. Or, for some, the problem was temporarily resolved during the last go-round or league realignment, when many private schools were grouped in the same leagues.
What's certain is, if someone as respected as Herrington has concluded there's a disparity problem, others are sure to agree.
In December, six football teams will be invited to participate in the first CIF state bowl games. If the majority of the teams playing in the three games are from private schools, that "will probably fuel the debate," said Marie Ishida, CIF executive director.
The animosity level is rising among coaches and parents, and this issue can't be ignored.
It's not just about blowing games for Karl Dorrell, it's about blowing careers, too.
I'm not a football coach, but you don't have to be to tell that Brigham Harwell is playing out of position at UCLA. Harwell's senior year at Los Altos was my first year on the beat. I only got to physically cover his games twice and I got to interview him multiple times for his Player of the Year and Signing Day articles. Harwell told me before he told anyone that he was going to UCLA. Fox Sports Net showed up at 8 a.m. at Los Altos to get footage of Harwell deciding between UCLA and Arizona State on the morning of Signing Day. But, Harwell had told me before any media outlet that he was going to UCLA. It was in that morning's paper hours before he decided to let LA's mainstream media know.
That's the best scoop I've ever had. He did it because the Tribune had given him great coverage and he was thankful. Also because coach Greg Gano is a class act. FSN wasn't happy about the leak, but who cares? I liked Harwell, just like anybody who meets him does. He remains the best, most dominant defensive player I've ever seen in high school. For those reasons, and because I have a signed UCLA helmet from him as a token of appreciation, I am a huge fan of his. These days, however, I am a disgusted fan of his.
Harwell left high school as one of top prospects in the nation. The SGV has had big time recruits before, but nothing recently like Harwell. He was Top 20 in the country on most lists. He was the gem of UCLA's recruiting class and a player unlike anything Dorrell often gets. Harwell was deciding between UCLA and ASU at a time when former Sun Devils defensive end Terrell Suggs was still fresh in the minds of PAC-10 fans. He's now a Baltimore Raven. I was excited at the prospect of seeing Harwell play in my local media market. I was excited, just like any prep sports writer, to say "I covered that guy." I've heard past Trib guys talk about covering Lawrence Phillips, Daylon McCutcheon, Jason David and so on. Harwell was going to be my guy.
Then, he arrived at UCLA. Then he got moved inside for some stupid reason. A finesse, pass rushing defensive end that dubbed himself (and I wrote it) "The Sackmaster" was moved inside. Not only is Harwell not big enough to play inside, his remarkable speed isn't best utilized inside. Most schools prefer 320-pounders plugging up the middle. UCLA prefers a 275-pounder, who had to gain weight to get there, not lose it (as most interior linemen do).
Harwell has had his moments at UCLA, but it hasn't been what it should've been. He hasn't turned into the next Dwight Freeney or Terrell Suggs. Instead, he's suffered through some injuries, some of which might be because he's out of position. He's suffered through playing a position that he splits time at. He's suffered through Dorrell and staff making it so that one of the country's former top recruits hasn't matriculated into being the dominant force he could've been.
In a QB-happy conference like the PAC-1O, wouldn't a speed rusher off of the edge be ideal for a defense? I wonder what might have happened to Harwell had he chosen ASU. Maybe they would've never tinkered with his position. Maybe he'd be considering leaving early after this season. Maybe he'd be the next Terrell Suggs.
Makes me sick!
They're back!
CO downed Bo-Hi and it's looking like a two-horse race in the Miramonte with D-Ranch.
Thursday's results
Glendora 33, Chino 10 (I know, I was there. Glendora played possessed and Chino isn't Chino anymore)
Duarte 56, La Puente 0 (It's time for a temporary, one year only, league change for the Falcs. Mission Valley maybe?)
Covina 55, Baldwin Park 25 (The Colts are absolutely rolling now. McDonough is flat unreal.)
Crespi 35, Bishop Amat 14 (I got a halftime score for this and was pumped when I heard 14-14)
Los Altos 38, Wilson 14 (Wildcats are done; LA is still hanging by a thread)
Charter Oak 17, Bonita 14 (CO defense is starting to remind me of the 2000 Ravens)
Arroyo 27, Rosemead 23 (Fire Singiser!)
South El Monte 27, Mountain View 7 (The Eagles are starting to roll)
Rowland 52, Walnut 20 (I want to remind you all that Rowland is 7-1 and the only loss was to Glendora by a point)
South Hills 23, West Covina 3 (Don't look at the record. Just know that SH is very good)
Damien 35, Diamond Bar 3 (Bring on Chino Hills)
Gabrielino 21, El Monte 15 (El Monte always does this)
Sierra Vista 12, Gladstone 0 (SV hadn't been playing well on defense until tonight)
San Dimas 68, Ganesha 0 (Can't split SD, NView or BP right now ... they're all taking turns on each other.)
