The most popular pic the Mid has ever taken: The Arroyo offensive line circa 2004, after a 28-6 Mud Bowl victory over Gabrielino. A.J. Roman (#61), Kevin Torres (#50), Kenny Andrew (#51), Kevin Cordova (#72), and Manuel Canales (#74).
Good Evening!
Am I required to talk about the Dodgers?
I’m more interested in Bob Sanders making his debut for the Colts this Sunday…now there’s something to talk about.
Good season, or bad season, I don’t think anyone has ever liked driving down the 710 to play Bell Gardens.
While no one rejoices over an injury, you gotta believe Wilson HC Brian Zavala, and staff, are not waking up in the middle of the night in cold sweats about facing Michael Ball. However, if you know Zavala, he’s still waking up in the middle of the night thinking about the Raiders. My guess would be Zavala would worry about his defense if the Wildcats were playing the Sisters of Mercy.
How much of an investment should one make in the NBA pre-season?
I believe investment in the NBA pre-season is based on how many three-run Jayson Werth homers you have to endure during the NLCS.
Suddenly I’m feeling a lot more confident about fantasy football…If all goes well this weekend, I’m might start talking trash next Monday.
Prediction: Rosemead’s Matt Fregoso runs for 200-yards against View Friday.
On this date in 2004, at Aztec Field (Mark Keppel H.S.), Gabrielino hosted Arroyo in a “Fate of the World” Mission Valley League contest that turned into the Mud Bowl. Both teams were 6-0 coming in and chewing up opponents.
A little over a minute into the first quarter Eagles quarterback Paul Zuniga got Knights linebacker Efrain Qquendo to bite on play-action and went to running back Jonathan Omar who took the ball 77-yards for a touchdown.
Arroyo responded with Raul Ramirez’s 11-yard touchdown run three minutes later and with seven seconds left in the half Ramirez (26-120-yards) went in from a yard out. In the third Sergio Leon picked off a Zuniga pass and returned it 40-yards for a touchdown. Dominic Salmon finished things with an 11-yard run on the sloppy track to secure the Knights 28-6 victory.
Arroyo would go 12-0 before losing in the semifinals to South Hills. Gabrielino would finish the season 8-3, losing in the first round of CIF to the Huskies as well.
Couple of things standing out from this night were; the exceptional receivers the Eagles had, in particular Craig Winchell (7-79-yards), who might have had the area’s best hands.
The Knights Charles Kiem blocked Gabrielino’s extra-point attempt and as the game wore on and the Arroyo offensive line took control, the thought of the Zuniga to Omar score being the Eagles high point of the game came to mind.
Now, as years have rolled on, Zuniga to Omar at the 10:46 mark of the first quarter on October 21, 2004 against Arroyo was the apex/zenith of Gabrielino football. Think about it, like southerners of old often lamenting about the South before Pickett led his division into the open field on the third day at Gettysburg, there was this trajectory of Eagles football prior to Zuniga to Omar at 10:46.
A league title in 2000, a fear of God experience thrown into Los Altos in a 6-0 opening round playoff loss in 2001, advancement to the second round of CIF in both 2002 & 2003. Also a parade of stars from Kevin Trochez, Mario Atilano, the Ruiz brothers, Jose Castro, Donald Boyd, Zuniga, Winchell, Omar, Jonathan Arid…
Since Zuniga went to Omar, Gabrielino has gone 13-36-1 with two shutouts over its last 50 games. In their first 52 games this decade the Eagles went a combined 34-16-2 with an amazing 13 shutouts.
The Tongva Nation should remember where they once were and look to this Friday night as a chance to get back.
Last Note Arroyo-Gabrielino 2004: The pic of the Arroyo offensive line consisting of Manuel Canales, Kevin Torres, Kenny Andrew, A.J. Roman, and Kevin Cordova has been the most praised and often requested of any picture we’ve taken since we started covering football at the Mid Valley back in 2001.
Stay thirsty my friends…
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