September 2006 Archives
That's how many yards J.J. Diluigi's got after busting a 38-yard touchdown run to put this game out of reach, 49-32
School officials are trying to figure out if a new school record is being established.
Upon closer receiver Jeff McKinley rushed for 333 yards back in 1996.
You can chill, Jeff. It looks like your record's safe.
For another week, at least
There sure is a lot of scoring going on. Ryan Griffin just threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game, and his thid to Kevin Pillar to pull Chaminade within 42-32. Canyon keeps moving ahead, but the Eagles keep coming back.
Unfortunately they're running out of time, and J.J. Diluigi is still running strong (and killing clock) while piling up 235 on 29 carries.
There's 3:35 remaining in the fourth quarter, Canyon is facing a third and six.
Heading into the fourth quarter.
I keep thinking Canyon should be winning by more, but between the interception return TD and some untimely penalties Chaminade keeps sticking around.
This whole game has been sort of weird. The atmosphere is sort or laidback, which is very unlike Canyon. Typically fans here are rocking pretty loud. Buy tonight they're very subdued.
It's had a carry over effect on the field. Canyon is the better team, but for whatever reason the Cowboys can't seem to sustain the type of intensity needed to put this game out of reach.
They're in control. But the grip isn't that tight.
Thankfully for Canyon J.J. Diluigi came to play. He's got 187 yards right now.
And it would be a lot closer if Chaminade could convert an extra point.
As it is, the Eagles have missed three _ two kicks and a pass _ and trail 28-18.
If they coverted their PAT's they'd be within seven points.
It just shows how important the kicking game is.
It's an aspect people tend to overlook, but if Chaminade loses by three points you can't dispute the kicking game played the biggest part in the loss.
But there's still more than five minutes to play in the third, and the entire fourth quarter.
Word now from officials is that Chaminade actually arrived around 6:20 p.m. or so, and warmed up on a secondary field below the stadium. The start time was delayed by the officials arriving late after getting caught in traffic.
Canyon just extended the lead to 28-12 on 13-yard run by J.J. DiLugi, who now has 110 yards on the night.
Looks like Chaminade got the cobwebs out.
The Eagles just closed to 21-12 on a spectacular 80-yard interception return for a touchdown by Aubrey Smith. Canyon was driving late in the first half, but quarterback Ben Longshore floated a pass into coverage and Smith made him pay big time.
Smith is a good-looking player, a big, strong, fast safety who has no problem rocking opposing ball carriers and receivers.
And on this play it was his speed that jumped out. As soon as he intercepted the pass he gathered himself, got to the sideline, then shifted into a gear no one else on the field had. He crusied into the end zone for a big, big touchdown.
The Eagles are having all sorts of problems kicking the ball _ hence the two missed PAT's.
But they're back in the game, and they've got two quarters
A number of Pac-10 schools are showing interest.
You know how on a fourth-and-short the offense lines up and the quarterback starts barking out signals and gesturing with his hands trying to get the defense to jump off side?
It never works, right?
This time it did. As a result Chaminade got a first down, and now the Eagles are driving at the Canyon 20-yard line.
Not looking good for Chaminade, at all.
And that's too bad.
What intrigued me about this game was the chance for Chaminade to knock off a respected opponent. The Eagles were 3-0 heading into this game, and some wondered how accurate that record really was. In other words, is Chaminade really that good?
That's what I was hoping to find out.
The problem is I may not get the answer.
According to a Canyon official the Chaminade team bus rolled into Canyon at 7:15 or so. The team literally jumped off the bus, threw on their uniforms and marched up to the field.
I don't care how good or talented you are, that is no way to go into a football game.
And it's obvious by the way the Eagles are playing _ or not playing _ they weren't ready to start the game.
Especially against a team as good as Canyon.
Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking Canyon at all. The Cowboys were my pick in this game because I think they're the better team.
However, I'm not sure they'd be 21-0 better barely into the second quarter under normal circumstances.
Finally.
A fire between the 14 and 5 near Newhall Pass really threatened to mess things up tonight. School officials were contemplating suspending the the game around 2 p.m. because of heavy smoke in the area, but decided to greenlight the game later in the afternoon.
The biggest problem was the traffic from the San Fernando Valley to the Santa Clarita Valley. The Chaminade team buses showed up much later than usual, and their warm-up time was severely shortened. It will be interesting to see what affect that has on the game.
It certainly didn't help the Eagles first drive _ a three and out that stalled at their own 20-yard line.
Canyon is on the move at the Eagles 17.
There is a weird vibe throughout the stadioum. First off, there's hardly anybody on the Chaminade side _ no doubt the result of heavy traffic. But the late start and the rush job Chaminade made to get game ready has really thrown things out of whack.
On the field and off it.
From team buses to referees to the J.V. game, today has been one big delay.
And we have a brush fire to blame.
As a result, a highly anticipated game scheduled to begin at 7 p.m still hasn't started.
According to Canyon official the Chaminade team bus was late showing up to the game. In addition, a couple of referees still haven't arrived, although they're expected to show up any minute.
Boys' basketball standout Garrett Green, a 6-foot-8 forward from Taft High in Woodland Hills, has verbally committed to LSU, according to scout.com. After a solid performance thias past summer, Green chose LSU over Oregon and Arizona State.
It’s official: there is now an offshore gambling Web site which will take bets on high school football games.
On a Jamaica-based site, thegreek.com, last week’s Oaks Christian of Westlake Village vs. St. Bonaventure of Ventura game was listed as a gambling line. The Lions, who were listed as 3 ½ point favorites, defeated St. Bonaventure 59-13 Friday night in a match-up of nationally-ranked teams.
The site, which limits high school bets to a maximum of 200 dollars, also offers a proposition bet based on whether or not Oaks Christian quarterback Jimmy Clausen will win a Heisman trophy in his Notre Dame career.
The site offers no more high school lines for September, but will include eight games in October, including the Oct. 7 match-up between De La Salle of Concord and Mission Viejo.
Got a call from David Goosen today, wanting to clear the air over why he decided to step down as Reseda boys basketball coach. He's been getting a ton of calls with wild rumors about his decision and wanted to end the speculation.
``My wife and I just had a child and I wanted to spend more time at home, being a father,'' he said.
Keith Higgins is replacing Goosen as head coach. He'll be pulling double duty as both the boys' and girls' coach.
Here's Taft High of Woodland Hills football coach Troy Starr's assessment of Oaks Christian of Westlake Village's 59-13 dismantling of St. Bonaventure of Ventura Friday night:
"Nobody can stop Oaks Christian and that running back they have. They're the real deal. They're the best team in the nation, and I can't even begin to think there's another running back on the same level as Marc Tyler. To do that to St. Bonaventure is unbelievable. There's not a high school defense in the country that can stop him."
Couldn't agree more, Mr. Starr.
This Thursday's first half prediction:
Oaks Christian 38, Venice 3
Chatsworth High senior third baseman Matt Dominguez hit a three-run home run for the second game in a row Monday to propel the USA Baseball Junior National Team to an 8-2 victory over Mexico, securing a berth in Wednesday’s gold medal game of the International Baseball Federation AAA World Junior Baseball Championships in Cuba.
The U.S., which has won five consecutive games since opening the tournament with back-to-back losses, will play for the title against the winner of Tuesday’s semifinal between Canada and Korea.
Dominguez’s home run in the first inning put the U.S. ahead for good against Mexico. He had two hits in the game, giving him four hits and six RBIs in the past two games. Fellow Chatsworth standout Mike Moustakas scored two runs.
“We were going to score a lot of runs so I just started things … it was just a matter of time,� Dominguez said. “After starting the tournament 0-2, we got a little anxious about making the gold-medal game. But we defeated two pretty good teams in the past two days to get here. I am looking forward to the game. I think it will be exciting.�
Dominguez and Moustakas were pivotal in a 4-0 quarterfinal upset of Cuba. Dominguez broke a scoreless tie with a three-run homer in the seventh inning. Moustakas, playing left field, robbed Cuba of a potential two-run home run by leaping high above the outfield wall to snag a drive in the third inning. He also went 3 for 4 and scored two runs.
Campbell Hall senior Justin Holiday has verbally committed to Washington. The 6-foot-6 small forward committed Sunday after visiting UW this weekend.
Holiday also had offers from Arizona State, USC, Texas Tech and SMU.
You've got to give a lot of credit to Oaks Christian offensive coordinator Mark Bates, who helped develop the pro-style spread offense that racked up 600 yards and 59 points on a St. Bonaventure defense that had yielded 20 points in its first three games.
Some of the Lions plays were so well designed --particularly the misdirection on running plays-- it would make an NFL coordinator start taking notes. And Bates, who coached at LA Baptist for 10 years before coming to Oaks, is the architect.
``It's easy when the guys exceute as well as they did,'' Bates said, modestly. ``Jimmy's calling 1/2 of the plays himself too.''
You've got to give a lot of credit to Oaks Christian offensive coordinator Mark Bates, who helped develop the pro-style spread offense that racked up 600 yards and 59 points on a St. Bonaventure defense that had yielded 20 points in its first three games.
Some of the Lions plays were so well designed --particularly the misdirection on running plays-- it would make an NFL coordinator start taking notes. And Bates, who coached at LA Baptist for 10 years before coming to Oaks, is the architect.
``It's easy when the guys exceute as well as they did,'' Bates said, modestly. ``Jimmy's calling 1/2 of the plays himself too.''
Not much more to say about this one. Here's a parting shot: I feel sorry for Oaks' next opponents. May God have mercy on them ....
Quite a night for Marc Tyler. He just scored his fifth TD on a 1-yard run, and he's up to 271 yards on 22 carries ... Simply an amazing display.
BTW, his dad, Wendell, took a hard hit on the sidelines. He rose right back up but a few minutes later admitted he was "still sore." The elder Tyler planned to ice down after the game.
Michael Lee's 13-yard TD run toward the end of the third quarter have made things a bit more respectable. we'll see if Oaks keeps scoring ....