Saturday's game
Pomona 34, Northview 10 (hurts man)
Aram's Baldwin Park vs. Covina thoughts: First of all, I want to say how impressed I was by the fan support Covina had. It might have been because of homecoming, but I hope that's the type of crowd the Colts always get. To the game - it went just how I thought it would. Covina's offense wasn't stopped and it was going to take BP trading points to stay in it. Having said that, I was impressed with BP's QB Angel Acevedo. He has some speed when he runs and he throws pretty well. I think that Coach Heggins has done a good job there. From where BP was to where they are now is nite and day (Al B. Sure). Anyway, what can you say about Covina? The offense is rolling again. Mike McDonough is a monster. This guy really just can't be stopped. The Colts run the ball with him or Tre McNair or they throw it deep. There was no in between last nite. The funny thing is that whatever they wanted to do, they did. If they threw deep, then Brad Gomez was wide open. If they ran McD or McNair, then they got yards. Like Heggins said "Pick your poison." As I've said before, outside of Amat or Damien, the rest of the SGV teams are dreaming if they think that Covina wouldn't give them a game. Players like McD, McNair or Jamal James would play for anyone else in the Valley, no question. Everyone I've spoken to already has Covina penciled in to be playing Oaks Christian in the finals. I wish I knew what the rest of the division looked like. It seems to me that if Covina is the No. 2 seed, they'll probably have to play Oak Park to get there. I wouldn't go too crazy on postseason projections for the Colts yet because the rest of the division is a question mark that nobody can answer. Covina is very, very good, though.
Today's game
Sierra League
Glendora vs. Chino, Citrus Coll.
Montview League
La Puente at Duarte
Friday's games
Christian League
Western Christian at Ontario Christian
Miramonte League
Charter Oak at Bonita
Wilson at Los Altos
Mission Valley League
Rosemead at Arroyo
El Monte at Gabrielino
South El Monte at Mountain View
Montview League
Azusa at Bassett
Gladstone vs. Sierra Vista, at Citrus Coll.
San Antonio League
South Hills at West Covina
Walnut at Rowland
Serra League
Crespi at Bishop Amat
Sierra League
Ayala at Chino Hills
Diamond Bar at Damien
Valle Vista League
Covina vs. Baldwin Park, at Covina District Field
Ganesha at San Dimas
Nonleague
Diamond Ranch vs. Nogales, at Ganesha HS
Saturday's game
Northview vs. Pomona, at Ganesha HS
"UNDER" backers are having a better season than those who follow Dr. Bob's college football picks. Aaron Harris missed the over last week by a yard, which is a sign that Aram is hanging good numbers (finally). See what y'all can do with this week's number against Covina.
THIS WEEK'S PROJECTED TOTAL vs. Covina: 90 1/2 yards
Week 1: 133 yards vs. Azusa UNDER
Week 2: 139 yards vs. West Covina OVER
Week 3: 156 yards vs. Sierra Vista UNDER
Week 4: 192 yards vs. El Monte UNDER
Week 5: 170 yards vs. Glenn UNDER
Week 6: 114 yards vs. San Dimas UNDER
Week 7: 169 yards vs. Pomona UNDER (by 1 yard)
This week's audio breakdowns include:
Crespi vs. Bishop Amat
South Hills vs. West Covina
Rosemead vs. Arroyo
Wilson vs. Los Altos
Charter Oak vs. Bonita
Baldwin Park vs. Covina
Click here to view the links ...
The Tribune's clear cut No. 1 in the area isn't ranked in its own division.
ANOTHERT DISCLAIMER: I usually don't comment on the CIF polls because they're pretty much a waste of time. But around this time of year, you have to start looking. You kinda wanna see what the competition in each division looks like. You want to see who the top teams, aka targets, are. I still can't believe I'm doing this.
MY THOUGHTS: Yep, I was going over the latest CIF polls while trying to get a gauge on how some of our locals will be seeded in a few weeks. Naturally, I started with Damien first - couldn't find 'em. The Spartans are nowhere to be found in the Inland Division rankings. Yep, they're 5-2 and looking like a major threat to Chino Hills. But the Spartans are unranked. You see, this is why I don't like these polls. I have the opportunity to vote in them but I don't because I don't want to participate in something that is faulty. I don't want to vote on teams I don't cover and don't read about and frankly don't care about. But it disturbs me that some of the playoff seedings might be based on them. Damien not being ranked is a joke, because this team has a legit shot at the semifinals.
Inland Division
1. Norco
2. Centennial
3. Vista Murrieta
4. Chino Hills
5. Redlands
6. Corona
7. Chaparral
8. Upland
9. Temescal Canyon
10. Rancho Cucamonga
Another division of interest is the Southwest Division. That's where the Miramonte and San Antonio Leagues are housed, respectively. The SGV has one team, Rowland, ranked in the Top 5. The Raiders are No. 5. West Covina is No. 8 and Bonita is No. 9. Los Altos is among the others receiving votes. Charter Oak isn't ranked. From what I hear on the streets, the top dogs in this division Mayfair, Tustin, El Dorado are very legit. We'll see. Right now, with the way Los Altos has gone sour, West Covina is so unpredictable and South Hills can't catch a break, I'm not confident about the SGV commanding the division. Rowland appears to be the best shot and Charter Oak could do some damage if it keep surging. I still think that WestCo and SH could put together a run. And if I were one of the top dogs and Los Altos somehow made it, I wouldn't want to play the Conquerors in the first round.
