April 2008 Archives

Greg Gano talks to Fred:

Interview with new head coach Felipe Aguilar

Today's story on Gano resigning his post

Gano steps down: After months of weighing the decision, Los Altos High School football coach Greg Gano, who followed a San Gabriel Valley legend and became a legend himself, announced on Wednesday that he was "stepping away," after 11-years in charge and four CIF-Southern Section championships.
Gano made the announcement the same day Los Altos officials named his successor, promoting offensive coordinator and former quarterback Felipe Aguilar, a 25-year-old San Gabriel Valley Tribune player of the year in 2000, and who led the Conquerors to two CIF championships.
Gano, 51, will remain as the school's athletic director and will continue to coach the Conquerors' softball team, which is the top-ranked team in the Valley and in which his only daughter Courtney is a freshman and having a spectacular season.
Gano resigns after a frustrating injury-plagued 2007 season in which the Conquerors missed the playoffs for the first time since 1994, finishing 4-6, which was Gano's only losing season at the school.
Gano, who began his coaching career with his alma mater as an assistant at West Covina in 1979, was also a three-year assistant at South Hills (1992-94) under Steve Bogan before becoming the head coach at Northview in 1995.
Gano left Northview following the 1996 season to take over one of the most desirable and pressure-filled jobs in the Valley, replacing Los Altos' Dwayne DeSpain, who won seven CIF-Southern Section titles during his 30-year-run at the school.
But Gano took the baton and kept the tradition in tact, winning six Miramonte League titles and four CIF-SS championships (1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003) while compiling a 110-30-1 record at the school and a 25-6 mark in the playoffs.
Gano was a three-time CIF-SS coach of the year (1999, 2002, 2003) and was the Tribune coach of the year in 2002 after leading the Conquerors to the Div. VI title.

Gano's reaction: "It was a difficult season, but the last few season's kind of wore on me. But when you put it all together, coaching softball, being the athletic director and coaching football, it was just too much.
"Football is for somebody who can put in the time all year round. It's every day and to be honest, I just don't have the energy to do all three and do a good job.
"The other thing is I've only got one daughter and I've probably coached 5,000 to 6,000 kids in my life. Courtney's freshman season is almost gone and she's got three years left. She's got summer travel ball and it's something I just don't want to miss out on."

On succeeding DeSpain: "A couple guys told me I was foolish to follow a guy like DeSpain, but I knew him for a long time, and I never felt that way. I felt somebody had to do it, so it might as well be me. I looked at it as a great opportunity and it so happened we had great talent and things went well for us. We were very fortunate."

On Aguilar: "I think Felipe's one of the best human beings that ever played here and certainly one of the best athletes. There will be a lot that comes his way fast, but if there's a person who can take this job and run with it, it's Felipe."

South Hills coach Steve Bogan on Gano: "I'm going to miss him, I really am. There are rivalries that at their core are still fun and bring out the best in what athletics are all about, and that was South Hills and Los Altos. And coach Gano, you just knew you were dealing with a class act and a class person. Everyone knows he's a great football coach, but if you got to know him, you would be even more impressed at how genuine he is."

Charter Oak coach Lou Farrar: "Greg went into a great program and it was a tough role to fall into, but he kept it moving and that's hard to do sometimes. People think keeping a good program going is easy, but it really isn't. DeSpain set the bar high and he (Gano) stepped in and kept it it pretty high. Not too many coaches could have done what he did."

Aguilar on taking over: "This is a tremendous opportunity and I wouldn't want to do it at any other place than Los Altos. Obviously filling coach Gano's shoes is going to be tough, but he'll be around to be a mentor and I've got one of the greatest coaching staff's around. I'm coming into a program with 11 CIF titles. It's something you can't compare to any program in the Valley."

Later tonight or tomorrow, we'll have video interviews with Gano and Aguilar

Is this working better for all of you, I started panicking this morning, the server shifted over but I couldn't post anything, comments weren't going through -- this after a week of "ironing out the kinks." Whatever, seems like it finally works, and gotta tell you, it's looking pretty good.

Northview's Hannah Fraijo was coming off a perfect game and her third straight no-hitter, but surging San Dimas followed a 3-0 win over Covina in the Charter Oak tournament with a 7-1 pounding over the Vikes. While the Saints (13-9, 7-5) all but secured third in the Valle Vista with the victory, the team screaming "Yes" is Covina (16-5, 10-2), who will meet Northview (17-5, 11-1) at Northview on Thursday for a chance to move into a first-place tie with a week to go.

Bonita 8, Charter Oak 2

The Bonita High School baseball team improved to No. 8 in Monday's CIF-Southern Section Division IV poll, well behind No. 2 Northview and just behind No. 7 San Dimas, but it's hard to imagine anyone playing better than the Bearcats at the moment.
The winners of the recent Northview tournament are undefeated in April, and they extended the San Gabriel Valley's longest winning streak to 12, beating visiting Charter Oak 8-2 on Tuesday.
After starting the season 4-5, the Bearcats (16-5, 7-2) moved into a first-place tie in the Miramonte League with the Chargers (11-10, 7-2) and will meet Charter Oak again on Thursday for the outright lead with two games left next week.
The Bearcats pounded out 13 hits, and that's been the story of their 12-game win streak, in which they've outscored opponents, 124-23, and are averaging 10 runs a game. The Bearcats also managed four shutouts during the streak and only have allowed five runs in their last five games. Bonita coach John Knott said winning the Northview tournament and beating Sonora in the championship after knocking off Monrovia and Diamond Bar has done wonders for their confidence.
"Absolutely," Knott said. "Anytime you can play in a tournament where you're playing four teams you're not familiar with it's like a CIF setting. And the fact that we came out on top considering the teams that were in that tournament was definitely a boost for us."

What topics should Fred address?
- Boys volleyball
- Cheerleaders, dance teams
- What's for lunch
- Booster clubs
- Physics
- Middle school sports
- None of the above

Today's Miramonte League showdown
Charter Oak (11-9, 7-1) at Bonita (15-5, 6-2), 3:15 p.m.
Fred's thoughts: Charter Oak is back playing as well as anyone and Bonita just won the Northview tournament, so this should be a great home-and-home series for the league championship this week. I know all the big players in the Valle Vista League think they have the best league in Division IV, but lets remember that Charter Oak is the defending champ, and the Bearcats' Jiovanni Mier is having a monster season.

Tribune Top Ten
1. Bishop Amat (18-4)
The No.1 ranked Lancers easily swept No. 2 St. Paul to win their seventh and eighth consecutive games. Seriously, whose going to touch them in this division if St. Paul can't?
2. Northview (17-4)
Obviously Northview's pitching is impressive, but the most impressive thing for me is they're going to win their third straight Valle Vista league title after having to play two-of-three on the road against Covina, San Dimas and Baldwin Park.
3. Bonita (15-5)
This week is about the Miramonte and Bonita's two-game series with defending Div. IV champion Charter Oak, who started miserably but now has a one-game lead over the surging Bearcats.
4. Glendora (13-7)
Is the Sierra League nuts or what? The Tartans are locked in a four-way tie for first place with Damien only a game back in the fifth. If anything, its should be great watching it all unfold down the stretch.
5. San Dimas (14-7)
They had their chance to win the Valle Vista league title. They had Northview right where they wanted them, at home with a lead late in the game after winning at Northview earlier in the week. But they let the Vikings off the hook and will likely finish second.
6. South Hills (16-4)
With De La Fuente playing again, the Huskies' chances in the Div. III playoffs took a big step forward. They're going to cruise to the San Antonio League title, and hey, can knock off anyone on any given day.
7. Damien (13-8)
It's almost not fair but that's life. The Spartans are in fifth but only a game back of the leaders. The good news is they control their own destiny. The bad news is so does everyone else.
8. Charter Oak (11-9)
I've just got one thing to say, "It's the defending champs time of year."
9. Covina (12-8)
It would take a severe nosedive, but the Colts still have work to make the playoffs. They're only a game-ahead of fourth-place Baldwin Park, but their schedule is favorable, so expect them to finish third and scare the heck out of the league champ they face in the playoffs.
10. Diamond Ranch (10-10)
What can you say, third place in the Miramonte isn't so bad.

Area Standings and Schedules
Christian League
Del Rey League
Miramonte League
Mission Valley League
Montview League
San Antonio League
Sierra League
Valle Vista League

Above: Azusa freshman Veronica Ramirez is the real deal folks. There's not a better freshman pitcher around that I've seen. She's got the velocity, now she just needs develop more pitches, but definitely someone to watch out for the next few years. Azusa's young too, they have so many quality freshman, should be fun watching them develop of the years.

Tribune Top Ten
1. Los Altos (16-5)
Inching closer to league title, don't see them losing another league game. Can't wait to see what Conqs have done in the playoffs. They were disappointing early, but are peaking now.
2. Northview (17-4)
Are you kidding, three straight no-hitters and a perfect game for Hannah Fraijo. She's such a great competitor, everything her coaches say about her is true. And if I'm being honest, she's doing this without a lot of travel ball players that other top programs enjoy. Heck of an effort for the soon-to-be Valle Vista League champs.
3. Bishop Amat (18-4)
Have won four of their last six and have a huge game with St. Paul on Thursday at home that should decide the Del Rey League title. If you're a Lancers fan, it's great to see them scoring runs again, but their pitching will always keep them in it.
Finally, the Lancers are swinging the bat to the tune of an eight-game winning streak and full control of the Del Rey League.
4. Charter Oak (18-8)
I can't believe they just beat La Serna, 2-1, in 10-innings to win the championship of their own tournament. Where has this team been all year? All of a sudden Justine Tullis is giving them hope in the circle. Everyone knows this team can swing the bat, so if they continue getting help in the circle and defensively, they're going to be dangerous down the stretch.
5. Covina (15-5)
Jill Huntsman has floated under our radar, but she's certainly one of the area's top pitchers and the Colts can beat anyone on any given day. I still say they need a breakthrough victory and that could with one more game against Northview on the horizon.
6. Sierra Vista (16-3)
Here's the truth about Sierra Vista. Pitcher Brittney Flores is an MVP candidate along with Northview's Fraijo and Los Altos' Patterson. Flores hasn't faced similar competition, but if she continues this assault both in the circle and at the plate in the playoffs, where they could run into Valle Vista League teams, then she does deserve to be in the MVP race. But I'm not sure if the Dons are good enough defensively. They made four easy infield errors in their 3-2 win over Azusa. You won't win in the playoffs like that.
7. Glendora (12-7)
For the Tartans to be locked in a three-way tie atop the Sierra League this late in the season says a lot. Waldusky threw a no-hitter last week against Chino and they're swinging the bat better. But let's see how they do this week against Ayala. That should let us know exactly how good the Tartans are.
8. South El Monte
Just blowing away their Mission Valley League foes. They were supposed to play St. Lucy's in the finale of the Charter Oak tournament, but St. Lucy's never showed up.
9. St. Lucy's (11-8)
A very good team, but one that probably won't make the CIF playoffs in the ultra-tough Sierra League.
10. San Dimas (12-9)
Look who's won four of five? It's those we-know-we're-better-than-this Saints. And one of those wins came against Covina, but it was in the Charter Oak tournament and not in league. Let's see how they do against Northview today. It's a win they have to have.

SOFTBALL STANDINGS AND SCHEDULES
Christian League
Del Rey League
Miramonte League
Mission Valle League
Montview League
San Antonio League
Sierra League
Valle Vista League

Finalllllllly! Our blogs have been moved to a much faster server. You should be able to post comments quicker, but it's not publishing quick yet. It will, give it time. I haven't been able to post a new topic for a day, so give me some time, more is coming.

To view a list of area's top marks, click thread. League prelims and finals take place this week, with Covina hosting Friday's Valle Vista League finals on Thursday and Bonita hosting the Miramonte League finals on Friday. This is when track season begins and when our coverage kicks in.

Laura Beeman has reached the pinnacle at the junior college level, now she takes her act to the WNBA.

Laura Beeman is going big time.
The Mt. San Antonio College women's basketball coach, who has guided the Mounties to four California Community College Athletic Association state titles, including the past three, has been hired as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA.
Beeman, only the second coach in CCCAA history to win three consecutive state titles, will work with the Sparks during the collegiate off-season this summer, then return to her Mt. SAC head coaching duties in time for next season.
"I'm very excited about this opportunity," Beeman said. "This will broaden my knowledge as a coach. I will be able to bring back information that will improve our ability as a team. To work with Michael Cooper, with all his tremenous experience and knowledge, is such a great opportunity. I will be able to pick and choose and see what will work with my players. It's very exciting."

UCLA received a non-binding oral commitment from Bishop Amat cornerback Sheldon Price on Sunday. Price was the MVP at the Nike Camp that was held at USC, and apparently, that performance earned him a ticket to Westwood. Times prep beat Sean Ceglinsky was at the Nike Camp and had this to say about Sheldon ...
"Sheldon Price of Bishop Amat has been in impressive during several spring camps thus far, and based on his eye-opening performances, could be on the verge of landing his first official offer from an NCAA Division I program. The only question remaining is: Who's going to break the ice and extend the initial invitation? Perhaps UCLA will step forward. And the Bruins should, considering Price lists them as one of his favorites, according to these quotes. Expressing interest in the 6-foot-plus junior now could end up being beneficial down the road, especially if he continues to emerge as one of the hottest defensive back prospects on the West Coast. "

To read our scouting guru's report on Price, click thread, or just watch him yourself.

