Wow, what a week for upsets and blown predictions. But the Suburban was perfect, and only La Serna kept me from being perfect in the Del Rio as well. Now we’re getting into the meat of the season as the playoff picture starts to come into focus. To borrow a phrase from “Bad News” Barker, The Matadores have finished “Camp Cupcake” and have a bye this week before they slog into the final three weeks against the other three powerhouses in the league, Mayfair, Bellflower and Norwalk.
So where do we stand with our schools in the Southeast? In the Del Rio, there’s a three-way tie for first between, Pioneer, La Serna and Santa Fe, but like last week, two of those teams, La Serna and Santa Fe, are facing off for what could be either sole possession of first place or a first place tie with Pioneer, assuming the Titans knock off the Ranch at Titan Stadium on Friday.
Over in the Suburban League, La Mirada and Mayfair are sitting on top of the standings and are meeting on the 29th in a game that probably will decide the league champion, but this week, the Matadores have a bye, while Mayfair faces a potential trap game against third-place Bellflower. Norwalk is a game behind in fourth, but will have an opportunity to move into third place with a win and a Lancer loss to the Monsoons.
In the Pacific, the Burbank schools are sitting on top of the standings, while C-Valley and Arcadia share third place, the Pasadena schools are tied for fifth and the Glendale schools mired in the cellar, winless in league, with Hoover holding onto a slim one-win advantage over Glendale.
The Hacienda is a little more muddled at the moment. Bonita has the only perfect record so far but Diamond Ranch has one more win than the Bearcats and West Covina is tied with them. At the other end of the standings, Los Altos is winless but has one less league loss than Diamond Bar. What’s worse is the meaty middle of the pack that has all the intrigue and trouble.
Let’s Play the Week Seven Predictions!!!
WEEK 7
Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010
Santa Fe vs. La Serna (at Whittier District Field, Whittier, CA, Del Rio League)
MATCHUP: The Chiefs called off the dogs against the Condors after getting out to a 30-0 lead last week, but it still kept them on top of the Del Rio standings. This week, they head back to Whittier District Field and face off against one of the other first place teams, the Lancers. LA Serna Head Coach Margarito Beltran better hope that quarterback Andrew Buenrostro's pocket protection holds up under the Chiefs' defensive pressure, if he's picked off more than twice in this game, the Lancers will be in trouble. Also, rumor has it that the “VTD Jinx” could rear its’ Bengal-loving head on the Lancer sideline as VTD, Big Boss Joe T. and “Bad News” Barker are making the trek out to Cal High. That’s a scary image on the sidelines and it’s not even Halloween weekend yet.
Prediction: Santa Fe 31, La Serna 21
Glendale at Burbank Burroughs (Pacific League)
MATCHUP: It’s funny how the four schools that sit at the top and bottom of the Pacific come from adjoining cities. Burbank and Burroughs sit on top, while Glendale and Hoover are mired at the bottom. It gets no better for the Nitros, who have only managed 83 points scored so far this season, while the Indians, cited by the Mid Valley’s Top 20 poll as being the most physical team in the Pacific, are continuing to ramp up for the season finale against their cross-town rivals in what I’m calling the “Media Center Melee.”
Prediction: Burroughs 37, Glendale 10
Friday, Oct. 22, 2010
Cerritos at Artesia (Suburban League)
MATCHUP: There are few positives to a game that has “the stench of the Devil” to it. And this one is downright putrid. The winner of this game will more than likely end up with a 2-5 record in league, since both the Pioneers and the Dons, along with Glenn, comprise what ol’ “Bad News” Barker has referred to as “Camp Cupcake.” Artesia probably will end up on the short end since Cerritos did one thing Artesia couldn’t do, win a game this year.
Prediction: Cerritos 39, Artesia 7
Mayfair at Bellflower (Suburban League)
MATCHUP: Everything about this game reads like it could be a trap game for the Monsoons. Although the Monsoons are undefeated, they could be caught looking ahead to next week’s showdown against La Mirada and the Buccaneers are just itching for a rumble. If Evan Hunko gets stopped, then the Bucs have a chance at the upset, otherwise, the Monsoon season keeps rolling towards the showdown next week.
Prediction: Mayfair 41, Bellflower 38 (OT)
Norwalk vs. John Glenn (at Excelsior Adult School, Norwalk, CA, Suburban League)
MATCHUP: Whither Norwalk, how dost they fair? So far they have but one loss in league, but that was to Mayfair, and they’re about to run through “Camp Cupcake” starting with the Eagles this week, but before their close out with Artesia on Nov. 12, they get a chance to play spoiler to La Mirada’s bid at a league sweep, assuming they beat Mayfair on the 29th. But the Lancers have Elijhaa Penny running like his hair was on fire and his backside was catching. He’s already cracked the 1,000 yard plateau, and seems destined to be their go-to guy on offense. My money says he’ll crack 300 this week in a “cupcake” contest.
