CLICK HERE FOR A PHOTO GALLERY OF FRIDAY'S ROSEMEAD-SAN MARINO GAME

TONIGHT'S GAMES

San Marino 42, Monrovia Rosemead 20 -- Benny Hung rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns and quarterback Joe Forgatch completed 12 of 19 passes for 188 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Titans in the dominating victory. Rosemead's Matt Fregoso rushed for 190 yards on 26 carries and quarterback Matt Macias completed 12 of 22 passes with one interception and three touchdowns to lead the Panthers. Rosemead had no answer for Hung, who scored on runs of 17 and 13 yards. Forgatch connected on a 24-yard touchdown pass to Stevie Yortsos and a 53-yard dart to Ben Harwich. Forgatch also scored on runs of 1 and 10 yards. It looked like the game was going to be a slug fest, but San Marino put that theory to rest when it scored 21 unanswered points to end the first half. Hung was just tough as nails down the middle, smash-mouth football at its best. Yortsos is fun to watch. He returned an interception 32 yards from the end zone, tippy-toeing at the goal line and letting one then two defenders fly by to miss the tackle. Forgatch is much much improved from last year and provides a dual threat for the Titans. He's tough and is not afraid to get the extra yards. San Marino went all out, going 3 for 3 on fourth-down conversions. This team will be dangerous and were definitely fun to watch from the Titans sidelines.

Monrovia 40, South El Monte 7 -- You knew it would be Monrovia's day when on its opening drive Dejawn Jones recovered Ellis McCarthy's in the end zone for the opening score. Nick Bueno's first run was for a touchdown and his last two throws also were for scores. No starters played in the second half, which had a running clock the rest of the way. See you all in Lancaster, err, Palmdale.

Burbank 21, Alhambra 14 -- Tipping my hat here for Gil Ruedaflores who after 21 seasons steps down as the Moors coach. Alhambra had a 14-0 lead with two touchdown passes from quarterback Darrian Cazarin. But Alhambra's offense was limited to 27 yards in the second half and Burbank's 21 unanswered points sealed the deal.

Cerritos Valley Christian 45, La Cañada 0 -- The visiting Spartans (5-5) trailed 31-0 at the half in the first-round loss of the CIF-Southern Section Mid-Valley Division playoffs.
Valley Christian (8-3) is the Olympic League champion that knocked off Paraclete, the defending divisional champion, in the season finale. Cerritos Valley Christian will play the San Dimas-Workman winner in the quarterfinals. La Cañada won a Rio Hondo League playoff against Temple City last week to earn a playoff berth as the league's third-place team, and made a playoff appearance after a long absence.

Charter Oak 20, Muir 19 -- Muir missed a two-point conversion in the final play of the game to let this one slip away. Trailing by seven late in the fourth quarter, Mustangs quarterback Jarron Williams connected with Ormoni Duncan for a dramatic 30-yard touchdown on fourth and 18 with four seconds remaining and cut Charter Oak's lead to one. Perhaps pulling a play from Bill Belichick's book, Muir coach Ken Howard opted to go for two points for the win, but Williams' quarterback draw was stuffed at the line of scrimmage by Chargers standout linebacker Keith Smith.

West Covina 40, San Gabriel 7 -- West Covina was led by sophomore Chris Soloman who rushed for a career-high 192 yards on just 15 carries.

Maranatha 59, Frazier 13 -- The Minutemen's Erik Johnson did much of the damage, accounting for 145 yards of total offense, 60 on the ground and 85 through the air in the first half. The second-quarter scoring barrage was a balanced attack. The Minutemen's offense scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 4 yards, and quarterback Cody Keith threw two passes for touchdowns from 7 and 44 yards.

St. Francis 55, Ghar 34 -- St. Francis scored 21 points in the fourth quarter with nine minutes left. Justin Posthumas rushed for 102 yards and passed for 145 yards with two touchdowns. Ghar's Casey Nielsen passed for 405 yards in the losing effort.

Rio Hondo Prep 34, Desert Christian 0 -- Rio Hondo Prep's Charles Quintero was lights out for the Kares, returning a 109-yard interception for a touchdown and a 60-yard punt return for a score to lead the defending Northeast Division champions. Quarterback Chris Llamas ran for one touchdown and caught one, too. Yes, caught one, too. He caught 4-yard touchdown pass from J.T. Parker on the trick play in the second quarter.

Pasadena Poly 54, St. Genevieve 42 -- Pasadena Poly quarterback Hunter Marryman connected on a 68-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Capehart with 22 seconds left to cap a dramatic 54-42 win over St. Genevieve in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Northeast Division playoffs Friday night at L.A. Poly. Pasadena Poly (7-4) will play the Linfield Christian-CSDR winner next week at South Pasadena High. The Panthers withstood the Valiants' frantic effort in the waning minutes. St. Genevieve (9-2) had the ball at Pasadena Poly's 3-yard line but fumbled at the 1. The ball rolled for five seconds before the Panthers' Zach Murphy recovered with under a minute left in the game. Pasadena Poly's Blake Edwards had 295 yards on 25 carries and five touchdowns, helping the Panthers take a 47-28 lead at the half. "It was a track meet," Pasadena Poly coach Brenden McGrail said. "We got off to a good start offensively, but then we couldn't stop them and it was back and forth. In the end we were hanging on and we were fortunate to move ahead." Merryman completed 10 of 19 for 328 yards and two touchdowns. Crazy, indeed.

St. Joseph 55, La Salle 0 -- St. Joseph took a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and extended it to 48-0 at the half to overwhelm the visiting Lancers in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Northwest Division playoffs. The Lancers (5-6) trailed 48-0 at the half.

Above: La Salle's Mark Dannhausen holding a photo of his dad John "Jack" Dannhausen and Mark when he was 2. Mark Dannhausen dad past away from Alzheimers disease before the Lancers game against Cantwell two weeks ago. (Staff Photo by Walt Mancini)

By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer

It was an early Friday morning when La Salle High School's Mark Dannhausen was getting ready for school and preparing for what was supposed to be a big day for him and the Lancers football team.

Dannhausen instead carried on with a heavy heart.

Two weeks ago, La Salle was in a must-win situation and desperately needed a win over Cantwell Sacred Heart to keep its CIF-Southern Section Northwest Division playoff hopes alive.

Even then, the game was a distant afterthought.

Not far across town, Mark's mother, Lynn, had just arrived at Regency Park, an assisted living home in Pasadena where she was visiting Mark's father, John "Jack" Dannhausen. He had been living there since 2005, four years after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

John's condition worsened as of late, to the point where Lynn, Mark and his older sisters Leigh and Michele spent the entire day beside him and preparing for the worst.

"We were informed it would be a lot slower before he'd be gone," Lynn recalled.

Only 10 minutes had passed since Lynn arrived to visit her husband of 30 years when she saw John - the man she met the summer of 1978 and married a year later - take his final breath.

CLICK ON THREAD TO CONTINUE READING

How long as it been, since Week 3 or Week 4 at least that we knew Monrovia would end up in the Mid Valley Division finals? They won't admit it, and why would they? But if you saw how the Wildcats manhandled San Dimas with such ease you'll realize why Monrovia early on became the clear cut favorite to win the Mid Valley Division. Three times Monrovia faced the No. 2 team in the division, first it was Rosemead, then San Dimas and then San Marino in Rio Hondo League action. Monrovia ran circles around the 'Mead and sent the Saints limping, err, marching back to the 909 licking their wounds. It's going to be no different this year. You can argue the game might be a bit closer, but how can you when Monrovia shredded the San Dimas defense, and it's likely the Wildcats will catch more fire now with everything on the line. To be fair, the Saints are a formidable opponent. The Valle Vista League champion has the necessary weapons to pummel opponents, but it's just not going to happen against Monrovia, who are much too fast, physical and smart to have a let down now. You really think Ryan Maddox is going to let it happen? No. The thing people don't seem to realize about the Wildcats is they have not played to their full potential and they have yet to unleash their entire arsenal, but guess what? It's coming, and it'll come hard, fast and often. The Eastsiders questioned Monrovia's physicality, conceding the Wildcats did have good team speed. And what happened when San Dimas and Monrovia met? Monrovia not only proved they were fast, but proved they were the more physical team, extending a 27-10 lead at the half to a 36-17 domination. It won't come easy, but Monrovia prevails.

Top Seeds: 1. Monrovia (10-0), 2. San Dimas (9-1), 3. Azusa (9-1), 4. Arroyo (8-2).
Unseeded Sleepers: Cerritos Valley Christian, Rosemead, San Marino, Baldwin Park.

Top Bracket
South El Monte 3-7 (MVL 3) at No. 1 Monrovia 10-0 (Rio Hondo 1)
Paraclete 6-4 (Olympic 2) at La Puente 7-3 (Montview 2)
Gladstone 7-3 (Montview 3) at Baldwin Park 8-2 (Valle Vista 2)
Whittier Christian 7-3 (Olympic 3) at No. 4 Arroyo 8-2 (MVL 1)
Bottom Bracket
Covina 5-4 (Valle Vista 3) at No. 3 Azusa 9-1 (Montview 1)
Rosemead 5-5 (MVL 2) at San Marino 8-2 (Rio Hondo 2)
La Canada 5-4 (Rio Hondo 3) at Cerritos Valley Christian 7-3 (Olympic 1)
Workman 6-4 (Montview 4) at No. 2 San Dimas 9-1 (Valle Vista 1)

Quarterfinals
Top Bracket
Monrovia vs. Paraclete
Baldwin Park vs. Arroyo
Bottom Bracket
Azusa vs. San Marino
La Canada vs. San Dimas
Semifinals
Monrovia vs. Arroyo
San Marino vs. San Dimas
Championship
Monrovia over San Dimas

From The Best High School Sports Blog ...

