It’s with deep sadness we report that San Dimas high school baseball player Eddie Miles was killed in an auto accident Monday morning

San Dimas High students and baseball players hold a candlelight vigil Monday night for Eddie Miles, who died in a car crash earlier in the day. The funeral arrangements are below, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. For CBS News’ Monday night report, click link.

Photo: Mike Mullen / Correspondent

Service Update for: Edwin (Eddie) Stephen Miles
Monday, August 31, 4 pm
Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, (southeast corner of Bonita Avenue and San Dimas Canyon Road) 724 E. Bonita Avenue San Dimas, CA 91773

A scholarship fund has been set up in memory of this wonderful young man: Edwin (Eddie) Miles Scholarship Fund Stellar Business Bank. 100 N. Azusa Avenue, Covina, CA 91722, Account #01102642. Attention: Tula Lee. Reception info to be given at service.

Further, Cindy, Dean and Dennis sincerely appreciate the immense outpouring of sympathy expressed by everyone in the community. If you have any questions, please call Eagle Escrow at the number listed below.

Denise Campagna and Sharie Bowers
Eagle Escrow Co. 901 E. Route 66, Suite B
Glendora, CA 91740 Phone (626) 914-4523,Fax (626) 914-6923

By Daniel Tedford and Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writers
SAN DIMAS – The first day of class at San Dimas High School ended with the tragic news that a recently graduated student and former athlete had died in a car crash on Monday.
Eddie Miles, 17, was killed after the 2001 GMC van he was driving rear-ended a semi-truck on the west 60 Freeway at 9:50 a.m., San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner’s spokeswoman Sandy Fatland said. The van then veered right into a guard rail and toppled down an embankment just west of Grove Avenue in Ontario, Fatland said.
The Ontario Fire Department responded and used the Jaws of Life to reach Miles, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, Fatland said.
Miles, a reserve catcher and pitcher, helped the Saints win a CIF-Southern Section Division IV championship last season. The Saints defeated Torrance 4-2 in the June 6 championship at Angel Stadium. Nearly 400 people gathered in silence Monday night in front of the San Dimas High campus to mourn the death of their friend and fellow athlete.
Thomas Jenson, a former baseball teammate who graduated with Miles, said he was shocked by the news. “He was smart – the perfect kid. He had no enemies, made friends with everyone,” said Jenson. “You can see by how many people showed up that a lot of people loved him and are praying for him tonight.” The somber mourners comforted each other as the tears poured out. Many in the crowd signed messages to Miles and his family on a large card that read “Eddie M. you’ll be missed.”
“He’s one of my best friends and he was taken away too early,” said Kevin Ponzo, a former baseball teammate. “It’s true that the best go first. He’s the only one who can make you laugh when you’re losing 5-0.” San Dimas High School baseball coach Mike Regan spoke with Miles’ former teammates after learning the news during the day. Most responded with shock, Regan said. “They don’t know what to say,” Regan said. “Eddie was just a wonderful kid, a great student, a team guy. Everybody loved Eddie.”
Miles played baseball all four years at San Dimas High and during his time was willing to do anything to help the team, Regan said. “He is one of those kids who is a great team guy and always did whatever we asked him to do,” Regan said. “I am just devastated.”
News of Miles’ death didn’t reach students at San Dimas High until after school let out at noon. Miles also played football, maintained high grades and planned to attend Cal Poly Pomona in the fall, school Principal Michael Kelly said. “He was an excellent student and a wonderful young man,” Kelly said. Additional school counselors and psychologists will be on campus this week to help those dealing with the tragedy, Kelly said. “High school students have a difficult time dealing with these things,” Kelly said. “For many it is their first time dealing with a loss.”

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According to CIF, Charter Oak’s Travis Santiago not eligible until February of 2010

Charter Oak sophomore quarterback Travis Santiago is listed on CIF’s website as ineligible to play football until February of 2010. When Santiago left South Hills for Charter Oak in February of 2009, it was determined he had to sit out one calendar year of varsity sports, making him ineligible to play football this fall, according to CIF Director of Communications Thom Simmons. Charter Oak officials believe they have the necessary paperwork to deem Santiago eligible this season, but as of today, he is ineligible to play. We will continue to follow this closely until the season begins.