Just as I hit send on that last blog post, Tyler reeled off a 25-yard TD run. He has 247 yards and four TDs in 13 carries. Ramona asked him at halftime if he was working a full night tonight, and he said yes. Let's see how much longer he stays in ...
Oaks drove but fumbled the ball away to open the third, and after stopping Bonnie on fourth down near the Oaks goal line, Oaks is driving again. Tyler has 222 yards and three TDs in 12 carries. Clausen has completed 14 of 23 for 211 yards and two TDs.
Quite literally. Devin Fiscalini, 13, an eighth-grader at Oaks Christian, is among a large contingent who've temporarily died their hair cardinal red, the main school color.
"I don't know much about football but I wanted to show some school spirit," Fiscalini said. "My parents think it's pretty funny."
Another quick, impressive drive for Oaks, which has amassed 349 yards and leads 38-7. Tyler has 147 yards and three TDs in nine carries .... No one is going to stop this kid. He's a legitimate prep superstar.
Well, St. Bonnie is going to have a very difficult time keeping this respectable, as Tyler just scored on a 73-yard TD run, juking several tackles ... and he looks like he's not finished yet, either. Very businesslike and determined young man. So it's 31-7 with three minutes left in the second, and the Oaks "overrated" talk has officially ended ....
Steven Vernardi kicks a 30-yard FG, lead back to 17 ... BTW, Clausen is 10 of 17 for 143 yards and two TDs, and Tyler has 69 yards in seven carries ...
Well, you don't win 98 out of 101 games without some toughness. St. Bonnie just scored on Patrick Hall's 38-yard reception, and now it's 21-7, Oaks early in the second quarter. Stay tuned ...
End of the first quarter, 21 points for Oaks. St. Bonnie's three previous opponents scored a combined 20 ...
It's not a matter of when St. Bonnie will stop Oaks ... but IF. Seven plays, 68 yards, 40-yard TD pass Christopher Owusu. 21-zip, and as my esteemed collegue Ramona Shelburne has pointed out, it's only the first quarter ...
This time Oaks drives 91 yards in 96 seconds, culminating with a 13-yard TD run by Tyler, who also had a 25-yard run during the drive. Two point conversion good, 14-0 Oaks, and this thing is getting out of hand ...
Nervous little opponent? Not so far. After holding St. Bonnie to three-and-out, Oaks uses a 24-yard punt return by Chris Potter, followed by a five-play, 41-touchdown drive. Clausen passed 15 yards to Sean Wiser for the TD, and that was that ... PAT failed, muffed play.
Former NFL great Wendell Tyler, father of Oaks' star RB Marc Tyler, works as an Oaks assistant, and among his duties is to deliver a pregame speech.
The elder Tyler pulled out all the stops tonight.
"I just told them the truth: Great teams win big games. Great teams play with confidence. Great teams don't make mistakes under pressure," Tyler said. "Then I told them: 'The question is, are you a great team?'"
At that moment, Tyler peeled off his shirt to reveal a St. Bonaventure t-shirt underneath, and the Oaks players ripped it off his body and head out the locker-room door.
Potter, whose son, Chris, is an Oaks startring receiver, admitted feeling a bit of deja vu as the teams warmed up. Thirty-six years ago, as quarterback for Granada Hills High, he was the focal point of the San fernando Valley's biggest ever game (still to this date) in the 1970 City Championship against rival San Fernando before a crowd of 18,000 at Birmingham High.
"I told Christopher that tonight he can start a new legacy," Potter said.
BTW, the younger Potter, a junior who was a star QB in Pop Warner but happens to play for the same team as Jimmy Clausen, has been offered a scholarship -- as a receiver -- by Oregon State and Troy State. So I guess it's not nine DI-bound players at Oaks, it's TEN.
There are a lot of reasons so many folks are interested in tonight's showdown. For me, what makes things especially intriguing is "the great unknown." I don't care how many DI-bound superstars play for Oaks Christian, the cold, hard fact is they've never beaten a truly great team -- never scheduled one, it should be pointed out -- so tonight is the measuring stick, the Litmus test, the tell-all.
Everyone says St. Bonnie has everything to lose, and Oaks has nothing to lose. No way. Oaks has everything to lose, specifically credibility, if the boys don't win, or at the minimum put up a good fight. St. Bonnie has more than proven itself. If they lose, oh well, a bad game. Get 'em next week. For Oaks, which returns to a small-school schedule, there IS no tommorow -- not even another section title will quiet the skeptics if Clausen and Co. don't measure up tonight.
How weird, really. Oaks, ranked higher than St. Bonnie in most polls, is the underdog and the favorite all at the same time.
Plus, all the pregame hype -- or most of it, anyway -- proclaims the key for St. Bonnie is put pressure on Oaks' QB Jimmy Clausen, a great talent who hasn't beaten anyone ... yet. We'll see if this Lion has the heart of one or not tonight. If he comes through dramatically, he's a hero. If he doesn't, he'll take the blame ... and rightfully so. That's the way it is when you're a star quarterback. Deal.
Well, this game is officially ON, no worry about ambient smoke, ashes, etc. It's 90 minutes before kickoff, and the place is PACKED ... not a seat in this house.
"It's an amazing crowd. I've never seen a JV crowd this big," said Thom Simmons, a Southern Section media rep who helped to organize media credentials. "We have 112 media requests, and there were only 78 for the De La Salle-Long Beach Poly game a few years back. For a CIF standpoint, it's always gratifying to have this kind of attention for any event, and football is the biggest thing on the block. It's a real treat for these kids because they're getting first-class treatment. What a great event."
Well, this game is officially ON, no worry about ambient smoke, ashes, etc. It's 90 minutes before kickoff, and the place is PACKED ... not a seat in this house.
"It's an amazing crowd. I've never seen a JV crowd this big," said Thom Simmons, a Southern Section media rep who helped to organize media credentials. "We have 112 media requests, and there were only 78 for the De La Salle-Long Beach Poly game a few years back. For a CIF standpoint, it's always gratifying to have this kind of attention for any event, and football is the biggest thing on the block. It's a real treat for these kids because they're getting first-class treatment. What a great event."
There are a lot of reasons so many folks are interested in tonight's showdown. For me, what makes things especially intriguing is "the great unknown." I don't care how many DI-bound superstars play for Oaks Christian, the cold, hard fact is they've never beaten a truly great team -- never scheduled one, it should be pointed out -- so tonight is the measuring stick, the Litmus test, the tell-all.
Everyone says St. Bonnie has everything to lose, and Oaks has nothing to lose. No way. Oaks has everything to lose, specifically credibility, if the boys don't win, or at the minimum put up a good fight. St. Bonnie has more than proven itself. If they lose, oh well, a bad game. Get 'em next week. For Oaks, which returns to a small-school schedule, there IS no tommorow -- not even another section title will quiet the skeptics if Clausen and Co. don't measure up tonight.
How weird, really. Oaks, ranked higher than St. Bonnie in most polls, is the underdog and the favorite all at the same time.
Plus, all the pregame hype -- or most of it, anyway -- proclaims the key for St. Bonnie is put pressure on Oaks' QB Jimmy Clausen, a great talent who hasn't beaten anyone ... yet. We'll see if this Lion has the heart of one or not tonight. If he comes through dramatically, he's a hero. If he doesn't, he'll take the blame ... and rightfully so. That's the way it is when you're a star quarterback. Deal.
Well, this game is officially ON, no worry about ambient smoke, ashes, etc. It's 90 minutes before kickoff, and the place is PACKED ... not a seat in this house.
"It's an amazing crowd. I've never seen a JV crowd this big," said Thom Simmons, a Southern Section media rep who helped to organize media credentials. "We have 112 media requests, and there were only 78 for the De La Salle-Long Beach Poly game a few years back. For a CIF standpoint, it's always gratifying to have this kind of attention for any event, and football is the biggest thing on the block. It's a real treat for these kids because they're getting first-class treatment. What a great event."
Spoke with St. Bonaventure coach Jon Mack about 1230 today and he said the game was still on.
``If it's up to me, we'll be playing,'' Mack said.
The implication being, it may not be up to him. The game officials have the right to cancel the game if they feel condidions are too unhealthy.
However, Mack said the weather in Ventura was good and he expected it to stay that way until game time.
Right now, I'd say there's a 98 percent chance the game is on.
The final word on today's showdown between St. Bonaventure and Oaks Christian will belong to Mother Nature.
Firefighters are scrambling to surrond the Day fire which has burned more than 107,685 acres of brush and timber in the Los Padres National Forest before Santa Ana winds pick up Friday afternoon.
The fire has burned since Labor Day but is still only 39 percent contained and fire officials anticipate that the Santa Ana winds would push the blaze to the southwest, perhaps toward Ojai 10 miles to the west or Santa Paula, six miles to the south.
If that happens smoke from the fire will blow towards Ventura and could create unhealthy air conditions. This is a big game, but nobody is going to allow high school athletes to play in unhealthy conditions.
The blaze was sluggish Thursday, thanks to cool weather and light winds. But the Santa Ana winds are expected to kick up by Friday afternoon.
Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Check back in the morning for an update.
I don't think I'm going out on too long of a limb to suggest that the JV game before Friday's Oaks-St. Bonaventure game will be one of the biggest crowds ever to watch a JV game in area history.
Fans are being advised to arrive at Ventura High several hours before the 7 p.m. kickoff, meaning they'll be in their seats for most of the JV game!
Expect all 8,000 seats at Larrabee Stadium to be filled. In fact, the crowd is expected to be so large, the schools have told their JV and freshman players that they'll need a ticket to attend the varsity game. Normally, showing up with a just-used jersey is enough to gurantee admission, but this is no ordinary game....
And this week's picks are:
1. Oaks Christian of Westlake Village
Has nearly a dozen guys bound for Division I.
2. St. Bonaventure of Ventura
Doesn't know meaning of rebuilding year.
3. Oakland Raiders
Would have tough time scoring on Lions or Seraphs.
Former Rams and 49ers star running back Wendell Tyler has been in
plenty of big games in his career, but none since he retired in 1986.
You'd hardly know it's been 20 years if you saw him on the sidelines
this week at Oaks Christian.
