Tim Peterson
I received a message on Twitter Friday night after I tweeted out the final score of the Mid-Valley Division semi final. “It wouldn’t be a Mid-Valley Division Final without Paraclete.”
And he was correct. This will be the third consecutive Mid-Valley Division Final for the Spirits and their fourth since 2008. They have lost in the Finals the last two years and their last Mid-Valley title was in 2008 when they beat Rosemead.
But Paraclete’s last CIF Championship was in 2010 when the Spirits beat Sierra Canyon for the East Valley Division Championship. Paraclete spent 2010 and 2011 in the East Valley Division before being shipped back to the Mid-Valley. Norm Dahlia and his staff have done a remarkable job of keeping the Spirits in the championship hunt every year. Here’s Paraclete’s post season finishes dating back to 2007. in 2006 Paraclete finished at 5-5 overall and lost in the first round to Santa Clara.
2007: Lost in Mid-Valley Division semi finals to Bishop Diego.
2008: Won Mid-Valley Division Final over Rosemead.
2009: Lost in second round of Mid-Valley Division playoffs to Monrovia.
2010: Won East Valley Division Final over Sierra Canyon.
2011: Lost East Valley Division Final to Sierra Canyon.
2012: Lost Mid-Valley Division Final to Monrovia.
2013: Lost Mid-Valley Division Final to San Dimas.
2014: Mid-Valley Division Final vs. Pomona.
How’s that for a resume? And there are still people on our site screaming for Dahlia’s head.
With that said I will offer Paraclete this one piece of advice. Get Melquise Stovall the ball in space. 14 touches (3 on pass receptions), isn’t enough.
Don’t think anybody expected Northview to be in the semi finals. And had the game been two minutes and 33 seconds shorter, the Vikings would be headed to the Finals. Can’t think of a better Mid-Valley Division Coach of the Year candidate than Marcel Perez.
I think Crescenta Valley has exacted its revenge for being left out of the playoffs last year. Of course the Falcons won’t think its complete until they beat Downey this week in the Southeast Final. The problem for CV opponents, and has been all year, is they just can’t keep up. They mix for awhile but in the end the Falcons just have too many weapons.
Any team that has reached the Finals is playing its best football right now, but has anybody improved more than Los Altos? The Conquerors are completely healthy, and everybody is in sync. This is a team that was 2-4 and in the throws of a three game losing streak after falling to Chino 30-14 in Week Five. Dale Ziola’s crew looked dead in the water. Since then the Conqs have won six of seven and have plowed into the Central Division Finals. Tyler Nevens is a bull running behind the bubbas up front and the defense is playing lights out. Los Altos now is not the Los Altos we saw in October.
I like Nipomo over Arrowhead Christian.
Crescenta Valley just scored again.
Cody Kessler just threw another touchdown pass.
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com or follow him on twitter @tspeterson40
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