SGV/Whittier Prep Sports Zone: End Zone to End Zone, Week 5 Edition
We take a look at La Canada's fast start to the season; Glendora's bounce back win over Ayala; 5 Things I Think I Think and much more.
(Photo: La Canada HS Football on X)
What if I told you that a team in the city of La Canada is playing tremendous football, is finding a way to win, and is considered a major contender to win a league title?
In years past, the answer would have been St. Francis.
As we are subtly finding out, 2024 is becoming an outlier year and the Golden Knights are not that team.
It is La Canada High School. The school resides on the bottom of Foothill Blvd, and St. Francis is looking down on them.
In football terms, La Canada was that “other” team to which no one paid particular attention—for all the right reasons. St. Francis plays in the mighty Angelus League and would probably overwhelm the Spartans nine times out of ten. They have better athletes and better resources.
This year, the script has been flipped. While St. Francis has failed to feel the sensation of a win, La Canada has yet to lose a game.
How strange is that? This is like the Clippers contending for an NBA Title while the Lakers are reeling in last place. This is like the Angels contending for a World Series title while the Dodgers are in the NL West basement, with all the superstars in the lineup.
This is not how the script is usually written in La Canada.
Here we are after the Spartans capped off a 5-0 record in nonleague play with a thrilling 35-31 win over Maranatha last week. They did it in an exciting fashion, with Quest Swan scoring on a 20-yard pass from Joe Bell with 55 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The only other time La Canada entered league play undefeated was in 1979 when they were 4-0-1.
“Our kids played tough and resilient,” La Canada coach Dave Avramovich said. “There’s no secret… we run the ball. I thought we were able to do that with different guys when it mattered.”
The run game proved significant in the win, as the team rushed for 223 yards (6.8 yards per carry), with senior Sohan Garg carrying the ball 18 times for 119 yards and a TD. Bell, a sophomore, continues to improve, as he was 5 of 7 for 95 yards and rushed 11 times for 90 yards with three touchdowns.
“We got consistent play from our usual guys,” Avramovich said. “Bell did a great job again – poised and managed the game well. Sohan fumbled on the first play from scrimmage- his first of the year. But, he bounced back and ran tough.”
La Canada's current win streak is one of the better feel-good stories of the year because of Abramovich. He is as brash a coach as girls' volleyball coach Laura Browder. He is unafraid to speak his mind and enthusiastically talks to his players. You have to be different to win at a school that always expects you to win. One step in the wrong direction, and you have parents racing to their computers to pen concerning emails to the school administration.
Through all the headwinds and corresponding noise, Abramovich has turned the Spartans' program into a winner and a serious contender for the Rio Hondo League title.
Think about it this way – if Seabiscuit can beat War Admiral in the infamous horse racing match race back in 1938, why can’t La Canada win the RHL?
“Really proud of the guys – they are growing so much,” Abramovich said. “The small senior group loves each other and this program. It’s fun to see them lead with amazing confidence.”
In two weeks, the real work begins…
GLENDORA EARNS HUGE NONLEAGUE WIN
If there were a team that needed the BYE week to get back into its groove, it would be Glendora. The last time we saw the Tartans in action, they were pushed around and overwhelmed by Northview in a 33-10 loss on a Saturday night in a heavily attended game at Covina District Field. It was a game that had to be a reality check for a program considered one of the elites in the area.
It was time for a bit of soul-searching with the program.
What came out of it was an impressive 29-14 road win against Ayala, a member of the mighty Baseline League. The star of the game was senior running back Austin Coronado, who scored three touchdowns.
“Great team win. I love our guys and how they responded during the bye week,” Rohrer said. “We were able to run the ball and control the game, which we haven’t been able to do this season. Our defense has played good football all season. They are tough as nails.”
Glendora will play its final nonleague game on the road at Crespi before its first league showdown against Bonita in two weeks.
5 Things that I Think I Think:
1. I think that if you are a Bishop Amat fan, you must be playing for the long game. We understand that you are a bit frustrated after the Lancers narrowly lost to Rancho Cucamonga, 21-19; consider for a moment that Amat didn’t have the services of wide receiver Cam Vasquez and running back Ryan Salcedo. That’s a big part of their offensive production, and it showed on the stat sheet as the Lancers had only 186 total yards, 46 of which were on the ground. That’s not going to get it done in the Mission League. The Lancers leave town for a huge state battle against St. Mary’s of Stockton this week, a top-50 team in the state.