Charter Oak (9-1) is the defending Southeast Division champion and No. 1 seed, but don't expect Muir (4-6), which started 0-5 and needed to win its last three game to make the playoffs as the fourth place team from the Pacific League to be intimated when they visit the Chargers in the first round on Friday. Muir has played one of the toughest schedules in the division, losing to Southern Section powers Oaks Christian and Venice. In the Pacific League they lost three games, though just by a combined 11 points, which included a 29-28 loss to fourth-seed Burbank. "It's another team, they're not the team of old, that's a good thing for us," Muir coach Ken Howard said of Charter Oak. "We don't mind getting them because now they have all the pressure. They have everything to lose and we have nothing to lose. We have been struggling in the playoffs the last couple years and they won a championship. We're not going to worry about it, we're going to show up and give them our best shot."

Melendez last week (overall): 11-5 (119-62-1)

I'm off today, but I wrote this Sunday afternoon and auto-published the thread today. After all, what's a Monday without your favorite Star Picks thread? .... Now that you've gathered yourself and got up off the ground from all the laughing, lets slap on a serious face and get right down to business .... First, if your site, date and time changes PLEASE call or e-mail me with your changes (miguel.melendez@sgvn.com). There's nothing like having the wrong dates and sending a correspondent to the wrong high school. Also, there are two potential "Game of the Week" candidates as we get ready for the first round of playoffs. Rosemead seems to have gotten its act together, and could be a dark horse in the Mid Valley Division (Paraclete ... not so much). The Panthers visit San Marino, who had an unbelievable weekend. Then you have Muir at Charter Oak. You gotta love how Diamond Ranch last year was an at large team and went all the way to the finals. Will Muir have that kind of luck? Ken Howard is banking on it, and the way the Mustangs played last week in the Tussle -- flawless, punishing football -- it's not out of the realm of possibilities Muir knocks off the defending champion. I'm calling it now: Muir 21-13.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE -- WITH PREDICTIONS

Rosemead at San Marino, 7 p.m. -- San Marino
South El Monte at Monrovia, 7 p.m. -- Monrovia
Alhambra vs. Burbank at Glendale, 7 p.m. -- Burbank
La Canada at Cerritos Valley Christian, 7 p.m. -- La Canada
Muir at Charter Oak, 7 p.m. -- Muir
San Gabriel at West Covina, 7 p.m. -- San Gabriel
Frazier at Maranatha, 7 p.m. -- Maranatha
Gahr at St. Francis, 7:30 p.m. -- St. Francis
Desert Christian at Rio Hondo Prep, 7 p.m. -- Rio Hondo Prep
Pasadena Poly at St. Genevieve, 7 p.m. -- St. Genevieve
La Salle at St. Joseph/SM, 7 p.m. -- St. Joseph

Monrovia vs. San Dimas in the finals? Paraclete, errr, South El Monte will have something to say about that. We'll see...

MID VALLEY DIVISION
Top Bracket
South El Monte (MVL 3) at No. 1 Monrovia (Rio Hondo 1)
Paraclete (Olympic 2) at La Puente (Montview 2)
Gladstone (Montview 3) at Baldwin Park (Valle Vista 2)
Whittier Christian (Olympic 3) at No. 4 Arroyo (MVL 1)
Bottom Bracket
Covina (Valle Vista 3) at No. 3 Azusa (Montview 1)
Rosemead (MVL 2) at San Marino (Rio Hondo 2)
La Canada (Rio Hondo 3) at Cerritos Valley Christian (Olympic 1)
Workman (Montview 4) at No. 2 San Dimas (Valle Vista 1)

SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Top Bracket
Muir (Pacific 4) at No. 1 Charter Oak (Miramonte 1)
San Gabriel (Almont 2) at West Covina (San Antonio 2)
Rowland (San Antonio 3) at California (Del Rio 1)
Alhambra (Almont 3) at No. 4 Burbank (Pacific 1)
Bottom Bracket
El Rancho (Del Rio 3) at No. 3 Schurr (Almont 1)
Diamond Ranch (Miramonte 3) at Burroughs (Pacific 2)
Crescenta Valley (Pacific 3) at Santa Fe (Del Rio 2)
Bonita (Miramonte 3) at South Hills (San Antonio 1)

EAST VALLEY DIVISION
Top Bracket
Santa Paula (Frontier at large) at St. Margaret's (Academy 1)
Sierra Canyon (Alpha at large) at Aquinas (Christian 1)
Bishop Union (High Desert 2) at Brentwood (Alpha 2)
Bottom Bracket
Oak Hills (Freelance at large) at Kern Valley (High Desert 1)
Grace Brethren (Frontier 2) at Sage Hill (Academy 2)
Ontario Christian (Christian 2) at 29 Palms (De Anza 1)
Frazier Mountain (High Desert at large) at Maranatha (Alpha 1)

NORTHEAST DIVISION
Top Bracket
Desert Christian/L (Desert Mountain 3) at Rio Hondo Prep (Prep 1)
Riverside Christian (Big Sky 3) at Saddleback Valley Christian (San Joaquin 1)
Animo Leadership (San Joaquin 3) at Salesian (Santa Fe 1)
Calvary Murrieta (Big Sky 2) at Mojave (Desert Mountain 2)
Bottom Bracket
Bell-Jeff (Santa Fe 3) at Boron (Desert Mountain 1)
Bloomington Christian (San Joaquin 2) at Chadwick (Prep 2)
Pasadena Poly (Prep 3) at St. Genevieve (Santa Fe 2)
CSDR (San Joaquin 4) at Linfield Christian (Big Sky 1)

NORTHWEST DIVISION
Top Bracket
Santa Ynez (Los Padres) at Oaks Christian (Tri-Valley 1)
Harvard-Westlake (Del Rey 3) at Centennial (Pioneer 1)
Mary Star (Camino Real) at Cathedral (Del Rey 2)
Lawndale (Pioneer 3) at Pioneer Valley (Los Padres 2)
Bottom Bracket
La Salle (Camino Real 3) at St. Joseph/SM (Los Padres 1)
El Segundo (Pioneer 2) at Nordhoff (Tri-Valley 2)
Nipomo (Los Padres 3) at Verbum Dei (Camino Real 1)
Oak Park (Tri-Valley 3) at Serra (Del Rey1)

WESTERN DIVISION
Top Bracket
Quartz Hill (Golden 4) at Mira Costa (Bay 1)
Chaminade (Mission at large) at Inglewood (Ocean 2)
Gahr (San Gabriel Valley 2) at St. Francis (Mission 2)
Santa Monica (Ocean 3) at Palmdale (Golden 1)
Bottom Bracket
Highland (Golden 3) at Alemany (Mission 1)
West Torrance (Bay 3) at Warren (San Gabriel Valley 1)
Knight (Golden 2) at Redondo (Bay 2)
Dominguez (San Gabriel Valley 3) at Culver City (Ocean 1)

CLICK HERE FOR A TURKEY TUSSLE PHOTO GALLERY SHOT BY PASADENA STAR-NEWS ACE PHOTOGRAPHER KEITH BIRMINGHAM

TONIGHT'S RESULTS

Muir 34 Pasadena 12 -- All is well in Westside Pasadena.
A season that started in despair for John Muir High School ended with a sweet ring of "The Bell." John Muir regained its old form and muscled its way to a 34-12 win over rival Pasadena for the 12th consecutive year in the 56th annual Turkey Tussle on Friday night in front of an estimated 4,200 at the Rose Bowl. Jarron Williams, who completed 9 of 21 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns. He also scored twice on the ground. Senior running back Eddie Tripp proved unstoppable, rushing for 105 yards on 12 carries.

San Marino 19, Temple City 14 -- Stevie Yortsos caught three touchdown passes, rushed for 107 yards and made a key fourth-quarter interception to lead San Marino High School to a 19-14 victory over visiting Temple City in a Rio Hondo League showdown on Friday night. "That is huge. Our guys just stepped up,'' San Marino coach D.R. Moreland said. "It's inspiring to watch them play when they play like that against a great team like Temple City. "I'm so proud of our guys. It's really fun." The Titans' victory, the first over the Rams since 1997, created a tie for second in the Rio Hondo League. San Marino (8-2, 3-2) won a coin flip after the final whistle to officially become the second seed for the upcoming CIF-SS playoffs.

St. Francis 32, Chaminade 25 -- St. Francis High School quarterback Justin Posthuma was playing with virtually one arm Friday night, but it was enough to lead the Golden Knights to a 32-25, come-from-behind victory over Chaminade in both teams' Mission League finale. The victory was their first over Chaminade (6-4, 1-2) since 2004 and clinched second place in league for the Golden Knights (8-2, 2-1). Posthuma's left arm was in a cast, but it didn't affect him in the second half as he used his right arm to rally the Golden Knights from a 25-7 halftime deficit with two touchdown passes.

