Above: Diamond Bar’s Erica Miller is on the South Team.
Admission: $5, Parking $2. Game Time: 6:30 p.m.

Rosters for the San Gabriel Valley Senior All-Star softball game are here and ready for your discussion. The game is on Wednesday, June 3 at Mt. San Antonio College. Since the CIF finals are on June 6, any players on a team that gets to the CIF finals is obviously ineligible. The North team is coached by St. Lucy’s Pam Crampton. They are scheduled to practice on Monday, June 1. The South is coached by El Monte’s Kendra Navarro, and will practice on Tuesday June 2.

For rosters click thread

Continue reading “SGV All-Star softball teams released” »

CIF-Southern Section playoff schedule
Thursday and Friday first-round and predictions
Note: All games start at 3:15 p.m.

Division II, Thursday’s games
Redlands East Valley (20-6) at Glendora (19-7), Robledo (Glendora)
Damien (19-8) at Palos Verdes (25-4), Robledo (Palos Verdes)
Chino Hills (16-10) at La Mirada (18-11), Robledo (La Mirada)
Huntington Beach (15-12) at Chino (19-7), Robledo (Chino)

Division IV, Thursday’s games
Santa Ana Calvary Chapel (17-11) at Bishop Amat (23-5), Robledo (BAmat)
Laguna Beach (14-13) at San Dimas (19-5), Robledo (SDimas)
Baldwin Park (15-10) at Fullerton (19-7), Robledo (Fullerton)
Granite Hills (17-8) at Northview (20-4), Robledo (NView)

Division III, Friday’s games
Cajon (13-12) at Charter Oak (15-9), Robledo (COak)
Palmdale (13-13) at Nogales (21-7-1), Robledo (Nogales)
Quartz Hill (19-8) at South Hills (17-8), Robledo (SHills)
Pacific (12-12) at Bonita (19-5), Robledo (Bonita)
Los Altos (12-12) at Orange (18-7), Robledo (Orange)

Division V, Friday’s games
Arrowhead Christian (9-15-1) at Sierra Vista (18-6), Robledo (SVista)
South El Monte (11-7) at Downey Calvary Chapel (17-6), Robledo (DCC)
Mary Star (12-13) at La Puente (13-8), Robledo (Mary Star)
Paraclete (14-11) at Western Christian (17-8), Robledo (WChris)
Gladstone (19-5) at Santa Ynez (21-3), Robledo (Santa Ynez)

CIF-Southern Section playoff schedule
Thursday’s first-round and predictions
Note: All games start at 3:15 p.m.
Division III
Sonora (17-12) at Los Altos (20-6), Robledo (Los Altos)
Chino Hills (20-9-1) at Bonita (20-5-1), Robledo (Chino Hills)
Dana Hills (18-10) at Glendora (18-4), Robledo (Glendora)
Charter Oak (14-11) at Knight (20-5-1), Robledo (Knight)
Division IV
Bishop Amat (16-12) at Morro Bay (20-4), Robledo (Morro Bay)
Division V
Schurr (10-13) at San Dimas (21-4), Robledo (SDimas)
Azusa (15-8) at Victor Valley (14-10), Robledo (Azusa)
Keppel (18-5) at South Hills (15-9-1), Robledo (Keppel)
Northview (15-8) at Savanna (16-12), Robledo (Northview)
Rowland (13-13) at Sierra Vista (19-3), Robledo (Sierra Vista)
Cerritos Valley Christian (11-12-1) at West Covina (14-10), Robledo (WCovina)
Covina (15-10) at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel (18-6-1), Robledo (SACC)
Division VI
Arroyo (13-9) at Baptist Christian (17-1), Robledo (Baptist Christian)
Sacred Heart of Jesus (11-4) at South El Monte (18-6), Robledo (SEMonte)

The Executive Council is scheduled to meet this afternoon to make a final decision about the Mt. SAC Area realignment. Glendora and South Hills won their appeals earlier this month, moving Glendora from the Baseline back to the Sierra, and South Hills moving from the Sierra to the San Antonio/Miramonte. Charter Oak lost its appeal to move out of the Sierra and Rowland lost its appeal to move from the Miramonte/San Antonio to the Valle Vista. Both Charter Oak and Rowland have filed final appeals to the Executive Council. Anything can still happen. The Council will look at the original proposal and the suggestive proposal from the hearings committee and make a decision. Hopefully.

