By Tim Peterson
I didn’t make it out to Charter Oak last Thursday night for the scrimmage between the Chargers and Northview. Who won? Well based on what side of the field you were on both teams did.
I was told that Charter Oak quarterback Corin Berry made some big plays including a 75-yard touchdown pass on a screen to Legend Lyons (cool name). I also heard that the Charger defensive front is much improved this year and completely shut down the Vikings running attack. Which would be much improved because last year Northview, despite falling to Charter Oak, ran roughshod over and through the Chargers defense.
On the Northview side I was advised that Vikings quarterback Erik Jimenez looked good in the pocket and made all the throws. Also I was made aware that the Northview defense stonewalled Charter Oak’s running game as well and that the Northview ground game will be fine. After all the Vikings best back, Angel Barraza, only had one carry in the contest so the Chargers were reportedly stopping the twos and threes. Hey, don’t shoot the messenger, this is just what I was told.
After all of the back and forth there was only one way to resolve it. Put up a Twitter poll. The question was easy enough. Who won Thursday night’s scrimmage? 199 votes were submitted and here are the final results. Charter Oak 57.8% Northview 42.2%. That settles it Charter Oak won right? Not so fast. I was then sent a tweet of what looked like a box score from Max Preps that showed Northview winning 29-27. The tweet has since been deleted. Of course it has.
Northview gets after it for real Thursday night at home against Muir while Charter Oak hosts Temecula Valley Friday night. The good news is there won’t be a question who won these games once the clock hits zeroes.
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I didn’t think Matt Villasenor would last long at La Salle. Nothing against La Salle or Villasenor but it just didn’t seem like a good fit. Not unless Villasenor was on the sidelines with a headset on calling plays. But I did think he would last the season – like a one and done type thing. Well he’s gone already and has landed at Nogales as the OC. Ok then. Nogales blows up on social media in 3…2…1. Villasenor and the Nobles open with South Hills Thursday night.
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It’s been the narrative this off season that new Monrovia head coach Jose Casagran has brought in his own staff and nobody from Monrovia is returning. Well there will be a couple of familiar faces. Former Monrovia assistant Anthony Craft has been hired to coach the quarterbacks and DBs and former Monrovia running back and assistant Maury Rams IV will be on staff as well.
If you’re still looking for a Zero Week game head over to Monrovia to check out the Wildcats as they host Bonita. In case you forgot last year Monrovia beat Bonita 36-35 in overtime in an instant classic. Could be a nice way to open the season. Note: Keep an eye on Bonita linebacker Noah Mikhail. He’s the real deal.
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Other notable Zero Week games: Montebello at Baldwin Park (The Robert Maxie era gets underway), Alta Loma at West Covina (Bulldogs tested right out of the gate), Arcadia at San Marino (great local matchup), Cal at Covina (can Cal break through?), El Rancho at Don Lugo (we’ll know about Don Lugo right off the bat), Upland at La Habra (two powerhouses slug it out in the opener).
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What’s the best fan rivalry in the area? Arroyo and Rosemead used to go at it pretty good. Charter Oak and Northview as mentioned above got it going last week and that was just over a scrimmage. There was a time when Montebello and Schurr fans blew up our boards trading barbs constantly every time those two teams squared off. Pasadena and Muir heated up recently as the Bulldogs rose to prominence. But for the last couple of years El Rancho and La Serna have been off the charts. Nobody has been able to touch them. Anytime we post a story mentioning El Rancho and La Serna, regardless of what is, the boards explode. A schedule, a passing tourney, a transfer…doesn’t matter…The Dons and the Lancers faithful light up the message boards. Just this week we posted the ER schedule and mentioned that the Dons will be playing all of their games on the road due to the Stadium renovation.
Here’s what we got:
“FBFan” commenting on ER’s schedule – La Serna – W
“Tank” – FBF, you been drinking again?
“Correction Please” – “You have incorrectly listed the La Serna game as an ER win. All democrats will love Trump before that happens.
