Breeder's Cup 2013 - Late Pick 4

Santa Anita Racetrack

If you know anything about gambling, well then you probably know a lot more than I do. That being said one of the great horse racing days of the year is going on over at Santa Anita racetrack where the Breeder's Cup races are taking my place. My handicapping skills being what they are I HIGHLY caution anyone using the information below to actually wager money. I am not one to identify high odds long shots and these are just some of my thoughts on the last four races taking place tomorrow.



My Wife & I at
Santa Anita Derby 2013



Race 9 BC Turf 1.5 Miles

Big Blue Kitten – He has one big run, oh but what a run the big guy has. He should be on a 3-Race Win streak in G1 races for those who saw the TurfClassic at Belmont on 9/28. He encountered traffic that stalled his big run, then managed to wind it up again and just missed. Now I will say this, due to his running style, he always encounters trouble. Such is life when you come from the back of a big field, but he’s done it before. Given a relatively good trip, it’s his day.

Point of Entry

Point of Entry – At another time, he may have been a single for me in my pick-4 ticket for this race. One of the best distance turf horses I’ve seen in recent memory the Point of Entry of 6 months ago smokes this field. But today’s entry is coming off an injury and a 4-month layoff to heal a leg fracture and returns in a tough race. I can’t leave him out, because well … he still is who he is. But he’s not my top pick either.

Little Mike – The defending champion in this race is hard to ignore at 1.5 miles, this is his distance, he just won the aforementioned TurfClassic at Belmont on 9/28 holding off Blue Kitten and Real Solution in the deep stretch and he proved last year that he likes the turf course at Santa Anita. Add hall of famer Mike Smith to that package and you have a potential repeat winner in the Turf.

Real Solution – The winner of the Arlington Million just came off his first try at this distance and finished a good 3^rd behind Little Mike and Big Blue Kitten. Already owns a victory over the former and yet to face the latter. The running style says he gets this distance and he fits in this race. I can’t eliminate him from my Pick 4.

The Fugue – I took a look at the filly from overseas. I don’t like the angle of shipping in from overseas much less the girl going long against the boys. Yes, I know she won at this distance, and in fact has hit the board in all four tries at this distance so far in her career. And she may hit the board again today, just not the winner.  She was in the Female Turf Race last year at Santa Anita and finished 3^rd in a race that included Marketing Mix who I think would have trouble against a group like this. She won’t be on my Pick 4 Ticket.

 

Race 10 BC Spring 6F

Private Zone – He’s actually burned me twice in his last two races and I’m hoping to make amends here. Private Zone is not your typical speed freak, don’t get me wrong, this horse is among the fastest in the country but he can duel and survive as proven in his last two races. He will be at the front of this pack, count on that, but don’t be surprised to see him put away the rest of the pace and then hold off or even fight back against the closers.

Justin Phillip – Nobody was more surprised to see Private Zone battle back than John Velaquez aboard Justin Phillip in the Vosbergh at Belmont on 9/28. Cruising, JP tracked Private Zone down the stretch and appeared to have him put away only to watch Private Zone respond unbelievably on the rail and steal the victory. That being said, Justin Phillip has been battling against most of the horses in this race and has at least won as many as he’s lost. If he gets help in the form of added pace pressure on the top pick he can win this one.

Secret Circle – Ugh, 1 Race in the last eighteen months and even that was an Optional Claimer against 4 other horses. That was the first sprint for this horse in nearly two years. Never in a million picks would I have a horse like this on my Pick 4 ticket if not for the trainer … Bob Baffert. He does this, and does it well. That one race just three weeks ago at Santa Anita was a good one and Secret Circle displayed fine form rating off a hot pace and closing strongly for the win. I can’t cross this horse out especially if a pace battle ensues.

Fast Bullet – If you are willing to draw a line thru that last performance (I was) on a sloppy Saratoga track then his last two Beyer speed scores of 110 & 109 put him right in this mix. He put those up following a bit of a learning experience in last year’s BC sprint. Bit of a concern to see only three starts since last year’s BC for a very lightly raced 5-year old. I might use him in my pick 4. Maybe.

Race 11 BC Mile

Wise Dan – Silver Max ended his win streak by getting loose on the lead and settled in to hold off Wise Dan down the stretch in a race over a sloppy Polytrack surface at Keenland. Obviously & Bright Thought will ensure a faster pace so How do you go against Wise Dan today? This is his surface (turf), his distance (1 mile) and quite frankly … his race. Come and beat him but I don’t think anybody will. This is my single in the Pick-4

No Jet Lag – Because scratches happen and nothing is certain in racing I have this guy as my top pick in the event Wise Dan scratches. 2 for 2 in this country and at this distance he got a perfect trip in the City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita and sprung the upset at 13-1 odds. He’s got a good post as #1 starters have taken 19% of these turf races.

Olympic Glory – I’ve never seen him run. But on paper his numbers look like he could be a match for Wise Dan provided he ships ok and takes to the Santa Anita turf which tends to be a bit firmer than the courses this guy has likely seen in Great Britain. I don’t like the fact that he raced just 13 days ago and had to ship overseas since that time. Tough way to go.

He Be Fire n Ice – Minus the top pick and with a good pace from the likely front runners could set it up for his late run. More likely he gets 2^nd or 3^rd… but at the price he should get could be worth a spot on the pick 4. Again, only if WD scratches though.

Race 12 BC Classic 1.25 Miles

Game on Dude

Game on Dude – The best and most consistent stakes horse in California since … Lava Man? The Dude has all the tricks in his bag but with a heavy speed bias at Santa Anita in route races don’t be surprised if Mike Smith takes him to the front and try’s to wire the field the way he did in the Pacific Classic. He’s started 8 races at Santa Anita in his career. He’s gone to the winner’s circle 7 times but his lone defeat was here just a year ago. With Mike Smith up, I say he makes amends.

Mucho Macho Man – Goes anywhere, takes on everybody, And more often than not Mucho Macho Man comes out on top. Chased eventual winner Fort Larned all the way to the wire in last year’s Classic and recently scored a big victory over a good field at the Awesome Again Stakes over this same track and looked great in doing so. With red hot Gary Stevens aboard he will sit just off the pace and wait for his chance to pounce. A Definite player.

Palace Malice – He’s an “iffy” right now. I like him. Not sure about going against older. But I think he has the talent to do it and he has the right style. It’s just, the Jockey Club Gold Cup. I saw it, and he had a good trip, a very good trip in fact but then made up absolutely no ground against a good older horse who scratched out of this race in Ron the Greek. RTG is a good horse and fits well with Game on Dude and Mucho Macho Man. So does Palace Malice? Not sure.

Will Take Charge – Another talented 3 year old going against the older foes for the first time and again I’m just not sure today if I will include on my late pick 4. His record against Palace Malice combined with what I said above about that one are the reason he is also “iffy”.

My $0.50 Pick-4 Ticket in all likelihood is ...

4,8,10,12/1,7,9/8/6,8,9,10 ($24) or ($30) if I decide to include The Fugue.

 

My Family at the 2012 Santa Anita Derby

 

Good Luck,

Rich

LA's Greatest Sports Moments #1 "Gibson at the Bat"

Today the Los Angeles Times posted the results from an On-line poll to determine the greatest sports moments in the history of this great sports town. No surprise to anyone that Kirk Gibson's dramatic game-winning home run in Game One of the 1988 World Series was voted top prize. This is my own personal recollection of that memorable night...


GIBSON AT THE BAT

The outlook wasn’t good for the bums that day;
The score stood four to three, with but one out to play
And when the Davis we knew as Mike had his number called
Silence and a feeling of despair overcame us all.

The usual suspects began a max-exodus into the night
Car doors closing, Engines starting, and those infernal parking lights;
Among the faithful, a straggling few clung to just one single prayer
“God, let Kirk Gibson hit” and all will be square.

But though we dared to dream, it was not meant to be
Dave Anderson? Standing on deck for all of us to see
The manager had lost it, what could he be thinking?
One angry fan groaned “Tommy must be drinking”

We must have our hero was all of the talk
So confused, no one noticed Mike Davis had drawn a walk
And before we could say it, Anderson retreated
They’d have to get Gibson out, before the bums would be defeated!

Then as if one, fifty thousand voices roared in speech
It carried to the valley, you could hear it at the beach
From the East side to the West side, just like Randy Newman said
Until they got Gibson out, the bums would not be dead!

Ever so slowly this decorated warrior hobbled to the plate
Conscious of his place, yet un- aware of his fate;
He’d brought the bums to glory before his body began to fail
Now, they asked him to write an end to this tale

Defying the warrior decked in gold and green
Oaktowns reliever stood surly, confident and mean;
His wind up was wicked, The “Eck” was his name
His slider spit venom, his fastball sparked flame.

