Charter Oak-Chino Hills photo gallery

Charter Oak’s 41-13 whipping of Chino Hills proves the Chargers are the real deal
By Aram Tolegian
One game into the Sierra League season, it’s quite obvious the league championship still goes through Charter Oak High School.
The Chargers erupted early against visiting Chino Hills on Friday night and never looked back in a 41-13 rout in the league opener for both teams. “We’re just putting all of our pieces together and coming together as a team,” Chargers receiver Bryce Bobo said. “It’s nothing that surprises me. When we come together as a team, we know what we can do.”

El Monte parties like its 1979
By Fred J. Robledo, SGVN

El Monte wasn’t celebrating its first league title since 1979. That could come in the weeks that follow.
But in some ways it was just as satisfying.
El Monte ended years of frustration against nemesis and three-time Mission Valley League champion Arroyo on Friday by winning 38-21 and snapping the Knights’ 15-game league winning streak.
El Monte coach Joel Sanchez, who’d never beaten the Knights in his 10 years as coach, watched his team celebrate its first win over Arroyo since 1990.

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Lindsey insane for Glendora: Senior running back Cade Lindsey rushed for a school single-game record 366 yards and tied another school record with four rushing touchdowns to lead Glendora High School (3-3) to a 32-0 Baseline League-opening win over Alta Loma (4-2) at Citrus College on Friday.

Diego Arias does it all for Rowland: Defensive back Diego Arias led Rowland High School to a 28-13 Hacienda League victory over visiting Los Altos on Friday night.

Farias delivers for South Hills: Just when things appeared to be slipping away from South Hills High School in its Sierra League opener against Claremont on Friday, senior Jacob Farias delivered a stunning blow. Farias, described by South Hills coach Albert Rodriguez as “one of the best return men in the Valley,” broke away for a 95-yard kickoff return just before halftime to give the Huskies a lead they never relinquished in a 42-27 win.

West Covina gets defensive: West Covina relied on steady defense and a stellar ground game to come away with a 35-7 Hacienda League victory over Walnut on Friday night. The Bulldogs (3-4, 2-1) took just two plays to get on the scoreboard as Aaron Franklin ran 87 yards to the end zone for a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.

La Puente’s statement win: – La Puente dominated Sierra Vista 42-0 Friday night in Montview League play. “It was kind of a statement game,” La Puente coach Brandon Rohrer said.

Damien can’t get it done: Dane Cruikshank ran for a 70-yard touchdown and an 11-yard touchdown and caught an 80-yard touchdown pass to lead Ayala to a 49-31 win over Damien in a Sierra League opener Friday night.

Friday’s results
Charter Oak 41, Chino Hills 13 — You want a statement, that’s a statement.
Ayala 49, Damien 31 — More reasons for the Spartans bloggers to complain
El Monte 38, Arroyo 21 — First win over Arroyo since 1990, BMart 378 yards and 6 TDs
Rosemead 21, South El Monte 16 –– Panthers always come to play in MVL
La Puente 42, Sierra Vista 0 — Not surprised by win, surprised how easy.
Glendora 32, Alta Loma 0 — Cade Lindsey returned and went nuts for Tartans
West Covina 35, Walnut 7 — That’s the West Covina we know
Rowland 28, Los Altos 13 — Sorry, I just can’t explain it
San Dimas 54, Nogales 14 — No fun watching Saints win this easy
Gabrielino 28, Mountain View 11 Time to take 6-0 Eagles serious
Duarte 49, Workman 0 – Falcons ready for unbeaten Gladstone
Azusa 35, Ganesha 0 — Tha’s more Aztec-like.
Wilson 13, Pomona 7 – Wildcats get a W in the VVL

CHARTER OAK VS. CHINO HILLLS

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“It means a lot,” Sanchez said. “We’ve talked about this game since losing to them last year and we didn’t forget about it.

“All the good things programs do over the spring and summer to get ready for this paid off. From a physical standpoint, we felt we had the team. We had to get over that mental hurdle and we did that. Sometimes it’s all in your head.”

Lions quarterback Brandon Martinez, the CIF-Southern Section’s third-leading passer, had another stellar performance, completing 27-of-46 passes for 378 yards and six touchdowns.

Martinez threw five touchdowns in the first half, and directed three TDs to receiver Abel Barajas, who finished with 11 receptions for 141 yards.

But Martinez knows how to spread it around, connecting with Josh Morales for seven receptions and 102 yards and a TD, and Adolfo Sanchez, who caught seven passes for 84 yards and a TD.

“Brandon’s Brandon,” Sanchez said. “I don’t need to sit here and tell you how great he is, but he’s got Abel, Josh, Adolfo and we’ve got Brandon Luevano (116 all-purpose yards), a guy who runs hard for our team and doesn’t get the credit he deserves.”

El Monte improved to 4-2 and 1-0 while the Knights dropped to 3-3 and 0-1.

After the Lions took a 6-0 lead on Martinez’s three-yard TD pass to Barajas, the Knights marched down the field and scored after quarterback Nathan Coto fumbled into the endzone with Lucas Rodriguez recovering it to go up 7-6.

Coto finished with 117 yards passing and running back Peter Aholoka finished with 152 yards and a touchdown, but a couple Knights turnovers in the second quarter allowed the Lions and Martinez to pull away — Martinez throwing touchdown passes of 52, 17 and eight yards to take a 26-7 halftime lead.

“We got suckered out of what we wanted to do,” Arroyo coach Jim Singiser said. “Our game plan was to run the ball and we were fine up 7-6. But we got pulled out of what we wanted to do and started throwing the ball and turned it over. When you give them extra possessions it’s not going to matter.”

As much as pained Singiser to watch El Monte celebrate, he tipped his cap.

“We’ve been on the other side of this,” Singiser said. “Our guys need to know what this (losing) feels like. They played harder and they deserved it.

“It’s sort of like that scene from Platoon. We’ve been kicking (butt) for so long, maybe it’s time we got our (butts) kicked a little bit.”