A sad day at Beckman High and for former Wilson high coach, and Temple City graduate Brian Mustain

The biggest fear for all high school football coaches, parents and players during the grueling two-a-days is heat exhaustion, especially with temperatures exceeding the 100’s this past week in the San Gabriel Valley. As a sportswriter, it’s the story you never want to report on, the death of a young athlete.
On Friday, Kenny Wilson, a 16-year-old strong guard at Beckman High School in Irvine collapsed and died following football practice. The paramedics came and attempted to rush Wilson to the hospital, but he died on his way there. Capt. Stephen Miller of the Orange County Fire Authority said Wilsons death appeared to be heat related, but an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
Miller’s coach, Brian Mustain, is well known to this area. He played high school football at Temple City and later coached at Wilson High School. To to the Wilson family and Mustain, our deepest condolences from the San Gabriel Valley.
Orange County Register story
http://www.ocregister.com/sports/irvine-today-high-1813188-tustin-student

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Training Camp: South Hills off and running

Showed up bright and early for Huskies practice on Friday, and there was media man/coach/drill instructor James Escarcega rounding up the troops and firing off a pre-practice speech. I’ve known James for a while and he’s quite a character, and a great guy to get the players’ juices jangling that early in the morning. Meanwhile, the legend, coach Steve Bogan was off in a classroom, waiting for the right moment to make his entrance. When Bogan finally walked through the gates I grabbed him for a conversation, figuring Escarcega was enjoying his quality time with the guys. Not two minutes into our chat there’s military-man Escarcega, colorfully chiding Bogan to leave the media alone, and screaming at me to go back to the Star-News. What an introduction to Huskies football. But Bogan, he’s all class and understands the huge expectations Huskies fans have, especially after the arrival of wide receiver Dorian Wells, who transferred from
Bishop Amat. Bogan marvels at Wells’ big-play ability, but cautions that some of the expectations are over-blown, emphasizing that they have plenty to prove after a 6-6 season in 2006. But clearly, this is a talented cast that already includes Kebin Umodu, a first-team All-CIF Southwest Division first-team defensive end, along with Damon Kuklinski and Evan Heard – both returning second-team All-San Antonio league running backs. There’s quarterback Brandon Parham and linebackers like Chris Bowden, Wayne Goss and others. I don’t know if they’re clearly the area’s top team, but there’s no doubt they’re among the top two or three.
South Hills opens the season on Sept. 7 against Trabuco Hills at Covina District Field.

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With all talent being equal, who would you want?

Don’t care which schools you think recruit or not, I want to know who you think is the best X’s and O’s guy. The best motivator. The one you want in crunch time when championships are on the line. The one who gets the most out of his talent. The East San Gabriel Valley is filled with a deep talent pool of coaches, so without trying to list them in any particular order, these are who I’d consider the Tribune’s Top Ten with all the aforementioned considered.

Steve Bogan (South Hills) – Always in the hunt, and he’s from Edgewood. How can you go wrong?
Darryl Thomas (Covina) – Three CIF semifinal appearances since 2000.
Greg Gano (Los Altos) – Followed DeSpain and created own legendary status.
Lou Farrar (Charter Oak) – He’s “Old School” and “Old School” works.
Mike Maggiore (West Covina) – Giving it up to another Edgewood alum who also owns a CIF title.
Eric Podley (Bonita) – Nobody underestimates his coaching ability.
Mark Pasquarella (Glendora) – Look where Glendora was before his arrival.
Terry Roche (Chino Hills) – Worked magic at Diamond Bar, doing same with Huskies.
Mark Verti (Bishop Amat) – Toughest job in SGV.
Jim Singiser (Arroyo) – Won or shared four of last five Mission Valley League titles.

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Training Camp: Bishop Amat at a crossroads


