After nine hours in the baking sun, watching hundreds of passes, countless touchdowns, dozens of routes, close to 100 coaches (counting assistants), and 24 teams compete at the Arroyo SGV Shootout on Saturday you have to take a step back and think what it all means.
You can probably talk to all 24 head coaches and get 24 different answers. To some like West Covina Coach Mike Maggiore it probably doesn’t mean much. The Bulldogs went three and out and took an early exit which is about the same performance they had last year in the tournament. Last year they won the Southeast CIF championship and are one of the favorites to win again this year.
When you rely on running the ball and playing good defense you don’t put a lot of stock in 7 on 7 passing tournaments.
If you talk to Rosemead HC Matt Koffler you would get the same answer. This year the Panthers are expecting their bread to be buttered by pounding the football. Couple that with a solid defensive unit and the season should be a success.
But try telling Diamond Bar Coach Ryan Maine today that the Shootout is meaningless. With a big strong quarterback like Henry Omana and talented skill guys like George Katrib and Dante Harris, the Brahmas took home the trophy. It not only gave those guys a chance to show what they can do but also gave his kids a chance to compete. And compete they did.
Azusa advanced to the Finals for the second straight year. Although the Aztecs fell short this year Joe Scherf would hardly consider the tournament meaningless.
If nothing else, even for the teams that left a little early, it is a chance for the quarterbacks to get their timing down and the skill guys to work on running routes. As far as the local competition, there’s no other tournament that brings together this many Mid-Valley and Southeast teams. And besides all of that it’s a blast.
Walking through the Gardens
While making my rounds I ran into Bell Gardens DC Frank Gallardo who was on hand to watch the action. With Josh Adame graduating and taking his 2000 plus passing yards with him, BG is going to go back to doing what it does best – run the football. Albert Lara who played DB/WR last year for the Lancers is now at quarterback but he will spend a lot of time handing the ball off to running back Alex Orozco. Orozco rushed for over 300 yards last year as a junior and will be the main man in 2011.
I couldn’t get Gallardo to say Orozco was the next Bobby Andrade, but he did say that he was “an Andrade type.” Ok, that works.
Let’s Get Physical
Although the last thing you want to see in a passing tournament is an injury to one of your key players, coaches constantly urge their kids to get more physical. “Being too soft” is a constant criticism of a team that is getting beat and as a result the players are compelled to play a little rougher. You want to win, and not be pushed around, but at the same time a shoulder injury to your starting quarterback would be disastrous. It’s a fine line.
Mid-Valley Shootout?
Monrovia Coach Ryan Maddox told me they should change the name of the tournament from the SGV Shootout to the Mid-Valley Shootout and he might be right. Of the 24 teams involved in the Shootout 16 were from the Mid-Valley Division. Six were from the Southeast, including Tournament champ Diamond Bar, and two (Kamiak and Buena Park) were from outside the two local divisions.
One More Time
Arroyo has become a hotbed for tournaments over the last few years. The Knights host throws every Tuesday and Thursday along with the annual SGV Shootout. They’re not done yet. This Saturday July 16, Arroyo will host the Lineman Competition where the bubbas finally get their chance to shine.
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com
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