“TheRanch18” – 10-0 WE PLAY TO BEAT EVERYONE!
“Anonymous” – No correction needed. the Whittier ALL STAR team looks very suspect this year. Personally was not impressed by yesterdays scrimmage vs Tustin.
“Anonymous 2” – ER fans are delusional again lol.
And on and on it went. Classic! Right now arguably the best fan rivalry in high school football. The two teams will face off on October 20 at Pioneer.
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The season kicks off in four days. Let the games begin.
I can be reached at tim.midvalleysports@gmail.com or on Twitter @tspeterson40 and Facebook- Tim Peterson.
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L rancho beat donna lugo omfg !
I posted similar thoughts on newer post but this thread seems the most active. Who is this Orihuela kid for ER. He is on last years roster but showed that he never played. Now he does everything? Leads in rushing(37 carries which has not happened since the days of Q) and tackling and wipes the helmets at the half and is a sophomore? Is he Clark Kent?
461 yards of total offense against Don Lugo. Yeah, hire a new coach and change the offense!
ER will lose tonight. LUGO with the W
@Anonymous
Only clowns here, are living in your head. You are aware we play in the same league against the SAME TEAMS… lol…
Did upset you? awwww … here let me send you a trader joes gift card to make you feel better
As a local defensive coordinator, I can promise you that no one makes you prepare for them more than El Rancho. So yes, I say give them a new coach and offense; it will help me sleep better at night!!!
One of the most idiotic statements of the year. If the ranch got the players La Serna did they would get far more attention. I dont even like ER but that ER offense has been prolific for years.
rancho18 you will forever be a delusional clown. Any stats ER had were padded by playing JV teams. ER offense is a farce.
ER = HOMEGROWN
we can get into details if you want to start but help me by putting your name on the title so we can verify FACTS.
other than that… Your blowing smoke and only know what you see from outside the circle
rofl – nobody is crying or upset – rofl
@GlassHouse – nobody needs to pipe down, if the shoe fits, WEAR IT! #SellOutHill ….. make sure you refill that bus pass hahahahaha.
El Rancho Fans will always be Prideful…. ask anyone who has been around HS football … win or lose …
we are ER in our little town of Pico Rivera… from youth sports to HS sports … we are proud .
We play to WIN, call us Cowboy and Raider Fans – that’s a compliment unlike YOU SELLOUTS ~(:
@Family Friend,
You misunderstood my post if you think in anyway I suggested El Rancho needs new coaches or a new offense. Their offense produces crazy results for the players they have. Medrano is one of the top coaches in the mid valley coverage area.
Seriously? Go on maxpreps and research the offensive stats for ER from 2016 till now and you’ll see how stupid you sound
@ El rancho 2020 definitely was a fluke that one doesn’t count lol
It’s all fun and games just smack talk people are excited hsfb is back. Chill compa! Hahaha
Best rivalry is Montebello Oilers vs Schurr
Go Oilers !
Good point FB fan. Kids will go where best coaches are. No one wants to go to the ranch if they don’t have too. I’m sure the tides will change but not any time soon. La Serna is good but they ain’t the best either. El Rancho needs new coaches and better a better offensive.
The funny thing is people will call ER a trash program when it’s one of the strongest programs out there but simply in the shadow of what Whittier union has built with La Serna. ER has not lost to a DRL team not named LS in a legitimate game since 2017, I guess some can count the 2020 loss to cal high but that season is an absolute wash. Keep working ranch, beating LS is the goal, my cousin threw for 400 yards on LS in 2014, never say never.
It’s not the biggest fan rivalry Smugepot, Warren-Downey, even the Branding Iron has more at stake for the fans. But the LS/ER fans do post the most. I find it funny because at the Rumble at The Ranch both fan bases seemed cool as heck especially those ER parents serving it up at the snack bar.
But the reason for the banter is for 2 reasons. because ER fans have too much pride and can’t handle the L’s to La Serna. It’s not a bad thing but it’s just true.
