The TEN

(“The Ten” is not a top ten, but ten items worth being included in The TEN”)

1.)  South El Monte defensive end Israel Soto 2012 stats: 21 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks.

2.) San Francisco WR Michael Crabtree tears achillies tendon.

3.) Miami 103 Indiana 102 OT

4.) Glendale WR/DB Martin Marin 2012 Stats: 17 catches, 3Tds, 35 tackles, 1 Int.

5.) La Salle at Bishop Diego, September 13th, 2013.

6.)  “I’m putting out my lineup that I feel is going to be the most competitive and going to compete the hardest.”—Dodger Mgr. Don Mattingly on benching Andre Ethier

7.) Angels outfielfer Josh Hamilton: 178 at-bats, 6 home runs, 16 runs batted in, 51 strike outs, .225 batting average, .284 OBP, $17,400,000 salary for 2013.

8.) On this date in 2009 Alhambra defeated Gahr 8-4 in the first round of the playoffs. The victory was number 200 for Moors HC Steve Gewecke.

9.) Sierra Vista at Montebello, today, third round CIF playoffs.

10.) “After watching hockey most of the night, it’s tough to watch a faker like Tony Allen for the Memphis Grizzlies.”— Dennis Miller

Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz

By: Big George Hernandez

Mid Valley Sports got a quick Q&A with, South El Monte alum, 2012 Olympian and undefeated pro boxer Joseph “Jojo” Diaz Jr (4-0, 2KOs), who’s coming off a TKO win over Eric Gotay.

Mid Valley Sports: How you doing?

Jojo: I’m good! and yourself?

MVS: Good, so how is training going?

JDJ: training is going well. I’m 2 weeks out and already ready.

MVS: When’s your next bout?

JDJ: My next bout is June 8th at the Home Depot center.

MVS: What does a day of training look like for you?

JDJ: A day of training for me is running in the AM strength conditioning in the afternoon and training in the evening. Whenever I feel like running I’ll just go to 24-Hour Fitness at night and run a few miles.

MVS: What’s your diet while getting ready for a fight?

JDJ: My dieting when I’m fighting is eating a loaf of bread… just messing! Nutrition is the key. I usually stay away from junk food sodas and juices and drink water and have chicken fish veggies rice steak or pasta.

MVS: Favorite cheat food?

JDJ: My favorite cheat food has to be sushi! I love sumo rolls.

MVS: Who are some of your favorite past and present boxers?

JDJ: My favorite fighter today is Floyd Mayweather. My past fighter is Oscar de la Hoya.

MVS: During your fights I know your dad is in your corner, how close is your mom during the fights? Does she worry about you getting hurt?

JDJ: Yes my mom is very close she is ringside during every fight! She doesn’t like me boxing but she knows it’s what I love doing so she lets me be. She gets really nervous every time I fight.

MVS: What’s been the biggest difference between the amateurs and pros?

JDJ: The biggest difference is probably slowing down the pace a little. Amateurs it was just 3-rounds 3-minutes and the pros it’s more rounds so you just have to take your time a little more and pick your shots.

MVS: Is there anyone you can’t wait to fight in the future?

JDJ: I’d like to fight whoever is the champ in a year and a half. I feel like by then I’ll be ready.

MVS: Anybody out there you want to give a shout out to?

JDJ: I wanna give a shout out to everyone that is supporting me! Also the city of South El Monte I’m doing it for you! I wanna thank The Lord for blessing me with the skills and where I’m at today! And most of all I wanna thank you George for having me on as your guest!

MVS: Good luck and God bless brother. You’re going to be a champion real soon!

San Dimas strong safety Mitch Giles

By Josh Ouellette

Senior to be and strong safety for San Dimas High School, Mitchell Giles, likes a lot of things. He likes any kind of music really, he likes Italian food, he likes the Indianapolis Colts when they play on Sundays, but there is one thing he loves: playing football.