2. I think that despite the two losses to Mira Costa and JSerra, I’m still making Damien my pick to win the Baseline. Isaiah Arriata is the best quarterback in the league, which is why the Spartans will win the league crown. Will that be enough to vault them into Division 1 for the playoffs? Probably not. However, there is nothing wrong with earning a top-four seed in Division 2.
3. I think the hottest team that no one is talking about right now is Sonora. After losing their first two games by a combined score of 83-8, the Raiders have navigated the ship and outscored Walnut and California by a combined score of 98-19. Sonora has one more nonleague test against lowly Redlands East Valley (who would have thought I would have typed those words out) before entering league play against Troy on October 4th.
4. I think Rowland has become a legitimate playoff threat in Citos Marinez’s first year at his alma mater. The Raiders snapped a two-game losing streak by defeating Ganesha 37-26 last week. They will be favorites to win their next two games against Whittier and Pioneer. If they do that successfully, they’ll be 5-2 entering Gano League action. Look for them as the “Sneak team” to win the league title.
5. I think you will not find a better story from Friday than the locker room scene after Rio Hondo Prep’s 44-6 win over Bellflower. In a video that shows you how unique the culture is at RHP, coach Mark Carson awarded the game ball to Dave Heersema, who was celebrating his 70th birthday that night. Heersema has been attending Kare football games for over three decades, with two of his kids playing at the school. One of his sons is Matt, who has a prevalent social media presence on X (@ChargeToKeep) and does a weekly podcast centered around RHP football. “(Dave) taught me the love of football at a young age,” Matt Heersema said. “He has supported me greatly in my podcast coverage of Rio Hondo Prep Football. The Heersema men love Rio Hondo Prep Football and the entire Carson family. Coach Carson is all class and the gesture on Friday night was a tremendous honor to our family.” For Carson, it was an easy call. “We wanted to do something special, but it was like pulling teeth to get him to the locker room – he’s a super shy and humble person.” This is another reason there is nothing quite like Friday Night Lights. And to those fans who have been attending games for their favorite programs for extended amounts of time, we tip our hats with appreciation and gratitude.
AREA STAT LEADERS
Maranatha’s Miles Omalley (Photo: David Thomas)
PASSING
1. Isaiah Arriaza (Damien) 87-151 1,498 Yards 15 TDs 3 Int (#3 in CIFSS)
2. Avenn Ortiz (Duarte) 61-87 1,215, 10 TDs, 2 Int
3. Corin Berry (Charter Oak) 80-128, 1,164, 16 TDs, 2 Int
4. Travis Lippert (Bonita) 54-75, 1,037, 16 TDs, 1 Int
5. Luke McNulty (Maranatha) 79-116, 987, 13 TDs, 3 Int
RUSHING
1. Miles Omalley (Maranatha) 800 Yards, 6TDs (#4 in CIFSS)
2. Kwame Parrish (Covina) 781, 6 TDs (#6 in the CIFSS)
3. Keanu Tauvao (Northview) 744, 6 TDs (#10 in the CIFSS)
4. Bryce Johnson (Rowland) 683, 9 TDs
5. Joshua Griffiths (Monrovia) 666, 10 TDs.
RECEIVING
1. Travon Garrison (Damien) 511 yards, 8 TDs
2. Jadon Griffin (Temple City) 506, 4 TDs
3. Niko Vergara (Maranatha) 475, 8 TDs
4. Isaiah Lucero (Northview) 468, 4 TDs
5. Miles Galbraith (Cantwell Sacred Heart) 455, 6 TDs
CIFSS FOOTBALL DIVISIONAL PROJECTIONS
(Note: Teams with a * have a losing record, and their divisional placing is based on their draw into the field).