ORIGINAL PROPOSAL BY MT.SAC PRINCIPALS
Baseline League – Alta Loma, Etiwanda, Glendora, Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland
Sierra League – Ayala, Charter Oak, Chino Hills, Claremont, Damien/St. Lucy’s, South Hills
Miramonte/San Antonio League – Bonita, Diamond Bar, Diamond Ranch, Los Altos, Rowland, Walnut, West Covina
Mt. Baldy League – Chaffey, Chino, Colony, Don Lugo, Garey, Montclair, Ontario
Valle Vista League – Baldwin Park, Covina, Nogales, Northview, Pomona, San Dimas, Wilson
Montview League – Azusa, Bassett, Duarte, Ganesha, Gladstone, La Puente, Sierra Vista, Workman

RELEAGUING COMMITTEE PROPOSAL THAT PASSED
Baseline League – Alta Loma, Etiwanda, Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland
Sierra League – Glendora, Ayala, Charter Oak, Chino Hills, Claremont, Damien/St. Lucy’s.
Miramonte/San Antonio League – South Hills, Bonita, Diamond Bar, Diamond Ranch, Los Altos, Rowland, Walnut, West Covina
Mt. Baldy League – Chaffey, Chino, Colony, Don Lugo, Garey, Montclair, Ontario
Valle Vista League – Baldwin Park, Covina, Nogales, Northview, Pomona, San Dimas, Wilson
Montview League – Azusa, Bassett, Duarte, Ganesha, Gladstone, La Puente, Sierra Vista, Workman

Above: If former West Covina quarterback Jacob Shirley plays plays football and Jordan Canada becomes eligible, how dangerous will this make the Huskies?

At South Hills High School, the question still remains whether Jacob Shirley, who started at quarterback for West Covina as a sophomore before transferring to South Hills, will come out and challenge for the quarterback spot his senior year.
Freshman Vince Hernandez and sophomore Brock Booth are battling it out for the starting spot in spring, but Bogan is hoping to add a third to the depth chart.
“We talked to (Shirley) and let him know we would love him to play football,” Bogan said. “But that’s a decision he will have to make.” Duarte transfer running back Jordan Canada is practicing with the Huskies and making quite an impression. “Let’s just say he looks pretty good,” Bogan said. “I looked up good in the dictionary and there he was.” Canada still has to get clearance from the CIF-SS before he is eligible.

I had a chance to speak with Damien coach Greg Gano after opening spring practice on Monday. Here is what he said about the challenge of taking over a 3-7 team.
“It was a great first day. We had about 130 kids who were all enthused and ready to go. Everyone wants to know what team we’re going to have, but it’s way too early to tell. The most important thing is getting everyone comfortable with the coaching staff and buying into what we want to do. From that standpoint, we’re off to a good start.”
Gano’s top assistants at Los Altos, Lee Fair and John Howing, both moved to Damien with Gano, who got another gem when former Monrovia high school coach Steve Garrison joined his staff as well. Garrison took the year off after resigning at Monrovia, where he took the Wildcats to three CIF-SS divisional finals in the 1990s.
“Steve fits in perfectly, and he brings a lot of enthusiasm to the table,” Gano said.
Wilson athletic director Dave Merrill also is joining Gano’s staff. Not bad for a first impression.
“You have to surround yourself with quality coaches and quality people,” Gano said. “Kids aren’t stupid. They hear things and they read things. Hopefully we have that type of staff that they respect and want to play for.”
Junior James Guillen is still playing baseball, but he returns at quarterback after throwing for 1,319 yards and ten touchdowns. Running back Phillip Sainz returns too, but the biggest change will come in how Gano utilizes his players, particularly younger players that will challenge upper-classmen for starting spots.
“I don’t know if we have that super player, but we have a lot of good football players that if you blend them together right, we could have something,” Gano said. “I think the biggest difference is that we’re not going to platoon as many players as in the past. We’re going to have kids playing both ways. I come from the old school, your best kids have to be on the field.”
He also talked about a nonleague schedule that includes Bishop Amat, Charter Oak, Rancho Cucamonga and St. John Bosco.
“The biggest difference from starting at Los Altos and starting at Damien is the schedule,” Gano said. “Rancho is one of the best teams in the state, and everyone else we play are great football teams too. It’s a challenge, it really is, but that’s why I came here, to take it on.”

I received word that two of South Hills’ best, Wayne Goss and Alex Barrios, who were both injured during the Huskies’ Southeast Division quarterfinal run, will attend Division III’s California Lutheran, joining former Huskies standout Jacob Calderon, who was named to the 2008 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III All-America Team. With South El Monte’s Jose Garay going to La Verne, it’s great to see these players continue their careers and get a good education.