FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: HART, CANYON AMONG ELITE.Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer Canyon and Hart have spent the summer impressing area prep football fans in passing tournaments. Today, the high schools have the opportunity to prove which is the best passing-league team in all of Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, . The Elite 8 tournament, which begins at 3 p.m. at Long Beach City College, is unlike any other. It is by invitation only, with the intent of assembling the best eight teams in the region for a competition. Hart and Canyon are joined by Carlsbad, Culver City Culver City, city (1990 pop. 38,793), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a residential suburb of Los Angeles; inc. 1917. It is a center of the U.S. motion-picture industry, whose roots in the city date to c.1915. Its chief manufactures are rubber products and computers. , Mater Dei Mater Dei is Latin for "Mother of God", referring to the Virgin Mary. The term has been used to name various institutions, often Catholic, including:
Santa Ana (sän'tä ä`nä), city (1993 pop. 129,873), W El Salvador. It is the second largest city in the country and the commercial and processing center for a sugarcane, coffee, and cattle region. , Mission Viejo Mission Vi·e·jo A community of southern California southeast of Irvine. It is mainly residential. Population: 96,300. , South Hills and Venice. The combined 2002 record of the teams was 89-16-1, with three section championships and two runners-up. ``It's unique,'' Canyon coach Harry Welch Welch , William Henry 1850-1934. American pathologist and bacteriologist who discovered the bacteria that causes gas gangrene. said. ``I've never seen a mix like this. At almost every other passing tournament, invitations go out to hundreds of schools.'' The Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, schools have the opportunity to show how they stack up against the best and are expected to fare well. Hart was one of the first four schools to be invited. Canyon was invited based on its summer performance. Canyon has been the top summer team in the state, winning all four of its tournaments without losing a game. Hart also has made the final in all of its tournaments, twice losing to rival Canyon. Hart is coming off a final loss to Mission Viejo at the Edison tournament last weekend. The Indians are battling injuries, with wide receiver Kevin Ciccone and linebacker Brian Elledge among those hurt but hoping to play. ``We almost wish we didn't commit because it's late in the summer, we're pretty banged up and we don't have much depth,'' Hart coach Mike Herrington said. ``We've almost played too many passing games already. But we committed to the tournament, so we're going to play, try hard and go from there.'' Hart usually would circle rival Canyon in any tournament, especially after losing to Cowboys in the final of the Hart and Saugus tournaments. But not with this field, which includes the team that beat Hart for the Southern Section Div. II title last year in Mission Viejo. ``There's so many great teams that we really can't focus on one,'' Hart quarterback Sean Norton said. ``It would be sweet to get another chance at Canyon, but there is the season for that.'' The Elite 8 tournament originally was scheduled to be played at USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. but had to be changed at the last minute because the USC practice field was being resodded. --Welcome aboard: Valencia surprisingly joined Hart and Canyon as summer passing-league winners by taking the St. Francis tournament over the weekend. The Vikings shocked defending Southern Section Div. III champion Notre Dame Notre Dame IPA: [nɔtʁ dam] is French for Our Lady, referring to the Virgin Mary. In the United States of America, Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks 24-23 in the final. A Brandon Nichols interception set up a touchdown pass from incoming sophomore Michael Herrick to Geoff Tisdale. Valencia also beat Oaks Christian of Westlake Village and Buena of Ventura on the way to the championship. It was the final tournament of the summer for the Vikings. Matthew Kredell, (818)713-3607 matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: SEAN NORTON QB will lead Hart into prestigious Elite 8 passing tournament beginning today. |
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