The Peterson Principle 6/30/10

Carlos Arredondo, who played his last high school game Friday night, will continue his football career at Cerritos College in the Fall

I got some scoop, shook some hands and renewed some old acquaintances at the Hall of Fame game Friday night. Isn’t that what those things are for? I mean the game is nice- watching the seniors play one last time, seeing how the teams match up, observing how the coaches use different players, etc, but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t mean a whole lot. It’s about getting things…you know football stuff. 

I like Baldwin Park High School as a venue. Basset has been a gracious host in the past and they have a first class facility but I like to see change once in a while. Here’s an idea. How about a different site for the Hall of Fame game every year like the Major League Baseball All- Star game? Have the schools bid on the event every year and the one with the best proposal wins.  

The Army Strong, (City Section vs. Southern Section) All- Star game has gone the way of the Polaroid Camera. Gonzo!

Yes, for those of you wondering, the 605 game is still out there. It was played the first weekend in June. I know- I missed it too. It always seems to fly under the radar.

John Luque, former South El Monte assistant, who has also spent time at Nevada Las Vegas and most recently at Baker, an NAIA school in Kansas, is back in town and will be coaching at Citrus College this year. 

Coach Roddy Layton confirmed that Cesar Carrillo will be his quarterback at Diamond Ranch this year. Carillo’s brother played for Layton a couple of years ago. Did you know that there is only one feeder school in the DR area? Although it’s true that Diamond Ranch doesn’t always have huge numbers they do have the players to get the job done.

Along with Carrillo, who will replace the graduated Gus Viramontes, Jacoby Carter, and kicker Jeff Stamps, are back for the Panthers. There are a couple of changes for DR on the non league schedule this year. The Panthers are at Santa Margarita, home against Damien and Elsinore, and then on the road at Chaffey before facing Diamond Bar at home to open Hacienda League play. The Panthers final game of the season is at Bonita. Needless to say it should be a barnburner.

“We don’t have Bishop Amat or Oaks Christian this year. I don’t really mind playing those teams though. I think it’s good exposure for the program,” Layton said. “I mean when there are that many D1 players on the field, the recruiters will be out.”

In case you haven’t noticed former Bonita Bearcat Jeff Gelalich is playing left field for UCLA in the College World Series.

After Viramontes completed a pass for the East Friday night, an East player kept yelling “Eat it! Eat it!” at the West sidelines.

“Eat it? Why is it good?” replied West Coach Keith Jones.

Jones took some heat on several websites,(including our own), over the weekend for the 40-0 loss that the West took at the hands of the East.

Believe me it had nothing to do with Jones. Vince Lombardi could have been coaching the West and the outcome would have been the same.

Schurr’s Carlos Arredondo, who picked up 73 yards receiving for the East wanted a chance on defense.

“Viramontes wouldn’t have been running like that if I was in there,” Arredondo said. “I told him that during the game and he just smiled and walked away.”

Arredondo will be playing at Cerritos College in the fall. As for Viramontes? He is reportedly headed to the University of La Verne. We’ll keep you posted.

West Assistant and current San Gabriel HC Jude Oliva said Arredondo and Monrovia’s Josh Lowden were among the most consistent and hardest workers during the practices leading up to the Hall of Fame Game. 

“I wish they were always on my team,” Oliva said.    

East Coach Mike Maggiore may have summed it up best right after the game. “I knew with the athletes we had from places like Charter Oak, Bishop Amat and South Hills we’d be pretty good.” 

Yeah, they weren’t bad.

That’s my principle.

Tim can be reached at tspeterson@yahoo.com.

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