The “Eck” whirled, and our hero waved in vain
That dastardly slider left him crumpling in pain.
“Strike One” came the call from the ump
“Two more” the Eck smiled to himself, “and I’ll be done with this chump”

Next was that fastball, thrown with no fear or care
True to its rep the sphere danced and sizzled, it seared the air
Gibson flailed and fell but there was nothing he could do
Fifty Thousand hearts in our throats, as the ump said, “Strike Two!”

One Hundred Thousand eyes were on him as he rose from the ground
Fifty Thousand tongues, couldn’t utter but a sound
How could The Eck simply do what he pleased;
How had he brought our hero to his knees?

“This Old Man can’t hit and I’ll strike him out for you all to see”
The Eck taunted the bums fans with just a little too much glee
But the crowd came to their hero’s defense, and The Ravine began to rattle
And Gibson stared The Eck down announcing, “we have only begun our battle”

So it proved true that our hero was right,
Gibson stood strong, fouling off pitches into the night.
The Eck glared and he sneered and he kicked at the mound
But though he tried, no answer to Gibson could be found

With each fouled pitch the volume in the stadium was raised another degree
And they could hear em’ in Oaktown when the ump said “ball three!”
With that the bums bench erupted with cries, of “you can’t tame us”
And Gibson warned the Eck, “throw me that slider and I’ll make you famous”

The pain was gone from Gibson’s body as he stepped up to the plate
Time for the hero and the Eck to decide each other’s fate.
And now the Eck lets the pitch go, his demon slider bites and hisses
But this is the tale of a hero, and this one never misses.

Gibson crushed that pitch, the Eck could only watch it fly
And the bleacher bums welcomed it like mana from the LA sky
I can see it today as clear as I saw it then, the flight of the ball never slackened
As Gibson rounded the bases a voice from heaven announced “In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened!!!”

Oh, somewhere in the City of Angels the sun is shining bright, that’s no surprise
And somewhere fathers are sitting with sons, they’re getting moist in the eyes;
It’s hard for us to tell this old story about an LA great
Back when the Dodgers won the World Series, in nineteen eighty eight.

 
Merry Christmas Dodger Fans!
 

Rich Sharp

Elsinore’s Dynamic Duo Undo Murrieta Valley 69-62

Butler battles Padlo for rebound

Shackleford drives the lane

Chamberlain skies

On campus of one of the oldest high schools in Southern California.

 The Murrieta Valley Nighthawks (8-1) appeared on their way to their second victory in as many games against the Elsinore Tigers (8-2) in a re-match of last week’s Night Hawk Tournament final. Murrieta Valley had the game well in hand with a 13-point lead early in the 2^nd half of Tuesday night’s non-league matchup when Elsinore’s back-court combination of EJ Twyman and Lawrence Chamberlain struck.  The senior co-captains sparked an 11-0 run by the Tigers late in the 4^th quarter that propelled Elsinore to a 69-62 victory over previously undefeated Murrieta Valley in front of a noisy home-court crowd.

Murrieta Valley got off to a quick start behind senior guard Reid Shackleford (27 points) who hit a pair of 3-point baskets and senior forward Darius Butler who made 3 of 4 shots in the first quarter. Elsinore answered with 3-point shots by Twyman and Chamberlain but Shackleford hit from long range again to finish with 11 points in the first quarter and a 21-10 first quarter lead for the Nighthawks. The teams traded baskets in the 2^nd quarter as Shackleford continued to get away from Elsinore defenders for easy baskets on his way to 21 points in the first half. Twyman and Chamberlain kept the Tigers close with 7-points each and the Tigers went into the halftime intermission trailing 37-26.

The Night Hawks extended that advantage on the first play of the 2^nd half when Shackleford found Darius Butler (20 points, 4 rebounds) on a back-door pass behind the Tigers defense for an easy lay-up. But the Tigers had the answer this time as Chamberlain buried a 3-pointer and sophomore guard Kevin Padlo applied the hammer-lock to Reid Shackleford all but shutting the senior down and forcing two errant shots. Chamberlain and Twyman continued to lead the Tigers’ comeback as each scored a basket to cut the advantage to four points at 49-45. Mitchell Leinart (6 points) hit a desperation 3-point shot for Murrieta Valley as time expired in the third quarter to push the lead back to 52-45 going into the final period.