CIF-Southern Section PRESS RELEASE
For the first time in 32 years the CIF Southern Section will eliminate out-of-season restrictions on coaches working with their student-athletes.
In a 41-37 vote of the CIF Southern Section Council, Rule 313 of the CIF Southern Section Constitution and By-Laws (otherwise known as the “Bluebook”) will be eliminated from the by-laws beginning July 1, 2008.
Rule 313, otherwise referred to as the “Association Rule” read:
During the school year, prior to the established date for authorized before and after-school practice in a particular sport and following an individual’s or team’s last authorized competition, a student may receive athletic instruction in a CIF Southern Section approved sport only during one regularly scheduled physical education period in which the student is enrolled and earning credit for that particular sport. (Note: Before and after-school practice is authorized in all sports from May 12, 2008 until the close of school, maximum 15 days.)
The rule, in effect, eliminated any type of contact between an individual sports coach and a student-athlete in that sport during the school year and outside of the season of sport except for one hour. The responsibility will now rest with individual schools on how much contact a coach and student-athlete can have during the school year.

In other CIF-SS Council matters a proposal that would have separated public and private schools in championship playoffs in all sports was withdrawn by the league (Century) that had proposed it with the understanding that it could be presented as a first-read item again in October.

Hi All,

I just wanted to let you know about the latest update on Prep Stars: Where are you now?
It's about the Northview baseball trio of Sergio and Jaime Pedroza and Hector Estrella. All three are playing in the minor leagues. Sergio is playing for the Montgomery (Ala.) Biscuits of the Southern League; Jaime for the Inland Empire 66ers of the Cal League and Hector for the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Midwest League.
Here's the link: www.insidesocal.com/afterpreps

With two weeks of games against struggling Ganesha and Pomona to follow before the CIF-Southern Section Division IV playoffs begin, No. 2-ranked Northview all but wrapped up its third straight Valle Vista league title with a 10-7 victory over host Covina on Friday. Vikings designated hitter Gabe Jaramillo was four-for-four with a triple and scored four times. And Marc Andrade not only picked up the save in relief, but was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and four RBI’s as the Vikings improved to 17-4 and 10-1 in a three-game series sweep over the Colts.
After beating Covina 3-0 in 11 innings earlier in the season and winning 2-1 in eight innings on Wednesday, Jaramillo said it was important for the Vikings to show it can win a slugfest on a day when Covina starter Justin Smith and Vikings righty Aaron Elias struggled. “We just have to swing at better pitches and not be selfish,” Jaramillo said. “When we shorten our swings and get the ball on the bat, we’re dangerous. All of us can hit, we just need to get in a rhythm before we go into CIF.”

CATCH THIS If you were at Friday's game you saw one of the best high school catches I've ever seen. If you thought Ruben Ramirez robbed Tyler Pill of a potential game-winning homer in Wednesday's game, the right-fielder made an even more spectacular catch on Friday, and it was crucial. Covina trailed 6-2 with the bases loaded and one out when Pill roped a shot to right that Ramirez had no business getting too. But he did, at full speed, launching himself in the air like Superman, making a jaw-dropping one-handed catch. If you weren't there to see it, sorry, this description just doesn't do it justice.

Friday's results
Valle Vista
Northview 10, Covina 7, 3:15 p.m.
Baldwin Park 14, Ganesha 2
Pomona at San Dimas, 3:15 p.m.
Sierra
Diamond Bar 9,. Damien 7
Glendora 5, Chino 1
Chino Hills at Ayala, 3:15 p.m.
Del Rey
Bishop Amat 8, St. Paul 6
Montview
La Puente at Sierra Vista, 3:15 p.m.
Gladstone at Bassett, 3:15 p.m.
Workman at Duarte, 3:15 p.m.
Mission Valley
Gabrielino at Rosemead, 3:15 p.m.
Arroyo at El Monte, 3:15 p.m.
Mountain View at South El Monte, 3:15 p.m.
San Antonio
Nogales at Walnut, 3:15 p.m.

THE GRASS IS GREENER AT M-TOWN: At least it is for West Covina High School defensive coordinator Ryan Maddox, who was named the head football coach at Monrovia High School this morning. Maddox beat out finalists Fil Lujan and Northview head coach Jim Arellanes, who started looking around after fearing that budget cuts in the Covina School district might cost him his job. I don't know a lot about Maddox, but I know the Monrovia job is a great one. They've got the money for a new facility, the athletic department has great people running it, and the alumni, students and fans pack their stands every Friday night. Good luck coach. By the way, what does this mean for West Covina?

What will we do without the General? Bishop Amat's Richard Wiard, the most successful high school girls basketball coach in the history of the San Gabriel Valley, is taking a sabbatical leave of absence for the 2008-09 season to pursue a second Masters Degree at Azusa Pacific University. Wiard's assistant coach Chris Morrison, who has coached at Long Beach Poly and played professionally in Europe and Australia, has been named the interim coach until Wiard returns.
Wiard, a five-time Tribune girls coach of the year, will not be on the sidelines after 26-straight years of coaching, and his 13th consecutive at Bishop Amat. During Wiard’s tenure the Lancers have won eight Del Rey league titles, four CIF-SS championships, three Southern California Regional titles and two state championships.
“To coach for as long as I have and to not be coaching next year is going to be different," Wiard said. "It takes a lot of time to go back to school, and it would have caused some headaches if I tried to do both. Like I told the girls, I’ve always demanded a 100 percent commitment, so it would have been unfair of me not to commit 100 percent to them next season, and fortunately, our school officials were very understanding and said that when I’m ready to come back, the job is mine.”

Allen resigns: Wilson High School boys basketball coach Willie Allen has resigned following his eighth season, opting to spend more time with his family while remaining at the school as a teacher. The highlight of Allen’s tenure came in 2003 when the Wildcats won the Miramonte League title and advanced to the second round of the CIF-Southern Section divisional playoffs, where they lost to powerful Mater Dei. Wilson athletic director Dave Merrill said the school is accepting applications for the head boys basketball coaching position, which comes with a full-time teaching job. To be considered contact Merrill at the school, 626-934-4488.

There's the East side of the Valley, the West Side of the Valley, and then there's the Heart of the Valley, home of the Montview League schools and today's big softball game, where Sierra Vista (15-3, 8-0) can all but wrap up the league title with a win at Azusa (11-6, 6-2) at 3:15 p.m. I'm still curious as to how Sierra Vista will do in the Division IV playoffs, where they were basically ranked No. 13 behind No. 12 Northview. I would love to see them play one of the Valle Vista League teams in the playoffs just to know how close the Dons are with their VVL counteraparts.

THE LATEST: A Bonita High School volleyball coach left his job at the district amid allegations he behaved inappropriately with a player, officials said Thursday.
William Brinegar, Bonita Unified School District assistant superintendent of human resource development, confirmed that Morgan Coberly, who was the varsity girls' coach for more than five years, was no longer an employee with the district. He declined to comment further.
Coberly and Bonita High officials did not return phone calls Thursday.
Police and school officials previously said an investigation started two weeks ago was prompted by a complaint. Coberly is listed as an assistant girls volleyball coach for the combined athletics department of Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps colleges. He is also listed as a coach with La Verne-based Club West Volleyball, a private travel team. Officials with Club West and the Claremont colleges could not be reached for comment Thursday. The La Verne Police Department has declined to provide details surrounding the allegations.

By Tania Chatila
Staff Writer
LA VERNE - Police are investigating allegations that a Bonita High School girls volleyball coach behaved inappropriately with a player, police and school officials said Wednesday.
La Verne police Lt. Jim Strona confirmed a complaint was filed, but declined to give more specific information.
School officials said the allegations were made against Morgan Coberly, who is also listed as a coach at the Claremont Colleges and at a private club in La Verne.
Reached by phone Wednesday, Coberly, who is from La Verne, denied the allegations.
"No, they are not true," he said, "and I don't want to talk about anything until the investigation is over."
Bonita Principal Robert Ketterling said Wednesday he was aware of the investigation but would not discuss the allegations.
Ketterling said Coberly is not on campus at this time of year as the girls volleyball season ended in November and won't begin again until the summer. "He's not a teacher," Ketterling said. "He is a walk-on coach. He would not have any contact with the kids at this time."
Bonita Unified School District officials refused to comment. "The district does not comment publicly on personnel matters," said William Brinegar, district assistant superintendent of human resource development.
Coberly has coached at Bonita for more than five years and is currently head coach for the girls' varsity volleyball team. Coberly is in his third year as an assistant girls volleyball coach for the combined athletics department of Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps colleges. He is also listed as a coach with Club West Volleyball, a private league based in La Verne. Officials at Club West said Wednesday the club is conducting its own internal investigation. Two different men who answered phone calls refused to identify themselves or comment further.
Michael Sutton, athletic director at the Claremont Colleges, said he was unaware of any investigation into Coberly. "I hope it's not true," Sutton said. "There have been no issues in the past to make us concerned."
Coberly was named 2007 Coach of the Year in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and 2003 All-Sports Show Inland Empire High School Volleyball Coach of the Year. He played volleyball for the University of La Verne and finished his senior year as the school's career assist leader, according to the Claremont McKenna-Mudd-Scripps athletics Web site.

You can read more on Frank Giradot's super popular Crime Blog

It wouldn’t be the Northview High School baseball team if it ended any differently. In another dramatic extra-inning game, Vikings second baseman Shane Fraijo became the hero of the moment, hitting a game-winning two-out single in the bottom of the eighth to score Marc Andrade from second to give Northview a 2-1 victory over visiting Covina on Wednesday. “It was a curve and I just lined it up,” Fraijo said of his game-winning RBI. “It feels great. We’ve had so many games like this.” Northview beat Covina 3-0 in 11 innings back on March 22, which had followed the Vikings’ 1-0 eighth-inning win over San Dimas a few days earlier. Last week San Dimas beat Northview 1-0 in 12 innings, but the Vikings came back against the Saints later in the week, rallying from a 4-1 deficit in the sixth inning to win 8-5 to stay in control of the Valle Vista league race. With Wednesday’s win over Covina, the Vikings (16-4, 9-1) took a commanding three-game lead over the Colts (12-7, 6-4) and Saints (13-7, 6-4) with their series finale against Covina on Friday. “You can say their lucky or whatever you want, but lucky teams don’t capitalize, great teams capitalize and they’re a great team,” Covina coach Scott Root said of Northview.

Covina freshman Jeff Moran celebrating his second-inning homer that gave the Colts a 1-0 lead.

Above: South Hills QB Cameron Deen

According to our scouting guru, these were the top SGV prospects from the NIKE Camp

Sheldon Price, Bishop Amat, Defensive Back -- I loved this prospect from the get-go and now the rest of Southern California got a taste of this guy. He was voted Defensive Back MVP of the camp and for all the right reasons. Looked great during the agility drills and put on quite a show during the football drills portion of the camp. One thing that we noticed about the prospect is that he has really soft hands and good explosion coming out of his breaks. He came in as the top defensive back in the San Gabriel Valley, when the camp was over he became not only our top rated prospect in the SGV but the best defensive back in Southern California and the best player on the BA team this year. Yes, better than Seals and way better than Bowens.

Cameron Deen, Quarterback, South Hills -- Here is our prediction, before the start of fall camp, this guy will have an offer...you heard it here first. Worked with the first team that included Barkley from Mater Dei and Bridgford of Mission Viejo, he more than held his own and didn't look like he was intimidated by the top two. Showed much better footwork and was hitting his underneath routes very nicely (one of things that we felt he needed to work on before the start of the 2008 season). If you want a second opinion, just read any of the articles from the nike camp on rivals.com. We have no problem in saying that this is the top quarterback in the San Gabriel Valley...next...move on!

Brandon Sermons, Diamond Ranch, Defensive Back -- Interesting weekend for this prospect. Ran in the Mt. SAC relay Saturday...poor result, than came to USC and increased his stock nicely. One of our questions on Sermons was his lateral quickness. That became moot point by the end of the day. He showed much better lateral quickness. He was matched up against vaunted defensive back Sean Martin of Corona Santiago and outworked him on consistent basis. Looks good!

Cody Tescher, Glendora, Offensive Lineman
This was the first time that I got to see this prospect up close and personal and he looked pretty good. Now, this is not the strongest class of offensive lineman in Southern California (on a grade I'd give it a C-Minus) but he looked OK. More of a D-2 type of lineman, he sports decent hands and decent arms. Middle of the road type of player, he's perked my interest.

Others rated favorably include
Chris Allen, Charter Oak QB
Brandon Sermons, Diamond Ranch WR/DB
Taylor Herrera, Damien WR
Wayne Goss, South Hills OLB/SS
Jeremy Brown, Los Altos K
Isaiah Bowens, Bishop Amat WR/DB

Great now and great years from now was the impression I had leaving Bishop Amat on Tuesday after sophomore lefty Paul Paez struck out 13 in a 7-0 win, and 5-foot-10 freshman Jay Anderson's inside-the-park grand slam in the sixth inning. If St. Paul is No. 2, then who's going to beat the Lancers in Division V? Don't tell me Monrovia, Temple City or San Marino can. Not this year. Not with their pitching. I never had the feeling it was a real No. 1 vs. No. 2 match-up on Tuesday, the Lancers were too good, and there other big starter is 6-foot-4 junior Brady Zuniga. Unless they completely beat themselves, get ready for their fourth championship this decade and their fifth next season. I don't see anything slowing them down.

