A real simple question: Is any SGV football team going to win CIF?

East or West... Emmett

Better be envied than pitied... Botolph

Love in a cottage... Randall

He that has a great nose thinks everybody is speaking of it... Samuel

Sorry for my lack of clarity guys, I was only stating that CIF moved several sucessful OC programs from the old D6 into other Divisions, it was never my intent to get into one of those “Louis vs Ali� or “Bonds vs Ruth� groundpounds that some folks seem to love.

Kennedy has lost three times so far this year: Canyon, (ranked this week in the CIF Southwest #5), beat them week two by a field goal, in OT. Lakewood, a Pac-5 (D1) team from the Moore League beat them two weeks ago, by a point and Downey, a Western Division team beat them last week, by a field goal in three overtimes.

Both Valencia losses thus far have indeed come at the hands of Century League teams, Villa Park and El Dorado. It may be of interest to note that CIF chose to leave the Century League intact and in place in the SW (D6).

Newport Harbor had it's D6 sucesses rewarded with a bump up to the Sunset League where they get to face Esperanza, Edison, Fountain Valley, and Los Al. They can thank the southern section gurus for leaving Marina, (0-10 last year and 0-4 so far in 2006), in Sunset for a breather. NH has lost two game this preseason: Corona Del Mar (Pac Coast), beat NH by 8 points and Dana Hills (South Coast), beat them by nine.

Don:

Actually Valencia and Kennedy have already been beaten several times by Century league teams. Newport Harbor has been struggling as well. So we do know "this year".

Dan, You may be right although we won't find out this year.

What we do know is that last year's Division lV Playoffs were dominated by teams from the Empire and Sea View Leagues blowing out Charter Oak, Los Altos, and Mayfair in the Quarterfinals by an average of 20 points.

hey aram, dont forget that south hills is still missing 3 starters. one is out for the season and the other 2 on coming back soon.

Don you said " Since CIF moved the toughest D6 teams from OC like Valencia, Kennedy, and Newport Harbor out and up the playoff competition here will come from Tustin, HB, Trabuco Hills, El Dorado, and Canyon; formidable
but beatable."
In most years you would be right but this year all three of those teams[Newport H.,Valencia,& Kennedy] are all very beatable by the better teams in the Southwest.

Covina may be good, but they have no chance at CIF. They are in the same division as Oaks Christian. However, they could probably get to semifinals or even the finals.

Joe Im not mad. Im just pumped up about WEST CO and know they will not lose another game. 4days for Friday night lights......

Hmmm... let's see:

PAC-5: I doubt this is Amat's year.
Inland: Damien is an underdog contender, but they have a lot of awfully good teams to get through.
Mid-Valley: Monrovia and Temple City are in the mix, but that's the other side of the valley.
Northwest: Sadly for Covina, everyone knows that division is a race for 2nd place.
Southeast: No one, from the valley or otherwise, is getting past Troy and La Habra
Southwest: A big cluster with a lot of contenders. Los Altos, if they can solve their offensive woes. West Covina. Rowland, if they can keep the same level of play against tougher competition. Mayfair is tops in the polls, but one coach I know thinks Tustin is the best team on film so far.

Los Altos has a shot. West Covina has a small shot. Baldwin Park played them very tough. Game was still in doubt with 5 min. to go in the 4th.

I used to agree that Harris would not perform vs. tough D. However, West Covina has a pretty good defense according to this blog and harris ran for I believe 150 or so. He also did not carry the ball a million times either.

Covina and BP will be a fun game to watch this year. BP is much much more than Harris! My pick BP by a 7 spot!

Top notch football is slowly leaving our wonderfully smoggy valley and heading elsewhere.