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The Scouting Guru gives you a little of everything with the 2009 football season a week away

The Scouting Guru has been all over the San Gabriel Valley and beyond, and like always, he’s offered to share his thoughts, free of charge. Don’t hate, enjoy it for what it’s worth, which is one man’s opinion on the talent and teams in the San Gabriel Valley and surrounding areas.

The Scouting Guru says: The fearless one has been busy calling all coaches in the area getting ready for the big football preview tab that will be out next week. So he gave a little nudge to yours truly to help him out this week. We couldn’t say no. As of this writing, every school in the area is in fall football camp. That means the agility ladders are out, conditioning in well underway and players are quickly reviewing their offensive and defensive playbooks for the start of the season. Our service has decided to change our attack this year in the area and will be concentrating on certain “under the radar” schools that have players that we are interested in for the class of 2010 or we will be cross-checking our 2011 lists that will be sent out to the colleges the first week in September. Here are some of the schools in the area that we will be visiting when the season starts next week. To continue reading, click thread

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The CalPreps polls are out, but the all-important CIF polls are the ones we have to keep tabs on


Above: Rosemead advanced to last year’s championship game despite getting snubbed by voters throughout the season.

The preseason CIF-SS rankings should come out soon, but the Calpreps rankings are already out. Calpreps ranks the top 30 in each division, and with the exception of the Pac-5 Poll, the rest of the polls appear to be based on what happened last year. Seriously, Diamond Ranch No. 2 in the Southeast? Rowland ahead of South Hills? The CalPreps rankings don’t matter as far as CIF seedings, but the CIF polls do. Each week I have a vote in the CIF polls and will share them with you throughout the season. This may help out of area prep reporters and others with votes get a better feel of our area so we don’t go through a situation like last year, where Rosemead wasn’t ranked throughout the year and didn’t get a seed, then went on to the Mid-Valley championship game. Remember how bad it was, the Valle Vista got two seeds and Azusa was No. 2! This forced Rosemead to play San Dimas in the second round, preventing the best four from reaching the final four, with Northview having to play Paraclete in the second as well. Lets help the pollsters get it right, and hope that some voters will set their obvious bias aside.

CalPreps Preseason football rankings
Pac-5 Division
1. Lakewood, 2. Notre Dame, 3. Servite, 4. Tesoro, 5. Edison, 6. Long Beach Poly, 7. Crespi, 8. Mission Viejo, 8. Mater Dei, 10. Orange Lutheran; Others: 18. Bishop Amat

Central Division
1. Rancho Cucamonga, 2. Chino Hills, 3. Colton, 4. Cajon, 5. Glendora, 6. Upland, 7. Etiwanda, 8. Los Osos, 9. Damien, 10. Ayala; Others: 20. Diamond Bar.

Southeast Division
1. Charter Oak, 2. Diamond Ranch, 3. Rowland, 4. South Hills, 5. Muir, 6. West Covina, 7. Burroughs, 8. Crescenta Valley, 9. Santa Fe, 10. California, Others: 13. Walnut, 14. Bonita, 22. Los Altos, 26. Nogales, 28. Wilson.

Mid-Valley Division
1. Paraclete, 2. Rosemead, 3. Monrovia, 4. Northview, 5. San Dimas, 6. Temple City, 7. San Marino, 8. Valley Christian, 9. LA Baptist, 10. Duarte; Others: 12. Azusa, 13. Arroyo, 14. Baldwin Park, 15. Pomona, 18. Covina, 19. South El Monte, 20. Workman, 21. El Monte, 24. Ganesha, 26. Gladstone, 27. Sierra Vista, 28. La Puente, 29. Mountain View, 30. Bassett.

