Bishop Amat fell to 15-8 and a dismal 1-4 in the Del Rey league after losing to Serra on Thursday. But does it really matter? League races are meaningless because league teams go into different playoff divisions based on school size and recent history. So, Amat could finish last in the Del Rey but all that really matters is they’re still ranked No. 1 in Division 3A. Guess who’s No. 2? Covina, a team Amat could beat over and over again. Strange isn’t it? Bishop Amat needs to beat St. Paul next week to avoid finishing last in the Del Rey? Question is, should last place teams or fourth in a five-team league make the playoffs? Amat could lose out, and still win a CIF title, what’s wrong with that picture? The system doesn’t work. Look at the Muir boys basketball team, having one of its best campaigns in years, 20-1, and with a huge win over rival Pasadena to take over first in the Pacific League. But the Mustangs have virtually no chance to win in Division 4AA, where private powers La Verne Lutheran, Price, Windward and Crespi reside. Meanwhile, Pasadena is No. 2 in 3AAA, an easier division. It’s a screwed up system when league champions have a tougher road than fourth and fifth place teams in the playoffs. How else can you explain it, though I’m sure Amat girls hoops isn’t complaining.

Amat falls again: The Bishop Amat High School girls basketball team continued its struggles with the taller teams in the Del Rey League.

The Lancers (15-8, 1-4) had to play without their leading rebounder, Leeah Powell, who suffered a shoulder injury. She is expected to be back for the final week of the season.

Today’s Sierra League games
Boys Soccer
Claremont (15-2-2, 5-0) at Damien (9-6-2, 4-1), 5:30 p.m.
Chino Hills (4-4-4, 2-3) at Ayala (2-8-5, 1-4), 5:30 p.m.
South Hills (11-4-2, 3-2) at Charter Oak (0-15, 0-5), 5:30 p.m.
Girls Soccer
St. Lucy’s (13-6, 3-2) at Claremont (18-1-3, 3-1-1), 5:30 p.m.
Charter Oak (3-13-3, 0-5) vs.South Hills (7-3-7, 2-2-1) at Covina District, 5:30 p.m.
Ayala (6-7-4, 2-1-2) at Chino Hills (14-2-4, 2-1-2), 5:30 p.m.

THURSDAY’S ROUNDUP
BOYS SOCCER
Montview League
La Puente 2, Ganesha 1
The Warriors (11-5-3, 8-1-1) took the win as Augustine Huazano scored an unassisted goal and Alex Saldana scored off an assist from Huazano. Eduardo Martinez scored the lone goal for Ganesha.

GIRLS SOCCER
Hacienda League
Walnut 1, West Covina 0
Walnut (8-6-4, 4-1-3) got the lone goal from Amber Marani with an assist from Marissa Lara.

Montview League

Sierra Vista 8, Gladstone 0
Sierra Vista (13-2-2, 10-0) beat Gladstone (4-11-1, 2-8) with Jessica Lopez scoring two goals and adding an assist. Cynthia Hernandez also scored two goals.

La Puente 1, Ganesha 0
The Warriors (8-5-3, 8-1-1) were led by Arye Looney, who scored the game’s only goal unassisted. It was the sophomore’s 19th goal of the season. Goalie Christine Montero of Ganesha (10-7-1, 7-3) had seven saves..

Valle Vista League
Wilson 3, Covina 1
Sara Martinez scored two goals for the Wildcats (6-2 in league).

San Dimas 4, Baldwin Park 0
Jeanette Jimenez scored two goals for the Saints (15-2-2, 8-0) with Jordyn Haynes and Maribel Duran chipping in one.

L.A. Times’ Eric Sondheimer is reporting that preliminary proposals for the new CIF-SS football playoff divisions brings a big change in the Pac-5, where Bishop Amat resides. He reports that the Marmonte League has been moved from the Northern Division into the Pac-5 and the Sunset League has been moved from the Pac-5 to the Southwest. There was some chatter that the Serra League might be dropped from the Pac-5, but that’s not likely now. In the coming months we also will find out if the Sierra League remains in the the Inland, if the Hacienda stays in the Southeast and the Rio Hondo in the Mid-Valley. West Covina and Monrovia have dominated the Southeast and Rio Hondo, respectively, the past two years, sparking debate that the divisions will be strengthened or the Hacienda and Rio Hondo league’s could be moved to stronger divisions.