Aram here we go again? When you mean SGV Valley do you mean east only.If so maybe your right.But if not,Monrovia and Temple City both have excelent chances.Which also does a lot of explaining,you're a RAM?No wonder your a hater of the Cats.But i think your alma mater and Monrovia should be there in the end.Now listen I know some of you are thinking Webb H.S. (nothing against Webb)could win this division probally,but we did not ask to be there, talk to CIF.Lets just see how Covina does on that first trip up the 101 to play some of those schools like we have been doin for the last decade.Rio hondo teams will be in the championship the next 2 years till they change again.Thanks for the vine Aram.......WAR TROJANS GO BRUINS

I do not see any of our local teams winning CIF. Playoffs yes, but early exits for all. The teams with the best Chance are Los Altos and Covina, other then that it is a weak year for SGV football.

Los Altos will win the Southwest Division.

Hey, now that we are slightly on the topic . . . . let's adress the teams that feel ignored:

When do you think the Montview league will actually win a playoff game?

When Rowland plays a legit team, how bad will they get "spanked"?

No the valley doesn't stretch to Normandie & Vermont, but nice try.

I feel Los Altos has the strongest chance of advancing to their CIF championship game. They are past what I feel is the strongest part of their schedule.

As for Amat, way too tough of a Division for the talent and youth on the coaching staff.

Go Lancers

You're probably right! Damien's having a great season, one that most people @ Damien and the SGV won't soon forget.

Remember Championship seasons are 14 games!

This blog goes out to You and your boy Reginald.Looks like the BEST football is being played on the WETSIDE right now.Monrovia should of beat West CO.,and St. Francis humbled Los Cheaters(err Los Altos)weren't those your #1 and #2.Don't get caught up in your own hype.You guys have to travel west of the 605 a little more.Signed ; Westsider tired of hearing how great the East-Valley is.P:S can't wait to hear who you guys pick next!

You really have to love the home town fans. Guys, I honor your loyalty and “Be True to Your School� spirit, (cue Beach Boys music here). IMO:

Covina could win the Northwest, as long as they get to borrow Aaron Harris from Baldwin Park and get San Dimas to throw in the Barbone boys, John Joe, and a couple of big linemen. If not, it's Oak Christian in a walk. It's a joke that CIF considers Oaks comparable to the rest of this Division, it's a bigger joke they believe the Valle Verde League is Northwest of anything other than Ontario Airport.

PAC 5 is a dream, maybe next year.

To win the Southwest Los Altos needs to keep beating pretty good teams like they've done with South Hills and Damien and maintain their intensity through some pretty decent Miramonte competition like Charter Oak, and that team from La Verne. Sorry I forgot the school's name. Since CIF moved the toughest D6 teams from OC like Valencia, Kennedy, and Newport Harbor out and up the playoff competition here will come from Tustin, HB, Trabuco Hills, El Dorado, and Canyon; formidable, but beatable. The team to beat will be Mayfair, a big school with a solid program who has somehow managed to stay out of the Moore League all these years.

Southeast? Uh uh; it'll be Freeway vs Del Rio there. The best possible match would be underdog La Serna vs Santa Fe where Coach Ken LaVigne would match up against his mentor and former Coach Jack Mahlstede but La Habra will probably snuff that fantasy. Good back story here if it happens.

The best Sierra League teams like Damien, Glendora, and Chino Hills have a pretty tough row to hoe. Any of the Mountain View League squads are equal to anything in the Division and the Southwestern best, (spelled T E M E C U L A), are close. Best bet here is to try and annex Upland to the SGV.

Little Pasadena Poly and smaller Rio Hondo Prep are probably even money to make the finals in the East Valley although the odds on favorite is San Jacinto even though they lost this week to #2 Big Bear. Why the CIF wizards left a school with more students than Los Altos in this league is another mystery.

Mid Valley League anyone? You have to like Temple City, Monrovia, and La Canada, (is LC still in the Valley?), here although the smaller schools from up North like Bishop Diego, Valley and Village Christian, and LA Baptist all have solid teams. Don't count out the Montview League either, Azusa beat Gladstone this week.

Los Altos has to be the valley's best shot at a title in a very tough division.

Amat will be lucky just to get to the postseason.

South Hills may have nothing to do Thanksgiving weekend for once.

