By Steve Ramirez
Felipe Aguilar could have taken the easy route to become a high school head football coach.
The former Los Altos High School standout, who earned Valley Player of the Year honors after leading the Conquerors to a 14-0 record and CIF-Southern Section Division VII title in 2000, could have started small and worked his way back to his alma mater.
To continue reading, click thread

In other news ....
San Antonio League notebook
Thropay leaves Bishop Amat

But why?
"Coaching at Los Altos is a dream," said Aguilar, who is just the fourth coach in school history, following school legends Dwayne DeSpain (1967-96) and Greg Gano (1997-2007), who combined to win a Valley-best 11 CIF-SS divisional titles. "I'm lucky enough to have this opportunity.

"Coaching at a big-time program, there's always going to be pressure. But I have the staff, I have the players to definitely (be successful). It's definitely tough to fill those shoes of Coach DeSpain, who was (this newspaper's) Coach of the Century, and Coach Gano, who should be coach of the decade. It's tough to fill shoes like that, but I'm hoping to do my best with the kids we have here."

DeSpain, 244-94-9 while winning seven divisional titles, and Gano, who was 110-30-1 while earning four CIF-SS titles, are considered two of the best coaches in the Valley's history. But instead of running from the success, Aguilar hopes to take the most from his former mentors.

"I was able to play for Coach DeSpain my freshman year, and then Coach Gano my last three years," Aguilar said.

"I've been able to take a lot of things from them. They (always) mentioned me as the `coach on the field.' But now I'm in their shoes, and my experience as a player and now as a coach will definitely lead our team to success.

"The kids know what they have to do. They know we had a pretty rough season last year and know we have to get back to Los Altos' standards. At Los Altos, we don't go 5-5. That's not part of our program."

Aguilar, who graduated from Pomona-Pitzer College, showed that as a quarterback. He ranked among the best in Valley history, throwing for nearly 6,000 yards and 75 TDs in three seasons as a starter. He also shares the area's single-season record for TD passes with Bishop Amat's Pat Haden, throwing 42 in 2000.

His predecessor believes he's the perfect fit for the Conquerors.

"I think Felipe's one of the best human beings that ever played here and certainly one of the best athletes," Gano said. "There will be a lot that comes his way fast, but if there's a person who can take this job and run with it, it's Felipe."

Aguilar's biggest asset was his ability as a quarterback, and he hopes to pass that knowledge on to future Los Altos quarterbacks and this year's starter, senior Dmitri Longoria.

"I'm just trying to get him prepared as much as I can," Aguilar said. "As a player, Coach Gano did the same for me. He would pull me aside, help me with my footwork, make sure I was good in the classroom by going over the different coverages we'd see.

"We're trying to do the same thing with Dimitri. We're trying to mold him, so when he comes up to the line of scrimmage, he knows exactly what the (defense) is going to do. As a player, that's what I wanted, and hopefully Dmitri can get to that spot."

Aguilar's first step comes Friday when the Conquerors open the season at San Dimas, which was 9-2 last season and comes into the season as the favorite in the Valle Vista League.

"That first game, there's definitely going to be those jitters," Aguilar said. "But as the season progresses, there's only going to be getting into that comfort zone. Playing quarterback, you can't let the pressure get to you.

"It's the same thing with coaching. I know this is my first year, and I haven't coached a varsity game yet. I was offensive coordinator the last couple of years, but being the head coach, it's a lot different position, making those decisions, those calls at the right time. I hope to do as great a job as Coach Gano, as Coach DeSpain."

steve.ramirez@sgvn.com
(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2296

Posted by Fred Robledo at 2:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

The CIF-Southern Section football polls are out. South Hills, Charter Oak, No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in Southeast; San Dimas checks in at No. 2 in Mid-Valley; Glendora No. 6 in Central, and Amat No. 11, surprisingly, in Pac-5.
To view the polls, click thread.

CENTRAL DIVISION
1. Colton (San Andreas) 9-4
2. Colony (Mt. Baldy) 12-2
3. Upland (Baseline) 7-4
4. Chaffey (Mt. Baldy) 9-2
5. Paloma Valley (Sunbelt) 7-4
6. Glendora (Sierra) 9-3
7. Los Osos (Baseline) 8-3
8. Cajon (San Andreas) 5-6
9. Damien (Sierra) 5-5-1
10. West Valley (Sunbelt) 6-5
OTHERS: Hemet (Sunbelt), 5-5; Etiwanda (Baseline), 6-5; Arroyo Valley (San Andreas), 7-3-1; Ayala (Sierra), 7-4; Chino Hills (Sierra), 6-3-1; Elsinore (Sunbelt), 5-6.

MID-VALLEY DIVISION
1. Paraclete (Olympic) 12-1
2. San Dimas (Valle Vista) 9-2
3. South El Monte (Mission Valley) 7-5
4. Temple City (Rio Hondo) 5-7
5. Monrovia (Rio Hondo) 6-6
6. La Puente (Montview) 7-4
7. Valley Christian/Cerritos (Olympic) 7-6
8. Northview (Valle Vista) 7-4
9. Duarte (Montview) 8-3
10. Rosemead (Mission Valley) 7-4
OTHERS: Covina (Valle Vista), 5-5; San Marino (Rio Hondo), 5-4-1; Whittier Christian (Olympic), 6-6; Azusa (Montview), 5-6; Gabrielino (Mission Valley), 2-8.

PAC-5 DIVISION
1. Long Beach Poly (Moore) 13-1
2. Orange Lutheran (Trinity) 10-2
3. Crespi (Serra) 11-3
4. Mater Dei (Trinity) 9-2
5. Edison (Sunset) 8-4
6. Mission Viejo (South Coast) 6-4-1
7. Servite (Trinity) 8-4
8. Los Alamitos (Sunset) 7-4
9. Newport Harbor (Sunset) 6-4
10. Esperanza (Sunset) 10-2
OTHERS: Bishop Amat (Serra), 3-7; Lakewood (Moore), 7-4; Tesoro (South Coast), 7-4; Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks (Serra), 11-1; San Clemente (South Coast), 8-3.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION
1. South Hills (San Antonio) 10-3
2. Charter Oak (Miramonte) 10-2-1
3. Diamond Ranch (Miramonte) 7-3
4. Schurr (Almont) 8-5
5. Santa Fe (Del Rio) 5-6
6. California (Del Rio) 11-2
7. Muir (Pacific) 9-3
8. Burroughs/Burbank (Pacific) 4-7
9. Alhambra (Almont) 7-4
10. West Covina (San Antonio) 6-6
OTHERS: Los Altos (Miramonte), 5-5; Burbank (Pacific), 3-7; Rowland (San Antonio), 3-8.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 1:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (57)

Above: Amat quarterback's coach Chris Rix working with Thropay.