By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
POMONA — The way Diamond Bar High School boys soccer coach Kemp Wells explains it, the soccer Gods are cruel sometimes, which might explain the Brahmas’ winless December, which included eight losses and a tie in their first nine games.
“We were ahead in a lot of games, they (opponents) would tie it and we would give up,” Wells said. “If we got behind, there wasn’t a lot of fight, we weren’t coming back. It kind of snowballed and was frustrating.”
Since the Hacienda League started, the Brahmas have done a complete 360, winning at Diamond Ranch 2-1 on Thursday for sole possession of first, their sixth win in seven games to improve to 6-9-1 and 6-1 in league. (To continue click thread)

Continue reading “After a winless December, Diamond Bar boys soccer leads Hacienda after come-from-behind 2-1 win over Diamond Ranch; Los Altos next” »

We’re gathering a list of athletes in football, soccer, track, cross country and boys water polo that will be signing national letters of intent on Wednesday, Feb 1. You can post it here, tell your coaches to call or send an email to fred.robledo@sgvn.com. We’re scheduling a group photo at the Tribune that afternoon and don’t want to miss anyone.

By Aram Tolegian, Staff Writer
Two local high school football programs put quick ends to their respective coaching searches by hiring from within Wednesday. At Covina, longtime assistant Joe Brown was named the successor to Darryl Thomas. At Rosemead, former assistant Marc Paramo was hired to replace Matt Koffler.

Both programs are among area’s more successful ones, with Covina having reached the semifinals of the playoffs five times under Thomas and Rosemead reaching the semifinals of the Division 7 playoffs 2001 and the Mid-Valley Division championship game in 2008 under Koffler.

Brown’s came as somewhat of a shock since he originally turned the job down when the school tried to hire from within. Covina recently flew the position publicly and had attracted 12-15 applicants before Brown had a change of heart and decided to take the job.

“They offered it to me when we got back from Christmas break and I thought about it for a few days and politely turned it down,” said Brown, a 1990 graduate of Wilson. “After thinking about it, I’ve been here 16 years.

“I live right by the school. I still want to coach. I had opportunities to coach in some other programs but I just decided it would be better if I stayed here at Covina and took the responsibility.”

Brown was offensive coordinator under Thomas since 2005. In that time, he’s called the plays for some high-flying offenses. In 2005, Covina averaged 43 points per game. In 2006, the Colts scored 42 points per game. This past season, Covina averaged 36 points per game.

Brown’s chances of continuing that kind of success suffered a big blow Tuesday when standout running back Gevontray Ainsworth, who would have been the Colts’ top returning player next season, checked out of school and transferred to Monrovia.

Paramo’s hiring at Rosemead came as no shock. After Koffler resigned earlier this month, he was very vocal in wanting Paramo, his defensive coordinator, to replace him.

“The good thing about coach Koffler was that he didn’t micro-manage,” said Paramo, who graduated from Rosemead in 1995. “I was pretty much the head coach of the defense and the special teams, so I already felt like I was doing head coach things.

“It’s unfortunate that coach Koffler stepped down, but this would be the only place I ever would have done it. I couldn’t be more excited. I grew up in Rosemead and went to Rosemead High School. My dad is 80 and still lives right down the street and he doesn’t miss a game.”

Covina beats Northview, will host Wilson on Friday for first in VVL: Covina High School’s boys basketball team used a 7-0 run late in the fourth quarter to defeat arch-rival Northview 46-41 in a crucial Valle Vista League game Wednesday night. The Colts spent most of the fourth quarter nursing a small lead, but fell behind when Danny Johnson hit a jumper to put Northview up 36-34 with just over two minutes left.

Damien wins after scoring just 15 first-half points: For the first half of Wednesday’s Sierra League boys basketball showdown with visiting Ayala High, Damien looked anything but the CIF-SS Division 3AAA’s top-ranked team. Damien scored just 15 first-half points and Chris Reyes was held scoreless as Ayala led 25-15 at the half. But the Spartans outscored the Bulldogs 19-7 and went on to earn a 55-50 victory.

Gabrielino takes over first in MVL with win over Arroyo: Gabrielino High School basketball coach John Carney started two freshmen in a pivotal Mission Valley League game at Arroyo on Wednesday night. Freshman guard Sean Takeuchi, starting only because of an injury, scored his only two baskets midway through the fourth quarter to tie the game and give the Eagles the lead for good in a 44-39 victory.