“I like Mitch. Mitch plays the game because he loves the game. He’s not one of those guys who are trying to do it because he’s trying to impress somebody, or anything like that, he’s doing it because likes football,” head coach Bill Zernickow explained. “And those guys are fun guys to coach because they’re putting all their heart and soul into it because they want to make the team better. Mitch has been a good team guy.”

Last year the Saints went 11-2, only losing to fellow Mid-Valley Division powerhouse teams Monrovia—in the regular season—and Paraclete in the Semi-Finals. San Dimas also went undefeated in league play in the Valle Vista for the first time since their 2009 CIF Title winning campaign.

“I think last year, as in years past, we continued to fit guys into spots and guys grow up real quick for us,” said coach Zernickow. “They know what the expectations are so this year going forward, we lost a lot of great seniors that were great players, but we have good kids coming up and guys who kind of fit the mold to be successful for next year.

Things are definitely looking up heading into this season because the Saints are returning much of their offensive core. All Mid-Valley players like Player of the Year running back Jake Payton and Center Fidel Castro will be back next season along with quarterback Josh Avila.

“Obviously they’re great places for us to start and to find complimentary pieces to them will make us a better football team. Coming into next year I am excited about a fullback we have, Fausto Martinez, he’s six foot, 225 pounds and he runs really well, so that’s going to give us a great inside presence,” Zernickow offered. “The best part of our football team, I think, is our line play, the majority of those guys are coming back and that’s going to allow us to make some adjustments during games and stuff like that because they’ve been there and done that.”

But that is just looking at the offensive side of the ball San Dimas.

“Defensively, we have some guys and the right pieces and the right body frames that will allow us to do some good things on defense, so I’m excited about that,” Zernickow said.

But there is definitely one player coming back to lead the Blue and Gold on defense and it comes in the form of their strong safety. Giles was a transfer from Damien High School in La Verne last season and he acclimated to the San Dimas way of life pretty quickly. On the year Giles played in every game and was third on the team in total tackles with 105, add in his team-leading six interceptions, 11 tackles for loss, a handful of pass deflections, a couple of sacks and a fumble recovery.

Good enough to make him the All Mid-Valley Team Strong Safety, but that’s not what the 5’10” 185-pound backfield leader for the Saints cares about. It isn’t his personal accolades or his stats, no, this strong safety cares about how his team can get amped up and play good football.

Giles told how his success was mainly due to that of his team.

“The success I had came from that of my team pressuring the quarterback and making them throw bad passes,” explained Giles. “We had a strong defensive line, strong line backers, good corners covering other guys, it just made it easier of everyone that we had such a strong defense. Everyone did their part and made it possible.”

Giles agrees with his coach about how the defensive unit shouldn’t skip a beat going into next season.

“I feel like we’ll be able to do it because we had a good second team. They had strong tacklers and good coverage, so I feel like we can become as strong [defensively] as we were before as long as we work for it,” said Giles.

The Saints jersey number two loves to hit and loves to be the guy who comes up big in the game, but he still sees this as a team action.

“It is always fun being able to say that you were the one that tackled him [the opposing player] because it shows that you can do it on your own and you don’t need anyone else,” Giles said. “It’s just fun being the guy that made the play because you know you did well and you know your team appreciates it. I appreciate it when all of my teammates do their job and are the ones that get to kill the quarterback or hits someone hard because it builds the confidence within the team.

Much of Giles success can be accredited to Zernickow and the player tells everyone why the long time leader of the Saints march for football success is such a great head coach.

“Because he pushes you. He’s a strong coach and he’s a perfectionist so it drives you to do better and become perfect at what you do just because he motivates you and he’s a strong speaker,” Giles quipped. “He makes the team feel more like a family than a team.”

Giles will be one of the heads of the table in next season’s San Dimas family and he has the goal of taking it game by game.

“Just to play every game, think of the game coming up not the games ahead and to go far and play hard,” Giles said.