Tribune Rankings
1. Bishop Amat (16-4)
The last time we had the Lancers ranked No. 1, they got knocked off by Northview, 4-1, in the championship of the Glendora tournament on March 8, which pushed the Vikings to No. 1 for every week until now. With Northview splitting last week with San Dimas and losing two games in their own tournament, the Lancers and their No. 1 ranking in Division V move to the top spot and will get another chance to prove they deserve it against rival St. Paul on Tuesday, ranked No. 2 in the division. If you're asking how the Lancers leap Northview when the Vikings beat them head-to-head, my answer is you can't live on that game forever. It's about who's hot at the moment, and the winners of six straight and nine of their last ten is Nieto's Blue Soldiers.
2. Northview (15-4)
They were down 5-3 to San Dimas on the road in the seventh inning, their bid for a third straight Valle Vista league title slipping away, and somehow the Vikes come back and wins, 8-5. This after losing a heartbreaking 1-0 affair in 12 innings two days earlier. You don't do that without being a team that trusts each other and plays hard for one another. I'll give Northview this, they're probably the closest team I've covered in years. That's why they've won so many dramatic games like this. They've got a coach they believe in and players that will do anything for each other. All they need to do to lock up the VVL is get a split against Covina this week, but I'm sure they want a sweep being ranked No. 2 in Division IV.
3. Bonita (13-5)
The Northview tournament champions have now won nine straight are in first place in the Miramonte League with a slight lead over Charter Oak. You knew Jiovanni Mier was legit, but look at the pitching. Jason Plowman is 5-1 with an 1.76 ERA. Joseph Yapez is 2-0 with a 1.61 ERA, and their overall team ERA is 2.50. This is all happening with a team batting average of .350. In Div. IV we're always talking about Northview, San Dimas, Covina, defending champ Charter Oak, but it looks like Bonita will have as good a shot as anyone if this hold ups.
4. Glendora (12-6)
Steve Ramirez told me last week that Tartans pitcher James Jancleas is having as good a year on the mound as anyone? With all the pitching in the Valley I thought he was crazy until you notice that he's got a 1.50 ERA with 42 strikeouts. In fact here's another team with a team ERA under 3, and a team batting average over .350. The Tartans split with a very good Chino Hills team last week, they won the Arcadia baseball tournament, and now they get two games with Chino this week. But get this, five teams in the Sierra are separated by only a game. This is the NBA's Western Conference. Some very good teams are going to miss the playoffs.
5. San Dimas (12-7)
See Northview comment above because the Saints played their tails off in a 1-0 win over the Vikes and were three outs away from beating them again and taking control in the VVL when the defending champs showed why they're the defending champs. And you know it hurt all weekend because the Saints came back on Monday and got beat 8-7 by Baldwin Park. The Saints need to step back and take a deep breath, because they can still finish second if Covina gets swept this week. And this would not be a team I wanted to face in the playoffs with Drossel starting game one.
6. South Hills (14-3)
Okay, lets make this a positive piece. So what if they split a pair with Walnut, it's a league game and league games are always tough, right? C'mon, what keeps the Huskies ranked high is their lofty record with their softy schedule, so when you lose to a team like Walnut, 6-2, you're not left with much to say? Some have told me I'm too critical of the Huskies because they're ranked No. 3 in Division III. So prove me wrong and get to the semifinals. But I don't think it's going to happen. Players need to be in big games to feel comfortable in big games and to have confidence in big games. That's how the Huskies football team does it.
7. Damien (12-7)
The Spartans needed a sweep over Ayala in the worst way, and they got it over the last place Bulldogs to move into log-jammed Sierra League. The Spartans (4-5) will face Diamond Bar (5-4) in a home-and-home series this week. A split and they're both still in it, but if anyone sweeps, the loser might as well start making their vacation plans.
8. Covina (12-6)
The Colts control their own destiny. Let me repeat, they control their own destiny. They're two-games back of Northview with a pair against the Vikings this week. If they sweep they have identical 6-3 records and the Colts would own the 2-1 edge in the series. This is a team that has Pill but doesn't know how to score when he's on the mound. The first game is at Northview on Wednesday, so what would that mean if the Colts can win won on the road, and go home Friday with the momentum swinging in their favor? It would make for another Fabulous Friday, but mark this down, it's not going to happen. Northview wins and closes it out Wednesday.
9. Nogales (13-7)
The Nobles have lost two of their last three, and are now tied with Rowland (4-3) for second in the San Antonio and only a game ahead of fourth-place Walnut (3-4), who just beat South Hills. The Nobles better be careful. It would be extremely disappointing to slip up and not make the playoffs in a down year in the San Antonio.
10. Diamond Bar (9-8-1)
Remember how giddy the Brahmas were after advancing to the semifinals of the Northview tournament? They're a team that can beat anyone and lose to anyone, a team with great hitting and so-so pitching. Is that enough to earn a playoff ticket in the wild, wild Sierra? I'm not so sure.

CIF Rankings
Division III:1. Alhambra, 2. Notre Dame, 3. South Hills, 4. Paramount, 5. Cajon, 6. El Rancho, 7. Laguna Hills, 8. San Gorgonio, 9. Mayfair, 10. Crespi.
Division IV: 1. Patriot, 2. Northview, 3. St. Bonaventure, 4. Sonora, 5. Savanna, 6. Torrance, 7. San Dimas, 8. Bonita, 9. Charter Oak, 10. Cathedral City, 11. Covina
Division V: 1. Bishop Amat, 2. St. Paul, 3. Monrovia, 4. San Marino, 5. Mary Star, 6. Temple City, 7. Gabrielino, 8. Sultana, 9. Campbell Hall, 10. Hesperia.

Area Standings and Schedules
Christian League
Del Rey League
Miramonte League
Mission Valley League
Montview League
San Antonio League
Sierra League
Valle Vista League

Tribune Rankings
1. Los Altos (14-5)
I wasn't ready to call Diana-lynn Patterson a dominant pitcher at the beginning of the season, but the junior is turning into one. I wouldn't call her overpowering, but she's definitely getting stronger as is the Conquerors' defense and hitting. For me, they've already won the Miramonte, nobody's going to touch them, but can they do well in the Division II playoffs, where they're No. 2 behind top-ranked Crescenta Valley? No. 3 is Burbank, with Whittier's La Serna at No. 6. That's a tough playoff group but after watching Burbank and Crescenta Valley over the years, Los Altos' chances are looking better and better. I'm not saying they're better, just looking more competitive.
2. Northview (15-4)
Absolutely in control of the Valle Vista League after beating Covina again and improving to 9-0 in the VVL. What's disappointing is the the Vikings aren't ranked In Div. V. I know the VVL isn't as deep as the other leagues, but when I see a team like La Canada at No. 6, and I know the Colts are better than them from previous dealings with the Spartans, then something's wrong. I'm not saying the Vikes will go far, a quarterfinal playoff appearance is about as far as they will go, but they do deserve to be ranked.
3. Bishop Amat (12-8)
You look at the Lancers' overall record and say, "what's the big deal?" The big deal is their tough schedule, and their No. 8 ranking in Div. IV, a division the Lancers can do well at when you look at the teams. But they have to hit the ball better. I know they have the pitcher and I know they can play defense. Heck, they almost beat Mater Dei. But they need to hit with consistency to make a playoff run. In the Del Rey, they're 3-0 and looking like they will cruise.
4. Covina (10-4)
Remember when the Colts beat the Star-News' top team, Alverno, 2-1, in the Duarte tournament then followed it with a win over San Dimas to open the VVL? That was so long ago. The Colts haven't won a big game since, losing both encounters against Northview, then losing to Charter Oak 4-3 in the Charter Oak tourney over the weekend. Too bad, because I thought they had what it took to take the VVL. But once again, Fred was wrong.
5. Sierra Vista (14-3)
The Montview League has its big showdown on Thursday when the Dons (7-0) take on Azusa (6-1) for a two-game lead and basically the league title. The Dons also aren't ranked in Division V, showing up in the others category along with Northview. But that's reasonable. The Dons haven't played good-enough competition to be ranked, and their defense isn't as sharp as the other top teams in the area. But when it comes to pitching, they're legit.
6. Charter Oak (15-7)
I watched the Chargers almost get mercied by Los Altos and thought, "what a shame, if they only had someone in the circle." Their pitchers are respectable, just not good enough to hold the good teams to one or two runs to give their offense a chance to win. And when they get down, you can tell how it sucks the life out of their team. Offensively and defensively, they're as talented as anyone. But the circle has let them down all season, and will continue to do so.
7. St. Lucy’s (10-8)
If it weren't for St. Lucy's overall record, I would have them ranked much higher because its 2-1 10-inning victory over Ayala last week is the biggest win over an opponent this season. Ayala has beaten very sound reputable teams all over the Southland, and they only beat St. Lucy's 2-0 earlier in the week before settling for a split in their home-and-home series.
8. Glendora (9-7)
It's also not fair ranking Glendora this low, but like St. Lucy's, what to you do with a 9-7 overall record? But here's a 2-2 team in the Sierra, the most difficult league in the area by far, only a game back from 3-1 league leaders Ayala and Chino Hills. I guess I can use the Bishop Amat football argument to rank St. Lucy's and Glendora higher, but the teams ahead are deserving... right?
9. Bonita (11-9)
No, the Cat's aren't going to catch Los Altos, but they've beaten Diamond Ranch, Diamond Bar, Charter Oak and Wilson in winning four of their last five games. They should at least finish second in the Miramonte with Charter Oak falling and falling fast.
10. South El Monte (10-6)
The Mission Valley League, like the Montview, isn't the strongest but the Eagles are 4-0 in the MVL, and probably won't lose another game in league.

CIF rankings
Division III: 1. Crescenta Valley, 2. Los Altos, 3. Burbank, 4. Laguna Hills, 5. Beckman, 6. La Serna, 7. Fullerton, 8. Bloomington, 9. Santa Monica, 10. Cajon.
Division IV: 1. Aquinas, 2. La Quinta, 3. Templeton, 4. Ocean View, 5. Downey, 6, Alemany, 7. Warren, 8. Bishop Amat, 9. Dos Pueblos, 10. Indio
Division V: 1. Torrance, 2. El Segundo, 3. North Torrance, 4. Rim of the World, 5. Village Christian, 6. La Canada, 7. Burroughs, 8. Victor Valley, 9. Hesperia, 10. San Jacinto, Others, 11. Keppel, 12. Northview, 13. Sierra Vista

SOFTBALL STANDINGS AND SCHEDULES
Christian League
Del Rey League
Miramonte League
Mission Valle League
Montview League
San Antonio League
Sierra League
Valle Vista League

Diamond Ranch's Karyn Dunn was a big winner again at the Mt. SAC Invite, winning the Invitational long jump and finishing fourth in the triple jump. Glendora High School's Thomas Finnigan and Covina's Secoral Yanez were double winners along with South El Monte's Tommy Cogburn and and Rosemead's Brittnie Munoz at Saturday's
San Gabriel Valley championships at West Covina High School.

To view a list of the area's top track and field marks, click thread. To submit top marks for consideration, send your emails to kglaspy@yahoo.com

Sorry I didn't have a football thread, I took Monday off to play golf.

We've been burned before with Irwindale and Al Davis, so are you believing Ed Roski Jr., and his plans to bring an NFL team to the city of Industry? Several teams have since contacted Roski, and he has begun reaching out to each of the NFL's 32 franchises in search of a partner, he told this newspaper's editorial board.
"I've called most everyone and have received a lot of enthusiasm," said Roski, chairman and chief executive officer of Majestic Realty Co. in Industry and a part owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kings. But, he added, "There is a lot of deal fatigue."
Roski named as potential tenants the New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers.....Anyone but the Raiders would do.

Northview 8, San Dimas 5

HOW IT UNFOLDED DOWN THE STRETCH: Ramirez texted me and said San Dimas had a 4-1 lead in the top of the sixth, then just texted back and said it's 5-4 San Dimas, but Northview has the bases loaded and not outs in the top of the seventh. Uh, oh, it's another text, Arnold just hit a two-run double, the Vikings lead 8-5, and there are still no outs. Just got another update, it's 8-5 Vikings, but the Saints have runners on 1st and 2nd, 1-out in the bottom of the 7th.....Nervous Time ....Final text, those Vikings did it again, 8-5.
Northview, after getting just three hits through the first five innings, scored three runs in the sixth then made it 5-4 in the seventh following a single by Ruben Ramirez, a hit-batter and a two-base throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Gabe Jaramillo. Back-to-back hit batters then made it 5-5 before Shane Fraijo walked with the bases still loaded to make it 6-5. Ryan Arnold then doubled in two to account for the final 8-5 score.
San Dimas put runners on first and second with no outs in its half of the seventh, but a fly out to center field and line-drive double play ended it.
Northview coach Darren Murphy on the comeback: “There’s a saying in sports to never under-estimate the heart of a champion. I told them (going into the sixth), ‘Right now, that fits us to a tee. There’s a reason we’ve won this league the last two years.’ If you’re going to take something from somebody, you’re going to have to knock them out. We were staggering and on the ropes, but we came back with a Hail Mary. I’m just amazed, to come back the way we did after losing in 12 innings on Wednesday, it just says a lot about these kids.”
San Dimas coach Mike Regan: “It’s awful. I think we gave it away. That’s my own opinion. When you have a great team like Northview, you can’t allow them to have extra opportunities, because they did what they did, they took advantage of it.”
Northview's Ruben Ramirez, who went 3 for 4 and got the win in relief: “We just didn’t give up. We have heart. We knew we were going to win it.”

