Monrovia's Christian Blanco shining on both sides
When you see a team perform like Blair performed last Thursday night, your first thought is ‘they should eliminate the program’. Then you take a few things into consideration.
The opponent was Monrovia- the best team in the Mid-Valley right now. Also Blair had several players injured and several others that were playing out of position. But still, it was bad.
Monrovia scored on its first five possessions in only five plays. The Wildcats went untouched to the end zone on all five plays. I hadn’t ever seen anything quite like it.
Nick Bueno, the Monrovia quarterback, faked one way and then ran the other way 65 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. Nobody laid a hand on him. Actually nobody was within ten feet of him even at the line of scrimmage.
It was men against boys- USC against YMCA- Semi Truck vs. Volkswagen bug.
But they won’t disband the program and they shouldn’t. It was just three years ago that a coach named Lavelle “Tip” Sanders came in here and turned things around. Blair beat Monrovia 38-26 and won the Rio Hondo League. The Vikings went 9-2 overall and even won a playoff game.
One lady on the sidelines told me “You know Bair has come a long way. Ten years ago they came out on the field with tennis shoes on.”
I told her yeah but they just won the league three years ago. She had no recollection. How soon they forget. What have you done for me lately I guess?
Before Sanders took over Blair was what it is today – a program that looks like it should be disbanded. But what Sanders did in that short time was prove that it is possible, for even Blair to be successful. It took solid coaching, support from the administration and a certain amount of excitement but it can be done. Is there another Tip Sanders out there?
The good thing for Blair is there is no way to go but up. By the way the Vikings new uniforms looked good.
We love Monrovia’s Ellis McCarthy but the dude has to stop changing his uniform number. At various times this year he has worn 56, 18, and 60. Even the roster has him listed at 56 and 18. And what about Isayah Daniels? Doesn’t he wear 18 also?
Hey Ellis you can’t hide from us. We’ll find you.
Nice to see Monrovia stat man Wayne Tao on the M-Town sideline the other night. Man, this guy doesn’t miss a thing. I don’t know what I would do If I couldn’t ask “Hey Wayne, what number was that?”
Have you seen Christian Blanco yet?
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I saw Burroughs for the first time Friday night. I got sore just watching them. There might be faster teams, or more talented teams but I don’t know that there is a more physical team in the Southeast.
The Indians knocked at least three Arcadia players out of the game with big hits. Their physicality eventually paid off in a 21-14 overtime win. Arcadia looked worn down in the extra session.
We hear a lot about quarterback Lucas Yanez but his brother and favorite target Tyler shines as well.
I heard a lot about the Indians’ Zander Anding. His name wasn’t called a whole lot in the first half but Anding came through in the ending. Yeah I said it.
You don’t realize just how dominant Azusa has been until you the see the points for and points against on the League Standings. The Aztecs have outscored their opponents 217-23.
Johnny Be Good, who is usually a big Schurr guy, was stunned as well. “Wow” was all he could say.
Speaking of Schurr, Aaron Cantu led the Spartans down the field on the game winning drive in the fourth quarter at Bell Gardens. BG is always tough and a win is a win but word around Spartanville is that the offense is too conservative. Schurr hasn’t scored 30 points in a game this year and their PF and PA is 135-181. Yet Cantu’s numbers have been up from last year…Wow!
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tspeterson32@yahoo.com.
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