But there are a few games he is definitely looking forward to in a few months.

“I think Northview and Covina because those are the most competitive games to play in,” said Giles. “You talk more on the field with them, you’re more vocal, so I feel like those will be some interesting games.”

And what every reader wants to know is about what is becoming one of the greatest match-ups in the Mid-Valley Division, the one between the Saints and three-time CIF Champs, the Wildcats of Monrovia High School. Giles focuses in on the intensity of the rivalry.

“It’s extremely intense because you know that they’re a very good team and very aggressive and that you have to play your best to beat them,” he said.

But what teams who play San Dimas will need to look out for on Friday nights this coming fall is Giles trying to get opposing quarterbacks to know what his goal is.

“Hit him as hard as you can, make him drop that ball and make him remember you,” said Giles.

The TEN

(“The Ten” is not a top ten, but ten items worth being included in The TEN)

1. The Clippers fire head coach Vinny Del Negro.

2. Super Bowl L (50) will be held in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2016 and Super Bowl LI (51) will be held in Houston.

3. “Yeah, he can come over every night. We will serve fried chicken.” – Sergio Garcia when asked in jest at a European tour function if he would be inviting Tiger Woods to dinner during next month’s U.S. Open. Garcia later apologized for the remark.

4. Keenan Allen, the third round pick from Cal who just signed with the San Diego Chargers, posted a picture of himself wearing an Oakland Raiders hat.

5. Mike Trout hits for the cycle Tuesday night in the Angels rout of the Mariners.

6. Former Wilson CB Keith Hawk is playing football at Yale.

7. The Dodgers are 29^th of the 30 teams in MLB in OPS (on base percentage + slugging) at .689 ahead of only the Miami Marlins.

8. Northview beats South Torrance 5-4 to advance to the CIF Division 4 quarterfinals.

9. San Dimas CB Chris Salcido 2012 stats, sophomore year: 14 tackles, 22 assisted, 36 total.

10. On this date in 1990 Andre Dawson sets a Major League record as he is intentionally walked five times.

The TEN

(“The Ten” is not a top ten, but ten items worth being included in The TEN”)

1.)    OKC and surrounding areas
2.)    Kings look to go take commanding 3-1 lead tonight against San Jose in Stanley Cup Western Conference semi-finals.
3.)    Temple City and South El Monte on the road in Second Round of CIF Softball playoffs
4.)    El Monte hosts Village Christian in Second Round of CIF Baseball playoffs
5.)    Triple Crown drought reaches 35-years after Oxbow upsets field
6.)    Mattingly gets vote of confidence from Coletti
7.)    Big 12 Baseball Championship still slated to begin on Wednesday in Norman, Ok
8.)    Chad Johnson arrested and held on $1k bond
9.)    Mark Trumbo leads Angels in HRs and RBIs
10.)    “I’m giving $1000 for tonight’s HR and every HR until the All-Star break for the victims of my hometown in OKC– Matt Kemp’s tweet

*5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

*Ages 6-13

*Instructors will include former current and college players along with Bulldog coaches and players

*$40.00 Fee – Cash or Check (made out to West Covina Football Boosters)

*Includes Bulldog Camp T-Shirt, 3 – 2 hour sessions of instruction, Camp Certificate and Pizza Night (last night of camp)

*Register now (Send to West Covina High School Football Boosters, 1609 E. Cameron Ave, West Covina, CA. 91790, or Monday June 17^th from 4:00-5:00 pm.

*Any questions contact Camp Director Corey Tello @ 626 859-2900 ext 2945 or Mike Maggiore @626 859-2900 ext 2980

Tim Peterson

I’m at the Hall of Fame Game Friday night at West Covina High School and I’m still getting ripped by game director Leon Ward. He gave it to me on the phone Thursday night and he wasn’t finished when he caught up to me Friday night.

“You didn’t write anything about the game!” Ward said emphatically. “You didn’t give us any love!”