La Cañada 39, South Pasadena 20 -- La Cañada did double duty Friday night. First, the Spartans overcame a sluggish first half to capture a 39-20 victory over South Pasadena and create a three-way tie for second place in the Rio Hondo League. Then they defeated Temple City in triple overtime to take the league's final CIF-Southern Section playoff berth. The Spartans had to wait for Temple City to arrive from San Marino, which won the three-way coin toss after its 19-14 victory over Temple City. Each team got the ball at the 25-yard line. The Spartans broke the tie when quarterback Rocky Moore hit Michael Arkfeld on an out pattern in the corner of the end zone on a two-point conversion

Maranatha 38, Campbell Hall 21 -- Maranatha's Cody Keith passed for 214 yards on 15 of 23 attempts, including three touchdowns, and rushed for 52 yards to lead the Minutemen to an outright Alpha League championship.

Rosemead 37, Gabrielino 14 -- Matt Fregoso rushed for 195 yards to help the Panthers pull away with the win.

Alhambra 31, Keppel 12 Alhambra's Mitchell Crockom had 114 all-purpose yard and two touchdowns to lead the Moors to a CIF-Southern Section playoff berth.

Monrovia 52, Blair 12 -- Quarterback Nick Bueno ran for two touchdowns and passed for two scores, Derrick Johnson caught one of those TD passes and ran for another, and Ellis McCarthy caught the other TD pass. The Wildcats led 46-0 at the half. None of the Monrovia starters played in the second half, when there was a running clock.

La Salle 31, Bosco Tech 21 -- Michael Alexander threw a 57-yard pass to set up a score and caught a 63-yard touchdown pass, and Antoine Peterson went 57 yards untouched to give La Salle a 31-21 victory.

San Gabriel 36, Montebello 8 -- Isaac Valdez went 17-for-24 passing for 273 yards with three touchdowns and an interception to lead the host Matadors.

Rio Hondo Prep 46, Webb 0 -- The Kares built a 26-0 first-quarter lead and substituted freely the rest of the way to complete an undefeated regular season and their sixth consecutive Prep League crown. Rio Hondo Prep did not play last week because of Pasadena Poly's cancellation.

Pasadena Poly 56, Viewpoint 12 -- The Panthers returned to the football field after a traumatic two weeks and made it worthwhile, earning a berth in the CIF-Southern Section Northeast Division playoffs. The Panthers didn't play last week's game against Rio Hondo Prep because of the head injury of running back Jackson Allan two weeks ago in their loss to Chadwick. Friday afternoon, the 6-4 Panthers wore patches with his number 41 on their jerseys and opened a big lead to clinch third place in the Prep League and the playoff berth.

Chadwick 35, Flintridge Prep 15 -- "It was kind of a back-breaker," Rebels coach Perry Skaggs said. "If we stay close, we get the opening kickoff and can come back. But they made the big plays. They're too good and too talented." The Rebels needed a victory to create a three-way tie for second place in the Prep League. Instead, they finish 2-3 in league, 4-6 overall. Chadwick took second at 4-1, 9-1.

STAR-NEWS RANKINGS

1. MONROVIA (9-0) -- Nick Bueno. Nick Bueno. Nick Bueno. Nick Bueno. Nick Bueno. Just thought I'd get writing Bueno's name out of the way. Some "Monrovia" folks are saying they themselves are tired of hearing/reading about Bueno. But if you read my story last week carefully, I wrote: "While it's Bueno garnering most of the attention, there's also no doubt Monrovia (9-0, 4-0) is pummeling opponents with a valiant team effort. For instance, Bueno's 23-yard run with 9:13 left in the fourth quarter was set up by Monrovia junior Christian Blanco, who on third and 8 from the La Ca ada 33 ran for a 10-yard gain to give the Wildcats a first down. Bueno connected with Grant Haggard for a 40-yard touchdown score with 8:33 left in the second quarter. Bueno did it again with 10:58 left in the fourth quarter, this time with Jordan Trujillo, whose score also was from 40 yards. La Canada (4-4, 2-2) hurt itself with penalties and turnovers, and it didn't help that quarterback Rocky Moore established little, if any, rhythm. He was intercepted by Monrovia's Derrin Jenkins and Evan Sanchez. Moore also couldn't withstand the constant pressure in the pocket - Monrovia's Haggard, Ellis McCarthy, John Adams and Josh Lowden each recorded a sack; McCarthy, a sophomore, now has seven this season." .... Anyway, the Wildcats are the No. 1 team after St. Francis lost last week.

2. ST. FRANCIS (7-2) -- The Golden Knights drop to No. 5 in the Western Division rankings. They were ranked as high as No. 1 early in the season. St. Francis can't afford another loss this week when they travel to play Alemany Chaminade on Friday.

3. TEMPLE CITY (5-3-1) -- Isn't it odd that the Rams are not ranked in the Mid Valley Division? If you look closely, Temple City's opponent, San Marino, is ranked at No. 9. Aside from the Turkey Tussle, here's a huge showdown if you can't make it to the Rose Bowl.

4. RIO HONODO PREP (9-0) -- The Kares earned their second forfeit win of the season. To be fair, Rio Hondo Prep probably would have won anyway last week. Still, the Kares I'm sure would have wanted to play and keep their juices flowing.

5. LA CANADA (4-4) -- Nice try last week, but no dice. The Spartans were overwhelmed in all facets of the game by Monrovia.

6. SAN MARINO (7-2) -- Must-win game is Friday at home. What's the game plan? How do you stop Temple City?

7. SAN GABRIEL (5-4) -- I saw it coming. A loss to Schurr, again. The Spartans are used to playing in these pressure-moment situations. Simply put, San Gabriel is not.

8. PASADENA (5-4) -- The Bulldogs not only climbed a few spots in our rankings, but they also made their debut in the Southeast Division poll. Pasadena sits at No. 9 after its stunning win over Burbank. Aaron Simpson has become one of my new favorite players.

9. ALHAMBRA (5-3) -- Squeezed past Bell Gardens last week. A win's a win, and they'll need to find one Friday to make the playoffs. Alhambra should get the win, they play Keppel. And there's no way the Gil Ruedaflores era should end without a playoff trip. Regardless, Ruedaflores should be carried off the field and on the shoulders of his players. Over two decades at one school. That's impressive. Thanks for the memories, coach.

10. MARANATHA (7-2) -- Quite a few things are on the line for the Minutemen. They have not won an Alpha League championship outright in a long long time. Not only that, but the Minutemen are hoping to keep their No. 2 ranking in the East Valley Division.

Melendez last week (overall): 13-5 (108-57-1)

Last week: I'm still buzzing from last Thursday's game. PHS's Aaron Simpson connects on a 45-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Wells with 1.7 seconds left to give the Bulldogs an incredible 45-41 win over Burbank. It was easily the best game I've covered all season. I got wrong picks when I went with Bell Gardens (lost to Alhambra); Cantwell (lost to La Salle); St. Francis (lost to Alemany); Duarte (lost to Workman); and Burbank (lost to Pasadena).

This week: This is it. After today, some of you will never wear a football uniform again. For the seniors, soak in the experience. The lights. The band. The smell of the food. The smell of the dirt. The smell of the grass. When you walk onto that field it may be the last time you get to enjoy the roar of a crowd. Enjoy the night or day while it's still there. Win or lose, you were part of something special you'll cherish the rest of your lives. We will have Turkey Tussle coverage every day this week, leading up to Friday's game at the Rose Bowl. But this game isn't the only one with playoff implications on the line. St. Francis, Temple City, San Marino, Alhambra, La Salle, Flintridge Prep and Pasadena Poly all need to win to get an automatic bid. Flintridge Prep seems to have the hardest road there because it not only plays Chadwick but the Rebels also need the Panthers to lose. Thursday I'll be covering Arcadia and Friday I'll once again be at the Rose Bowl.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE -- WITH PREDICTIONS
Thursday
Arcadia vs. Crescenta Valley at Glendale, 7 p.m. -- Arcadia
Sierra Canyon vs. Marshall at Pasadena, 7 p.m. -- Sierra Canyon

Friday
Muir vs. Pasadena at Rose Bowl, 7 p.m. -- Pasadena
Temple City at San Marino, 7 p.m. -- Temple City
St. Francis at Chaminade, 7:30 p.m. -- St. Francis
La Canada at South Pasadena, 7 p.m. -- La Canada
Campbell Hall at Maranatha, 7 p.m. -- Maranatha
Keppel vs. Alhambra at Moor Field, 7 p.m. -- Alhambra
Blair at Monrovia, 7 p.m. -- Monrovia
La Salle at Bosco Tech, 1:30 p.m. -- La Salle
Duarte at Bassett, 7 p.m. -- Duarte
Rosemead at Gabrielino, 7 p.m. -- Rosemead
Montebello at San Gabriel, 7 p.m. -- Montebello
Rio Hondo Prep at Webb, 2:30 p.m. -- Rio Hondo Prep
Pasadena Poly at Viewpoint, 2:30 p.m. -- Pasadena Poly
Flintridge Prep at Chadwick, 3 p.m. -- Chadwick

We should have quite a list of baseball, softball and basketball signing letters of intent on Wednesday, but until now I have yet to receive any comments or e-mail. We want to have a group photo for our story that will publish Thursday, but I need to know where your sons, daughters, players, nieces, nephews are signing. If you know of anyone signing, let us know or email me at miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. We're getting a list together for a group picture...