Bishop Amat sophomore quarterback Josiah Thropay has left the school and will enroll at Charter Oak, Lancers coach Steve Hagerty said today. Thropay, who transferred from Monrovia High to Bishop Amat last spring, was in a three-way battle for the starting position with senior Nick Lenhart and junior Jerry McLanahan. Hagerty hadn't announced a starter yet, explaining earlier in the week that he would do it on Saturday. Apparently, with Amat freshman Rio Ruiz waiting in the wings, Thropay's future at Amat was unclear, so he left. Charter Oak coach Lou Farrar said he was approached by Thropay's parents this week, had a brief conversation and directed them to the school's administration. Farrar said he has not received word, however, that he is officially in the school. Because Thropay used his "one-time" transfer to Bishop Amat as a freshman, CIF-Southern Section director of communications Thom Simmons said he will not be eligible at Charter Oak his sophomore year unless he is granted a hardship. It shouldn't matter anyway, not with the Chargers' third-year starter Chris Allen back his senior season.
We will have more in Saturday's newspaper with reaction from Hagerty and Farrar.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 8:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (163)

Time Warner's Reginald Miller, Tribune prep writer Steve Ramirez and
prep editor Fred J. Robledo discuss four of next week's season opening football games. By the way, Miller does a great job following our local teams and beyond on his popular site "A Local Sports Show" ... go check it out.

Covina vs. Bonita at Covina District Field, 7 p.m.
Bishop Amat at Los Osos, 7 p.m.
Los Altos at San Dimas, 7 p.m.
Muir vs. Diamond Ranch at Ganesha HS, 7 p.m.

The rest of the Week 0 Games
Thursday, Sept. 4th
Azusa at Ganesha, 7 p.m.

Friday, September 5th
Charter Oak at Aliso Niguel, 7 p.m.
Rancho Cucamonga at Damien, 7 p.m.
El Rancho at West Covina, 7 p.m.
Ayala at Duarte, 7 p.m.
Western Christian vs. Gladstone at Citrus College, 7 p.m.
Gabrielino at La Puente, 7 p.m.
Workman at Mountain View, 7 p.m.
Bassett at Buena Park, 7 p.m.
Glenn at Sierra Vista, 7 p.m.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 8:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)

That's right, more rankings. It's always interesting to see how outsiders rank the San Gabriel Valley. This is how MaxPreps' top ten looks, with its Southern Section rankings in parenthesis.

1. Glendora (31st)
2. Bishop Amat (37)
3. South Hills (50)
4. San Dimas (66)
5. Diamond Ranch (84)
6. Charter Oak (99)
7. Damien (119)
8. West Covina (132)
9. Los Altos (160)
10. South El Monte (167)
11. Rosemead (183)
12. Bonita (186)
13. Diamond Bar (187)
14. Northview (189)
15. Wilson (191)

Posted by Fred Robledo at 5:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (49)

INDUSTRY - Developer Ed Roski Jr.'s business partner says he has "no doubt" a National Football League team will play in Los Angeles in 2009, most likely at the Rose Bowl.
Majestic Realty Vice President John Semcken also said he believes there is a possibility two NFL teams could wind up playing in the $800 million stadium Roski wants to build in Industry.
"We are going to have a team here next September," Semcken said Tuesday afternoon.
"I personally believe, yes," two teams will come to L.A., he said. "Because the economics are so (good). All I want is one. All our analysis is based on one. If a second team came it would just be a tenant. We're only going to own one."

To continue reading, click thread

Roski is a billionaire listed in the Forbes 500 list of the world's richest people. He is president of Industry-based Majestic Realty, part-owner of the NBA's Lakers and NHL's Kings, and co-owner of the Staples Center.

In April, Roski unveiled his plan to build a state-of-the-art football stadium and entertainment complex on a 600-acre plot of land that was previously slated for commercial and retail use.

The anticipated stadium pricetag of $800 million would be about $1 billion less than was spent on the new home of the New York Giants and Jets, Semcken said.

Roski wants to buy a controlling interest in an NFL team and move it to his new stadium, planned to be built near the intersection of the 57 and 60 freeways. Semcken said that Roski has a "handshake deal" with
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Rose Bowl officials to allow an NFL team to play in Pasadena for two seasons, until his new stadium is finished.

Semcken also said NFL executives asked him to make sure the stadium and its training facilities could accommodate two teams.

"Every owner I have talked to is interested in coming," Semcken said. "The idea of moving here is like Nirvana to them."

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said that the league has long identified the Los Angeles region as a two-team market.

The L.A. area has been home to two pro football teams before. The NFL's Rams and the American Football League's Chargers both played in Los Angeles in 1960. When the Rams moved to Anaheim in 1980, it opened the way for the Raiders to move to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from Oakland. They did so in 1982.

Both the Rams and Raiders played in Southern California through the 1994 season, when the Rams moved to St. Louis and the Raiders returned to Oakland.

"It doesn't mean that we will have two teams there next season, but we have looked at an option that would provide flexibility so that should we have a team there someday. The site could also accommodate another team," McCarthy said.

Seven teams have expressed interest coming to Roski's stadium, but Semcken declined to name them. He said identifying teams could hurt ticket sales in their current stadiums.

In April, Roski listed the New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers as teams that might move to L.A. and his new stadium.

If a team agrees to move and Roski acquires at least part ownership, Semcken said it would play at the Rose Bowl for two seasons while the Industry site is developed. The stadium is expected to be completed in time for the 2011 season.

Semcken said an NFL team playing in the Rose Bowl would not negatively impact UCLA, which is the Rose Bowl's main tenant.

"We've had just very preliminary talks so far," said Darryl Dunn, general manager of the Rose Bowl. "We are definitely interested in anything that could bring in revenue."

Any agreement the NFL reaches would need to be approved by the Rose Bowl officials, Pasadena and UCLA, Dunn said. UCLA officials did not return calls Wednesday.

"The Rose Bowl Operating Company does not have a handshake deal with Majestic Realty for an NFL team," said Charles Thompson, spokesman for the Rose Bowl Operating Company.

Bringing an NFL team to Pasadena - even temporarily - would require community and council support, said Pasadena city spokeswoman Ann Erdman.

In 2006, Pasadena voters rejected Measure A, which would have allowed the NFL to renovate the stadium for NFL purposes.

"As it stands now, the stadium is not NFL ready," Erdman said. "So, therefore, should there sometime in the future be a major renovation to make it NFL ready, there would be many, many processes to go through."

Norman Parker, president of the Linda Vista/Annandale Association, said that the community has had a fine relationship with Rose Bowl management.

"For a couple of years, we could manage with (an NFL team) quite well, and the Rose Bowl would get some well-needed revenue," Parker said. "We look forward to working with them."

Roski's Los Angeles Stadium would seat 75,000 fans, have 175 suites, could have up to 5 million square feet available for commercial use, and provide nearly 6,000 jobs.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 8:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)

In an effort to include everyone, Stevie and I will try something new starting the week following the first games. In addition to "Bishop Breakdown," we'll have a weekly notebook thread on every league so that all of our teams have topics for dicussion. This is the weekly plan...
Monday - Bishop Breakdown, Valle Vista and Miramonte League's
Tuesday - San Antonio and Sierra League's.
Wednesday - Mission Valley and Montview League's

Posted by Fred Robledo at 2:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (33)

With help from the scouting guru and our discussions with head coaches, here are bits and pieces of what's happenning as the season nears.

Charter Oak: Junior sensation Adam Muema has been slowed by a groin strain, but he's practicing again and should be fine. If the junior running back can't go or is slowed, Monrovia transfer Brandon Golden, also a junior, has been very impressive in training. In fact our guru said he reminds him of Los Osos' Arby Fields. Other juniors to keep an eye on are outside linebacker Keith Smith and defensive lineman Garrett Clapper. Our guru also says to watch out for sophomore Venice Rufus. He's 6-2, 185, and has people thinking he could be the next Will Harris.