You can see complete polls in tomorrow's Tribune.
Tyler Hockenhull was one of WestCo's biggest weapons.
West Covina coach Mike Maggiore confirmed Monday that running back/receiver/defensive back Tyler Hockenhull has been dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons. Hockenhull has missed time this season due to suspensions. Sophomore Demond Wallace has also missed time due to suspensions and injury, but he's expected to rejoin the team in an undefined capacity.
CAUTION: What you are about to read is Aram Tolegian's opinion and little disclaimers like this are now necessary (by my choosing) due to the many sensitive eyes we have on this site.
Aram's opinion: But first, please read the disclaimer above before getting upset.
Aram's opinion Take II: Now that you've read the disclaimers above, you're probably ready for some opinion on this matter. Here goes: West Covina is experiencing the season that never was. The SGV can only hope that the talented seniors who remain i.e. Shaun Rosenthal, Nick Field, George Munoz and William Wallace (among others) can get things together and put together a run in the San Antonio League and CIF playoffs. This would've been a very good team had everything clicked. Clearly, it has not. But there's still time. It should be remembered that West Covina started league 0-2 in 2004 and came back to win CIF. The players, coaches and most importantly the Bulldogs' fans are getting gypped out of what should've been a banner year. WestCo has some of the grittiest players in the Valley i.e. Field, Rosenthal and Will Wallace ... they deserve better.
Put on detention a few weeks ago and left for dead, CO is surging back into the spotlight.
Remember back when Charter Oak started the season as the No. 2 team in the SGV Tribune rankings? Well, they fell out of flavor for a while but the Chargers have spent the past three weeks beating Claremont, West Covina and Los Altos. Lou and The Boys are looking like the team to beat in the Miramonte League and might have a big say in the Southwest Division playoffs.
Who are the other teams that are surging right now?
Bishop Amat?
Diamond Ranch?
Rosemead?
South El Monte?
Northview?
Jeff Chavez ... Mark Mendrun ... Mike McDonough ... What about Philip Chase?
Mission Valley League
South El Monte 20, Arroyo 14 (I was there. This game got good in the fourth quarter).
Rosemead 40, Gabrielino 7
Montview League
Gladstone 21, La Puente 7
Valle Vista League
Northview 40, San Dimas 30 (say what?)
Covina 56, Ganesha 0
San Antonio League
Rowland 24, South Hills 14 (The Raiders got their statement game win)
West Covina 26, Nogales 14
Miramonte League
Charter Oak 13, Los Altos (Something is defintitely wrong at LA; and something is definitely not at CO)
Nonleague
Bishop Amat 10, Chaminade 7
Walnut 21, Bonita 14 (SHOCKER!!!)
Rowland High School standout running back Rene Small has reportedly been suspended for Friday's game against South Hills due to disciplinary reasons.
According to an unamed source, the move was allegedly met with resistence by Small's teammates, who urged coaches to wait a week. When coaches refused, the players reportedly took a knee in a practice this week as a sign of protest.
First-year Rowland coach Craig Snyder declined comment on the matter, saying only that the issue was an "in-house thing."
Small's absence would be a big blow to the Raiders' chances in one of the biggest games of the season. The senior is Rowland's leading rusher with 466 yards and nine touchdowns
Nobody can figure out prep football. Nobody! But, try.
Today's games
Mission Valley LeagueArroyo at South El Monte
Gabrielino at Rosemead
Montview League
La Puente vs. Gladstone, at Citrus College
Valle Vista League
Covina at Ganesha
San Dimas vs. Northview, at Covina District Field
Friday's games
Miramonte League
Diamond Ranch at Wilson
Los Altos at Charter Oak
Mission Valley League
Mountain View at El Monte
Montview League
Bassett at Duarte
Azusa vs. Workman, at La Puente HS
San Antonio League
Rowland vs. South Hills, at Covina District Field
West Covina at Nogales
Sierra League
Damien at Ayala
Chino Hills vs. Glendora, at Citrus College
Chino at Diamond Bar
Valle Vista League
Pomona at Baldwin Park
Nonleague
Bishop Amat at Chaminade, 7:30 p.m.
Bonita at Walnut
West Ranch at Sierra Vista
Saturday's game
Christian LeagueAquinas vs. Western Christian, at Charter Oak HS
Dear Aaron,
Most call you a stud. Some call you overrated. But everyone will soon call you "the dude from Baldwin Park" when you're playing on Fox Sports Net for the next four years on Saturday's in fall. Keep up the highlight reel runs!
THIS WEEK'S PROJECTED TOTAL vs. Pomoma: 170 yards
Week 1: 133 yards vs. Azusa UNDER
Week 2: 139 yards vs. West Covina OVER
Week 3: 156 yards vs. Sierra Vista UNDER
Week 4: 192 yards vs. El Monte UNDER
Week 5: 170 yards vs. Glenn UNDER
Week 6: 114 yards vs. San Dimas UNDER
Here's a good story by the SB Sun about an interesting topic. I know that some of you have made mention before of the juggernauts that used to play out in that area. Anyway, check it out.
