Breaking News: Former San Dimas RB Jake Payton makes stunning transfer to rival Bonita

paytonBy Fred Robledo
In a stunning turn of events, former San Dimas High School running back and senior Jake Payton, who transferred to Upland only to be declared ineligible by the CIF-Southern Section in July because of an athletically motivated transfer, enrolled at Bonita on Friday.

Payton had an appeal hearing scheduled with CIF on Sept. 5 in hopes of gaining his eligibility at Upland, but he apparently nixed those plans.

With the Valley’s biggest rivalry, the Smudge Pot set to kick off the high school football season Thursday between Bonita and San Dimas at Citrus College, Payton’s latest change of address should create quite a stir.

“My understanding is that he (Payton) applied for a permit at Bonita under the Allen Bill,” Bonita Unified assistant superintendent Curtis Frick said. “That is (Allen Bill) when an employee works in the district, children can attend their schools.”
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Diamond Bar’s Hull ready, but can only play if the Brahmas make the playoffs

VBULLDOGSBy Clay Fowler, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Getting recruited without playing varsity football isn’t exactly a common predicament for a high school junior.
That, however, is the situation in which Diamond Bar’s Antonio Hull finds himself after being declared ineligible this season due to an athletically motivated transfer.
There is no doubt that Hull, who was an impact player at running back, quarterback and defensive back as a sophomore at West Covina last season, has the talent to warrant attention from college scouts. He has already received interest from several schools. He simply doesn’t have the standard stage on which to showcase it.
The game film from his all-important junior year will feature Hull playing in a scrimmage or two in addition to some junior varsity games. He is allowed to play as many games as he’d like with the JV, but is ineligible to join the varsity until Nov. 16, eight days after the end of the regular season. Should the Brahmas make their first playoff appearance in nine years and advance to the second round, Hull will suit up for his first game in purple and white.
“He’s going to play in three or four JV games to try and get some film, because that’s what some colleges have asked him to do,” Diamond Bar coach Ryan Maine said. “It’s a tough situation for him. He’s just going to try and stay in shape and hopefully we can make it to the second round of the playoffs.”
Washington has expressed the most interrest in the 5-foot-11, 180-pound prospect, who is also on the radar of USC and UCLA.
“They’re nowhere near offering (scholarships),” Maine said. “But UCLA and USC both asked about him when they stopped by practice.”

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Notable softball coaching changes at Bonita, Bishop Amat and West Covina

6-4-13 XVSOFTBALLBonita softball has named assistant coach Art Montano (in picture next to San Dimas’ Don Pollard at the 2013 SGV all-star game at Diamond Bar) to take over the softball program after the spring resignation of Ken Carlson. Montano was Carlson’s assistant during Carlson’s five-year tenure at Bonita, which included three league titles, two second place finishes and a 109-31-2 overall record. Montano has previous head coaching experience at Nogales and has been a longtime coach in the travel ball community. mendezJesse Mendez, who was 125-51 in six years as Bishop Amat’s head coach, leading them to four 20-win season’s, four league titles and two CIF semifinal appearances, has been named the new head coach at West Covina High School. DedmonBishop Amat, who was looking for a full-time teacher/softball coach to replace Mendez, found one in Kristen Dedmon, who will begin her first year as the Lancers’ new softball coach. Before joining the Lancers, Dedmon was the varsity softball coach at Capistrano Valley High School for the past three seasons. Prior to joining the Cougars, Kristen served as an undergraduate assistant coach for UCLA in 2008.

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When the PrepXtra Preview Magazine debuts on Aug. 29, Bishop Amat will start the season No. 1

Sneak Peak: The PrepXtra Football Preview Magazine will be in home delivery and news racks on Thursday, Aug. 29, the same night as the Smudge Pot between Bonita and San Dimas at Citrus College. You can also pick up a PrepXtra Preview magazine at the Smudge Pot game, just look for the SGVN PrepXtra booth. There’s loads of content in the magazine, but until then, why not give you a sneak peak at the top ten compiled by Aram Tolegian. There will be more info on the teams when the magazine debuts, but you can start discussing the rankings now.

amatready1. BISHOP AMAT: The Lancers will welcome several Super Sophs to the varsity level this season. Their ability to contribute right away will be key early on. The parts are there for an explosive offense. The defense should be faster in the back seven. There’s no reason why Amat can’t win the Serra League and get over the first-round hump in the playoffs.