Bishop Amat: Coach Steve Hagerty said he will make a decision on his starting quarterback by Saturday between Nick Lenhart, Jerry McClanahan and Josiah Thropay, so that whoever he chooses will have a full week of reps to get prepared for Los Osos...UCLA-bound linebacker Isaiah Bowens (broken leg) is out of his cast but is not running, ruling him out for the opener. Sophomore running back Jay Anderson is listed at 5-9, 175 and is expected to play a huge role. Hagerty thinks he's going to be special.

Others....Northview's getting serious with temporary lights on its football field. For a school without a home stadium, this is a great way to simulate actual game situations. They say it's always difference under the lights, so it makes sense.
.....Diamond Bar quarterback Hunter Warren is returning from a non-football related injury but is expected to be ready for their opener against Walnut on Sept. 12. Wide receiver Aaron Bales might be the best pure football player. An Ivy League prospect with a 3.9 GPA, he's 6-2, 190. Also keep an eye on junior cornerback Calvin Bishop. The anchor of the 4x100 relay team is 5-10, 175 and locking everyone down at practice.
.....San Dimas' Kyle Salm is looking better and better. AT 6-6, 280 pounds, he didn't play as a junior because of injuries, but will play a key role on the offensive line to help Nico Barbone and Co. Also, remember this name, sophomore Calvantas Brown. Yes, the Saints got a transfer from Long Beach Poly. He's 6-0, 180, and one of the best athletes on the team. He will likely start at safety with so much depth in the backfield.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)

Azusa opens the prep season with the lone Thursday night game at Ganesha on Sept. 3. It will mark the debut of coach Joe Scherf, who has been an assistant with the Aztecs for 12-years and most recently the offensive coordinator until Craig Schuster resigned, then re-emerged as the defensive coordinator at San Dimas. Several other new head coaches are preparing for their debut's, like Bishop Amat's Steve Hagerty, Sierra Vista's Keith Locklear, Nogales' Vito Saracino, Wilson's Greg Hoyd, and Los Altos' Felipe Aguilar. In terms of just winning, expect the Aztecs to do much better than 4-7 with 29 seniors back and a third-year starting quarterback in Andrew Gaeta. I'm starting to believe they're the Montview league favorites, and should start 3-0 with an opening schedule of Ganesha, Marshall and Mountain View. But let's rank how you think the first-year head coaches will fare ...

Posted by Fred Robledo at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (26)

This story comes from longtime staffer Jim McConnel, the man we call, "The King" around the office. He writes a weekly Then & Now column, and wrote a great story after talking to legendary coach Mal Eaton.

What does it take to coach a high school football team?
Who better to answer that question than Mal Eaton, one of the Valley's all-time great coaches.
"Well, I can tell you right now, you can't be successful without support from the administration," Eaton said. "When I came to West Covina High in 1955 to start up the football program, my principal was Maurice `Cat' Wooden, John Wooden's older brother. And Maurice had the same background, he had been an All-American basketball player at Indiana. He was both academically and athletically inclined and a great guy to work for.
"He was an enabler, in a good sense. He allowed me to operate the program, gave me full support. So that was a big key to the success we had at West Covina.
"It was the same way at Los Altos in the 1970s. Pat Mauch, the principal, and Dwayne DeSpain, the coach, worked together great, and the school had an incredible run of winning teams. You have to have the backing from your administration."
To continue reading, click thread.

Eaton also pointed out the need to be receptive to new ideas.
"You can't get stuck in the past," Eaton said. "You need to expose yourself to new ideas. Two of the best I came across early on at West Covina I got from the Anaheim High program, which was one of the premier programs of the 1950s.
"At Anaheim, they were using weightlifting and bodybuilding techniques long before most schools, and I liked the idea so I got a guy from Universal Gyms on campus and installed a weight room. I believe we were the first school in the Valley to have one.
"Another thing they were doing at Anaheim was a booster program. Again, I liked the concept so I brought it on board at West Covina. Now, I didn't use it as a fundraiser. I used it to give anyone who was interested in the team a chance to learn more about it and to have the chance to ask me questions. That helped build a fan base for us.
"You have to be receptive to new ideas. You can learn if you listen to those who are the best. I picked up a lot of information going to talks by guys like Lou Holtz and Ara Parseghian and John McKay."
Eaton, perhaps surprisingly, does not believe you need to be a genius with X's and O's to be a successful high school football coach.
"It is a game of fundamentals," Eaton said. "It all starts with blocking and tackling. You can teach anything else you like, but if you can't get your kids to block and tackle correctly nothing else is going to work for you.
"Blocking and tackling and proper conditioning. A team that excels in those areas is going to win, pure and simple.
"After that, it really helps to have a plan and a goal. Coaches make plans, the players set the goals. For us, our goal every year was to win league. Not to win every game, or to win a CIF title. To win league. It worked for us, because we won 11 consecutive league titles. A goal should be something that the players can achieve, but difficult enough that they will need to excel to do so."
Eaton also stressed the importance of gaining the support of the student body.
"I always wanted to involve as many people as possible in our program," Eaton said. "Some coaches may feel otherwise, but I always felt I needed the support of the students. To me, our pep rallies were very important. I wanted the students to identify with the team. It built support and also gave our players a real lift. Don't forget your fan base.
"At West Covina, we started with a field and nothing else. Everything we eventually had, the lights, the bleachers, the scoreboard, came about due to community support. It takes a total community effort to build a successful program.
"I admit, it may have been easier to gain that support back in the 1950s. West Covina High was the only high school in town, so we had that going for us. It was the same way at Pomona, where the city only had one high school back then. Same way at Covina. Same way at Alhambra. One high school. People identified more with the high school team back then.
"But that's not to say you can't build that kind of support today. I think it's a real plus that the current West Covina High coach, Mike Maggiore, is a hometown boy who played for Edgewood High and later on played for me at Mt. SAC. Same thing at South Hills, where coach (Steve) Bogan grew up here in West Covina and played at Edgewood.
"In fact, Bogan played for Kenny Wells at Edgewood, and Kenny played for me when I coached at Bonita High, so there is a continuity there. It's not necessarily that Bogan coaches exactly like me, but you see him using things he learned from Kenny that Kenny learned from me. For a coach, that is very gratifying."
So, for someone who coached football in our area for nearly 40 years, are there any facets of Mal Eaton sports fans might not know about?
"You know, there are a couple things I don't think I have ever talked much about publicly," Eaton said. "My greatest fear wasn't losing, it was having one of my players suffer a catastrophic injury. I feared that more than anything else. We always screened and prepared our players so that they were strong enough and properly conditioned to be able to avoid serious injuries.
"And, I am pleased to say, not once did one of my players suffer a catastrophic injury. But I am quick to acknowledge there is an element of luck in that sort of thing, and I was lucky - or blessed, however you want to look at it.
"The other thing people might not know, I always had my West Covina High teams say a prayer just prior to the game. We didn't do this out on the field, we would go back to the lockerroom. But we always prayed. My first team decided on the Lord's Prayer for our pre-game prayer, and we stuck with that. I never forced players to pray, they could refrain, but I can't remember that happening.
"I suppose if we did that nowadays I would be fired. But something about the Lord's Prayer just seemed to work. It is a universal prayer. We weren't praying for victory or even to play well. We were praying for protection and for guidance and for good sportsmanship.
"For me, I feel blessed to have been able to touch so many lives in a positive manner. I am a rich person because of that, not in terms of dollars but in terms of well-being and great memories."