You there, listen, learn. Because if you do this and some of this mix it with that, you'll get really mashed.
This week's games are:
Arroyo at South El Monte
Los Altos at Charter Oak
Chino Hills vs. Glendora, at Citrus Coll.
Rowland vs. South Hills, at CDF
Azusa vs. Workman, at La Puente HS
Sounds like a movie, doesn't it?
Brown is 70-1 in two seasons at Amat with two state championships.
Reigning Tribune girls basketball Player of the Year Candice Brown of Bishop Amat has given a verbal commitment to UCLA. Brown is the fifth Lancer in three years to earn a Division I scholarship.
NOTE: If you haven't seen a Bishop Amat girls hoops game during the past three years, then you either live under a rock or aren't a legit SGV sports fan. I don't care if Amat isn't your school, these teams and their players are honestly a once-in-a-lifetime event that's going into its fourth year. Think back to UNLV in the early 1990s, it's the girls prep basketball equivalent. You don't have to be a fan, but you should go just to see the spectacle. This is by far the area's best prep sports program.
Way to go, Candice!
Is it Jeff Chavez and undefeated Bonita?
Last week, the local debate was "Who's No. 1" in this wacky Valley of ours. This week, with Damien firmly entrenched in the top spot, the question is "Who's No. 2?" Things have been turned upside down in recent weeks. Los Altos and West Covina are fading fast. Charter Oak and South Hills are starting to climb. Bonita is undefeated and putting up points at a rapid pace. Covina has put things together and is not just beating, but destroying inferior competition. Glendora has wins against CO, Covina and Rowland and a loss to Damien. Bishop Amat just beat a team that not many in the Valley could. So, as it stands right freakin' now, on October 15, who's the No. 2 team in the SGV? Bonita? Covina? Rowland? Glendora? Bishop Amat? Remember, I am talking about RIGHT NOW! Not three weeks ago, not two weeks ago, RIGHT NOW!
#2 got the two!
Go to http://www.sgvtribune.com/preps/ci_4492626
You can also listen to Amat coach Mark Verti tell you why he went for two and St. Francis coach Jim Bonds tell you what he thought about his team's performance.
The side judge made the same gesture after Dorian Wells came his way.
Wow Amat fans, you just got your best win of the season.
Bishop Amat 29, St. Francis (OT)
Rosemead 28, El Monte 27
Charter Oak 10, West Covina 7
Damien 33, Glendora 13
Diamond Ranch 17, Los Altos 14 (wow!)
San Dimas 21, Baldwin Park 19
Rowland 43, Nogales 0
Diamond Bar 6, Ayalo 0
Covina 48, Pomona 0
Arroyo 48, Mountain View 0
Sierra Vista 26, La Puente 14
Duarte 47, Workman 8
Northview 55, Ganesha 14
South Hills 34, Walnut 7
Gladstone 21, Bassett 13
South El Monte 21, Gabrielino 14
Aram thoughts on Amat/St. Francis: I think because St. Francis doesn't carry the same name as Hart or Valencia or Loyola, Amat fans don't realize just how GOOD of a WIN last night was. Forget about St. Francis being the Pasadena Star-News' top-ranked team and consider that they're the No. 1-ranked team in the Western Division. They were undefeated and are probably going to go on and have a great season. Amat fans should not just sit there and say "That's great, we just beat one of the Valley's top teams." You guys did do that, but you also beat one of the Southland's better teams and when was the last time (outside of league) you were able to say that? The St. Paul and Rancho wins are nice, but this one is on another level and it came without Amat being heatlhy.
About the final play - Dorian Wells scored. I was standing right there and the ball hit the pylon (barely) and was momentarily across the goal line. I am telling you, I was standing RIGHT THERE. When it happened, my brain in a split second thought "Did the ref just see what I saw?" and when he signaled TD, it was obvious he had. It doesn't matter that Wells basically ended up out of bounds and on the wrong side of the goal line. If you've watched any kind of football on TV, you know that only one sliver of the ball has to cross the line or touch the pylon and it's a score. It was a very very very close play, but he did score.
WARNING: If you're a Los Altos or West Covina fan, it's time to get worried.
Trying to watch it right now, but I need subtitles. I really do. I know they're speaking English, but I understand every third word ... maybe.
Are you telling me Alex from "Two-A-Days" isn't Marky Mark?
Alex
Marky Mark
by the way ... here's Alex's myspace page and there you can find others from the cast.
He's burned more prognosticators this season than the Dallas Cowboys.
NOTE: I was fired this week by the Bellagio for setting bad lines. They said I over did it and made all of my numbers high. I responded by finding another job down the street at the Silver Slipper and here I am back with another high number. Go "under" ... I dare ya.
This week's OVER/UNDER vs San Dimas: 175 1/2 yards
Week 1: 133 yards vs. Azusa UNDER
Week 2: 139 yards vs. West Covina OVER
Week 3: 156 yards vs. Sierra Vista UNDER
Week 4: 192 yards vs. El Monte UNDER
Week 5: 170 yards vs. Glenn UNDER
Make your picks and give us FINAL SCORES!
Nonleague
Charter Oak at West Covina
St. Francis at Bishop Amat, 7:30 p.m.