I asked him for a program after I saw that Fred Robledo from the Trib had one but he wasn’t having any of it. “At least Fred takes care of me. That’s why he’s got one,” Ward claimed. “You don’t take care of us at all.”

I tried to defend myself by reminding him that I spoke to him on the phone three weeks ago and asked him to send me the rosters for East and West and that I would post them on the website. Of course that would mean sending them to me by email which apparently Ward does not use. But my defense was shot down.

“You didn’t say squat!” Ward said in no uncertain terms. “We didn’t get any publicity!”

At this point I think I saw a hint of a smile cross Ward’s face but I’m not sure. I don’t know if I was being punked or he was legitimately angry.

I still don’t know if Ward will move the game to January or early February next year although MVS staffer Duane Barker did his best to try to convince him. Barker’s point was that if the game was played on Saturday night it wouldn’t interfere with the other sports like basketball and the players would still be in pretty good shape with the season having ended just a month or two before.

Great idea but not sure if Ward is buying. By the way I never did get my program.

As for the game itself the West was simply overmatched. Of course with Monrovia and Muir players completely void of the West roster (Prom night) that wasn’t surprising. The East just had too many good athletes, namely Aaren Vaughns, and the West couldn’t keep up. The quarterbacks were constantly under pressure and the East defense made a couple of big defensive plays that killed the West.

I was checking out the seniors on the Muir and Monrovia rosters from this past season. Can you imagine the difference it would have made had Ge Vontray Ainsworth, Mason Bryant, George Frazier, Blake Heyworth, Anthony Craft, Brett Walsh, Isaac Miravet, Tyshawn Goodman, Mark Samuels, Joshua muema-Washington, and Lamarr McDaniels played? Or even half of them? Yeah, they were missed.

Just because Vaughns was ejected from the game late in the fourth quarter should that take him out of the running for MVP? I understand setting an example, etc., but Vaughns was clearly the best player on the field, at least for the this game, and should have taken home the hardware despite a couple of seconds of questionable behavior. I mean, it’s football. Scuffles happen.

I caught up with West Covina Coach Mike Maggiore at the game and he also suggested the game be moved to January. And that was without any prodding from me.

Montebello DC Brian Zavala compared his current crop of linebackers to his group at Northview in 2008. If you remember Andrew Rodriguez, Lionel Acosta, and Christian Vargas from that Viking squad you know that’s quite a statement by Zavala. Keep an eye on the Oilers.

Former Bell Gardens HC David Ramos said he is busy these days trying to get St. Paul back on track as a member of its coaching staff. “They didn’t do us any favors with the schedule,” he said.

Former West Covina running back B.J. Lee, now running track at USC, won the PAC 12 100 meters last weekend with a 10.07, which is the ninth best time in the world this year and second in the NCAA. The time was also fifth best in the country for any age. No wonder they could never catch him.

That’s my principle.

Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com.

The Ten

(“The Ten” is not a top ten, but ten items worth being included in The TEN)

1.  Rio Hondo Prep’s Jake Holguin earns West MVP honors in the 2013 Hall of Fame football game.

2.  The Dodgers get outscored 16-8 and lose three straight to Atlanta.

3.  Johnny Alvarez and Eddie Ramos combine on a 3 hit shut out of La Puente in the first round of the CIF Playoffs.

4.  Dwight Freeney agrees to a two year deal with the San Diego Chargers.

5.  Buster Mathis defeated Joe Frazier to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team on this day in 1964.

6.  Spurs rout Grizzlies 105-83 in the first game of the Western Conference Finals.

7. Bell Garden’s Ramiro Suarez 2013 stats: 58 carries for 307 yards and two touchdowns.

8.  On this day in 1988 Mike Schmidt blasts his 535th to move into 8th place on the home run list.

9.  Baldwin Park v. La Serna tomorrow in the second round of CIF Baseball playoffs.

10.  “My pitching philosophy is simple.  Keep the ball away from the bat.” Satchel Paige.

