COC FOOTBALL COC GOING FOR SHARE OF WSC TITLE.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - College of the Canyons can guarantee itself a share of the Western State Conference Northern Division championship with a victory tonight against Los Angeles Valley College.

The Cougars have not won a title since 1975 but are 8-1 going into the game at Valley and could, with a win, earn the right to host the conference-championship game. The team also would be in contention for a state-championship bowl berth.

COC, ranked sixth in the state and fourth in Southern California in the Junior College Athletic Bureau coaches poll, is among just five teams in the south with one loss.

A complex system based on power rankings determines which teams advance to the state-championship game at Visalia.

The Cougars are hoping to receive an invitation to the Potato Bowl, which is hosted by Bakersfield College - top-ranked team in Southern California - on December 2. A victory in that game could send the Cougars to a state-championship game.

COC could also play Grossmont College (8-1) in the Foothill Bowl, although that would mean passing up a bowl game at Cougar Field to play what coach Chuck Lyon considers a ``state-championship caliber team.''

However, says Lyon, winning a conference title for the first time in 25 years means more to him.

``I think it's more important,'' Lyon said. ``We can't control the power rankings; all we can control is how we play and what we do on the field.''

Depending on which Los Angeles Valley (2-7, 2-4) team shows up, the Cougars (8-1, 5-1) could be in for a challenge.

Los Angeles Valley emerged to upset Moorpark College 24-10, a team that was previously unbeaten in Northern Division play. A week lost to Pierce, which was 1-7 at the time, 56-49.

Defensive ends Terrance Chapman and Shawn Price and defensive backs Dennis Butler (the WSC leader with six interceptions) and Hassan Abdul Malik have played well for Valley.

A concern for COC's defense will be receivers Eric Felton and Daniel Schneider. Felton had 11 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns against Pierce.

The Cougars are coming off one of their most impressive performances of the season: 516 yards in a 42-6 win over Ventura College, fifth-ranked defense in the state.