ARAM’S UNOFFICIAL TAKES: I feel like my Aunt Cheryl, who is a self-described “muller” about controversial situations. I don’t know how I feel about this. I don’t know if I agree that Bonita got jobbed, because that’s to say LA or DR put one over. The point of a coin flip is that it inherently tells you that a win 30 seconds prior to the coin toss holds the same weight as a win two weeks earlier. A setting like last night just makes it feel so crappy. On the other hand, how can argue with any Bonita fan who is sour about being 7-3 and missing the playoffs? Or, being 8-2 last year and missing the playoffs? Obviously, league performance is truly all that matters in the sport. Just ask South El Monte, 1-4 in nonleague and 4-1 in league (tri-champs). It’s all that matters. Bonita’s losses the past two years have come at the wrong darn time. If any of you were Eric Podley, you’d have said the same damn things. I think that LA and DR should be commended for showing some major class. Coach Layton went over to his home stands and told the crowd to “shut up” as Bonita walked off of the field. The problem last night was the cruelty of the situation. The Bearcats made an amazing goal line stand, were in the midst of celebrating a great win and then BOOM! “We just flipped and you’re not dancing.” Nobody felt good about it. Nobody. I’d be in favor of the proverbial “California tie-breaker” … flip a coin, the odd team out goes to the playoffs and the other two teams each get a possession at the opponents 25-yard line THE VERY NEXT MORNING.

Bonita 17, Diamond Ranch 14
Coin flip
Los Altos (heads)
Diamond Ranch (heads)
Bonita (tails)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Bonita beat Diamond Ranch Friday night, 17-14, but lost a three-way coin flip between itself, the Panthers and Los Altos to determine the Miramonte League’s final two playoff spots. League champion Charter Oak holds the other spot.

Others …
Bishop Amat 34, Loyola 31 OT (Apologies are in order, our scoreboard has this one flip flopped.)
Duarte 42, Gladstone 10 (Don’t tell Coach Crutch it’s a down year for Gladstone)

A coaching fashion statement!

Pasadena football coach Kevin Mills defied all cosmetic logic at last night’s Turkey Tussle.

Aram’s lone thought: You’re right, Fred. I don’t understand football on your side of town.

Damien went from No. 8 in August to No. 1 in November.

Special thanks to Big Reg for suggesting I re-post this. I should say that with sarcasm becuase some of these picks didn’t come to fruition. But hey, some of them I stand by. You be the judge. It’s always great to see how a season matriculates.

Tribune Top 10
August 31, 2006

1. West Covina – Finished 6-4 and split league title with Rolwand and South Hills.
2. Charter Oak – Finished 7-3 and won Miramonte League title. Closed season on 6-game win streak.
3. Los Altos – Finished 6-4 and don’t playoff fate yet. At one point, this was the top team in the area.
4. Bishop Amat – 4-5 heading into tonight’s game against Loyola. Won’t make playoffs, but did beat St. Francis.
5. Rowland – Finished 8-2 and split league title with West Covina and South Hills.
6. South Hills – Finished 5-5 with some bad luck and split league title with Rowland and West Covina.
7. Covina – Finished 9-1 and won league title. On 9-game win streak.
8. Damien – Finished 8-2 and won league title. Obviously, this ranking was way off. Current No. 1 in the area.
9. Wilson – Finished 4-6 and didn’t win a game in league. Was very competive in four of six losses. Another league, a better result?
10. Arroyo – Quickly fell out of Top 10, but finished 5-5 with a shared league title.

Glaring exemption: Glendora
Not so glaring exemptions: Duarte and Diamond Ranch.

Aram’s thoughts: A couple of things really stand out to me. The first is that Damien went from No. 8 to No. 1. The Spartan contingent was on this site since spring saying they should be ranked higher. Guess what? They were right! The other thing that stands out is Glendora being left out of the opening rankings. Obviously, this angered most Glendora fans and like Damien, they were right! Glendora is clearly one of the Top 10 teams in the area. It would’ve been hard to rank them so high due to what was lost from last year’s team (which opened last season ranked No. 3 (I believe) so don’t call me biased).

The performances of West Covina and Charter Oak made these rankings look pretty bad for the first half of the season. But wow, what a turnaround! Both teams could not have been more impressive with the way they finished the season. I think anybody who saw West Covina over the past two weeks knows now that the lofty expectations were justified. The same can be said for Charter Oak. In the end, both of these teams walked with league titles.

And that brings us to Bishop Amat. It’s always difficult to rank the Lancers because you can’t base the ranking solely on how they’d fare against the rest of the Valley. With the exception of Damien and maybe Los Altos (on a good night), Amat beats every other team in the rankings by double digits. But that’s not how Amat is judged. The Lancers have to step out of the Valley and be judged by the company they keep. When you do that, Amat doesn’t deserve a high ranking. They don’t play in an SGV league and they don’t play in a division with any other local team. Beating St. Francis is nice, but that doesn’t mean squat when you’re not competitive in league.

Here’s to hoping all of the teams in the first Trib Top 10 or the latest Trib Top 10 keep it going in the postseason (if applicable)!!!

Will the real WestCo please stand up!

Bulldogs QB George Munoz reacts to beating Rowland.

West Covina 48, Rowland 20 (Where’s that been all season?)
Damien 23, Chino Hills 21 (Incredible play at end … please tell us about it)
Rosemead 23, South El Monte 21 (Go against the grain in the MVL, you’ll be alright)
Charter Oak 21, Wilson 17 (Wildcats refuse to win games)
Workman 38, La Puente 6 (The Lobos are 7-3!!!)

Thursday’s games
Miramonte League
Wilson at Charter Oak
Mission Valley League
Arroyo at El Monte
South El Monte at Rosemead
Gabrielino at Mountain View
Montview League
Workman at La Puente
Azusa at Sierra Vista
San Antonio League
Walnut at Nogales
Rowland at West Covina
Sierra League
Ayala at Chino
Damien at Chino Hills
Glendora vs. Diamond Bar, at Citrus College
Valle Vista League
Ganesha at Baldwin Park
Covina vs. Northview, at Covina District Field
San Dimas vs. Pomona, at Ganesha HS

Friday’s games
Miramonte League
Bonita vs. Diamond Ranch, at Ganesha HS
Montview League
Duarte vs. Gladstone, at Citrus College
Serra League
Bishop Amat vs. Loyola, at Glendale HS, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday’s game
Christian League
Calvary Chapel vs. Western Christian, at Charter Oak HS

NOTE: Harris shattered last week’s projection, sending backers to the windows long before the game was even over. This week, hapless Ganesha comes calling and without knowing just how long AH will play, it’s hard to make a number. Too low, and he gets it in the first quarter. Too high, and he never gets a chance to carry in the second half. But that’s why we oddsmakers get the big bucks.

THIS WEEK’S PROJECTED TOTAL vs. Ganesha: 189 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)
Week 8: 16 yards vs. Covina UNDER
Week 9: 269 yards vs. Northview OVER

You out there, listen, learn … a 4-pack this week, folks!

Go here and click on what you want to hear.

This week’s games:
Damien at Chino Hills
South El Monte at Rosemead
Bonita vs. Diamond Ranch, at Ganesha HS
Rowland at West Covina