CCCAA State Championship
City College of San Francisco 31, Mt. SAC 28.
Highlights: Mt. SAC QB Kevin Craft completed 25 of 45 passes for 298 yards and two TDS, but after throwing just seven interceptions during the first 12 games, he tossed three on Saturday….Mt. SAC receiver Aiona Key came up big, catching 12 passes for 179 yards and a TD….CCSF’s Andre Patterson was impressive, running for 122 yards and a TD, all in the second half.
Final thoughts: This one was as good as the score indicated. I was really impressed with how Mt. SAC fought back after falling behind, 17-0. I’ve covered a lot of JC football games, both for our newspaper, and was the Sports Information Director at Citrus College during the late 1980s and early 1990s, so I know how sometimes players at the JC ranks tend to throw in the towel when things don’t go their way. But the Mounties didn’t do that. They kept fighting and after being dominated for much of the first half, actually looked like they were going to win.
But as most coaches tell you time and time again, you can’t turn the ball over against good teams, and the Mounties paid for doing just that. Those three interceptions amounted to a difference in 28 points. CCSF returned the first pick back for a TD, the second one was in the end zone and ended a Mt. SAC scoring opportunity and kept the then score at 17-0. The third was also in the end zone and kep Mt. SAC from taking a 28-24 lead, or tying it at 24-24. And it was followed by a CCSF TD.

But in defense of Kevin Craft, who had a phenomenal season, and who is someone who might be throwing for June Jones at Hawaii next season, the ball was tipped at the line on one of those interceptions, and from the press box it appeared the defensive backs just made great reads on the other two. Those are the breaks.
This was my first junior college game in quite sometime, having been on the prep beat for the most part since 2000, but I’m already excited about seeing some area college football next fall, providing it doesn’t interfere with my dates at the Rose Bowl and UCLA football, which I’m a faithful season-ticket holder.
I guess this truly ends the Valley football season.
Don’t worry, summer passing league will be here before we know it.

Whittier Daily news reporter Andrew Campa called to rub it in, saying the high school football teams on his side of town just won two CIF titles. La Habra beat Fullerton 16-6 to win the Southeast Division and St. Paul hammered Palmdale, 42-14 to win the Western Division. Obviously my response was, does that mean Bishop Amat is the true Western Division champ? They did beat the Swordsmen 31-30 in triple overtime if I remember correctly. Oh Andrew, settle down. That’s what’s wrong with Amat, they’re in the wrong division. And by the way, El Dorado beat Trabuco Hills 13-12 to claim the Southwest title. Darn it, that should have been South Hills celebrating tonight. In other games, Oaks Christian beat Nordoff 52-7 to claim the Northwest (So San Dimas, don’t feel so bad).

From left: Kasey Johnson (La Salle), Marihelen Tomer (Diamond Ranch), Janessa Currier (Walnut), Coach Ali Khosroshahin (Edgewood), Lauren Brown (St. Lucy’s), Ashley Nick (Arcadia)

I can’t believe I just wrote that. Die-hard Bruins fans aren’t allowed to root for Trojans, but I’m feeling the USC women’s soccer team. First of all they’re coached by Ali Khosroshahin, and we go back a long way. We grew up in youth soccer and were teammates at Edgewood High School, where he was the young junior coming off the bench for yours truly, the starting senior. At least that’s how I still tell it, and like to remind Ali when I see him. But look at him now, I’m so proud. He’s taken the USC women’s soccer team to the Final Four and they’re playing UCLA on Friday. And he’s doing it with homegrown talent from the San Gabriel Valley. There are six players from the SGV on the Lady Trojans and most of them are making a huge impact. It was just last March I was covering La Salle’s Kasey Johnson and watching her lead the Lancers to a CIF title, and now she’s scoring game-winning playoff goals for the Trojans. All these names should be familiar, like St. Lucy’s Lauren Brown, Walnut’s Janessa Currier, Arcadia’s Ashley Nick, Diamond Ranch’s Marihelen Tomer, and Bonita goalkeeper Brittany Massro. Read Friday’s story by Scott French. Scott’s also a good friend and one of the best soccer writers in the country. I asked if he could do a story for us, and he delivered.
Read it, read it! This is how you represent the San Gabriel Valley.