``I'm so excited, I'm ready to put a uniform on,'' Tyler said of the
Lions' showdown with St. Bonaventure of Ventura on Friday.
Tyler is the father of Oaks Christian's leading rusher, USC-commit
Marc Tyler, and a volunteer parent in the program. One of his main
duties is to give the team a motivational speech before each game.
``I've already got this week's speech done,'' he said. ``I can't wait.''
Keith Higgins is going to be pulling double duty at Reseda High this year. After a successful five-year run as the girls' basketball coach, the school has asked Higgins (a former Cal State Northridge star) to coach the boys' basketball team. [ep
Higgins is 70-32 in five seasons as coach of the girls' team. The Regents were a perennial cellar dweller before Higgins arrived, but have made the playoffs in five of the last six seasons. Last year, they went 19-7, the most wins in 20 years at the school. [ep
Higgins said his assistant coach Ramon Zuniga would coach the girls' team in games where he isn't able to coach both teams. [ep
You'd have to be living under a rock not to have heard of Friday night's showdown between Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure, the two teams with the longest winning streak in the state.
As important as that game is to Oaks Christian and its players, there's a game Thrusday night that might be more so. Calabasas hosts Channel Islands at 7 p.m. in what represents the Coyotes best chance of the season to end their 35-game losing streak, the longest active streak in the state. Channel Islands is 2-11 over the last two seasons.
Calabasas nearly got the monkey off its back in Zero Week, with a 14-13 loss to El Camino Real. This week, they've got another shot. But if it doesn't happen Thursday, it could be another winless season for the Coyotes with Marmonte League play starting next week.
Continue reading The other big game.
You'd have to be living under a rock not to have heard of Friday night's showdown between Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure, the two teams with the longest winning streak in the state.
As important as that game is to Oaks Christian and its players, there's a game Thrusday night that might be more so. Calabasas hosts Channel Islands at 7 p.m. in what represents the Coyotes best chance of the season to end their 35-game losing streak, the longest active streak in the state. Channel Islands is 2-11 over the last two seasons.
Calabasas nearly got the monkey off its back in Zero Week, with a 14-13 loss to El Camino Real. This week, they've got another shot. But if it doesn't happen Thursday, it could be another winless season for the Coyotes with Marmonte League play starting next week.
Continue reading The other big game.
With all the hype about the showdown between Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure Friday night, another good game might be overlooked.
Birmingham visits Notre Dame in what perhaps is Friday's best match up in the San Fernando Valley.
Notre Dame comes into the game undefeated (2-0) and might start Shane Horton at quarterback. That's because starter Dayne Crist injured his back against Canyon of Canyon Country two weeks ago.
Crist's status is day-to-day. The senior quarterback did not practice Tuesday. Knight's coach Kevin Rooney said Crist will be evaluated again Wednesday.
No matter who is the QB for Notre Dame, this should be a good game.
The Patriots (1-2) will try to make it two wins in a row.
The Thousand Oaks Big League team, which won Little League's 18-under Big League World Series this summer, is scheduled to be honored by the Dodgers in a pregame ceremony before tonight's game. The Angels recognized the champs before a game last week.
With the Dodgers playing the Pirates tonight, the Thousand Oaks players get a chance to see T.O. alum Jack Wilson. The Pirates shortstop spent his Little League days being coached by Ed Kitchen, one of the coaches of the Big League team.
That's how much two tickets to the Oaks Christian-St. Bonaventure football game went for today on eBay! Original cost of the tickets: $7 a piece. For those dying to go to the game who don't have tickets yet, expect to spend a pretty penny. Several more sets of tickets are available on eBay and are well over $30.
With all the pregame hoopla, I was expecting to find a madhouse at Oaks Christian's practice this afternoonm, especially after my conversation with coach Bill Redell this afternoon. Redell is always great with the media, he returns calls quickly and isn't afraid of any question. Today though, our conversation was short ... out of necessity. I could hear his other line ringing off the hook ever 10 seconds.
When I got to the field though, it wasn't bad. Including myself, there were three print reporters and one local television crew. Redell has made a point of spreading the press coverage around --especially this week-- so he made Casey Matthews, Anthony Gildon and Brad Freeman available to the media. All were pretty candid about the importance of the game.
``This is definitely the biggest game in Oaks Christian's history,'' Gildon said. ``It's all about pride for us.''
``We've had this game circled since we scheduled it last year,'' Matthews said.
Freeman even acknowledged that public sentiment about the game might be a bit negative for the two elite private schools.
``I don't think anyone wants us to win,'' he joked. ``Actually, I don't think anyone wants either of us to win. People are calling this the hate bowl.''
And it's only Monday ...
Got an email from one of our best veteran stringers, Shawn Clingan, who was particularly impressed with Burroughs of Burbank RB Joe Wiggan.
``I have been a stringer for about nine years and have covered DI to D13. Not sure he has the pure speed to play at a high DI in college, but Joe Wiggan from John Burroughs of Burbank is an excellent back, just one of those rare guys that always seems to hit the hole extremely quick, falls forward when
hit, breaks an amazing amount of tackles and makes people miss. He had 34 carries for 237 yards in the game I covered last night (vs. Harvard-Westlake) and played many plays on defense.''
It was 1961, the first “upside-down� year since 1881 – i.e., one that reads the same upside down – in an era that today feels like a world away: a flamboyant young president named John F. Kennedy was inaugurated; a burgeoning business called ABC worked its way into the televison business; and a war began in far-off country called Vietnam.
A McDonalds hamburger cost 23 cents. Eddie Murphy, George Clooney and Dennis Rodman were born.
And a thin, gutsy teenager named Harry Welch was finding his way into the football world as a quarterback for Crespi High in Encino, a sleepy suburb with no buildings taller than two stories along Ventura Boulevard.
It’s been 45 years, and for Welch, now a 61-year-old head football coach at Canyon, the memories come rushing back when asked to take part in an Al Bundy-style retrospective of what high school football was like for the Santa Clarita area’s current head coaches.
“I was mediocre. Second-string at everything. A skinny, slow, uncordinated utility man,� Welch said.
Somehow, Welch worked his way from center to quarterback by the time the Southern Section playoffs began, and he’ll be in the Crespi history books forever as the first to throw a touchdown pass in the playoffs.
“I know 1961 seems like ancient history, but yes, I do remember it,� Welch said. “It was a cold daytime game at Mammoth High. Our slot receiver, Pat Breaux -- god rest his soul because he’s no longer with us -- was open on a post pattern, and I hit him.�
There was snow on the ground that afternoon, but the rest of the details are a bit fuzzy. Welch remembers for sure not being bothered by the cold weather.
“I didn’t care about pain. I didn’t care about temperature. All I wanted to do was play football,� he said.
Such passionate memories of their high school football days are a common thread among today’s coaches.
Perhaps such passion is what has kept our coaches so involved in the sport. At least that’s a reasonable theory on why a group of otherwise rational men would dedicate their lives to high school football and the players who play the game -- instead of more sensible pursuits that pay a lot more money and allow time for activities other than eating and sleeping.
The issue of why coaches coach is open for debate, and there might be different reasons for everyone. One thing for sure is they all loved the game even though some were better than others.
Oh, the memories.
Mike Herrington, an 18-year coach at alma mater Hart, was an average offensive lineman on an average team during his senior year in 1975. But what an ending Herrington enjoyed in his final game.
“We were playing Canyon in our last game -- neither of us made the playoffs that year -- and our coach, Dennis Wendt, called a tackle-eligible pass play and I scored a touchdown,� Herrington said. “I fumbled just I crossed the goal line but the referee ruled I made it the end zone. I remember the play. I think the ground caused the fumble. But, yes, I scored, and we won 38-29.�
Saugus coach Jason Bornn was an undersized but fanatical defensive lineman at Village Christian of Sun Valley as a senior in 1988.
“Our biggest rival was Montclair Prep, and we beat them in my last two years, and those were huge upsets back then,� Bornn said. “In those days, everyone was just so intimidated by Montclair Prep because there were always allegations of recruitment, and they always had a group of Division I-bound players. They had a great running back named Michael Jones in 1988, and it was amazing that we beat them, 23-21.�
Bornn will never forget the hit he put on Montclair quarterback Keyaan Cook that night.
“Cook came around on a bootleg, I had a clear shot at him, and I hit him so hard that snot came out of my nose,� Bornn said.
Golden Valley coach Steve Pinkston, who played quarterback at Simi Valley in the 1980s, will never forget a 28-24 upset victory over then-power Quartz Hill during his senior year in 1984.
“No one expected us to touch Quartz Hill that night becauase they had Aaron Emanuel, who was the top running back in the country,� Pinkston said. “I was 3 of 6 for 150 yards – with three touchdowns.�
Garrick Moss, who coaches at eight-man program Santa Clarita Christian, played defensive back in the early 1990s at Camarillo, which back then was part of the Marmonte League when the Marmonte League was in its prime.
“I remember during my senior year ‘92, we played Glendale in the first round of the playoffs, and everyone from the Daily News and the L.A. Times were picking Glendale because they were 10-0 and had Pathon Rucker, who was an all-everything running back,� Moss said. “One of my teammates, Brian Vellmure, took the opening kickoff for a touchdown, and we ended up winning 33-0. That was the highlight because the next week we were pounded pretty good by Capistrano Valley, who won the title that year. I probably weighed 170 and definitely had to use my quickness and smarts in those days against guys like Leodis Van Buren from Newbury Park, who was a great receiver, or some 220-pound running back coming around the corner.�
One hit Moss remembers is the one he put on former Royal of Simi Valley quaterback Ryan Fien, who later played at UCLA. Or was it the hit Fien put on Moss?
“We went head to head. He was a big kid, and it was one of the hardest hits I’ve taken, but he had the football and he’s the one who went down,� Moss said.
Valencia coach Larry Muir, an all-league linebacker in 1985 at Alemany of Mission Hills, still savors a victory over league rival Loyola of Los Angeles, which didn’t lose many games back then – or in today’s era, for that matter.
“We won 24-21. I will never forget that score,� Muir said.
