SGV/Whittier Prep Sports Zone: Monday Morning Quarterback - Season Finale
Thoughts on state championship weekend, 5 Things that I Think I Think and more.
St. Francis quarterback Jack Jacobs against Etiwanda in a CIF-Southern Section Div. 5 final. (St. Francis Athletics)
At around 8:11 p.m. on Saturday night, the high school football season in the San Gabriel Valley ended with Muir suffering a tough 9-6 loss to Hughson in a CIF-State Division 5-AA title game. Several minutes earlier, San Gabriel saw its season come to an end with a 41-0 loss to Atascadero in a CIF-State Division 6-A championship game.
It was a tough way to end the season with the rain pelting both teams throughout Saturday night’s game.
This brings us to the tweet of the weekend that was put out by Taylor Schaub, the sports director for KGET News in Bakersfield. Schaub was covering the state final between Shafter and Orland. As was the case for many of the games in the Northern California area, the weather took a turn for the worst and rain pelted the field for the entire game.
No big deal, right?
After all, football is a game that is meant for the elements. Any coach that has coached football, no matter if you’re in the pros, college, or high school, has had to deal with rainy conditions. During training camp, it’s not unusual for Bill Belichick to bring the hose out and water the footballs. “It’s December at Foxboro and it’s raining,” Belichick was overheard saying in a video clip.
The All-Madden football team is about rain and mud. “It’s about guys who’s got a dirty uniform, mud on his face, and grass in the ear hole of his helmet,” the mission statement once said.
The late John Madden once said that football was made for the mud.
So, we all agree that football in the mud shouldn’t be an issue, right? Well, you would be wrong if your name is Jerald Pierucci, the head coach of the Shafter High, the team that lost to Orland 20-7 in a Division 5-A final. Instead of handling the defeat with class, he decided to take a page out of the World Wrestling Entertainment playbook and decided to shout at Schaub and his cameraman like a five-year-old that had his cookie taken away from him by his mother.
“I’ll look at all the cameras, it is a shame on the CIF that they allowed a state championship game, to be played on a field like this when you have Division 1 and 2 teams playing on (all-weather) turf,” Pierucci said while pointing at the camera, thinking in his mind that he was probably on First Take with Stephen A. Smith.
“It is crap that you allow this stuff to happen… We didn’t get to see the best of both teams – that is the thing that was wrong tonight. I’m proud of heck of my guys. They battled through this, they battled through a bunch of stuff, but if you can’t throw a football because it was so dang muddy on the field, it is bull crap on the CIF. You guys in the CIF should know better than this bull crap. This is not what state championship football games should be about.”
Ok, let’s regather ourselves after laughing as hard as we can.
First off, it is the home team that gets to make the call on where the game is going to be played, coach. Not the CIF State office. If the game is going to be played on campus on a field that is muddy, sorry, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
Weather is part of sports, period.
If it’s raining on Kentucky Derby Day and the track is sloppy, unless the condition of the track is so bad that it has to be pushed back for a day, we’re racing on a sloppy racetrack. They didn’t cancel the 1968 NFL Championship game between Dallas and Green Bay because the field was icy. There is a reason why they called it “The Ice Bowl.”
If you need any more proof, watch this NFL Divisional playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams at the LA Coliseum. The field was a mess, and it was raining. But no one complained after the game. Why? Because it is part of the sport.
1977 NFC Division Playoff Minnesota Vikings @ Los Angeles Rams - YouTube
Now, you do bring up an interesting subject when it comes to All-Weather Fields and state championship games. Ever since 2010, when De La Salle defeated Servite 48-8 in a driving rainstorm at what was then called “StubHub Center” in Carson, state officials have made it a point to make sure that its upper division football games are played on all-weather surfaces. That’s the reason why they took place at Cal State Sacramento and are being played at Saddleback College.
However, that is not an excuse to act like a five-year-old after the game and get emotional in front of TV cameras. To say that “it is bull crap on the CIF,” doesn’t give you a good look at all, coach. The CIF has no control over the weather. And even if they did have some prior notice that the weather is bad, there is a lot that goes into moving a game to a new venue. Contracts have to be signed, arrangements have to be made and there is a laundry list of other things that have to be done.