jim.mcconnell@sgvn.com

(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2383

Posted by Fred Robledo at 8:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (59)

After the sudden departure of Covina High School's co-head baseball coaches Scott Root and Ryan Merrill, Colts athletic director Darryl Thomas moved swiftly in naming Pete Loaiza the next head coach. Loaiza, who graduated at Northview in 1990 and played college baseball at the University of La Verne, leaves the Wilson High School baseball program after three years and a 22-45-2 overall record. The Wildcats were 8-15-1 last season and finished last in the very competitive Miramonte League. Loaiza was an assistant for Northview coach Darren Murphy from 2003-05 before moving to Wilson.
"This is an incredible opportunity for my career," Loaiza said. "Obviously being back in the community where I grew up was important to me. I was born and raised in Covina, I live here now, and the opportunity to come home, teach and coach baseball is an opportunity I couldn't pass up."
To continue reading, click thread

The Colts were 16-9 last season but graduated nine seniors. But they have three talented sophomores back in shortstop Matt Munoz along with Jeff Moran, Andy Perez and senior pitcher/outfielder David Olivas.
Loaiza said for those who don't know him, his record at Wilson isn't reflective of what he brings to Covina.
"I have a lot of confidence in myself," Loaiza said. "Coming to Covina, I know they've got a great tradition, fan base and alumni that support's their program and I want to build on it.
"What's great about coaching in this area is that the youth programs in Covina are phenomenal. Whether it's pop-warner or travel baseball, when you've got that in place you're off to a great start."
Thomas said that several candidates applied for the position, but that he had a good feeling after meeting with Loaiza.
"I had a great interview with Pete and I could see how passionate he was about coming here," Thomas said. "He's going to be a physical education teacher, and that was important, to have an on-campus coach. I think he'll do a great job in upholding Covina's baseball traditions."
For someone who graduated at Northview and remains close friends with Murphy, it's ironic that Loaiza would wind up at a school that was once his rival.
"It's going to be lots of fun," Loaiza said. "Northview's built a pretty dominant program, both in the Valle Vista league and in the Valley, but now they're my rival. They're our rival.
"I owe it to Covina, our players, its fans, alumni, and every Colts supporter to make this the best program possible."

Posted by Fred Robledo at 1:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (125)

...... If you're wondering why we haven't had more training camp video's, it's because, well, I've been up late watching the Olympics. Okay, joking, but you know there's some truth to it :) C'mon, we've been making calls, setting up photo's and working on this football tab, which has to be finished on Monday so they can publish on Sept. 3.
...... Hopefully next week and leading up to the games I can do a lot more in-person video stuff, and I'm looking forward to going over to Wilson to find out what that's all about, visiting Los Altos and Bishop Amat to check out the new coaching staffs, as well as some others teams time permitting.
...... We shot our cover last night at the District Field, which got interesting with a South Hills player in the stands chirping at a Charter Oak player taking his picture. Man I hope they meet at some point during the playoffs.
...... I've been told by a coach for about the fifth or sixth time to not sleep on Northview. I know summer passing leagues are summer passing leagues, but everyone I've talked to has been extremely impressed with Vikings QB Oscar Robles and their talented receivers.
...... West Covina coach Mike Maggiore told me something I've been waiting to hear since they closed the doors in 1988. He said don't be surprised if Edgewood High School is back in a year or two.
...... Former West Covina quarterback Jacob Shirley is now at South Hills hoping that he receives a hardship from CIF so that he can play baseball this spring. No word on whether he'll play football next year to replace senior Cameron Deen at quarterback.
..... Still not sure who deserves to be No. 1 out of the gate, but I've narrowed it to Diamond Ranch, Bishop Amat, South Hills and Charter Oak. Yeah, it's that tight.
..... Sleeper teams we've haven't raved that much about include Covina, Rosemead, Baldwin Park, Diamond Bar, Walnut, and yes, Western Christian, who might have the best junior quarterback in the Valley in Alex Beaton.
...... Teams we're still wondering about are Nogales, Los Altos, Rowland, and La Puente.
..... And finally some gossip, Aram won't be back, but his one-time girlfriend Elizabeth will be covering games for us this fall.

...... In case you're wondering how league rankings stack up, Calpreps ranked the top leagues in California. Here's how it looks between our three coverage areas, the Tribune, Star-News and Whittier Daily News.
Local ranking, (overall ranking)
1. Serra (No. 2 overall)
2. Mission (9th)
3. Miramonte (30th)
4. Sierra (36th)
5. Del Rey (61)
6. Del Rio (67)
7. San Antonio (94th)
8. Pacific (106)
9. Almont (114)
10. Mission Valley (119)
11. Rio Hondo (128)
12. Valle Vista (129th)
13. Christian (133)
14. Prep (139)
15. Camino Real (150)
16. Montview (160)

Posted by Fred Robledo at 9:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (149)

Whether you're a parent, player or a coach snooping through the blogs, if you have a varsity schedule for girls volleyball, boys water polo, cross country or girls tennis, please get them to us. I'd like to run a daily schedule thread in the paper, web and on the blog, and the schools aren't always that quick about getting them to us, so any help is appreciated. You can email them to fred.robledo@sgvn.com, fax to 626-856-2758 or mail to 1210 N. Azusa Canyon Road, West Covina CA, 91790.

While we're on the subject of sports other than football, which of the "other" sports deserves the most coverage. I'll definitely run a weekly girls volleyball thread, but how much interest is there in the other sports?

Posted by Fred Robledo at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

When it comes to Westside trash-talking, nobody delivers it better than Muir and PHS. As new Star-News prep editor Miguel Melendez is finding out, just ask the questions and watch the brutal honesty roll off the tongue. Sure beats the political correctness and practiced responses we get all the time. Muir, as we've noted, is excited about the Pacific league dropping down to the Southeast Division, where they will eventually take on San Antonio and Miramonte league teams in the playoffs. Muir coach Kenny Howard, one of my all-time favorites on a personal level, had this to say about it.

"We're not worried about anybody," Howard said. "They (Diamond Ranch) don't impress me at all. I'm more concerned about California (of Whittier), a team we'll see in the playoffs and don't know much about."