These were different times, different places, different faces. Perhaps high school footbal hasn’t changed as much as we think it has through the years, or perhaps it has.
Most of today’s coaches don’t see as many similarities as you’d think.
For sure, modern players are bigger in terms of height and weight. Nearly everyone agrees about that.
“Today the kids are in better condition and so much stronger, faster and athletic,� Welch said. “Me? These days, I couldn’t even start for Canyon’s JV team.�
Bigger, faster, more athletic, yes. But what about the size of the heart? The passion for the game? The dedication of mind, body and soul? That’s a different story.
Mike Kane, who coaches at West Ranch and was a league MVP as a running back at St. Francis of La Canada in 1982, believes young athletes have changed through the years.
“I just think there’s a lot more to do nowadays,� he said. “Maybe football isn’t the live-all and end-all anymore that we thought it was back then.�
Pinkston agreed.
“I think today there’s a lot more worries about getting scholarships and things like that,� Pinkston said. “It seems like high school football is more of business. In my days, it was about enjoying the game.�
Youngsters today are more diverse and have a lot more recreational choices. For a lot of these coaches, when they were in high school there were no computers or internet, video games, cell phones, etc. And fewer sports, too, as soccer hadn’t caught on, and surfing was something associated with Hawaii.
“There are other things to do now, more distractions, more opportunites to pursue other things besides just football or other sports,� Herrington said. “The guys now are real focused just like we were, but they have to be a little more disciplined to stay focused only on football. Back then, it was just a different mentality.�
Kane said he’s borrowed more than just the training methods he learned from his coach at St. Francis, Brian Fogerty.
“As a coach, I’ve tried to model myself after him,� Kane said. “I really loved high school football and really enjoyed playing it. As a coach, I just hope my kids have the same experience I had.�
For some, or perhaps all of the coaches, high school football changed their lives. For Bornn, a troubled youth who grew up with an absent father, football (((ITAL start))) gave (((INTAL end))) him a life.
Bornn embraced his coach at Village Christian, Mike Plaisance, as the father he never had. And the friendships and connections Bornn made at Village Christian have lasted a lifetime.
“I still talk to my ex-teammates all the time, including Jeff Cortez, who coaches at Lancaster,� Bornn said. “Another moved to Seattle but we still talk on the phone – I just hung up with him. I think playing high school football gave me a sense of purpose and direction and taught me to work hard and never give up. As for the game itself, maybe that hasn’t changed. We still teach fundamentals. But when I played the game, oh, it was like nothing else I’ve ever done.�
Gerry Gittelson’s column appears in the Daily News three times a week. He can be reached at (661) 257-5218 or gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com.
Wow, $66 so far, and you can bet the price will rise A LOT by the time the auction ends:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Oaks-Christian-vs-Saint-Bonaventure-Sept-22-2006_W0QQitemZ320027379896QQihZ011QQcategoryZ16122QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
A lot of people are billing next week's Oaks Christian - St. Bonaventure game as a showdown between talent and experience, with Oaks Christian being the talented team, St. Bonnaventure being the experienced team.
That's underestimating St. Bonny a little bit, don't you think?
Last night, Canyon coach Harry Welch called the Seraphs the most talented high school team he'd seen in 30 years of coaching. St. Bonny has all the ingredients of a dominant high school football team: 300-pound linemen, a dominant running back (Michael Lee) and stingy defense (the 14 points Canyon score in the first half last night were more than St. Bonny had allowed in its first two games!).
Perhaps most importantly though, St. Bonny is battle-tested, having beaten the best teams in the area week in and week out. Oaks Christian, admittedly, hasn't faced a top-notch opponent, well, ever.
What happens if they fall behind? How will Oaks respond if St. Bonny shuts down it's running game?
The Seraphs have been in situations like this many times. Oaks hasn't. Not to say they won't respond well. It's just an unknown.
I posed the question to one of the most respected coaches in the area this morning, Jeff Engilman. What would you rather have, the talent or the experience?
Engilman didn't hesitate: The talent.
I'm sure there are differing opinions out there ... which should make for a very interesting week.
I'll check back in tommorrow with a first look at some head-to-head matchups. In the meantime, feel free to ask any questions you might have or share your thoughts on the game.
I'm not sure what was more surprising.
1. The way Birmingham controlled the line of scrimmage and pounded Valencia with its ball control running game over the final two quarters.
Or:
2. The way Birmingham's defense pitched a shutout against a great Valencia offense in the second half.
Keep in mind Valencia scored 94 points over its first two games _ against quality opponents Centennial of Corona and Bishop Amat of La Puente. That makes the zero the Patriots threw in the second half extraodinarily impressive.
They did it by manhandling the Vikings upfront, and blanketing their wide receivers in the defensive backfield.
All in all, pretty impressive.
This is the type of building block win Birmingham desperately needed after dropping its first two games. The Patriots continue their difficult schedule next week against Notre Dame, but they definitely take come major momentum into the game.
Valencia has some work ahead, specifically giving quarterback Graham Wilbert more time to throw and most definitely shoring up a defense that hasn't played well at all this year.
The Vikings still have time to get things squared away, but they need to at least show some improvement next week. Of course, they play highly regarded Lutheran of Orange, so it won't be easy.
Ed Croson deserves some major credit with his play calling.
Despite the Vikings' crowding the line of scrimmage with eight men, Croson had confidence that his linemen _ with a huge assist from tight end Mychal Rivera _ could win the battle up front.
And boy have they in the second half, Rivera in particular with his devastating blocks.
The result: Two long touchdown drives to take a 35-21 lead with seven minutes left in the game. Each scoring march was keyed by the ground game, as the Patriots continually pounded the Vikings with runs.
Meanwhile, Birmingham's defense has simply shut the Vikings down. The key is the Patriots athletic ability along the defensive line and in the backfield.
As a result, Graham Wilbert doesn't have much time to throw, and when he does his guys have been covered.
He's only caught two passes so far for Birmingham, but this guy's been an unsung hero in the Patriots running game with his fierce blocking.
He was a key on the Patriots' touchdown drive to take a 28-21 lead late in the third quarter, creating running lanes for Milton Knox and Lavell Gunn with a handful of tremendous seal blocks. Gunn ended up scoring the go-ahead touchdown on 6-yard run.
You gotta love those guys that go about a thankless job with the kind of pride Rivera is showing.
I guess it helps that he's 6-4, 218 pounds.
Meanwhile, the Birmingham defense is stepping up big time with three sacks over the last seven pass attempts and an interception by Willie Chandler.
And it didn't take long, either.
Not even two minutes into the second half Knox busted through the middle of the Valencia defense for a 45-yard touchdown run to make it 21-21.
But here is something weird. Birmingham's touchdown was aided greatly by Valencia's decision to attempt on onside kick to begin the second half. Birmingham got the ball at midfield as a result.
So what does Birmingham do after tying the game on Knox's touchdown? Try an onside kick. Valencia got the ball at their 49-yard line.
But to show you how much I know, Birmingham proceeded to push the Vikings back 20 yards on a stuffed run and a sack, forcing the Vikings to punt.
Good players always find a way to pick each other up. It's a key component common to good teams.
Valencia wide receiver Nicholas Hale dropped a key pass, and his Vikings' teammates told him, ''No worries. We got your back, buddy."
They just drove the length of the field to take back control of the game, 21-14, on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Graham Wilbert to Sean Mulligan.
By the way, it's 15 minutes shy of 9 p.m. and the first half just ended.
With four minutes left in the first half the Vikings faced fourth and three at the Birmingham 25-yard line. Rather than attempting a field goal, the Vikings went for it.
Unfortunately their perfectly executed pass play went kaput when Nicholas Hale inexplicably took his eye off the ball for a millisecond, resulting in a dropped ball. Hale would have scored easily. Instead Birmingham took over on downs.
You probably can guess the rest.
Yup, three plays later Birmingham quarterback James Beloff found a streaking Jake Granitz on a gorgeous 75-yard touchdown pass straight up the Patriots sideline. We're tied 14-14 with 3:19 left in the half.
Hale has nothing to be ashamed of. Mistakes happens. By the way, he's already got five catches for 89 yards.
First of all, the guy is a like a 5-foot-8, 200-pound walking muscle. And he doesn't so much run the ball as he barrels down the field with it. And pity the fool who gets in his way, because Knox is stout and powerful enough to run over people.
He's just a heck of a football player.
Oh by the way, he just busted a 20-yard touchdown run, busting through about six different Valencia defenders along the way. The Vikings lead 14-7 midway through the second quarter.
You'd think after Valencia lost prolific quarterback Michael Herrick to Mississippi the Vikings would be hurting a little at QB this year.
Not so fast, my friend.
Meet Graham Wlbert, a 6-5, 190-pound gunslinger whose dismissed any worries about losing Herrick about as quickly as one of this rocket-armed passes reaches a wide receiver.
Wilbert's made a mockery of his first eight-and-a-half quarters as Valencia's new starter by threading 10 touchdowns passes, including a pretty 22-yarder to Virgil Hill to give the Vikings a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Wilbert's a junior, and he looks like a keeper.
OK, before you start wondering about Birmingham coach Ed Croson's sanity for putting the Patriots through such a rough schedule to start the season, understand he's actually on solid ground on this one.
Croson's been doing it ever since he showed up at Birmingham seven years ago. The Patriots ended up winning City Section championships two of those seasons and four times they won West Valley League titles.
See, Croson understands the concept of it's now how you start, but how you finish. He also understands it does you no good playing patsies early in the season if you expect to compete for championships at the end of the year.
So he schedules the best teams he can find to start the season, gladly trading any potential lumps for the experience his players will gain in the process.
You have to respect that.
If you have late dinner plans, you might want to think about making them a little bit later.
The way Valencia moves up and down the field offensively _ and gets pushed around defensively _ this one might take awhile. The Vikings have scored 94 points in their first two games, a ridiculously impressive number when you get right down to it.
But they've also surrendered 83.
Yikes!
If these guys can figure out a way to stop someone, they might be on to something special.
As it is, they're 1-1.