Covina should celebrate if they make it the final against Oaks Christian cause they aint winning.

Well, with all these predictions, might as well put my two cents in...

If you can stretch the SGV to Venice Blvd. between Normandie & Vermont, then yes, you can have a sgvalley team win the CIF... LOYOLA!!!! Yes, there is no denying. CUBS are #1!

MyNameIsCub AAh-ooooottt

I also agree about Baldwin Park vs Covina Aram, it will be a close one.

Bluorca I see you've done your homework, good annalysis on all those divisions, I would also include Tustin, Foothill & El Toro as legitimate threats. I think as of now Mayfair & Eldorado & Los Altos are the top three, if West Co can get their full team on the field consistantly till the end then I give them a shot, but as we saw last season the risk of injury throughout a season is high and I don't see the depth on West Co. This is only my opinion, but having Demond Wallace & Tyler Hockenhull in the game along with William Wallace made the whole difference
in the Mater Dei game cause the "D" could not
key in on just 1 or 2 guys,Demond Wallace had some big plays against Mater Dei, along with his brother, & despite being only a sophmore he is listed as 10 lbs heavier than William and I've heard from more than 1 source that he's a little faster.
Seeing from the stands,
Covina wouldn't have a chance against Oaks Christian.

The aaron harris show will stop at covina as it did last year. Last time I checked put a decent D on him and he'll complain the rest of the game.

i dont know what your talking about but the hardest team covina played this year was glendora (very good team).

i dont even think they can win league this year.

aram your right about the baldwin park vs covina game.
i think bp has more weapons this year =
aaron harris RB
angel acevedo QB has more options to throw to this year.
#5 WR plays good on the other side of the ball too.
#78 DL/OL 6'2 300+

The team u are looking for is in la verne on damien avenue they will win the inland divison, im talking about my spartans. They now have a rb in chris marine to go with the top 2 weapons in th evalley in Mark Mendrun n Travis Eshardies. And did u see that defense shut down Carreon,Crespo n Johnson that is only a sign of what is to come. They have the perfect schedule they will walk into chino 3-0 in league and win n make this date dowqn on ur calendar 11/9/06 the date Damien wins the sierra league at chino hills and that is the start of the graet cif championship run

1fan, easy my friend dont get so mad i thought yu were talking about tennis, my bad everyone has such short tempers on this blog. love and marriage and i played at polk high.westco winning cif okay or better yet covina beating oaks christian not in this life time i dont think theres a team out there that can beat oaks
christian.

Covina vs. Baldwin Park starts to look like a better and bigger game each passing week.

As much as I love covina I just dont see them getting past oaks christian. Thats just another beast of its own.

COVINA HAS A SHOT, IT'S A, L...O...N...G SHOT, BUT HEY IT'S STILL A SHOT, THEY WILL STILL BE PLAYING AT THE TIME OF THE TURKEY FEAST! SEE YOU ALL THEN.

I wrote too much again...sorry....

Out of all the teams in the San Gabriel Valley I believe that LOS ALTOS has a more than better chance of blasting through their league and then the Southwest Division. I believe their biggest threat would be the WEST COVINA that played againts Mater Dei. WC would have to be injury free, disciplined, and as intense as they were againts the Monarchs. But as the teams are now, I believe Los Altos would probably beat WC by 2 TDs or more. Another threat would be Mayfair from the Suburban League who is 5-0 with 11 veterans but they haven't played anyone of interest. Another threat is El Dorado from the Century League who has 14 veterans and is 4-1 and only lost to Dana Hills who beat Loyola earlier in the season. From the same league is Canyon who is 4-0 but has not played anyone of interest. Huntington Beach (4-1) is supposed to have a good team but they lost to a pretty sorry team last week. I dont think any of these teams, save WC, has played againts any opponents that have the talent that Damien and St. Francis has. Los Altos is the real deal...I see the Conquerors playing for the Southwest Divisional Championship and winning it.

As for the rest of the better SGV programs...My heart grows wet and cold and then begins to shrivel as I even begin to think about the playoffs...

