Charter Oak hosting a passing tournament in May? That’s right, May

By Aram Tolegian, SGVN
If you’re one of those people who roll their eyes when they hear about a football-related event long before the season starts, then Charter Oak High School football coach Lou Farrar has a doozy for you.
Farrar announced earlier this week his program will host an eight-team passing tournament on May 18. To put it in perspective, that’s the same day as the Preakness Stakes … and just one day after the first round of the CIF-Southern Section baseball playoffs.
Speaking of the baseball playoffs on May17, that’s also the night of the Hall of Fame All-Star Game for soon-to-be graduated local football standouts.

Yes, the era of the overlapping sports season has arrived.
“For us to be throwing against somebody in May is the first that’s ever happened,” Farrar said. “What I’m trying to do is fend off the guys who are starting 7-on-7 traveling football teams. That’s the next beast we’re going to have to compete with.

“These guys take these kids and put together some all-star 7-on-7 football team and take them to Florida and stuff like that. It’s for their ego and their money. We don’t want that to happen. We’re not going to let our kids be suckered and pulled into those other places. We want them in our program year-round.”

As it currently stands, Farrar’s tournament will be a locals-only event with Glendora, Monrovia, Chino Hills, Rosemead, Diamond Ranch, La Habra and South Hills scheduled to compete. However, schools from far-away places have gotten wind of the event and are trying to join.

“I’ve gotten calls from San Jacinto, San Clemente, Moreno Valley,” Farrar said. “Who knows? We may have to go to 16 teams.”

Some or most of the teams in the field will have to deal with not having players in the event because of the baseball playoffs simultaneously taking place. For Charter Oak, that might mean doing without quarterback Kory Brown, who is on the Chargers’ baseball team.

Compared to how things were when Farrar was a player or just started coaching, the near necessity of having an organized competitive event in May has the veteran coach shaking his head.

“Go back to the 1960s when I played football. You didn’t start football practice until the first day,” Farrar said. “I played catch with my sister in the street as my first preseason workout. First day of hell week, you showed up and that’s when football started.

“Now, we do 7-on-7s year-round. We’re going to do two 11-on-11s this summer. There’s just so much more to do in terms of getting prepared for our games. We’re just like a four-year college. That’s how things have evolved. It’s crazy.”

LA MIRADA ON FIRE

Forget about this year’s recruiting class.

La Mirada has become a hotbed of activity because of its 2014 class.

A who’s-who of college football powers have been on campus and making offers to Matadores standouts Dallis Todd (wide receiver) and tight end Tyler Luatua, who also has some schools interested in him as an outside linebacker. Even class of 2015 quarterback Kevin Dillman is getting in the mix by picking up an offer from Tennessee, which also made offers to Todd and Luatua.

Todd, who formerly went by Dallis Shipp, has offers from Ohio State, Nebraska, Louisville, Arizona State, Mississippi, Tennessee and New Mexico State.

Oregon and Florida appear close to offering as well.

Luatua has 22 offers, among them USC, Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan.

“One of the things that we pride ourselves on here at La Mirada is that we make all our kids highlight tapes and start sending them out as early as possible,” Matadores head coach Mike Moschetti said.

JACOBSON TAKES OVER AT ROWLAND

Rowland has promoted assistant coach Ryan Jacobson to head coach to replace veteran Craig Snyder, who resigned earlier this offseason.

Jacobson teaches at the school and had been on Snyder’s varsity staff for the past seven years. He has been the program for the past 10 years.

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