Birmingham is 0-2 after losing to Crespi and Long Beach Poly. After tonight's game they play Notre Dame, Dorsey and Taft.
That means every single team Birmingham plays over its first six games has a legitimate chance to win a championship this year.
That being said, I challenge anyone to produce a tougher schedule in the region than the one Birminham coach Ed Croson has put together for his Patriots.
If someone can top Birmingham's schedule, I'll take them to lunch at Sisley's Italian Kitchen in Sherman Oaks.
Good luck.
Elite-level professional softball arrives today in the Antelope Valley.
The Pro Fastpitch X-Treme Tour features six former Team USA Olympic gold medalists and amateur divisions who'll participate in the three-day event at Palmdale's Marie Kerr Park and Lancaster City Park.
The PFX's most high-profile stars include three-time gold medalist pitcher Lisa Fernandez and second baseman Dot Richardson, a two-time gold medalist.
Outfielders Laura Berg and Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo High), catcher Stacey Nuveman, second baseman Lovie Jung and utility player Tairia Flowers are former Olympic gold medalists too.
The professional teams' first game is scheduled for tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Marie Kerr Park, following a 6:30 opening ceremony. The park is on Rancho Vista Boulevard at 30th Street West.
An autograph session will immediately follow Saturday's 2:30 p.m. game at Marie Kerr Park.
The event will feature an instructional clinic today at 4 p.m., and a talent showcase college coaches will attend on Saturday at 8 a.m. Both the clinic and the college showcase will be at Marie Kerr Park).
The amateur players will compete in three-day age-specific divisional tournaments starting today at Lancaster City Park's Big 8 softball complex.
"What I really like about (the PFX) is that anybody can come out and watch," Mendoza said. "The Team USA and Olympic games are really structured, and this is so much more interactive. Someone can come out and see Lisa Fernandez and watch her pitch and then get her autograph."
Registration for clinics and amateur tournament participation is closed, but tickets are available for both professional games. Admission is $5 per entry, with ticket packages available.
For more information, contact the PFX at (352) 516-4254, or log on to its Web site: www.pfxtour.com.
--Gideon Rubin
Chatsworth High senior infielders Mike Moustakas and Matt Dominguez have made the final cut for the USA Baseball Junior National Team. The 18-player roster was announced Thursday night after a doubleheader that concluded a week of team trials in Georgia.
Moustakas, who holds Chatsworth's single-season home run record and shares the Chancellors' career home run record with Dominguez, hit three home runs in seven games during the trials. In a change of pace from his time with Chatsworth, where he stars as a shortstop, Moustakas has been playing a lot of first base and was also used as a catcher and pitcher. Dominguez has remained in his familiar spot at third base.
The team is scheduled to practice today then leave Saturday for Cuba, where it will participate in the International Baseball Federation's AAA World Championships beginning Sunday.
Much of the cross country talk in the Santa Clarita Valley this year is bound to focus on defending state Div. I champion Shannon Murakami and her Saugus girls - ranked No. 1 in the area by the Daily News.
But another intriguing story will be how Foothill League freshman standouts Amber Murakami and Bailey Miller match up once league competition begins.
Murakami - Shannon's younger sister - finished fourth place overall and first in the freshman division Sept. 7 at the three-mile Seaside Invitational in Ventura, while Miller (West Ranch of Stevenson Ranch) took first place Wednesday at the three-mile Crescenta Valley Multi-Team Meet in La Crescenta.
Although Murakami beat Miller by more than a minute when they met at Seaside, this could be the beginning of a truly great local rivalry.
kevin.connelly@dailynews.com
CANYON COUNTRY – Mike Loucks is just 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, but the Canyon High “designated hitter� never worries about getting overpowered. He’s too busy overpowering the other guys, thanks to his hit-first-ask-questions-later football approach.
“That’s just the way I’ve always been because I’ve always been smaller than everyone else out there,� Loucks said. “My thinking is you hit them harder than they hit you, and they’ll get the worst of it. It’s been working very well for me. I just try to stay away from the offensive linemen.�
Loucks and his teammates are looking for an edge Friday, as host Canyon (1-1) takes on state power St. Bonaventure (2-0) of Ventura. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
“Mike puts his whole body on the line,� teammate J.J. DiLuigi said. “He’s like a bullet. He doesn’t care how big you are because he’s going right through you. He’s also a great wide receiver. He does a lot.�
Hard-nosed coach Harry Welch loves Loucks’ fiery enthusiasm. The senior is just the kind of player that fits into the “Cowboy Football� type that Welch always talks about.
“Mike Loucks isn’t one of those pseudo fired-up guys who’s just enjoying the moment,� Welch said. “He’s an unsung star because he’s fearless.�
Middle linebacker Blake McMartin is the leader of the defense – and also one of Loucks’ best friends – and McMartin believes Canyon would not be the same without its prized defensive back.
“Mike is the man,� McMartin said. “He hits really hard, and he’s just a good team player. He gives 110 percent every time.�
Loucks is coming on as a receiver, too. He had three receptions for 50 yards in a one-point loss to Notre Dame last week after totaling 12 receptions for 279 yards (23.5 avg.) and three touchdowns as a junior, helping Canyon to the Southern Section Div. II championship.
It’s no surprise Loucks is such a versatile athlete. His sister, Nini, was a top Canyon soccer player who’s now playing for USC on a full scholarship. His father, Michael Sr., was a two-way starter in football for Cleveland High in Reseda.
“Things are going pretty well,� Loucks said. “We’ve been practicing hard this week trying to prepare for St. Bonaventure. The coaches have done a good job, and I think we’ll be ready.�
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
(661) 257-5218
Matt Diaz, a 261-pound Valencia High returning defensive lineman who is the football team's biggest player, has been cleared for Friday's game against Birmingham after missing the first two games because of a shoulder injury.
The first round of nominations for the Army All-American Bowl came out today. This is just a preliminary list. The 400 nominees released today will be paired down to 80 for the January 6, 2007 game in San Antonio.
31 of the nominees were from Southern California. Here's the full list of the SoCal kids, with local players up first. One interesting note: Only four of the nine D-I caliber players from Oaks Christian made the list. This tends to happen when there's so much talent concentrated at one school. It's just unfortunate for the players outside the big three (Clausen, Tyler and Jones) who get left out for that reason.
Locals:
Malachi Lewis, RB, Rio Mesa HS, Tonio Celotto, DT, Royal HS, Simi Valley; Samson Szakascy, QB, Camarillo HS, Camarillo; D.J. Holt, LB, Crespi HS, Encino; Jimmy Clausen, QB, Oaks Christian, Westlake Village; Marshall Jones, S, Oaks Christian, Westlake Village; Duke Lemmens, DE, Oaks Christian, Westlake Village; Marc Tyler, RB, Oaks Christian, Westlake Village; Charlie Carmichael, OL, Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks; Sam DeMartinis, OL, Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks; Malcolm Smith, LB, Taft, Woodland Hills
Other SoCal:
Kenny Rowe, DE, Polytechnic HS, Long Beach; Donovan Warren, CB, Polytechnic HS, Long Beach; Brandon Johnson, RB, Dominguez HS, Compton; David Ross, CB, Dominguez HS, Compton; Zion Babb, WR, Alhambra HS, Alhambra; Aaron Harris, RB, Baldwin Park HS, Baldwin Park; Chris Gallipo, LB, Servite HS, Anaheim; Martin Coleman, OL, Edison HS, Huntington Beach; Aaron Corp, QB, Lutheran HS, Orange; Michael Reardon, DE, Lutheran HS, Orange; Oxnard; Blaine Irby, TE, St. Bonaventure, Ventura; Michael Williams, S, St. Bonaventure, Ventura; Anthony Boyles, WR, Serra HS, Gardena; DaJohn Harris, DT, Serra HS, Gardena; Apiata Tuihalamaka, DE, Serra HS, Gardena; Mitchell Schwartz, OL, Palisades HS, Palisades; Raymond Carter, RB, Crenshaw, Los Angeles; Brian Price, DT, Crenshaw, Los Angeles; Akeem Ayers, DE, Verbum Dei, Los Angeles; Antwoine Baker, CB, Jordan, Los Angeles
Cut from the active roster, Washington Redskins practice squad RB Manuel White, formerly of Valencia High and UCLA, had knee surgery this week and was placed on the practice squad-injured reserve list.
A fourth-round pick two years ago, White missed all of last season because of a broken leg.
There is a local sports publication that has gone out of its way this year to insist the Oaks Christian of Westlake Village football team is overrated:
In other news: Michael Jordan stinks, Babe Ruth can't hit a curveball, and Muhammad Ali has a weak chin.
NEWHALL - Perhaps it has taken some time for Bo Cooper to figure out where he fits in the world, but the intimidating 6-foot-3, 300-pounder with a Mohawk and tattoos all over his body has found his calling as a professional wrestler.
A former high school wrestler who lives in Santa Clarita, Cooper admits he has had his brushes with the law and has done more than his share of partying and carousing during his younger years. But he has dedicated his mind, body and soul - especially his aching body - to being the next Hulk Hogan or The Rock.
Cooper is well on his way to stardom, too, working through the ranks on the independent pro wrestling circuit. He's the world champion of local outfit Battle Ground Pro Wrestling, successfully defending his belt during a wildly entertaining performance at a packed event Saturday at the local American Legion Hall.
It's tough working your way on the indy circuit, which is one reason Cooper has the words "paid dues" tattooed across his knuckles.
The matches may be staged but there's nothing fake about the pain, and two days after being smashed through a table following his victory at the Battle Ground match, Cooper said his ribs were still killing him and that he could barely move.
No big deal.
"The show must go on," Cooper said. "That was a real table with a metal frame. In the wrestling business, that's called `taking a big bump.' We don't always do that, but this time we had to make a point to set up the next match on Oct. 14."
Through the years, Cooper, 26, has come back from a broken hip, broken ribs, several separated shoulder injuries and, at last count, four concussions. He's been in the ring with such former international stars as Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, The Honky Tonk Man and Tony Atlas.
Cooper hopes one day to make it into the spotlight himself, so he keeps pushing forward as a main event wrestler in small venues, earning a hundred dollars or so wherever someone is willing to set up a wrestling ring.
