By Fred Robledo | [email protected] | San Gabriel Valley Tribune
The San Gabriel Valley area high school football rankings for teams covered by the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News and Whittier Daily News.
1. DAMIEN (3-2)
Before their bye week, the Spartans lost 49-21 to JSerra, dropping their second straight, and now they get ready for the Baseline League. The Spartans, ranked No. 20 in the CIF-SS on Calpreps, which projects them in Division 2, will get a signficant boost with Malachi McFarland, from St. John Bosco, becoming eligible after the sit-out-period.
The Chargers followed their bye week with a trip to San Diego, where they hammered winless Mira Mesa, 42-14. They're the favorites to win the newly formed Sierra League, opening on the road against Claremont, who owns a win over Diamond Ranch. The big games against Bonita and Glendora come in the final two weeks.
The Vikings toyed with visiting Sun Valley Village Christian in their final non-league tuneup, winning 35-6. They had a chance to rest several starters, particularly in the second half. They have it all, offensively and defensively. If they can stay away from penalties, they'll be hard to beat.
The Bearcats are the San Gabriel Valley's highest-ranked public school on Calpreps, ranked 42nd overall in the CIF-SS. They had a bye week following a 47-0 win over Kaiser, and look like the Sierra League co-league favorites with Charter Oak. They have a tough opener against surging Glendora.
The Swordsmen have lost three straight, but those losses were to Damien, Los Alamitos and this past Friday to Servite, 33-14. All three of those opponents are ranked in the top 20 on Calpreps' CIF-SS rankings. They will find out how much the schedule helps taking on winless St. Francis in the Angelus League opener.
Bishop Amat stayed close with Stockton's St. Mary's for much of the first half before suffering a 56-21 loss on their trip north. Amat was without wide receiver Cam Vasquez and running back Ryan Salcedo for a second straight game, and missed some other key starters, presumably hoping they will be ready for this week's Mission League opener at Notre Dame. The playoff chase starts now.
Before the bye week, the Highlanders won their fourth straight, routing La Mirada 48-21. Now they get ready for the newly formed Epsilon League, which is loaded. Five of the six teams have winning records with La Habra and Crean Lutheran looking like the co-league favorites.
The Mustangs have won three straight to make their return to the SGV's top ten rankings and are 2-0 in the Pacific League. The Mustangs have looked like a different team with the return of QB Keyon Mills, and they put it all together with a 53-0 win over Crescenta Valley.
The Lancers lost their second straight, falling to Edison (32-21) a week after getting shutout by Crean Lutheran (20-0). Not to worry, these were step-up games for the Lancers, who still look like big favorites heading into the Del Rio League, though Santa Fe and El Rancho may have something to say about it.
The Spartans enter the Almont League looking like the overwheming favorites. They stepped up their nonleague schedule and did well, losing only to La Serna (21-3) with solid wins over South Pasadena (28-0) and Franklin (34-0).