March 19: Northview 1, San Dimas 0, 8 innings
April 16: San Dimas 1, Northview 0, 12 innings
Fred's thoughts before the game, spot on: This nil-nil stuff can't keep happening. Northview's Aaron Elias and San Dimas' Kevin Ponzo should start, but something tells me the bats are going to come alive today. If San Dimas wins, the VVL race is wide open again and Vikes fans are going to hear it from the bloggers on how they're slipping down the stretch. If Northview wins, case closed, they won't blow a two-game lead. Start playing, "We are the champions."

I know we talk a lot in here about the Valle Vista, but there are other big games today.
Mission Valley League
South El Monte (8-4, 6-2) at Gabrielino (13-5, 8-0), 3:15 p.m.
The Eagles absolutely have to have this game to get back in the league chase. It's a tough assignment on the road, but definitely doable.

Montview League
Duarte (12-7, 3-2) at Azusa (7-6, 5-2), 3:15 p.m.
The Aztecs beat the Falcons 9-4 on Wednesday to move into a first-place tie in the Montview, setting up today's game for first place. The Montview is crowded though, Sierra Vista and Workman are both 4-2-1, but the winner today obviously has the inside track.

Video Highlights of the 2007 All-Star Game

What: Fifth Annual Tribune/Star-News All-Star Classic
When: Saturday
Where: Azusa Pacific University
Girls game: 5:30 p.m. (Series tied, 2-2)
Boys game: 7:30 p.m. (Tribune leads series, 3-1)

What they're saying ...
Tribune player of the year, Dominic Tiger-Cortes: “I want to win this game, I really do. They've owned us for a while and you only get one chance to walk out with bragging rights as a senior. If things are looking pretty scary I’ll have to pull out some tricks and work that Glendora magic one more time.”

Star-News player of the year, Keion Bell: “I don’t really know who he (Tiger-Cortes) is. To me, I don’t think I have to do too much. Justin Cook (Renaissance Academy) and I are planning to take over.”

Bell on the dunk contest. Reporter Scott Galetti said Bell's thrown down some dunks in practice that he's never seen before: “I’m going to bring a lot of stuff," Bell said. "Everybody better get their camcorders and popcorn ready."

Boys Notebook
Girls Notebook
Richelle Najera feature
Omar Caro, Josue Diaz feature
Joey Mesropian feature
Crystal Macias feature

Don't know how this is going to turn out, but we're going to mic announcer Bob Wingett, otherwise known as the Baldwin Park boys basketball coach at Saturday's fifth annual Tribune/Star-News All-Star game and run live video of the event that you can watch on this blog and on our prep website. If you're at the game, the video will run continuously all weekend on the thread. We'll also have video highlights of the 3-point and slam dunk contest and of course full photo galleries of both games.

I was talking with Star-News prep editor Scott Galetti, who is convinced that boys volleyball is just as popular on the West side of the Valley as baseball and softball. He says there are more fans at volleyball games in the Star-News area, but I think there are more fans as a whole in baseball and softball. That's what sports guys do, we disagree. How about on the Tribune side of town? Should I be giving boys volleyball, track and swimming the same coverage we give baseball and softball during the season? We've already started covering track now that the big meets are here, and I usually wait until we get closer to CIF before I start dialing in on volleyball and swimming. What are your thoughts?

It has been pointed out several times that we have a great crop of freshman softball players this season, and many of them are starting shortstops making a huge impact on top teams in the area. Most of these girls I've seen, some I haven't, but I've put together an All-Freshman team regardless. Don't hold me to it, most of it is observation, some based on stats, and some from browsing rosters. I posted stats next to the players that I had stats for. I'm sure you'll tell me who I've missed and who I need to pay attention to more. I don't know if we've ever done this before, so just have fun with it. Here it is, the All-Freshman team.

Above: No wonder coach Gano came back to coaching. His daughter Courtney can already swing and defend the hole at short with the best of them.

Tribune All-Freshman Team
Pitcher
Laura Banuelos, Rowland, 2.36 ERA
Catcher
Jacqueline Carlin, Bishop Amat, .222
Infielders
Courtney Gano, Los Altos, SS, .384
Stephany LaRosa, Diamond Bar, SS
Monica Gomez, Sierra Vista, 3B, .593
Samantha Nieves, South Hills, SS, .410
Jazzmin Arrant, Covina, SS
Mercedez Cundiff, Rowland, SS, .357
Outfielders
Jazmin Chavez, Northview, .243
Breeanna Sandoval, Bonita, .328.
Jen Gonzalez, Charter Oak, .379, Utility

Above: Diamond Bar's Stephany LaRosa showed some amazing range at short. She's already among the best in the valley.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Amanda Salazar, Los Altos, 3B, .130
Megan Parra, Diamond Ranch, C/Inf, .200
Stephani Dennis, Wilson, OF, .167
Melissa Rodriguez, Wilson, OF/Inf, .182
Julissa Castellanos, South El Monte, C/OF, .240
Salina Gonzalez, South El Monte, .286, OF/Catcher
Chelsea Dang, Rosemead, Inf/Pitcher
Veronica Ramirez, Azusa, P/3B
Alyssa Lozano, Sierra Vista, SS, .469
Ashley Solis, La Puente, SS, .320
Auryanna Earhardt, Duarte, SS/3B, .243
Leeza Urrutia, Duarte, 3B, .444
Vanessa Medrano, Duarte, 2B, .389
Justine Chavira, Walnut, INF, .313
Alora Tejeda, Diamond Bar, Utility
Alissa Young, St. Lucy's, .211
Amber Vernetti, St. Lucy's, .200
Aleena Avalos, San Dimas, OF
Courtney Hine, San Dimas, OF
Taylor Garcia, Baldwin Park, 3B
Eileen Arevalo, Baldwin Park, Pitcher
Ciara Liscano, Bonita, .295, Catcher

I've never seen anything like this, the pitching in the Valle Vista is surreal. It took San Dimas 20 innings to score on Northview and what a run it was. Omar Rodriguez's 12th inning double scored Scott Lambert from second for the 1-0 victory. This followed Northview's 1-0, eight-inning victory over San Dimas in their first meeting last month. San Dimas' Chris Drossel struck out four of the first five batters he faced, and gave up only three hits over nine innings, handing it over to league MVP Kevin Ponzo to close out the 10th, 11th and 12th. And what can you say about Northview starter Eddie Pedroza, who allowed just four hits over 7 2/3 innings before handing it over to Marc Andrade, who hadn't allowed a hit for four innings before finally giving up a run in the 12th. Just an amazing game. Northview's big chance came in the ninth inning when they loaded the bases with one out. They tried selling a bunt twice, then tried it again on a squeeze that they got down, but San Dimas got the easy force at home, then got a fly out to get out of the inning. Still, what another VVL thriller. San Dimas is now 12-5 and 5-2 while Northview drops to 14-4 and 7-1. I suggest you show up at San Dimas on Friday for the rubber match. Game time is 3:15 p.m.

Here's what the coaches had to say ...

San Dimas coach Mike Regan
On winning
“Our guys hung in there. We really have a good team, but we hadn’t won the big game to get over the hump until today.
On Chris Drossel.
"Chris Drossel is a difference maker. Nobody thought he was the real deal. When we played Covina, somebody was like 'who is this guy.' If you've been reading the papers he's the guy who throws the two-hitter, the three-hitter and today he struck out eight and pitched another great game. He's one of those competitors, just a totally different guy."
On Omar Rodriguez's game winning hit.
"He didn't have really have great at bats all day, but he's done this before for us. He's had games where he struck out twice and then comes back and hits two doubles. It says something about not only him but our team. They didn't quit. They fought through it all. I'm really proud of them."
On Northview's pitching
"The lefty (Eddie) Pedroza shoved it. He kept us off balance. We were out in front of everything. Then they bring in Marc Andrade, and anyone whose been around knows that he's an amazing pitcher too. For whatever reason, once he (Andrade) got in the game we took better strokes, and maybe that's because we didn't have as much time to think.
On Northview
"They're ranked number one in the Valley and number one in our Division for a reason. You have to tip your hats to those guys because they play hard and they compete. Today was just our day I guess, and Friday's another big one."
On the VVL
"Our league prepares us for everything. We've battled with everybody. We lost to Covina when Pill threw the best game I think I've ever seen a high school guy throw. This is by far the best team we've had. It's the best team Northview's had and one of the best team Covina's had. When everyone has a good team like this it's unbelievable. Look at the pitching you've got with Pill and that lefty from Covina. Northview's got three guys that shove it and we've got our two. Really, I've never seen anything like this."

Northview coach Dareen Murphy
On the game
"I'm sure it's a game that a lot of people that were here will remember for a long time. It was real intense, but I'm disappointed on our end because we had opportunities galore and we couldn't get one clutch at bat. We put guys in scoring position and their pitchers made pitches, but our hitters didn't make hits. We have to hit better Friday to win."

On what happened with the squeeze attempt in the ninth inning with the bases loaded and one out.
"We didn't execute it. If we get it in the right spot it's a run and we win the game. The kid that bunted had been struggling, and sometimes you have to force the action. Both coaches started feeling that you had to push a run across. We weren't getting a lot of clutch hits. They had one more clutch hit than we did, that's the difference in the game. Hey, we've been on the other end, it stings to be on the bottom end, but Friday we'll be back."
On the VVL
"We have two teams at the bottom that are struggling, and that kind of seems to be the knock when people try to compare our league. They concentrate more on our bottom two. There's not a lot of leagues with three teams having the wars we're having with the wear and tear we put on each other. It's one thing to win games 16-10, but the wars we're having are one-run games because the pitching is so good. That's what's exciting about the Valley Vista, the pitching is without a doubt the best around."

I like to start with the bad news first. Our servers are slow again. It took me half a day to post the softball and baseball threads on Tuesday. Fortunately, it's much easier to leave comments, but still a slow process. I can't spend half a day messing around with this, so don' t expect as many new threads in the immediate future. Now, the good news, we're switching to a more fast-paced server as I'm typing. I'm told they're in the testing phase and hopefully it should be up and running by the weekend. Can you imagine that? Hitting send and seeing it post immediately. That's the plan anyway. If you want to read the email sent to me by the blogging professionals, click the thread.

Wednesday's Quick Picks
Valle Vista League
San Dimas at Northview, 3:15 p.m. -- Robledo (Northview), Ramirez (Northview)
Sierra League
Chino Hills at Glendora, 3:15 p.m. -- Robledo (Glendora), Ramirez (CHills)
Mission Valley League
South El Monte at Arroyo, 3:15 p.m. -- Robledo (SElMonte), Ramirez (SElMonte)
Montview League
Azusa at Duarte, 3:15 p.m. -- Robledo (Duarte); Ramirez (Duarte)

TRIBUNE RANKINGS
1. Northview (14-3)
I know the Vikings have lost two of their last three, but they were the type of tournament losses that coaches rest pitchers in, or don't take as seriously as say, Wednesday's huge first of a home-and-away against surging San Dimas. Besides, look at the big picture, Northview's won-loss record and ability to pull out the big wins when it has to is reason enough to stay on top. But a slip up this week will cost them. I like Northview at home, and San Dimas on the road.
2. Bishop Amat (13-4)
I've seen the Lancers a few times and always leave impressed, except with that loss against Northview in the Glendora championship. I don't think they deserve the top spot yet, but I think in the end the Lancers will finish the season like it did last year, on top. I told some Northview players last week the Lancers would beat them in a five or seven game series. I think they would beat anyone in this area in a lengthy series. That's not being homerish, that's just being honest.
3. Glendora (11-5)
You knew this was coming. You saw it when the football team surged at the end of the season. When the Tartans basketball team surged in the playoffs. Now it's Henley's Tartans hitting its stride, winners of five straight and a big 4-3 win over San Dimas in the championship of the Arcadia tournament. They've got Chino Hills in a huge home-and-away this week where four teams in the Sierra are separated by only a game. Sounds like the NBA's Western Conference.
4. San Dimas (10-5)
Fresh off a sweep of Covina and a tournament championship appearance at Arcadia, the Saints seem ready to take on Northview, Pedroza, and Elias with Drossel and Ponzo. Baseball is all about momentum and the Saints have it at the moment. Northview squeaked past the Saints 1-0 in eight innnings in the first game on the road. The pressure is on Northview at home Wednesday. They don't want to have to go to San Dimas on Friday needing a win just to split. Then again, the Saints can't afford to fall three-games behind at this point. They need a sweep.
5. Bonita (10-5)
Jiovanni MIer is making his case for player of the year honors. He's batting .520 with 15 RBIs, with five doubles and two homers. He was fabulous in leading the Bearcats to the Northview tournament title and that win should do wonders for the Bearcats in a Miramonte League up for grabs. Let's see how they close the show. They've won six straight after starting 4-5. This is the team we all expected at the beginning and you can make an argument they're playing as well as anyone at the moment.
6. South Hills (13-2)
How much will losing De La Fuente hurt this club? The Huskies went 2-1 in the Beach Pit Classic, they still have as impressive a record as anyone in the area, and they're going to win the San Antonio League title. But how will they do in the Div. III playoffs? Not so well I'm afraid. I hope I'm wrong about this, but I just don't have that this-is-the-Huskies-year type of feeling. Do you?
7. Nogales (11-5)
What I love about Nogales: They're overall record. 11-5 is 11-5 which justifies this ranking. What I don't love about Nogales: They've only beat one team with a winning record and that team is Walnut who is 7-6. Should I go on?
8. Damien (10-7)
It would be a shame if Damien doesn't make the playoffs and its looking more and more like they won't each week. This is a team that just split a doubleheader with Bishop Amat and Chino Hills but is only 2-5 in the Sierra. Glendora, Chino Hills, Chino and Diamond Bar are all at least two-games ahead in the loss column so if the Spartans don't start chipping away at the leaders pretty quick, they will be spectators in the post-season.
9. Covina (9-6)
They've been cursed since the Northview loss. They basically lost the Valle Vista league title by getting swept by San Dimas, and now they have lost four of their last eight since losing 3-0 to the Vikings in 11 innings. Or should I say since they gave it away in the biggest base-running blunder of the season. But like I've always said, this team will make the playoffs and with Pill, they've got as good a shot as anyone. They just won't win the league title.
10. Charter Oak (8-8)
Is is fair to say the Chargers have been the biggest disappointment of the season. The defending Div. IV champs started No. 1 and dropped out of the top ten entirely, but they're back after taking control of the Miramonte. Chargers fans have to forget their overall record and and concentrate on closing out in style. They're 5-1 in league after romping Diamond Ranch 16-1 on Monday. The Chargers fall in the category of, "Never underestimate the heart of the champion." They will be a tough out in the playoffs.

