Tim Peterson
By Tim Peterson
You want to see something really scary? No it’s not Pedro Baez coming in from the bullpen. It’s even more frightening. La Mirada, Monrovia and West Covina are all 0-5.
How did this happen? I expected a slight drop off after Mike Moschetti stepped down as the head coach at La Mirada but the Matadores have fallen off the face of the earth. La Mirada has played a tough schedule, it always does. But the Mats haven’t just been beaten, they’ve been annihilated. Hammered into submission. Upland beat them to weeks ago 49-7, Mater Dei ran over them 42-0. They haven’t even competed.
Mayfair’s win over La Mirada Friday night confirmed one more thing. The Mats are not only down overall, they now aren’t even the best team in the Suburban League. By the way I called that one. I had the Monsoons with the W.
I know Monrovia has had some injuries, quarterback Trevor McPherson went down in the second week and the Wildcats have also been banged up at some of the other skill positions. But ask any Monrovia fan and they will tell you 0-5 is not acceptable regardless of the situation. If you’re Monrovia you don’t lose to Whittier 27-6. If you’re Monrovia you compete with Damien, you don’t get beat 49-7. Monrovia, like Homey the Clown, don’t play that.
I saw San Marino Friday night and if nothing drastically changes in the next few weeks, the Titans will beat the Wildcats by three touchdowns. Right now the Titans are clearly the best team in the Rio Hondo. Beau Hobbie!
Keep an eye out on South Pasadena though. The Tigers are going to surprise somebody.
Since I’m talking Rio Hondo, no I haven’t forgotten about you, Temple City. I like what the Rams are doing. First year head coach Riley Saxon has done a remarkable job getting the Rams to a 3-2 record half way through the season. I’m just not prepared to pin “playoff team” on the Rams just yet. I need to see the green and gold against South Pas, San Marino, Monrovia , etc. Stay tuned…
Like Moschetti and La Mirada, I thought the transition in West Covina would be much smoother. I knew Mike Maggiore was a big reason why the Bulldogs were consistent winners year after year. I just didn’t know how big. Corey Tello, however was on Maggiore’s staff so a five game losing streak to start the campaign was unexpected. Note to the WestCo faithful: Give Tello a 2-3 years. The Bulldogs will be back.
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Congrats to Rosemead’s Matt Castaneda on his first victory as a head coach last Friday night over Marshall. And as a reward you get a date with defending CIF Champion Arroyo this Friday night.
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Every time I think the Charter Oak Chargers will be tested, well…they’re not tested. Colony? No. Damien? South Hills? No. This is beginning to look like another championship season for the Lou Farrar’s crew. The only question I have about the Chargers now is whether we should move them up to number one or not.
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Another thought on San Marino. The Titans could run for 400 yards on UCLA’s defense. I threw out the question this week and I’ll throw it out again here. Should Jim Mora be fired? After seeing the Bruins Saturday against Stanford, the answer is yes right? But I’m not so sure. Is it really the coaching? Isn’t Jim Mora Rick Neuheisel? Karl Dorrell? Or even Bob Toledo? Everybody wanted them out too and when a new guy came in it was the same old song and dance. Terry Donahue was there for so long (1976-’95) that he doesn’t really count. He was an institution. But these other guys, just same old, same old. It’s not the coaching. It’s just UCLA football. It is what it is.
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It was cool seeing Marquise Stovall (Paraclete), Zion Echols (Charter Oak), Jaylinn Hawkins, Jeremiah Hawkins (Buena Park) and Elijah Hicks (La Mirada) all playing for Cal on Saturday against USC. I covered all of them on Friday nights in high school. Fun to watch.
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People keep asking me If I’m worried about the Dodgers after their recent skid in which they lost 16 of 17 games. Worried? Are you kidding? I’m scared to death. I’m sweating like Kim Kardashian at a spelling bee.
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com or on Twitter @tspeterson40.
And with 2 d1 wr cathedral still can’t win the ship? Hmmmm
It’s just UCLA football
It is what it is !!!!!
The proposed Angelus is now all boys only schools. Wonder if that was deliberate? If not, there is no way Salesian should be in that league.
I agree with you two cent’s Salesian is done. Back to Division 13.
You can see 2 Cathedral Alumni play against USC this Friday. Wide-Out’s Rennard Bell and Jamire Calvin. Go Phantoms.
Angelus? Salesian belongs in the Santa Fe League.
@ALL. Below is the approved football leagues for 2018-2019. The Angeles League will be only 4 teams so there will be 7 non-league games.
The Catholic Athletic Assn. has approved new football leagues for the 2018-19 season after a vote Tuesday. The big news is Crespi will be leaving the powerful Mission League.
