COLLEGE FOOTBALL: COC HOME RUN ON THE LINE.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer There are two things 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 professes to care about entering today's regular-season finale against Compton, and neither of them have to do with the controversy over the Cougars' No. 3 ranking in the Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, community college poll. The first is sophomore quarterback Kyle Bauer's status as Western State Conference Player of the Year, an award Lyon believes Bauer can clinch with a victory by Canyons this afternoon. Bauer has thrown for more than 2,700 yards this season and is the state's highest-rated passer. The second, however, might be more special to Lyon. A Cougars victory today would send the team's sophomores out with perfect 10-0 home records during their careers. Canyons has lost just twice - on the road against Santa Ana Santa Ana, city, El Salvador Santa Ana (sän'tä ä`nä), city (1993 pop. 129,873), W El Salvador. It is the second largest city in the country and the commercial and processing center for a sugarcane, coffee, and cattle region. and Cerritos - the past two years. ``In the five years (since Canyons brought back football), this would be the first group to go undefeated at home,'' Lyon said. ``Those are the things that we're talking about this week.'' For the Cougars (8-1, 6-0) to reach those two goals, however, they will have to get past No. 9 Compton. The Tartars Tartars: see Tatars. Tartars 13th-century rapacious hordes of Genghis Khan. [Medieval Hist.: Brewer Dictionary, 1064] See : Savagery boast one of the few offenses in the state even more high-powered than Canyons', averaging 510 yards a game and ranked third in California. Compton also features standout sophomore running back Alvin Marshall, who coach Cornell Ward calls one of the top players in the nation. Marshall is averaging 155 yards rushing a game, can catch passes and also returns punts and kickoffs. ``He'll go wherever he wants to go next year.'' Ward said. ``There's a long line, though.'' Ward added that Marshall is being heavily courted by Nebraska and USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. . Marshall originally signed with Nebraska coming out of Locke High in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. but was unable to qualify academically, Ward said. Early in the season, Compton and Canyons appeared on a collision course collision course n. A course, as of moving objects or opposing philosophies, that will end in a collision or conflict if left unchanged: two planes on a collision course; dissidents on a collision course with the regime. to meet in this game with undefeated conference marks. But Compton suffered a stunning 9-8 upset loss to Pierce on Nov. 9. Compton also was forced to cancel a game this season against Victor Valley when the referees failed to show up. Ward believes his team has been unfairly penalized pe·nal·ize tr.v. pe·nal·ized, pe·nal·iz·ing, pe·nal·iz·es 1. To subject to a penalty, especially for infringement of a law or official regulation. See Synonyms at punish. 2. for the loss and unplayed game in the current Southern California poll, a position with which Lyon can sympathize. Despite having only one loss, Compton is ranked behind a pair of two-loss teams in Cerritos and Saddleback Saddleback see Wessex saddleback. . ``Nobody ever gives Compton everything,'' Ward said. ``It's just the way it is. Nobody wants to talk about it, either.'' Canyons has been leapfrogged the past two weeks in the poll and sits third entering the final week of the regular season. The Cougars need a win today and loss by No. 2 Pasadena on the road against 10th-ranked Long Beach to move up in the poll and qualify for the Southern California Bowl on Dec. 7. Bowl bids will be announced Sunday afternoon, and the final poll of the season will be taken Sunday morning Sunday Morning may refer to:
The Cougars are coming off a 65-31 rout of Pierce last Saturday, in which Bauer threw for 299 yards and J.J. Arrington ran for 190 yards and scored five touchdowns. It figures to be a busy afternoon for Compton linebacker John Andrews, who recorded 139 tackles last season and will take a recruiting visit Sunday to Arizona State. But Lyon does not believe today's game will be a walk-over for his team. He also said the Cougars' current poll position has not provided added incentive to rout Compton. Lyon would be more than happy to escape with a win. ``They're a tough team,'' Lyon said. ``They could beat us. There's no doubt in my mind about it.'' COC See chip on chip. vs COMPTON At COC, Today 4 p.m. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: KYLE BAUER: COC quarterback is the highest-rated passer in the state. |
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