Pasadena High School was vandalized Sunday night in anticipation of the Turkey Tussle against rival John Muir.

School officials said parts of the school's field, including a depiction of the school's bulldog mascot, were painted blue, which are John Muir's colors.

Obscenities were spray painted in parts of the field as well as the word "Muir."

Police are investigating the vandalism, but don't know whether the culprits are Muir students or possibly just a couple of the school's football fans.

The two high schools meet Friday at the Rose Bowl.

Officials said that vandalism happens most years, but were hoping to avoid it this year since the high school put in a new field.

Discuss and anything you want, especially football...

CLICK HERE FOR A PHOTO GALLERY OF THE LA CAÑADA-MONROVIA GAME

Monrovia 43, La Cañada 7 -- The Nick Bueno Show officially kicked into third gear Friday night. That much was evident after Bueno rushed for 208 yards on the ground and scored on runs of 17, 81 and 23 yards. He also completed 10 of 14 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns (who said the kid can't throw?). Bueno almost single-handedly shredded the Spartans defense, completing two 40-yard touchdown passes to Grant Haggard and Jordan Trujillo. "We knew (Bueno) could throw," Monrovia coach Ryan Maddox said, "and to be quite honest, our receivers finally stepped up and caught some balls. There's no question in Nick's ability to throw." La Cañada (4-4, 2-2) hurt itself with penalties and turnovers, and it didn't help that quarterback Rocky Moore established little, if any, rhythm. He was intercepted by Monrovia's Derrin Jenkins and Evan Sanchez. Moore also couldn't withstand the constant pressure in the pocket -- Monrovia's Haggard, Ellis McCarthy, John Adams and Josh Lowden each recorded a sack; McCarthy, a sophomore, now has seven this season. The victory, however, didn't come without some level of concern. Monrovia sophomore De'Shawn Ramirez left early in the first quarter with a slight left ankle sprain. He iced it and retaped it in the second quarter but never returned. On that drive, running back Derrick Johnson capped a 10-play, 52-yard effort with a 3-yard run with 7:00 left in the first quarter to put the Wildcats on the scoreboard. Bueno ran for the 2-point conversion to give Monrovia an 8-0 lead. Later, Justin De La Nuez, a senior running back, left midway through the second quarter with an ankle sprain. He was taken to the hospital for X-rays. Now, here's the million dollar question -- with St. Francis losing and Monrovia winning big, are yall expecting a swap come Wednesday in the latest PSN rankings? I know they mean nothing, but hey, I gotta do 'em. Shout out to our boys from the desert. The Paraclete coaching staff sat in the La Cañada side, and I had a nice chat with 'Clete coach Norm Dhalia at halftime. Gotta love the in-game updates from Desert Rat.

Alhambra 14, Bell Gardens 7 -- Brandon Wilson led Alhambra on both sides of the ball -- two key sacks and two long receptions and a second-effort rushing touchdown. Alhambra led 7-0 at the half. With the win, the Moors keep their playoff hopes alive and can clinch a spot against Keppel next week at Moor Field. Alhambra's Vailele Peko was hurt in the second half and carried off the field. He was carried off the field.

Schurr 38, San Gabriel 30 -- While the Montebello and Mark Keppel high school football teams hired new head coaches and Bell Gardens, San Gabriel and Alhambra welcomed back seasoned quarterbacks, Schurr made no such noise in the offseason. As the old axiom goes, though, sometimes it's the quiet ones who are most dangerous. Schurr proved that again Friday night by claiming a share of its seventh consecutive Almont League title in defeating San Gabriel.

La Salle 45, Cantwell 35 -- Mike Alexander exploded in a good way, scoring four touchdowns and 387 all-purpose yards. The Lancers keep their playoff hopes alive with the win. They'll close out the season next week at Bosco Tech. I have the Lancers playing at 2 p.m. on Friday afternoon. If that's wrong, someone please e-mail yours truly. Our thoughts and prayers go out La Salle senior Mark Danhausen, who's father passed away Friday morning. Danhausen converted a 35-yard field goal, converted six PAT's and no kickoffs were returned.

Arcadia 42, Hoover 28 -- Facing a third-and-24 at their own 32-yard line with a 34-28 lead -- full momentum for Hoover -- Arcadia's David Maldonado got a screen pass and ran it back 68 yards for the dagger with 2:20 left in the fourth quarter. Arcadia's Garret Tuck and Taylor Lagace connected on touchdown passes of 23, 48 and 19 yards.

Temple City 35, South Pasadena 12 -- Temple City's David Spratt was the man. He scored three touchdowns to lead the Rams -- two on the air and one punt return. Next week's game is huge. A Temple City win, the Rams clinch a spot in the playoffs. A Temple City loss, oh boy, someone get me a Tylenol.

Muir 34, Glendale 7 -- The Mustangs defense had three interceptions and two fumble recoveries and a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown. Defensive ends Trayveion Yates and Michael White had a great game for Muir, holding Glendale to 180 yards on the ground. With the win, Muir keeps its playoff hopes alive and must beat Pasadena at next week's Turkey Tussle. I'm going on the record -- PHS wins.

Alemany 13, St. Francis 7 -- One year after transferring from St. Francis to Alemany, defensive back Deron Smith faced his former teammates Friday and came through with the performance of a lifetime. The sophomore intercepted two passes and broke up another key fourth-down pass, all in the second half, to help Alemany to the win and at least a share of the Mission League championship with one game remaining.

Workman 23, Duarte 0 -- Workman High School held winless Duarte to 110 total yards in cruising to a Montview League win on Friday. The Lobos (6-3, 3-2) were led by senior quarterback Richard Cabreros, who completed 4 of his 7 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown. Workman jumped out to a 6-0 lead when Michael Silva scored from a yard out. The score capped off a nine-play, 38-yard drive. After a Duarte turnover on downs, the Lobos drove 50 yards and scored on a quarterback sneak from Cabreros. The score pushed the lead to 13-0 early in the second quarter.

Rosemead 52, El Monte 20 -- The Rosemead duo of Matt Macias and Matt Fregoso put on a show in the Panthers' easy win. The Panthers (4-5, 3-1) used 35 second-quarter points to pull away from the Lions (0-9, 0-4) and take a 42-14 halftime lead. Fregoso finished the game with touchdown runs of 10, 51, 64, and 32. He also had a 78-yard punt return in the second quarter to give Rosemead a comfortable 28-7 lead.

Maranatha 49, Marshall 0 -- Maranatha quarterback Cody Keith threw for 175 yards and running back Erik Johnson rushed for 200 to lead the Minutemen in Alpha League action Friday night at Pasadena High School. Maranatha (7-2, 6-0) will play for an outright league championship next week when it hosts Campbell Hall. The Minutemen last season finished in second place and have not won an outright league title in 23 years. Maranatha shared the league title in 2006. Maranatha's Ben Young led the defense with two interceptions. Minutemen coach Joel Murphy has been pleased with his team's balanced attack. "What's nice is the last month or so we've been incredibly balanced," Murphy said, whose team is on a seven-game winning streak. "We're not just proficient but we can excel at it, too."

San Marino 51, Blair 0 -- Stevie Yortsos lined up in the backfield at tailback and proved to be just as effective as he is at receiving by scoring three touchdowns on the ground to lead San Marino High School to a 51-0 win over winless Blair (0-9, 0-4) in Friday's Rio Hondo League game. The Titans (7-2, 2-2) led, 35-0, at the half. The game was played with a running clock in the second half. Everyone got a piece of the action for San Marino, including linebacker Trent Converse, who returned a fumble for a score. The win helped the Titans keep their playoff hopes alive as they head into next week's must-win game against visiting Temple City. But as far as San Marino coach D.R. Moreland is concerned, the postseason already began. "The playoffs started Friday night," Moreland said. "That's the position we find ourselves in and starting tomorrow we have to prepare for Temple City." San Marino will have to deal with an explosive offense led by Rams running back Max Ruckle and quarterback Justin Smith. "Temple City's both sides of the ball will be a challenge for us," Moreland said. "We're going to have to play one of our better games next week, that's for sure."

Pasadena Poly athletic director Steve Beerman confirmed the Panthers' football game on Saturday against Rio Hondo Prep has been canceled. The game will not be made up, therefore giving the Kares a forfeit win. The news comes almost a week after Pasadena Poly's Jackson Allan sustained a serious head injury in the final minutes against Chadwick. He was rushed to UCLA Harbor Medical Center where he underwent brain surgery to relieve swelling and internal bleeding. Allan remains in the intensive care unit. Allan's parents, Les and Rhonda, posted a message Wednesday on Facebook saying "We had a quiet day with doctors satisfied at Jackson's progress although he remains in the ICU." The decision to not play Saturday came early Friday morning. "When you take the week into consideration,they were not prepared to play," Beerman said. " The administration and coaches talked and we just don't feel, based on the week of practices and preparations, we were ready to play." Pasadena Poly drops to 5-4 overall and 2-2 in Prep League play. The Panthers can still make the playoffs with a win over Viewpoint next week. Rio Hondo Prep coach Ken Drain said earlier this week the team planned on honoring Allan during Saturday's by wearing orange wristbands that had Allan's No. 41 number on it. "This is a situation where if they wanted to not play we would totally understand," Rio Hondo Prep coach Ken Drain said earlier this week.

