CANYON'S KINGSBURY ON A RUN MULTIPURPOSE PLAYER DOES A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Staff Writer CANYON COUNTRY -- A couple of breakaway break·a·way adj. 1. Designed to break, bend, or fall apart easily upon impact, especially to create an illusion, as with a theater prop, or for safety, as with a highway sign or barrier. 2. touchdowns Friday in a 42-7 football victory over Saugus High was just what Canyon multipurpose mul·ti·pur·pose adj. Designed or used for several purposes: a multipurpose room; multipurpose software. multipurpose Adjective standout Chris Kingsbury needed. The senior receiver/defensive back/return specialist has been more than solid this season but had scored just one touchdown through seven games until a 50-yard touchdown reception. That was followed by a 24-yard interception return for a touchdown that keyed the victory over Saugus, as defending Foothill League champion and reigning Div. II titlist ti·tlist n. The holder of a competitive title; a champion: a chess titlist. titlist a champion or one who holds a title. See also: Athletics Canyon (6-2, 3-0) earned at least a share of the league title heading into today's 7 p.m. finale against visiting Valencia (2-7, 1-2.) ``It was nice because I haven't had as many big games this year, so it felt great to boost my confidence,'' Kingsbury said. ``It's been frustrating frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: , but part of the reason is we've had a lot of other receivers step up this season, so I just haven't been seeing the ball as much. But we've been winning, and that's by far the most important thing.'' After catching 34 passes for 664 yards with six touchdowns in 14 games as a junior last season, Kingsbury has 17 receptions for 307 yards and three touchdowns this year. He had six interceptions in 2005 and three this season. Looking at his per-game averages, Kingsbury actually has performed similarly this season. But the numbers don't tell the whole story, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. coach Harry Welch, who is backing Kingsbury 100 percent. ``Oh, Chris is actually better this year because we've asked him to take on a bigger role,'' Welch said. ``Everyone might not be able to see it, but he does a little bit of everything. He's done everything we've asked of him, and more.'' A dangerous kick and punt returner Punt returner (PR) is a position on special teams in American football. Description The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position (or a touchdown if possible) by returning it. , Kingsbury is averaging 9.5 yards on punt returns In American and Canadian football a punt return is one of the punt receiving team's options to respond to a punt. A player (usually a second or third string wide receiver or running back) positioned many yards from the line of scrimmage will attempt to catch or pick up the ball compared with 14.2 last season. But he has free rein to field any punt he can -- uncommon in high school football, especially at a conservative program like Canyon -- and by being able to field punts on the run or in traffic, Kingsbury saves valuable yardage yard·age 1 n. 1. An amount or length measured in yards. 2. Cloth sold by the yard. Noun 1. because most punts keep rolling forward rolling forward The liquidation of one option position by an investor at the same time that he or she takes an essentially identical position with a more distant maturity. . ``Most of the time, punt returners will let the ball go, but Chris Kingsbury has the green light from me on every punt, and he is one of the few who've ever been allowed to do that,'' Welch said. ``He's so focused, it's like he's in another world. That's why we call him the Zen master. But you've also got to remember that every time he touches the ball, he's a threat because I've seen very few players with as much side-to-side speed as Chris.'' He's just 5-feet-7 and 165 pounds, but Kingsbury packs a punch. He's one of the league's most aggressive defensive players. ``I think a lot of teams underestimate me because of my size -- until they see me play,'' Kingsbury said. Perhaps Kingsbury's best moments lie ahead, as Canyon readies for another playoff play·off also play-off n. Sports 1. A final game or series of games played to break a tie. 2. A series of games played to determine a championship. Noun 1. run. ``I think we've got a good chance to keep winning if we play the way we should,'' Kingsbury said. ``We're coming together well.'' gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com (661) 257-5218 TONIGHT'S GAMES VALENCIA (2-7, 1-2) at CANYON (6-2, 3-0), 7 