TRIBSKIN FOOTBALL PICK’EM
The Game: Aram Tolegian and I will go head to head throughout the football season picking winners. If we don’t pick 80 percent winners, we’re not doing our job. Follow along.
The Bet: Loser buys winner at the restauraunt of the winner’s choice. Period. That’s it.
My thoughts: Finally, the football season is here and the first weekend is packed with some intriguing games. There’s not a better non-league local game that Charter Oak taking on Northview on Thursday to kick it all off. All summer I’ve been going with Northview, but I’m getting hammered by people saying at the end of the day, no matter how much the Vikings are improved, the Vikings defense won’t be able to handle Charter Oak’s athletes or its spread offense. Hearing Charter Oak could score at will, but I’m sticking with my guns and calling a Vikings upset. Just how far has Bishop Amat fallen? We’ll find out when they take on one of the best in California in Mater Dei. Will it be a 40 plus point blowout? Will Amat hang and show everyone this is a reload not a rebuild? I’m leaning toward the Lancers getting blown out, but if there is one big advantage on their side, it’s that it’s the first week at Kiefer and mistakes happen in early games so they have that chance, but not betting on it. Amat is always one of the best coached teams regardless of talent, but the talent gap may be too much even for Hagerty and staff to overcome. Smudge Pot? Who do you like? San Dimas lost 28-7 to Bonita last year with a team that advanced to the Mid-Valley Division title game. The Saints probably aren’t as good as last year and with Bonita breaking in a new coach, the Cats should have not only the normal size advantage, but also the advantage of wanting to start their new coach in style, so going with the ‘Cats. I’m more and more convinced that Los Altos is the real deal and could smash San Marino in the opener, and but also feel South Hills, West Covina and Glendora will all lose.
Week 0
Thursday’s Games
Northview vs. Charter Oak at Covina District Stadium, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Northview); Tolegian (CO)
Southlands Christian vs. Marshall at Pasadena, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Southlands); Tolegian (SC)
Friday’s Games
Mater Dei at Bishop Amat, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Mater Dei); Tolegian (MD)
San Dimas at Bonita, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Bonita); Tolegian (Bonita)
Los Altos at San Marino, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Los Altos); Tolegian (LA)
California at Schurr, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Schurr); Tolegian (Cal)
Arcadia at Bell Gardens, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Bell Gardens); Tolegian (Arcadia)
Bassett at Mountain View, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Bassett); Tolegian (MV)
Buena Park at Pasadena, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Buena Park); Tolegian (Buena Park)
Cathedral at Santa Fe, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Cathedral); Tolegian (Cathedral)
Chino at Damien, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Damien); Tolegian (Chino)
Compton at Muir, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Compton); Tolegian (Muir)
Diamond Bar at Alta Loma, 7 p.m. — Robledo (DBar); Tolegian (ALHS)
Diamond Ranch vs. South Hills, 7 p.m. at CDF, 7 p.m. — Robledo (DRanch); Tolegian (DR)
El Monte at Montebello, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Montebello); Tolegian (Montebello)
El Toro at La Habra, 7 p.m. — Robledo (La Habra); Tolegian (LA)
Garey at Nogales, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Nogales); Tolegian (Nogales)
Gladstone at South El Monte, 7 p.m. — Robledo (SElMonte); Tolegian (SEM)
Glendale at Cantwell-Sacred Heart, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Cantwell); Tolegian (CSH)
Glendora at Kaiser, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Kaiser); Tolegian(Glendora)
Keppel at Ganesha, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Ganesha); Tolegian (Ganesha)
La Canada at Hawthorne, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Hawthorne); Tolegian (LC)
La Mirada vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Orange Lu); Tolegian (OLu)
Maranatha at Rim of the World, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Maranatha); Tolegian (Maranatha)
Monrovia vs. Burbank, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Burbank); Tolegian (Burbank)
Norwalk at El Rancho, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Norwalk); Tolegian (Norwalk)
Pasadena Poly at Temple City, 7 p.m. — Robledo (PPoly); Tolegian (TC)
San Gabriel at Montclair, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Montclair); Tolegian (Montclair)
Sierra Vista at La Puente, 7 p.m. — Robledo (La Puente); Tolegian (SV)
Sonora vs. Whittier at California High, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Sonora); Tolegian (Sonora)
South Pasadena at Rosemead, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Rosemead); Tolegian (SP)
Walnut at Rowland, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Walnut); Tolegian (Rowland)
West Covina at Colony, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Colony); Tolegian (Colony)
Wilson at Hoover, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Wilson); Tolegian (Wilson)
Workman at Baldwin Park, 7 p.m. — Robledo (BPark); Tolegian (BP)
Bishop vs. Whittier Christian at Whittier College, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Bishop); Tolegian (Bishop)
Gabrielino at San Diego Clairemont, 6:30 p.m. — Robledo (SDC); Tolegian (SDC)
La Salle at El Camino Real, 7 p.m. — Robledo (La Salle); Tolegian (LS)
La Serna at La Costa Canyon, 7 p.m. — Robledo (La Serna); Tolegian (LS)
Saturday’s Game
Arroyo vs. Covina at Covina District Stadium, 7 p.m. — Robledo (Covina); Tolegian (Arroyo)