CLICK HERE FOR A PHOTO GALLERY OF THURSDAY'S PASADENA-BURBANK GAME

CORRECTION: Pasadena did not clinch a spot in the CIF-Southern Section Southeast Division playoffs with its 45-41 win over Burbank. The Bulldogs need Muir to lose to Glendale tonight to clinch a spot. Muir, however, is still in the hunt for a playoff spot with a win tonight, and would have to beat Pasadena in next week's Turkey Tussle to clinch a spot. It was erroneously reported in today's paper that Pasadena clinched a spot and in the process eliminated Muir from playoff contention. I jumped the gun and made a mistake. For that, I apologize. -- MM

Aaron Simpson connected on a 45-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Wells with 10.8 seconds left in the game to help Pasadena pull off a stunning 45-41 upset over Burbank on Thursday night in Pacific League action at Burroughs High. Pasadena (5-4, 4-2) clinched a spot in the CIF-Southern Section Southeast Division playoffs while also knocking rival Muir out of playoff contention can clinch a spot in the CIF-Southern Section Southeast Division playoffs if Muir loses tonight. Burbank (7-2, 5-1) had one final chance with 1.7 seconds left and attempted five laterals before several flags were thrown, including one for a forward pass. That ended the game and sent the Pasadena crowd into a frenzy. The Bulldogs were back at their own 32 with 1:20 remaining. Simpson, faced with fourth and 2 at his own 40, found an open Eugene Tripling for a 15-yard gain and a first down. On the next play, without any hesitation and his eyes focused on the end zone, Simpson threw a pass to Wells, who had three Burbank defenders on him. Wells caught the pass, prompting the Bulldogs players, coaches and administrators to rush the field. Pasadena turned to the Muir football players watching from the visitors stands and yelled, "You're next." The Bulldogs were assessed with an unsportsmanlike penalty, but the damage was done. Burbank's loss put a damper on next week's showdown against rival Burroughs (6-2, 5-0), which also had players at the game.

OH NO! WHAT WAS HE THINKING??? (Thanks TCCHAMPS)

Photo courtesy of Steve Clarkson

Josh Peter over at Yahoo! Sports chronicles Cody Keith's path to Maranatha, his third school in three years. Keith is the Minutemen's starting quarterback, and we profiled him back in July. Peter writes: There are no simple answers with Cody Keith. Even to the biggest question: Can he be a star quarterback? On the night of Maranatha's season opener, Peterson watched Keith complete just 13 of 35 passes and throw three interceptions in a 20-14 loss to Linfield Christian. Afterward, Peterson still didn't know what to make of the 6-foot-4 senior. "You can see the potential is there," he said. "He has pretty good mechanics and he's making throws some quarterbacks can't make. I really can't say if he's a (college) quarterback." One thing is certain: He's been in the spotlight and under scrutiny for years. Warning, the story is pretty lengthy.

With less than a month before the playoffs, I'm going to list ten players in the running for player of the year. If you're not on this list, that doesn't mean you won't win it. So much can change once the playoffs begin, but if it ended today, these are the top ten in consideration, in no particular order of course.

DIETRICH RILEY

Dietrich Riley, St. Francis, RB/DB -- Riley, one of the most coveted recruits in the nation, does just about everything for the Golden Knights. Offensively, he's rushed for 518 yards and nine touchdowns and has caught 21 passes for 381 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, he has three interceptions and averages six tackles per game. The scary part is Riley's played in only two complete games this season and played only the first half in the first six games of the regular season. Riley is perhaps the most versatile player in Southern California this season.

ISAAC VALDEZ

Isaac Valdez, San Gabriel, QB -- Valdez leads the San Gabriel Valley in passing with 2,033 yards and 14 touchdowns. He's the primary reason why the Matadors are in hunt for an Almont League championship. In addition, he's also rushed for 444 yards and seven touchdowns.

JUSTIN POSTHUMA

Justin Posthuma, St. Francis, QB -- Looking at MaxPreps and it doesn't list Posthuma having thrown an interception. I'm not sure about that, but I could be wrong. Nevertheless, Posthuma's proven to be one of the Valley's elite quarterbacks. Dietrich Riley is the heart and soul of the team, but without Posthuma anchoring the offense it's uncertain how good the Golden Knights would be this season. He's thrown for 1,398 yards and 12 touchdowns, and if MaxPreps is correct, no interceptions. As if that wasn't enough, he's also rushed for 441 yards and eight touchdowns.

MAX RUCKLE

Max Ruckle, Temple City, RB -- Ruckle's been impressive with 1,043 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns. He's lightning quick and tough to bring down.

JUSTIN SMITH

Justin Smith, Temple City, QB -- Whether the Temple City fans will admit it or not, the Rams have on their hands a legitimate quarterback in Smith. He's thrown for 1,405 yards and 10 touchdowns, helping Temple City's offense with good deception. Smith is mobile and not afraid to take a hit. He doesn't go down without a fight.

NICK BUENO

Nick Bueno, Monrovia, QB -- Bueno is CIF's sixth-leading rusher at the QB position with 795 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. He's thrown for 517 yards and three touchdowns this season.

DARRIAN CAZARIN

Darrian Cazarin, Alhambra, QB -- He's thrown for 1,628 yards to lead the Moors offensively. He has 15 touchdowns and rushed for two more.

JOSH LOWDEN

Josh Lowden, Monrovia, LB -- Mr. 55 averages 11 tackles per game and has one sack this season. Monrovia heavily prides itself for its tenacious defense, and anchoring the D is Lowden.

DE'SHAWN RAMIREZ

De'Shawn Ramirez, Monrovia, RB -- The sophomore sensation has rushed for 732 yards and nine touchdowns. He averages nearly 12 yards per carry and has returned three kickoffs for touchdowns.

STEVIE YORTSOS

Stevie Yortsos, San Marino, WR/DB -- Yortsos has 27 receptions for 484 yards and six touchdowns. More impressively, Yortsos five interceptions to lead the West San Gabriel Valley.

ROCKY MOORE

Rocky Moore, La Canada, QB -- Moore is leading the Spartans to an unbelievable years. I wasn't expecting first-year coach Dan Yoder to have La Canada competing, but that's exactly what he's done. Moore is at the forefront and his numbers don't lie. He's thrown for 1,641 yards and 17 touchdowns with only two interceptions. Two!! If the Spartans make the playoffs you can bet Moore will be a serious candidate come season's end.

Above: Will anybody sneak up on the Monrovia Wildcats? Me thinks not.

There's a better chance of me landing in the moon than anybody knocking off Monrovia for the Rio Hondo League championship. That being said, there are no assurances from second on down. Temple City (4-3-1, 2-1), La Cañada (4-3, 2-1) and San Marino (6-2, 1-2) are going to have quite the battle. With the remaining games left this season, here's what I think we all expected would happen before the start of the season: La Cañada loses to Monrovia, beats South Pasadena; San Marino beats Blair, loses to Temple City; Temple City beats South Pasadena; beats San Marino. Now, because La Cañada beat San Marino last week that kind of threw off the rest of the league. There are a few scenarios that can play out, but the most obvious people thought would unfold would have Monrovia, Temple City and San Marino headed to the playoffs. All eyes will be on South Pasadena-Temple City and Monrovia-La Cañada. The team with a decent chance at pulling off the upset in Week 9 is South Pasadena. The Tigers held Monrovia to 14-first half points. A Temple City loss would wreak havoc and put the Rams, Spartans and Titans all at 2-2. Then La Cañada beats South Pas in Week 10, putting them at 3-2. If Temple City beats San Marino, the Rams are 3-2, and they move represent the RHL at No. 2 because of its tiebreaker over LC, which would finish third. A San Marino win puts them at 3-2 but would finish third because of its loss to the Spartans. This, of course, will only play out if the Rams lose Friday night, but don't count on it.

Good morning Pasadena. The Scouting Guru is someone I use often at the Tribune. Since a lot of this information has a bearing on Pasadena teams, I thought I would share it with you. The Guru has been all over the San Gabriel Valley and beyond, and like always, he's offered to share his thoughts, free of charge. Don't hate, enjoy it for what it's worth, which is one man's opinion on the talent and teams in the San Gabriel Valley and surrounding areas. I know those guys at the Mid-Valley don't care for him, but what do they know.

Guru Says: Well, this is my favorite time of year. We are watching tons of film for 2010 prospects. But more than that, it's close to playoff time - which means it's time for a little bracketology for the playoffs. Let's dive into it.
First, what needs to be understood is the protocol directly from the CIF-SS Handbook that is online at cifss.org. "The initial step is to designate four teams (maximum) as seeds, with No. 1 and No. 4 placed in the top bracket, and No. 2 and 3 in the bottom bracket (see Diagram 1). An exception to this procedure would be if seeds in the same half of the bracket are from the same league......Is it possible to designate more than four seeds? The task would be virtually impossible on two counts. Attempting to delineate which team is the No. 7 seed, as opposed to No. 8, or No. 12 rather than No. 13, would result in 25 different answers by 25 different people. Additionally, an attempt at a "true seed" would be in opposition to the CIF-SS Constitution and By-laws, which specify a league's designated No. 1 entry shall meet a No. 3 entry, and a No. 2 shall meet another No. 2, where the draw provides for same in the opening round."