2. CHINO HILLS: The Huskies look like a good bet to get back on top in the Sierra. There’s talent from top to bottom and enough size to hang with just about anybody. Games against Bishop Amat and Charter Oak should tell the tale of the season.

3. CHARTER OAK: Two years ago, Charter Oak had the top offense in the area. Last year, it had the top defense. This year there’s no clear identity established as of yet, just a good core group of players for veteran head coach Lou Farrar to build around. At some point, this team figures to be very formidable again.

4. LOS ALTOS: The Conquerors allowed just 20 points per game last season. Another defensive effort like that combined with an experience offense would lead to a solid rise in the wins column. Remember, LA beat West Covina last season and lost come close games to solid teams. This is your area surprise team.

5. SOUTH HILLS: Albert “Fuzz” Rodriguez got things turned around in his first season as head coach. With league and likely division relief in the near future, the program has some serious momentum heading into this season. If the line play is still solid, the wins should follow. To be safe, expect something right around last year’s accomplishments.

6. WEST COVINA: Quarterback has generally been a caretaker position at West Covina, but you no longer can have the type of postseason Bulldogs desire in the rugged Southeast Division without at least competent QB production. This team is still loaded with talent and potential, and could make this ranking look like a joke if things break right.

7. DIAMOND BAR: There’s no reason Diamond Bar won’t be in the thick of the Hacienda League race. At times, they’ll make opposing defenses look stupid. At other times, they won’t be able to get off the field against the better ground games. Depth is an issues, but D-Bar stays healthy, it’ll be in the playoffs.

8.SAN DIMAS: It’s hard not to still like San Dimas in the Valle Vista League. There’s still plenty of talent on both offense and defense, and the rest of the league has a large gap to close. Whether San Dimas can make its usual deep run in the playoffs looks murky. Don’t expect 11 wins like last season.

9. DIAMOND RANCH: This has the looks of one of the area’s sleeper teams. The Hacienda figures to be another crap shoot. There’s no reason why D-Ranch can’t win it all. The Panthers have arguably the league’s top talent in defensive lineman Kammy Delp and a home-run hitter in Bryan at running back. If there’s a threat of a pass game, watch out.

10. BONITA: Bonita lost its final three games of the season last year by a combined five points. One of the losses cost the Bearcats a league title and the other sent them packing from the postseason. Expect the defense to be better and the offense to be the same or slightly worse. It all adds up to another season in the thick of the Hacienda race and maybe more.

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Where does John Sciarra rank among Bishop Amat’s all-time QBs?

As Bishop Amat gets ready for its Aug. 30 season opener at home against Santa Margarita, check out the story about former QB John Sciarra, who will speak at the Lancers’ kickoff dinner … Where does Sciarra rank about Amat’s all-time best QBs?

By Steve Ramirez, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
When it comes to high school football, few in Valley history can match the success of Bishop Amat alum John Sciarra.
Sciarra was CIF-Southern Section Player of the Year after leading the Lancers to their second consecutive section title in 1971, was 1976 Rose Bowl Game MVP after leading UCLA to an upset of then No. 1 Ohio State and played in Super Bowl 15 for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1981.

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Breaking News: Bonita Unified School District launches investigation of San Dimas coaching staff, and could Jake Payton return after all this?

Despite the allegations listed below, there is still a chance Jake Payton could return to San Dimas, according to sources. Payton’s family presented new evidence to the CIF-Southern Section section this week in hopes of Payton gaining his eligibility at Upland after being declared ineligible by CIF citing an athletically motivated transfer. If the “new” evidence does not lead to Payton gaining his eligibility at Upland, sources said Payton will likely return to San Dimas instead of sitting out the 2013 football season.

BREAKING NEWS: zernickowBy Aram Tolegian, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
The Bonita Unified School District is in the midst of an investigation into allegations made against the San Dimas High School football coaching staff that it put players on a weight-gain plan and provided them with nutritional supplements in the form of shakes to help them reach weight goals.
The allegations were made by Peter Lyons, the guardian of former Saints standout running back Jake Payton, who transferred to Upland at the end of spring only to have San Dimas challenge the move. Payton was declared ineligible for the upcoming season by the CIF Southern Section office.

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