Hacienda League
1.) West Covina Bulldogs
Head Coach: Mike Maggiore
Staff: Jason Heilman DC, Donny Allen, Corey Tello, George Johnson, Eric Hunter, Brian Murphy
Last Year: 7-5
Last 5 Years: 37-23 overall, 14-6 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2009 Second Round: Lost Charter Oak 35-10
1st Down: Anything less than the final four will be a major disappointment.
2nd Down: Lots of speed, lots of talent wide and in the backfield. If you don’t like Chris Solomon then you don’t like football.
3rd Down: George Johnson is in his third year as the starting quarterback.
4th Down: Maurice Dupleasis heads a defense that includes Deion Steppes, Roger Paez, and Justin Meaders.
Game Plan: Names like B.J. Lee, Charles Tucker and an offensive line featuring Mike Cortez, Mark Laffin, and Joseph Gibson give indication WestCo will be physical in prepping for a deep post-season run.
Non League Schedule: Covina, Venice, at South Hills (Covina District Field). at Glendora
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2.) Diamond Ranch Panthers
Head Coach: Roddy Layton
Staff: Al Brown, Mario Gomez, Keda Firemaniel, Steve Carter, Anthony Cavalero, Andrew Ariega, Charles London.
Last Year: 7-7
Last 5 Years: 28-32 overall, 12-9 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2009 CIF Final Lost Charter Oak 21-0
1st Down: Gus Viramontes dominated at quarterback the last two seasons, now its up to a dominate squad of returners to aid new starter Cesar Carrillo.
2nd Down: The Miracle Men are plentiful in Aaron Almond and Jacoby Carter in space, and Chase Price carrying the ball. Keep an eye on Bryant Cox, Andrew Fischer, and Marquis Cherry.
3rd Down: Omar Sanchez and Jeremy Stucker will be the keys in the trenches.
4th Down: Speaking of Miracle Men, kicker Jeff Stamps has a big enough boot to make the heavens stop the rain.
Game Plan: Of course there is talent, even though a lot of talent left with diplomas in June. The factor here is Layton and the respect he garners from those in the know. Belief is Layton could take Torosian, Tolegian, Peterson, Robledo, Barker & Stevie R., go 5-5 and make the playoffs. The point is D-Ranch will be a factor because of what Layton does with the talent on hand.
Non League Schedule: at Santa Margarita, Damien, Elsinore, at Chaffey.
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3.) Bonita Bearcats
Head Coach: Eric Podley
Staff: Randy Medina DC, Ronald Reclusado, Joshua Keepfer, L.T. Gardner, Andrew Rodriguez, Tony Arriola, Kevin Knosp, Adrian Melamo.
Last Year: 3-8
Last 5 Years: 30-23 overall, 11-9 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2009 First Round: Lost 28-21
1st Down: The first half of the season will come down to Greg Spathias. So far so good, San Dimas will tell the rest when they go to battle in front of 8,000 for the Smudge Pot.
2nd Down: Giamani Johnson and K.C Huth (also getting snaps at QB), along with Reggie Turner will help the ground game, but the play of Tarez Lemmons and Cody McKenzie along the front will be critical.
3rd Down: Not many are better than Casey Horine, he’ll help at wide receiver…but heaven help those he hits on defense. Also Cameron Salce is a name that needs to, and should, come up big this fall (a ‘Bad Dude’ type).
4th Down: Garrett Pendleton should be back for the meat part of the Hacienda schedule, but it may be too much to ask him to play savior. The Bearcats will have to step up.
Game Plan: There’s not a team in the Hacienda Bonita can’t match up with. If they can start 2010, the way they closed 2009 they should be in good shape. The league schedule opens with Diamond Bar and Los Altos…This team could be 5-1 when they welcome Walnut in the third week of October.
Non League Schedule: San Dimas, Claremont, at Santa Fe, at Baldwin Park.
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Walnut hasn't hit the playoffs since 2004.
4.) Walnut Mustangs
Head Coach: Michael O’Shields
Staff: Ryan O’Shields DC, Paul Acosta, Ralph Warren, Eric Peralta, Charles Wallace, Marcus Lepp.
Last Year: 7-3
Last 5 Years: 18-32 overall, 4-16 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2004 Semifinals Lost West Covina 31-27
1st Down: Who’s the quarterback? Brandon Roach has had a great spring/summer and is looking to take command.