And because La Serna doesn’t have a true rival anymore so they just get fed up with ER fans who talk even though they lose.
ER should be proud of their accomplishments. La Serna beats OC powers and private schools. No shame in losing to them. And LS should just ignore it. They have bigger fish to fry.
But the Whittier district either doesn’t realize or care about La serna dominance means their other schools struggle. And El Rancho fans don’t realize that this actually helps them. When is the last time ER lost to a Del Rio team not named La Serna?
@ dude this ranch 18 guy needs to pipe down many of us know each other’s families! claims homegrown when he had a family member rb that lived nearby go to el rancho. Hence sister is currently at LS and youngest brother is now a freshmen QB at LS! So much for homegrown knock it off!
HAHA 10/20? Bro you’ll be eating crow again. Why you calling out LS? El Rancho hasn’t come close in about a decade now. Sorry program.
This ranch 18 dude is mad again 😂😂😂 and we all know why !
Rancho 18 you’re the same fool who said you were homegrown? When you had a kid who lived in La Habra and had a sibling at LS. Don’t be jelly kid. ER will never match LS. Just enjoy the L like u do every year.
I love this time of year. i get to bash ER and their wack fan base. I should say clueless but we are beyond that. They are the same as cowboy and raider fans.
@ HS Football Fanatic it’s a good life lesson to learn everyone replaceable it happens in the workplace everyday companies fire one employee to hire another tough lesson but that’s how life is
Alot easier to build something with gold bricks than with mud and hay.
cry harder Ranch18. we built something here at LS and that’s why kids come here.
Don’t forget they can also take the best kids from Santa Fe High School also, I’ve seen some call it the Whittier all star team, they aren’t wrong it is exactly that a Whittier all star team
Bonita and San Dimas has got to be the best rivalry in the area
La Serna Fans are nothing more than SELLOUTS
if you don’t live up on that hill, you don’t belong!
-Stop trying to keep up.
-grow a pair and build something.
-You cant win so YOU join them mentality.
La Serna should be good when you have EVERY athlete in Whittier going to that school. Keep in mind Whittier has FOUR public HS in its city.
-Once all your athletes become WOKE. The will get tired of riding the bus down Whittier Blvd. every morning and realize they are just being used.
END OF DAY
– ER will always be better than LS –
#SellOutHill
10/20/2023 @ Pioneer – Our boys will be READY
Azusa numbers surprisingly low at their Aug 11 scrimmage
The Nogales situation is befuddling ! It’s difficult for me to understand this move from either side , and equally murky outlook on success.
The Amat situation didn’t work for him , and LaSalle lasted a few weeks . Both those head coaches are respected and successful. What happened ?
Now he surfaces at organically built D13 team , where he really has to coach to build success. I haven’t seen much from the boastful Sierra Vista coaching tree.
Nobles have a few winnable games in middle of season , but the league is monstrous this year !
Nogales will be in better situation with league realignment next year , but the whole thing could spontaneously combust with this addition
Good luck to Coach Martinez in managing this late staffing conundrum!
Still looking for some insight on the Azusa team that now has joined forces with Gladstone. I realize it won’t be as dramatic as when Royal Oak and CO combined, but there’s gotta be a good story there.
Cap don Lugo be 0-1 ain’t 7 on no more
As a public service, I must say that Downey-Warren is a rivalry. ER-La Serna is an atomic bomb vs. a BB gun.
Players at Nogales are not to happy about Matt V . They got 2 new transfers over the weekend and 3 more confirmed to arrive during the week . Kids are mad that they will lose the starting job to transfers .
Don Lugo over ER by a lot… don’t expect them to be missing alot of players 😉
Ha the overweight lover heavy D aka ranch 18 talking smack again. SMH. LS puts 40 plus the past 8 years. ER will be the next pioneer
Matty v will be the head coach At Nogales next year book it
Matt V a perfect fit for LA Serna. You can lure him away from Nogales LS fans for a promise of a few photo ops.