Thursday’s semifinal results
Glendora/Rowland semifinals
Rancho Cucamonga 72, Vista Murrieta 61
Corona Centennial 66, Glendora 52

Friday’s Championship at Glendora
Rancho Cucamonga vs. Corona Centennial, 8 p.m.

Arroyo tournament semifinals
West Covina 65, Los Altos 60
Walnut 58, La Canada 55

Friday’s championship at Arroyo
West Covina vs. Walnut, 7:30 p.m.

Diamond Bar/San Dimas tournament semifinals
Thursday’s games
Etiwanda vs. Valley View at San Dimas, 7:30 p.m.
Diamond Ranch vs. Diamond Bar at Diamond Bar, 7:30 p.m.

Covina Girls Basketball semifinals
Friday’s games
South Hills vs. Wilson, 6:30 p.m.
Valley Christian vs. Covina, 8 p.m.

Note: Reporter Steve Ramirez and photographer Keith Birmingham will be at the state championships in Fresno this weekend. Ramirez will update this thread with results as soon as they happen.

Story on Mt.SAC football and men’s soccer competing for state titles
Men’s Soccer Final Four
Friday’s games at Fresno Pacific
Mt. SAC (20-0-2) vs. Taft (15-4-3), 4 p.m.
Santa Rosa (18-4-1) vs. Santa Ana (16-4-3), 7 p.m.
Saturday’s state football championship
Mt. SAC (10-2) vs. City College of San Francisco (11-2), 1 p.m. at Grizzlies Stadium in Fresno

Steve Ramirez and Fred J. Robledo going head-to-head throughout the season.

Final Records:
Robledo: Last week (1-1); Season (168-56)
Ramirez: Last week (0-2); Season (169-55)

Notes: Okay, Steve beat me and it’s all Charter Oak’s fault. I needed Charter Oak to win it all to pass Steve. The Chargers’ semifinal loss to Trabuco Hills basically gave him a free lunch on me. I picked El Dorado to beat South Hills, and got it. But with Charter Oak out of it, the season ended and I fell a game short. Congrats Stevie R., it was fun. I wish we could have had an all-area final, but that’s the way it goes. Both teams represented the SGV well. Here’s the Tribune’s final football poll

Tribune’s Final Super 31
1. South Hills (10-3)
2. Charter Oak (10-2-1)
3. Glendora (9-3)
4. Diamond Ranch (2-8)*
5. South El Monte (7-5)
6. West Covina (6-6)
7. Baldwin Park (7-4)
8. San Dimas (9-2)
9. Damien (5-5-1)
10. Bonita (6-5)
11. Wilson (6-6)
12. Bishop Amat (3-7)
13. Los Altos (5-5)
14. Northview (7-4)
15. La Puente (7-4)
16. Duarte (8-3)
17. Rosemead (7-4)
18. Arroyo (6-5)
19. Covina (5-5)
20. Diamond Bar (3-7)
21. Rowland (3-8)
22. El Monte (5-5)
23. Mountain View (4-5)
24. Nogales (2-8)
25. Azusa (4-7)
26. Sierra Vista (3-8)
27. Gladstone (3-7)
28. Western Christian (3-7)
39. Walnut (1-9)
30. Workman (2-7)
31. Bassett (1-9)
*forfeited five wins

Boys Soccer Preview

Boys Soccer Top Ten
1. Damien
2. Diamond Ranch
3. Wilson
4. South Hills
5. Arroyo
6. Bonita
7. Sierra Vista
8. Bassett
9. El Monte
10. Baldwin Park