Division 1
1. Mater Dei (4-0)
2. Mission Viejo (5-0)
3. JSerra (5-0)
4. St. John Bosco (5-0)
5. Corona Centennial (3-2)
6. Orange Lutheran (4-1)
7. Sierra Canyon (2-3)
8. Servite (4-0)
9. Leuzinger (4-0)
10. Santa Margarita (3-2)
11. Los Alamitos (4-1)
12. Oaks Christian (3-2)
Division 2
1. Murietta Valley (3-1)
2. Serra (2-2)
3. Inglewood (5-0)
4. Chaparral (4-0)
5. Oak Hills (5-0)
6. Rancho Cucamonga (3-2)
7. Damien (3-2)
8. Newbury Park (4-0)
9. San Juan Hills (4-1)
10. San Jacinto (2-3)
11. Yorba Linda (5-0)
12. Beaumont (4-1)
13. San Clemente (3-2)
14. Long Beach Poly (1-3)
15. Mira Costa (3-1)
16. Downey (4-1)
Division 3
1. Bishop Amat (2-2)
2. Crean Lutheran (4-1)
3. Cathedral (4-1)
4. Vista Murrieta (4-1)
5. San Bernardino Cajon (3-1)
6. Villa Park (3-1)
7. St. Paul (2-2)
8. Culver City (4-0)
9. St. Bonaventure (3-2)
10. Chaminade (1-4)*
11. Tustin (4-1)
12. Aquinas (2-2)
13. Charter Oak (3-1)
14. Simi Valley (5-0)
15. Edison (3-2)
16. Loyola (1-3)*
Division 4
1. La Serna (3-2)
2. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (3-2)
3. El Modena (5-0)
4. Bonita (5-0)
5. Redondo Union (3-1)
6. Millikan (3-2)
7. La Habra (4-1)
8. Santa Barbara (4-0-1)
9. Northview (4-0)
10. Trabuco Hills (4-0)
11. Upland (2-3)
12. Tesoro (3-2)
13. Chino Hills (3-2)
14. Capistrano Valley (4-1)
15. Norco (2-3)
16. Laguna Beach (5-0)
Division 5
1. Moorpark (4-1)
2. Orange Vista (1-3)*
3. Etiwanda (2-2-1)
4. Corona Del Mar (2-2)
5. Oxnard Pacifica (3-2)
6. Apple Valley (2-2)
7. Huntington Beach (3-2)
8. Western (2-2)
9. Thousand Oaks (3-2)
10. Mayfair (3-2)
11. Hart (3-1)
12. ML King (3-1)
13. Lakewood (3-2
14. North Torrance (3-1)
15. Warren (0-5)* / Palos Verdes (2-3)*/Highland (1-3, 1-0)*
Division 6
1. Foothill (3-2)
2. Agoura (4-1)
3. Glendora (2-2)
4. Murrieta Mesa (1-4)*
5. Citrus Valley (0-3)*
6. Muir (2-2)
7. Alemany (4-0)
8. Dana Hills (4-0)
9. Brea Olinda (5-0)
10. Newport Harbor (1-4)*
11. Roosevelt (1-3)*
12. Rio Mesa (3-2)
13. Paraclete (3-2)
14. Aliso Niguel (4-1)
15. Marina (5-0)
16. Ramona (5-0)
Division 7
1. La Quinta/La Quinta (4-0)
2. Ontario Christian (3-2)
3. Schurr (4-1)
4. Norte Vista (5-0)
5. Calabasas (3-1)
6. Ayala (2-3)*
7. El Toro (2-3)
8. Quartz Hill (2-2)
9. Valencia/Valencia (1-4, 1-0)
10. West Torrance (2-2)
11. Cypress (2-3)*
12. Canyon/Canyon Country (3-2)
13. Northwood (5-0)
14. Oak Park (4-1)
15. Segerstrom (3-1)
16. Ventura (2-2)
Division 8
1. Golden Valley (4-1)
2. St. Pius -St. Matthias (0-4)*
3. Yucaipa (3-1)
4. Peninsula (4-0)
5. San Dimas (3-1)
6. Norwalk (3-1)
7. Hemet (5-0)
8. Troy (3-1)
9. Granite Hills (3-1)
10. Barstow (4-0)
11. Monrovia (4-0)
12. St. Francis (0-5)*/Rio Hondo Prep (5-0)
13. Los Osos (4-0)
14. Colony (1-3)*
15. Salesian (2-3)*/Vista del Lago (4-0)/El Dorado (2-3)*
Division 9
1. Laguna Hills
2. Orange (0-5)*/Beckman (5-0)
3. Great Oak (1-4*/La Canda (5-0)
4. Liberty (2-2)
5. Camarillo (1-3)*/Burroughs/Burbank (3-1, 1-0)
6. West Ranch (2-2)
7. Palm Desert (2-2)
8. Esperanza (2-2)
9. Santa Monica (3-2)
10. Irvine (3-2)
11. Covina (3-2)
12. Temecula Valley (2-3)*/La Mirada (1-4)*/Rancho Verde (2-3)*/Long Beach Wilson (3-1)
13. Serrano (3-1)
14. Lancaster (2-2)
15. St. Anthony (1-4)*/Redlands (3-1)
16. Westlake (0-5)*/South Hills (2-2)/West Covina (2-3)*/Jurupa Hills (1-4)*
Division 10
1. Valley View (2-2)
2. Temescal Canyon (3-1)
3. Riverside Poly (1-3)*
4. Crespi *2-2)
5. Valley Christian (5-0)
6. Alta Loma (3-2)
7. Palm Springs (3-2)
8. Fountain Valley (1-4)*
9. St. Margaret’s (2-2)
10. Coachella Valley (3-2)
11. Brentwood (3-2)
12. El Segundo (3-2)
13. Paloma Valley (4-1)
14. Kennedy/La Palma (3-2)
15. Heritage Christian (4-1)
16. Castaic (2-3)*/West Valley (3-1)/Oxnard (1-3)*
Biggest Upside Moves: Leuzinger (From D3 #1 to D1 #9 San Jacinto (From D3 #7 to D2 #10), Crean Lutheran (From D4-#4 to D3 #2); Glendora (From D7 AL to D6 #3)
ON FURTHER REVIEW
When the occasion calls for it, we’ll examine a controversial play from the week’s action and allow an official to interpret a call, or we’ll dive right into the NFHS Rules Book for the official language of a specific penalty.