Ricky Pickens has been relieved of his duties as head coach at Marshall High. Pickens was in his second season coaching the Eagles. He led Marshall to a thrilling 36-24 win over Pasadena Poly that helped the Eagles snap a 33-game losing streak earlier this season.

"We agreed to release him due to personal issues," said Jason Taylor, Marshall's athletic director.

Pickens said Taylor was supportive in his decision to leave with two games left in the regular season.

"My mom is sick," Pickens said. "She's got some health issues and it's something I want to take care of. I didn't want to stay around when I wasn't going to be 100 percent. I had made a decision that I was going to let (Taylor) know by the end of the season, but I wanted him to have ample time to look for someone so we just made a decision to go ahead now.

"I would have liked to finished but it's taken a toll on me. My mom doesn't live in the city. She lives in Victorville. I have to leave and get across the freeway and fight traffic and it becomes an issue. (Taylor) agreed and said your family comes first. I didn't want to do it like that beause I love Marshall. The opportunity I had was phenomenal. I certainly wish them the best and I"ll always be a fan. I do want to coach again once i iron these things, and I believe i can do it somewhere when this is over."

In his nearly two years at the helm, Pickens compiled a 2-16 record as head coach.

Germel Ford will take over on an interim basis. Ford served as Marshall's linebackers coach. He teaches physical education at Marshall.

"We felt that was a great fit," Pickens said, "and i definitely support it."

STAR-NEWS TOP 10 RANKINGS

1. ST. FRANCIS (7-1) -- Is there really any debating St. Francis is not the best ream in the PSN area? Enough. St. Francis is the undisputed No. 1 team in the WSGV. Despite losing a few weeks ago to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, the Golden Knights dropped only one spot to No. 2 in the CIF-SS Western Division rankings. Say all you want about the CIF polls' validity, but the pollsters finally showed a deserving team some respect, and that team was St. Francis. Most teams after losing a game drop several spots, just like San Marino did in the CIF-SS Mid Valley Division, dropping from No. 2 to No. 6 after losing to Monrovia, the No. 1 team in the Mid Valley. St. Francis' biggest task comes Friday night at Alemany. This won't be easy, and you'd be crazy to think Friday's outcome doesn't define the Golden Knights' season.

2. MONROVIA (8-0) -- The Wildcats have played down to opponents, and was that ever more evident last week against South Pasadena? Monrovia mustered 14 first-half points before De'Shawn Ramirez saved the day. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Monrovia's only enemy right now is itself. They can't play down to opponents and lose focus. If and when they do, they'll get caught off guard and the domino's will follow.

3. TEMPLE CITY (4-3-1) -- The Rams scored a yawner of a victory last week against Blair. The powers that be must have grown tired of watching Temple City have its way with Blair because with less than four minutes left in the game at Muir, the lights went out. Nevertheless, the Rams jump up one spot from No. 4 after San Marino's loss.

4. LA CÃNADA (4-3) -- The Spartans surprised the world when they knocked off San Marino. Despite a soft preseason schedule, the Titans were the favorite to win. Were they exposed? Rocky Moore is about as good as any quarterback in the Rio Hondo League, and probably the rest of the San Gabriel Valley. The Spartans' win over San Marino throws the Rio Hondo League into whack, a bit. La Canada is probably going to finish 3-2 in league after losing to Monrovia and beating South Pasadena, while San Marino will be 2-2 heading into its finale against Temple City. A loss to the Rams, San Marino is out of the playoffs. A win over Temple City and we've got ourselves quite the scenario that certainly will give us all a reaching for Tylenol.

5. SAN GABRIEL (5-3) -- San Gabriel's making me look bad, and I'm sure they're enjoying every second of it. As you may have noticed by now, I picked Schurr to win and already the SG fanatics are saying that guarantees the Matadors will win. Not necessarily. Schurr owns San Gabriel like I own my 2006 Accord -- I beat it up, wear it down and tear it down. Sure, San Gabriel's knocked off a few good opponents, but the Matadors are walking in uncharted waters right now. They're in prime position to take the driver's seat in the Almont League, but they'll probably fumble the opportunity to land the coveted seat because they'll succumb to pressure. I digress. This post was supposed to be about San Gabriel's impressive win over Alhambra. The Matadors didn't just win handily. They destroyed the Moors. My brother, a San Gabriel alum, gave me grief the entire Saturday morning. I got the last laugh when Oregon beat USC.

6. RIO HONDO PREP (8-0) -- The Kares are taking care of business the way Monrovia isn't. Rio Hondo Prep is the No. 1-ranked team in the Northeast Division and they're leaving no doubt they are the best. The only reason why Monrovia hasn't dropped from No. 1 is because they haven't lost, but they've yet to dominate opponents like they did at the start of the season, particularly against Rosemead and San Dimas. One thing the Kares do need is a more efficient passing game. This week's showdown with Pasadena Poly took a hit when Panthers sophomore Jackson Allan suffered a serious head injury and underwent brain surgery over the weekend. While the game has Prep League implications on the line it's certain everyone will be thinking about Allan and his family.

7. SAN MARINO (6-2) -- De ja vu? San Marino exposed Monrovia a few weeks ago and now they got a taste of its own medicine against La Canada last week. The Spartans secondary was a virtual wall against the Titans offense. A lot will be riding on the Temple City-San Marino game on Nov. 13. Wish I could be there.

8. ALHAMBRA (4-3) -- The Moors still have a shot at the playoffs if they beat Bell Gardens and Keppel. Alhambra coach Gil Ruedaflores said the Moors would need a balanced attack to beat San Gabriel, but there was quite a lot of passes thrown and Alhambra never really established the run. This was a problem last year and it's a problem this year.

9. MARANATHA (6-2) -- The Minutemen escaped with a 19-12 win over Sierra Canyon. Maranatha coach Joel Murphy said the team's made drastic improvements since the starting the season at 0-2. It's safe to say the Minutemen will extend their streak to seven after taking on Marshall on Friday.

10. PASADENA (4-4) -- Huckster I'm sure is banging his head somewhere on Sierra Madre Boulevard after seeing the Bulldogs make the list. Sure, Pasadena lost to Crescenta Valley, but after La Salle (3-5) dropped out of the rankings there was no other viable team to replace the Lancers. The Bulldogs in my book have surpassed all expectations. I'm sure that's not what coach Mike McFarland is saying, but already at Week 9 he's set the bar for next season. He's building a solid foundation for Pasadena football, and in only his first year it appears McFarland has the Bulldogs ready to dethrone Muir from its pedestal that is the Turkey Tussle streak. Never mind that Muir's having an atrocious season thus far. That's besides the point. I last covered Pasadena against Saugus. The defense was solid and nearly came away with a win. That was Week 2. Lets see what things look like Thursday night.

As usual, the top 10 rankings will more than likely start with Pasadena on top, but what about everybody else? Temple City lost the San Gabriel Valley's highest scorer in James Chen; Alhambra is doing without coach Joe Petralia who retired after nearly three decades at Alhambra; Monrovia and La Salle are young this season, and was Keppel a one-year wonder or can they be counted on as a basketball school?

LAST YEAR'S REGULAR-SEASON FINAL RANKINGS

1. Pasadena (19-5); 2. Temple City (15-7); 3. Alhambra (16-8); 4. Monrovia (16-7); 5. La Cañada (18-6); 6. Flintridge Prep (16-6); 7. Keppel (15-9); 8. La Salle (13-11); 9. Marshall (16-6); 10. Blair (12-9)

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There never seems to be a shortage of good girls basketball teams, is there? Monrovia and Muir advanced to the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division III-A playoffs. The Wildcats mounted an amazing comeback after trailing by 22 points, and then-freshman Gina Hendreson dropped 38 points. Muir lost in the final seconds to Inglewood, and if not for those two losses we have ourselves an all-WSGV final. Keppel met its nemesis in Bishop Amat early in the playoffs, and you know La Cañada is always tough and disciplined with Tamar Hill at the helm.

LAST YEAR'S REGULAR-SEASON FINAL RANKINGS

1. Muir (18-3); 2. Keppel (15-10); 3. Monrovia (15-5); 4. La Cañada (18-6); 5. Pasadena Poly (17-4); 6. La Salle (14-9); 7. South Pasadena (14-9); 8. Alhambra (13-9); 9. Rosemead (10-10); 10. Flintridge Prep (13-10).

I unsuccessfully tried installing just a Top 5 for soccer this season. I'm not saying last year was a down year for soccer, but after the top 5 it was a real struggle putting together a legitimate 6-10 ranking. There's no doubt St. Francis and La Cañada will always compete in boys soccer; they're the Muir in football, they don't rebuild, they reload. (Well, maybe not Muir this year, but you get what I'm saying). Then you have Monrovia and Pasadena which had a strong year last year. Rosemead also was in the mix. Nevertheless, I'm asking your input for the top 10 preseason rankings this year. Is it going to be another down year? Is St. Francis star Eric Verso playing this year? Will St. Francis successfully defend its CIF Southern California championship? Who is No. 1? Monrovia? St. Francis? That was the big debate last year. I guess it never ends, whether it's football this year or soccer -- St. Francis vs. Mornovia, the matchup we'd all like to see.

LAST YEAR'S FINAL REGULAR-SEASON RANKINGS

1. Monrovia (17-2-3); 2. Pasadena (10-1-6); 3. St. Francis (12-5-4); 4. Temple City (5-4-4); 5. La Cañada (15-6-2); 6. Rosemead (11-4-4); 7. Muir (6-6-2); 8. Alhambra (5-5-1); 9. San Marino (8-9-2); 10. Blair (6-8-2).

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In girls soccer, Alverno is the defending CIF champion in Division VII, and I can already hear all the talk about how Alverno played a weak schedule ... yada, yada, yada, yada ... The word on the street is La Salle is the top team in the WSGV. If you get a chance you will want to check out La Salle's Samantha Whitehead. She's a junior with tremendous speed.

LAST YEAR'S FINAL REGULAR-SEASON RANKINGS

1. Flintridge SH (15-4-3); 2. Arcadia (13-4-2); 3. Alverno (15-1-1); 4. Monrovia (6-5-3); 5. La Cañada (11-4-3); 6. Maranatha (13-6-4); 7. Ramona Convent (15-5-1); 8. South Pasadena (10-7-4); 9. La Salle (11-5-4); 10. Westridge (5-4-3).

Below: Can Alverno repeat as CIF champions this season?

Courtesy of Facebook

If you want to show your support for this young man and his family, visit his Facebook page by clicking here. Tina Cocumelli, a teacher at Pasadena Poly, perhaps said it best. "You are so precious to all of us in your Poly family," Cocumelli wrote Sunday night on Facebook. "Coach Ryan spent a lot of time on the junior trip telling me that you're the "toughest guy on the team"; well, we've all seen proof of that on the playing field. We know you'll use that same toughness to battle back to full health ... "When you're well enough to read this page, you'll know that there's a spiritual army of people loving you and praying for you and your family. None of us will rest until you're safely through this and back "home" with us at Poly."

Story in today's sports section of the Star-News on page B2

Pasadena Poly sophomore Jackson Allan, injured in a football game Saturday, underwent brain surgery over the weekend to remove swelling and a blood clot, according to accounts posted on Facebook and the school's Web site.

Allan is in critical but stable condition, said his father, Les, who has been updating his son's status on the Facebook group page "Get Well Jackson Allan," which was created Saturday.

"Jackson had a good night and his mom and I are with him constantly," wrote Les Allan on Facebook. "He is at UCLA Harbor and in the best possible hands. He had surgery which went as well as it could have. He remains stable but critical, and the next few days are key. He is under very heavy sedation but still manages an occasional response to the loving and kind words that we are relaying to him.

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The Stang Fan last week: (TSF, anyway you can e-mail me your picks/results?)
Melendez last week (overall): 14-5 (95-52-1)

Last week: My five losses were Pasadena (lost to Crescenta Valley); Alhambra (lost to San Gabriel); Bosco Tech (lost to Cantwell); La Salle (lost to Mary Star); and San Marino (lost to La Cañada). PHS and San Marino made it close, but can't say the same about the rest.

This week: This week's "game of the week" is still up in the air. Does La Cañada have a chance against Monrovia? Not many expected the Spartans to come into Titan territory and knock them with a dose of reality. What about St. Francis at Alemany? A huge Mission League showdown. Both teams are 1-0 in league and the winner all but claims the league title, something St. Francis hasn't done in quite a while. For the record, Calpreps has the Golden Knights winning by 10. My only problem with this game is that it's way over in Mission Hills, and with a 7:30 start it could get ugly come deadline. Then we have Schurr at San Gabriel, a HUGE Almont League showdown. The winner of this game gets in the driver's seat for a league championship. I hear folks at San Gabriel are worried I might pick the Matadors to win. As you recall, every time I've picked San Gabriel to win they've lose and every time I've picked them to lose, they've won, except for the Keppel game. Nevertheless, the nod here goes to Schurr because lets face it, the Spartans own the Matadors. Most likely I'll be covering PHS on Thursday night. It's homecoming, isn't it? The 30 minute halftime show should be fun. So we'll have PHS in the cover Friday, a school TBD in the cover Friday.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE -- WITH PREDICTIONS

THURSDAY'S GAMES
Pasadena vs. Burbank at Burroughs, 7 p.m. -- Burbank

FRIDAY'S GAMES
Monrovia at La Cañada, 7 p.m. -- Monrovia
Bell Gardens at Alhambra, 7 p.m. -- Bell Gardens
Schurr at San Gabriel, 7 p.m. -- Schurr
Cantwell Sacred Heart at La Salle, 7 p.m. -- Cantwell
Arcadia vs. Hoover at Glendale, 7 p.m. -- Arcadia
South Pasadena at Temple City, 7 p.m. -- Temple City
Glendale at Muir, 7 p.m. -- Muir
St. Francis at Alemany, 7:30 p.m. -- St. Francis
Duarte vs. Workman at La Puente, 7 p.m. -- Duarte
Rosemead vs. El Monte at Arroyo, 7 p.m. -- Rosemead
Keppel at Montebello, 7 p.m. -- Montebello
Viewpoint vs. Flintridge Prep at Oxy, 7 p.m. -- Flintridge Prep
Maranatha vs. Marshall at Paadena, 7 p.m. -- Maranatha
South El Monte at Gabrielino, 7 p.m. -- South El Monte
Blair at San Marino, 7 p.m. -- San Marino

SATURDAY'S GAMES
Rio Hondo Prep at Pasadena Poly, 2:30 p.m. -- Rio Hondo Prep
Serra at Bosco Tech, 1 p.m. -- Serra

*Just thought I'd share this with you. Sam Farmer of the L.A. Times wrote a very inspiring story on Charlie Wedemeyer, who was diagnosed 31 years ago with ALS and told he had a year to live. Now, he guides players from sidelines in non-verbal language to his wife. Believe me, you will want to read this if you haven't already. Truly inspiring.

*La Cañada's win over San Marino gives meaning to next week's Monrovia- La Cañada game. Is this easily our game of the week?

*FYI: Every time I've picked San Gabriel to win, they've lost. Every time I've picked them to lose, they've won. Who do I have in next week's Almont League showdown pitting Schurr at San Gabriel? Undecided.

*What happened to PHS? They had this one. They had it! Someone on the blog mentioned there was no sense of urgency, but seriously, how is that possible with so much on the line?

*What happened to Arcadia? They were leading the Pacific League front-runner by six points before they let it slip away ... This one's probably the toughest game to swallow.

*Is there any more doubt St. Francis is the top team in the WSGV? No.

*La Salle coach Antoine Peterson sounded frustrated, exhausted and puzzled after Friday night's loss to Mary Star. Peterson was hoping the Lancers would play with some sense of urgency, and the bye didn't seem to help as some players showed rust.

*Isn't Rio Hondo Prep the "feel good team" of the San Gabriel Valley? They hop on a bus to Viewpoint early Friday and head home in traffic late in the afternoon with a 40-0 win. And in case you're wondering, Ken Drain is not just the head football coach. He's also the school's athletic director and boys basketball coach. Oh, and also the team's bus driver. Rueben Thomas, move over. We have a new Mr. Everything taking charge.

*With Muir's 25-0 win over Hover earlier this week, are the Mustangs' playoff hopes still alive? At the very least, it's looking like the Turkey Tussle will have more than just Braggin' Rights on the line.

*Athlete of the week considerations: Temple City's Justin Smith; San Gabriel's Isaac Valdez; Monrovia's De'Shawn Ramirez; and La Cañada's Rocky Moore. Picking one won't be easy.

LOOKING AHEAD AT WEEK 9
(Note: If the game's time/site changes please e-mail miguel.melendez@sgvn.com .. We're not that fond of surprises =)

THURSDAY'S GAME
Pasadena vs. Burbank at Burroughs, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY'S GAMES
Monrovia at La Canada, 7 p.m.
Bell Gardens at Alhambra, 7 p.m.
Schurr at San Gabriel, 7 p.m.
Cantwell Sacred Heart at La Salle, 7 p.m.
Hoover at Arcadia, 7 p.m.
South Pasadena at Temple City, 7 p.m.
Glendale at Muir, 7 p.m.
St. Francis at Alemany, 7:30 p.m.
Duarte vs. Workman at La Puente, 7 p.m.
Rosemead vs. El Monte at Arroyo, 7 p.m.
Keppel at Montebello, 7 p.m.
Viewpoint vs. Flintridge Prep at Oxy, 7 p.m.
Maranatha vs. Marshall at Paadena, 7 p.m.
South El Monte at Gabrielino, 7 p.m.
Blair vs. San Marino at PCC, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY'S GAMES
Rio Hondo Prep at Pasadena Poly, 2:30 p.m.
Serra at Bosco Tech, 1 p.m.

Also, check out this video ... Was the QB showing off or is it still a pretty cool throw?

CLICK HERE FOR QUARTER-BY-QUARTER SCORE UPDATES

TONIGHT'S RESULTS

San Gabriel 52, Alhambra 14 -- Valdez rushed for four touchdowns and passed for another as San Gabriel, 3-0 in league play, took off after a shaky start. Trailing 7-0, the Matadors took advantage of a 7-yard punt that gave them the ball at the Alhambra 38- yard line in the second quarter. Four plays later, Valdez scored on a 1-yard sneak to tie the game. Alhambra went backward in its next series, and a short punt and 22-yard return by Fabian Amaro put the ball on the 18. Four plays later, Valdez was in the end zone on a 4-yard bootleg run for a 13-7 lead. The game took more than three hours to play and featured 75 passes and 23 penalties, coupled with a 32-minute intermission for San Gabriel's homecoming activities. This game proved to be way too for Alhambra.