Unfortunately for Murrieta Valley, with a 54-48 lead Darius Butler picked up his 4^th personal foul forcing the Night Hawks leading scorer to the bench. With their crowd behind them Lawrence Chamberlain (17 points) scored on a jump shot from the wing before EJ Twyman scored the next 7-points for Elsinore on a dribble-drive, and two pull-up jump shots. Junior guard Allen Stubbs picked off a Night Hawk pass at mid-court and drove to the basket for a lay-up and when it was done the Tigers had outscored the Night Hawks 11-0 to take a 59-54 lead they would never relinquish.  Reid Shackleford finally shook free for an NBA-range 3-point shot to make it 62-59 for Elsinore but that was as close as Murrieta Valley would get. EJ Twyman completed a sensational all-around game by converting four free throws in the game’s closing minute to finish with 24 points as the Tigers outscored the Night Hawks 24-10 in the 4^th quarter.

Up next for Murrieta Valley will be a team from my old neighborhood as the Night Hawks will take on the Flintridge Prep Rebels in the Torrey Pines Tournament. Elsinore will head to the beautiful mountains surrounding Lake Arrowhead to participate in the Rim of the World Basketball Tournament.

Rich Sharp

The Grinch Who Stole LA's Christmas

You're a mean one, Mr. Stearn.

You really are a wimp.
You're as cuddly as a cactus,
You're as honest as a pimp.
Mr. Stearn.

Ladies & Gentlemen I present for you

Dan Gilbert & Mark Cuban’s talking, dancing Chimp!

You're a monster, Mr. Stearn.

Your heart's an empty hole.
Your brain is full of Mavericks,
You've got Celtics in your soul.
Mr. Stearn.

The City of LA would gladly hang you from a

thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole.

You're a vile one, Mr. Stearn.

We see Lucifer when you smile.
You have all the tender sweetness
Of a marauding pedophile.
Mr. Stearn.

Given the choice between the two of you

I'd take the marauding pedophile.

You're a foul one, Mr. Stearn.

You're a low-down filthy rat.
Your heart is cold and gray
Your soul is full of fat.
Mr. Stearn.

The three words that best describe you, are as follows, and I quote:

Weak, Wimp, … and well it’s Christmas time so I won’t use“that”!

You're a coward, Mr. Stearn.

You're the master of back-room plots.
You lie when it’s convenient but LA fans know…
Leopard’s … Don’t … Change … Spots,
Mr. Stearn.

Your soul is an apalling dump heap overflowing

with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable
rubbish imaginable,
Mangled up in tangled up knots.

You sicken me, Mr. Stearn.

With that stupid toothy gloss.
You're a crooked league honcho
And our anger will be your loss.
Mr. Stearn.

You're a gutless, weak-minded pathetic excuse for a league executive… And Mark Cuban is your Boss!

Merry Christmas Laker Fans!

Congratulations Vista Murrieta High School!

It’s a cold, rainy Monday in Murrieta California. The grey skies and cold temperatures seem a fitting match for the mood of Vista Murrieta Football fans disappointed over the decision by CIF Commissioners to overlook the Broncos Football team during Sunday’s State Bowl Selections. And while I’m equally mystified over the CIF decision to slight the Broncos I’m still excited over the weekend’s events that saw Vista Murrieta crowned as Inland Division Champions.

My family and I moved to Murrieta just three years ago after having spent our entire lives in the Los Angeles area and my oldest son graduated from Vista Murrieta this past Spring. My job allows me to work from home, which is a blessing as far as commuting is concerned, and a bane with regards to socializing. We have friends my wife and I have made in the local AYSO soccer league where my younger son plays but unfortunately we have few social interactions that don’t involve the “other” game of futbol. So what a pleasure it was to sit in the stands this season and follow the Broncos on their championship journey. Along the way it was my pleasure to meet the most passionate, knowledgeable, and friendly group of high school football fans I’ve ever encountered in my five years of covering high school sports. The Championship Game against Corona Centennial was the most exciting High School Football game I’ve ever seen and as Nick Stevens crossed the goal line with the winning touchdown my family celebrated with each other, and All the Vista Murrieta fans seated around us. It was a party in stands and all Bronco fans were invited. Thank you to everyone we met in the stands during this season, I’ll never forget the experience.

I wanted to extend a sincere thank you to Head Football Coach Coley Candaele and all his hard working staff as well as each and every member of the Broncos football team. As a former Los Angeles Rams and long-suffering UCLA Bruins fan, this was the first time I’ve had the pleasure of cheering a successful football team since Bill Clinton was President! I can’t let a gift like that go un-returned so this Vista Murrieta Football 2011-12 Video is a little video tribute to the Vista Murrieta Broncos for a remarkable season. Included are several video clips from what must be the best High School band in the nation.

