West Covina vs. Diamond Ranch
South Hills High School football coach Steve Bogan talked about it last week, and it was the first thing West Covina coach Mike Maggiore spoke of when discussing Saturday's CIF-Southern Section Southeast Division semifinal game against Diamond Ranch (6-6), winner of five consecutive after starting 1-6.
Speed.
Navy-bound defensive lineman Graham Vickers (6-foot-2, 262) and defensive end Xavier Molina-Williams (6-2, 222) are quick, agile, and fly to the football. Then there's defensive end Marcus Buckley and linebackers Brian Bonilla and Eric Wilson, giving the Panthers more speed and athleticism up front. In the secondary, few can match UCLA-bound senior Brandon Sermons, who locked up South Hills' talented receiver Iffy Umodu in last week's 15-12 overtime quarterfinal victory over the Huskies. "They've got a great defensive team, and their team speed is a big part of it," said Maggiore, whose Bulldogs (10-2) will face Diamond Ranch at Ganesha High, with the winner facing either Charter Oak or Rowland in the championship game next week. "No question going into the season they were one of the teams in our division we felt could make a run," Maggiore said. "They got off to the bad start, but when you consider how well they played against Bishop Amat, Chino Hills, and the fact they've been pretty solid defensively the whole year, it was only a matter of time before they started getting some breaks and winning some games." The Panthers haven't allowed more than 13 points during their five-game win streak. They beat high-scoring Muir 21-7 in the first round. With the exception of a 48-6 loss to powerful Oaks Christian, the Panthers have played solid defensively in every other game, including a 23-7 loss to No. 1-ranked Charter Oak. "We had a lot of guys coming back on defense, and our defensive coordinator (Mario Gomez) has been great coming up with game plans," Diamond Ranch coach Roddy Layton said. "We know that if our offense is clicking, there's a pretty good chance we're going to have a shot because our defense will keep us in it."
ADVANTAGE WHO?
CIF semifinals are held Friday and Saturday, with the top half of the bracket, which includes the top seed, playing on Friday and the bottom half of the bracket on Saturday. Is there an advantage? No. 1 Charter Oak is at Rowland on Friday.
"I'd rather play on Friday," Maggiore said. "When we won the championship in 2004, we played the semifinals on a Friday." You can't really complain about it. We both get to watch each other play, but it's a little easier watching on Saturday when you've already clinched."
CID VS. VICKERS
Layton said the matchup he's curious about is when Albert Cid, West Covina's 6-4, 290-pound tackle, goes up against Vickers. "When I talk to (college) recruiters they ask about other area kids, and he's (Cid) one that I'm really impressed with," Layton said., "He's not just big, he's an athlete and has had his way with people."
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ATTENTION PLEASE!
"It's a big stadium, the Rowland side is pretty packed, but a little disappointed on Charter Oak side, it's half full but people are still trickling in." Posted by: Fred | December 5, 2008 7:36 PM
"21 Nov 2008 ... After spotting Amat a 10-0 halftime lead, Poly roared back for a 21-17 win that was as exciting as it was nerve-wracking for the 7000 or so fans in attendance..." -Article from Long Beach Press Telegram.
7000+ fans in attendance!
Josiah Thropay, Bishop Amat would welcome you back with open arms...
Highschool Football Fan,
Bonita is no Amat, but they still beat Diamond Ranch, & Dark P. Bonita did not play South Hills this year so they did not beat them.
I see this as a very close game tomorrow both teams will bring it hard,
doesn't matter what we say
cause it will be settled on the field, may the best team win.
Joe Amat,
Your my kind of person!! Just determined and full of desire to really make us believe, not think, but believe that BA really beat us fairly!!
BTW, the game is tomorrow at Ganesha high school which happens to be 12/06. you should come out and show your support guy!! Tty then!!!
DRanchhhh ,
Now you're begging.
Who's to say DR scores anyway. Outside of 1 drive they only had 40 yards TOTAL offense all night. Gaise's two long runs topped that by himself.
Ancient history.
Good luck tonight
Dangggg,
Took the words right off of my finger tips Panther Fan. How about this, Listen to John Jackson (the BA Alum/Commnetator)during the game, "Wow I dont see the call", "Doesn't look like a call to me, but we will take it"!!! Funny!!!