It's not an easy way to make a living, but Cooper is a survivor.
"I used to be just a punk kid and did all the drugs and stupid stuff early on. Not any more," Cooper said. "I'm still hoping for that big break, and if that opportunity ever comes, I'll take it."
Cooper has a growing legion of fans who follow him wherever he wrestles, and young children flock for autographs after
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events.
"We love him. He's amazing," said Kristin Uhley, a 22-year-old from Simi Valley who joined fellow Cooper fans Karen Urquhart, 23, John Poleno, 29, and Poleno's son, Austin, 6, at the Battle Ground event.
"I'm here to support Bo. I've seen him three times," Urquhart said.
Cooper was in fine form Saturday, taking a huge swig of beer from a fan as he entered the ring before doing a number on challenger Joey "The Technical Wizard" Ryan. A melee developed after Cooper pinned Ryan, as several bad-guy wrestlers entered the ring and smashed him through the table, and the crowd went wild.
"I love it. I've been going to see live wrestling since I was kid," said Dave Sanders, a 49-year old purchasing agent who also works part time as a musician. "There's some great talent at the indie level, and if you're at the right place at the right time you can make it to the WWE like John Cena, who started out doing local shows in Orange County. Wrestling has a real cult following."
There are more than a few wannabes in this business, but Cooper has an edge because he's got the image, combined with surprising athleticism for such a large man.
He is also realistic.
"You just can't expect to get rich in this business. That's not the way it works," he said.
Battle Ground promoter Jason Bennett backs Cooper 100 percent, and Bennett believes there isn't a better headliner on the indie circuit.
"The crowd just goes crazy for him, especially in Newhall," Bennett said. "He's a legitimate 300 pounds and he's just so agile for his size. This town loves professional wrestling, and it's Bo Cooper's home town."
Gerry Gittelson's column appears in the Daily News three times a week. He can be reached at (661) 257-5218 or gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com.
Oaks Christian's 33-game winning streak is now tops in the state after Central Catholic of Modesto lost 22-14 to Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa on Friday night, ending Central Catholic's 61-game winning streak.
Central Catholic's streak was the second-longest in state history. No. 1? Well, that's pretty much untouchable. Concord De La Salle won 151 from 1992-2003.
Wow! Just got back from Moorpark's 42-24 victory over Hart where junior Darrell Scott put up some unbelievable numbers. 36 carries, 246 yards, 4 TDs. the kid is the real deal. I've been lucky enough to see almost all of the high-profile running backs in the area over the last few years --Marlon Lucky, C.J. Gable, Marc Tyler, J.J. DiLuigi -- and Scott is right up there with all of them. You'll see this guy playing on Saturdays ... maybe even Sundays someday. He's big (200 pounds), strong and fast (10.8 seconds in the 100) and plays RB like a linebacker. And with a massive offensive line to run behind, 2,000 yards isn't out of the question this year.
His best run of the night though, was a 5-yard gain. Scott is also Moorpark's punter. He's good at that too, averaging about 45 yards and punt with great hangtime on his lefty kicks. But on his second punt of the night, he fumbled the snap.
Three Hart defenders closed in on him, ready to drop him for a 15 yard loss. Scott wasn't having it. he scooped the ball up, broke about five tacklers, hurdled another, cut across the field and gained five yards from the line of scrimmage, nearly getting the first down.
Down the hall in the press box, I heard Moorpark's normally serious offensive coordinator John Kidder exclaim, ``Oh my gosh! What was that!''
That ... was Darrell Scott. Appropriately nicknamed ``The Franchise'' by his teammates.
Wow! Just got back from Moorpark's 42-24 victory over Hart where junior Darrell Scott put up some unbelievable numbers. 36 carries, 246 yards, 4 TDs. the kid is the real deal. I've been lucky enough to see almost all of the high-profile running backs in the area over the last few years --Marlon Lucky, C.J. Gable, Marc Tyler, J.J. DiLuigi -- and Scott is right up there with all of them. You'll see this guy playing on Saturdays ... maybe even Sundays someday. He's big (200 pounds), strong and fast (10.8 seconds in the 100) and plays RB like a linebacker. And with a massive offensive line to run behind, 2,000 yards isn't out of the question this year.
His best run of the night though, was a 5-yard gain. Scott is also Moorpark's punter. He's good at that too, averaging about 45 yards and punt with great hangtime on his lefty kicks. But on his second punt of the night, he fumbled the snap.
Three Hart defenders closed in on him, ready to drop him for a 15 yard loss. Scott wasn't having it. he scooped the ball up, broke about five tacklers, hurdled another, cut across the field and gained five yards from the line of scrimmage, nearly getting the first down.
Down the hall in the press box, I heard Moorpark's normally serious offensive coordinator John Kidder exclaim, ``Oh my gosh! What was that!''
That ... was Darrell Scott. Appropriately nicknamed ``The Franchise'' by his teammates.
This place suddenly got real quiet. At least on the Canyon side of the field. Over on the Notre Dame side it's Christmas and New Year's rolled into one.
And why not?
The Knights just gutted out a huge win on the road against the defending Southern Section Division II champions.
Dominguez who?
Canyon has nothing to be ashamed about. They lost by one point to a team that will likely win its Division championship.
Tonight's loss will sting for a little while, but all the Cowboys goals are still in front of them. I wouldn't be surprised if they returned to the Division II title game.
All in all a GREAT game.
Crsit to Stanton 35 yard touchdown pass. Notre Dame went for two, and Canyon was called for a P.I. in the end zone. On the next play Crist connected with Stanton to take an 18-17 lead with 1:03 left.
Notre Dame pushed Canyon into a fourth-and-25 at their own 35-yard line then committed personal foul by running into the punter.
That gave Canyon at automatic first down. They face a third and 15 at the Notre Dame 33-yard line.
I'm not going out on any limb here, but I've seen Notre Dame close out these kinds of games too many times not to think the Knights have a serious chance to steal a win right here.
Their M.O. in these sort of games is to keep things close, covert two or three big plays and figure out a way to pull it out.
The fact they always have a strong kicking game gives them a huge advantage, too.
Just as I wrote this, Notre Dame just sacked Ben Longshore on fourth and nine, and takes over at the 50-yard line.
The Knights drove 70 yards for a touchdown on the opening drive of the half. For long-time Notre Dame observers it was a typically efficient drive in which the Knights mixed runs and throws to keep Canyon off balance.
To make matters worse for Canyon, Notre Dame just stopped the Cowboys at their 44-yard line on a fake punt. Notre Dame has to go less that 50 yards to tie it up
It brings up a couple key point. This game goes beyond the actual playing field. This is a matchup of two of the best coaches in the region. Canyon's Harry Welch and Notre Dame's Kevin Rooney are as good as it gets, and the game-with-in the game is the fascinating battle of wits between the two legends.
Rooney made some obvious adjustments at halftime, resulting in the touchdown drive to draw to 17-10.
Now it's Harry's turn.
Stay tuned.
A few thoughts with Canyon leading 17-3 at halftime.
1. I've never seen Notre Dame look so sloppy.
OK, it's the Knights first game, so they get some slack for opening night jitters. Nevertheless, the two interceptions and six penalties are very uncharacteristic of Notre Dame. The Knights' have to get that cleaned up or they're in big trouble.
2. Canyon running back J.J. Di Luigi is pretty good.
More importantly, the kids got a great name. It sort of just rolls off the tongue in a Bobby De Niro in Goodfellas sort of way. Seriously, though, good speed, excellent vision and terrific footwork. He's on his way to a big game. A perfect compliment to Ben Longshore, who's got more than 200 yards passing at the half.
3. Canyon had a big advantage after already playing one game
Actually there was some talk that Canyon had an unfair advantage, although you'll never hear that from Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney. He's too classy for that. But think about it. Canyon got it's first-game jitters out of the way and ironed out any problems after playing Moorpark last week. That shows in the way the two teams have played so far. Canyon looks more crisp. We'll see if that carries over the the second half.
A few thoughts with Canyon leading 17-3 at halftime.
1. I've never seen Notre Dame look so sloppy.
OK, it's the Knights first game, so they get some slack for opening night jitters. Nevertheless, the two interceptions and six penalties are very uncharacteristic of Notre Dame. The Knights' have to get that cleaned up or they're in big trouble.
2. Canyon running back J.J. Di Luigi is pretty good.
More importantly, the kids got a great name. It sort of just rolls off the tongue in a Bobby De Niro in Goodfellas sort of way. Seriously, though, good speed, excellent vision and terrific footwork. He's on his way to a big game. A perfect compliment to Ben Longshore, who's got more than 200 yards passing at the half.
3. Canyon had a big advantage after already playing one game
Actually there was some talk that Canyon had an unfair advantage, although you'll never hear that from Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney. He's too classy for that. But think about it. Canyon got it's first-game jitters out of the way and ironed out any problems after playing Moorpark last week. That shows in the way the two teams have played so far. Canyon looks more crisp. We'll see if that carries over the the second half.
The Cowboys look in midseason form. They just drove 90 yards to take a 14-3 lead on a 15-yard pass from Ben Longshore to Marc Urbina.
If that wasn't enough for the delirious Canyon fans, they also just announced Moorpark was beating Hart 20-3 in the second quarter.
In case you haven't heard, Canyon and Hart don't like each other.
As I'm writing this Notre Dame has driven to the Canyon 27-yard line with four minutes left in the half.
Hold the presses, Anthony King just picked off Dayne Crist. Canyon has the ball back.
Boy, another touchdown for the Cowboys on this drive and Notre Dame might be looking at a two-game losing streak.
Is never more apparent than inside the press box.
OK, keep in mind the men and women manning the booth or just hanging out are usually teachers and office personnel from the host school.
So it's not unusual for the the nice middle-aged lady who answers the phone in the guidance office every day to also be in the press box on a football night.
What is unusual is how that nice middle-aged lady suddenly transforms into some crazed, maniac fan. Honest to goodness, this otherwise sweet lady sitting a few seats down from me just jumped up and screamed "Stay $%$%$% poised and stay on $%$%$%$% sides you guys!!!!!!"