BIG TUESDAY
Miramonte League
Los Altos 11, Charter Oak 0
Valle Vista League showdown
Northview 3, Covina 1

Above: Sierra Vista pitcher Brittney Flores has No. 6-ranked Dons on a roll.

Tribune Rankings
1. Los Altos (13-5)
This is the Conquerors team I've been waiting to see. They've won six straight and avenged its loss to Bishop Amat. Diana-lynn Patterson is doing it in the circle and at the plate, and the rest of the team is starting to swing the bat. Defensively, they have to improve. They had three errors against Amat that didn't hurt them, but those errors will hurt in the post-season. Obviously, this ranking won't last if it loses to Charter Oak Tuesday afternoon. But that isn't going to happen.
2. Northview (13-4)
I have to admit, it wasn't the 5-2 loss to a very good Burbank team in the championship of the Bonita tournament that bothered me, it was how it lost. Dropping pop-flies over second base? Not looking confident at the plate. The Vikes need to get their mojo back because Covina gets them at home this afternoon, and I like the Colts in this one.
3. Charter Oak (13-5)
The Chargers are the most interesting team in the area. They're the Phoenix Suns. The Golden State Warriors. The Denver Nuggets. Can you win trying to outscore your opponents in softball? This is a team that has scored 117 times, averaging six runs a game. But they give up an average of three runs per game, which is the equivalent of three touchdowns in football. I don't know if this works, but it's fun to watch.
4. Covina (9-2)
I have to go straight off memory on this one. I mean, it's not like Covina provides stats or rosters on MaxPreps for anyone to follow, but I do remember how tough pitcher Jill Huntsmann was against Northview in its 3-1 loss the first time. I believe all three runs were unearned and offensively, I thought they were better than Northview but could never get the timely hits. Bottom line, 85 runs and 17 allowed. That's getting it done.
5. Bishop Amat (9-7)
This is my fifth-ranked team? Losers of five of their last seven. Yeah, but we're talking about losses against La Serna, Ayala, Los Altos, a split against Santa Margarita and a 1-0 loss to Mater Dei, which is probably the Lancers' most impressive result of the season. Amy Lwin is a quality pitcher, but she's not dominating enough to win when your team is batting .260 overall. Maybe they need to bring in a sports psychologist.
6. Sierra Vista (13-3)
I can finally give you a scouting report on the Dons after seeing them whip Workman last week. Without a doubt, junior pitcher Brittney Flores is one of the top five pitchers in our area. Freshman Alyssa Lozano (shortstop) and Monica Gomez (third base) are solid defensively and offensively. The rest of the Dons, however, need some improvement. They should have looked sharper against a team like Workman, but still, with Flores, anything is possible.
7. St. Lucy’s (8-5)
This is the problem with the Sierra League. St. Lucy's follows two tough losses against Chino Hills with another home-and-home against Ayala. I wonder how other area teams like Northview, Covina, Los Altos and Bishop Amat would do in this league? I've seen Diamond Bar, and they're not that bad. But Diamond Bar is probably only the fifth-best team in the Sierra. That's tough.
8. Glendora (7-6)
See St. Lucy's explanation above. I don't think the Tartans have the power at the plate to compete with the Chino Hills' and Ayala's of the league. They'll get their chance in a home-and-home against Chino Hills this week, but don't get your hopes up.
9. South El Monte (7-5)
I've liked South El Monte ever since they beat Charter Oak and San Dimas in the Charter Oak tournament. And now they're 2-0 in the Mission Valley League. Even when I look at their losses, they're not bad losses. This is a team that has played a competitive schedule, and if they keep winning, they're ranking will climb.
10. San Dimas (6-7)
I can't convince myself to drop the Saints from the top ten. I don't care what their record is, they're too good on paper. I keep telling myself once they break out of this hitting slump, it's on. But it is getting late in the season, and they sure did blow a good chance against Northview and Covina a couple weeks back. Still, don't bury them yet.

Fifth Annual Tribune/Star-News All-Star Classic
Where: Azusa Pacific University
When: Saturday
Girls game: 5:30 p.m.
Boys game: 7:30 p.m.
Admission: $8 adults/ $5 children

From the Bright Side: Nogales' Crystal Macias is ready to take on the Star-News with her 22 points per game average

From the Dark Side: Marshall's Dorian Hampton, "We''ve got a very excited team and we should get the crowd excited. I'm very excited about the competition.

For a complete look at rosters, click thread

With spring football practices set to begin early next month, Azusa High School is in need a of a head football coach after the surprising resignation from head coach Craig Schuster.
Schuster notified school officials on Friday of his intention to resign, citing family reasons.
“It caught me off guard,” Azusa athletic director Sandy Gahring said. “I’m really sad. He’s a great man and a great football coach.
“But I can understand because the time that he put in was tremendous. He’s got three little kids at home and wants to focus more on that side of his life. We’re certainly going to miss him.”
Schuster could not be reached for comment. He compiled an 18-24 overall record in five years as the head coach, and was 4-7 this past season.

More Montview News: Sierra Vista High School’s Keith Locklear is hoping his second stint as the school’s head football coach will produce better results.
Locklear was the Dons’ assistant football coach in 2000 and 2001 before becoming the head coach in 2002. He resigned after going 1-9 in his only season in charge.
“It wasn’t the right time to become the head coach,” Locklear said. “I was a newlywed and it was taxing on my marriage. But I’ve been at the school a while and the kids kept asking me to do it and I’m ready to tackle it from every angle possible."
Locklear, well known for turning the Dons’ girls basketball team into one of the best programs on campus with his hard-working approach, is hoping for similar results in football. He takes over for walk-on coach Ralph Moreno, who wasn’t asked back.
“Not to knock Ralph, but he was a walk on and you need a full-time head coach,” Locklear said. “I kind of see this as my duty. These are my students and they know what a hard-working person I am. I felt if I could do something about this train wreck that was happening every Friday, then I should do it.”

The Bishop Amat coaching staff is complete. Spring practice starts on May 12.
Steve Hagerty, head coach/offensive coordintaor
Ealar Gallagher, Offensive line coach (was head coach @ La Salle)
Trevor Woods, Wide receiver coach (was Off. Coord. @ Baldwin Park)
Rodney Sermons, RB coach (Was assistant @ DRanch and former Amat standout)
Jason Harris, Tight ends coach (Former Amat standout)
Bill Mulvehill, Kicking coach, (Rancho Cucamonga and former Amat coach)
Daylon McCutcheon, Defensive coodinator (Former NFL and USC standout)
Mike DiFiori, Linebackers coach (Former head coach)
Joe Canales, defensive ends coach (Former Cantwell SH coach)
Willhans Ili, Defensive line coach (Def. Coord. at Garey HS).

More Amat News: Isaiah Bowens, a second-team All-Serra league linebacker, has given a verbal commitment to attend UCLA. For scouting info on Bowens and South Hills' Evan Heard, who has an offer from UNLV, click the thread to get the latest from our scouting insider.

In closing:Yes, it is true that Northview head coach Jim Arellanes has applied for the Monrovia Head coaching position. I've also heard that he's been asked back for a second interview.

Hi all,

I just wanted to let you know about the latest update on Prep Stars: Where are you know?
Today, I write about former Glendora star Wes Roemer, who is now with Visalia Oaks of the Cal League, and former Covina star Brett Pill, who is with the San Jose Giants, also of the Cal League. Both are off to solid starts, and Roemer is scheduled to pitch tonight in San Bernardino against the Inland Empire 66ers.
Here's the link: www.insidesocal.com/afterpreps

Diamond Ranch's Karynn Dunn was the big winner at the Arcadia Invitational, winning both the 100-meter low hurdles (14.15) and long jump (19'8 3/4) to establish herself as one of the state's best. The Mt. SAC Relays are next, and with more of you contacting Covina High track coach Kevin Glaspy and submitting your stats, he's compiled a more thorough list of area leaders this week. This is going to help in choosing our track athletes of the year and our first team for the best in each event. Coaches should contact Glaspy if they have athletes that make our top marks list. To submit top marks for consideration, send you emails to kglaspy@yahoo.com

Above: Diamond Ranch's Karynn Dunn winning the 100 hurdles at Arcaida.

These are your best in every event. To view the area's top leaders list, click thread.
Area's top boys
100 meters
Tim Gilmore, Wilson 10.96
200 meters
Taylor Herrera, Damien, 21.96
400 meters
Arieus Williams, Covina, 48.99
800 meters
Marcus Fortugno, Charter Oak, 1:58.67
1,600 meters
Spencer Doolittle, Ayala, 4:13.5
3,200 meters
Tyler Reed, Ayala, 9:20.2
110-meter hurdles
Cordell Allmond, Walnut, 15.10
300-meter hurdles
Chris Smith, Rowland, 40.71
400-meter relay
Bishop Amat, 43.01
1,600-meter relay
Walnut, 3:28.80
Shot Put
Graham Vickers, Diamond Ranch, 56’6
Discus
Marcus Adame, Los Altos, 157’9
Long Jump
Garoon Gibbspacho, Damien, 22’10
Triple Jump
Obum Gwachum, Ayala, 48’0
High Jump
Obum Gwachum, Ayala, 6’10
Pole Vault
Kris Danielson, Damien, 15’7

Area's top girls
100 meters
Secoral Yanez, Covina, 12.63
200 meters
Secoral Yanez, Covina, 25.60
400 meters
Erika Kalmar, San Dimas, 57.79
800 meters
Marissa Horton, St. Lucy’s, 2:23.00
1,600 meters
Jessica Nunez, South Hills, 5:20.0
3,200 meters
Jessica Nunez, South Hills, 11:16.0
100-meter hurdles
Karynn Dunn, Diamond Ranch, 14.15
300-meter hurdles
Hurd Marilyn Jimenez, West Covina, 45.77
400-meter relay
Bishop Amat, 49.11
1,600-meter relay
San Dimas, 3:57.70
Shot Put
Renee Hays, Bishop Amat, 44’4
Discus
Richelle Najera, Walnut, 126’3
Long Jump
Karynn Dunn, Diamond Ranch, 19’8 3/4
Triple Jump
Karynn Dunn, Diamond Ranch, 39’4 1/2
High Jump
Cursty Jackson, Rowland, 5’4
Pole Vault
Jenna Huilon, Los Altos, 10’6

Spring Break is ending, the tournaments are finishing up, and there's not much to report on a light Friday of baseball or softball. But it's on next week. These are games you don't want to miss.

Monday, April 14
Baseball: Charter Oak at Diamond Ranch, 3:15 p.m. -- Time for the Chargers to show why they're the defending CIF champions. My guess is they won't lose another Miramonte game the rest of the way.
Baseball: Walnut at Nogales 3:15 p.m. -- Whose going to finish second in the San Antonio League? Nobody's catching South Hills, right? Even without De La Fuente.

Tuesday, April 15
Softball: Los Altos at Charter Oak, 3:15 p.m. -- Great pitching vs. Great hitting. Hmm, I wonder which teams he's talking about. I'll let you figure that out.
Softball: Northview at Covina, 3:15 p.m. -- The Vikes won the first meeting and it was intense. Something tells me it's only going to get better. I've got to think Covina wins this at home.
Baseball: Ontario Christian at Western Christian, 3:15 p.m. -- Hey, this could decide the Christian League championship. How good is Western Christian anyway?

Wednesday, April 16
Baseball: San Dimas at Northview, 3:15 p.m. -- Oh my, does it get any better than this? Drossel and Ponzo vs. Elias and Pedroza in the first of a home and home. That announcer at Northview played, "Help" the last time the Vikes had a pitcher in trouble. Wonder what's in store this afternoon?
Baseball: South El Monte at Arroyo, 3:15 p.m. -- It's a tight race in the MVL, and these two are in the thick of it.
Baseball: Azusa at Duarte, 3:15 p.m. -- Yes, the two top contenders in the Montview league collide. I'm going with Duarte. And just wondering, why isn't the Montview as talented and deep as the Valle Vista, San Antonio and Miramonte?

Thursday, April 17
Softball: La Salle at Bishop Amat, 3:15 p.m. -- Poor La Salle, they once had great pitching in a bad league. Now they're in a tough league with no pitching. Great way for the Lancers to break out of that hitting slump.
Baseball: Bonita at Wilson, 3:15 p.m. - We know what Bonita just did, winning the Northview tournament. But what happened to Wilson? They beat Charter Oak in the Miramonte opener and haven't won a league game since.