Rich Sharp

Vista Murrieta Gets “BCS’d” Out of State Bowl Game

Inland Division Champion Vista Murrieta was passed over for a State Bowl invitation on Sunday afternoon in favor of Pac-5 Division Champion Santa Margarita. Coming off an exciting victory over Corona Centennial in Friday night’s Championship game, Vista Murrieta finished the season with a perfect 14-0 record on the field and a reasonable expectation to be selected as Southern California’s representative in next Friday’s Division I State Bowl Game. With 5 games forfeited due to using an ineligible player that the CIF has since cleared and reinstated “Don’t BCS the Broncos!” is the cry coming from deep in the heart of the Inland Empire. Instead, like their brethren that govern college football’s highest division, CIF Commissioners used something other than what occurred on the football field to determine the bowl bid.

No disrespect to Santa Margarita or the CIF Commissioners but an undefeated Inland Division Champion was clearly the choice for Southern California over the twice-beaten Eagles. Time and again this season Inland Division teams took on their counterparts from the Pac-5 and the Inland Division repeatedly flexed its gridiron power. Corona Centennial knocked off perennial Pac-5 powerhouse Mater Dei back on September 16th, and while I’ve heard from many that this was a down season for the Monarchs, that is the same Mater Dei team that defeated Santa Margarita later in the season! Mission Viejo felt the sting of the Inland Division when they fell at Redlands East Valley on October 7th. Mission Viejo owned a victory over the other Pac-5 finalist San Clemente and gave Santa Margarita everything they could handle before falling 21-20 in the semi-finals. Redlands East Valley had a great season that came to an end against Rancho Cucamonga in the Inland Division playoffs. The Cougars themselves had a fine season with just a single loss to Upland before falling against Corona Centennial in the semi-finals. Vista Murrieta hit the road and knocked off one of the Valley’s Pac-5 teams, Crespi on September 30th before finishing the season with consecutive victories in the playoffs over JW North (11-2), Upland (12-1), and Corona Centennial (12-2).

Credit goes to CIF Commissioner Ken Gunn who disputed the idea that the Broncos losses by forfeit played much of a role in the decision-making process during the hour-long Bowl Selection show on Time Warner’s “2011 CIF State Football” show at 3:00 p.m. Gunn’s straightforward statement that the CIF Commissioners knew of the Vista Murrieta forfeits but instead focused on the strength of schedule for Santa Margarita is a hard point to argue. Despite the two-losses, the Eagles schedule looks like something out of college football’s SEC West. Santa Margarita’s schedule included non-conference matchups against City Section finalist and always-dangerous Carson as well as a Tesoro team that would eventually knock #1 ranked Servite out of the playoffs. That was before playing a treacherous Trinity league schedule and then finishing with consecutive playoff wins against Long Beach Poly, Mission Viejo and San Clemente. Congratulations to Head Coach Harry Welch and the Santa Margarita Eagles on a fantastic season and good luck to them representing the South in next weekend’s Bowl game.

Next season, there will be one more round of playoffs, had that system been in place for this season it would have in all likelihood given Vista Murrieta another chance to qualify for their first State Bowl Game. The BCS … err CIF Commissioners may have gotten it wrong this season but Vista Murrieta still finished the year undefeated and Champions of the Inland Division for the first time in school history.

Rich Sharp

Vista Murrieta Takes Inland Division Championship in Thriller

Vista Murrieta dominated the action against visiting Corona Centennial in a thrilling Inland Division final only to look up at the scoreboard and find themselves trailing 28-27 with just a little over 3 minutes remaining on the game clock. Starting from their own 16-yard line the Broncos started the drive that would erase the memories of back-to-back Inland Division Championship game losses the previous two seasons. The Broncos converted two fourth downs on the drive including a key play when cagey quarterback Nick Stevens used a “hard-count” to perfection drawing Centennial defenders across the line of scrimmage on 4th and 3 from the Huskies 40-yard line. The ensuing 5-yard penalty gave Vista Murrieta a first down with about 30-seconds left in the game. Two plays later it was Stevens again, this time faking an interior hand-off and then exploiting a seam in the middle of the Huskies defense. The rangy 6’4 Junior broke free and weaved his way through the Centennial secondary evading a tackler at the 5-yard line and touching off an explosive celebration on the Murrieta side of the house as he broke the goal line. After a successful two-point conversion Vista Murrieta led 35-28 and when Bronco defenders dragged Romelo Goodman to the ground just a few seconds later Vista Murrieta had captured their first Inland Division Championship and completed a perfect 14-0 season.

