COC COACH FINDS TEAM FULL OF PROMISE.Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Community Sports It must have felt like Christmas morning for College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. football coach Chuck Lyon on Monday, the first day of spring practice. The veteran coach who oversees one of California's most successful community college programs - the team is 40-6 over the past four seasons - got a glimpse of the team's new talent and liked what he saw. ``I love our nucleus of new skill players,'' Lyon said. ``There's a lot of great incoming freshmen (and transfers), and they'll be more coming soon.'' Among the most promising newcomers is a group of former Foothill League standouts, including Billy Maria and Billy Omahen from Canyon, and Kevin Crane from Valencia, all of whom are recharged after taking a year off from football. Maria, one of the team's fastest players, is trying out at defensive back, and Omahen and Crane hope to catch on as receivers. ``I'm pretty happy with the Canyon kids. I really like Billy Omahen,'' Lyon said. ``Kevin Crane looked very good Monday, too.'' Other locals to keep an eye on to watch. - Shak. See also: Eye include current Valencia High seniors Geoff Tisdale and Brandon Nichols, two fast, gifted defensive backs who are busy running track but plan to join College of the Canyons this summer. Perhaps the most pleasant surprise was the emergence of three top Antelope Valley-area hopefuls, all-purpose player JaVonte Holmes and linebacker Matt Bishoff from Palmdale, and receiver J.J. Guillory from Lancaster. Holmes was the Golden League MVP (Multimedia Video Processor) A high-speed DSP chip from Texas Instruments, introduced in 1994. Officially introduced as the TMS320C80, it combines RISC technology with the functionality of four DSPs on one chip. last season - excelling at quarterback, receiver and defensive back - and led Palmdale to the Southern Section Div. III finals. Bishop was among the toughest hitters on that team. Guillory, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound football and basketball standout, looked good enough at receiver Monday to break into the starting lineup For the line of action figures, see . A starting lineup in sports refers to the set of players actively participating in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes . ``I really liked the Holmes kid at cornerback, and Guillory is a physical, good-looking player,'' Lyon said. The team's biggest concern is quarterback. Veteran Will Savage, a part- time starter last year, and newcomers Cory Miles (Westlake High/Ventura College) and Marcel Marquez (Notre Dame Notre Dame IPA: [nɔtʁ dam] is French for Our Lady, referring to the Virgin Mary. In the United States of America, Notre Dame High of Sherman Oaks) will compete for the starting job. Savage wasn't available Monday because he's playing baseball for College of the Canyons. Miles has the most experience but hasn't played football in a couple of seasons. Marquez, who is coming off a year in which he did not play while recovering from a knee injury, looked sharp Monday. --Reunion time: For Valencia High girls' basketball standout Tamaiya Smith, the eighth annual Battle of the Valley All-Star game An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league. The players are often chosen by a popular vote of fans of the sport and the game often occurs at the halfway point of the regular season, although this is not the case for some all-star games at 5 p.m. Saturday will feel like a reunion. Smith joins Foothill League rivals Brit brit also britt n. 1. The young of herring and similar fish. 2. Minute marine organisms, such as crustaceans of the genus Calanus, that are a major source of food for right whales. Brown from Hart and Janette Galindo from Burroughs of Burbank on the East team. Plus, former travel- ball teammates Stefanie Clark Stefanie Clark (born November 10, 1980 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island as Stefanie Richard) is a Canadian curler. She throws lead rocks for Suzanne Gaudet. from Harvard-Westlake of Studio City and Jeanine Deno from Crescenta Valley The Crescenta Valley is a small inland valley in Los Angeles County, California. Its name derives from its crescent-like shape, with the convex portion facing roughly northeast and the concave portion southwest. of La Crescenta are participating. ``That's something that's going to make the game a lot of fun. I know a lot of these girls,'' Smith said. ``Plus, Mariama Wrighster from Chatsworth is playing, and we're going to be teammates next year at Cal State Fullerton.'' Meanwhile, more locals are involved in the boys' game at 7 p.m. Hart's Brandon McQueen and Adam Rich Adam Rich (born on October 12 1968) is an American actor born in Brooklyn, New York City. He is arguably best remembered for playing youngest son Nicholas Bradford on the 1970s television drama Eight is Enough , and Valencia resident Brandon Robnett of Alemany of Mission Hills are on the East roster. Canyon's Jess Guidroz will play for the West. |
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