FEARLESS PREDICTIONS FOR THE 2004 SEASON.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Community Sports

Bound to happen this high school football season:

--The Hart-Valencia matchup will be the season's most anticipated Foothill League showdown. But many will be disappointed the contest won't be the season finale as it has been in years past. This year, the game falls Oct. 29 during Week 8.

--Valencia kicker Brian Malette won't have many field-goal opportunities because of coach Brian Stiman's usual preference to go for first downs in most fourth-down situations. But Malette will manage to make a field goal of at least 50 yards. Twice.

--No matter the weather conditions, not a single hair will fall out of place on the head of Hart's well-coiffed offensive coordinator, Davis Delmatoff.

--Despite the presence of perhaps the Foothill League's best blocker, Eben Britton, and most elusive running back, Thomas Kyle, Burroughs will lose by at least three touchdowns to Hart, Valencia and Canyon.

--Canyon quarterback Will Brogan will continue his flair for the dramatic by engineering two game-winning touchdown drives in the final minutes. But the team's relatively weak nonleague schedule will catch up to the Cowboys in the long run.

--It won't be such a shock this year when Burbank, led by three-year starting quarterback Mike McDonald, squeezes into the playoffs for the second consecutive season after a decade of disappointment.

--Santa Clarita Christian quarterback Stephen Mercier and running back Orlandi Pena again will amass eye-popping statistics. But, as usual, no one will pay much attention because the team participates in eight-man football.

--Unheralded sophomore running back Shane Vereen will give Valencia a bonafide breakaway threat for the first time since the graduation of Charles Burnley (now at Oregon State) two seasons ago.

--Hart's wildly athletic Ryan Wolfe will prove so effective on both sides of the football that Division I colleges will offer him scholarships as either a receiver or defensive back.

--Local restauranteurs will clear the way whenever Hart's massive threesome of Dusty Green, Zac Zimmerman and John Hartmire - who average about 6-foot-5, 280 pounds - decide to have lunch together.

--Valencia junior Michael Herrick again will pass for more than 3,000 yards in the middle chapter to what will become one of California's all-time most productive quarterback careers. His favorite returning receiver, Shane Morales, again will have more than 60 receptions.

--For the umpteenth year in a row, Canyon coach Harry Welch will be blamed for something that isn't his fault.

--Hart's Evan Surratt will score touchdowns of at least 50 yards in the same game on a reception, an interception return and a kick return.

--Valencia linebacker Torrey O'Brien and Hart lineman Eric Herskovitz, two of the league's gutsiest overachievers, will prove you don't have to be big to dominate in high school football.

--No receiver will score a long touchdown against Valencia's speedy Joe Hernandez, the league's fastest defensive back.

--Canyon lineman Ryan Bremler, who bench presses more than 400 pounds, will single-handedly move one of those mountains of dirt so Canyon's field can be finished sooner.

--As usual, Thanksgiving morning will feel like a homecoming party at Hart, which will be practicing for a playoff game the following night. Recent graduates Sean Norton, Kevin Ciccone and Chris Piligian will show up in their Fresno State gear, as will visiting Flagstaff High of Arizona senior Joe Bernardi, who has committed to the Bulldogs.

--Perhaps Hart will advance to a Southern Section title game for the seventh consecutive season.

But Div. II rival Mission Viejo will prove tough to beat because of the return of its star quarterback, Mark Sanchez, along with several other impact starters.

--Few other leagues will possess such talented second-string quarterbacks as Hart's Robbie Moore and Canyon's Austin Civita, who undoubtedly would be standouts on many other teams.

--An anonymous, insightful Internet poster who goes by the moniker Hartdad again will provide some of the community's most accurate observations.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Santa Clarita Christian quarterback Stephen Mercier should put up big numbers. But because he plays eight-man football, will anyone notice?

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer