I KNOW IT’S been a while since I’ve chimed but forgive me as I’ve been battling the flu for almost two weeks. I’m still pretty bad but I will come through because it’s playoffs time. Oh and because I like having my story being the most viewed story in OCVarsity and fourth-most viewed story in sports last week.

I have just submitted my Web-only playoffs analysis and predictions. It’s being edited as I write this and it’ll be up on the Website very soon so be sure to look for that.

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I KNOW, I know, I know … Where the heck have I been you’re asking. To be honest, I think I just needed to take a few days off.

Anybody notice there was no byline of mine in Saturday’s paper? Well, I’m back and have burned my fingers on this nifty company laptop and wrote my playoffs analysis and predictions of Friday’s first round.

You can find them by clicking on the link below (the playoffs analysis did not run in the paper, only on the Web for my Internet freeks). (more…)

NO LOST LOVE between Servite and Santa Margarita fans.  But I will not add any more fuel to the fire.

 Last Friday I said I would describe in detail what each coach said to me and another reporter after the game. But I have decided not to do that because what’s the point? Everything that needed to be said and read already appeared in the paper last Saturday. There also was Steve Fryer’s column.

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THERE’S MORE TO say about how things turned out after Servite’s 1-0 victory against Santa Margarita on Friday, but you’ll have to check back Saturday afternoon to get the scoop because I’m headed out right now.

I just submitted my story to my editors and it’ll be on the Web soon and in print in Saturday’s edition. Lots was said between Santa Margarita coach Curt Bauer and Servite coach Mike Lussier and I’ll have all the details about their verbal jabs in my blog on Saturday. It’s only fair both sides get heard.

If I had more space I would have every quote in the paper, but of course we don’t have that much space. Thankfully there is no space limit online so I’ll bring you all the action on Saturday.

Thanks for reading.

MIGUEL A. MELENDEZ/The Register

mmelendez@ocregister.com

 p.s. Had a cheeseburger at Servite High during halftime. Delicious =)p

FULLERTON SOCCER FANS wanted to know why I was ignoring the Indians after their 6-0 start. Really, they wanted to know. I got an e-mail from one fan on Dec. 12 at 8:41 a.m. And now that I think about it, I don’t remember ever reading that e-mail, but I must have read it since it’s marked as “read”.

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…BUT I WON’T get into it tonight. I will write my Second Half blog on Saturday so be sure to check back then. I have to be somewhere in about 20 minutes.

I just filed my story for Saturday’s paper. I covered the Los Alamitos-Esperanza match. I included Garden Grove, Kennedy, Fullerton and Foothill among others in my story as well so be sure to look for that.

I will chime in on your comments posted in my last blog tomorrow.

Have a good weekend.

MIGUEL A. MELENDEZ/The Register

mmelendez@ocregister.com

FROM WESTWOOD TO Aliso Viejo is about a 100-mile drive. That’s one way. It felt like more, but when I finally arrived at Aliso Niguel High, I saw a very unique setup.

 The Aliso Niguel-San Clemente match was slated for 5:30 p.m. and as I was walking into the stadium, the teams were being announced. It was a very nice set up. The only other school I know that does something like this is Esperanza.

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AS PROMISED, I made plans to attend the Fullerton-La Habra match. I couldn’t believe I remembered how to get there since I hadn’t been there since last year and did not bother to find directions. That’s how I roll.

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THERE ARE 10 comments in my Halftime blog. Fullerton and Servite fans are going at it, and that’s fine with me as long as it’s all clean fun.

There was a comment from a Santa Margarita parent attacking my credibility.

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I DON’T KNOW about you but where I come from those are what we’d call fighting words.

At first, it was Fullerton fans bringing it to me through e-mails and comments on my blog, asking how it was possible the Indians at 12-1-1 are not ranked in the top-10 poll.

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