Quarterback Cole Doyle leads Crescenta Valley into Arcadia in a battle for the Pacific. (Photo by Doug Brown.)
All kickoffs are at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise indicated:
Thursday 10/26
Palomares
Bonita (8-1, 7-2 Forfeit) at Glendora (8-1) at Citrus College
This one is for the Palomares League title. Bonita’s only league loss was to Ayala two weeks ago while Glendora comes in perfect in the Palomares. Both teams can score although Bonita did mange only 11 against Ayala while the Tartans put up 45 on the Bulldogs. It could come down to who makes a play on defense. Glendora comes up big late and gets the win in a close call.
Glendora 30 Bonita 27
Friday 10/27
Almont
Schurr (4-5) at Bell Gardens (5-4)
Bell Gardens has done what it needed to do in the Almont except for one slip up against Montebello. The same can be said of Schurr who lost to the Oilers in the last 29 seconds. The winner here is guaranteed at least a second place finish and a spot in the playoffs. Another game that is expected to go right down to the wire. The Lancers look like they’re on the verge of breaking through. Lancers pull it out late.
Bell Gardens 31 Schurr 28
Del Rio
La Serna (8-1) at El Rancho (7-2)
The Del Rio League championship is on the line as both teams come in at 3-0. It’s been a great season for El Rancho. At 7-2 overall it looks like Adrian Medrano has the Dons on the rise. As long as Medrano stays El Rancho should be contenders. But La Serna isn’t dead yet. The Lancers are still the champs and will be until someone knocks them off. El Rancho is a playoff contender, the Dons aren’t league champs. Not yet. La Serna takes the Del Rio.
La Serna 35 El Rancho 28
Gold Coast
Paraclete (4-5) at Sierra Canyon (6-3) at Pierce College
Always a great matchup when these two get together. Two powerhouse programs trading paint for the league championship. They both have played schedules that resemble murderers row. Paraclete had a big win over St. Francis on the road while Sierra Canyon has knocked off the likes of Calabasas and Valencia. Like most of their battles it will be decided in the fourth quarter. A key interception or fumble will be huge late. The ball bounces Sierra Canyon’s way late. Why? Just a hunch.
Sierra Canyon 28 Paraclete 24
Mission Valley
South El Monte (4-4) at El Monte (7-1)
South El Monte has turned it around after a rough non-league start. The Eagles have won three of their last four with the only hiccup being a seven point loss to Arroyo. El Monte however is on a different level right now. The Lions have run over everything in their path and South will be no exception. El Monte has scored over 50 points on five different occasions and over 60 once. Davon Booth and company will roll in the Griffin Bowl. Lions…big.
El Monte 41 South El Monte 13
Pacific
Crescenta Valley (8-1) at Arcadia (7-2)
Arcadia was impressive in a 41-14 rout of Muir last week. The Apaches can beat you in so many different ways. Defensively they have a secondary that can beat you to the ball and they have the power up front to get to the quarterback. That being said Crescenta Valley will be the toughest Pacific League opponent they have faced. The Falcons are well coached and always have an efficient offense that can light it up. It should be a shootout, with both teams making big plays. In the end the Apaches will have too much firepower. Arcadia goes undefeated in league.
Arcadia 38 Crescenta Valley 35
Rio Hondo
San Marino (7-1) at Monrovia (5-4)
The game that both teams have been waiting for. After wading though the rest of the Rio Hondo the Titans and the Wildcats can finally get down to business and settle the league. San Marino’s only loss was to Northview back in August. Monrovia had a tough schedule early and lost four non-league games. The scoreboard operator will definitely be busy. Both teams have been scoring in bunches. With both teams residing in Division 9, they could meet again in the post season. San Marino makes all the right moves in this one. Plus the Titans have Beau Hobbie. That could be just enough.
San Marino 37 Monrovia 31
Valle Vista
Northview (9-0) at San Dimas (8-1)
San Dimas stumbled once – in the Smudgepot vs. Bonita while Northview is still eyeing a perfect season. Both teams have rolled through the Valle Vista. The Vikings haven’t been tested since the San Marino game. Both offenses are prolific. San Dimas’ running attack is devastating at times while Northview can strike quickly with several quick fast players at the skill positions. The difference will be Northview’s defense. The Vikes have pitched four shutouts this year and the most points they have allowed all year was 14 to El Rancho back in Zero Week. The Saints will score but Northview will make enough stops to get the W. The Vikings wrap up a perfect regular season run.
Northview 31 San Dimas 21
No downplay. But everyone said ER would only win 2 games…. that didn’t happen. ER is on the right path.
Why would I. Yeah I was wrong. Oh well. Life goes on. I wish both teams luck in the playoffs… if they get in. Congrats to LS and SM on winning league titles. Especially SM because….2 league titles in the last 15 years is an accomplishment I guess. LS came through. Monrovia defense needs a ton of work. ER didn’t play their best game to at least give them a chance.
Santa Fe and Cal High need to move on from the current coaches they have, Santa Fe should NEVER be 1-9 and Cal has now missed the playoffs 4 or 5 years in a row. Both schools have successful athletic programs, sad to see!
Those people who bring up warren have no idea how good that team is, the Whittier game was probably LS bad game for the year. In the case of ER the line is good and can open up some holes, but anyone who thought they would destroy La Serna’s D was mistaken. When #2 Silva got a concussion vs SF I knew they would be in trouble in the defensive backfield and that is exactly what happened, ER at times played a Freshman at safety tonight. La Serna does what good teams do they execute, they take what the defense gives them and don’t make much mistakes. If ER keeps doing what they are doing they don’t have to worry about SP, SP will be moving on from the Pico kid in a few years they are going more diverse and won’t win in D4-D3 with Pico kids.
love how people bring up La Serna’s loss to Warren and their narrow win over Whittier! Warren lost to 3 really good teams in the regular season! (Culver City by a TD, Mayfair by a point, and Paramount by a FG) So LS losing to Warren by 1 is viewed as a huge loss for La Serna despite it being an extremely competitive and close game against a quality opponent. I think that loss taught LS more about themselves and probably helped them by learning from failures instead of getting a huge ego from a possible 10-0 season at that point.
the Whittier game was obviously something to write about seeing as LS should’ve won by a more solid margin but they weren’t mentally in that game and made some major mistakes. Hats off to Whittier for making it close but at the end of the day the better team won.
kept seeing so much about El Rancho’s O-Line and how they were just going to destroy the LS defense yet the offense didn’t put up any points in the first half. Don’t get me wrong, those are some big dudes upfront, and they did punish some people, but you gotta eventually get that ball in the endzone! yes yes its not just about the o-line but the way some guys were talking on here they just assumed the line was going to beat the defense to a pulp. ER has some bullies upfront though! That 77 is huge!
I personally think ER just didn’t play up to their potential and didn’t stick with what got them to a championship game with LS. Not saying they would have won but they definitely could have made it more competitive overall. But hey that LS offense just kept putting it on them from their second drive and onward. ER will just keep getting better in the coming years – that is if they can keep St. Paul from taking all their players!
I think the more surprising thing is how Santa Fe went from undefeated league champs last season to 0-4 and 1-9 overall this season… hopefully they can bounce back because they have some real players over there!
Welp, good luck to all teams going into the playoffs!
Oh and don’t hate on Pioneer just because they were able to join a league where they can now compete! Sour grapes by some of you folks!
Share a league title is not the same as 5-0 Lol.. lost to D13 Alhambra hahahaha
@PhillyB
Monrovia lost and so did El Rancho – don’t quit your day job.