COMING OFF PAINFUL SHUTOUT LOSS, HART HIGH FAITHFUL STILL IN SHOCK.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON

There's a whole lot of finger-pointing going on at Hart High, and that shouldn't be much of a surprise in the wake of Friday's 34-0 loss to visiting St. Bonaventure of Ventura -- by far the worst defeat, points-wise, in coach Mike Herrington's 18-year career.

Not only was it the first shutout since 1985 (four years before Herrington took the head job) but the biggest point deferential, too. Prior to Friday, the biggest losses were a 30-point playoff loss to Mission Viejo in 2004, and a 25-point playoff loss to Peninsula of Palos Verdes in 1997.

Hart's total of seven turnovers might also be a program record -- it's no surprise that no one keeps track of such things -- so it goes without saying that the Indians are embracing a new week. The next game against Moorpark is at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Saugus, which opens its football season against visiting Antelope Valley on Friday at College of the Canyons, impressed during a scrimmage at Alemany of Mission Hills on Friday.

Among the standouts were running back Ryan Zirbel and receiver/defensive back Mario Wright. Zirbel, a touted sophomore, rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown on five carries, and he added four receptions. Wright had four receptions and scored on an interception return.

Undoubtedly, Zirbel had a lot on his mind after briefly leaving Saugus last month with plans to transfer to Alemany before returning six days later.

``Ryan Zirbel did very well. He's every bit as advertised,'' Bornn said. ``He sets up his blockers very well, and he's a very, very slashy runner.''

Wright has come out of nowhere after struggling in the classroom last season.

``If this kid takes care of his grades, he could potentially be one of the most recruitable athletes of anyone ever at Saugus,'' Bornn said. ``He's 6-foot-4 and 186 pounds and really passes the eyeball test. He's getting better and better every day. Some kids have peaks and valleys but this kid just keeps getting better.''

After practicing through the hottest part of the summer while the Foothill League's other football teams were on their three-week break, Canyon simply was thrilled to be playing under the lights against an opponent other than themselves for the first time Thursday.

``It's been a long, hot summer,'' said game announcer Mike Civita, who heads Canyon's support stuff. ``That heat wave was brutal, and we practiced right through it and worked hard all summer. We were really ready to start the season.''

Former Canyon tight end Chachi Spann, one of the program's most talented players over the past few years, has resurfaced at Glendale College after leaving Cal Poly SLO, where he briefly joined the team as a recruited walk-on two years ago.

How tough is Canyon linebacker Blake McMartin? He barely blinked Thursday when blood began streaming from a cut on his forearm. He simply wrapped it up with athletic tape and went right back out there.

Hart continues to blast the same classic rock songs during pregame warm-ups every football season -- a familiar mix of AC/DC's ``Thunderstruck,'' Van Halen's ``Right Now,'' Bruce Springsteen's ``Born in the USA,'' Bon Jovi's ``It's My Life'' and a few others.

Sound engineer Chris Mendenhall, whose son, Blake, is Hart's kicker, said the coaching staff is too superstitious to change the music, which blasts from seven massive speakers. It used to be even louder with eight speakers, but one was stolen a few years back.

``It was stolen right in front of my house (in Valencia),'' Mendenhall said. ``We pulled in at 2 a.m. that morning, and I thought: `Why unload it now?' That was the last time we ever did anything like that.''

Former Hart football lineman Devin Mills, 20, is study child development because he plans a career working with youngsters. He's also a leader at the local Boys & Girls Club.

Frank Ferry, a former Saugus High administrator who's the new principal at Alemany, is proud of the football team's new locker room, which has gone from one of the area's worst to one of the best, thanks to $30,000 worth of new materials plus lots of donated labor.

``It used to be a rat trap with no air conditioning and 30-year-old carpet and broken windows,'' Ferry said. ``Now everything is brand new with a 40-inch big-screen TV, individual padded seats and a new training room with a whirlpool and taping room. There are no metal lockers. You walk in and it has the feel of a college or pro locker room.''

New details are expected to emerge soon about the criminal case of Justin Williams, a former Canyon football star who remains in custody on felony charges of battery on a police officer. Stay tuned.