HS FOOT: Hart, Valencia kickoff soon

As usual, it's a big rivalry game tonight in Santa Clarita, as Hart plays host to rival Valencia at College of the Canyons. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m., and the crowd already is filling in, though it doesn't look like we'll have an attendance of 8,000 or so, as in past Hart-Valencia showdowns.

It seems closer for some reason, but Hart leads the series 12-1 -- probably because both teams are among the area's most consistently successful, Hart a bit more sonwith eight section titles, six under 19-year coach Mike Herrington.

Keep in mind, tho, that that one Valencia victory was a big one -- a 29-10 triumph in 2004 that broke Hart's 65-game Foothill League winning streak.

Meantime, Hart is hungry. Since winning its first title under Herrington in 1995, this three-year stretch is the longest the Indians have gone without winning a title.

Valencia has everything to lose tonight. The Vikings (4-3, 1-1) can ill afford another league loss because only three of the six teams in the ultra competiive Foothill qualify for the Northern Division playoffs; prior to last season, four teams made it, sometimes five, but the brackets were tightened beginning in '06.

"Back in Black" is playing, which means Hart (7-0, 2-0) is in serious pysche-up mode, so stayed tuned. I'll try to provide an update or two.

BTW, Chaminade's game at St. Paul tonight has been postponed until Saturday because of the smoke.

-- Gerry Gittelson