Also, haggerty shouldnt teach kids to Cut block within the tackle box when they're beat by fast linebackers and defensive linemen. I also hear that this was not the first or the last time BA cut block after being beat!! Only if i had a way to post pics of the cuts in all of your games. Truth is BA was exposed and you know it!! 4 minutes left, ball on your 35, off of a interception by a D-Linemen, we take it in hands down...but those same zebras your complaining about gave you all the game. By the way Gaisey, if I spelled that correctly, only broke 2 long runs which were called back. Its not like he scored on either of them!!
Yeah I remember those Zebra's at the BA/DR game also. After DR intercepted and returned the ball to the BA 35 yd line the Ref made a bad call and gave the ball back to BA. Yep turned the table, took the momentum and scoring opportunity away from DR. BA gets the ball back and makes a TD pass on the next play for their last score. Who will know? DR could have made a score and come out the victor upsetting BA.
Also Muir beat Diamond Ranch Game One but d ranch beat muir same season which turned the stag fan into a d ranch salad dressing kind of guy also d ranch with the exception of rancho has held charter oak to the fewest points if Dranch gets past west co charter oak will have a game of it's life like freddy boy said it's hard to beat a team twice in the same season.. And as for me I dunno know about you but I'd rather win CIF then league.
didn't south hills beat bonita but bonita beat diamond ranch but diamond ranch beat south hills
And you thought you made a point
Dranch all the way baby
BA would have scored 50 points on DR if it weren't for the Zebras going ape sh#t with their flags on those big plays.
We win by a TD. DR has no heart.
West Covina,
I would not have a lot of fear of Diamond Ranch. You are now ranked #67, got to love that! Diamond Ranch is ranked #62.. That is only 5 ranking points out of 392 schools....
Other than Muir that is ranked #66, and that was obviously not playing with their best player. Diamond Ranch has not beat a time with this low of a ranking all year... South Hills is ranked #74 and they only beat them in O/T by 3.
ALL Diamond Ranch wins.
Colony #180 21-0
Los Altos #218 35-13
Wilson #222 48-0
Nogalas #303 45-7
Muir #66 21-7 Without their star player.
South Hills #74 15-12 In O/T
That super tough pre season sched. really payed off.. and all that talk about cupcakes...
Panther Fan,
WC does have good blocking on kick returns. its about how good DR is at staying in their lanes. don't forget about punts aswell.
WC RUNS the ball ... DR has a solid RUN stopping defense, but their offense is not so great. WC has a good offensive RUN, but their defense is not something to brag about. that will be the name of the game .. offense vs defense ... in other words ...crespi vs mater dei(2007) ... we'll see who is better
The DR Kicker can do the same and any ball returner can get good returns if they get the blocks. So no advantage by WC there either.
bonita is no BA
people.... lets not forget about another very important factor in the game. SPECIAL TEAMS!! the bulldogs have a great kicker in thomas flores who gets the kickoffs in the end zone every time. not to mention has a range of 50 yard field goals. ricky johnson is great at returning kicks aswell.
diamond ranch 7
bonita 17
west covina 28
bonita 18
and your point is...
WEST COVINA 6
BISHOP AMAT 42
DIAMOND RANCH 6
BISHOP AMAT 17
NOW WHO WOULD YOU SAYS DEFENSE IS BETTER.
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS.
DIAMOND RANCH WINS THIS GAME WITHOUT A PROBLEM.
D'ranch has a good RUN stopping defense.............. this will win the game for them. All WC has is the run, I do not think that will get them far (lot of 3 and outs for WC). Diamond Ranch by 2 TD's.
The Stang Fan!
Got stunged...
WESTSIDE...Lol...
Damn! Even in the playoffs DR has the most difficult schedule. They beat my Stangs, SH, and now they face WC, with a potential rematch against CO looming ahead. Whew!!!
Roddy took a lot of heat last year and this year as well, deserved or not, and now he has his boys primed for a final appearance next week...if they get past WC first.
Great job Coach Layton!!! Keep up the good work!