If you had a problem with the situation, the easiest thing to do was get in contact with the state office and see if anything could be done. The answer would have been “no” but at least you were able to get some stuff off your chest.
As for the fact that you couldn’t get a pass off, it sounds to me, coach, like your team was not prepared for the elements. You had to know it was going to rain. If you have any type of cell phone, the weather reports had to indicate that it was going to rain on Saturday night. But, instead of having your team prepared, you decided to make a fool out of yourself on social media.
Compare that to San Gabriel HS football coach Kevin Encinas, who never made the rain an excuse for his team losing. Instead, they handled the loss with class. You might want to read this thread from a person that was at the San Gabriel game and talked about the class the team showed.
You had two choices coach Pierucci on Saturday night and you chose the wrong curtain. You became the latest example of how to NOT handle yourself after a loss. The correct thing to do is apologize to the CIF, say that you made a mistake, and move on. But you probably won’t do it and play the woe is me game.
That may work for the WWE, but it doesn’t work in education-based athletics.
Oh, and in case you are wondering, I was once a high school football coach and lost one of the biggest games of my coaching career to a wet and muddy football field. I didn’t run over to a reporter and say it was unfair, I accepted the result. It made me a better person in life.
CIF DOES HAVE A BRANDING ISSUE WITH THE STATE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
The one thing that the CIF State Office does have a problem with when it comes to its state football championships is branding. Unlike in other sports like track, wrestling and basketball, the state football championships are considered an afterthought.
I’ve always said that winning a CIF Southern Section football championship, with too many programs, is bigger than winning a state title. I have no idea why, but that is the lay of the land when it comes to football in the Southern Section. When So Cal teams lose to teams in San Diego, Bakersfield, etc., in regional final games, there are no tears to be shed.
Most of the time, the kids hug each other and then start making plans on being in the football office when a ring representative comes on campus and starts designing their championship ring. And if you win a state championship, well there are more hugs and tears.
I’ve been to Texas to experience their state finals and it’s a remarkable event. They sell out AT&T Stadium every year when the weekend of the state finals arrives. For Texas football teams, just making it to Jerry World is an achievement in itself.
That is exactly what needs to happen here in the state of California.
In my opinion, there needs to be a weekend where the majority of football games need to be played at one venue that is truly one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Can you imagine the excitement it would be for any team to know that its final game of the season could take place at SoFi? It would certainly be the jolt that the event needs.
There are more than enough locker rooms available for teams, and the stadium is easily accessible by planes, trains, or automobiles.
When you speak with wrestling coaches, the goal is to make it to Bakersfield. In basketball, it is Sacramento and the Golden One Center, which is an NBA arena. In track and field, it's Clovis and Veterans Memorial Stadium.
It is now time for the CIF State Office to start thinking much bigger when it comes to their state football finals. Instead of Saddleback College, it’s time to go to SoFi Stadium. If the CIF Southern Section can have its Div. 1 final at the Rose Bowl, why not have the state championships at SoFi? If Texas can have its state finals at AT&T Stadium, and Massachusetts can have its state finals at Gillette Stadium, it’s time for California to have its state football championships at SoFi.
Let's make it happen!!
CURRENT JOB OPENINGS
As of right now, Santa Fe, Baldwin Park, and Workman are the only area football jobs that are open (I don’t count Pomona in our coverage area, I exchanged them with Ayala).
Here are my thoughts on the openings at Santa Fe and Baldwin Park.
Santa Fe – I can’t understand why this program has been swimming in mediocrity. This was a program that was one of the stalwart programs in the Whittier area under the late Jack Mahlstede. We know that La Serna has turned the corner and is the elite program in the area under Andy George. We also know that El Rancho has kept their kids at home and is also having very good success with Adrian Medrano at the controls.
This leaves us with Whittier, California, and Santa Fe as the remaining three schools in the Del Rio League. I like the job that Louie Zamora is doing at Cal. He took a program that was a mess and has brought some stability to it. They just missed making the playoffs this year with a 4-6 record, but they are not the automatic “W” that was attached to this program years ago.