Peaked in and listened to new assistant coach and former Cleveland Browns and USC star Daylon McCutcheon talk to a group of players during Wednesday’s practice at Bishop Amat. He was asking how many all-state and all-cif players were standing in front of him. I don’t recall seeing a hand raised, but he went on to talk about how important the traditions were at Amat, and what it represented to wear that jersey.
There is no doubt this is going to be one of the most challenging years in school history for the boys in blue. There are several reasons why so many players have left in the last year – some for disciplinary reasons – some on their own terms, and that’s where I should and will leave it for now.
But the list is long, gone are Tony Adams (Diamond Ranch), Dorian Wells (South Hills), Brandon Sermons (DRanch), Blake Tillis (Los Altos), Bradford Ray (South Hills), Junior Tamayo (Los Altos), Kevin Bonilla (Chino Hills), Bryce McBride (Los Altos), Adam Acosta (Montebello), and Ryan Henson (Mater Dei?). And by the way, former Amat standout Rodney Sermons is also at Diamond Ranch as one of coach Roddy Layton’s assistants.
But as coach Mark Verti reminded me, there is a lot in reserve when you talk about Marcus Wagner taking over in the backfield with either Nick Lenhart or Nick Iglesias starting at quarterback. Brent Seals is back at safety and big Steven Ochoa (tackle) and James Stremple (OL) are back on the lines.
But how will the losses of so many impact players affect them? And how good would they have been if everyone stayed? We’ll never know the answers to those questions. The Lancers open with Los Osos and Orange Lutheran at home followed by road games at Hart and Rancho Cucamonga. If the Lancers don’t win one or both of those first two games, you’re looking at another long and difficult road just to stay .500.
With the schedule Amat plays, it’s so difficult to compare them with anyone else in the San Gabriel Valley. I’ve always felt you could only compare Amat with Amat’s past glory, and while that might not seem fair, that’s how it is at any school with a great tradition.
There’s only one way back in my opinion. Now that the gap between Amat and the rest of the SGV has obviously closed, Amat needs to challenge and send out invitations to schedule Los Altos, Charter Oak, South Hills and other great local teams on a regular basis. And why not. The first step Amat needs to take to take to attract the SGV’s best players and restore its credibility locally is to schedule the area’s best teams, especially those where players are leaving to. Imagine the interest is would generate. In the 1980s and early 90s this wouldn’t have worked because other SGV schools didn’t have a chance, and Amat didn’t need to because it had all the area’s best players. But that’s not reality anymore. It’s great to play the Orange Lutheran’s and the Hart’s, but I don’t thinking scheduling Charter Oak or South Hills is going to hurt the Lancers’ chances of preparing for the Serra League. Do you? Amat is at a crossroads where it needs to re-establish itself locally, or players are going to keep filtering out to other schools already building on their own winning traditions. What do you think, could this ever happen, and should it? And would these schools agree to face each other. I don’t see why not, or how it couldn’t benefit all involved.

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Training Camp notes: Day One from Gladstone; Bishop Amat coming Thursday


Click link for video interview with Gladstone coach Albert Sanchez and Richard Gurrola
http://lang.sgvtribune.com/multimedia/asps/081407_GLADSTONE.asp
6:30! That’s what time Gladstone opened practice Monday morning in preparation for its season opener against San Dimas on Thursday, Oct. 30, which is one of two area games on Thursday along with Ontario at La Puente. My alarm doesn’t function until 7, so I met coach Albert Sanchez around 8, and he talked about how disappointing 2006 was for his Gladiators. After two consecutive undefeated Montview League seasons in 2004 and 05, the Gladiators finished 4-6 and 2-4 in league to finish fifth, missing the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade. The Gladiators open with defending champion Duarte (Sept. 21) followed by Azusa (Sept. 28), so he knows they’ve got a lot of work in a short time.
“We have more returners as opposed to last year,” Sanchez said. “We feel like we’ve got one of the best playerrs in the area in Richard Gurrola. He’s going to do everything for us, run, catch, maybe line up at quarterback and play defense too. I’m not saying the competition (in the Montview League) is weak, but if we can get by Duarte and Azusa, I like our chances of winning league.”

Also talked to Charter Oak coach Lou Farrar on Monday, and can tell right away I’m going to like working with him and his son Dominic, the offensive genius. Without spilling too much before the previews come out, the Chargers have nearly all of their offensive weapons back, along with all four starting corners. There will be some new faces on the offensive and defensive lines, but when we started talking about running backs, Big Lou started dropping names like Kaanan Snowden, Jonathan Clark and Johnny Crespo, saying they’re all high-powered interchangeable parts. It also looks like junior quarterback Chris Allen, who was 9-1 as a starter after taking over for Drew Carreon, will remain there. Carreon has turned into a big-time linebacker since, and is more than a capable back-up.

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This is great news: Amat all-everything Daylon McCutcheon joins Lancers coaching staff


I’ve read about some of the Amat “impact” players leaving the program in recent months, so maybe the return of one its former greats, Daylon McCutcheon, will not only add a coach with big-time college and NFL experience, but also be a drawing card for soon-to-be Lancers, or those thinking of transferring to the Boys in Blue. McCutcheon graduated in 1995, and was one of my favorites along with Bienemy. After Edgewood folded, I spent the late 80s and 90s up the street watching not only these two tear it up, but many others. I read about his hiring on the blog here first, but confirmed it with coach Mark Verti this afternoon. After graduating in ’95, McCutcheon played at USC and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, where he played from 1999-2006 before injuring his right knee last September.

Verti’s reaction: “Daylon’s coming back to help out the D-Line, corners, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience at every level. He’s a good Amat guy and a big help to our program. Our kids are only going to benefit from having him around.”

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