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William Faulkner wrote (“Intruder in the Dust”), about 60 years ago, that for every southern boy there’s the moment before Lee’s troops stepped out of the woods on the third day at Gettysburg. The moment, in the hot afternoon, before Pickett’s Charge when there was still belief the war could be won…within a few hours everything changed.

On Thursday night there was that moment, for every El Monte fan, alum, parent, and player when Brandon Martinez went 26-yards to Abel Barrajas and the Lions took a 7-0 lead. The moment where they believed the day had finally arrived when Arroyo would fall…within a few hours everything changed.

Bergstrom Stadium was a unique experience Thursday night…and had enough energy to make someone fall in love with the MVL…

…But the better game was still down at “The Swamp”…What a job turned in by Southman HC Ibis Aguilar and staff. No one would have taken a bet saying South El Monte would be in the playoffs in 2011.

I am so glad I built my Saturday around Oregon at Stanford…

Two things need to happen after this college football weekend…Boise State & Stanford need to be put on immediate probation for increasing the likely hood of us seeing LSU-Alabama in the BCS final…

The other thing that needs to happen is a very loud and pronounced boycott of the BCS finals if they shove LSU-Alabama down our throat again…Because I will not watch the game…I’d sooner see Hoover-Glendale twice in one season than the Tigers & Tide.

So is the Cal team that beat La Serna on Friday night, the same Cal team that Condor HC Jim Arnold said during the summer was going to struggle in 2011?

For the record (and so I can say I told you so over the next 24 months) I am pro La Serna quarterback Frankie Palmer…This year’s super soph is going to be very dangerous going forward in the Jack Del Rio.

Before the playoffs are over Maranatha’s Cliff Martin will be a difference maker…

In regards to how it should play out tomorrow morning with the CIF selections…

In the Southeast Division, three teams will make the playoffs that didn’t last year: Los Altos, Crescenta Valley, and my good friends at Pasadena.

El Rancho got the wild card/at-large birth in 2010…It should go to Muir on Sunday.

In the Mid-Valley Division seven schools that made the playoffs a year ago are not going to be practicing this week: Rosemead, Village Christian, Schurr, Bell Gardens, Temple City, La Canada, and Baldwin Park…Talk about a change in fortune.

Next Add Maranatha: Apparently I’m allowed back on the Maranatha sideline.

Last Add Maranatha: “They’re still not letting me play linebacker,” says Minuteman quarterback Andrew Elffers.

1981, 1991, 2001, & 2011…All four of those years either a playoff spot or the Mission Valley League title was on the line…All four times Arroyo beat El Monte…

First Note to Lions: Thursday’s game is over…pray Brandon Martinez’s ankle will allow him to go next Friday…

Second Note to Lions: The last time I saw an up and coming team in the MVL lose a league championship game was in 2005…and South El Monte went on to reach the semifinals.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a running back like Burroughs back Zander Anding…

“He’s such a smart runner,” says the (Times owned) Burbank Leader’s Jeff Tully. “He has the patience to wait for the blocking to develop.”

Note to Pasadena: It’s bad karma to close off your sideline to a Mid Valley Sports guy…We can talk about it over salad & cheese bread at Northwood’s Inn…on Andy Villathedevil’s dime of course.

Because they throw so often in the off season we see Arroyo quite a bit. Last summer and spring, though, it seemed like every passing league or four-way toss I showed up at the Knights Andre Kerkhoff had a drop or two…So I’ve always tended to think of him in defensive terms only…but after seeing him against South El Monte and El Monte the dude can flat out play…Touchdowns, interceptions, tackling, he’s a great football player.

So if Schurr had beaten San Gabriel…And Duarte had taken care of Sierra Vista…Would Pomona be on the outside looking in next week?

CIF called and asked if we knew of anyone that might want to play Pomona in the first round. Arroyo, Azusa, Whittier Christian, and San Gabriel aren’t exactly thrilled by the idea.

Who is the last player to throw 32 touchdown passes and register over a 100 tackles in one season?

Glad to see Crescenta Valley in the big dance…More people need to get a glimpse of Marro Lee.

Gotta love the season Carlos Purser has had on defense for San Gabriel, I’m sure Donald Bernard is happy.

The Canon in D…Covina’s Billy Livingston to Justin Mason for six…It’s all equally beautiful to Colts HC Darryl Thomas.

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I’ve directed several teen and children’s camps over the years for my denomination. At the first staff meeting you always tell the staff; if a student says they want to talk and give an indication they might be ready to share something about being abused, the staffer needs to let them know that they are obligated by law to report any/all cases of abuse.

The information would then be passed on to the camp director, and in our case we would notify our district office and the local church’s pastor. They immediately contact family and authorities.

It’s a good system because it follows a chain of command…and it’s usually during that time, as information is being passed along, that a sifting process takes place. In the cases I dealt with it turned out the teenagers were not telling the truth…no complaints were filed, no careers or lives were destroyed.

The problem developing out of the Penn State/Joe Paterno situation is how can a staffer, or someone else in the chain of command trust the person above them did their job? The situation in Happy Valley proves they can’t…So what option is left the staffer? None, but for themselves to report directly to the authorities.

On the surface this sounds good…but when it comes to abuse you don’t need to be guilty to have your life destroyed, you only need to be accused.

With the chain of command broken down, with the sifting process stopped, how many bad accusations are going to be made? How many lives are going to grind to a halt because the Penn State nightmare has created a whole new level of CYA…

Help me, help you!

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Fanview Heavy appears every Saturday during football season.

Contact Joe at joe@midvalleysports.com