Friday, April 18
Baseball: Northview at San Dimas, 3:15 p.m. -- Whoever wins on Wednesday can throw down the hammer on Friday. At the end of it all, they'll split.
Softball: Ayala at St. Lucy’s, 3:15 p.m. - St. Lucy's, the best team I haven't covered yet hosts Ayala in a huge Sierra showdown.
Baseball: Bishop Montgomery at Bishop Amat, 3:15 p.m. -- Could we really finish the week without covering those boys in blue. That's the Tribune for you.

Say it ain't so: Vikings football coach Jim Arellanes is keeping his options open. He has too. If you're hearing rumors that he could be coaching somewhere else next fall, or that he's looking around, those rumors are true. If you or I were in his situation, you would do the same thing.

Here's the 411: The Covina-Valley School District might let 106 employees go due to proposed state budget cuts, and teachers who could be part of the layoffs have been notified with a cautionary letter, including Arellanes. Of 658 teachers in the district, 82-full-time teachers and three elementary school principals' jobs are safe based on a layoff system that puts a priority on seniority and education level. The district also sent out an "exempt" list, including those credentialed in language, speech, hearing, sixth-through 12th-grade music teachers, math and science teachers and high school football coaches, which should have exempted Arellanes. So why did Arellanes receive a letter? A person I spoke with from the Covina Unifed Education Association admitted that it was confusing, explaining that it was probably sent out as a protective safeguard so that the district could cover themselves in case of any changes. He said to his knowledge Arellanes is still exempt.

Not a ringing endorsement: Then there was the comment from California Teachers Association negotiator Michelle Ramos, who argued over the exempt status of those in specialized area's, including the football position, which understandably upset a lot of those who teach and coach in athletics, and why a red-flag was raised in Arellanes' case.
"These exemptions show the district is determined to take jobs from particular individuals rather than reducing the staffing level evenly," Ramos said. "I'm sure in the world of 'Friday Night Lights,' football is important. But we are running schools, not athletic clubs."

Where does this leave Arellanes? He's not so sure. It's his understanding that the teachers association is trying to strip him of his exempt status, and that Ramos is leading the charge. The person I spoke with from the Covina Unified Education Association said that is simply not true, and that the Association is ultimately trying to save everyone's job. So again, why should Arellanes be concerned? Maybe because my last question for the person in education was pretty simple. I asked if he were in Jim's shoes and received the letter that he received, would he be concerned? His answer, "My advice to anyone receiving a letter is that they shoud be concerned." This is why I hate politics, and why Jim needs to keep his options open. Let's hope this gets resolved before it's too late.

Glendora beat San Dimas 4-3 Wednesday night to capture the Arcadia High tournament, giving the Sierra League a championship to go along with the one that the Miramonte League got when Bonita won the Northview tournament with an impressive victory over Sonora. What does this say about the Valle Vista League? I had Northview and San Dimas ranked 1-2 on Monday. How should this affect the rankings next week? And how much stock should we put into these tournaments when teams are playing three to four games in a five-day stretch? Those are all questions that need to be answered. If I'm ranking the area's top leagues, based on what we've seen so far, it would have to look like this

1. Sierra League
2. Valle Vista
3. Del Rey
4. Miramonte
5. San Antonio
6. Mission Valley
7. Montview
8. Christian.

Yes, we're talking practice for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune senior all-stars. If you're name is on this list you've already been contacted, but here's a reminder anyway. The first practice is at Covina High School on Friday (April 11). The girls start at 6 p.m. followed by the boys at 7:30 p.m. The next two practices are also at Covina High on Tuesday (April 15) and Thursday (April 17), followed by the big game against the Tribune on April 19 at Azusa Pacific University.

Girls Game: 5:30 p.m.
Boys Game: 7:30 p.m.
Admission: $8 adults, $5 students/children
Benefiting: Coaches vs. Cancer

Tribune boys all-star team\
Coach: Robert Burgess, South El Monte
Dominic Tiger-Cortes, Glendora
Austin Napolitano, Damien
Troy Prather, Bonita
Joey Mesropian, Charter Oak
Trevor Woodland, Damien
Travis Hummel, Diamond Bar
Joey Chase, Rowland
Gus LaMadrid, Baldwin Park
Omar Caro, Bassett
Jose Diaz, La Puente
Rashard Martin, Mountain View
Swing Chuang, Los Altos
Kerry Carter, West Covina
Robert Schmitt, Bonita
Ian Fennell, South Hills

Tribune girls all-star team
Coach: Ed Bruyninckx, Wilson
Kristen McCarthy, Bishop Amat
Richele Najera, Walnut
Ashley Adams, Covina
Chantel Diaz, Covina
Ashleigh Adams, Bishop Amat
Jenna Hamilton, Diamond Ranch
Catherine Chang, Wilson
Lizette Del Real, Azusa
Crystal Macias, Nogales
Jessica Ulrich, Covina
Candice Campbell, Glendora
Selena Mora, St. Lucy's
Dayna Lee, Diamond Bar
Vanessa Gutierrez, South El Monte
Aundrea Hyde, Western Christian

Allen Iverson talking about practice .... Unbelievable isn't it, and he wonders why he's never won a championship.

Player of the year: Megan Morales, Walnut
Coach of the year: Lani Ruh, Walnut

2008 All-Area team with photos
FIRST TEAM
Emily Donohoe, St. Lucy's, Fresh.
Ally Evans, Charter Oak, Senior
Amber Pezzolla, Bonita, Junior
Melissa Reynoso, Los Altos, Senior
Jen Wen, Walnut, Senior
Jessica Yu, Walnut, Senior
SECOND TEAM
Brianna Corral, Rowland, Senior
Allison Gonzales, Charter Oak, Senior
Megan Pezzolla, Bonita, Junior
Lindsay Rangle, St. Lucy's, Junior
Sarah Tulcan, Los Altos, Senior
Allie Zell, Walnut, Soph.

The videos are hilarious.
Here's talking with Megan and her girls

Here's talking with coach Lani Ruh with help from her players

Northview Tournament
Tuesday's championship
Bonita 5, Sonora 1 - Jiovanni Mier was 3-for-3 and was named the tournament MVP as the Bearcats took care of Sonora behind pitcher Jason Plowman, who went six innings and also hit a home run.

Arcadia tournament
Tuesday's games
Glendora 3, Terra Linda 0
Arcadia vs. San Dimas at Arcadia, 7 p.m. (Winner plays for title).
Wednesday's championship
Glendora vs. San Dimas-Arcadia winner, 7 p.m.

TRIBUNE RANKINGS
1. Northview (14-2)
Still the team to beat aren't they? Wins over Amat, then Charter Oak on Monday. Until an area team like San Dimas, Covina or someone knocks them off, the Vikings have proved they deserve the top spot. But I'll tell you what, these other teams are breathing down their neck.
2. San Dimas (10-4)
I thought they were all Ponzo, then Drossel comes along and wham, the Saints have a legitimate one-two punch to rival the Vikings. That's going to be a great home-and-home next week against the Vikes with league title implications all over it. And they're doing well in the Arcadia tournament, with a chance to play in Wednesday's final. I'm liking the Saints more and more.
3. Bishop Amat (10-4)
I'm sorry but this has to eat at the Lancers. They do well in the National Classic, then lose another game to an area team, falling Monday to Damien 4-3 to go with its Northview loss earlier in the season. If anything, this is great for the area because Amat has beaten some quality teams outside the SGV, so for our area teams to hand them a couple losses is all you need to know about baseball in the San Gabriel Valley.
4. Damien (10-5)
I know what you're saying, they beat Bishop Amat so why are they ranked behind Amat? Body of work. The Lancers still have a better overall record and have faced a tougher schedule. But hey, the Spartans can beat anyone, but they better get going in the Sierra League, or they might miss the playoffs entirely.
5. South Hills (11-2)
A 10-9 loss to a 10-5 Irvine team on Monday in the Beach Pit Classic. But they did beat Nogales 3-0 to take over control of the San Antonio League. But again, how do you compare the Huskies to other area teams when they don't play anyone in our top ten with the exception of Nogales, who they have to play in the San Antonio League. The Huskies have such a great baseball tradition, but they have to step up their schedule, don't they? It's okay to play out of the area tournaments, but shouldn't they at least enter one of the big local tournaments. After all, they're South Hills.
6. Covina (9-5)
After losing three of four, the Colts needed an 11-0 statement win over Monrovia, ranked No. 2 in Division V. This is becoming a team you don't know what to expect from. They can be very, very good, or they can get swept like they did against San Dimas. Maybe the VVL is just to competitive. Someone has to finish third, right? How would you like to be a league champion getting Covina and Pill in the first round of the playoffs? Ouch.
7. Glendora (9-5)
The Tartans are growing with confidence in the Arcadia tournament, beating Temple City on Saturday then hammering South Torrance, 13-1 in five innings on Monday. The Tartans should play in Wednesday's championship if they can beat something called Terra Linda to close out round robin this afternoon. They would play the winner of Arcadia-Bonita.
8. Bonita (9-5)
With Northview, Covina, Charter Oak, Monrovia, and Diamond Bar all in the Northview tournament, its Bonita playing for the championship. Unreal. Give them credit because I didn't have them ranked last week. They've certainly proved they belong, and this could be the sort of confidence builder that gets them going in the Miramonte.
9. Nogales (10-5)
Nobles had their chance to climb up the rankings, but a 3-0 loss to South Hills keeps them where they're. Not enough quality wins to rank 'em higher, but obviously a quality team with a deserved top ten ranking.
10. Diamond Bar (9-6-1)
Maybe I don't go down the 57 fwy enough, but the Brahmas give the Sierra League three good local teams to go with Damien and Glendora. When you think of Chino Hills and others in league, you wonder if the Sierra is the best league around. Is it better than the Valle Vista? Not sure, but it's certainly deeper.

Area Standings and Schedules
Christian League
Del Rey League
Miramonte League
Mission Valley League
Montview League
San Antonio League
Sierra League
Valle Vista League

This email came from an area football junkie who loves to discuss what's happening in the SGV. I'll post your thoughts or questions if you have something for me.

Above: South Hills coach Steve Bogan is out of the hospital and recovering at home after having abdominal pains last week. Wish the big guy well next time you see him.

- Diamond Ranch: They need to find another player in the receiving core to complement Sermons. We heard consistently last year that Sermons wanted to play defensive back more than wide receiver. So finding a solid WR is a must this summer.

-- West Covina" Spartans will miss offensive coordinator Brian Murphy as he moves from WC to Don Lugo this summer. You could tell watching film from the second part of the season last year that the underclassmen were getting a handle of the Wing-T offense. The challenge for the new OC is going to be finding a way to get the ball in the hands of home run hitting running back Ricky Johnson.

Southwest Division -- I like the composition of the new CIF Southwest Division. It's going to force some of the teams on the west side of the SGV to play quality football against the teams on the east side. No one should fall asleep if they happen to get Arcadia in the second round or the semifinals. HC Jon Dimanlante is truly one of the good guys in the business and always has his players ready to go every Friday night. Linebacker Volper (who is a verbal commit to UCLA) is a stud!

Not great football?-- It can safely be said that you don't have to play great football to win the Mid-Valley Division. There could be several match-ups that could be interesting if the right pieces fall into place.

Chris Sailer speak -- Had a conversation with kicking guru Chris Sailer and he is very high on Los Altos kicker Jeremy Brown. He has made him a top-40 in the U.S. pick and could be ready for a offer is he has a tremendous performance at Sailer kicking Combine in Las Vegas this spring. In watching him on film, he has great technique and a strong leg.

Happy Gilmore -- What made Wilson's Tim Gilmore performance in the 200 meter dash last week at APU impressive (200m in 22.5 eletronically timed) was that he didn't use any starting blocks. If he uses the blocks, his times lowers to 22.2. Loved the way he defeated Monrovia's Johnson on the square in the 100. Great competitor. One thing that Gilmore needs to do is get more upper body strength. Looks like he hasn't been lifting in a while. But he is a top prospect in the area...no question about it.

Cheap Promo -- No football fan should miss the Nike Camp at USC on April 23rd. There will be quite a few players from the valley there and its just a great day to evaluate players. And you have to love the price for admission....IT'S FREE BABY!!!!

BONITA TOURNAMENT UPDATE: Northview takes on undefeated Burbank in the championship game of the Bonita tournament at Los Flores Park on Wednesday, 3:30 p.m.

Courtney Gano takes a jog in the park after a solo shot in Los Altos' 6-1 victory over Bishop Amat on Tuesday....I was there, I saw it, and the feeling after is that Northview still deserves its top ranking, but this is why Los Altos was number one to begin with.

