By Steve Ramirez, Staff Writer
All the hype about the Sierra League this season is centered around former Los Altos High School coach Greg Gano turning his blue and red for Damien green and gold. But the league, considered the Valley’s version of the Southeastern Conference, is expected to be colored Glendora scarlett, black and white. The Tartans, who under coach Mark Pasquarella, have won at least a share of the past two league crowns and a three-peat looks to be on the horizion this season.

Glendora, which some believe can compete for a CIF-Southern Section Central Division title as well, will center it’s wide-open attack around junior quarterback Chad Jeffries, receivers Wallace Gonzalez and Aaron Stockham and speedy running back Andre Holmes.
“We have a lot of toys,” said Pasquarella, whose Tartans advanced to the quarterfinals last season. “Glendora is not used having skilled kids, and we have a lot of depth. I feel we can score some points.
“We should be a very competitive football team. We expect to be in the hunt for a third league championship in a row, and our goal is to win every game we play.”
The key is Jeffries, who received rave reviews during summer passing leagues. The Tartans already had known commodities coming back in Gonzalez (64 receptions for 1,048 yards, 5 TDs), Stockham (73 for 676, 7 TDs) and Holmes (162 carreis for 1,131, 14 TDs), and Jeffries is expected to be the final piece to the puzzle.
“All he lacks is varsity experience,” Pasquarella said. “He has a quick release, is fast and works hard. He’s got all the things you want in a quarterback, and when you watch him throw, your eyes pop out.”
The Tartans also look solid on defense with Holmes, and Dylan Nichols at defensive back and Michael Gonzalez returning at linebakcer. The offensive line lacks experience, but is talented.
“I think talent-wise, we have a chance (to compete in the division),” Pasquarella said. “We threw against Rancho Cumcamonga and Upland in the summer, and I feel we match up well.”
Chino Hills and Ayala, which shared the league title last season with Glendora, should be in the hunt again.
The Huskies return a strong nucleus, including quarterback Ryan Verdugo and receiver Ifo Ekpre-Olomu.
“Everyone looks strong again,” Chino Hills coach Derek Bub said. “We’d be happy if we finish one, two or three.”
Ayala, which is 16-7 over the past two seasons, was hit hard by graduation, but the Bulldogs are expected to be strong with Orange Lutheran transfer Ryan Orozco at quarterback and all-league linemen Mike Yllanes and Curtis Mallory and linebacker Nick Thomas returning.
“Our expectation is just to continue what we’ve been able to do the past two years,” Ayala coach Tom Inglima said. “We want to be undefeated leaue champs.”
Damien has struggled a bit the past two seasons, but has brought in one of the area’s best coaches to get back in the fray.
Gano, who won four CIF-SS titles at Los Altos, will try to work his magic at Damien, which was 8-12-1 over the past two seasons.
“The expectations are the same every year for me,” Gano said. “And that’s to win CIF. If it doesn’t happen, then teams were just better.
“The thing about this team is that I don’t know the kids. At Los Altos, I had seen the kids and I knew we were going to be good or bad. It’s tough to guage, because I haven’t seen our kids.”
But what he’s viewed he’s liked, especially returning quarterback James Guillen, receiver Ryne Morrison and running back Phillip Sainz, who Gano said has to have a good year for the Spartans to be effective.”.
“We have smart kids,” said Gano, who will also have to deal with a challenging schedule that includes divisional champions Rancho Cucamonga and Charter Oak, traditional power Bishop Amat and league stalwart Glendora. “We have to coach them up. They have to get over (the past) and have to believe they can win.”
Diamond Bar, which graduated 25 players from last season, hopes to improve and make a run at the top three.
“Our goal is to be better than last year,” Diamond Bar coach John Martin said. “We have to take this young group and be better and show we are going in the right direction.”
steve.ramirez@sgvn.com
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