What is he trying to say, that DRanch won't make the playoffs? Maybe Ken doll didn't realize the Ranch is rated No. 2 in the division, at least in CalPreps' pre-season poll. But that's Muir, they've got tunnel vision and figure hey, once you've gone up against the Notre Dame's, Oak's Christian's, Loyola's and so forth, then why be worried about DRanch, SHills, or Charter Oak. Heck, maybe Howard's not so crazy, except that I've had a pretty good taste of both sides, and until the Mustangs organize themselves and get the most out of their ability, they won't be ready to beat the Charter Oak's, South Hills' or even Diamond Ranch. Take the Ranch on opening night.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 2:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (85)

By Fred J. Robledo
Staff Writer
COVINA - With more than half of the San Gabriel Valley High School football teams opting for "Week 0" games the first week of September, "Hell Week" started early on Monday, which begins the grueling journey of two-a-day practices, sore muscles and ice packs.
New coach Steve Hagerty began his hopeful task of restoring Bishop Amat's proud tradition, while West Covina got a jump on others by starting late last week.
Bishop Amat and West Covina start the season on Sept. 5, with the Lancers on the road against Los Osos while the Bulldogs host El Rancho.
"There's finally light at the end of the tunnel," Bulldogs coach Mike Maggiore said. "We have three more weeks to go after talking about things for the last eight months. The kids are excited."
To continue, click thread

After 41 years of coaching and more than two decades at Charter Oak, coach Lou Farrar said the grass still smells the same and his feelings about the first days of practice haven't changed either.
The Chargers opened camp on Monday in preparation for their Sept. 5 opener at Aliso Niguel.
"I don't ever get tired of it," Farrar said. "It's a special day for the coaches, because this is our sanctuary. It's our vacation from the rest of the world.
"As I was walking off the field this morning there wasn't an arthritic pain in my body. I'm sure it will hurt like (heck) when I get back to the house, but that excitement, the anticipation, it just takes all the pain away."
To prepare for the long hot days, there were three tables and more than 60 gallons of water available to players throughout Charter Oak's practice, which brought a chuckle from Farrar, who recalled his days of playing for Charter Oak in the 1960s.
"When you got thirsty in my day you found a water fountain," Farrar said. "I don't even think players brought water bottles to practice. I sure as heck know our coaches didn't bring them for us."
Practice sessions have evolved, too.
"We don't do monkey rolls, bear crawls, and all that sort of stuff anymore," Farrar said. "And when you got something taped up back then, it was a sign you were hurt and people came after you. Now, everyone gets taped up."
All joking aside, Farrar said setting a tone in the opening practice is vital, and few do it better than the Chargers, who have one of the longest-tenured coaching staffs in they Valley.
"We have a certain way we do things, and we do them on time and with maximum effort," Farrar said. "We had a couple kids who transferred in, so this was the first time they went through this. I asked one of them, `what do you think of this?' He said he had never been through anything like it. "So I said, `Welcome to Charter Oak, this is how we run things. We don't walk and we say yes sir, no sir.' I think he got it."
The Chargers' freshman players were the first to arrive at 5:30 a.m., with Farrar pulling one off to the side later in the morning.
"He was a little nervous, a little scared," Farrar said. "I told him it was normal, and that this is a time in his life he must enjoy because it will be over before he knows it."
Some things were normal, however, like smooth-throwing third-year starting quarterback Chris Allen, who not only led the Chargers to back-to-back Miramonte League titles but also the CIF-SS Divisional finals in 2006 and the semifinals in 2007.
"Since the spring he's been doing everything we've asked, he's put in the training, has done well at camps, and he knows our system inside and out," Farrar said of Allen, coming off a season in which he threw for 1,575 yards and 15 touchdowns. "Adam Muema, our junior running back, has been sensational too.
"Between the two of those guys, that's a lot of offense. We feel good about our ability to move the chains and put points on the board."

Posted by Fred Robledo at 8:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (77)

After taking the football team on a retreat in Big Bear, Bishop Amat started practice on Monday under new coach Steve Hagerty. The Big-Bear trip was a team-bonding experience, where Hagerty and others on the coaching staff shared stories of what Bishop Amat football meant to them, etc, etc. But the biggest news out of Amat headquarters is that UCLA-bound linebacker Isaiah Bowens is still in a cast and doubtful for their Sept. 5 season opener against Los Osos. He broke his foot in late June at the Bonita passing tournament. In fact, coach Hagerty didn't sound very optimistic about having him for all of September. The coach also said he's not close to naming his starting quarterback, and may end up platooning senior Nick Lenhart and junior Jerry McClanahan. He would like to name a starter earlier, but with neither pulling away, he thinks watching them both in game situations could sort it all out.The Amat backfield situation is also cloudy, it looks like senior Deshawn Gaisie and sophomore Jay Anderson are the leading candidates. There are others capable like Jesse Prieto, Darien Johnson and Brent Seals, but they will spend a considerate amount of time on defense instead.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 2:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (124)

In rural Minnesota, one district is skipping classes every Monday to save fuel. On the other days, classes will be about 10 minutes longer. "I think it's a great opportunity," said Candice Jaenisch, whose two sons and daughter will be making the switch. "You're cutting expenses that really don't affect the school." Nationwide, at least 14 other districts are switching to four-day weeks, and dozens more are considering it, according to a recent survey by the American Association of School Administrators.

This is the first report I've read about school districts switching to four-day school weeks because of high fuel prices and the money saved on air conditioning, electricity and so forth. While I'm thinking why don't we have that option here at the Trib, kids are celebrating somewhere. Wouldn't you stay an extra 10-minutes in class for a three-day weekend. For those in sports, it's just another day of training. Is this something you could envision happening here? And what's the trickle down affect going to be in prep sports, because those buses aren't cheap? Hence, the real reason why CIF has gone to geographically-sensible playoff divisions.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 8:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Southeast Division (Div. VII)
1. South Hills, 2. Diamond Ranch, 3. Charter Oak, 4. Muir, 5. California, 6. West Covina, 7. San Gabriel, 8. Pioneer, 9. La Serna, 10. Schurr, 11. Los Altos, 12. Pasadena, 13. Alhambra, 14. Bonita, 15. Wilson, 16. Burroughs, 17. Santa Fe, 18. Arcadia, 19. Whittier, 20. Bell Gardens.

Fred's take: Just what we've been talking about, the East San Gabriel Valley starting 1, 2. 3, and if I added my two cents, Bonita would be in the top five.

Mid-Valley Division (Div. XI)
1. San Dimas, 2. Paraclete, 3. Cerritos Valley Christian, 4. South El Monte, 5. Rosemead, 6. Northview, 7. El Monte, 8. Baldwin Park, 9. Whittier Christian, 10. Monrovia, 11. Blair, 12. L.A. Baptist, 13. Covina, 14. San Marino, 15. Arroyo, 16. La Canada, 17. Temple City, 18. Duarte, 19. La Puente, 20, Sun Valley Christian

Fred's take: Yeah, Saints deserve the top spot, and Duarte is a little too far down the list. Also, I would put Northview ahead of Rosemead.

Pac-5 Division (Div. I)
1. Long Beach Poly, 2. Crespi, 3. Orange Lutheran, 4. Mater Dei, 5. Servite, 6. Esperanza, 7. Lakewood, 8. Newport Harbor, 9. Mission Viejo, 10. Los Alamitos, 11, Edison, 12. Tesoro, 13. Bishop Amat, 14. St. John Bosco, 15. Santa Margarita, 16. Loyola, 17. San Clemente, 18. Compton, 19. Notre Dame, 20, Dana Hills.

Fred's take: High ranking for Lancers considering they were 3-7 last year. For those Amat bashers, answer this, would any other team in the SGV deserve to be ranked higher in this division?