Then there is Whittier HS where Visko Ancich, the son of the late coaching great Marjon Ancich, has also done a nice job keeping the program together. You rarely hear anything bad about the program and every season, they always pull off an upset or two in the nonleague portion of the schedule.
So, you might be asking, “Is the talent leaving the Santa Fe Springs area for other schools?” That I can’t answer, but there is no excuse for this program to at least compete with the other programs within the Del Rio. Santa Fe Springs is a blue-collar area that always has athletes throughout the city. If you need proof, just look at the baseball program. Pierre Romo does an awesome job each year getting the most out of his players.
The one thing that you have to understand about the Del Rio League is that if you are a coach, you have to come in and “coach’em up.” Most of the coaches in the league are competitive, but they are not going to give you an easy W. They understand the challenges of being in the area, but they just go to work and do the best they can with the talent that they have.
I saw several years ago with El Rancho girls volleyball, I’ve seen it in Santa Fe girls basketball (coached by one of the fastest rising coaches in the area in Jackie Saiza) and in other sports such as La Serna girls volleyball, El Rancho girls basketball, Whittier water polo, and others.
You just have to have a certain mentality when you are at a school like Santa Fe. The infrastructure is there, and I know that the school is thirsty for a winner in football. Whoever gets the job, needs to understand that there is not a lot of glory that comes with the position. You need to come in, establish your culture, be patient and make sure that everyone is swimming in the same direction.
There is no reason why Santa Fe can’t return to being one of the shining programs in the Whittier area.
Baldwin Park – I don’t know what to make of this position. What has me putting on the breaks is the departure letter from coach Ibis Aguilar several weeks ago. Many of the things he said in that message, he told me in private, but he didn’t want it out there. I can certainly understand his point of view on why he left.
The one thing that the program has going is the facilities – they are one of the best in the area. An all-weather playing surface with a beautiful scoreboard and stands that are more than feasible to cover a game. Add to it a city that loves its football, and knows how to mix it in with homemade Mexican food and you have all the ingredients for a Friday Night Lights experience that is unique.
However, the question that looms over the program is the support that the new football coach will get from the staff and administration. It was a stark reality that when Aguilar stepped down as the football coach, he didn’t mention Athletic Director Josh Knight for any type of gratitude. That will not be overlooked by those who may be looking into throwing a resume in for the job.
Baldwin Park is in a nice league (Mt. Baldy 4) and the new coach will have to deal with the growth of Sierra Vista and coach Jesse Ceniceros. However, for the school to make a “splashy” hire, they’ll have to show that they will support their football coach through the good times and the bad. Sometimes, that’s easier said than done.
5 Things that I Think I Think
I think that the football world will be a little bit less interesting with the passing of coach Mike Leach. The news was heartbreaking and sad all at the same time on Tuesday morning. There was a minor link between the San Gabriel Valley and Mike Leach. Several years ago, the Bishop Amat coaching staff took a trip up to Pullman to visit with the Washington State staff for several days, meet coach Leach, watch some film, and practice. When I asked Sean Koelle how it went, he said it was awesome. When the subject turned to coach Leach, his answer was no surprise, “He’s unique.” He forever changed the passing game as we know it today. His coaching tree is second to none. It really is a sad day for anyone involved with football. We will never see the likes of coach Leach ever again. RIP coach!
I think that the most fascinating team for me to keep track of this offseason is St. Paul. The Swordsmen went 4-6 this year and we’re a disappointment. The main reason for it was that the injury bug hit the squad hard. However, when you look at the final stats for the season, they have a returning quarterback in Andrew Maushardt, four returning running backs, and several returning wide receivers. They’ll have to do some work on defense to replace some key pieces, but the Swordsmen have all the ingredients to be one of my surprise teams of 2023. All that is needed is a look at their schedule for the 2023 season. One other thing that they’ll have in their favor is that the Angelus League appears to be wide open.
I think that Ayala should be the early favorites to win the Mountain West League thanks to the return of quarterback Bryan Wilson. Returning quarterbacks is always a big thing in high school football. The Mountain West League should be the top league in the east SGV, and the Bulldogs should be right there atop any spring football rankings.