Christian League
Western Christian at Arrowhead Chr.
Miramonte League
Diamond Ranch at Los Altos
Bonita at Wilson
Mission Valley League
Mountain View at Arroyo
El Monte at Rosemead
Gabrielino at South El Monte
Montview League
Gladstone at Bassett
Workman at Duarte
Sierra Vista at La Puente
San Antonio League
Nogales at Rowland
South Hills at Walnut
Sierra League
Chino at Chino Hills
Glendora at Damien
Ayala at Diamond Bar
Valle Vista League
Northview at Ganesha
Baldwin Park at San Dimas
Covina vs. Pomona, at Covina District Field
1972-2006
Lidle played under legendary Huskies coach Jim Bastion and graduated in 1990. Bastion told former Tribune prep sports editor and current managing editor Steve Hunt that Jason Giambi, also a former South Hills standout, called him today at 1:30 p.m. to report the sad news. Lidle was a Tribune All-Area selection in 1990.
Go to http://sgvtribune.com/ to stay up to date.
Let me put it to you like this: Consider what the losers of these three games faces.
Glendora/Damien: This one is real simple, the loser will be 0-1 in league with games left against Chino and Chino Hills.
Bonita/Wilson loser: Still has Miramonte League games left against Charter Oak and Los Altos, not to mention DIamond Ranch. Odds are the loser of this one will miss the postseason, just like the past four seasons.
St. Francis/Amat loser: If it's Amat, the Lancers fans who still hang their hats on the fact that Amat doesn't lose to SGV competition will be completely silenced. As things currently stand, that and history is all Amat fans have. If it's St. Francis, the No. 1-ranking in the Western Division is gone and probably Dominguez's for the rest of the season.
Don't fool yourself. This weekend will go a long way in determining the playoff fates of many teams. It's here, boys. High stakes football is here!
Bring this back signed by momz ...
If you don't like your grade, you can always pull them up by the end of the semester.
MID-TERM GRADES FOR EVERY SGV FOOTBALL TEAM.
San Antonio League
West Covina (C+) - Suspensions are like claiming "The dog ate my homework."
South Hills (C) - Four losses in six games is never acceptable. It's like an honor student getting a D in PE.
Rowland (B+) - This would've been an "A" with a win over Glendora.
Nogales (C) - Shows up to class all the time, but looks out the window - all the time.
Walnut (D) - The kid who was in band with you freshman year and in a gang by senior year. And you're like "Huh?"
Miramonte League
Los Altos (C+) - Kinda like the prom queen who gets "Cs", not "As". But hey, she's pretty.
Charter Oak (D) - Straight to detention.
Wilson (B) - If the Wildcats were "A" students, they'd have beaten Schurr. Solid attendance, though.
Diamond Ranch (C-) - Thrown into AP classes for no reason at all.
Bonita (A) - Aced every quiz, all homework is in, but yet to take a test.
Sierra League
Damien (B+) - The tough luck kid who was headed toward valedictorian, but got mono.
Glendora (A) - The counselor said no AP classes, but mom and dad persisted. And here we are with a 4.0.
Chino Hills (B) - Not quite a 1600 on the SAT, but 1280 isn't bad.
Chino (C) - Struggling in AP classes, but still not just a common student.
Diamond Bar (D+) - The kid who can't read, but always gets picked in class to ... well ... read.
Ayala (D-) - Science project (new offense) blew up at Science Fair (first five games).
Mission Valley League
Arroyo (D) - You can't be an A-student for your frosh, soph and jr. year, and then stop attending class.
El Monte (C+) - Very consistent "C" student who sometimes gives teachers the impression there's more (see Aram's HS years)
Rosemead (D) - Hey, lotsa people went to junior college and turned out all right.
South El Monte (C) - Nobody was expecting much. Test scores have been good ... project scores (games) not so good.
Mountain View (D) - Beat Hoover, but everyone gets an "A" in "Home Ec."
Valle Vista League
Covina (B) - Ended last year with a 4.0, then discovered hip-hop, MTV's Laguna Beach and PS2. Naturally, the grades suffered a little.
Northview (C+) - Got "Fs" early and then started to use the study guide to prepare for exams.
San Dimas (C+) - It's OK, even if you don't graduate, you'll probably inherit Dad's business.
Baldwin Park (A) - Mom took away the TV, dad took away the car. All there was left to do was study (win).
Montview League
Workman (A) - The kid on 60 Minutes who went to teen boot camp and came back a changed person.
Duarte (B) - Acing every quiz, but getting "Cs" on the actual tests.
Gladstone (D) - Teachers are calling home wondering if there's a domestic problem. Divorce? Money problems?
La Puente (C) - Relying on PE for an easy "A."
Sierra Vista (D) - Pencil keeps snapping everyime they try to write.
Azusa (C+) - The kid who coudln't read in Jr. High, but now holds his own in the big show.
Bassett (D-) - Might be time to start looking at other people's answers.
Other
Bishop Amat (D) - The prom queen is pregnant?
Western Christian (B) - Got into athletics and the grades came up as a result.
You're telling me St. Francis is coming to the Eastside this year to beat Los Altos and Bishop Amat???
