It has been confirmed that during Sept. 9-11 coaches from Duke, North Carolina, UCLA, USC, UNLV, Arizona, Stanford, Pepperdine, Wake Forrest, Washington, Arizona State, Loyola and UC Irvine will be visiting La Verne Lutheran’s campus to take a look at hot basketball prospects, 6-foot-9 junior forward Grant Jerrett and sophomore guard Eric Cooper Jr., the son of coach Eric Cooper. Both players are nationally ranked at their positions and graduating classes. While most coaches will likely be assistants, we have been told there could be some prominent head coaches visiting as well. Those are just the underclassmen, senior C.J. Cooper already has been offered scholarships at UC Irvine, UTEP, Boise State and Montana State. Senior Bruce English, who hit the game-winning shot in the Trojans’ CIF championship game, has been offered by Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine.

In other La Verne Lutheran news, the team is competing in three prestigious out-of-state competitions in December. They are competing in the Myrtle Beach tournament in South Carolina, the Pro Bass tournament in Springfield MN., a showcase game in Las Vegas, and are hosting their own showcase at the University of La Verne in January, which will include San Diego high powers Lincoln, Hoover, and three schools from up north, including Oakland High.

Safe to say, we’ve finally got a true national power in the San Gabriel Valley.

The newly formed Hacienda League provides for some interesting football matchups here in the San Gabriel Valley. The seven-team league features a combination of former San Antonio League affiliates West Covina, Rowland and Walnut in addition to Miramonte League affiliated Bonita, Los Altos and Diamond Ranch, along with the former Sierra League Diamond Bar. The new league will continue to pit the former league teams against each other so the Walnut-Rowland rivalry will continue as well as the Bonita-Diamond Ranch rivalry and so on.

“Our kids are Diamond Bar kids, so we’re all gonna play with kids from both sides. I know people from both sides and both sides want this game. The connection to Walnut is because they are in the district, but I don’t think it will be as big as the Diamond Bar-Diamond Ranch game because these are kids who grew up playing together when they were younger and it is for city rights. It is going to be gauntlet style to see who wins. We’re excited for it. It is a game I’ve been wanting since I became the coach at Diamond Ranch.” — Diamond Ranch coach Roddy Layton on facing Diamond Bar

I can’t be there tonight, we have a meeting with our correspondents, but would love to hear what Amat nation thinks of tonight’s scrimmage. Tomorrow night Aram and I are headed to Damien to watch their scrimmage against Bonita at 6:30 p.m.. Also, Diamond Ranch coach Roddy Layton texted to say Saturday’s Black/Blue scrimmage is at 11 a.m., and all the public is welcome. If there are any other scrimmages tonight through Saturday, feel free to post the time and locations.

I ran into a Northview lineman at Tijuana’s, one of my favorite taco joints on San Bernardino road in Covina. He said some interesting things on how well Northview is doing under new coach Marcel Perez, and that the new atmosphere is paying off. But then he followed with something like “we’re going to take league and CIF,” and said it so convincingly that I didn’t have the heart to tell him they really have no chance. But that’s what two-a-days and the summer are supposed to produce, optimism. But here we talk reality, and the reality is the defending Mid-Valley Division champs aren’t gong anywhere. Here is how the Valle Vista shakes out…On Friday we break down the rough and tough Sierra.

1. San Dimas — This is a team that loses QB Shawn Kennedy to an injury, then learns of the fortunate news that a quarterback from up north transfers into the program, and from what I hear he’s pretty darn good. Why we’re talking QBs on a team that runs the Wing T to perfection tells you how stacked the Saints are. Jordan Taylor and Allen Brown are a handful in the backfield, Kevin Kolbeck is a money go-to-receiver, and coach Bill Zernickow is one of the best. ’nuff said.

2. Baldwin Park — This is the only team that has a shot to knock off San Dimas, and it’s a real opportunity. James Heggins’ teams have been knocking on the door and Wardell Crutchfield III is probably the best linebacker in the league, plus he can run the ball too and will be asked to do a lot more. After sitting out a year after transferring from Duarte, Demetrius Jackson is set to go. You add him to the line strength the Braves had, and this very well could be a team that competes for it all.

