Maggiore talks about epic showdown on Friday between No. 1 West Covina and No. 2 Bonita

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“He’s not as athletic and doesn’t move around as well as Chad Jeffries (Glendora) or Michael Ball (Rowland), but he makes good reads. It looks like he’s a smart kid, who makes good decisions. He plays with a lot of confidence and can throw the ball all over the field.” -- West Covina coach Mike Maggiore on Bonita QB Garrett Pendleton.

By Aram Tolegian, Staff Writer
West Covina High School football coach Mike Maggiore has seen the tapes and now it’s time for he and his staff to figure out a way to stop undefeated Bonita in Friday’s Hacienda League showdown. “Offensively, they are very balanced,” Maggiore said of the Bearcats’ offense, which is averaging 37 points per game. “Most high school teams have one go-to guy, but Bonita seems like they all take turns. That makes it tough to defend.”


The Bearcats (7-0) have flown up the local rankings despite key injuries and a tough schedule. Bonita got star quarterback Garrett Pendleton back from a hairline fracture in his arm after the senior missed the first four games of the season.

Pendleton has thrown 10 touchdown passes in his first three games back, and Maggiore says he rates favorably with other good quarterbacks the Bulldogs have seen this season.

“He’s not as athletic and doesn’t move around as well as Chad Jeffries (Glendora) or Michael Ball (Rowland), but he makes good reads,” Maggiore said of Pendleton. “It looks like he’s a smart kid, who makes good decisions. He plays with a lot of confidence and can throw the ball all over the field.”

As good as Bonita’s been, West Covina is enjoying a stellar season in its own right. The Bulldogs are 6-1, with the loss coming after a late-game meltdown against Covina (7-1) in Week 0.

West Covina has wins over Glendora and Venice, and is also unbeaten in league with routs of Walnut, Rowland and Los Altos.

“They have to contend with us, too, so it’s not going to be easy for either of us,” Maggiore said. “Our team is built around being physical and it’s no secret we like to run the ball.

“They’ve played some pretty good teams and scored on everyone. They beat Claremont, who looks like it will win the Sierra League. It’s one of those games where as a coach you’re excited because it’s not just great competition, but because there’s a great coach on the other sideline.”

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  • SGV For 30 Years

    This is going to be the biggest game of the season thus far. Bonita seems to be on a roll. They have played some good teams, and have answered all their critics. West Covina has had one bad quarter all season. I’m sure if they played Covina 9 more times WC wins all 9.
    Here is how I see this battle going.
    The first half will be close and hard fought. I think in the second have West Covina wears Bonita down with their run game and physical play. Everyone is talking about West Covina’s offense but no one it talking about their defense. It will be the best Defense Bonita has seen this year. In the end I’ll take WC physical run game and defense to win out at home. Final score West Covina 35 Bonita 17. Good Luck to both teams.

    SGV430 Ouut!!!!!

  • curious

    Is Bonita’s Mckenzie ready to go or is he out?

  • Colt74

    I think it will end up 28-24 West Covina. Bonita scores first, gets up by 10 and then West Covina settles down and does what it does best. Win.

  • Where not buying it

    OKAY WE SEE WERE YOUR TRYING TO GO WITH THIS COLT74. YOU WANT WCOVINA TO WIN; SO YOU CAN COME ON HERE AND STATE! COVINA WON WEST COVINA, SO WE SHOULD BE RANKED #2, WHAT A JOKE. BY THE WAY YOU BETTER THINK ABOUT WINNING SAN DIMAS FIRST, BEFORE YOU START WITH, WHO’S COVINA PLAYING IN THE PLAYOFFS!

    PUT A SOCK IN IT…

  • Colt74

    Where not buying it,
    It sounds like you have already bought it…and about 3 blue label bottles is my guess. I want West Covina to win because I like West Covina…( pure, simple, no government coverup, no alien involvement….or whatever motives the voices in your head are telling you)

    Oh..and two more things..

    It’s We’re not Where… dumoss.
    And, just because I told you that your chipped tooth was hurting me is no reason to hold a grudge for so long. Let it go!

    Now run along…I’m sure your late for your tea party rally.

  • JG

    Whats going to win the game is simply this, toooo….. much talent, WC has too many horses to contend with, on both sides of the ball the and the way WC executes, they simply wear there opponents down. If Bonita can stop the run game, they have a chance, not gonna happen!!! WC 41 Bonita2 21

  • kh

    bonita four captains,should add one
    1.garrett pennleton
    2.giavinna johnson
    3.eric mikity
    4 k.c.huth
    5.matt gelhish
    all four of those kids played there butts off last week against walnut.
    go bearcats

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