No surprise that Aram’s All Encompassing Top 25, which includes teams from the Whittier Daily News and Pasadena Star-News is led by Bishop Amat.Click here to look at all the teams. For you Trib folks, I’m publishing just his Tribune teams so you have an idea of how Aram is ranking the area in the spring….Is football really almost here again?
Fred’s two cents: I told Aram Covina is too high, I would put them No. 6 behind Chino Hills and South Hills. Aram talks about Covina’s big three, Vinny Venegas, Geovantry Ainsworth and Billy Livingston, but I think South Hills’ big three of Jamie Canada, Jamel Hart and Vincent Hernandez are better, plus the Huskies are deeper. Aram nailed the top three, but I do question Glendora at No. 9 and Diamond Bar at No. 10. I would have probably included Diamond Ranch and San Dimas instead.
Aram’s Top Ten Tribune football spring rankings and comments:
1. Bishop Amat — QB Ruiz, RBs Moore and Shay, WR Sanchez, TE Velasquez all back on what should be an outstanding offense. But is the ‘D’ finally going to be a PAC-5 championship-caliber stop unit?
2. West Covina — The program is on fire right now and although several key veterans graduate, D-1 prospects in RB/DB Solomon and DE Meaders return. Not to mention RB Aaron Salgado.
3. Charter Oak — QB Santiago to WR Gilchrist could be the area’s most lethal combo. Young RBs Garcia, Scoby and Vaughns all a year older and a year stronger. Lines and defense are the big questions.
4. Covina — Easily HC Thomas’ best team since 2006. QB Livingston, RB Ainsworth, WR Venegas all among area’s best at their respective positions and there’s plenty of veteran experience back on both lines and defense. Scary.
5. Chino Hills — Decimated by graduation, but since when do the Huskies not have excellent talent to work with? QB Chavez is back, so that’s one headache out of the way.
6. South Hills — QB Hernandez and RB Hart return and star-in-waiting Jamie Canada could be back in time for league. Huskies lose a lot on both lines, but who in the Sierra League is really capable of mowing anybody else over?
7. Bonita — Lots of buzz already about the lower-level talent that HC Podley and staff will have to get game-ready in a short amount of time. All they need to do is learn how to win under the lights, according to most area pundits.
8. Damien — Coaching staff goes from good in a veteran kind of way to good in a youthful kind of way. Two years of Gano saying “We’re going to be pretty good in a few years” should begin paying off this fall.
9. Glendora — Obviously, the upcoming decision on who the new HC will be looms large. No QB Jeffries around anymore, but RBs Holmes and Victoria return. Tartans may not be Baseline good, but they’re still good enough to throw a scare into just about anybody on this list.
10. Diamond Bar — The Brahmas look like a legit threat to be second place in the Hacienda with QB Omana, RB Clayton and WR Katrib all back. The defense will have to be better and as will the lines. But remember, DB was 6-4 last year and just got a year better.
Worth watching: Schurr’s Aaron Cantu is graduated and gone this June, but would love to see someone top this video he put together dubbed, “trick shot quarterback.” You do it, I’ll post it.