Inland Division (Division V)
1. Los Osos, 2. Upland, 3. Glendora, 4. Colony, 5. Paloma Valley, 6. Ayala, 7. Etiwanda, 8. Colton, 9. Rancho Cucamonga, 10. Damien, 11. Elsinore, 12. West Valley, 13. Arroyo Valley, 14. Alta Loma, 15. Hemet, 16. Chaffey, 17. Chino Hills, 18. Claremont, 19. Cajon, 20. Diamond Bar.

Fred's take: Tartans No. 3? What did the scouting guru put this together? The Tartans would gladly take a semifinal finish, and Damien at No. 10 might be a stretch too.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (128)

Miramonte League contender Bonita opened its high school football camp of two-a-days on Friday. We caught up with head coach Eric Podley and quarterback Terry Paradez, who were happy to jump in front of our video camera and talk about their expectations. By the way, for a first practice, it was extremely organized and lively. I've got a good feeling about these Bearcats, but still can't convince myself they will do better than third in the Miramonte behind Charter Oak and Diamond Ranch. Bonita has added former San Dimas defensive coordinator Adrian Medrano, who is now the Bearcats special teams coordinator. Over at San Dimas, Medrano was replaced by former Azusa High coach Craig Schuster. Also joining Podley's staff is wide receivers coach Hector Mendoza, who came from Upland, and Tony Arreola, who moved over from Rowland.
Note: On Monday, we visit Charter Oak bright and early.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 2:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (19)

Hi All:

I just wanted to let you know about my latest post on the Prep Stars: Where are you now? blog. I write about former Mt. SAC quarterback Kevin Craft, who is considered the front runner to be UCLA's starting quarterback this season, now that Ben Olson will be lost for two months. While Craft was not a former prep star from the area, he did play locally on the junior college level, and his progress should be of interest.

Posted by Steve Ramirez at 4:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (23)

Our new Star-Newsman Miguel Melendez reports that former Temple City football coach Mike Mooney is back on the sidelines at San Marino, where he is the vice principal. This move was inevitable ever since Mooney left the Rams a year ago, and most thought he would be back on the sidelines a year later. He is coaching the offensive line for Titans coach D.R. Moreland.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 8:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Over the next two weeks we'll visit football camps and do video interviews with coaches and players. My first stop is at Northview on Wednedsday to check out QB Oscar Robles and the dangerous duo of receivers Kevin Jones and Anthony Farmer. The Vikes are getting ready for their Sept., 11 opener against Los Altos at the District Field. I love it, it's a Thursday night, so I'm expecting the Valley to fill out the stands. On Friday the Trib Train heads over to Bonita.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 8:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (62)

Covina high co-head baseball coaches Scott Root and Ryan Merrill have both resigned. Root left in June and Merrill recently told athletic director Darryl Thomas that he will not be back, leaving one of the valley's premiere baseball programs searching for a successor. Those interested should contact Thomas at the school.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 2:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (163)

Above: That's Jackson State-bound pitcher Aaron Elias

The San Gabriel Valley's best baseball team reports that pitcher Aaron Elias is heading to Division I's Jackson State in Alabama, and soon-to-be senior shortstop Rich Pedroza has given a verbal commitment to attend Cal State Fulerton. By the way, Pedroza hit a home run for Covina at the Colt World Series. Covina is 2-0 in the tourney.

Above: That's CSUF-bound shortstop Rich Pedroza

Posted by Fred Robledo at 2:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)

An open discussion, whoever and whatever you wanna talk about....

And remember, coming this fall. BISHOP BREAKDOWN
We'll post a thread on Monday's to evaluate Bishop Amat's Friday night's games, the players, coaching staff's, and the next opponent. With the coaching staff in place, this feels like a make or break year at Bishop Amat. It's probably not fair to expect too much from Steve Hagerty and staff in their first season, but there's nothing like the excitement and emotions of a quick turnaround. Whatever happens, week-by-week, we'll follow the ride.

The East San Gabriel Valley has the best football talent, but nobody has a drumline quite like Muir.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (65)

I'm looking for ways to make the Friday night football experience even better. As of now, we post quarter-by-quarter updates, and recap all the games on our Friday night/weekend thread, "Saturday Morning Quarterback." But what can we do with this new live streaming video technology? I've thought about going to a local sports bar, inviting prep fans and bloggers to chat it up from 11:30 to 12:30, but with our deadlines, I'm not sure how feasible that is. More realistic would be going live in the newsroom from 11:30 to 12:30 and talking it up with reporters who were at the games, which also allows you to ask us questions and have a dialog for the hour we're live. Any other suggestions?

Also, I'm not trying to go Aram on you, but if you haven't tried Dino's chicken & fries across the street from Gladstone High School on Arrow Hwy, you haven't tried chicken. El Pollo Loco and Juan Pollo are good, but Dino's takes it to another level. And get this, you get it all for something like $5 bucks.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (24)

Yes, for most schools with "0" week games, "Hell Week," and two-a-days start on August 18, but some are starting earlier. Let us know when you report, we know a few, but not everyone.

Thank God it's Friday, enjoy the weekend ...

Time to focus ...

Posted by Fred Robledo at 8:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Notice I said cheer teams, not cheerleaders. This isn't about looks, it's about who has the best cheer teams in the SGV. First, not sure if we should even be talking about this, but the best-of-the-best cheer teams are on ESPN competing for national championships. We all know this is serious business, especially in other parts of the country, so why not give our hometown cheerleaders some recognition. I'd be curious to know if we have any cheer teams who have won local, region, state or national titles. And is there a cheerleader regarded as the "best." And please, be respectful with your comments.

Best 80s movie...

Love the Bagpipers at Glendora ...

Posted by Fred Robledo at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (56)

After a conversation with Wildcats coach Greg Hoyd and exchanging emails with a prominent Wilson player who I will not identify, it seems the Wildcats football team is united, despite the ongoing feud with Hoyd and some members of the boosters.
"The mood is actually great," a member of the football team wrote to tell me. "Hoyd has a lot of faith in us, and the majority of the team feels like the offensive and defensive regime he has is perfect for our team this year. The coaching staff is great too. From what I have read on the blogs, nothing has been true, except that Hoyd and the boosters get in arguments a lot." Hoyd spoke along the same lines and has admitted that there have been disagreements with certain parents and boosters (what else is new), but that much of it has been blown out of proportion. I'm not going to address the accusations made on this blog, because the football team will have a hard-enough time competing in the Miramonte league, and my focus is on the team and its players, not the accusations of those who hide behind screen names.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (77)

Diamond Bar athletic director J.T. Cameron has named former Cal State Dominguez standout Eric Shibley to become the fifth Brahmas baseball coach in school history. Shibley was an assistant varsity coach at Glendale and most recently was the Brahmas assistant the past three years under Gonzalez, who will remain at the school as a teacher.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

This is the all-encompassing top ten defensive line players in the San Gabriel Valley. It was difficult narrowing this to ten because I could have easily put out a top 20 list out with so many qualified candidates. But again, I think I'm close ....

Above: Bishop Amat's Brent Seals.

1. Brent Seals, Bishop Amat, Sr, LB, 6--0, 190 - Maybe undersized at the next level where he will likely be a SS, but the best linebacker in the San Gabriel Valley after earning Serra League first team honors as a junior and Tribune second team honors.

