The view from the insider

Varsity Times Insider is The Times’ newest blog and a source for observations, news and game coverage. It has been up and running since the season’s start and can be found at latimes.com/highschool.

Here are some excerpts we like to call “Best of the Blog”:

FROM THE CITY SECTION

After watching Los Angeles Jordan’s receivers whiz past his secondary and its smaller-but-quicker defense blunt his power running game at crucial times, L.A. Garfield Coach Lorenzo Hernandez came to this conclusion:

The Jordan Bulldogs (6-3, 5-0), who hung a 42-22 defeat on his Bulldogs (6-2, 3-1) on Friday to win at least a share of the Eastern League championship, may have a bigger bite than people realize.

“Athletically, they are phenomenal, a great group of skill guys,” he said. “They can make some noise in the City playoffs because of the caliber of athletes they’ve got.”

-- Mike Terry

FROM ORANGE COUNTY

It’s Thursday night, and maybe I wouldn’t have been able to watch Placentia El Dorado at Orange El Modena play football. Maybe it really is uncomfortable, breathing in the particulate matter floating from the Santiago Canyon fire.

Maybe I couldn’t be anywhere in Orange County on this night. Maybe the air is still too charred to breathe while trying to play, or even watch, a football game for 2 1/2 hours. And that’s OK. If it’s bad, it’s bad. But don’t tell me Thursday morning that I’m not going to be able to breathe that air Friday night. Or Saturday night.

Don’t prevent me from rescheduling tonight’s game for Saturday. Don’t put me in a position to have to play Monday or Tuesday, and then come back and play another game before the week is out. . . .

Don’t throw out common sense because you want to penalize everyone under the guise of protection instead of protecting just those who need it.

-- Martin Henderson

FROM LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Kevin Leslie, linebackers coach for the Long Beach Millikan freshman team, wasn’t with the team for its game [Friday] against Compton. He had been a little preoccupied with his other job all week.

A firefighter with the Long Beach Fire Department, Leslie was called into work [Oct. 22] to be available to serve wherever needed.

“I haven’t seen him all week. He’s kind of busy,” said varsity Coach Kirk Diego, who did not know which fire Leslie was called to work. “Those are the real heroes. You talk about service to others, that’s it.”

-- Lauren Peterson

FROM THE INLAND EMPIRE

It was fun to watch two gifted quarterbacks go head to head last night. It wasn’t quite Matt Scott vs. Matt Barkley, but Josh Nunes of Upland and Richard Brehaut of Rancho Cucamonga Los Osos put on quite a show in the 24-21 victory by Los Osos.

Brehaut, the less-heralded of the two juniors, actually outplayed Nunes, completing 18 of 27 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown, and rushing for 173 yards and another score.

Nunes was sharp, however, completing 16 of 25 passes for 281 yards. Nunes played without his sidekick, starting running back and second-leading receiver Tim Hanson, who was out with a knee injury.

“Probably the best in this area, if not the whole area,” Los Osos Coach Tom Martinez said of Brehaut and Nunes.

-- Dan Arritt

FROM SAN FERNANDO VALLEY/NORTH

Does it surprise anyone Saugus running back Ryan Zirbel had 363 yards and five touchdowns in 25 carries to push the Centurions to a 70-27 Foothill League victory over Golden Valley? Well, it shouldn’t because the boys on Centurion Way might be the best team in the Santa Clarita Valley.

-- Austin Knoblauch

FROM THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

After losing to Westlake Village Oaks Christian and L.A. Franklin to start the year, Pasadena Muir (6-2) has been on an impressive six-game winning streak, crushing its opponents in the process. Its game against Arcadia (7-1) [last] week was no different. A key to the Mustangs’ 50-28 victory was limiting potent running back Troy Amhaz to 76 yards rushing. The two could meet again in the playoffs.

Willie Youngblood, who punished the Arcadia defense for 259 yards in 25 carries, told the Pasadena Star News the secret to his team’s turnaround: “Even though we’re still winning, we still have to fight like we’re losing.”

-- Jaime Cardenas