La Cañada High football looks to rebound with nearly identical schedule

Football: Spartans hope to improve to .500 and above after 2-8 year against same teams they played in 2012.

July 27, 2013|By Andrew Shortall, andrew.shortall@latimes.com

La Canada High School football coach James Sims keeps… (Raul Roa / Staff…)

Schedule-wise, the La Cañada High football team's 2013 season is nearly the exact same as the one before.

Second-year Spartans Coach James Sims hopes to see big changes from the team, though. They'll play the same 10 opponents from 2012 with the only changes being the home-and-away shifts and shuffling the order of the Rio Hondo League schedule.

"I am sure people will see a much better La Cañada football team because we've had a full year working with them now," said Sims, who's made changes to the passing game and in the weight room to prepare for the new year.

While the Spartans enjoyed some home cooking last year, they'll take to the road in their first two games and three of their first four in 2013.

That may not be a bad thing.

Sims would rather play Alhambra, Glendale and Eagle Rock on the road and host Crescenta Valley and Arroyo, which is how things have shaken out for the upcoming year.

"Out of our first five games that we play, those are the two lightest teams, not easy but lightest," Sims said of the Moors and Nitros. "I think that will be better for us this year, because we'll have the tougher teams at home. We'll see how it works out for us."

Following a preseason scrimmage with Sotomayor, La Cañada will open 2013 at Alhambra at 7 p.m. on Sept. 6. The Spartans got off on the right foot with a 17-7 win over the Moors last year, but lost their next eight games before finishing at 2-8.

The losing streak started with a 21-3 home loss to Glendale, which is where La Cañada will play at 7 p.m. Sept. 13. Sims felt his team overlooked the Nitros last year and is determined to not make that mistake again with any team.

"We have to go out every game and play every game like we're playing Monrovia or San Marino," Sims said. "We're not in any position at 2-8 to take anybody for granted."

La Cañada will face Pacific League opponents back to back when it hosts its home opener and the fourth annual Gordy Warnock Memorial Game with nearby rival Crescenta Valley at 7 p.m. Sept. 20.

The Falcons have defeated La Cañada the past six years in a row, including last year's 48-21 blowout. The Spartans last topped CV in 2006 and haven't played their rival tough since a 38-34 loss in 2010. Sims hopes to make the game competitive again.

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