By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
When the CIF-Southern Section boys basketball playoffs begin next month, La Verne Lutheran (12-7) figures to be the area team with the best chance of winning a division title, its second in three years. The Trojans are on top of the Division 5-AA poll with Windward and Flintridge Prep the only legitimate contenders. The rest of the Valley, however, may find it difficult in the new playoff divisions, except for the area’s other private schools. (To continue reading, click thread)

Continue reading “Boys Hoops: Bonita is No. 1 in the Valley, but the private schools have the best postseason chances” »

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Continue reading “Tuesday’s boxscores, La Puente, Duarte boys soccer tie 2-2; Sierra Vista girls whip Gladstone” »

Above: Los Altos’ Lauren Stupin

I wanna see it, I really do, the numbers are sickly ridiculous. No offense to anyone out there, its just too intriguing, two talented young teams that are dominant, the perfect beginnings for a long-time rivalry, and that’s before the welcomed sight of Walnut and Los Altos in the same league next season. But that’s for another day, how can you not like the possibilities and the drama unfolding in D-4. You got Bishop Amat, No. 1 in the division, 19-0-1 with a 79-7 goals against average and the only team they tied (0-0), No. 2 Los Altos, 18-1-1 with a 68-7 GAA. I promise to check out an Amat game soon, but what struck me after watching Los Altos beat Charter Oak 5-1 today is they did it so effortlessly. I’m not sure they played all that well, the rain probably having something to do with it, but they play with a purpose, go outside-in extremely well, and that Lauren Stupin, she finishes chances as well as any outside midfielder I remember, scoring three more today. They weren’t all that spectacular, but they came because she’s always poking around the goal, knows when and where to make a run, crosses darts into the area, and doesn’t waste many opportunities, which is clutch in a game where one chance can decide it. And I knew before asking the question that Conqs coach Reeder is keeping tabs on Amat too, going so far as to say they need to run the table the rest of the way to maintain their No. 2 spot, expecting that Amat will do the same. If that happens, there’s only one place they can meet.

By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
LA PUENTE – Bishop Amat High School football coach Steve Hagerty said it’s not a crisis, but he is concerned that the Lancers are eight months away from starting the 2010 season and they still have four nonleague games to fill on their schedule.
Alemany will join the Serra League this fall to make it a five-team league, which has left a Week 9 nonleague hole for the Lancers to fill. The only nonleague opponents secured by the Lancers are Dominguez in Week 1 and Damien in Week 3. They still need to find four opponents for games that can be played in Weeks 0, 2, 4, 5 and 9. One of the weeks would be a bye. (To continue, click thread)

Continue reading “Bishop Amat update: St. Bonaventure dropped from schedule; Amat officials meeting in February to discuss future playoff division” »

Above: After losing big game to Chino Hills, Glendora bounces back with win over Walnut in Southern California Shootout on Saturday at APU.

Boys Basketball top ten
1. Bonita (18-3) – Easy wins over Diamond Ranch and Wilson, it gets tougher this week against Walnut and Charter Oak.
2. South Hills (15-3) — Beat Walnut and now has won eight straight. Don’t know if they’re a legit No. 2, but they keep winning while others are falling.
3. Damien (14-6) – Mid-season blues or what, the Spartans drop three of four, including two straight. Big one on Friday at Glendora.
4. Bishop Amat (16-5) – After a Del Rey League opening pounding from Serra, they bounce back with win two straight wins.
5. Glendora (15-5) – With losses to Chino Hills and Damien in league, their backs are against the wall with Damien coming to town Friday.
6. Baldwin Park (18-2) – The Braves flex their muscles, end Northview’s 31-game Valle Vista winning streak.
7. Nogales (14-7) – Still 2-1 in the San Antonio, but that 30-point loss to South Hills has to sting.
8. Charter Oak 14-6 — Gets another crack at top-ranked Bonita this week.
9. Northview (13-8) – With loss to Baldwin Park, Vikings, Braves and San Dimas all 3-1 in league.
10. San Dimas (12-8) — Saints could be in the drivers seat because they get Northview and Baldwin Park at home in second half.

