COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS: BAUER-STOKES: THE COUGAR CONNECTION EX-VALENCIA HIGH TEAMMATES AT IT AGAIN.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Kyle Bauer and Stephen Stokes keep connecting. A series of broken plans have done a better job of keeping the pair together than defenders usually do in trying to break up their big plays.

Two years ago, Bauer and Stokes unexpectedly found themselves as the quarterback-receiver tandem that helped Valencia High to its first Southern Section football final. They were reunited this season at College of the Canyons, where they earned a Western State Conference Pacific Division title and a berth in Saturday's WSC Bowl by filling roles few envisioned just months ago.

Bauer began the season as the second-string quarterback behind highly touted Jason Winn. Winn broke his wrist in the season opener and Bauer took over, much as in high school, when the Vikings' starting quarterback was injured early in the season and Bauer inherited the starting job.

Bauer, who is recovering from a sprained ankle that sidelined him a few weeks, has completed 73 of 155 passes for 1,164 yards and 14 touchdowns. The freshman earned All-WSC honors.

``What he's done is very surprising to say the least,'' Cougars tight end Leon Pinky said. ``Stephen Stokes did talk about him a few times, but you don't think being a freshman he'd come in and do the things he's done. At first it was unexpected, but now it's not.

``We're confident he can handle it. He's been through tough games in high school.''

Stokes also finds himself in a situation similar to the one he experienced in high school.

Stokes wants to be a running back. As a high school sophomore, he was the MVP of junior varsity as a running back. However, a change of positions was required if he hoped to see much playing time on varsity, since the Vikings had Manuel White, who would set the region rushing record.

Stokes switched to wide receiver but didn't think he'd play there after high school. He played some receiver last season for COC but finished among the team's leading rushers. This season's threesome of talented running backs put Stokes back at receiver.

Stokes is the Cougars' second-leading receiver with 324 yards and four touchdowns on 23 catches, good enough to make him an all-conference honorable mention selection.

Being reunited with a former teammate facilitated the job for both Stokes and Bauer.

``It's always easier when it's someone you've played with before and you know how each other plays,'' Stokes said. ``It made things a lot easier. Kyle's a smart guy, he picks things up quickly. But we have a pretty complicated offense for a JC, so it made it easier for him having someone he was used to.''

Among their biggest plays was the 11-yard scoring pass Stokes caught from Bauer in the regular-season finale that gave the Cougars a 19-16 victory over Compton and clinched COC's first outright division title. Bauer had just returned in midgame after missing three starts because of the ankle injury.

Bauer also helped spark one of the Cougars' biggest victories of the year by completing 13 of 23 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns against nationally ranked Cerritos. The performance earned Bauer conference player of the week honors for the second time.

``Bauer's been incredible.''offensive lineman Paul Dolinsky said.

Bauer's calm, confident attitude impresses the Cougars as much as his arm and made the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder the leading candidate to start after spring workouts and for much of the summer. Then, COC got three transfers from Division I schools.

``He handled it well,'' Pinky said of Bauer. ``We gave him the confidence all summer. We told him you never know what's going to happen.''

By now, Bauer and Stokes know that as well as anyone.

``When everyone first showed up, I thought it was bad , there were so many quarterbacks,'' Bauer said. ``But I tried not to get discouraged and waited for my chance.

``I just kind of take it as I got my chance to prove myself and things clicked.''