Prediction: Norwalk 56, Glenn 6
Whittier at Cal (at Whittier District Field, Del Rio League)
MATCHUP: There are some serious rumblings down on Mills Avenue form the Condor faithful that the current Condors seniors don’t have the intestinal fortitude the squad needs to get them over this prolonged slump, poised to become the worst streak in Cal High history should the unthinkable happen Friday, AKA a loss to Whittier. The Cardinals, on the other hand, are rarely competitive, especially with this current losing streak. Their only positive note in last week’s loss at Pioneer is that they held the Titans to only two touchdowns and Tony Botello to 116 rushing yards, his third-lowest output this season.
Prediction: Cal High 17, Whittier 10
El Rancho at Pioneer (Del Rio League)
MATCHUP: For weeks now, certain people have been disrespecting the Titans’ improvement as “cupcake wins,” and that they haven’t beaten anyone. And Lo and Behold, in comes a Dons team that had to deal with the same disrespect last year, just missing out on the playoffs because of a coin flip. But where Pioneer has Botello as their main weapon, Troy Campos has four running options, including himself, to gain yardage for the Ranch. Not only is staying in first place on the line for the Titans, they’re also playing to earn some long-overdue respect.
Prediction: Pioneer 42, El Rancho 41 (OT)
Walnut at Bonita (Hacienda League)
MATCHUP: This is the most intriguing match, in my opinion, of the week in the Hacienda. Both teams earned major rivalry trophies so far this year, Bonita getting the Smudge Pot and Walnut claiming the Branding Iron. So, now we will see which trophy has the stronger mojo. Bonita wins and they’ve all but locked up a playoff berth. Walnut wins and they keep their playoff chances alive.
Prediction: Walnut 34, Bonita 31
Diamond Bar at Rowland (Hacienda League)
MATCHUP: If this was any other year, this would be a battle for first place in the league, or for a playoff berth. And while they have identical overall records (4-3), Rowland has suffered two losses in league, while the Bar is winless in league, having lost both the Diamond trophy and the Branding Iron this season. It hasn’t helped that the Brahma defense has allowed 128 points in the three league games, while the offense has been held to 27 points in those same three. Michael Ball is licking his chops.
Prediction: Rowland 35, Diamond Bar 10
Los Altos at West Covina (Hacienda League)
MATCHUP: Patty Cake, Cupcake, call it what you will. But for every incredibly good team you have, you’ll have an equally horrible squad. Worse if that team has a history of success in the past. The Bulldogs could look ahead to the playoffs and still win this one, no contest.
Prediction: West Covina 63, Los Altos 10
Arcadia vs. Burbank (at Burroughs High, Burbank, CA, Pacific League)
MATCHUP: Were it not for an overtime loss to Burroughs, the Apaches would be tied with the Burbank for first place. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, have been on a tear since getting plastered by Chaminade back in Week 1. They outscored the city of Glendale 112-8 over the last two weeks, but have a tougher road ahead before the Media Center Melee on Veterans’ Day. Probably the biggest question will be if the Apaches can contain the “King of Pain.”
Prediction: Burbank 31, Arcadia 28
Pasadena vs. Crescenta Valley (at Glendale High, Pacific League)
MATCHUP: There’s no truth to the rumor that the real reason why the Falcons have become a factor in the Pacific race is because the band has been playing Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” like the USC band plays “Tribute to Troy,” i.e. annoyingly and repetitively. What is true is that the Bulldogs have been a feast or famine team in terms of their scoring, when they get score less than 10 points, they’ve lost every game, score more than 24 and they’ve won. In the unlikely event they hold the Falcons to under 17 points, they’ll take the game.
Prediction: Crescenta Valley 34, Pasadena 7
Hoover at Pasadena Muir (Pacific League)
MATCHUP: Speaking of scoring droughts, the Mustangs have also been a feast-or-famine team like their cross town rivals. However, they managed to stun the Falcons last week in a game that echoed their opening week win over San Gabriel. Hoover, on the other hand, has been outscored in league play, 175-41, and only has their win over Mountain View to show for the season so far. But it could be worse for the Tornadoes, they could be winless Glendale/
Prediction: Muir 49, Hoover 14
BYE WEEK: Diamond Ranch
BYE WEEK: La Mirada
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