Above: Rowland wide receiver Leonardo Freeman becomes the quarterback in Michael Ball’s absence.
Tribune Top Ten
1. Bishop Amat (6-0) – If someone told me the Lancers would start 6-0 with what they had returning, I would have stuck one of those Bishop Amat bumper stickers over their mouth and laughed. It’s amazing, the Lancers deserve to stay No. 1 even if they lose, but I caution, this could be where the rubber meets the road. The next four include Alemany, Crespi, Loyola and Notre Dame.
2. Charter Oak (6-1) – After the Chargers dispose of Diamond Ranch on Friday (whom they beat every year), they will cruise through the rest of the Miramonte to finish 4-0 and 9-1 overall, which will be good enough for the top seed in the Southeast playoffs. How’s that for an obvious prediction?
3. Rowland (6-0) – It’s not fair to drop a team after they win as impressively as the Raiders did, knocking off undefeated Walnut 27-7. But the fact is they’re holding onto this ranking by a thread now that that all-everything QB Michael Ball broke his collarbone and is out six weeks.
4. South Hills (4-2) – The Huskies make the biggest leap from No. 7 after thoroughly dominating rival West Covina. Jacob Shirley looks like he’s locked in at QB, and now they have a legitimate one-two punch in the backfield with Geoffrey Vaughns and Jamel Hart.
5. Glendora (4-2) – The Tartans seemed to have sorted out their consistency issues, winning three straight, but that loss to West Covina is glaring considering what South Hills just did to them.
6. San Dimas (5-1) – With Covina, Ganesha and Northview to follow, there is no reason to believer the Saints won’t be 9-1 going into the league finale against Baldwin Park.
7. Walnut (5-1) – They’re in the passenger seat, knowing they will have to beat West Covina this week or South Hills later to have a realistic shot at a playoff berth. That’s right, they could finish 7-3 and not get in.
8. Baldwin Park (5-1) — Just when you might be doubting the Braves, they come back and prove you wrong again. Just like San Dimas, they will be 9-1 when they meet the Saints in the league finale.
9. West Covina (3-4) – They better drink a bottle of get tough, because they follow their South Hills loss with Walnut and Rowland. I’m still not sure if the Huskies were that good, or if the Bulldogs had an off night, but I’m sure we will find out over the next two weeks.
10. Azusa (6-1) — The defending Montview champs are at it again, winning by a 23-point margin in the most balanced Montview in years.,
The Middle 10
11. Arroyo (4-2), 12. Damien (1-5), 13. Los Altos (3-3), 14. La Puente (5-2), 15. Workman (4-2), 16. Gladstone (5-1), 17. Diamond Ranch (1-5), 18. Bonita (1-4), 19. Covinan (2-4), 20. Wilson (2-4).
On the bottom looking up
21. Gladstone (4-2), 22. Sierra Vista (3-3), 23. Rosemead (1-5), 24. Northview (1-5), 25. Nogales (2-4), 26. Bassett (3-3), 27. Diamond Bar (0-6), 28, South El Monte (1-5), 29. El Monte (0-6), 30. Mountain View (0-6), 31. Ganesha (0-6), 32. Duarte (0-7)
