MATTER SUFFOCATES SAUGUS; HART RECORD 484 YARDS CAPS A 5 TOUCHDOWN PASSING NIGHT : HART 43 SAUGUS 3.

Byline: Scott Magoloff Staff Writer

Room to breathe for Saugus was about as scarce as were seats and parking spots at College of the Canyons, which played host to both teams' Foothill League openers on Friday night.

A crowd of over 7,000 crammed into Cougar Stadium - many without seats - to witness a record-setting performance from Kyle Matter, who led the Indians to a 43-3 victory over the Centurions.

Matter completed 27 of 42 passes for a school-record 484 yards and five touchdowns. He was intercepted once. The previous record was held by Ryan Connors, who threw for 480 yards in a 1991 game against Burroughs.

Matter's effort allowed Hart (6-0, 1-0) to extend its league winning streak to 39 games, dating back to 1990. It also ran its record against the cross-town rival Centurions to 19-5-1, winning 16 of the last 18 games with one tie.

Hart was the aggressor from the start, running a fake double-reverse on its first play that ended with Matter hitting Jared Bazar for 36 yards. It set up Matter's 20-yard scoring strike to Bazar, pushing the Indians ahead 7-0 in the first quarter.

A pair of 82-yard touchdown passes from Matter to teammate Garrett Fuller - both on short screen plays - gave Hart a 21-3 halftime lead.

Saugus' offense, which averaged 379 yards per game before facing Hart, was limited to just 88 yards. Quarterback David Parker struggled under heavy pressure, completing just 10 of 29 passes for 69 yards and two interceptions.

Parker's first interception came with about six minutes left in the third quarter and Hart still ahead by 18. The Centurions marched down to the Indians' 11-yard line, but Travis Nicol got in front of Nels Jensen in the endzone to pick off the pass.

The Hart defense went after Parker all night, putting an exclamation point on the effort with an interception returned for a touchdown and a safety in the fourth quarter.

Hart's Garrett Fuller, who caught seven passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns, returned Parker's second interception 49 yards for a touchdown to put the Indians up 41-3 early in the fourth. Bazar finished the game with nine catches for 171 yards and three touchdowns.

Tight end Nels Jensen led Saugus (4-2, 0-1) with six catches for 65 yards.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

PHOTO (1) Hart's Jared Bazar makes a diving catch for the first of his three TD passes from Kyle Matter.

Gene Blevins/Daily News

(2) Kyle Matter

(3) David Parker

BOX: Matter of record