Thursday, May 16: Division 1,3,5,7

Listed in top to bottom order, as appears on bracket.

Division 1

Huntington Beach 2, Mater Dei 1

Riverside Poly 4, Capistrano Valley 3 (8 innings)

Loyola 8, Canyon SCV 5

Lakewood 5, El Modena 0

Agoura 12, Notre Dame SO 5

Trabuco Hills 9, Millikan 8 (11 innings)

Marina 2, Norco 1

Thousand Oaks 9, Canyon Anaheim 4

Harvard-Westlake 7, Valencia SCV 1

El Dorado 1, Long Beach Poly 0

Santa Margarita 7, Santiago Corona 1

Fountain Valley 8, Alemany 0

Chaminade 4, Orange Lutheran 2

Los Alamitos 6, West Ranch 5

Moorpark 4, Arlington 0

El Toro 2, Wilson LB 1

Division 2

Redlands East Valley 3, Arcadia 1

Vista Murrieta 13, Beckman 8

South Hills 2, Rio Mesa 1

San Clemente 7, Mayfair 0

Oxnard 4, Righetti 3

Yucaipa 1, Crescenta Valley 0

Dos Pueblos 3, Laguna Hills 0

Cypress 6, Irvine 1

Los Osos 8, Burroughs Burbank 2

Northwood 12, San Juan Hills 5

La Mirada 7, Damien 4

Santa Barbara 6, Redlands 3

Aliso Niguel 7, Claremont 1

Valencia OC 3, Camarillo 1

Arroyo Grande 6, Burbank 1

Temecula Valley 10, Norwalk 0

Division 3

Cathedral 3, Bonita 1

Elsinore 3, Culver City 0

Westminster 3, Paramount 0

Peninsula 9, Carter 0

Quartz Hill 7, Temescal Canyon 3

Mira Costa 15, Los Altos 1

Bishop Amat 12, Santiago Garden Grove 3 (Wednesday 5/15)

Palm Desert 9, Downey 5

Gahr 6, Highland 0

La Quinta LQ 4, San Gorgonio 0

Diamond Bar 3, West Torrance 0

St Paul 2, Loara 1

Paloma Valley 12, Segerstrom 3

Garden Grove 2, Cathedral City 1

Knight 8, Santa Monica 3

Serra 12, West Covina 7

Division 4

Oaks Christian 1, San Marino 0

Savanna 9, Fontana 1

South Torrance 7, Estancia 2

Northview 7, Ramona 4

Sonora 9, Bell Gardens 0

La Canada 4, California 2 (Thursday 5/16)

Calvary Chapel Santa Ana 4, Chino 0

San Dimas 7, Torrance 1

Laguna Beach 5, Victor Valley 4

La Sierra 3, Monrovia 2 (Thursday 5/16)

La Serna 4, La Habra 1

Baldwin Park 8, Century 2

El Rancho 3, Don Lugo 2

Alhambra 4, Bishop Diego 2

El Segundo 5, Granite Hills 1

Kaiser 3, Nogales 0

Division 5

Village Christian 4, Paraclete 3 (8 innings)

