MidValleySports.Com

(Refresher on the Old School): Arroyo, Rosemead, El Monte, South El Monte, Mt. View, Gabrielino, Temple City, Monrovia, Alhambra, San Gabriel, Duarte & Arcadia)

To get where you are going, you have to remember where you have been. Most have said the Old School is irrelevant since we do teams for the Mid-Valley and Southeast Division. The question is what is relevant and what is irrelevant? If its important to you, then its relevant.

Besides, we’re going to do what we want to do, so lets have fun

MVP: Nick Bueno (Monovia): This argument has been made and the case closed. Bueno was central to everything the Wildcats did in 2009.

Player of the Year: Josh Lowden (Monrovia): A linebacker. This guy played on the offensive line, we saw him on the defensive line, and when it was cold, wet, and awful he was chasing down ball carriers from one side of the field to the other. Oh yeah, and he punts.

Coach of the Year: Ryan Maddox (Monrovia): How do you argue this? You can’t. Two amazing years for Maddox thus far, things figure to only get better.

Offense

Quarterback: Isaac Valdez (San Gabriel): Accounted for over 60 touchdowns running and throwing as well as 10,000 plus yards in his career with the Matadors. All around the best quarterback in the Old School.

Notes: You could make, and I would defend, arguments for Bueno and Steven Rivera (Arroyo) in this spot. I’ll throw another one at you; Justin Smith, Temple City . By Week Ten Smith was playing some of the best quarterback in the valley. Wish he had another year.

Wildcat Back: Nick Bueno (Monrovia): We’re allowed to be a little more creative with the Old School team, so we’ve added the Wildcat Back and how apropos its M-Town Wildcat Bueno?

Running Back: Mikey Vasquez (Arroyo): Best Knights back since Anthony Olivas. A game changer

Running Back: Matt Fregoso (Rosemead): The Panthers 10th straight 1,000-yard back. Figures to only get better.

Running Back: Max Ruckle (Temple City): The school’s 12th straight 1,000-yard back (only the 2nd to do it twice in span). Outside of Desmond Reed, he can hold his own with all of the best at TC.

Notes: Hard calls have to be made, this is the case when you talk about De’Shawn Ramirez at Monrovia. We’ve left thousand yard backs off this team before. Always a tough call, and Ramirez will be off the charts.

Wide Receiver: Chris Rodriguez (Arroyo): Playmaker deluxe, seems like he has been at Arroyo for a dozen years, but, alas, 2009 was his final curtain call.

Notes: If you want to make an argument for Taylor Lagace (Arcadia) I’ll do it for you. If you want to make arguments for both David Spratt and Brandon Pultz at Temple City, I won’t stop you, might even say; ‘Amen’. However, the backs were deeper than the receivers this season., so we went with the backs knowing we could split them out wide if we had to.

Offensive Line: Matt O’Malley (Temple City): Always seems to be an O’Malley on this team.

Offensive Line: Javier Lozano (Arroyo): Monster year for this guy, easy call.

Offensive Line: Kizz Prusia (Monrovia)

Offensive Line: Javier Sanchez (Rosemead)

Offensive Line: Matt Phillip (Arroyo)

Notes: The offensive line is the hardest of all teams to name. You have to trust the input of the people in the know. The O-Line guys don’t score touchdowns or record tackles and sacks. So you look at the success of their team, the success of their running game, and who are other coaches talking about.

Defense

Defensive Line: Justin Sutton (Temple City): Great season. Second half performance against Arroyo in Week One was Hulk-like

Defensive Line: Grant Haggard (Monrovia)

Defensive Line: Luis Diaz (Rosemead)

Notes: There are some names we left off here. Including an edge rusher from Temple City named Carlos Mota…In time. Same can be said of M-Town’s Ellis McCarthy and we are pro-Sam Torres down at Arroyo.

Linebacker: Josh Lowden (Monrovia): This is the Dude.

Linebacker: Derrick Johnson (Monrovia):

Linebacker: David Schuil (Arcadia):

Linebacker: Matt Eddy ( Rosemead )

Notes: There are a lot of guys out there, and there will be openings next season. Tough position to crack in the Old School

Defensive Back: Dujawn Jones (Monrovia)

Defensive Back: Mike Chavez (Arroyo)

Defensive Back: Mark Covarrubias (San Gabriel)

Defensive Back: Greg Parham (Rosemead): Really happy to have this guy on the list. Great player, surrounded by an outstanding cast, who didn’t seem to get enough credit.

Kicker: Drew Tinsley (Temple City):

Punter: If we need a punter we’ll ask…

Return Specialist: Taylor Lagace (Arcadia): We were going to find a spot for this guy. If not we would create a spot. Only a sophomore, the sky is the limit for this guy.