I think that I need to repeat myself that the CIF State Office needs to adopt a play clock for Friday night football. It would make the game that much better and relieve some of the pressure on the back judge that has to keep track of the clock on his stopwatch. Common sense needs to be used here and this would be a great time to get the clock on the field for the 2023 season.
I think that the news that Mike Maggiore will be returning to West Covina next season is great news. Maggiore is one of the more respected and highly tenured coaches in the area. There are a ton of new coaches in the area, and if I were one of those coaches, I would make my way over to West Covina this winter and pick the brain of one of the top minds in the area. He will always keep it straight and give any young coach ideas on how to properly run your program. I know that if my travels take me over to West Covina this year, I will make sure and visit coach Maggiore and hopefully, he will allow me to buy him dinner.
FINALLY
This was the first football season that I didn’t have to write for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune on Friday nights. For someone that has been used to working on a deadline, it was a bit of a culture shock to go to a game and not worry about sending in a story at 10 p.m.
But, it allowed me to grow the MMQB.
I’ve always felt that there were so many stories that we left out “on the field” because of the deadline purposes when I was at the paper. It was my biggest priority to bring those stories to light in the MMQB. If you didn’t go to a game that I attended, it was my biggest wish that you felt that you were right next to me as I described the stories and events at a certain game.
It was a goal of this column to make you a bit smarter when it came to the rules. If you learned something from our “Officials Corner” column, we’ll consider it a success. Maybe, it’ll spark a fire for you to come out and become an official. The money is pretty good and the guys within Football Citrus Officiating are some of the friendliest in the area.
I wanted to make sure that players got recognized for putting up big efforts on Friday night. That was what “One Full Gasser” was all about. If you were a player that we wrote about and you decided to post it on your social media account, I consider 2022 a huge success. And if you were a coach and I texted you consistently for a quote or for some stats, I am forever grateful for your help.
It’s not easy putting together the MMQB, especially after getting home from Rams football games between 8 and 9 p.m. However, with the help from everybody, from coaches, administrators, and parents, you helped me make this column a huge success.
I can’t tell you how many times I would go to a game, and someone would pull me over and say, “Thank you for everything you do for the athletes.” It was the fuel that kept me going in the fall.
This has been a 2022 football season for the ages. I got to experience things that I never thought I would experience. But I had fun along the way, and I hope that came through with each column that I wrote. Football does have a vice grip over the United States. We can’t stop talking about it, writing about it, or debating about it.
However, no matter what team you supported this year, it was a successful 2022 season just because Friday Night Lights were back. The snack bars were open, and the fans and students came out in droves. The action on the field was so compelling and the coaches seemed to be having the time of their lives.
It’s always bittersweet when the end of the season arrives. No more standing on the sidelines, looking feverishly for a unique angle to a story. No more cups of coffee at Starbucks to help keep us warm. No more marching bands, and no more announcers (like Bishop Amat’s iron horse Roger Hayward) to blare through the sound system letting everyone know who scored a touchdown.
But they can’t take away the memories that we all put into our own treasure chests. Memories like watching La Serna coach Andy George hugging his players tightly after a hard-fought loss to Palos Verdes in the playoffs – knowing full well that life is so much more than four quarters of football on Friday nights.
I stood and watched in amazement when every coach and administrator walked over to Diamond Bar wide receiver Maddox Bernardino and hugged him tightly after he scored the game-winning touchdown over San Dimas. They understood the journey he went through to arrive at that moment. I was more than overwhelmed to see the city of San Gabriel come together for a championship that will never be forgotten.
I couldn’t be there for everything, and if I happened to miss being at your games on Friday night, please accept my apologies. We’ll do better in 2023.
Until then, cheers to a 2022 season that will be one for the memory books, and congratulations to everyone that took part in the season. Without your help, there would be no Friday Nights Lights, no snack bars, no Friday Evening Wrap, or a Monday Morning Quarterback. You helped bring football back to the area, and we are extremely grateful.
Thank you!
P.S. If I happen to see you at a Starbucks or Coffee Bean, pull me over and say hi – I’ll make sure you get a cup of coffee on the house… at least in my house!