In front of a sold out crowd that began arriving in the stadium at around 5:00 p.m. for the 8:07 kickoff the hometown Broncos got off to a quick start jumping ahead 10-0 in the first quarter behind a 31-yard field goal by Tyler Rausa and a 7-yd touchdown pass from Stevens to Su’a Cravens. Vista Murrieta’s defense was solid holding Centennial without a first down and throttling tailback Romelo Goodman on the Huskies first two possessions of the night. But senior quarterback Hayden Gavett got Centennial moving on their next drive using short passes to move the ball down the field. On the first play of the 2nd quarter Goodman plunged in from the 1-yard line, pulling the Huskies to within 10-7. It was one of two rushing touchdowns on the night for Romelo Goodman who finished the season with 44 TDs on the ground. Centennial forced the Broncos to punt on the ensuing possession and appeared to be building momentum when the Broncos Darion Williams intruded. On 4th down deep in Huskies territory the senior defensive back/wide receiver raced in from the end to block the punt and give Vista Murrieta possession at the Centennial 17-yard line. After a penalty for intentional grounding the Broncos converted on 3rd & 27 when Stevens found Williams for a 34-yard touchdown strike and a 17-7 Vista Murrieta advantage. Undaunted, Centennial came right back, taking just a little over 2 minutes the Huskies marched 71 yards in 7 plays with Hayden Gavett completing a 30-yard pass to flanker Isaac Crandall, Romelo Goodman tearing off a 20-yard run and Giles Guy-Williams hauling in a 16-yard touchdown pass to make the score 17-14 at halftime.

As they had a week ago on this same field against a previously undefeated Upland team, the Broncos came out to start the 2nd half and just smashed the ball straight through the heart of the Centennial defense moving 83 yards in 10 plays, consuming 6 minutes off the game clock. Senior offensive lineman Corey Whitaker, Sapule Ta’amilo, and Joshua Stucki dominated the battle at the line of scrimmage repeatedly opening holes for Stevens and senior tailback Aaron Pieucukonis. On 4th & 1 at the Centennial 16-yard line, Su’a Cravens took a pitch from Stevens and sprinted around the left end of the Huskies defense out-racing defenders to the corner of the end-zone for the only score of the 3rd quarter and a 24-14 Vista Murrieta lead. Tyler Rausa added a 45-yard field goal following a Darion Williams interception on Centennial’s first possession of the 4th quarter and with just a little over 10 minutes remaining Vista Murrieta appeared on the way to the championship with a 27-14 lead. But with their defense reeling and their crowd silent the Huskies offense responded with two impressive 4th quarter drives to take the lead. Romelo Goodman, who had been held largely in check for most of the evening suddenly flashed his brilliance slicing through the Broncos defense for a 57-yard touchdown run trimming the lead to 6 points.

Centennial’s defense held on their next possession forcing a punt and giving the ball back to Hayden Gavett and the offense. In front of a now-nervous Murrieta crowd the Huskies started at their own 25-yard line and drove the ball 75-yards in 11 plays. With just 3:24 left in the game, Gavett found Giles Guy-Williams on a quick slant route for a 21-yard touchdown strike and Centennial’s first lead of the game at 28-27. Stifling crowd noise from a packed house at Vista Murrieta turned eerily quiet. The Inland Division Title that had eluded Vista Murrieta’s grasp the last two seasons suddenly appeared in jeopardy after a night of blue & gold domination on the field and the strain showed in the faces of the fans.

Starting inside their own 20-yard line Stevens and the Broncos began the drive that delivered the elusive Inland Division Championship to Vista Murrieta High School. Along the way, diminutive senior wide receiver Bradley Trujillo reeled-in a pass thrown behind him on 4th down to preserve the Bronco’s season. The hometown Murrieta crowd, parents and students alike (bloggers too!) went crazy as Stevens crossed the goal line, a celebration that was repeated just moments later when the final whistle sounded and Vista Murrieta was crowned Champion.

Congratulations to Head Coach Matt Logan and the Corona Centennial Huskies for another outstanding season.

Congratulations to Vista Murrieta Head Coach Coley Candaele and all the Broncos for winning their first Inland Division Championship! Now it’s up to the CIF Commissioners to determine if the Broncos overall body of work on the season qualifies Vista Murrieta for a State Bowl game next weekend.

After a perfect 14-0 season on the football field … It Should!


Rich Sharp