VALENCIA DANGEROUS WITH NOTHING TO LOSE.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON

At first glance, it seems Valencia High School's football team (2-7, 1-3), suffering through its worst season in school history and already mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, doesn't have much to play for in Thursday's season finale against first-place Canyon (6-2, 3-0).

But that's the scary part, the way Canyon sees it, because the reality is that Valencia's Vikings have everything to play for because this game is the final chance for the underachieving Vikings to salvage their season and earn some respect by chopping the knees of the defending Southern Section Div. II champion Cowboys.

A classic spoiler role.

It's not as if Valencia isn't capable. Any team with such weapons as running back Shane Vereen (88 career touchdowns) and quarterback Graham Wilbert (1,907 yards, 20 TDs) should be able to defeat just about anyone on a given night, and don't think Canyon doesn't know it.

The upset-minded Vikings, coming off a last-minute 22-15 home loss to rival Hart, should be fully motivated to stretch themselves on closing night because, frankly, it might be the only way they can still look at themselves in the mirror once the dust clears.

``It's Valencia's playoffs and their championship game, all in one night,'' Canyon coach Harry Welch said. ``They've got some fantastic athletes and have had such a rough schedule. They should have won that Hart game. Honestly, they're the best 2-7 team I've seen in 35 years.''

Gino Riney, who averaged 29 points per game as a junior at Grant High of Van Nuys in 2002 and was among California's top high school basketball prospects before legal problems derailed his dreams, is making a comeback at College of the Canyons.

``Gino is doing all right and making some progress,'' said Canyons coach Howard Fisher, whose team will open Wednesday night at Pierce College. ``He's up there in the rotation, and he's trying to get back in the swing of things in basketball and the world of academia. He's making good progress.''

Donjay Kakonde, a 6-foot-8 freshman from Valencia High, also is on the roster, along with returning guard Shant Bicakci (Saugus) and forward Everett Bryson (Canyon.)

The latest Daily News podcast, hosted by yours truly and slated to feature Crespi High of Encino football standout D.J. Holt, who lives in Canyon Country, should be online Wednesday: http://dailynews.com/podcasts.

Previous Daily News podcasts are archived on the Web site, including last week's program featuring Canyon running back J.J. DiLuigi.

Terence Scott, a Canyons receiver, is closing in on a USC football scholarship -- as in the University of Southern California Trojans or perhaps the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. Both universities have expressed interest in Scott, who has 55 receptions and 10 TDs.

Author Frank Wright will sign and discuss ``The Ultimate Basketball Book'' from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble in Valencia. Wright is a teacher and has been coaching basketball for more than 30 years. Information: [phone].

Santa Clarita Christian High got a tough draw in the first round of the Southern Section eight-man football playoffs. Undefeated until last week's loss to two-time defending champion Faith Baptist of Canoga Park, the Cardinals (7-1) will play View Park Prep (9-0) of Los Angeles at Canyon at 7 p.m. Friday.

``It's a real tough seed, but the guys at the CIF said there was nothing they could do because we had to be in the opposite bracket of Faith Baptist, because we're in the same league,'' coach Garrick Moss said. ``View Park is very athletic and real tough. They drop back and pass a lot, and their quarterback is like a mini Michael Vick. We've got our hands full.''

Canyon Country Little League, which has made major improvements, has begun online registration: www.ccll.org.

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Gino Riney, once a prep basketball star at Grant High of Van Nuys, is making a comeback at College of the Canyons.

David Crane/Staff Photographer