TRIBUNE RANKINGS
1. Northview (13-3)
The way it rallied to beat San Dimas 3-2 in overtime tells me the Vikes aren't just good, they're starting to look destined. Can they keep this up? Burbank will be its toughest game of the season on Wednesday.
2. Bishop Amat (8-5)
Best middle-infield in the area with a pitcher who can get it done. So, why aren't the Lancers better than this. We will know more after the Los Altos game.
3. Los Altos (11-5)
A win over Bishop Amat on Wednesday would give the Conq's five straight wins and avenge a semifinal tournament loss to the Lancers in the Arroyo tournament. Don't think it will happen though.
4. Covina (10-2)
Has been consistent all year, losing only in the Duarte championship and a close game to Northview. Don't sleep on the Colts, they could end up being No. 1 by the end of the season. And I still think they will come back and win the VVL.
5. St. Lucy’s (8-3)
I've overlooked this team all season, but obviously they're legit and we will know how legit with a pair against Chino Hills this week. The Sierra league is so tough, but the Regents don't seem intimidated at all.
6. Charter Oak (13-5)
I like the overall record, but why do they keep losing the games they have to win. Another 4-3 loss to Diamond Ranch. We keep hearing about the pitching, but the Chargers have the bats to beat anyone. It's a tough way to do it, but they can do it.
7. Sierra Vista (11-3)
Because of the competition level, I don't know how good they're. It's not like the Montview sends softball teams deep into the playoffs. But there is some young talent that will be around for a long time, and so should Sierra Vista in our rankings.
8. Diamond Ranch (6-6)
I guess the word inconsistent comes to mind. They win games you don't think they can win, and lose games you don't expect them to lose. A sleeper for sure.
9. Glendora (7-6)
Bottom line on the Tartans is that they need to hit much better, and probably show a little more energy. I keep telling myself the talent is there, just waiting for it to blossom.
10. San Dimas (6-7)
Don't ask me to explain it. This team is simply too good to not have a winning record. I know there's some bad-luck stuff going on, but two quality pitchers with CIF experience and a solid base all the way around. I'll tell you what, if they finish third I wouldn't want to be the champion facing the Saints in the first-round of the playoffs.

SOFTBALL STANDINGS AND SCHEDULES
Christian League
Del Rey League
Miramonte League
Mission Valle League
Montview League
San Antonio League
Sierra League
Valle Vista League

San Dimas senior Angel Garcia, the only SGV competitor to win four CIF-SS titles, is Wrestler of the Year.
Coach of the year: David Ochoa, Northview

For a complete list of the first and second team all-area list, click thread

Talking with Garcia

Talking with Ochoa

With the Arcadia Invitational starting Friday and the Mt. SAC Relays to follow, we're ready to post the area's top marks leading into the big events. I would like to thank Covina High track coach Kevin Glaspy for compiling our list and he will continue to do so with your cooperation. To submit top marks for consideration, send you emails to kglaspy@yahoo.com

To view top marks, click thread

Them Bearcats moved into the championship game of the Northview Baseball Tournament on Monday.
Bonita knocked off Diamond Bar 6-3 in Monday's semifinal. They will play Sonora in the championship today at 4 p.m. at Northview High.
Bonita took a 5-0 lead at the end of the fifth inning and then held off the Brahmas for the victory.
"We're just playing good baseball," Bearcats assistant coach Dave Cates said. "We got the bunt down when we had to get the bunt down. We're running the bases well. We're swinging the bats, and we're just playing very aggressive baseball is what we're doing."

Note: By the way, did anyone see Damien's 4-3 win over Bishop Amat on Monday, hmmmmm

Tuesday's championship at Northview
Sonora vs. Bonita, 4 p.m.

Monday's Results
Championship semifinals at Northview
Sonora 9, University 3
Championship semifinals at Covina
Bonita 6, Diamond Bar 3

Consolation at Northview
Northview 2, Charter Oak 1 - Vikings did what Vikings do, score two runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull it out.
Consolation at Covina
Covina 11, Monrovia 0 - Colts starter Justin Smith goes six strong and freshman Matt Munoz closed out in the seventh in an easy victor over the second-ranked team in Div. V. Cody Waterbury finished it off with a two-run homer in the sixth.

Tuesday's games
Charter Oak vs. Covina at Covina, 4 p.m.
Northview vs. Monrovia at Northview, 10 a.m.

Saturday's results from Northview Tournament
Northview 7, Duarte 0
University 10, Duarte 0
University 3, Northview 1.
Diamond Bar 1 Covina 0
Diamond Bar 5 Walnut 4
Covina 9 Walnut 1
Sonora 7 Charter Oak 6
Sonora 6 Pasadena 0
Charter Oak 6 Pasadena 3
Bonita 18 Sunny Hills 0.
Monrovia 3 Sunny Hills 0
Bonita 12 Monrovia 5.

Glendora was all smiles after beating rival Damien, 16-1.

Sorry didn't post this earlier, but here's some highlights of Friday's top two games:

Glendora 16, Damien 1: No one saw this coming.
Not Glendora High School baseball coach Dan Henley, and certainly not Damien coach Rich Vasquez.
But there's a reason why to always expect the unexpected when rivals get together.
Glendora proved it with an impressive 16-1 victory over long-time rival Damien in a Sierra League game Friday.
Third baseman Cody Regis and shortstop Max Edginton had two doubles and four RBIs each and pitcher James Janclaes threw a four-hitter and gave up just an unearned run for the host Tartans, who are 7-5 overall and a 4-3 in league play. Damien, which scored its only run on an error in the sixth, slipped to 8-5 and 1-4.
Regis and Edginton led a 15-hit attack that also included freshman Wallace Gonzales going 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
"You just never know," said Henley, whose Tartans put the issue to rest by scoring nine runs in the second inning and seven in the third. "I'm sure happy to be on this side of it. We showed ability to swing the bats like we did today, where we put some real quality at-bats back to back to back. That's what we did.
"We stayed patient and we put some runs up. It was a nice feeling."
Comment of the game: It came from a Damien parent, who was obvious upset after Damien scored nine runs in the second and seven in the third. He became irked when Edginton stole home to make it 10-0, and Michael Edwards attempted a bunt in the fourth, with the Tartans up 16-0.
"I'm sorry, but if you steal with a nine-run lead, bunt with a 16-run lead, the next guy goes down."
I applaud coach Vasquez for showing some discipline and resisting that part of baseball lore. No reason to make a ugly situation even uglier.
San Dimas 5, Covina 2: The ace is back for the San Dimas High School baseball team.
Junior Kevin Ponzo, the 2007 Valle Vista League MVP, went six strong innings and beat Covina 5-2 on Friday to help his team break a second- place tie with the Colts.
It was the second win this week for the Saints (8-4, 4-2) over the Colts (7-4,3-3).
"He struggled a little at the beginning of the year," Saints coach Mike Regan said. "He just wasn't in shape. (Chris) Drossel has been lights out and Kevin was the MVP last year. We've got two aces now. I'm glad he's back."
The Colts committed three errors while the Saints went error-free and turned two double plays.
"You give a team like that more opportunities to swing the bat, they're going to hurt you," Colts co-coach Scott Root said. "They played great defensively and their pitcher made great pitches when he had to."
Saints leadoff hitter Alonzo Torres beat out an infield hit and went to second on a wild throw to start the first inning. He was sacrificed to third and Ponzo drove him in with a single.
"Kevin is a baseball player," Regan said. "He plays everything well. He's a baseball rat, he just loves baseball."

BASEBALL LEADERS
Hitting
Player, team, Avg., AB, Hits, HR
Jordan Fox, Bishop Amat, .625, 40, 25, 1
David Munoz, Sierra Vista, .594, 32, 19, 1
Mark Reynoso, Western Christian, .556, 45, 25, 3
Miguel Lopez, Sierra Vista, .548, 31, 17, 1
Danny Pertusati, Damien, .543, 35, 19, 7
Adam Brenes, Rosemead, .545, 22, 12, 0,
Eric Lewis, Damien, .542, 24, 13, 0
Michael Edwards, Glendora, .526, 38, 20, 0
Mark Garcia, Damien, .484, 31, 15, 0
Andrew Mistone, Bishop Amat, .471, 34, 16, 0
Darren Dworak, Damien, .462, 39, 18, 3
Robert Whiley, Western Christian, .447, 47, 21, 0
Spencer Serafin, Glendora, .438, 32, 14, 1
Oscar Moreno, Duarte, .483, 29, 14, 1
Randy Blagg, Los Altos, .480, 25, 12, 0
Jiovanni Mier, Bonita, .467, 30, 14, 1
Michael Lomeli, Sierra Vista, .467, 30, 14, 1
Richard Lopez, Rosemead, .455, 22, 10, 0
Carlos Camarena, Rosemead, .448, 29, 13, 0
Ryan Daniels, Duarte, .448, 29, 13, 0
Joel Licon, Diamond Ranch, .444, 27, 12, 0
Jorge Ortega, Damien, .429, 28, 12, 0
Nick Greene, Diamond Ranch, .425, 40, 17, 0
Tommy Reyes, Bishop Amat, .412, 34, 14, 2
Cody Regis, Glendora, .410, 39, 16, 1
Hector Salcedo, Sierra Vista, .407, 27, 11, 0
Daniel Sutton, Western Christian, .400, 45, 18, 0
Fernando Campos, Duarte, .400, 25, 10, 0
Jacob Shirley, West Covina, .400, 40, 16, 1
Matt Orosco, Wilson, .393, 28, 11, 0
Joseph Salazar, Pomona, .389, 36, 14, 0
Andy Tomsio, Wilson, .385, 26, 10, 0
Jordan Leyland, San Dimas, .375, 24, 9, 0
*Minimum 20 at-bats

Pitching
Player, team, IP, SO, W-L
Brady Zuniga, Bishop Amat, 1.40, 25.0, 29, 2-2
Jason Plowman, Bonita, 1.52, 18.0, NA, 2-1
James Janclaes, Glendora, 1.54, 31.0, NA, 4-1
Michael Faram, Duarte, 1.64, 34.0, NA, 5-0
Nick Amerhein, Damien, 2.00, 21.0, NA, 3-0
Mark McMahon, Western Christian, 2.36, 23.2, 19, 4-0
Drew Kreimann, Wilson, 2.69, 26.0, NA, 2-2
Andy Tomsio, Wilson, 3.00, 21.0, NA, 1-1
Miguel Lopez, Sierra Vista, 3.50, 26.0, NA, 1-2
*Minimum 18 innings pitched

What's on Deck?
Thursday's games
Christian League
Western Christian at Arrowhead Christian, 3:15 p.m.
Miramonte League
Bonita at Diamond Ranch, 3:15 p.m.
Charter Oak at Wilson, 3:15 p.m.
San Antonio League
Walnut at West Covina, 3:15 p.m.
South Hills at Nogales, 3:15 p.m.

Northview 3, San Dimas 2, 13 innings: Hannah Fraijo looked dejected, sitting in the corner of Northview High School's dugout when catcher Heather Harrison hit a two-out triple in the seventh inning to drive home Chrissy McPhail from first to tie the score against host San Dimas, 2-2.
"My heart fell to my stomach," Fraijo said. "I was shocked."
Then it was Fraijo's turn in the 13th inning. She smacked a two-out triple to left-center to score Jazmine Chavez from second to give the Vikings a dramatic 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the seven-time defending league champions. Fraijo also pitched the entire game, closing it out with eight consecutive shutout innings while scattering nine hits over 13 innings to keep the Vikings (13-3, 7-0) on top of the Valle Vista League standings while essentially eliminating the Saints (6-7, 3-4) from any thoughts of contending for their eighth straight title.
"I kept telling myself we weren't going to lose, even though it didn't look very good," Fraijo said. "When Heather got that hit, the adrenalline just started kicking in again. I knew we were going to win it. I didn't know how long it would take, but I knew we woud get it."

Los Altos 4, Diamond Ranch 3, 9 innings: Los Altos scored two unearned runs in thebottom of the seventh to tie the score, 3-3. Then in the ninth inning, Roxanne Avalos led off with a single, and was sacrificed to second. That set the stage for freshman Courtney Gano's game-winning two-out single to drive home Avalos for the game winner.

SOFTBALL LEADERS
Hitting
Player, team, Avg., AB, Hits, HR
Monica Gomez, Sierra Vista, .651, 43, 28, 1
Sydney Stewart, Diamond Ranch, .621, 29, 18, 4
Brittney Flores, Sierra Vista, .579, 38, 22, 6
McKenna Gooden, Charter Oak, .574, 54, 31, 3
Veronica Ramirez, Azusa, .533, 30, 16, 1
Diana Patterson, Los Altos, .519, 52, 27, 2
Michelle Mounts, St. Lucy's, .500, 30, 15, 3
Diana Payan, South El Monte, .500, 30, 15, 1
Sarah Gonzales, Walnut, .486, 37, 18, 0
Brittany Gallegos, Charter Oak, .471, 51, 24, 0
Vanessa Bracamonte, Wilson, .468, 47, 22, 0
Reina Gaber, South EL Monte, .458, 24, 11, 1
Jacki Campa, Bonita, .442, 52, 23, 0
Samantha Nieves, South Hills, .438, 32, 14, 0
Alyssa Lozano, Sierra Vista, .429, 35, 15, 1
Jennifer Gonzalez, Charter Oak, .423, 26, 11, 0
Katie Cayot, Charter Oak, .423, 52, 22, 2
Latisha Dedeaux, Los Altos, .417, 48, 20, 0
Amanda Olague, Sierra Vista, .412, 34, 14, 0
Courtney Gano, Los Altos, .411, 56, 23, 0
Jessica Traxler, Bishop Amat, .405, 37, 15, 1
Julie Ward, St. Lucy’s, .400, 30, 12, 4
Brianna Rodriguez, Ganesha, .400, 35, 14, 3
Mica Del Haro, Rowland, .394, 33, 13, 1
Brittany Rodriguez, Ganesha, .389, 36, 14, 2
Heather Harrison, Northview, .385, 52, 20, 2
Aundria Solis, Northview, .357, 42, 15, 0
Hannah Fraijo, Northview, .345, 58, 20, 2
Alyssa Ramirez, Bishop Amat, .333, 39, 13, 0
*Minimum 20 at-bats