That, my friends, is the Ortega Burger at Victor's Villa ($5.41 in case Rachel Ray is counting).
NOTE: Nobody sabotaged, I did it to myself ... but Robledo and Guerrero were enablers.
And you wonder why I cracked: While we're driving to Victor's Villa, I've got Robledo breathing down my neck asking "What if St. Francis beats both Los Altos and Bishop Amat in the same season, then what are you going to say?" .... my response can only be "Is St. Francis in the west SGV or east San Fernando Valley?"
While I'm trying to eat my burger, I've got Robledo asking "What would happen if we just had a playoff, your top teams against our (west) top teams?
Instead of passing the ketchup, he's asking "Who even are your top teams?"
REALITY: Do any of you think I actually have the answer to that after last week? Some teams are starting league this Friday and some teams have one last major nonleague game tune-up. Workman and Duarte are already way into league and are playing in what amounts to the Montview League title game on Friday. Lets face it, after the past two weeks, we all basically know less today than we did in August.
It's hard to argue against it ...
I'm gonna make some calls and talk to some of the boys at the office, but I'm leaning toward Damien being the top-ranked team in the Valley. Los Altos lost, Rowland lost, Damien was No. 3 heading into last week and did not play. I know LA fans are going to say "But we beat them." That's true, you did. But I am talking about right now. Who else can it be? West Covina? Maybe. Glendora? Maybe. I think Damien has the best claim right now.
By the way ... be ready for your report cards this week. I will be posting grades for EVERY TEAM IN THE VALLEY for the first half of the season as every team begins league, continues league or has its final tune-ups before league.
DiFiori lands on his former employer ... and my alma mater!
What's the world coming to? La Salle 21, Temple City 14
The Rams don't play well unless it's under the lights. Everyone knows that. What are they doing playing a Saturday afternoon game at La Salle? You know what Rams are usually doing at that time of day? Eating ... and other things ... not playing football. What's next, La Salle schedules Amat and DiFiori beats them too? I may have grown up on the westside of the SGV and I might even still live there, but I don't like what happens there. Weird stuff. TC was the No. 1-ranked team in the Mid-Valley Division!!!! Robledo, get ahold of your teams.
With South Pas cranking, San Marino convinced it's 1988 again, Monrovia owning half of the Best in the West list, and The Dealer owning what some call the best running back in the West, TC had better pick it up.
As bad as it might seem, you know what Mooney usually does after a loss like this? He comes back and wins league.
Glendora fans, here's your respect. Pickup tomorrow's Tribune ... you're on the cover of the entire thing!
Say what you want, the Tartans have heart.
Rosemead 28, Orange 27 (STUNNER!) Who'd have thunk it that Koffmead would represent for the SGV in Orange County? Nice! I don't get it, but nice!
Glendora 30, Rowland 29 (huge 2nd half for GHS)
Bonita 35, San Dimas 14
Carson 21, Bishop Amat 13
Western 21, Los Altos 20 (had a feeling LA wouldn't be awake for this one)
Covina 40, Sonora 14 (McDonough threw for 183 yards, ran for 177 and had 4 TDs combined).
Aram's Glendora vs. Rowland takes: This was one of the oddest games I've ever seen. Glendora looked dominating at times and then looked like the first day of practice at others. But as I said above, this team has heart. Also, Glendora is 3-0 against other Tribune Top 10 teams this season. That's pretty darn good. Maybe this team just wins ugly. It's high school football, I guess we're not supposed to know.
About Rowland ... what can you say? Great effort, disappointing result. Are the Raiders world beaters? No. Are they one of the top teams around? Obviosuly, yes. I was impressed with QB Philip Chase and RB Rene Small. They were almost unstoppable on the option. The defense obviously has seen better days. Coach Snyder put it best by saying that having so many guys go two ways took its toll. Your quarterback isn't supposed to be flying up and making tackles on Jordan Edmond or Zach Butler, but that's exactly what Chase had to do.
Lastly, Joe or somebody at Rowland can maybe help with this - you guys have one of the worst hecklers I've ever heard. No clue who he is, but wow, very bad.
Bottom line: This was a great high school football game with the momentum changes you'd expect to see on any given Friday.
Nobody does more with less (carries)
Aaron Harris was the No. 1 overall pick in most SGV fantasy prep football leagues this season.
This week's OVER/UNDER: 250 1/2 yards (No, I'm not crazy. Read below)
Note: Most of you will say "That's high, Aram." OK, it is. But I have a vibe that BP coach James Heggins is going to leave Harris in this week. Why, you ask? Because Glenn isn't local. Yep, I do. I think that Heggins has taken Harris out in BP's blowouts because he's been playing local teams. Glenn will probably get no such luxury. Just a vibe, that's all.
Week 1: 133 yards vs. Azusa UNDER
Week 2: 139 yards vs. West Covina OVER
Week 3: 156 yards vs. Sierra Vista UNDER
Week 4: 192 yards vs. El Monte UNDER
Two teams on a quest for respect 
I'm excited for this one. I haven't seen the Raiduhs this season and I haven't seen G-Hi since Week 1. I picked Rowland in this game, but honestly, it's a crapshoot. Can Jordan Edmond run wild with Chad Norys on the hunt? Can P-Chase do his thing with Todd Bruno prowling around? Oh yes, there's gonna be a throwdown. And the great news is that you guys are going front page, so bring it, bring it, bring it!!!
