COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS NOTEBOOK: COC FOOTBALL SAYS BYE TO THREE ALLSTON AMONG GROUP NOW AT AVC.

Byline: Julio Cortez Staff Writer

VALENCIA - Raymond Allston, Bobby Stanley and Mark Sutton won't be lining up for the College of the Canyons football team this season.

All three practiced with the Cougars during last year's offseason but didn't receive much playing time in 2001, when the team had its best season in recent memory. The Cougars finished 10-1 and won the Western State Bowl 35-32 over Saddleback, the first bowl victory in school history.

Allston, a cornerback, has enrolled at Antelope Valley College and appears to be in position to win a starting job.

``It looks like he's going to be good, solid player,'' AVC coach Brent Carder said. ``He has good speed and good instincts and seems to have good work ethic. Those are the qualities you look for in a good player.''

Sutton (Antelope Valley High) and Stanley (San Fernando High) are a different story. According to Carder, both showed up for spring workouts but didn't keep with their commitments with AVC's program.

Perhaps it was the reason they didn't earn a roster spot at COC.

COC coach Bob Lyons was unavailable for comment.

``I don't try to speculate on these things, we just give the kids an opportunity to give it a try,'' Carder said. ``The reality of it is that it doesn't matter where you play. It could be Pasadena, Pierce, Valley or Canyons. These kids just want to play. They want to do well and why not have them do that here.''

--Quarterback controversy? Quarterbacks Jason Winn and Kyle Bauer, a Valencia High graduate, figure to compete for the starting spot with the Cougars.

Bauer was effective last season but Winn, perhaps, is the more talented. He broke many of John Elway's passing records while at Granada Hills High and earned a scholarship to Texas Tech before leaving because of a lack of playing time.

Winn, a redshirt freshman, said he left the Red Raiders because he didn't feel Tech coach Mike Leach was giving him a fair chance to win the starter's job.

Leach, whom Winn said was the main reason he chose Texas Tech, gave the majority of snaps to junior Kliff Kingsbury and sophomore B.J. Symons. Winn attempted just three passes in the final intrasquad scrimmage April 14. In a previous scrimmage March 31, he attempted seven passes.

Winn graduated from Granada Hills with a school-best 5,301 yards and 55 touchdowns. He threw for 2,561 yards his senior year and broke his own school record with 28 touchdowns.

--Ready, set, run: The COC summer cross-country series will begin July 11. The series, in its 29th year, is used by many local high school and college runners looking to stay fit during the summer.

The series also is a good place for those who wish to take part in a race without paying hefty sign-up fees. Unlike the Los Angeles Marathon and other big running events, which can cost more than $45 to enter, the COC series offers seven races - all on consecutive Thursdays - for $3.

Last year, there was free meals given to those who ran in the final race. The last race features chances for those in different age groups to earn a medal for the top three performers in each division.

For information, call Lindie Kane at [phone], extension 3205.

Staff Writer Sean Ceglinsky contributed to this report.