Bishop Amat win over St. Joseph from Long Beach PT: In the collective minds of the St. Joseph High girls soccer team, Monday’s match against undefeated and CIF Southern Section Division IV top-ranked Bishop Amat was seen as a showdown, a chance to make a real statement. But for some reason or another, the Jesters didn’t come out as ready as need be and fell victim to the visiting Lancers in a 6-2 Del Rey League affair.

Above: St. Joseph’s Hannah Bredesen, right, battles with Bishop Amat’s Miranda Joya for a loose ball in the Lancers’ 6-2 win.

Girls Soccer Top Ten
1. Bishop Amat (19-0-1) – Can you remember the last time a team was this dominant? They give up two goals against St. Joseph, now they have just outscored opponents, 79-5. What a bunch of slackers, 🙂
2. Los Altos (17-1-1) – Conqs coach Chris Reeder admits they keep a close eye on Bishop Amat, whom they tied on the road for all of you keeping track.
3. Walnut (13-3-2) – The shutout streak is at five and counting. Let’s be honest, the top two are legit, but Walnut would give them both a run for their money.
4. St. Lucy’s (9-6-2) — Suffered first league loss to Ayala 1-0, but still in thick of league race.,
5. Bonita (8-5-2) — After a nonleague game against Walnut, they will find out where they stack up with games against Charter Oak and Los Altos.
6. Charter Oak (14-3) – Another team that didn’t play last week, but fasten up, they host Los Altos today.
7. San Dimas (7-3-2) — What’s most impressive is they only have allowed 11 goals this season.
8. Sierra Vista (15-2) — Like the girls basketball team, nobody is touching the Dons in the Montview.
9. Glendora (7-7-3) — Tartans still 2-1 in Sierra, with plenty of time left to still fight for the league title.
10. Northview (9-4-1) — Since they didn’t play also, I repeat: Vikings forward Khalalah Todd has 37 goals, 13 shy of the big 50, which would put her in rare company. After tying San Dimas 2-2 on the road, the Vikes have the inside track to the VVL too.

Girls Soccer standings, schedules and leaders
Del Rey League
Miramonte League
Mission Valley League
Montview League
San Antonio League
Sierra League
Valle Vista League

Above: Rosemead won earlier this season, but they meet again on Thursday at Mountain View.

Boys Soccer Top Ten
1. Baldwin Park (13-0-2) – Braves are making it look easy in the Valle Vista, beating San Dimas 9-0 and Covina 11-1.
2. Los Altos (12-2-3) – No games last week, lots of make-ups left, but Conqs appear to be in control of Miramonte.
3. Rosemead (9-1-4) – Can they make it two in a row at Mountain View on Thursday?
4. La Puente (8-2-3) – Defense has been nails, they have allowed just four goals in last six games.
5. Glendora (11-4-3) – Had a huge chance to build a lead in the Sierra, but lost 3-1 at home to two-time defending league champ Chino Hills.
6. Duarte (11-2-2) – Falcons have won five straight, haven’t allowed goal since 2-1 lost to La Puente, where they will play today.
7. Rowland (6-3-2) – Remember, one of two teams that tied Baldwin Park and played Rosemead and Los Altos close.
8. Sierra Vista (11-4) – You know the Montview is tough when Sierra Vista could be third-best in league.
loss to Duarte. Idle last week.
9. Diamond Bar (7-5-1) – Ended Chino Hills’ 22-game league unbeaten streak with a 1-0 win on the road last week.
10. Mountain View – (5-5-1) – The defending Division VI champs can right the ship with a win at home against Rosemead Thursday.

Boys Soccer standings, schedules and leaders
Del Rey League
Miramonte League
Mission Valley League
Montview League
San Antonio League
Sierra League
Valle Vista League