COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS: COC TO TAKE FIRST STEP IN QUEST FOR STATE TITLE.

Byline: Erik Boal Special to the Daily News

The College of the Canyons football team has achieved quite a bit during its five-year run as Western State Conference champion.

The Cougars finished undefeated in the regular season for the second consecutive season, extending its streak of regular-season victories to 27 dating to September 2002, and finishing as one of only four teams in the state with a 10-0 record.

Chuck Lyon's team also secured another Western State bowl berth. as well as the No. 2 seed in the eight-team Southern California Regional playoffs. COC will play host to seventh-seeded El Camino (8-2) at 7 tonight. And COC earned the No. 1 ranking in the JC Grid-Wire national poll in September and finished the regular season at No. 5.

Still, for all of the Cougars' accomplishments during their dominant run, one thing has still eluded Lyon and his players - a state championship.

COC reached the state title game in 2002, losing to Reedley 35-15 in a contest marred by a postgame brawl. The Cougars appeared on their way to a return trip last season but were knocked off by eventual runner-up Grossmont 14-10 in the regional semifinals.

So, after another impressive regular season in which it averaged 447.4 offensive yards and 41.9 points per game, COC begins what it hopes to be a month-long postseason run tonight against El Camino, with the end result being a victory at the Orel E. Micham Mineral King Bowl on Dec. 11 in Visalia.

``We had another great regular season and I think we're a better football team than we were last year, especially on defense,'' said Lyon, whose team is seeking its fourth consecutive bowl victory since a 24-20 loss to Allan Hancock of Santa Maria in the 2000 Western State Bowl.

``We're really playing well on defense and I like our mind-set right now. But El Camino is a good team.''

Lyon has 20 players returning from last year's team that defeated Palomar 24-14 in the Western State Bowl before falling to Grossmont, and the seventh-year coach said their understanding of how to approach the postseason will be an asset.

``Every year is a different team (in terms of personalities and chemistry), but we're used to this,'' he said. ``(Playing three games to get to the state final) is the set-up, and these guys know that's what they have to deal with.''

The Cougars also could benefit from playing as many as three home games in regional competition, depending on how the rest of the bracket plays out.

``I like the fact that we're at home for two weeks, maybe three,'' said Lyon, whose team boasts a 26-game home winning streak since losing to Ventura 45-24 on Nov. 13, 1999.

``In the playoffs, you better take care of your own house or you won't be around for long.''

In order for COC to make El Camino's appearance in the postseason a brief one, it will need to contain quarterback Don Poole and his two talented receivers, Laferrell Payne and Mike Sanford.

``They have some fast receivers,'' Lyon said. ``That's their staple.''

Led by Poole, Payne and Sanford, El Camino is averaging more than 400 yards per game. El Camino slipped a bit late in the regular season, losing two of its last three games.

Still, it will be another test for the Cougars' defense, which finished the regular season giving up just 253.5 yards and 13.9 points per game.

Offensively, COC showed no signs of taking it easy in its regular-season finale, a 59-13 win against bowl-bound Moorpark. Cory Miles, one of the state's top-five passers, completed 23 of 41 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns against Moorpark to increase his totals to 168 completions in 283 attempts for 2,481 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Sophomore receiver Tyrell Smith caught eight passes for 84 yards and both scores, giving him more than 1,000 yards receiving for the second time in his career. Smith finished the regular season with 78 catches - second-most in the state - for 1,045 yards and scored 10 touchdowns.

Gerrell Cain rushed for 84 yards and two touchdowns to increase his totals to 511 yards and 11 scores, and kicker Jason Thompkins added eight extra points and a field goal, giving him a state-leading 89 points among kickers.