p.m. OUTLOOK: Valencia, trudging through the losingest los·ing·est adj. Slang Less successful or losing more often than any others of its kind: "help turn around one of the network's losingest nights of the week" Washington Post. season in school history, would love nothing more than to end on high note by coming through with an upset over the defending Southern Section champion Cowboys. But it won't be easy, as Canyon has a strong program once again and never looked better during a 42-7 victory Friday over respectable Saugus. Valencia's Shane Vereen (890 yards, 22 TDs) needs 110 yards to surpass 1,000 for the third consecutive season. But that's not an automatic because Canyon's strength is run defense, and Vereen, who's having an off-year, has just two 100-performances this season, one of which was against defenseless Golden Valley. Valencia's other key players are QB Graham Wilbert (1,907 yards, 20 TDs,) WR Virgil Hill Virgil Eugene Hill (born January 18, 1964 Clinton, Missouri) is a Joplin, Missouri fighter partly of Native American heritage, who forged a solid connection between the state of North Dakota and the sport of boxing. (31 receptions, seven TDs,) DL Michael Lien, LBs Keith Klemens and Samuel Ramirez and DBs Richard Castro and Ryan Smith For the hockey player see Ryan Smyth. Ryan Smith may refer to:
Canyon can lock sole possession of first place for the second consecutive season. J.J. DiLuigi has rushed for 1,146 yards, caught 20 passes and scored 17 TDs. Ben Longshore long·shore adj. Occurring, living, or working along a seacoast. [Short for alongshore.] has completed 56.3 percent of his passes for 1,432 yards and 12 TDs. Mark Urbina has 25 receptions. All benefit from a solid OL, led by three-year starters Marc Valdez and Nick Peterson. Canyon's key hitters are DLs Dillon Schelske, Ben Armbuster and Mike Spagnola, LBsBlake McMartin and Nick Jurado, and DBs Kenny Shanahan, Michael Loucks and Chris Kingsbury. HART (5-4, 2-1) vs. SAUGUS (5-4, 2-1), at COC See chip on chip. 7:30 p.m. OUTLOOK: This is an important game because second place is on the line, which means the winner probably will be granted a home seed in the first round of the Northern Division playoffs, while the loser probably must play at road game against a league champion. Hart has won four of its past five, including a dramatic 22-15 comeback victory over Valencia two weeks ago, followed by a 63-0 victory Friday over Golden Valley. Hart's top player is multipurpse standout Delano Howell. He's rushed for 954 yards, caught 29 passes and scored 27 TDs. He's also a starting DB and dangerous KOR who also averages 32.4 yards per punt. Alex Pettee is Hart's latest standout QB, a 6-foot-3 senior who's passed for 2,073 yards and 14 TDs. ``We'll be ready for Saugus because this is a very important game,'' Pettee said. ``We want the momentum because at this point in the season, momentum is a big thing. Plus, getting a home game in the first round of the playoffs is important because it's always nice to play at home and see everyone in the stands out there.'' Look for Hart's top defenders, LBs Patrick Larimore and Chris Hickok and DBs Adam Reyes and Brandon Arndt, to key on Saugus RB Ryan Zirbel (886 yards, 13 TDs). WEST RANCH (6-3) vs. GOLDEN VALLEY (0-9) at Valencia High, 7 p.m. OUTLOOK: This is Santa Clarita's ``Expansion Bowl,'' as the area's newest schools go head to head in this season finale - with only school pride on the line because neither team will be going to the playoffs. West Ranch QB Jake Bernards and RBs Tyler O'Brien and Ross Bacon are key offensive players.Golden Valley, hurt by injuries, is led by QB Najee Coleman, RB Eddie Watford, WR Martel Hammond and P Corey Bryant. SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, CHRISTIAN (7-1) vs. VIEW PARK PREP (9-0) of L.A., at Canyon High, Friday 7 p.m. OUTLOOK: Santa Clarita Christian, led by RBs David Odorizzi and Garrett Borden, looks to make the best of To improve to the utmost; to use or dispose of to the greatest advantage. To reduce to the least possible inconvenience; as, to make the best of ill fortune or a bad bargain. - Bacon. See also: Best Best a tough draw in the first round of the Southern Section eight-man playoffs. The Cardinals, coming off their first loss of the season, are officially the visiting team but play on their home field because View Park couldn't arrange a venue. CAPTION(S): photo, 3 boxes Photo: Canyon High School Canyon High School can refer to:
David Crane/Staff Photographer Box: (1) TONIGHT'S GAMES (see text) (2) FIRST AND 10 (3) INSIDE THE NUMBERS |
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