El Monte 1, La Puente 0

Woodcrest Christian 5, Hesperia 0

Tahquitz 11, Lompoc 7

Shadow Hills 6, Calvary Murrieta 0

Santa Ynez 9, St Bernard 4

Maranatha 7, Duarte 3

Citrus Valley 11, Beaumont 0

Ontario Christian 5, Apple Valley 4

Brentwood 3, Arroyo 0

Big Bear 6, Jurupa Hills 4

Templeton 10, Valley Christian Cerritos 6

Mary Star 10, Cabrillo Lompoc 3

Hemet 7, Whittier Christian 3

Sierra Vista 12, Mountain View 1

Oak Hills 7, Desert Hot Springs 0

Division 6

Desert Christian Bermuda Dunes 6, Southlands Christian 0

Buckley 13, Rosamond 0

Carpinteria 14, St Anthony 3

Webb 4, Windward 3

Crean Lutheran 13, Mesa Grande Academy 0

Tarbut V Torah 7, Excelsior 4

Kern Valley 7, Upland Christian 1

Flintridge Prep 14, Santa Paula 6

Capistrano Valley Christian 20, Joshua Springs 1

Sierra Canyon 4, New Community Jewish 2

Frazier Mountain 14, Academy For Academic Excellence 7

Desert Christian Lancaster 28, St Genevieve 4

Pasadena Poly 6, Bloomington Christian 0

St Margaret’s 16, Hamilton 4

Calvary Chapel Downey 5, Salesian 1 (Thursday 5/16)

Malibu 10, Bishop 6

Division 7

Nuview Bridge 9, Environmental Charter 0

St Monica Academy 3, Marywood Palm Valley 2

Coast Union 6, Trinity Classical Academy 4

Concordia Sylmar 4, University Prep 3

Firebaugh 13, California Military Institute 2

St Michael’s Prep 30, Shalhevet 0

Vistamar 10, Lee Vining 7

Cate 15, Faith Baptist 6

Riverside Prep 26, Pilgrim 1

Rolling Hills Prep 14, Immanuel Christian 3

Avalon 7, Southwestern Academy 1

Dunn 7, Valley Christian Santa Maria 0

Animo Leadership vs. Riverside Christian rescheduled for Saturday 10am @ Contreras in L.A.

Santa Clarita Christian 23, Delphi Academy 6

New Roads 17, Pacific Lutheran 6

Temecula Prep 19, Academy for Careers and Exploration 6

The name is Vaughns….Aaren Vaughns

By: Josh Ouellette

[West Covina]- In the Hall of Fame All-Star game featuring teams comprised of players from schools west and east of the 605 the East squad was just too much for the West team to handle winning 42-18 Friday night at West Covina High School.

It was all East from the get go when running back Aaren Vaughns from Charter Oak scored his first touchdown on a 53-yard gallop and weave through the blue jerseys of the West defense. The West put their first points on the board later in the first quarter when Garfield quarterback Josh Mendoza found Rio Hondo Prep’s Jake Holguin on a 36-yard pass for the score. Things were looking up for the West when they shut down the East on defense in the ensuing drive and then Mendoza hit Alhambra’s Ezra Broadus for a 37-yard pass over the middle. A few moments later Mendoza fumbled the ball after being held up and tackled by a host East defenders and none other than Vaughns picked it up and ran it over 55 yards to paydirt. It was all East the rest of the way.

-       East defensive lineman Jacob Hughes from Whittier Christian had a sack and a tackle for loss in the first half to go with his seven individual tackles and more counting assisted ones. He won the MVP award for the East team.

-       Holguin caught two more touchdown passes, one for 29 yards and another from 22 yards out. He was the MVP of the West team.

-       Vaughns had the two aforementioned scores and also added another one through the air on a 67-yard screen pass and score from Chino Hills QB Matt Simko. He made the West defenders look silly again.

-       All three of Vaughns scoring plays came on plays of over 50 yards.

-       Vaughns was ejected in the fourth quarter along with Duarte’s Marcus Lewis for an on-field altercation. Had he not been he was the clear MVP for the night.

-       Cornerback Albert Llamas from St. Paul High School had an interception late in the game.

-       Simko had three touchdowns also, two passing and one on the ground for the East.

-       Manuel Matiarena from Salesian and Garfield’s Ramon Sierra were solid in the trenches for the West team all night long.

-       Defensive lineman Greg Lawton from Rowland had a fumble recovery late in the ballgame.

-       This is for Bonita Alum: Brandt Davis of the Bearcats was a perfect 6-6 on PAT attempts. He did come up short on his only field goal attempt though.