The Peterson Principle: 11/9/2015

Tim Peterson

Tim Peterson

By Tim Peterson

Did anybody other than maybe Jesse Ceniceros think that Chino would not only make the playoffs but end up as the number two team in the Hacienda League?

In a league that features Charter Oak, Diamond Ranch, Los Altos and West Covina most people, including yours truly, had the Cowboys pegged for fifth. I mean these aren’t just solid teams, they’re elite programs.

Los Altos used to win CIF titles with regularity and was just in the Central Division Finals last year. West Covina went back to back championships as recently as five years ago. Diamond Ranch appeared in consecutive CIF Finals a few years back against…oh yeah, that other team in the league Charter Oak.

Then there was Chino. Chino? Really? Sure, they had a new coach in Ceniceros who had a ton of success at Norwalk but it was going to take a few years to turn things around.

There was new offense (double wing) to learn. There was a new system to adapt to. These things take time right? Chino ran the spread last year. Now they were supposed to forget all of that and run the double wing? Practices would be different, meetings etc. This wasn’t going to happen overnight.

The Cowboys won five games in 2014 so with a new staff in place and a new system what could they expect this year. 5-5 again? Six wins at best? Seven would be just a dream right?

Well it might have been a dream but Ceniceros and his staff turned it into reality. The Cowboys finished 8-2 (3-2 in league) and now find themselves hosting a first round playoff game Friday night.

After falling to Charter Oak in the league opener, Chino beat Los Altos in overtime but then dropped one to West Covina putting their backs to the wall.

They needed the next two and got them in resounding fashion. The Cowboys beat Diamond Ranch 48-28 and then pummeled Walnut 56-14. 8-2, and a second place finish. Put it in the books.

How did they do it? They did it with a senior running back, Da’Creh West, who rushed for 1705 yards and 19 touchdowns. In 2014 West had 9 carries for 29 yards. They did it by rushing for over 3500 yards on the season. They did it with a defense that consistently rose to the occasion, and more important than anything else, the players did it by believing in what the coaching staff was teaching.

“It took them about 2 or 3 games…when we were 3-0, that’s when everybody bought in,” said Chino Assistant Coach George Hernandez. And yes, buy in they did.

Ironically Chino’s opponent in the first round of the Central Division playoffs, Chaffey, also runs the double wing. “The game should be over by 8:30,” joked Hernandez.

**

After a first glance of the Playoff brackets the CIF Finals should look like this. Southeast Division: La Serna vs. La Mirada; Central Division: Charter Oak vs. San Marino; Mid-Valley Division: Sierra Canyon vs. Paraclete; Northwest Division: Ask Torosian.

That’s my principle.

Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com or on Twitter @tspeterson40

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