The Sierra League is a good strong league with Damien,Glendora, and Chino hills. But they will have to deal with Redlands (4-0) out of the Citrus Belt who is a former Div. 1 school and has always fielded quality teams. As far as the Baseline gos Rancho Cucamonga (3-1), as the SGV already knows, has a good team. But I think Upland (3-1) would give them a lot of trouble. In case anyone forgot, Upland destroyed what is a pretty good Charter Oak team 38-14. Upland's only loss this season was to San Clemente who gave Pac-5 Edison a run for their money. The Southwestern League looks to be having a good year. This 6 team league has combined for a record of 21-5-1! The top teams now are Vista Murietta (5-0) who is loaded with talent and has 14 veterans. The other is Chaparral (4-0) whose victories include Santiago (good team that beat Servite). Which brings me to The Mountain View League which is 17-3. Norco (5-0), is the defending Div. 5 Champion and has 11 veterans from that talent loaded team. But I think even this team would lose to Corona Centennial (same league) who I believe will win this division. Corona Centennial (5-0) returns 11 veterans and has already beaten Valencia and Crespi. They are lead by a very awesome RB named Ryan Bass who has made quite a name for himself the past two seasons. He's a highly touted Div.1 recruit who is and will continue to run over everyone. They also defeated Clovis West whose only other loss was a close one to Pac-5 powerhouse Edison. It seems like Edison is beating everyone these days....BUT they did lose a close one to Mater Dei last weekend. But thats the Pac-5! and this isnt! Out of all the Valley teams in this Inland Division, I believe Damien has the talent to perhaps go further than the 2 round of the playoffs. But more than likely we will see an all Mountain View League game for the Inland Division Championship.

As for Amat, ummm....Pac-5! The Pac-5 Division is by far the most powerful division overall in southern california. I dont know of any other division that is home to more football farms than this division. Teams doing good this year include Mater Dei, Mission Viejo, SO Notre Dame(ack!), Orange Lutheran, Edison, Esperanza, Santa Margarita, Long Beach Poly, Servite, Crespi, San Clemente, and last but not least,St. John Bosco. Even Loyola beat previously undeafeated Dominguez last night. All of these teams would bow down and beg for mercy againts my Bishop Amat Lancers!!! HAHA! Well..I do love my Lancers but in reality there is just WAAAAY too much talent in the Pac-5 this year. Amat needs to figure out a way to survive league first having to play Crespi, Loyola, and SO Notre Dame. But before that even happens, Amat has to survive a highly touted Carson and then that DEFENSE from St. Francis. OUR LADY QUEEN OF VICTORY...PRAY FOR US!!!

I'm sure there are other teams that I forgot to mention or I overlooked. Regardless what happens you should support your team by going to the games, buying some nachos, a program, and perhaps a towel with your favorite mascot that you can swing around as your team scores TD after TD. Good times!

Good luck and good health to the SGV!

At this point, you'd have to favor Los Altos over West Covina in the Southwest Division. We'll see what happens when WestCo has all components on the field at the same time. If they win the San Antonio, they'll be a Top 4 seed. LA will be a Top 4 seed if it runs the table and wins the Miramonte.

no Joe Im not talking about the tennis team very funny I take it you must be a rowland fan or better yet not evan a football player. Joe are you Al Bundy....

There are only 2 teams that have a legit shot at winning CIF. The first is West Covina just becuase they play in such a weak division. The second is Damien becuase when they play together they are scary good

1fan you talking about the tennis team.

West Covina needs to get the feild and stands fixed soon. They have not played a home game as of yet and when the season starts look out full house and they play rowland at home and south hills at home and charter oak at home.....

WEST COVINA WILL WIN MAKE NO MISTAKE
south hills will come close
rowland walnut and nogales cant compete with both west covina and south hills, they dont play anybody............

I know its gloomy outside Aram, But Damn ! I feel most teams will be happy to be a part of CIF this year. Im gonna go kick my dog now!