The proposal, initiated by St. Anthony, will have a Mission League made up of Bishop Amat, Serra, Chaminade, Alemany, Loyola and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.
The Angelus League will be Crespi, Cathedral, St. Francis and Salesian.
The Del Rey League will be Harvard-Westlake, St. Paul, St. Anthony, La Salle and St. Genevieve.
The Camino Real League will be Bishop Montgomery, St. Monica, Mary Star and Cantwell-Sacred Heart.
The Santa Fe League will be Verbum Dei, St. Bernard, Bosco Tech, PMA and Bell-Jeff (not currently 11-man football).
Every two years, the leagues will be updated based on performance. This is a four-year cycle. Coaches will be happy that the Mission becomes a six-team league. It will help with scheduling.
Crespi has largely been playing in Division 1, but has been struggling.
The new Southern Section playoff rule of placing teams in divisions based on past performance and not leagues should help schools in the long term.
What I hear Cathedral has Pre-season Serra, Loyola, also in The work’s with Bishop Amat. Cathedral called Damien for a game but do not want to play Cathedral. Maybe they will call Arroyo and see what they say.
@lol
Extra weak preseason? Covina is a tough team. Schurr is #1 in D12. TC much improved but has been week 2 for 20 years! Rowland probably will be off next year. Weak? I don’t think so it ain’t murderers row but that’s pretty good. Hey, it’s probably the exact same strength of schedule as Cathedral lmfao and they’re in D2.
But to calm your fears… I hear Northview or San Dimas is coming on.
@truth
I’m all for joining a new league… bring it on.
See the difference is Arroyo will step out and play a Hart who is 10 divisions HIGHER than Arroyo. We’ve shown the willingness to play anyone. So if joining a new league is in the cards….BRING IT ON!
@Anonymous
I don’t get it, what’s the use of having D1 players and NFL talent and playing teams so far below their talent. Just don’t understand the mindset.
Also this should strike fear in the hearts of Cathedral, the North South league will once again be attempted Sierra Canyon and Paraclete joining with possibly Crespi as well. Either way the league will be attempted in some form.
How will boundaries in CIF be enforced? People can’t even enforce Gremlin teams boundaries.
Wow, can’t believe that post made it thru….
Not to mention that extra weak preseason.
@fridayknights, you’re absolutely right! Just like Arroyo not wanting to exit that extra weak league you’re in and have dominated for 30yrs. So afraid to even join and average league. Hypocracy at its finest. Sounds like Arroyo and carherdral have more in common than I though.
So… if Cathedral is so great, When are they gonna step up their schedule strength?
You got dudes in the NFL why is a little competition so scary to these guys?
What do they get out of beating teams 10 divisions below them!
You can argue about football factory titles but in reality these titles happen because they are more akin to travel ball teams than lets say Temple City.They have evolved to pardon my un PC example, the barn storming Negro League teams. Go get the big fast black athlete and we get a title. The school gets the trophy but the trophy really belongs to the recruiter and those that provide the logistics to get the stud players in their classrooms.. Until boundries are enforced like Little League and Pony League baseball these titles are meaningless. Remember back in the day Blair and Manuel Arts ruled football.
@AngelusLeague
By the way, I thought you might enjoy this game:
http://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/cifss/5ab53b695b
Enjoy!
@Angelus League
So Cathedral has one player on a NFL roster this year? So does LM. How many kids does Cathedral have playing college ball right now? LM has 12 playing college ball (D1, D2, D3, NAIA) from last years team alone. 55 kids in the last 8 years have gone on to play college ball. How many from Cathedral? And what does Cathedral have to show for those 10 NFL players? Nothing, nada, zilch, xero championships. At least LM has a CIF Championship in 2009, 2015 and a state championship in 2015. As far as tainted rings? Last I checked there weren’t any asterisks next to LM in the CIF record books. Nor where there any for Bosco or any other school that won a CIF or state championship with transfers. However, they all have something that Cathedral does not….CHAMPIONSHIP rings.
I’m sorry but no one likes cathedral, your program has an average history. Yet, brag about it like you’re a PAC 5 school. Ok you have players that made it to the NFL great…….those players as talented as they are would have made it without going to cathedral. If your fan base would be a little more humble people would stop bashing your program.
That’s why Cathedral has 1 Kid in The NFL and about 10 Kids playing D1 College Football. I don’t think La Mirada has the next level. In Cathedral’s History they have had 11 Graduates that played in The National Football league. That’s what I call The next level. That State Championship Ring La Mirada has is Tainted.
@Angelus League and @CIF:
Your reading comprehension is sorely lacking. Please re-read my post again. La Mirada has never denied that our success depends on transfers. Obviously you missed the article in the Whittier Daily News about it. La Mirada got transfers due to the ability of the staff to get kids to the next level unlike Cathedral who had to actively recruit kids.