That's football, friends.
Anyway, thanks to a picture-perfect 35-yard strike from Ben Longshore to Stephen Wirthlin, Canyon just took a 7-3 lead heading into the second quarter. Notre Dame is on the move, though.
This game has barn-burner written all over it.
I hope my friend a few seats down survives.
I'll keep you posted.
Does anyone else think it's a little odd Notre Dame routinely turns out terrific kickers?
Year after year the Knights always have a guy who can boot the ball to the moon.
Well, this year is no different. Notre Dame kicker Erik Folk just kicked a 50-yard field goal to give Notre Dame a 3-0 lead. Then he turned around and kicked the ball 10 yards out of the end zone on the kick off.
What's the deal with Notre Dame and kickers?
Weird.
Alright, I admit it.
I'm a uniform junkie.
My wife thinks it's a little freaky the way me and my friends can talk for hours about the latest uniform changes in pro and college sports. But as I tell her _ is it really any different than you and your friends talking about the dress Beyonce wore at the Grammy Awards?
I think not.
Anyway, I bring that up to bring this up.
Notre Dame-Canyon is a classic uniform match-up. The Knights are straight Fighting Irish of Notre Dame University right on down _ or up _ to their gold helmets.
Canyon takes a little Green Bay Packer yellow and green and puts its own spin on things. Color me impressed.
What i love most is that both teams stray away from the maddening tendency these days to go one color jersey and pants. I hate that.
Alright, I admit it.
I'm a uniform junkie.
My wife thinks it's a little freaky the way me and my friends can talk for hours about the latest uniform changes in pro and college sports. But as I tell her _ is it really any different than you and your friends talking about the dress Beyonce wore at the Grammy Awards?
I think not.
Anyway, I bring that up to bring this up.
Notre Dame-Canyon is a classic uniform match-up. The Knights are straight Fighting Irish of Notre Dame University right on down _ or up _ to their gold helmets.
Canyon takes a little Green Bay Packer yellow and green and puts its own spin on things. Color me impressed.
What i love most is that both teams stray away from the maddening tendency these days to go one color jersey and pants. I hate that.
OK, I consider myself a hip sort of guy. But the music currently blasting my ear drums in the Canyon press box is a bit much. It's sort of an alternative/head banger/hip hop mix. I respect the effort, but the execution was horrible.
Ah, as I speak the music mistro made the switch to Guns N' Roses Welcome to the Jungle. Now that's football music. By the way. whatever happened Axel Rose?
Do we really want to know?
It's game night, folks.
Talk about an intriguing matchup. Notre Dame is one of the perenial powers in the region, bringing a 35-1 record over it's last 36 games into tonight's season opener. Over that span, he Knights have won three Southern Section Division III championships.
But they come into this game trying to avoid a two-game losing streak, having lost its last game last year. The Knights have had a whole offseason to try to forget last year's 41-14 upset loss to Dominuez in the Southern Section Division III championship game. And an entire offseason to prepare for this year's season opener.
You'd think that would be bad news for the Knights first opponent, right?
Not so fast my friend.
Canyon is coming off a dramatic victory over Hart to win the Division II title. Not to mention the Cowboys already have one game _ and one victory _ under their belts. They opened their season with a win over Moorepark, which reached the Division IV title game a year ago.
This is a quality team with plenty of big-game experience.
So if Notre Dame is looking for an intimidation factor they won't find it tonight.
It's 40 minutes until kick off, but there isn't an open seat in the house. This is a hot ticket in the Santa Clarita Valley.
It's game night, folks.
Talk about an intriguing matchup. Notre Dame is one of the perenial powers in the region, bringing a 35-1 record over it's last 36 games into tonight's season opener. Over that span, he Knights have won three Southern Section Division III championships.
But they come into this game trying to avoid a two-game losing streak, having lost its last game last year. The Knights have had a whole offseason to try to forget last year's 41-14 upset loss to Dominuez in the Southern Section Division III championship game. And an entire offseason to prepare for this year's season opener.
You'd think that would be bad news for the Knights first opponent, right?
Not so fast my friend.
Canyon is coming off a dramatic victory over Hart to win the Division II title. Not to mention the Cowboys already have one game _ and one victory _ under their belts. They opened their season with a win over Moorepark, which reached the Division IV title game a year ago.
This is a quality team with plenty of big-game experience.
So if Notre Dame is looking for an intimidation factor they won't find it tonight.
It's 40 minutes until kick off, but there isn't an open seat in the house. This is a hot ticket in the Santa Clarita Valley.
CANYON COUNTRY -- Slowly but surely, the light has returned to Blake McMartin's eyes, but it's been a long and difficult road for the talented but troubled Canyon High football standout.
Just about everyone was ready to give up on the youngster during his junior season, when McMartin spun totally out of control because of heavy partying, academic problems and an increasingly bad attitude that created an insurmountable wedge between a teenager and his family.
Among the best players on the team, McMartin lasted just five games in 2005 before eventually finding himself at a remote treatment facility for adolescent boys. He spent eight months in rehabilitation at Provo Canyon School in Utah in a last-ditch effort to change his life.
It worked. McMartin, 17, isn't so much a new person as a young man who has finally returned to who he once was before demons took over his life: an honor student, a team player and, most importantly, a loyal son and trustworthy big brother.
"Let's just say I was doing a lot of things I shouldn't have been doing and having too much fun," McMartin said. "The hardest part about being in Utah was being away from my family, and now that I'm back I just can't tell you how appreciative I am of Canyon's program and the coaches and the teachers. Everyone has just been really supportive, and I'm really happy and excited to be back."
If everything works out, this is the feel-good story of the year. McMartin's parents, Brad and Lisa, have their son back. Canyon coach Harry Welch once again has perhaps the Foothill League's hardest-hitting linebacker. And McMartin's teammates have someone whom they can again trust and extend their faith.
McMartin is an inspiration to every teenager who has wobbled out of control, rebelled against those dearest to his heart or simply refused to follow rules.
Those meeting McMartin today are greeted by a shy, respectful young man whose boyish face comes straight out of a Norman Rockwell illustration.
Perhaps the jury is still out on what lies beneath the surface, and that's OK with Blake McMartin. He's more than willing to take things one day at a time, a catch phrase that's been working since his happy return in early June.
"As far as being an inspiration for other kids, yes, I suppose that's a possibility. But right now I'm just more concerned with doing well and staying focused on school and sports," he said. "In Utah, there were all different types of us there, but the thing we had in common was we were all working on just getting back on track in society and functioning as a citizen. I was given a pretty good education about shaping my future when I wasn't on the right track."
The Utah facility is very expensive, and McMartin's parents, out of other choices, made a sacrifice in what turned out to be a last resort that worked.
"Quite frankly, Blake has finally resumed his former self in that he has a presence of mind and can have a discussion with us that doesn't feel like we're just prying and asking nosy questions," said his father. "I've noticed more appreciation for his mother and myself and his (two) brothers. Yes, it was expensive, and believe me, we had to break open every piggy bank to send him there. But a parent does everything he can to save a child. It wasn't easy, but we put ourselves second and our child first."
The football team has given McMartin a soft place to fall.
"It's great to have Blake with us again, and everyone on this team has his back," teammate A.J. Wallerstein said. "You've got to have a solid foundation because football is a team game. Nobody on this team needs to do it by himself, and Blake knows that."
There was never a question about his football skills, just his coping skills. Now that McMartin's life has come together in both areas, Welch, who has always been known as a strict, demanding coach, is thrilled.
"Well, he's a great football player, and any coach wants to have good football players playing for him," Welch said. "In that regard, Blake McMartin is an asset, but I've also always thought of Blake as a good human being with an excellent mind. I have him in my college-prep English class, and he's one of my better students, too. He works very hard. He's got some real close friends on this team, and I just like what I see in Blake McMartin."
In football, McMartin missed a lot last season, when Canyon won the Southern Section Div. II championship in December without him. He knew he had some work to do to make it back, and football was an incentive.
"Yes, he missed the championship game, but from a parents' perspective, we feel there were character and behavioral issues that superceded football," his father said. "The priority was his health and safety."
The parents believe they owe a debt to Canyon's football program, particularly the coaching staff, for never giving up on his son.
"What impressed us the most through this whole thing was no one asked any pointed questions, and no one was looking at punitive issues instead of asking what they could do to right the ship," the father said. "From the beginning, they were prepared to help, and Harry Welch really earned my respect with the way he handled everything. I'm talking about personal phone calls, letters, just wanting to know whatever he could do. He's a 100 percent professional as a coach and administrator, and the whole Canyon staff is second to none. There was never any gossip, innuendos or snide remarks. We're fortunate to have someone like Harry Welch at Canyon."
Through their son's difficulties, the McMartins have seen a side of Welch that others don't see - a compassionate side to a 61-year-old taskmaster who has dedicated his life not just to high school football but to the young men who play it.
"I've tried to be there for Blake McMartin whether he was going to play football or not," Welch said. "That's why I stayed in touch with the family, and I can tell you I was ecstatic when he arrived back. I was very, very eager for him to return, and I hope that he can continue to make a contribution. He's fostering maturity in others, and he's becoming a positive role model. I don't know about being an inspiration to the other kids - but he's an inspiration to me."
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
(661) 257-5218
NEWHALL - Can Hart High come back from its most devastating nonleague loss of the past two decades?
That's the burning issue for the eight-time section champion Indians (0-1), who committed seven turnovers in an embarrassing 34-0 opening defeat to St. Bonaventure of Ventura last week.
"I think we can. We've been really motivated this week because we got blown out last time," receiver/defensive back Brandon Arndt said. "We learned nothing comes easy, and we've got to work for everything and play mistake-free football."
Hart doesn't have the luxury of a soft place to fall. The Indians can't afford another letdown at 7 tonight at defending Div. IV finalist Moorpark (0-1), which has advanced to the section semifinals or further in three of the past four seasons.
