COC NEEDS TO LET THE ERROR OUT COUGARS TO MEET TOUGH HANCOCK.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Unsatisfied by his team's performance in passing drills, College of the Canyons football coach Chuck Lyon asked for an assistant to get out the 2x4. If quarterbacks didn't release the ball within a certain amount of time, there was a threat of being swatted with the plastic tube Lyon calls his 2x4. The drills suddenly started running smoother and none of the players were hit.

The Cougars placed such importance on execution during practices this week because they know the sometimes-sloppy play they used to win last week won't be good enough tonight if they hope to remain in first place. COC plays host to Western State Conference Pacific Division co-leader Hancock at 7 p.m.

The Bulldogs (4-2, 3-0) are traditionally one of the Cougars' toughest opponents. The series record is 2-2 since COC (5-1, 3-0) reinstated football in 1998. Hancock was one of only two teams to defeat the Cougars last season. COC won the regular-season meeting, but the Bulldogs edged the Cougars 24-20 in the WSC Bowl.

``We're going for a mistake-free game,'' COC wide receiver Cedric Thompson said.

Last week's game was far from perfect. Quarterback Kyle Bauer completed just one of his first 10 attempts and the rest of the team sputtered as well as it failed to duplicate the intensity that earned the Cougars an upset of national power Cerritos a week earlier.

``I expected something like that coming off the Cerritos win,'' Lyon said. ``I knew we wouldn't have a lot of emotion, but we were playing a team we didn't need a lot of emotion for. All we really had to do was avoid big mistakes.''

And take advantage of the opponents' mistakes. COC was aided by three Ventura turnovers and scored its first points on a bad punt snap by the Pirates that resulted in a safety.

The Cougars, who average 39.5 points a game and are ranked No. 13 in the nation by JC Grid-Wire and No. 7 in Southern California, aren't counting on Hancock to be so generous.

``They're much better,'' Lyon said of the Bulldogs. ``They're for real. No doubt, we have to play much better against them.''

Hancock is coming off a 26-10 loss to Bakersfield that dropped the Bulldogs from No. 5 in the Southern California rankings to No. 11.

They remain high in several conference statistical categories. Andre Nickelson is the WSC's second-leading rusher with 571 yards and five touchdowns. Teammate Robert Matheney is also in the top 10. Jermaine Moore is second in all-purpose rushing. Quarterback Ryan Canfield ranks fourth in total offense, and two of his receivers are among the top six in receiving. The Bulldogs also have the conference's leading scorer in kicker Steven Sarubbi.

Only one team in the conference has an offense than averages more than COC's 383.7 yards. That team is Hancock (392.2).

``We know we have to stay focused and play a good game to beat them,'' Thompson said.

COC vs. HANCOCK

When:7 tonight

Where: College of the Canyons Stadium, Valencia.

Record: COC (5-1, 3-0), Hancock (4-2, 3-0)

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COC vs. HANCOCK (see text)