2nd Down: Mustangs are looking a little undersized up front.
3rd Down: …but Randy Collins and Alejandro Restrepo are carnivores from their linebacking spots.
4th Down: No one should doubt Aubrey Coleman’s willingness to mix. Arguments abound about whether or not he’s a receiver or this, or that…But you cannot dispute that Coleman is a football player.
Game Plan: There’s a lot of energy and expectations for the Walnut program. Gone is the big bad San Antonio, and it its place is the bigger, badder, Hacienda. The Mustang faithful haven’t tasted the playoffs since 2004. Health and a solid performance by Roach could get them there.
Non League Schedule: Troy, at Claremont, Covina, Northview.
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5.) Rowland Raiders
Head Coach: Craig Snyder
Staff: Harry Robinson OC, Ryan Jackson, Cameron Tucker, Todd Ball, Ron Cooper, Benny Avila, Miles Marinez, Felipe Aguilar.
Last Year: 8-3
Last 5 Years: 38-20 overall, 13-7 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2009 First Round: Lost California 55-27
1st Down: Trenchman Joseph Chong added an inch and 15-pounds to his frame, he now goes 6’3” 302…and is only a junior.
2nd Down: Two Snyder needs now: WR Oscar Gonzalez and RB Irvin Crawford, who has the potential to be special this season.
3rd Down: Louie Valdez, who can bruise at FB, is key at middle linebacker on defense.
4th Down: …and of course Michael Ball…and Leonardo Freeman need to stay healthy
Game Plan: Snyder’s team never looks impressive along the front line, at least until this year. If he can get the technique and quickness out of guys like Chong that he got before from other players, the Raiders could do more than ‘just’ qualify for the playoffs. Ball is a Miracle Man, very little he can’t do on the football field.
Non League Schedule: at Baldwin Park, California, Rosemead, at Claremont
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6.) Diamond Bar Brahmas
Head Coach: John Martin
Staff: Ryan Maine OC, Scott Usher DC, Rod Richard, Eddie Garcia, Chris Hernandez, Keith Brown, Chapelle Brown, Travis Brow, Andy Zaldivar, Jack Cooprider, Jeff Cameron.
Last Year: 1-9
Last 5 Years: 12-37-1 overall, 3-22 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2003 Second Round: Lost Mission Viejo 52-18
1st Down: Martin’s got an impressive coaching staff featuring Chapelle and Keith Brown.
2nd Down: Major problemo? There are zero bubbas in the trenches.
3rd Down: Andrew Cameron is back and capable at quarterback with a top notch glove man in George Katrib. Name to remember; Frankie Martinez.
4th Down: Wild Card? Jamaal Clayton, a star waiting to happen.
Game Plan: The Brahmas lack size, but they’ve got skill enough to compete against Walnut, Los Altos, Rowland, and perhaps Bonita…But the lack of brute strength will hurt against D-Ranch and WestCo.
Non League Schedule: Nogales, Don Lugo, at Wilson, Brea Olinde.
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7.) Los Altos Conquerors
Head Coach: Jim Arellanes
Staff: Louie Zamora OC, Joel Ledesma DC, Bill Tolmachoff, Dale Ziola, Steve Burke, Ian Yates, Kevin Argumosa, Matt Leyva, Jorge Samia.
Last Year: 3-7
Last 5 Years: 24-31 overall, 7-13 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2006 Semifinals Lost El Dorado 14-7
1st Down: The Conquerors have not made the playoffs since 2006.
2nd Down: …If they make the playoffs in 2010 a statue should be cast in Arellanes’ image.
3rd Down: Frankie Avalos is the player, TE/LB, that stands out on this team. In times of trouble OC Ledesma should give Avalos the ball and run him behind Jared Covarrubias.
4th Down: La’Don Avery can make plays, so can Scott Tibbs, but they are going to have to make those plays in the Hacienda. Not happening.
Game Plan: Arellanes has assembled an excellent coaching staff, after a slew of transfers moved on, the players that want to be Conquerors are in place, but he needs time. And time is a scare commodity in the Heights these days.
Note: Avery dislocated his elbow on the final play of the Conquerors scrimmage with Montebello.
Non League Schedule: at El Rancho, at Bellflower, Wilson, Ayala.
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