2. Tyler Perri, Charter Oak, Sr, DE, 6-3, 230 - The Chargers' best returning pass rusher was a CIF-Southwest first team selections and Miramonte league first-teamer and has done well in camps. Has great size at this level and also can play tight end.

3. Alex Barrios, South Hills, Sr, DE, 6-2, 200 - Following Kebin Umodo and Damon Kuklinski is a third-year starting defensive end who earned San Antonio first team honors last season. He's one of the valley's hardest hitters, and rushes the passer as well as anyone.

4. Isaiah Bowens, Bishop Amat, Sr., LB, 6-2, 200 - Another talented player on the Lancers' defensive front, where he earned second team All-Serra league honors as a junior. He led the team in sacks (7.5) and already has verballed UCLA.

5. Wayne Goss, South Hills, Sr., OLB, 5-11, 193 - Just think Barrios, Goss and Chris Bowden are all on this defensive front. That's scary. Goss is another returning first team all-san antoino and Tribune first team selection.

6. Jeff Gelalich, Bonita, Sr., LB, 6-0, 185 - A great athlete and returning Miramonte League first team selection. He's going to USC to play baseball but is a natural hard-hitting linebacker who should have a tremendous senior season.

7. Bryan Bonilla, Diamond Ranch, Sr, LB, 6-0, 193 - A returning Miramonte League first team selection has reportedly looked great at the combines and coach Roddy Layton continues to pump him up. No reason he shouldn't be one of the top performers this fall.

8. Chad Young, Glendora, LB, Sr, 5-9, 201 - What else do you need to know other than he was the Sierra League defensive MVP. Call him undersized or whatever, but the bottom line is he gets the job done.

9. Alonzo Nevarez, West Covina, LB, Sr, 6-2, 187 - Perfect size and speed for a high school linebacker. Earned San Antonio league first team honors and with Albert Cid going both ways, gives the Bulldogs a great one-two punch on the D-Line.

10. Chris Bowden, South Hills, LB, 6-2, 230 - This gives the Huskies three returning first team players on its defensive front. Scary, isn't it. If defense wins championships, how you gonna argue against the Huskies, who also have highly touted Cameron Deen at QB.

Brent Seals' 2007 highlights (#9)

Posted by Fred Robledo at 9:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (54)

Workman, get ready for "El Mago," the Spanish kids magic man. Look at these handles from Cezar Guerrero, this kid is unbelievable and he's going to be a Lobo.

I can't believe what I just read in the L.A. times blog page. St. John Bosco point guard Cezar Guerrero told Times' reporters that he is leaving mighty St. John Bosco to play basketball at Workman High School, where he will compete in the mighty Montview League. All joking aside, this is great for the Lobos. The 5-foot-11 Guerrero is only going to be a sophomore, and is regarded by Division I scouts as one of the best prospects for 2011. As one scout noted, "He needs to work on his decision-making (tends to force it), but he's one of the more impressive freshman guards I've witnessed in the last 15 years."
As only a freshman, the point guard averaged nearly 17 points while orchestrating the offense for a veteran laden team. Guerrero has had some of his best games while playing for Bosco in the toughTrinity League, which features some of the best teams in the state like Mater Dei, Santa Margarita and Serra. Guerrero had 22 points against Serra and 19 against eventual state champs, Mater Dei.
You put Guerrero in the backcourt with sophomore Bobby Miles, who averaged more than 20 points a game and earned first team all-league honors and all of a sudden you've got the makings one one of the top teams in the San Gabriel Valley. Workman coach Martin Flores already had a talented young cast that coaches were wondering about, and Guerrero comes from his travel ball team. But now that he has enrolled at Workman, this could be the beginning of something. Can you imagine, the best two teams could be La Verne Lutheran and Workman! Anyway, this is what Guerrero had to say about his switch to the Lobos.

"I am very excited. I can't wait to get things started,'' Guerrero told the Times. "And I know people might be wondering why I left a big school like St. John Bosco for a smaller one like Workman. But the player makes the school. The school doesn't make the player. I'm ready to move on and succeed at Workman.
"I have nothing but good things to say about St. John Bosco. Everyone one there, all of the coaches, the players, they were all great,'' Guerrero said. "It came down to me and my family deciding that Workman would end up being a better place for me. It feels right, it feels like the right fit.''

For more on Guerrero, click thread

This comes from the GBOA website ...

Cezar Guerrero is a name you might want to remember over the next few years. The sensational freshman for St. John Bosco in Bellflower, California is breaking out on to the national scene in a big way. As only a freshman, the 5'10 point guard averaged nearly 17 points while orchestrating the offense for a veteran laden team.

Guerrero has had some of his best games while playing in the extremely talented Trinity League which features some of the best teams in the state of California including Mater Dei, Santa Margarita and Serra. The point guard had 22 points against Serra and 19 against eventual league and state champs, Mater Dei.

Playing against older stronger competition is not something new for the youngster. From the age of 12, his older brother Joe had him playing against older opponents in men's leagues to gain experience.

"My idea was to have him play against bigger and stronger guys to eliminate any fear," said the older Guerrero. "I would bring him with me to play in leagues where he'd go up against guys who played professionally in Mexico. He was scoring 25 points against pro players."

Cezar's older brother's influence resulted in one of the most successful season's ever by a St. John Bosco player. As a freshman he was named to the Trinity League's All First Team, a first for a Bosco freshman. By playing against older opponents as a young kid, Guerrero was already prepared for the extreme competition he'd face every week going against Trinity League teams.

Guerrero is already turning the heads of many recruiters at several of the best college programs. Joe said they have received numerous letters and have been contacted by Notre Dame, Texas, Santa Clara and USC. After playing in the Elite Camp at UCLA, Cezar also received some interest from the Bruins.

This summer, Guerrero will be playing with the perennial grassroots powerhouse Belmont Shore. The skilled point guard caught the eye of Belmont coach Dinos Trignois when he played in the Belmont summer league and scored 30 points against Trigonis' team. Guerrero hopes to pair up with Belmont's talented Darius Morris and bring home the GBOA West title as well as earning a trip to the GBOA Challenge of Champions tournament in Chicago this August.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 9:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (35)

This is 2008 right? Even so, it's still amazing how many schools do not have athletic websites, especially for football. I ran across the Northview High football site and loved how it's set up. It's got links for rosters, coaches, schedules, standings, stats, photo galleries and the ability to upload video's, perfect. Obviously, Bishop Amat's got a clean site too, and there are others, but not nearly enough. Northview and others are using U.S. Football.net, which has created a website for every school in California, all they need is for someone to run it. It's a great idea and hope more schools use it.

That brings me to the next question, which schools have the best sports school/fotball websites websites? When you respond, paste the links and down the road I'll create a thread with as many as I can get, making it easier for you to navigate around and search information throughout the season. And you know me, at the end of it all, I'd like to rank the area's ten best.

I'll start a list of football websites ... Send 'em if you know them ...
Los Altos
Bishop Amat
Northview
San Dimas
Glendora
Bonita
West Covina
Charter Oak

Posted by Fred Robledo at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

After Azusa kicks off the prep season on Sept. 4, we've got the best lineup of week zero games ever. As far as coverage goes, I'm going to rank these games in order of importance.

Thursday, September 4th
Azusa at Ganesha, 7 p.m. -- The stage is all their's opening night.

