Pasadena's Sam Saucedo is battling Brandon Cox at quarterback
I took a break last week from the nine to five. Since I didn’t have any travel plans or dinner plans for that matter it turned into a working vacation. I saw nearly 30 schools in six days – including 18 at last Saturday’s SGV Shootout at Gladstone High in preparation for the football season.
Some thoughts and observations that came out of the week long journey:
Passing leagues don’t mean a thing…we know…we know… but the thing is anytime there is a competition involved – where one team is declared a winner and one team is declared the loser – things heat up quickly.
When you see fans and parents screaming at volunteer officials, players diving for passes and racing for goal lines, and coaches urging their defense to get one more stop, it sure feels like it means something.
In the grand scheme of things, it probably doesn’t matter come November, but on a sweltering day in July, a passing league seemed to be huge to the players involved. Simply put, anytime a competition is involved, whether it’s football or badminton, it means something.
If Mrs. Worthy has the final say, Whittier Christian lineman Jeff Worthy will not change his mind about Boise State.
Whittier Christian linebacker Rudy Robles was genuinely upset after the Heralds bowed out in the semi finals of the SGV Shootout. After he spoke to his father, I told him. “It’s only passing league.” He just looked at me, grimaced and said “Yeah.”
Arroyo may have had some problems catching the ball this summer but one guy has been terrific.
“Anthony Miller has been absolutely clutch,” said Arroyo Coach Jim Singiser. “He catches everything thrown his way and always makes a big play.”
Manuel Santa Cruz and El Monte are making a good argument that they could be good enough to finish third in the Mission Valley. But with the realignment third might not be good enough for the playoffs.
An on campus football stadium is in the works at Diamond Ranch High School. There already is one high above the practice field where the junior varsity plays. Panther Coach Roddy Layton informed us that the current field will be turned into a new stadium with lights, bleachers and the whole ball of wax. It’s still a few years away.
Layton is high on quarterback Cesar Carrillo, who is the brother of Joe Carrillo, who played for him prior to Gus Viramontes.
With his vast knowledge of area players and his connections, recruiting coordinator at the college level would be a prefect fit for Layton.
Talented Brandon Cox could play defensive back, wide receiver or running back for Pasadena, but the Bulldogs have him taking snaps at quarterback. While he has a slight edge over Sam Saucedo he hasn’t yet secured the position. In fact even if Cox wins the job outright, don’t be surprised to see Saucedo get plenty of snaps. Cox can contribute in so many other ways.
I don’t know if La Canada or San Marino will finish second in the Rio Hondo. But the Spartans should finish in the top three with Monrovia as the top Cat. The lines are solid and Scott Gray looks like a quality replacement for Rocky Moore. Daleep Sandhu could be a 1000 yard rusher and tight end Jay Kolina is a resident bad dude. As for Coach Dan Yoder? Well he made the playoffs in his first year and he gave me all access. So he’s okay in my book.
I took some heat from the San Gabriel staff for focusing on Pasadena last week at the four way event. Apparently I wasn’t snapping enough pictures of the Matadors and Coach Jude Oliva still won’t let me throw the ball.
When is a transfer athletically motivated? “Every time,” according to one coach. “If a kid is good in athletics, the parents want him to be at the best place for athletics possible. All transfers are athletically motivated.”
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tspeterson32@yahoo.com.
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