Pitching
Player, team, IP, W-L
Hannah Fraijo, Northview, 0.73, 94, 11-3
Diana Patterson, Los Altos, 0.84, 101, 10-4
Amy Lvin, Bishop Amat, 2.43, 66, 6-5
Reina Gaber, South El Monte, 1.37, 51, 4-3
Brittney Flores, Sierra Vista, 1.45, 62, 10-1
Sarah Heitz, Diamond Ranch, 1.71, 57, 4-3
Justine Tullis, Charter Oak, 2.04, 54, 6-2
Chloe Wurst, Bonita, 2.34, 71, 5-4
Laura Banuelos, Rowland, 2.41, 58, 5-4
Sarah Gonzales, Walnut, 2.68, 41, 4-2
Vanessa Bracamonte, Wilson, 3.09, 40, 2-5
*Minimum 25 innings pitched

Player of the year: Nadia Link, Walnut, Senior
Coach of the year: Kelly Kocalis, San Dimas

Above: San Dimas coach Kelly Kocalis

FIRST TEAM
Forwards
Natalie Maxie, South Hills, Soph.
Lauren Montenegro, Diamond Ranch, Senior
Veronica Ramos, Walnut, Senior
Midfielders
Aleina Dominguez, Wilson, Soph.
Deborah Musa, Bonita, Senior
Kristy Nottingham, Glendora, Senior
Daelyn Paul, St. Lucy's, Senior
Defenders
Kristy Krueger, Diamond Ranch, Senior
Natalie Martin, Walnut, Senior
Chelsea Rossa, Los Altos, Senior
Goalkeeper
Megan Allaire, Walnut, Senior

SECOND TEAM
Forwards
Nancy Cruz, Mountain View, Senior
McKenna Gordon, Charter Oak, Soph.
Ariel Shore, San Dimas, Junior
Midfielders
Danielle Barrett, Sierra Vista, Senior
Sarah Hanna, San Dimas, Senior
Krissy Slusser, Walnut, Junior
Emily Wood, Glendora, Junior
Defenders
Lynsey Brown, St. Lucy's, Junior
Briana Galbrecht, South Hills, Senior
Michelle Nava, Bishop Amat, Senior
Goalkeeper
Stephanie Boggio, Charter Oak, Senior

Talking with Nadia

Talking with Kelly

Hi All,

I just wanted to let you know about an update to Prep Stars: Where are you now?
Today, I write about former Santa Fe baseball player Mark Kotsay, whose story is motivation to us all.
Here's the link: www.insidesocal.com/afterpreps

Northview 11, Baldwin Park 1: Marc Andrade hit two home runs as the Vikings improved to 11-1 and 6-0 in the VVL by defeating the braves in 1 hour and 6 minutes in a mercy-shortened five inning game.

San Dimas 6, Covina 0: Chris Drossel, yes Chris Drossel has emerged among the Valley's deep stable of pitchers with a three-hitter against the Colts to get the Saints back in the Valle Vista League race. If San Dimas doubles up Covina on Friday, it sets the stage for a huge home-and-home against Northview to follow.

HE'S PERFECT: Bonita High School's Nico Calderaro completed a perfect game with a called third strike for the final out in a 5-0 Miramonte League baseball victory over visiting Diamond Ranch on Tuesday. Calderaro struck out 11 to even his record at 1-1.

AMAT WINS: Bishop Amat earned a 7-2 victory over La Salle to move to 9-3 overall and 3-0 in the Del Rey League. Jordan Fox continued swinging a hot back, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored.

Wednesday's results
Valle Vista League
Northview 11, Baldwin Park 1, 5 innings
Pomona 3, Ganesha 2
San Dimas 6, Covina 0
Mission Valley League
Gabrielino 6, South El Monte 0
Arroyo 9, Rosemead 6
Mountain View 10, El Monte 5
Montview League
La Puente at Workman, 3:15 p.m.
Sierra Vista 3, Azusa 2
Sierra League
Chino 15, Damien 10
Ayala 10, Glendora 4

GETTING IT DONE: Dating back to last season, Gabrielino's Angel Cabral has gone 52 consecutive innings without allowing a run in the Mission Valley League, which spans seven games. Cabral struck out 11 in a 6-0 win over South El Monte in a game for first place on Wednesday.

Player of the year: Jairo Aquino, Mountain View, Forward, Senior
Coach of the year: Bahram Alavi, La Puente

FIRST TEAM
Forwards
Simon Dewhurst, Diamond Ranch, Senior
Kenneth Leslie, Damien, Senior
George Pantoja, South Hills, Senior
Midfielders
Sebastian Rivas, Bishop Amat, Junior
German Palma, La Puente, Senior
Giancarlos Modragon, Sierra Vista, Senior
Defenders
Robert Rodriguez, West Covina, Senior
Mira Valdez, Wilson, Junior
Alejandro Gutierrez, La Puente, Senior
Armando Escabedo, Azusa, Senior
Goalkeeper
Alfredo Ontiveros, Arroyo, Senior

SECOND TEAM
Forwards
Jameson Campbell, Diamond Bar, Senior
Justin Gener ,Bishop Amat, Junior
Jose Contreras, Mountain View, Junior
Midfielders
Diego Hernandez, El Monte, Junior
Rafael Garcia, Arroyo, Senior
Julio Ortiz, Baldwin Park, Senior
Defenders
Francisco Cardenas, Arroyo, Senior
Carlos Nunez, Baldwin Park, Senior
Brandon Chang, Walnut, Senior
Mario Sustayta ,South Hills, Senior
Goalkeeper
Alex Frutos, Wilson, Senior

FOR VIDEO INTERVIEWS WITH PLAYER AND COACH OF THE YEAR, CLICK THREAD

I told you some big news was coming. La Salle High School head coach Ealar Gallagher (Amat graduate) and assistant coach Mike DiFiori (former Amat head coach) have resigned at La Salle and accepted assistant coaching positions at Bishop Amat, coach Steve Hagerty said today. Gallagher, who guided the Lancers to the CIF-Southern Section Mid-Valley Division championship game in 2006, will be Bishop Amat's offensive line coach, while DiFiori, who left Amat following the 2005 reason for family reasons, then took a lesser assistant role at La Salle, is returning to serve as the linebackers coach.

Former La Salle coach Ealar Gallagher.

Ealar Gallagher's reaction: “I talked to the Amat people a couple of weeks ago and it was a tough decision,” Gallagher said. “There’s a lot of good people and good kids at La Salle and I have a lot of friendships here. But professionally, this is the best move for me and my family.”

Mike DiFiori's reaction: “I spent a lot of time there (Amat) and Steve’s a great guy, and I think he can do a lot of good things there, and I’ll be a part of it,” DiFiori said. “One of the things is that my parents moved to Los Angeles from Northern California, so now I have family that can take care of the kids, which is why I left. When I got the job at Amat in 1992, he (Hagerty) was still there and we did coaching outings and clinics together,”

Fred's thoughts: This is how you build the program back up, by assembling a talented and respected coaching staff that players will want to play for, and I don't think Hagerty is finished. There could be a couple more surprises before this coaching carousel is through. If you're an Amat fan, this is much better than the April Fool's joke I played on you earlier. I dealt with Gallagher at the Star-News and he's a class individual and a great coach.

To read the full story, click thread

When is the last time a team opened league with five straight shutouts, or more importantly, went the entire first round of league without allowing a run, especially considering how difficult the Valle Vista League is this season. Northview hasn't allowed a run in 38 innings of VVL, which included an 3-0 win over Covina in 11 innings. This brings me to my next point. Covina jumps from No. 5 to No. 2 after Bishop Amat, South Hills and Damien all lost last week. Considering the Colts' only two losses came late against Damien and Northview, they could potentially be undefeated. Bishop Amat drops only one spot. Going 2-2 in the National Classic is impressive for a Division V school. Still don't know what to make of South Hills after losing to Temple City. The Huskies have a big game against surging Nogales this week, which should tell us a lot more about both clubs. This is San Dimas' week to either get back in the league race or fall out completely. They must get at least a split against Covina and a sweep puts them right back in the race. But don't count it. It will be interesting to see if Ponzo goes against Pill again, or if they will go in opposite games. I think the Saints have to throw Ponzo against Pill, it's there only chance of getting a sweep if they can pull out a win against the Colts big No. 1. Finally, still no Charter Oak in the rankings. They're 3-6 but 2-1 in the Miramonte, which is all that truly matters. I really believe before the year is through they will be back and will be a very dangerous team to face in CIF

Tribune Top Ten
1. Northview (10-1)
Five straight shutouts in VVL
2. Covina (7-2)
Big week against San Dimas
3. Bishop Amat (8-3)
Rested and tested after Classic
4. South Hills (8-1)
No. 3 in CIF-SS Div. III
5. Damien (8-3)
Huge Friday game at Glendora
6. Nogales (9-4)
Hosting SHills on Thursday
7. San Dimas (5-4)
Make or break week for Saints
8. Glendora (6-4)
Holding steady in Sierra
9. Diamond Ranch (7-6)
Perfect 3-0 in Miramonte
10. Duarte (6-3)
Won five of last six

Schedule for this week's Northview Tournament
Saturday
Pool A @ Northview
Northview vs. Duarte, 10 a.m.
Duarte vs. University, 1 p.m.
University vs. Northview, 4 p.m.
Pool B @ Charter Oak
Charter Oak vs. Sonora, 10 a.m.
Sonora vs. Pasadena, 1 p.m.
Charter Oak vs. Pasadena, 4 p.m.
Pool C @ Covina
Covina vs. Diamond Bar, 10 a.m.
Diamond Bar vs. Walnut, 1 p.m.
Covina vs. Walnut, 4 p.m.
Pool D & Bonita
Bonita vs. Sunny Hills, 10 a.m.
Sunny Hills vs. Monrovia, 1 p.m.
Bonita vs. Monrovia, 4 p.m.
Monday's semifinals
Pool A1 vs. Pool B1 @ Northview, 4 p.m.
Pool C1 vs. Pool D1 @ Covina, 4 p.m.
Tuesday's Championship
At Northview, 4 p.m.

Not a lot has changed since last week with Amat retaining the top spot with its 6-0 win over a very good Santa Margarita softball team. The Lancers meet Los Altos in a non-league next week, which will be a rematch of Amat's win over the Conquerors in the semifinals of the Arroyo tournament. I leaped Northview over Los Altos to the No. 2 spot simply because the Vikings continue to get better with each game. In the end though, I expect Covina to come back and win the Valle Vista because I think its offense is better than the Vikings' offense while both teams have quality pitching. This is a huge week for San Dimas, playing Covina and Northview. They will either be back in the league chase at the end of the week, or out completely. The Saints haven't swung the bat well against quality pitching, and they're not pitching well enough to win close games, so expect them to fall out of it and secure the three spot by season's end. Charter Oak is still the perfect example of what happens when you have a great player at every position except in the circle. You can't win consistently that way, which they're finding out. I didn't rank Glendora, Diamond Bar or St. Lucy's from the Sierra, not because they're not good, but because the teams ahead of them are slightly better.

Tribune Rankings
1. Bishop Amat (8-4)
6-0 win over Santa Margarita
2. Northview (11-3)
68 runs; only 20 against
3. Los Altos (9-5)
Still hasn’t hit stride
4. Covina (7-2)
Still scoring a lot of runs
5. Diamond Ranch (6-4)
Wins over Charter Oak, LAltos
6. Charter Oak (12-5)
Not beating the good teams
7. San Dimas (6-5)
Covina, Northview next up
8. Sierra Vista (9-3)
Are Dons really this good?
9. Rowland (8-5)
Beat St. Lucy’s, 9-3
10. South El Monte (4-3)
Returns after long break

After hearing rumors the last few days I confirmed from a family member that Wilson running back Tim Gilmore, who was thinking of going to St. Paul, will now enroll at Bishop Amat after the track season to play football for the Lancers in the fall. Gilmore is arguably the area's best returning senior and a player of the year candidate. I'll have more later.

Rosters for the April 19 Tribune/Star News All-Star Classic at Azusa Pacific University have been announced.

Girls Game: 5:30 p.m.
Boys Game: 7:30 p.m.
Admission: $8 adults, $5 students/children
Benefiting: Coaches vs. Cancer

Tribune boys all-star team\
Coach: Robert Burgess, South El Monte
Dominic Tiger-Cortes, Glendora
Austin Napolitano, Damien
Troy Prather, Bonita
Joey Mesropian, Charter Oak
Trevor Woodland, Damien
Travis Hummel, Diamond Bar
Joey Chase, Rowland
Gus LaMadrid, Baldwin Park
Omar Caro, Bassett
Jose Diaz, La Puente
Rashard Martin, Mountain View
Swing Chuang, Los Altos
Kerry Carter, West Covina
Robert Schmitt, Bonita
Ian Fennell, South Hills

Tribune girls all-star team
Coach: Ed Bruyninckx, Wilson
Kristen McCarthy, Bishop Amat
Richele Najera, Walnut
Ashley Adams, Covina
Chantel Diaz, Covina
Ashleigh Adams, Bishop Amat
Jenna Hamilton, Diamond Ranch
Catherine Chang, Wilson
Lizette Del Real, Azusa
Crystal Macias, Nogales
Jessica Ulrich, Covina
Candice Campbell, Glendora
Selena Mora, St. Lucy's
Dayna Lee, Diamond Bar
Vanessa Gutierrez, South El Monte
Aundrea Hyde, Western Christian

FOR TRIBUNE ROSTERS, CLICK THREAD