VALENCIA QB WORKS FOR THE FUTURE.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Community Sports

You'd think Michael Herrick, a Valencia High junior on pace to break the state career passing-yardage record, might take it easy during the small window of time between the end of football season and the beginning of spring practice next month.

That's not the way he is.

After passing for more than 7,200 yards the past two years - including 4,065 yards (second in California) with 32 TDs to lead the Vikings to the Southern Section Div. II final last season - Herrick is working harder than ever.

On weekdays, he lifts weights and spends hours passing footballs into the twilight. He spends his weekends and Wednesday nights working with renowned private coach Steve Clarkson of Air 7 - a regimen he's been following since he was in eighth grade.

Lately, Herrick has only taken a break to visit colleges on unofficial recruiting trips. He's been to UCLA, California, Navy, Maryland and Virginia.

Herrick is so focused on being the Southland's top quarterback - not an easy task; he shares the spotlight with Hart's Tyler Lyon and Oaks Christian of Westlake Village's Jimmy Clausen, who have received major- college offers - that he has given up baseball, his second love.

Frankly, you have to wonder what some of the other Foothill League quarterbacks - which includes Lyon, Canyon's Ben Longshore and Austin Civita and Saugus' Zach Summers - are doing to keep up with Herrick.

``Of course, you can always get better,'' Herrick said. ``The offseason is when you're supposed to work on the things you need to work on. You always want to work harder than the guy next to you. People don't realize how much time and work it takes to be successful. They just don't realize.''

The only reason Herrick didn't participate in the high-profile Nike combine Sunday at USC was he was visiting Cal. Herrick plans to participate in a similar Nike event next month at Stanford.

``Actually, I figured the Stanford combine would be a better choice,'' Herrick said, ``because it's during the dead period (for college coaches), so it's actually better exposure.''

Herrick, who has been offered a full ride by Mississippi, isn't sure what the deciding factor will be when he commits to a university. The 6- foot-2, 170-pounder figures he'll know it's right when it's right.

``It's going to be kind of hard to decide, but I might commit early, depending on if it's the right school,'' Herrick said. ``But if (the recruiting process) goes the whole way (through next season), it's no big deal. I really don't have a favorite ... (but) UCLA would be nice, because it's close, and my parents can see me play.''

Herrick said Virginia and Maryland were both ``interesting,'' although one gets the feeling he probably will commit to a Pacific-10 Conference school if given the opportunity.

``I liked Virginia and Maryland,'' he said. ``They're both big-time college programs, and it would be something different to live on the East Coast.''

--It should be interesting to see if Canyon's Johnny Hay breaks out of his hitting slump over the final month of the baseball season. Expected to be one of the top sluggers in Div. I after a superb sophomore season a year ago, Hay is batting .240 with two home runs in 50 at-bats. Canyon is 9-8 despite an impressive 2.23 team ERA.

``Johnny has still got that classic left-handed swing,'' Canyon coach Chuck Crim said. ``We'll see what happens.''

--West Ranch's baseball program is looking for parents to help drive players to the Single-A Lancaster JetHawks' game Friday evening. It's ``Family Fun Night,'' and $25 buys four tickets, four hot dogs and four beverages. If interested, contact dsmock(at)hartdistrict.org.

Meanwhile, West Ranch, which has only freshmen, has a rising star in catcher Michael Browne. He's batting .536 with a home run, a team-high 23 runs and a .750 slugging average in 56 at-bats.

Next year, phenom Cade Kreuter, one of the top 13-year-olds in California, is expected to enroll. The son of former major-league veteran Chad Kreuter, Cade is 6-2 and can hit a baseball 375 feet. He's also an accomplished pitcher and shortstop. Some believe the youngster could dominate at the high school varsity level now.

--What happened to all those fun song chants that once were common in high school softball? It seems a lot of girls have lost their singing voices over the past couple of years.