Friday, September 5th
1. Los Altos at San Dimas, 7 p.m. -- Lots of storylines, Felipe Aguilar's coaching debut against the favorites to win the Mid-Valley Division.
2. Muir at Diamond Ranch, 7 p.m. -- Right off the bat a test of east vs. west Southeast Division rivals.
3. Covina vs. Bonita at District Field, 7 p.m. - The Colts got bounced in this one last year. The Bearcats are strong on paper, but how much have the Colts improved?
4. Bishop Amat at Los Osos, 7 p.m. - I'll bet Steve Hagerty wins his coaching debut. Amat would be higher on the list, but we'll see them enough down the road.
5. Charter Oak at Aliso Niguel, 7 p.m. - Interesting opening choice considering the Wolverines were 1-9 in 20076. But they're a Pac-5 school.
6. Rancho Cucamonga at Damien, 7 p.m. - I like the Spartans against a 4-6 team from a year ago.
7. El Rancho at West Covina, 7 p.m. - Smart choice and with Blair to follow, Bulldogs should be 2-0 before getting hammered by Amat next.
8. Ayala at Duarte, 7 p.m. - When Ayala beat Duarte last year, nobody realized the Bulldogs would contend for the Sierra. Will it be any different?
9. Western Christian vs. Gladstone at Citrus College, 7 p.m. - I like it, a small school taking on a mid-major or sorts.
10. Gabrielino at La Puente, 7 p.m. - Let's see how the defending Montview League champs perform against an improved team from the MVL.
11. Workman at Mountain View, 7 p.m. - Hey, someone had to be ranked here.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (90)

The Foothill-Citrus Football Officials Association is seeking candidates to become high school football officials for the upcoming season. The first meeting will be Tuesday, August 26 in the West Covina High School cafeteria at 6:30pm. Interested parties should contact Jack O'Cain at 626-919-8200 or go online at www.fcfoa.org

Posted by Fred Robledo at 8:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

This caught me by surprise. A caller said he didn't want to "out" his son just yet, but he was wondering if his son could go out for the girls volleyball team at his high school (won't say which one) since they do not offer a boys volleyball team. He said his son is a club volleyball player and is willing to do this if can somehow force the high school to field a boys team. My first thought was he's joking, right? But hey, don't girls go out for football because there is no girls football team? Same with wrestling, and so on. I thought what's fair is fair, but after combing through the CIF blue book, it's not that simple. They've got a different set of rules for boys and girls, which is clearly spelled out on page 94 of the blue book, which is broken down into three parts.

(1) - Student Team - Whenever the school provides only a team or teams for boys in a particular sport, girls are permitted to quality for the student teams.

(2) - Boys' Team - Whenever the school provides a team or teams for boys and a team or teams for girls in the same sport, girls shall not be permitted to qualify for the boys' teams in that sport, nor shall boy be permitted to qualify for the girls teams in that sport.

(3) - Girls' Team - (This spells it out) Whenever the school provides only a team or teams for girls in a particular sport, boys shall not be permitted to quality for the girls' team in that sport unless opportunities in the total sports program for boys in the school has been limited in comparison to the total sports program for girls in that school. Permission for boys to qualify for a girls' team must be secured through petition by the school principal to the CIF State Federated Council.

Final thoughts: Well, looks like if this family forced this issue they might have a chance, but it looks like a real long shot. Anyway, it seemed like a nice try and would have been a great feature story. The SGV has three to four times as many girls volleyball teams than boys teams, so this could have started a trend. I'm glad it didn't. Even though I'm all for gender equity, CIF got it right on this one.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Above: Umm, some need to get in shape more than others ...

This is the deadest of dead periods before high school football teams get ready for a two-a-days in a couple weeks. Coaches are on vacations, players are enjoying the short time off, and we're speculating about what's soon to follow. I'll be working on the top ten linebackers, which will come out later this week. But a commenter made the suggestion of doing the top ten offenses and defenses, which should make for interesting conversation. Any thoughts on who has the best on each side?

Posted by Fred Robledo at 8:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (42)

An open discussion, whoever and whatever you wanna talk about. After speaking with the Scouting Guru, I decided to pull his thread on Sunday night. He doesn't mind providing us with information, but he was tired of the personal insults and cheap shots. He'll continue to provide me with information that I can share from time to time, but for now, the Guru is leaving the room.

Top Ten things that could happen in '08 ...
1. Gano pulls a Favre and comes of retirement.
2. West Covina shocks Amat, covers the 28-point spread.
3. Aram is seen cheering from the Charter Oak sidelines.
4. Crutchfield boldly predicts Duarte will beat South Hills
5. Greg Hoyd eliminates the Wilson booster club
4. Edgewood will become a high school again
3. Amat starts No. 1, then drops out of top ten completely.
2. Someone will quit for "family reasons."
1. Bloggers pledge to be more respectful? Okay, nine things that could happen in '08

Posted by Fred Robledo at 8:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (85)

Thought you might want to see how your old friend Aram is doing. Well, click on the Fox button and grade his MLB baseball rankings.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Man, picking the top ten offensive lineman is a challenge, but I think I'm close, or close enough to put out a talented list. I'm sure there are plenty of deserving big men I've left off, but that's why this forum is here, for you to tell me how I screwed up and who should be on here :)

Above: That big-man protecting QB Joe Carillo is Graham Vickers, who leads our top offensive lineman list.

1. Graham Vickers, Diamond Ranch, 6-2, 270, Sr. - He might be undersized at the next level, but will be a beast his senior season for the panthers. The two-year starting tackle is a returning first teamer and probably the most athletic O-Lineman in the area.

2. Albert Cid, West Covina, 6-2, 287, Sr. - The San Antonio's leagues top returning tackle is back, and has had nothing but rave reviews from combines and coaches, and scouting guru's since.

3. Cody Tescher, Glendora, 6-2, 268, Sr. - One of the best two-way lineman in the area, but he will play a more pivotal role on the offensive end, especially with so many departing first-teamers.

4. Greg Vargas, South Hills, 6-2, 240, Sr. - Will play a pivotal role in Huskies offense. He's got a 3.9 GPA with Ivy League schools drooling all over him.

5. Jake Salter, Damien, 6-1, 260, Sr. - The Sierra League first-team D-Lineman is expected to pick up the offensive slack with Carl Schmitz graduated.

6. Ryan Doll, San Dimas, 6-0, 220, Sr. - The Saints have the best O-Line in the area, beginning with this soon-to-be three year starter who will lead the best rushing team in the valley.

7. Robert Cedeno, South El Monte, 6-0, 226, Sr. - Don't sleep on the Mission Valley League first-team returnee. This kid will be pivotal for quarterback Jose Garay and Co.

8. Ty Olsen, South Hills, 5-11, 230, Sr. - The Huskies' center is a returning second-team all leaguer. Arguably the best returning middle man in the area.

9. Greg Reid, Covina, 6-6, 250, Sr. - Started at right tackle last season and has grown significantly since then. His size will do wonders in the VVL and has been a pleasant surprise at combines.

10. Kyle Salm, San Dimas, 6-5, 250, Sr. - If you think he's a giant, the Saints also have 6-4, 235-pound Garrett Smith to go with Salm and Doll. The more I look, the scarier the Saints appear.

Posted by Fred Robledo at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (62)