La Cañada 14, San Marino 10 -- San Marino mistakes limited its offense and LC quarterback Rocky Moore led a touchdown drive deep in the fourth quarter to give La Cañada's first lead of the game. San Marino's Benny Hung ran into a virtual wall, rushing for 93 yards on 29 carries. It didn't help that Titans QB Joe Forgatch did not connect on his final 10 passes the fourth quarter, and one was intercepted. In fairness, three were dropped. La Cañada's win sets up a huge showdown at home next week against second-ranked Monrovia.

Azusa 47, Duarte 6 -- Azusa's John Chavez threw for 129 yards and three touchdowns to lead the visiting Aztecs.

Rosemead 31, South El Monte 28 -- Rosemead withstood a furious rally by South El Monte and scored the winning touchdown on Matt Fergoso's 5-yard run with eight seconds left to stay in the hunt for the Mission Valley League title Friday night.

Burbank 33, Arcadia 27 -- The Apaches squandered a 6-point lead before Burbank's Anthony Cervantes caught a 19-yard pass from Adam Colman to close out a six-play, 65-yard drive, and Colman's run for the two-point conversation sealed the Bulldogs' win in a Pacific League game that saw six lead changes.

Temple City 41, Blair 8 -- Justin Smith passed for three touchdowns and ran for another three to lead the Rams (4-3-1, 2-1) over Blair in a bizarre Rio Hondo League contest Friday night at Muir High. With just under six minutes left in the game, the lights at Muir's new field went out, forcing the game to end quicker than expected.

Monrovia 35, South Pasadena 7 -- De'Shawn Ramirez put on a show. He had eight carries for 113 yards and four touchdowns. Monrovia led 14-0 at the half and scored 21 in the second half. The Wildcats sat out their starters for some of the third quarter and the entire fourth.

Mary Star 33, La Salle 14 -- Mary Star of the Sea (5-3, 3-0) scored early and often, handing La Salle (3-5, 0-2) a Camino Real League defeat that puts the Lancers' playoff hopes in shambles. The Lancers trailed 19-0 at halftime, but got within striking distance in the second half. La Salle scored early in the third quarter when Mike Alexander caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mike Novell to make it 19-7. The Lancers got within 19-14, but that's as close as they would get before Mary Star took over.

Crescenta Valley 38, Pasadena -- The Bulldogs amassed 555 yards of total offense, 294 through the air and 261 on the ground, including Nick Escoe and Charles Hendricks whom each had 100 yards rushing apiece. PHS quarterback Aaron Simpson passed for 294 yards, but turnovers proved to be the difference and they couldn't stop CV's offensive prowess. CV scored on six of eight possessions, and the two they didn't score ended the first half and the game.

Maranatha 19, Sierra Canyon 12 -- Cody Keith ran for a touchdown and connected on another with Danny Beckwith to help the Minutemen improve to 5-0 in Alpha League play. Maranatha led 7-6 at the half.

St. Francis 34, St. Paul 7 -- Converting Friedman Field into their own version of "The Pit" (St. Paul High School's notorious Cranham Field), St. Francis opened Mission League football play with a 34-7 victory over visiting St. Paul on Friday night. The Golden Knights (7-1) were led by running back Austin Nieves, who rushed for 157 yards on just seven carries. Quarterback Justin Posthuma completed 11 of 21 passes for 165 yards and a pair of touchdowns. St. Francis scored on four of its five first-half possessions, highlighted by a 79-yard touchdown run by Nieves for a 14-0 lead on the final play of the first quarter.

Rio Hondo Prep 40, Viewpoint 0 -- Cody Cowell returned an interception 78 yards for a score and added another with a 21-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Chris Llamas in the closing minutes of the first quarter to lead the Kares to a Prep League victory.
Rio Hondo Prep (8-0, 3-0) built a 37-0 lead at halftime, courtesy of J.T. Parker's two TDs in the second quarter -- a 1-yard scoring run and a 49-yard touchdown catch from Llamas in the closing seconds of the quarter.

Flintridge Prep 24, Webb 21 -- Trailing 21-17 with 2:30 remaining in the game and facing a fourth-and-6 from their own 20, the Rebels' Kory Hamane found a ball that was batted away by a Webb defender to keep their last-minute drive alive. Two plays later, Hamane took the ball around the left end from 14 yards for the winning score with 1:36 left left in the game. Flintridge Prep (2-5, 1-1) played tenacious defense and stopped the Gauls to make the score stand.

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
MUIR (1-6, 1-3) vs. HOOVER (1-6, 0-4) at GLENDALE HIGH, 7 P.M.

CLICK HERE FOR QUARTER-BY-QUARTER SCORE UPDATES

So much for Muir High School competing for a Pacific League championship this year. Mustangs football coach Ken Howard was optimistic before the start of the season despite losing 24 players to graduation, but after an 1-6 start? Not so much.

Muir has won the league title four of the last six years, but at this point the only certainty is it won't happen this year. It used to be Muir's biggest challenge was not overlooking inferior opponents because of their records. It also used to be Muir could be counted on to beat Hoover (1-6, 0-4), but the way things have gone this season nothing's a certainty.

"Oh yeah, no doubt about it," Howard said as the Mustangs prepared to play Hoover tonight at 7 at Glendale. "I'm not going to take (Hoover) lightly because of their record because I can't complain about anybody or how they're doing. Look at us. We need to win. Period."

Muir quarterback Jarron Williams said the team needed heart after the Mustangs' 21-14 loss to Crescenta Valley last week. Muir trailed 21-0 at the half before mounting a comeback in the second half that fell short.

"Every year you get the same thing," Howard said. "We don't fight until we're up against the wall. I don't know why we do that, but we have to at some point start in the front court."

Pasadena (4-3, 3-1), meanwhile, is coming off an impressive 48-0 win over Glendale. The Bulldogs revamped the offense and installed the double-wing. Glendale was not ready to defend it and Pasadena took advantage. Howard said the Mustangs' offense will not be revamped, but there will be tweaks to the lineup.

"We have to try everything right now," Howard said. "Don't be surprised if you see guys playing different positions, whether it's Williams lining up at running back or something else. We're trying to find where we're going to click together."

Regardless, chances for a playoff spot are slim and Muir cannot afford another loss. "Last week was a win that would have made us comfortable, but we have to win (today)," Howard said.

If not?

"It's going to throw a wrench in the game," he said. "But I've seen stranger things happen. We're not going to give up."

Howard, in his 13th year at the school and seventh as head coach, took issue with growing whispers from those questioning play-calling and impatience.

"You look at the people that are naysayers and you figure they must have won every game in their life," Howard said candidly. "They must have never lost. But if you're not in someone's shoes don't condemn the guy before you know what's going on.

"If you knew how many guys graduated last year and how many young guys are playing ... you don't win every year. Lets be serious about this; is this program down? No. Right now we're not better than the teams in the past. If we don't make the playoffs, then of course it's a down year, but we're still fighting for a spot."

By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer

It's not hard to spot San Gabriel High School's Isaac Valdez.

If his kindness isn't captivating enough, then his infectious smile will do the trick.

And Valdez has plenty of reasons to smile.

He's the popular quarterback on the Matadors football team, he's always flanked by coaches, teachers, teammates and friends and is showered with love and support from his large family.

"But don't misunderstand," San Gabriel coach Keith Jones said. "Behind that smile there's still a competitive young man."

After hanging up the soccer cleats - "I think that's where I developed my footwork," he said - Valdez convinced his mother, Rocio, to let him play Pop Warner football in the eighth grade.

"She didn't want me to get hurt," Valdez said. "But she got used to it."

Rocio now is one of about 40 relatives who attend Valdez's home games. There still are three games left in the season, but Valdez already knows what he'll miss most - the high school football atmosphere unmatched by any other sport.

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Above: For you Monrovia fans, here's what Freddy looks like in case you want to give him an earful.

Fred Robledo, who has covered San Gabriel Valley Preps almost as long as I've been alive, makes a very interesting point about Paraclete possibly reaching the Mid Valley Division finals again and why Monrovia will lose in the semifinals.

Mid-Valley rankings 1. Monrovia, 2. San Dimas, 3. Azusa, 4. Baldwin Park, 5. Paraclete, 6. San Marino, 7. Village Christian, 8. Arroyo, 9. Gladstone, 10. La Puente. I post these rankings to show the championship is going to be San Dimas and Paraclete. Sorry MTown, Paraclete is a different animal and its a shame that because they lost to some very tough teams, they will probably get the No. 4 seed when the playoffs start, which means they will knock off No. 1 Monrovia in the semis. I'm guessing San Dimas will beat Baldwin Park for the VVL title, knocking Baldwin Park behind Paraclete and thus moving Paraclete to No. 4. There is no way Azusa is losing to anyone in the Montview, so they're locked in at No. 3. Just as San Dimas and Northview found out last year, being No. 1 isn't always fair. Monrovia should play someone like Azusa in the semis, but with Paraclete looming at No. 4, I'm afraid they won't get to stop San Dimas again, Paraclete will.

All joking aside, Robledo makes a very good point and gives the CIF rankings a whole new meaning when looking at it in perspective. What have you say Observantcat and New York?