1st LEVEL: VISTA MURRIETA: The Broncos have taken their place back at the top the league after a coaching change. However, the resurgence might have more to do with the coaching change at MV then at Vista. (See Below) Expect to see Vista continue to dominate in the league in the upcoming years as Temecula talent that has been leaving there district for better programs further north realize there is a top program closer to home. Especially now that Candaele Ave connects the 215 freeway to the north end of Temecula’s district on 79.
A new crop of transfers will be all set to come in after the break to compliment some very talented returning players such as Coleman, Wagstaff and Honore. The Bronco coaching staff is again the top coaching staff in the area with assistants that could be head coaches at any other school in the league. Petterson should have been the choice the first time around to keep the quality assistants on board.
2nd LEVEL: Murrieta Valley: With the exit of their behind the scenes puppet master MV quickly fell from the top spot. As expected without Duffy, the team did not reach the heights of the past 2 season. With the exception of Spiker and Palmer the Nighthawks were better than previous years at almost every position. Duffy on the other hand took Rancho Verde to the CIF finals.
Expect to see the gap between MV and Vista continue to grow. However, MV will be barely challenged by the Temecula Schools who have not beaten Vista or MV in over 5 years.
EVERYONE ELSE LEVEL:
Murrieta Mesa: Still the little brother of the district, Mesa could have widened the gap with the TVUSD schools when they dismantled Chaparral and Great Oak. But again a TVUSD school was able to beat the smallest brother when Mesa fell to TV. Mesa is still the only Murrieta school that gives TVUSD any hope in the league each year.
It will take quite a few more years before Mesa can consistently compete with the 2 bigger brothers in the district. However, with a very young and talented offensive backfield Rams should be able to finally separate themselves from the TVUSD schools. The question is: how long will the administration give Turner if he can’t separate his program from the schools in TVUSD and sweep them all next year?
Chaparral: Looks can be deceiving. A 7-3 record would make many feel the Pumas are doing well. However, 5-0 in the pre-season against very soft opponents such as Victor Valley, Poly and Hemet do not prepare you for the gauntlet of the SWL. The two semi challenging games Chaparral played in non league came against 2 teams with losing records this season. Any SWL school playing non league opponents from div 9 and lower is in for a very rude awakening come league time. Once you see the charade that was 7-3 you realize the record does not prove an inexperienced, young, head coach is the next up and comer. In reality, their performance versus Vista and Murrieta Valley show he is in way over his head. Expect to see this program slide to the bottom of the league in the next few years. They are losing all their top play makers after this year which will quicken the fall.
Temecula Valley: Again looks are deceiving and Temecula Valley’s trip to the DIV 8 play-offs is not anything to really get excited about. The team should have never finished 0-10 last season so the 5-5 turn around this season is not as impressive. Especially when they stop playing schools like Santiago to play West Valley. The Bears do have some great players in the trenches coming back on defense, but the team’s success relied completely on Gibbs. Without him in the future they will look a lot like the team that was completely blown out and out coached by Paloma Valley when Gibbs was hurt.
Great Oak: The fall was fast and hard. The only consistently competitive team from TVUSD over the past 7 years dropped completely off the map this season. Great Oak’s fall from grace is what now moves Mesa to the upper half of the league. The next coach will have his work cut out for him.
A new crop of transfers will be all set to come in after the break to compliment some very talented returning players such as Coleman, Wagstaff and Honore. The Bronco coaching staff is again the top coaching staff in the area with assistants that could be head coaches at any other school in the league. Petterson should have been the choice the first time around to keep the quality assistants on board.
2nd LEVEL: Murrieta Valley: With the exit of their behind the scenes puppet master MV quickly fell from the top spot. As expected without Duffy, the team did not reach the heights of the past 2 season. With the exception of Spiker and Palmer the Nighthawks were better than previous years at almost every position. Duffy on the other hand took Rancho Verde to the CIF finals.
Expect to see the gap between MV and Vista continue to grow. However, MV will be barely challenged by the Temecula Schools who have not beaten Vista or MV in over 5 years.
EVERYONE ELSE LEVEL:
Murrieta Mesa: Still the little brother of the district, Mesa could have widened the gap with the TVUSD schools when they dismantled Chaparral and Great Oak. But again a TVUSD school was able to beat the smallest brother when Mesa fell to TV. Mesa is still the only Murrieta school that gives TVUSD any hope in the league each year.
It will take quite a few more years before Mesa can consistently compete with the 2 bigger brothers in the district. However, with a very young and talented offensive backfield Rams should be able to finally separate themselves from the TVUSD schools. The question is: how long will the administration give Turner if he can’t separate his program from the schools in TVUSD and sweep them all next year?
Chaparral: Looks can be deceiving. A 7-3 record would make many feel the Pumas are doing well. However, 5-0 in the pre-season against very soft opponents such as Victor Valley, Poly and Hemet do not prepare you for the gauntlet of the SWL. The two semi challenging games Chaparral played in non league came against 2 teams with losing records this season. Any SWL school playing non league opponents from div 9 and lower is in for a very rude awakening come league time. Once you see the charade that was 7-3 you realize the record does not prove an inexperienced, young, head coach is the next up and comer. In reality, their performance versus Vista and Murrieta Valley show he is in way over his head. Expect to see this program slide to the bottom of the league in the next few years. They are losing all their top play makers after this year which will quicken the fall.
Temecula Valley: Again looks are deceiving and Temecula Valley’s trip to the DIV 8 play-offs is not anything to really get excited about. The team should have never finished 0-10 last season so the 5-5 turn around this season is not as impressive. Especially when they stop playing schools like Santiago to play West Valley. The Bears do have some great players in the trenches coming back on defense, but the team’s success relied completely on Gibbs. Without him in the future they will look a lot like the team that was completely blown out and out coached by Paloma Valley when Gibbs was hurt.
Great Oak: The fall was fast and hard. The only consistently competitive team from TVUSD over the past 7 years dropped completely off the map this season. Great Oak’s fall from grace is what now moves Mesa to the upper half of the league. The next coach will have his work cut out for him.
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