COC NOTEBOOK FLAGS FLY AS CANYON TOPS HANCOCK.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - When College of the Canyons upset Hancock 21-14 in a Western State Conference game at Cougar Field on Saturday, the Cougars did it amid a sea of yellow.

At times it appeared the field was being carpet-bombed with penalty flags, as the emotional nature of the battle between two teams ranked in the top 10 in the state produced a combined total of 20 charged infractions for 233 yards, including 11 penalties which went against COC for 125 yards.

And while the unbeaten Cougars were buoyed by their fourth straight victory, which will in all likelihood catapult them to their highest rankings since the football program returned to COC in 1998, head coach Chuck Lyon will be making sure during practices this week that mistakes made on Saturday aren't forgotten.

The Cougars coach said he looked at game films Sunday, and upon further review, he believes that two of the penalties charged to his team were not warranted by the officials.

But what about the other nine?

``Its not acceptable and they're going to know it,'' Lyon said. ``It's a big issue in my mind. We're going to discuss it.''

--Special teams: Crucial to the Cougars' victory was the performance of their special teams.

COC got big games and plays from punter Jason Daily, who had five kicks for 217 yards. He is the highest-rated punter in the WSC, with 12 kicks for 571 yards and 41-yard average.

With the Cougars leading by a touchdown in the latter stages of the fourth quarter, Daily had a 57-yard unreturned punt which changed the complexion of the game and might have broken Hancock's back.

``I hate when kickers do it to us,'' COC quarterback Travis Winn said. ``I've never seen anybody kick the ball like he does.''

The Cougars got more help on special teams from Cedrick Thompson, who returned a punt 50 yards for a COC touchdown midway through the second quarter, That helped his team take a 14-0 lead into the intermission.

Place kicker Tommy Garagliano, who has converted 14 of 15 PATs and 4 of 6 field goal attempts, showed a powerful leg on a missed field goal from 47 yards when his kick bounced off the top of the left upright.

--Hamilton missing: In the early part of the season, the Cougars were counting on Brian Hamilton to be their third-string quarterback behind Winn and David Parker.

But since a practice on Monday, September 11, in which the Cougars worked on an offense designed around Hamilton, who has more mobility than the either Winn or Parker, he has not been seen and he has not contacted Lyon.

``I just don't know what happened,'' Lyon said, acknowledging that he was disappointed that a player he had regard for walked away from his program

``He never gave me a chance,'' Lyon said.

``It's sad because I really like the kid, but football isn't for everybody.''

--Stanley an option: Parker has shared playing time with Winn throughout the season, but he suffered a hip-point injury on his left side during the Hancock game.

Parker is listed as probable for Saturday night's game against Pierce. If he can't play, wide receiver Terrell Stanley, the Cougars third-string quarterback, could see action.

Stanley, who was an option quarterback at San Fernando High, has been taking snaps on a consistent basis since Hamilton left the team.

--Gardening tips: The COC women's golf team won't be able to play or practice at the Robinson Ranch Golf Course for the next two weeks, as the course undergoes annual maintanance.

The groundskeepers are currently reseeding the fairways on the mountain course - where the Cougars normally practice - with rye grass, to replace the Bermuda grass which typically turns brown in the winter.

A similar procedure is taking place at Valencia Country Club, an alternate site, so for the next few weeks the Cougars will be practicing at Vista Valencia Golf Course.