so tomorrow is thanksgiving and that means 104 teams will be having practice tomorrow morning. But with the athletes being out of school tomorrow and friday, does this open the greatest chance at an upset. How do coaches keep the teams focused and out of trouble, and keep them from playing in the ol family turkey bowl and possibly injurying themselves. I have always said this is the trickiest week in football, only because the coaches who usually can control their players for the 6 hours they are at school and the 2-3 hours they are at practice, and now they have 2-3 hours thursday morning and thats it until they showup to the locker room friday night. But I think the biggest matchup for this areas team is for Colony, they will show up after a day filled with family, food, football ,and everyone's worst enemy triptafan, lets hope we dont see any triptafan hangovers on friday, to play Arroyo Valley. Colony just squeeked by last week and the winner of this game friday should be making a date with Colton in the finals and if it is Colony that is victorous than it should be there Championship to lose. Charter Oak and South Hills might as well have a freegame they will make it to the semi-finals, and I think the game to watch might just be the Chaparrel vs A.B. Miller game, that should be a great football game. And i feel confident in saying that Glendora's season will be coming to an end this Friday, but Tartan fans hold your head as a loss to the 2008 Inland div CIF champ is nothing to look down about. But i would like close by saying that i wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving and may you spend a moment to reflect on what you are thankful for, and by the way getting your tonsils taken out 2 days before Turkey Day absolutely sucks trust me I know I had them taken out yesterday :(

CIF-SS Pairing Announced

The pairings were announced this morning. Wow! Ayala gets to go toe to toe with Norco. What a first round playoff game. The Cougars were last years at-large team and takes the CIF-SS title for the Inland Division. This year, Cougars head coach Todd Gerhart's team makes it back, but this time as the #2 team in the Mountain View league. If this years team looks like anything we saw at the Home Depot Center, all their opponents better watch out.

As for Ayala, what a difference a year makes. I know the bulldogs faithful knew that their team was in route to the playoff berth this year. It's just too bad that not many of us thought the same way earlier in the year. The pre-season talk was weather or not Diamond Bar or Ayala would be the lonely one at the bottom of the standings. Well, the Bulldogs proved us all wrong. After covering a game where Ayala played Diamond Bar, I could see that this team had a very good chance of being a playoff contender. What was even more convincing, was the way head coach Tom Inglima's relationship with his players was a truly a genuine, "I love these guys," attitude. When Diamond Bar fumbled the ball and Ayala recovered it. Coach Inglima jumped right into the arms of the player who recovered the fumble and hugged him like there was no tomorrow. After seeing that, I knew this team not only had skill, but also the chemistry.

So, for round one of the playoffs, Ayala (Sierra #2) and Norco (Mountain View #2) go head to head on Friday, November 16th at Norco high school. Although I love the chemistry and storybook comeback by the Bulldogs, I'll have to pick the Cougars to take the win.

Tell me your thoughts and let me know if you're choosing a winner.