BOYS' SOCCER NOTEBOOK: FOOTHILL LEAGUE LOOKING TO GAIN SOME RESPECT.

Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer

The Foothill League has never been given much respect in boys' soccer, and for good reason. None of the Santa Clarita teams in the league have ever advanced past the second round of the Southern Section playoffs.

However, the league's perception could get a big boost Saturday. In a rare occurrence, all three Foothill teams are matched up against Marmonte League schools in the first round of the Div. II playoffs.

First-place Canyon got a difficult draw with Calabasas, the Marmonte's third-place offering that enters the playoffs with three consecutive shutouts. Saugus has to play at Thousand Oaks, the defending Div. II champion. Hart gets Westlake, the top-ranked team by the Daily News.

``I'm hoping that us, Hart and Saugus all win so we can prove to Southern California that we're not just Foothill League nothings,'' Canyon leading scorer Michael Clegg said. ``We can prove to these guys that we can win in the playoffs.''

Canyon (12-3-3) and Calabasas will provide an interesting contrast in styles. Canyon likes to play a fast-paced, high-scoring game with the speedy Clegg and Matt McManus up front. Calabasas tries to slow down games, play stifling defense and sneak in a score off a set play every once in a while.

Canyon has never made it past the first round of the playoffs.

``I don't know what it is,'' Clegg said. ``Every first round we seem to lose by one goal. I'm just hoping to make it past the first round this year and maybe that will change things. Who knows, if we can advance one round then maybe we'll make it to the final.''

Canyon can take some confidence in that Saugus, a team it beat twice, defeated Calabasas on penalty kicks in an early tournament.

Calabasas beat Thousand Oaks in their final meeting, which might give confidence to Saugus (16-8-2). This game is opposite of the Canyon-Calabasas matchup. It's the Foothill team, Saugus, that likes to play a defensive battle. Thousand Oaks, led by UCLA-bound forward Jason Leopoldo, is one of the highest-scoring teams in the area.

``This is a really big chance to prove the league's worth,'' Saugus forward Matt Wright said. ``The Marmonte League gets hyped up and we're not really looked at. It's time to see what we got.''

Hart (21-3-2) is in an unexpected position. The favorite early in league play, Hart now has to play at the division's fourth seed. Westlake also isn't happy, having to play the team with the second-most wins in the division in the first round.

Matthew Kredell, [phone]

matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com