There'd better be some fans in the stands, dang it!
Don't bother picking if you're not going to leave a final score!!! Dang!!!
Friday
Western Christian vs. St. Anthony, at Clark Field (Long Beach)
San Dimas at Bonita
Carson at Bishop Amat
Claremont at Charter Oak
Western at Los Altos
Diamond Ranch at Oaks Christian
Wilson at South El Monte
Tustin at Arroyo
Orange at Rosemead
La Serna at El Monte
Duarte vs. Azusa, at Citrus College
Sierra Vista at Bassett
Workman vs. Gladstone, at La Puente HS
West Covina at Ayala
Rancho Cucamonga vs. South Hills, at Chaffey Coll.
Walnut at Jurupa Valley
Silverado vs. Chino, at Victor Valley HS
Glenn at Baldwin Park
Northview vs. Nogales, at Covina District Field
Covina vs. Sonora, at La Habra HS
On what other job can you kill four innings of the Dodgers playoff game at BJ's?
This is the "Not so Cobb, Cobb salad" .. still on the diet. Although Robledo and Guerrero crushed pizza in front of me.
San Dimas coach Bill Zernickow - aka the walking sound byte - asked me earlier where the lunch adventure would take me today. Here you go, coach. BJ's! We couldn't discuss prep sports too much because of the Dodgers game. Plus, we all didn't feel like talking after Jeff "Wheels" Kent and JD Drew inexplicably got thrown out at home on the same play. Ah well, we still have more championships in our trophy case than the Giants, who don't even have a case.
Here's some fodder for you on-topic freaks:
This is the Top 5 divisions in CIF-SS according to the power rankings.
1. Pac-5 (Div.1) 24.6
2. Inland (Div.2) 15.2 (aka Damien and Glendora's division).
3. Northern (Div.4) 11.3
4. Southwest (Div.6) 11.2 (aka Los Altos and West Covina's division).
5. Western (Div.3) 7.1
Check it out, the LA Times has a blog with not one, but four authors.
You gonna argue with these guys?
I'm gonna do it (no, don't) ... I'm gonna go for broke (will you please leave), I'm gonna step back from my day job and discuss LA preps sportswriters (you are so odd). But first ...
This whole blog phenomena is amazing. The LA Times has a blog, the OC Register has a blog and the LA Daily news has a blog. Blog, blog, blog. Who the heck needs fish wrap?
Back to the topic at hand
OK, I have to read a lot of other sports sections to stay up on the overall scene and do research. I'm also a fan and I like to see any/all prep sports coverage that there is, time permitting. Obviously, the prep sports world and its coverage by the media has exploded this decade, so there's lots to choose from. I like to think I've tried it all. There will be some names left off of this list, but that's what your comments are for. I am only rating those who I have read, watched or shared a press box with.
In no particular order ...
Eric Sondheimer, LA Times - I like his spots on the Fox Sports West HS sports show. There's alway some interesting nuggets. One of the very best feature writers around, Sondheimer is kind of the dean of LA high school sports writers. I saw him honored at the Shrine Game a couple of years back, and his accolades were pretty impressive.
Steve Fryer, OC Register - Does anybody get after it better than Fryer? He's not scared to speak his mind and his readership is one of the most involved/vocal groups that there is. "Frankly Fryer" is an excellent column and no matter what OC fans think of him, they seemingly always read Fryer just to see what he said.
Martin Henderson, LA Times - Have you seen a better game story writer? I often cover the same games as Martin, and he usually gets to work with considerably less space, but everything you'd want to know about the game is somehow put into a paragraph or two when it's his byline. And as Amat girls hoops coach Richard Wiard will tell you, I love to just sit back and listen to Martin conduct his interviews. He's not afraid to ask the hard questions, even under difficult circumstances.
Dan Albano, OC Register - You can't read the Register and not catch an Albano byline. It seems like he's everywhere. Like Fryer, Albano writes for a very sharp readership and delivers constantly. I've covered CIF swim finals with him and am always astonished how he knows records and times off the top of his head. Albano has the ability to get deep into whatever it is he's covering, which isn't easy on this job.
Lindsay Soto, Fox Sports West - Ahh yes, the first lady of prep sports coverage on television. I really respect that Lindsay can do the same good job covering preps that she does covering USC, UCLA or whatever other downtown assignments she might have. You get the vibe watching her that she's enjoying her work.
John Jackson, Fox Sports West - As a former Amat and USC standout, Jackson has street cred as the main attribute on his resume. It seems like Jackson has been dabbling in preps sports coverage forever and that's probably why, like Soto, he's just as good doing a prep sporting event as he is handling a downtown assignment.
Reginald Miller, Time Warner - Miller is the local TV icon to the foothill communities and he finds time to show up in other places, too. "Big Reg" has the enthusiasm needed to do good work and it shows. Not only does he have to produce, he also often hosts, does play-by-play and even films games himself. You don't do all of that without having your heart in it.
