MidValleySports.Com

Ross Piken and La Canada have a big game at St. Francis Friday night. (Photo by David Thomas).

All kickoffs are at 7:00 PM unless otherwise indicated:

Thursday September 17

Arcadia (2-2) at La Puente (2-2)

Arcadia started the season with two straight victories before falling in its last two. La Puente reversed that process by losing two and then winning two. Arcadia should have enough to win this one. In three of its four games Arcadia has scored 28 points or more. The offense has been clicking. Arcadia gets the win.

Arcadia 31 La Puente 14

Friday September 18

La Canada (4-0) at St. Francis (1-2)

Maybe the best matchup of the week. La Canada is undefeated while St. Francis is 1-2 in a tough schedule. The schools, which are right next to each other, have not met on the football field since 1985. This may come down to a field goal in the fourth quarter. St. Francis wins at home.

St. Francis 24 La Canada 21

Covina (1-2) at Nogales (4-0)

Nogales is the surprise team of 2026. The Nobles have been racking up points at a record pace. Led by running back Gatsbee Gumban and quarterback JoJo Venegas they have scored 186 points in four games. Covina won its first game but have come up short in the last two. Nogales’s offense is exploding right now. The Colts will have trouble making enough stops. Nogales comes out on top.

Nogales 35 Covina 17

El Rancho (4-0) at La Mirada (3-1)

El Rancho is off to a hot start winning its first four games. The Dons haven’t just been winning, they’ve been winning big. The Dons shut out Santa Fe 25-0 and dropped 47 on Montebello. La Mirada, however is a different animal. The Matadores won their first three games handily but they did fall last week to Brea Olinda. El Rancho will stick around for awhile even into the fourth quarter, but in the end La Mirada gets it done.

La Mirada 27 El Rancho 20

Rowland (0-3) at Rio Hondo Prep (3-1)

Rio Hondo Prep stumbled a couple of weeks ago and everybody went into shock. The Kares, of course, rebounded with a 20-point win over Marquez. Rowland is off to a tough start after a 10-0 regular season record a year ago. The Raiders have lost their first three games and it doesn’t get any easier this week. Rio Hondo Prep will pound the ball and eventually wear Rowland down. The Kares are hard to stop.

Rio Hondo Prep 35 Rowland 13

Schurr (1-3) at Bonita (4-0)

These are two teams headed in different directions. Bonita is on a roll wining four straight including a win over previously undefeated San Dimas in the Smudge Pot last week. Schurr has played a brutal schedule and lost its first three games. The Spartans did pick up a win last week over Garfield. Bonita will score early and often. Once the Bearcats get rolling they will be hard to slow down. Bonita wins big.

Bonita 38 Schurr 14

Wilson (1-3) at Los Altos (3-0)

Los Altos had a bye last week after opening the season with three big wins. The Conquerors have scored 139 points in three games. Wilson beat Alhambra in Week Zero but has lost its last three games. Los Altos simply has too much for Wilson. The Conqs win “The Wheel”.

Los Altos 42 Wilson 7

Montebello (1-3) at El Monte (2-2)

Nice local matchup. El Monte is up and down having lost two and won two. Last week the Lions had trouble stopping Cal in a 56-21 loss. Montebello has lost three out of four but has shown the ability to score points. Even in their three losses the Oilers have scored at least 28 points or more. The defense needs to make more stops. They should be able to do that against El Monte. Oilers outscore the Lions.

Montebello 35 El Monte 28

Quick Hits

Thursday September 12

La Serna at Corona del Mar – Corona del Mar

Maywood CES at Mt. View – Mt. View

Workman at Azusa – Azusa

Walnut at Valencia – Valencia

Torres at Keppel – Keppel

Whittier at Los Amigos – Los Amigos

Friday September 18

Garey at Hoover – Hoover

Redondo Union at St. Paul – Redondo Union

La Salle at Taft – La Salle

Crescenta Valley at Dos Pueblos – Crescenta Valley

Duarte at Santa Clara – Santa Clara

Rosemead at Gabrielino – Gabrielino

Arroyo at Glendale – Arroyo

Muir at Newbury Park – Newbury Park

Salesian at Damien – Damien

Baldwin Park at Morse – Baldwin Park

Canyon at Diamond Bar – Canyon

Jordan at Charter Oak – Charter Oak

Monrovia at Lawndale – Lawndale

Ganesha at San Marino – San Marino

Bell Gardens at California – California