By Aram Tolegian, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Former Diamond Ranch High School assistant football coach Matt Johnson says that he, along with former Panthers head coach Roddy Layton and other members of the coaching staff, accessed rival Diamond Bar’s Hudl.com account in order to gain an advantage before last fall’s rivalry game.

“We were actually watching their practices (on Hudl),” Johnson said. “We were watching what they were planning on doing to us. Roddy said we can’t tell anybody. He said let’s just watch it and see what happens. I was there. I’m not trying to spare myself. I was in there.”

Continue reading “Former assistant goes on record with strong accusations against former Diamond Ranch coach Roddy Layton” »

Congrats to San Dimas, but what's happening to area softball? The Saints are the only team standing and it's only the quarterfinals …

— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) May 23, 2014

CIF-Softball Playoffs
Today’s second round
Division 2
Moorpark 13, Los Altos 0
Division 3
La Serna 6, Bishop Amat 0
Division 5
San Dimas 11, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 2
Citrus Valley 8, Sierra Vista 0

La Serna ends Bishop Amat’s season again: There was no payback for the Bishop Amat Lancers softball team against third-seed La Serna in the second round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 softball playoffs on Thursday.
La Serna Pitcher Jamie Wren and clutch hitting made sure of that with a 6-0 victory to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals against North Torrance, an 8-1 winner over Chaminade.
Bishop Amat was a big favorite to win the divisional crown a year ago, but La Serna knocked them out 3-2 in the second round.
La Serna also beat Amat 11-1 earlier in the year, and kept its foot on the gas.

Continue reading “Softball Playoffs: San Dimas wins; La Serna ends Bishop Amat’s season again” »

Bishop Amat needs all the promos it can get and this is just what the doctor ordered. If you want to show kids in the San Gabriel Valley what Pac-5 football is all about, here’s seven minutes worth ..

#Arizona has offered 2016 athlete Trevon Sidney from La Puente (Calif) Bishop Amat

— Adam Gorney (@adamgorney) May 22, 2014

By Frank C. Girardot, Pasadena Star-News
La Mirada High School baseball coach Kim Brooks needs his mouth washed out with soap.
A tongue lashing he gave his ballplayers following an Easter week loss is so foul, that an audio tape of the tirade led to his suspension while the La Mirada-Norwalk Unified School District investigates.

Of course, not everyone agrees …

BBB #freetheredman pic.twitter.com/uky6cdXmK4

— Lance Manzon (@kamikazeboy40) May 22, 2014

@SGVNSports my response to the Pasadena Star News attack on Brooks is at http://t.co/tCPnwa2yEb.

— Chris Fore (@CoachFore) May 22, 2014

AREA COACHES REACT TO KIM BROOKS PROFANITY-LACED TIRADE: It’s not only the court of public opinion where opinions are running rampant on the actions of suspended La Mirada High School baseball coach and athletic director Kim Brooks, who was placed on administrative leave earlier this week after his profanity-laden locker room speech went viral. Local baseball coaches also have something to say about it and they weren’t holding back Wednesday while their colleague awaits the results of a Norwalk-La Mirada School District investigation into the matter that could cost the veteran baseball coach his job.

“First, I don’t condone what Coach Brooks said at all. Coach Brooks has never lacked for trying to bring out the best in kids. He’s a true baseball educator. He’s an athletic director, history teacher and when you get involved in teaching that long you have to have a passion for teaching and mentoring kids. He’s a legend there and his big fault is that he used inappropriate language and that’s not acceptable. There are a lot of words in the English language you can use and that he should have used differently.” — Bishop Amat baseball coach Andy Niteo.

“It sounded to me like a good, hard-nosed, old-school coach laying into his team. I think we all would like to hope that we didn’t use the language that sometimes comes out, but I’ve stood on a football sideline, too. Things happen in the heat of the moment. I took it as nothing more than a good coach being disappointed in his kids’ effort that day. I don’t think he was asking them to do anymore than wear the jersey with pride. The way he went about it obviously wasn’t perfect.” — Monrovia co-head coach Brad Blackmore.

“I played in an environment when I went to Azusa Pacific University where nobody swore over there, so I know coaches can be effective and not use that language. In today’s generation, I tell myself, If they were to play it back, would you be OK with it?’ And that’s just the reality of it, like it or not.” — Bonita baseball coach John Knott

Meet undefeated Kale Morton: Glendora High School, since Dan Henley has been head baseball coach, has been a pitching haven.
The Tartans have featured a who’s who of the Valley’s best in recent years, from Brandon Villalobos, to Wes Roemer to Adam Plutko.
Kale Morton is Henley’s latest to carry on the tradition. And like the others, the senior has gone from a limited role to greatness, setting a school record by going 10-0 during the regular season.
Even Henley didn’t really see his latest ace coming, at least not at the rate he’s progressed to this season.
“I knew he was capable of pitching like this,” said Henley, who is likely to turn to his latest protege when the No. 4 seed Tartans host Rio Mesa in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 playoffs Thursday at 3:15 p.m. “He had been very consistent for us. I’d be lying if I said he would be (10-0), and this dominant. He’s been extremely dominant. I knew that he had a quality arm. He didn’t pitch a whole lot last year, but the innings he did pitch where key moments and at times, he was electrifying.”
Morton has gone from that limited role to arguably the best pitcher in the area. He’s been a key for the Tartans’ run to their third Baseline League title in four seasons after going 10-0 with two saves during the regular season. He also has a 1.72 ERA in 12 appearances.

West Covina advances: West Covina and St. Paul baseball teams had to win its last regular-season game last week just to qualify for the postseason.
It was back to win or go home on Wednesday.
West Covina will continue its season with a 6-1 victory over visiting St. Paul in a CIF-Southern Section Division 3 wild-card game.

TODAY’S CIF-SS BASEBALL WILD CARD GAMES
Division 3
West Covina 6, St. Paul 1
Rialto 6, Walnut 0
Division 5
Cerritos Valley Christian 7, El Monte 2
Lompoc Cabrillo 9, Gladstone 0
St. Bernard 4, Azusa 0