By the way, can you post a picture of your CIF or State Championship ring? Oh yeah, that’s right, you DON”T have any.
I hate to pop your bubble butts and coneheads over there in the Rio Hondo league, but since your patty cake team Blair is playing 8 man football, your league will once again only get 2 playoff spots. That is unless a team with a great overall record gets to use an at-large bid. Temple City is in Division 13. No way, do they get to the dance unless they beat all but one in their league; South Pas, San Marino, Monrovia, La Canada . They will need to be in 1st and or 2nd place. You must be .500 to qualify but there will be no at-large spots in 13, 12, or 11 this year. But stranger things happen!
To Football fan, When you played Cathedral They had 4 Transfers in 2015. You Guy’s La Mirada had over 15 so who is The king of cheating ( La Mirada).
La Mirada can’t win without Transfers bottom line. I think la Mirada is The king of Transfers Period. That’s what they get win at all costs.
@Angelus League
Yep, and those transfers helped dominate the Angelus League King of Transfers Cathedral in a Semi game in 2015. And why they quit playing St. Paul as St. Paul was no longer competitive. La Mirada has never denied that transfers have been a big part of their success. And not having any this year because of an incompetent school administration has led to an 0-5 start this year. Graduating 18 starters, starting 6 sophs and 9 jv players hasn’t helped either. it is what it is. Although we all have something that no team in your Angelus League has in the last 3 years……a state championship ring.
Just saw eric Sondheimer’s twitter Page. Orange Lutheran 46 Transfers this Year. Mater Dei 53 Transfers.
Definetely looks and smells like it.
Whittier HAS done crap in recent years, at least that’s what it smells like to me.
Congrats to the Schurr football team for being recognized Sunday night on Roggins heroes.
Whittier might as well be keppel… they haven’t done crap since that 1 good year they had in the 90s..
I’d be bragging too if I’d had the balls to take Mayfair over a depleted and demoralized La Mirada group which had been getting thrown around like a rag doll up until the moment of my revelatory pick. That’s why Peterson makes the big bucks.
From T. Peterson: I agree with you. I thought it was a no brainer. That’s why I was shocked when I kept receiving the “You’re an idiot for taking Mayfair” messages all last week.
That is the most asinine thing I ever heard. If Whittier played Keppel they would beat them 200 out of 200 times.
And before I hear “we had 2 good games this year” yes the points were up in the Don Lugo and LA Salley game. But everyone those teams have played have scored on them. The other 3 games points scored are 6,7,8. Have to be better!
In regards to the Monrovia situation, let’s all be honest here. They have talent, but they just don’t get coached well. That’s it! I’m not trying to bash the coaches on here. But I’m just giving my honest opinion on this topic. They have players, as I said earlier they have talent. I just don’t think they’re pushed by the coaches and it doesn’t look like the player have respect for the coaches. No energy, no urgency, no success. Time to turn the page on these coaches. Washington, Erby, Rams. They can be doing so much better. OC and HC are hurting them!! Poor kids. Wasted year
AS FAR AS TC GOES, SAXON HAS THEM HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MAKING THE PLAYOFFS. IF THEY ARE ABLE TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS IT WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLE TURNAROUND FOR A PROGRAM THAT MOST PEOPLE THINK IS BURIED BECAUSE OF DEMOGRAPHICS
A tweet on Sondheimer’s thread is saying that CIF big-shots will meet next month to discuss reducing contact practices to 90 minutes per week. If the contact being discussed is the “game speed” type that is currently restricted, the new ruling would have zero impact, because all a coach need do is say that his contact drills are done at practice speed, not game speed. Maybe we should screen all CIF officials for signs of CTE, because their policies indicate a serious decrease in cerebral capacity.
Jon F.B why do you hate Monrovia so much! You basking in their struggles. . Yes the program is trending downwards at the Varsity level. Yes injuries has something to do with the struggles but saying that I’m not so sure even if healthy they wouldn’t still be 0-5. Whittier is a lot better than people are giving them credit for and they have a freshman running back im sure will be a star. He destroyed Monrovia’s freshman team and I hear he’s done it to every team they played. So be on the lookout for Whittier these next few years.
THANK YOU PETERSON, FINALLY SOMEONE ELSE MAKING SENSE TALKING ABOUT MONROVIA. GOD, IS THAT SO HARD?
Other programs leaking oil. Buena Park-Bonita-La Serna-San Dimas-Bishop Amat-San Gabriel Whittier Daily news.
A good example is Salesian . All Their stud players checked out of school after football season last season. Now Salesian is very bad and will be back in D13 where they belong.
La Mirada’s problem is they can’t get 50 transfers over a 3 year span to win at all costs. That’s how they were winning all those CIF Championship games.