"How am I doing? Not great," said a plaintively honest Hart coach Mike Herrington, whose teams occasionally have started slowly but have never had a losing season through his 18-year career. "We've been a little down at practice this week. That's partially due to the heat, but they were basically humiliated. We've got to get things going."
Now Herrington has a chance to prove just how good a coach he is. With a group of relatively small linemen and so many inexperienced starters at the skill positions - particularly quarterback Alex Pettee, who completed just 11 of 32 passes for 109 yards in the opener, along with the entire receiving corps - Hart isn't as intimidating as usual.
Meanwhile, Hart has a tough schedule, as six of the first eight games are against opponents that advanced to the section semifinals or better last year.
Plus, there isn't as much depth as usual, as Hart has fewer than 40 players on its roster for the first time in Herrington's career.
"Yes, our numbers are down, and I really don't know why that is," Herrington said. "The thing about it is, we've been very successful, so you would think that would bring out a lot of players."
Herrington refuses to dish out blame for the St. Bonaventure disaster without attributing a healthy dose of Hart's problems to himself.
"I guess it was my fault," he said. "Instead of things being second nature, we reverted back to old habits."
Arndt begs the public not to give up on Hart. Among the players eager to make a second impression, Arndt promises a more respectable performance.
"Our practices have been a lot better, amazingly better," he said. "We're a lot more focused, and hopefully we'll do great tonight."
While Hart and Moorpark are coming off losses, it should be pointed out that both opened against elite opponents. St. Bonaventure is 95-4 with five section titles over the past six years, while Moorpark fell 33-14 to defending Div. II champion Canyon, ranked No. 2 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports and No. 13 in the nation by Student Sports.
"Moorpark is supposed to win the Marmonte League championship this year, so this isn't an easy one, either," Herrington said. "They're right up there."
Hart running back Delano Howell is coming off a solid performance, rushing for 125 yards with five receptions. Fellow junior Patrick Larimore totaled 18 tackles, but there weren't many other highlights.
"I think they were the only two that had good games," Herrington said.
The good news is it's still very early.
How well Hart rebounds from such a public whipping remains to be seen, but at least the team still has plenty of chances to redeem itself.
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
(661) 257-5218
Took a trip out to Camp Kilpatrick this week to meet the real Gridiron Gang for an upcoming story. Most years, no peerless prognosticator worth his salt would pick Kilpatrick before Week 5, since that's how long it usually takes the team to round into shape. The camp fields a new team each year and has 30 days in pads to get ready for the season.
But this year's team looks pretty far along. And the Mustangs bucked all of our predictions last week with a 20-10 upset of Brentwood.
The victory was keyed by defense. Linebacker Bryant Hicks had seven sacks, an interception and returned a fumble for a 70-yard touchdown.
In his UNLV football debut, former Hart HS standout Ryan Wolfe caught six passes for 160 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown, in a 54-10 victory Saturday over visiting Idaho State, setting a UNLV record for most yardage by a freshman.
Former Valencia High/UCLA running back Manuel White was cut by the Washington Redskins on Saturday. A former fourth-round draft, White was hoping to come back from a season-ending leg injury suffered one year ago during the Redskins final preseason game of 2005.
Saugus, which opens its football season against visiting Antelope Valley on Friday at College of the Canyons, impressed during a scrimmage at Alemany of Mission Hills on Friday.
Among the standouts were running back Ryan Zirbel and receiver/defensive back Mario Wright. Zirbel, a touted sophomore, rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown on five carries, and he added four receptions. Wright had four receptions and scored on an interception return.
Undoubtedly, Zirbel had a lot on his mind after briefly leaving Saugus last month with plans to transfer to Alemany before returning six days later.
“Ryan Zirbel did very well. He’s every bit as advertised,� coach Jason Bornn said. “He sets up his blockers very well, and he’s a very, very slashy runner.�
Wright has come out of nowhere after struggling in the classroom last season.
“If this kid takes care of his grades, he could potentially be one of the most recruitable athletes of anyone ever at Saugus,� Bornn said. “He’s 6-foot-4 and 186 pounds and really passes the eyeball test. He’s getting better and better every day. Some kids have peaks and valleys but this kid just keeps getting better.� ...
Speaking of Alemany, new principal Frank Ferry, a former Saugus High administrator who is responsible for bringing in new football coach Dean Herrington, is proud of the football team’s new locker room, which has gone from one of the area’s worst to one of the best, thanks to $30,000 worth of new materials plus lots of donated labor.
“It used to be a rat trap with no air conditioning and 30-year-old carpet and broken windows,� Ferry said. “Now everything is brand new with a 40-inch big-screen TV, individual padded seats and a new training room with a whirlpool and taping room. There are no metal lockers. You walk in and it has the feel of a college or pro locker room.�
34-zip, it's over. That's 21 years, about 250 games, first shutout ... back to the drawing board, Hart. As for lone bright spot Howell, he rushed for 128 yards, caught five passes and averaged 30 yards on three kick returns. he also played defense. For Hart, the best thing about this game is it's OVER.
Three minutes left, Hart just fumbled the ball away for the fifth time. The last time Hart was shut out was a 0-0 tie against Saugus on Oct. 4, 1985. That's a LONG time ...
Now it's 34-0, as Patrick Hall just come through with one of the more impressive TD runs by Hart opponent ... ever. He went sideline to sideline, eluding several tacklers and showing impressive speed on a 77-yard touchdown .... Midway through the fourth, the issue now is will Hart break the shutout???
Among the bright spots for Hart has been Delano Howell. He's rushed for 78 yards on 12 carries with four receptions for 63 yards. He's also punted six times for 164 yards -- an average of just over 27 yards per punt.
Meanwhile, Lee has rushed for 127 yards on 16 carries. He's on the sidelines and have have called it a night by now.
Pettee has completed 10 of 27 for 103 yards with two INTs.
Let's put things in perspective, shall we? St.Bonaventure is no ordinary opponent. The defending Div. IV champs finished 14-0 last year and were ranked No. 1 in the state by calhi sports. If things continue this way tonight, they'll win their 25th in a row and 95th of the past 99 since 1999. The team has won five titles over six years. That's some SICK success, eh?
Well, I smell a skunk -- a close one, too -- and that's not the only thing stinking up the place, unfortunately for Hart fans ... Hart turned the ball over again on a fumble four plays into the second half, and St. Bonnie just cashed in with a 27-yard TD run by Michael Lee to make it 27-0, St. Bonnie, midway through the third quarter. Now folks in the press box are scrambling to figure out Hart's most one-sided loss of the Herrington era. Oh, a break -- St. Bonnie was called for celebration and missed the PAT from 35 yards out, so instead of 28 points, it's 27. This place is QUIET on the Hart side.
A rough first half for Pettee just got rougher. Pettee fumbles the ball away in the waning moments, and St. Bonnie cashes in a few plays with a 13 yard TD pass to make it 21-0 with nine seconds remaining before intermission. If Hart can dig itself out of this hole, it will be a miracle ....
Well, Pettee just threw an INT in the end zone with a pass that didn't appear intended for anyone, blowing a good scoring opportunity with two minutes left in the first .... This team needs to regroup, and halftime can't come any sooner.
Hart's offense finally comes alive a bit, as Pettee connects on three passes to drive Hart to the St. Bonnie 19 with just over two minutes remaining in the half. Timeout Hart. The Indians desperately need to put some points on the board to stay in this game, otherwise it could be a long night. Stay tuned ...
Just what Herrington said he was afraid might happen, happened -- a special teams breakdown, as Michael Williams returns a punt 58 yards for a TD to put St. Bonaventure up 14-0 ... Same thing happened last year (kickoff return TD late in game) in an eventual 12 point loss ... Hart has dug itself a hole midway through the second quarter ....
Not many artistic points tonight, as Hart's Brandon Arndt intercepts a pass near midfield, as the first quarter comes to a close ... 7-0 St. Bonnie. Will the Seraphs defeat Hart for the fourth time in four years? No team has ever defeated Hart four times in a row during coach Mike Herrington's 18 year career, so we'll see what happens. Hart does not look particularly good (two first downs), but then again, neither does St. Bonnie. We shall see if things pick up ...
After a Hart punt, Michael Lee's 40-yard run to the Hart 2 ... Three plays later, folliwing a holding call on SB, the Seraphs score the first TD on a 12 yard pass to Blaine Irby. PAT good, 7-0 St. Bonaventure with just over two minutes left in the first ....
Fumbled punt return by Hart; sure looked like an interference penalty, but ref rules the defender was blocked into the punt returner ... St. Bonnie ball at the Hart 20 midway through the first quarter ....
but alas, St. Bonnie blows a great opp with a fumble of their own a few plays later, recovered by Tyler Eyrick. Hart has the ball back on its own 11. Someone needs to de-grease the football ...
Hart's drive lasted three plays before receiver Michael Vairo fumbled away the football after a reception near St. Bonnie's 30 ... I guess this is what happens when you play a week zero game instead of a scrimmage ...
St. Bonnie takes the kickoff, drives to the Hart 35, then fumbles the ball away; Hart's B.R. Holbrook recovers ...
Very crowded press box as we get ready for the kickoff. Not just press, either. TV, radio. Hard to find a seat, frankly ... but what should we expect? This is the biggest show in town ...
Among the more crowded areas upon entry is Hart's merchandise stand -- especially in a season opener like tonight. Booster president Rodney Toledo said program sales have been brisk as usual, despite a 66 percent price increase from $3 to $5.
"We needed to keep up with other schools," Toledo said. "We spoke to the Westlake boosters, and they're the ones who actually told us to raise the price. They said we were undercutting them."
Toledo and his collegues are planning another Poker Night on Sept. 23 in Valencia. Last time, Hart assistant Jason d'Autremont was a big winner -- splitting a $1,500 pot.
Later, during pregame warmups, d'Autremont insisted he's not a card hustler.
"Just lucky," he said. "I don't have any secrets -- except maybe not to show anyone my hand."
And what will d'Autremont do with his new windfall?
"Oh not much. I'm going to save it," he said.
This is the first Daily News live prep football blog, so here we go ... and what a great way to start things with a showdown featuring two of California's -- make the world's -- most successful high school programs ...
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