There were no major controversies this week, but we encountered something that can easily occur somewhere in Southern California—and it’s legal.
This comes from our friends at Spectrum Sports Kansas City. In their telecast last week of their Game of the Week between Park Hill and Kearney, Kearney’s kicker attempted a field goal from their 26-yard line (an unachievable attempt in today’s game), but the twist to it was that they were using it as a punt.
While the kick came up short, the ball hit the Park Hill six-yard line and was downed at the one. Was it legal? Yes—for one important reason: The kicker used a field goal tee.
Here is the video from the play.
This is the rule from the NFHS Rule Book (Rule 2, Section 24, Article 4: “A scrimmage kick is any kick from in or behind the neutral zone during a scrimmage down. Either a place kick, punt, or drop kick may be used. For a place kick, the ball must be controlled on the ground or on a legal kicking tee by a teammate.”
There it is! Remember, if you see this in person, it becomes legal when the tee is being used, and the ball is controlled.
Football is a copycat sport—expect to see more of it in the future.
FINALLY
If you have been watching football closely, no matter what level it is, one aspect of the game has made a revival of sorts—running the football.
When the conversation of running the ball comes up, great coaches like Woody Hayes, George “Papa” Halas, and Vince Lombardi come to mind. But, in today’s world of football, which has been infiltrated with the “West Coast Offense” and “Air Raid” offensive schemes, throwing the ball has become the new “Flavor of the Month.”
With the football season reaching its halfway stage, the area's story has been the revival of the running game. Look at the current top rushers in the area; three of the top 10 in the section reside in the area – five in the top 20.
The question becomes this: Why has the running game become a necessity in today’s pass-happy football world?
That question was posed to Jon Gruden by Dan Patrick on his show Monday.
Essentially, Gruden feels that pass protection has been the biggest issue. “I don’t know what is happening with pass protection, but it’s one of the reasons why you are seeing so much running.”
The argument in coaching circles has always been to have a balanced offense (50% run—50% pass). According to Charter Oak coach Dom Farrar, this is in the eye of the beholder.
“Balance is not 50/50 run or pass. Balance is being able to take what the defense gives you,” Farrar said. “The argument has always been: you throw the ball to score, run the ball to win, and you can aim for balance.”
If that saying is true, defenses are a step behind in stopping the run game. And while MaxPreps doesn’t have a filter to distinguish the top running teams in the area by yardage, one look at any team rankings allows a football fan to conclude that running the ball successfully is back in vogue.
“I don’t care what level of football you are talking about, you have to run the ball and stop the run (to win games),” Schurr football coach Dave Ramos said. Ramos also runs the run-oriented veer-offense that Northern California football powerhouse De La Salle uses. “At times, it looks good to pass the ball. Once you have to go against a very good defense, you will have problems.”
Ramos also has another theory on this subject.
“I know that the RPO (Run-Pass Option) system is popular, but giving a run-fake to a defense that knows you are not a run-oriented team limits you. There is a reason why the Run is used in the scheme. One thing that we are also seeing is that spread teams are spreading defenses more with wide splits so that the gaps are easy to distinguish. And teams are also using Tight Ends to fix some deficiencies in their run game.”
Who would have thought three yards and a cloud of dust is returning to the high school game? We always knew that teams such as Northview, San Dimas, West Covina, and Walnut had a run game that was the base of their offense. Suddenly, you can add teams such as Covina, Rowland, and Wilson to that growing list.
Maybe it’s Farrar who said best. “In the trenches, upfront, the box is still what is beautiful about our game.”
Have a great week.