3. Wilson — This is a case of buying or selling and I’m buying. I really believe coach Brian Zavala is a program guy and has been licking his chops for the opportunity to move to the VVL. RB Moses Vega is a stud, but what this team will do is play defense. There’s a big difference from facing Charter Oak and Diamond Ranch in the Miramonte to going head up with San Dimas and Baldwin Park. Something tells me the Cats are going to be in the mix.

4. Covina — All conversations start and end with QB Billy Livingston. He’s only a junior but proved last year he’s talented and is a perfect fit in coach Darryl Thomas’ spread offense. They also have the fastest high school sprinter in the country in Remontay McClain and a WR/DB named Randy Robledo, so what’s not to like about them.

5. Pomona — I would have penciled them in at No. 3, but with the recent loss of RB Taj Teague to Claremont, Pomona loses a first-team all-leaguer from a year ago. New coach Anthony Rice did wonders at his previous stint at Colony, and a few of those players are now at Pomona. But Pomona also lost a few with Rice’s arrival, so this is a wait and see.

6. Nogales –– When the Nobles coaching job opened up, some coaches told me this was the best opportunity in the Valley because of the kids on campus, especially the ones who weren’t playing. Well, that opportunity belongs to new coach Sebastian Hernandez. I kind of felt bad for the Nobles last season in the San Antonio. There was no way they could compete with South Hills, West Covina, then had to deal with Walnut and Rowland during one of their good cycles. Going to the VVL is surely relief, and I won’t be surprised if they compete for a playoff spot. I’ve heard great things from people on campus raving about the work they’re putting in, but lets wait until the lights turn on.

7. Northview –– Is this as good as it gets for the Vikes? It was just a couple years ago this was a top ten team in the Valley, but they slipped so far last season, going 1-9 and 0-5 in the VVL, which included that remarkable 16-10 loss to Ganesha. I wanna believe the kid who tells me they’re fighting for a league title and want to believe Perez is up for it, but he’s a coach, not a miracle worker. BTW, watch out for RB Marquise Thomas and a sophomore named Javon Taylor.

“Just because you change principals doesn’t mean you should change principles,” Southern Section Director of Information Thom Simmons said. “As members of CIF, South Hills has the right, responsibility and duty to make the rules as part of the organization which they are members of.”
“It’s disappointing that South Hills took so long to do this,” Simmons said. “I can’t remember challenges ever happening this late. I can’t say it’s never happened, but I just don’t remember any happening this late. I know one thing for a fact, no school has ever challenged as many as South Hills. The rule has only been in a place for a couple of years, so there’s not a lot of history. But in those two years, nobody’s challenged as many.”

… In fairness, I believe Duarte challenged as many if not more last year.

I’ll take a shot, this is how I would rank the top five public high school football teams if everyone had to use its own home-grown talent. Kind of an interesting thought, isn’t it? Don’t know Chino Hills or Ayala area’s well enough, so sticking with our traditional schools.

1. Glendora
2. West Covina
3. Bonita
4. Charter Oak
5. Rowland

There have been some good points brought up on this thread. If we opened this conversation up to the entire SGV, Muir would be No. 1 hands down, followed probably by Monrovia then West Covina.

I just spoke with Bonita’s 6-foot-4 quarterback Garrett Pendleton, who feared he could be lost for the season after suffering a fracture near the right elbow of this throwing arm last week. After seeing doctors, it was determined he has a hairline fracture and does not need a cast. He is expected out 4-6 weeks and there is a good possibility he could return by the start of Hacienda League play. “I have been better but it could have been worse,” Pendleton said. “When it first happened, I thought all the hard work I put in was for nothing. Now to learn it might only be four weeks and maybe six, and that I might be back for league is great news. I’m hoping to be back as soon as I can.” Interesting Note: About two hours after posting this, I got a call from a Pac-10 coach asking about the health of Pendleton, and what we thought of him. The coach said he is someone they’re taking a close look at.