Pete Marshall, Daily Bulletin - A prep sports editor's prep sports editor. Marshall has been moved to the desert baseball beat (minor leagues), which means he's not technically on the prep scene anymore. But he does pop up from time-to-time and is always well informed about what he's covering.
Jeff Gluck, Daily Bulletin - Gluck is Marshall's replacement and he's just starting to come into his own. Still learning his beat, which believe me can be an experience in itself, Gluck is likely to make sure things don't skip a beat (no pun intended).
Lauren Peterson, LA Times - A no nonsense reporter, Peterson, like most of the Times' team, is always on top of what she covers and finds a way to get to the point quickly and inform readers without wasting space.
Dan Arritt, LA Times - Does it all and does it well. A key part of the Times' very good team. I don't think most people realize how many teams the Times covers. It can't be easy to be up to date on everything and everybody, but somehow Arritt does it and does it well. Plus, I had a good conversation with him two years ago in the press box at Anaheim Stadium during CIF baseball finals.
Bob Holtzman, Daily Breeze - Holtzman is the man in the South Bay. He's seemingly everywhere when it comes to that region's prep sports scene. Always a good personality in the press box, Holtzman backs things up with good overall coverage of his area.
I'm going to keep working on this list, but please comment and tell me if there's somebody you like or somebody you feel that I missed.
It's not quite showdown Friday, but we're going to answer LOTSA questions this week.
Is Rowland a legit No. 2 team in the Valley? Glendora probably has some thoughts about that.
m
Go to http://www.sgvtribune.com/preps/ and listen like you were Ralphie in "A Christmas Story."
This week's drills are:
Glendora at Rowland
Duarte vs. Azusa, at Citrus Coll.
Carson at Bishop Amat
San Dimas at Bonita
Wilson at South El Monte
Geographic boundaries notwithstanding ...
The Hooters girls had no input, but they wanted some.
Yes, Robledo was at lunch with us. Yes, he wanted to argue that his teams are just as good if not better. Could I argue back? The East SGV is by far deeper, but the West SGV appears to have the quality at the top. And yes, I adhered to the diet by taking my wings "naked" as in not breaded.
ALL ENCOMPASSING SGV TOP 10
1. St. Francis (4-0) - The win over Los Altos kinda says it all.
2. Los Altos (4-1) - The current top team in the East.
3. Rowland (4-0) - Owns the record, the playmakers and the current No. 2 in the East. This might be very optimistic.
4. Damien (3-2) - This team could play with and beat any of those above it.
5. West Covina (2-2) - I'm very concerned, worried and confused by this team. Sometimes they're hurt, sometimes they're suspended.
6. Bishop Amat (2-2) - I have a very hard time convincing myself that Amat shouldn't be higher. We'll see in two weeks.
7. Monrovia (3-1) - Played WestCo tough and is a legit CIF title contender in their own world.
8. Muir (3-1) - Fred is really high on this team ... me I can kinda see it.
9. Glendora (3-1) - This could be Covina, South Hills or Bonita's spot, but it's Glendora's for now and the Tartans will be higher next week if they drop Rowland on Friday.
10. Temple City (4-0) - I can stay impartial, even though I love my Rams. Wait, was that a slip? Anyway, you can't argue with how TC looks thus far.
... oh yeah, here's Robledo's ... Joe, you'll like it.
ROBLEDO'S SGV TRIBUNE/STAR-NEWS TOP 10
1. St. Francis (4-0) - Not debatable anymore
2. Rowland (4-0) - Probably the Tribune's real No. 1
3. Los Altos (4-1) - Knights defense too much
4. Damien (3-2) - Most unpredictable on East side
5. Muir (3-1) - Only loss to Oaks Christian, the best team in the country.
6. Bishop Amat (2-2) - Can beat anyone on this list.
7. West Covina (2-2) - Former Tribune No. 1 falling fast
8. Monrovia (4-1) - The best of the best from the RHL
9. Glendora (3-1) - Let's see how they do against Rowland on Friday
10. Temple City (4-0) - Rams will go undefeated until they meet Wildcats in week nine.
If you're on the Atkins Diet, like I am, this place is heaven.
SGVN Internet chieftain Adrian Guerrero and I made a trip to Greenfield's this afternoon for lunch and a discussion of the latest power ratings. As you can see, there was a lot to talk about ... do it guys, digest the numbers!
Special thanks to Mark Keppel fan Harry Kaminski who spotted me and paid for our lunch!
According to calpreps.com
SGV Top-10
1. West Covina 29.4 (LW-1)
2. Los Altos 28.0 (LW-4)
3. Damien 24.8 (LW-6)
4. Chino Hills 22.1 (LW-10)
5. Glendora 21.1 (LW-3)
6. Rowland 19.2 (LW-2)
7. Bonita 16.9 (LW-8)
8. South Hills 15.6 (LW-NR)
9. Covina 15.6 (LW-5)
10. Baldwin Park 13.3 (LW-7)
We've had a local CIF champion every season this decade, sometimes two. But are there going to be any this season?
Aram's answer: I'm getting worried.
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