Derrin Jenkins, Deshawn Ramirez and Monovia face San Marino this week in the "Battle of the Unbeatens"
League play is here and in high school football that means everything. This isn’t college football where two losses can eliminate you from the championship picture. It isn’t college basketball where you need a certain number of victories to qualify for post season. In high school football the entire season rides on how you do in league.
If you finish in the top three, (four in some cases), then you’re guaranteed a spot in the CIF playoffs. A team could actually go 0-5 in their non league schedule but as long as they win at least three of their next five they’re in. South El Monte started off losing all of its non league games a few years ago and ended up winning the Mission Valley League title.
Diamond Ranch won only one of its first seven games last year but then won its last three Miramonte League games to qualify for the playoffs. But it didn’t stop there. The Panthers kept on winning in the playoffs and advanced all the way to the Southeast Division Championship game before falling to Charter Oak.
A lot of coaches will load up their non league schedules with tough opponents to get their teams ready for league. Matt Koffler at Rosemead has played Harvard Westlake and South Hills the last two years. The Panthers lost to both teams both years but it was a way to prepare his team for the all important MVL schedule.
This week, (week six), every team will enter league play. The Pacific, in the Southeast Division, and the Montview, in the Mid Valley, already started last week because of the number of schools in their leagues. Everybody else officially kicks it off this week.
Here’s a quick look at all 10 leagues in the Southeast and Mid Valley Divisions.
Mid Valley Division:
Montview: Azusa is the defending champ and is the team to beat again. La Puente, who appeared to be the best competition, fell to the Aztecs 50-21 last week. Workman and Gladstone should round out the top four. It will be a struggle for Sierra Vista and Bassett. Duarte has no shot.
Rio Hondo: Monrovia should win it followed by Temple City and San Marino. Keep an eye on La Canada. Blair and South Pasadena have no shot.
Mission Valley: It’s Arroyo and Rosemead and then everybody else. It will be decided right away because those two meet this week. Third place is up for grabs with El Monte having the edge over Gabrielino and South El Monte. Mt. View has no shot.
Valle Vista: Baldwin Park and San Dimas are the favorites right now. After that it’s a crapshoot. Covina, Northview and Pomona are all in the hunt. Ganesha has no shot.
Olympic: Hard to handicap because we don’t see enough of them. Paraclete is the defending CIF/league champs and seems to have the inside track.
Southeast Division:
San Antonio: Along with the Miramonte, it’s the toughest league in the area. South Hills, West Covina and Rowland should grab the playoff spots with Walnut being left out in the cold. The Mustangs would finish first in several other leagues. Nogales has no shot.
Miramonte: Brutal. Charter Oak is the top dog with Diamond Ranch right behind. Bonita should have enough to take third. Wilson and Los Altos, both quality teams, actually have a shot, but it’s a long one.
Pacific: It’s wide open. Burbank is 2-0 and so is Pasadena. But the Bulldogs haven’t played Burbank yet. Four teams will get in so Arcadia, Crescenta Valley, Burroughs and Muir are all in the mix. Hoover and Glendale have no shot.
Del Rio: Santa Fe is the best team in the league but Cal, Whittier and El Rancho could give the Chiefs a run. It looks grim for La Serna and Pioneer has no shot.
Almont: Schurr and Alhambra are the early picks and they play this week. San Gabriel looks good for third but the Matadors can’t overlook Bell Gardens or Montebello. Keppel has no shot.
Tim can be reached at tspeterson32@yahoo.com.
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