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Tennessee high school football player dies during a game; CNN report on heat-related deaths

In Tennessee, the high school football season began on Friday night, and it was a sobering way to begin. The Daily Inquirer wrote: A high school football player in Tennessee died Friday night shortly after collapsing during a play against another school. Jake Logue, 18, of Sullivan South High School was pronounced dead around 10 p.m. at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

From CNN: Read Friday’s story on heat-related deaths as it pertains to high school football’s grueling summer workouts.

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Valle Vista League? Your guess is as good as mine


Above: Northview’s Kamaron Germany being pursued by Ganesha’s Justin Goytia

After speaking to every coach in the Valle Vista League the consensus is the same, that the VVL may have the most parity in years. Not Goliath parity, just parity. There is no clear-cut favorite. There are no great Mike McDonough led Colts teams of a few years ago (imagine if they had been in the Mid-Valley today). Even Northview and San Dimas, which had Mid-Valley championship aspirations last year and stumbled in the playoffs, are taking a huge step back. In fact, if a VVL team gets past the quarterfinals, it would be a huge, huge surprise. If I’m being honest, it’s a down year in the VVL. Here’s what I’m hearing: After years as a defensive coordinator at Pomona, Johnny Brown has taken over as the head coach for Don Cayer, who was let go just a couple months ago. Brown is raving about his backfield, and many feel Pomona is the big wild card…….. After breaking the school’s 49-game losing streak, Ganesha coach Dave Fleming said the next goal isn’t just to break their 28-game Valle Vista league streak that dates back to 2004, but to win at least a pair of games and reach the playoffs…….. Baldwin Park is the consensus favorite if you have to pick one. You won’t hear that from coach James Heggins, but they have a little of everything and return the most starters……. Defending champion Northview and runner-up San Dimas lost too much to simply pick up where they left off. But they realize the VVL is up for graps, and with the Vikings returning RB Kamaron Germany and the Saints still confusing everyone with the Wing T, don’t count them out. As for Covina, keep hope alive. They struggled last year and lost just as many players as San Dimas and Northview.

What the coaches are saying:
Covina coach Darryl Thomas.
“If our league ever had parity across the board, this could be the year. I don’t know what we’re (Valle Vista league teams) capable of doing once we reach the playoff stage, but the (race) for the league title and playoff spots looks like it’s going to be tight.”

Northview coach Jim Arellanes
“Our attitude is we’re the two-time defending champs. If you want it, you have to take it from us. We’re still the favorites and we’re going to compete our butts off to win it again.”

San Dimas coach Bill Zernickow
“The kids know what they’re doing. We don’t have as much speed (in the backfield), but from a physical standpoint we might be more punishing. It’s like going from a Ferrari to a truck. Different, but we think both can be effective.”

Baldwin Park coach James Heggins
“We like what we have, but it’s still a work in progress until we see it on the field. Whether people think we’re the favorites or not doesn’t matter, nobody is going to roll over for Baldwin Park, we have to go out there and earn it.”

Pomona coach Johnny Brown
“I won’t say we won’t throw it, but you’re going to have to force our hand to make us put it in the air. Teams are going to have to stuff eight, nine and ten in the box. We’re coming right after you, if you stop us, you stop us, but I like our offensive line and our athleticism in the backfield. We think we’ll be a handful for a lot of teams.”

Ganesha coach Dave Fleming
“We have to set our goals higher. Winning two games, three games, that’s not good enough. We won’t be satisfied with just winning a league game. We’ll be satisfied when Ganesha is in the playoffs again.”

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Bishop Amat to the memory of Paul Reyna

There are times when high schools sports, particularly football, can be blinded by the pettiness of school pride and rivalries. Sunday is not one of those times. It will, in fact, show the good side of competition when Bishop Amat pays homage to one of its own – defensive lineman Paul Reyna, who died 10 years ago this weekend from injuries suffered in a preseason practice during his freshman year at Boise State. Reyna will be remembered in a memorial service scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday at the Bishop Amat Carroll Center.

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