YOUNG RUNNING BACKS WAITING IN THE WINGS.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Community Sports

It's difficult to succeed in high school football without a dominating running back, as Saugus High well knows. The Centurions have never won a Foothill League championship - and not so coincidentally, only three Saugus rushers have gained more than 1,000 yards in a season in the past 15 years.

However, perhaps a long-term solution is available in the form of freshman Ryan Zirbel, a star in Santa Clarita youth football circles over the past few years who has rushed for 810 yards in just five-plus games for the freshman team.

Zirbel, a 5-foot-6, 153-pounder who is about the same size as Saugus' three main varsity tailbacks, Ryan Purdy, Edward Bergara and Juan Hamilton, is coming off a 157-yard performance against Burbank on Thursday. He also totaled nine tackles, three sacks and a fumble recovery, and the previous week Zirbel rushed for 198 yards against Canyon.

Saugus also has a talented junior varsity running back in sophomore Ry Biehahn. He ran for about 1,000 yards on the freshman team last year and is the JV team's leading rusher this season.

--Michael Herrick's 189 yards passing in Valencia's 17-14 loss to Hart on Friday was his lowest output of the season and third-lowest of his 35-game career. However, Herrick's career total was pushed to 9,444 yards, moving him to No. 3 on California's all-time list.

With two regular-season games remaining, plus probably at least two playoff games, Herrick needs 528 yards to surpass Keith Smith's record of 9,971 yards (Newbury Park, 1991-93.).

--Canyon's J.J. DiLuigi has 30 touchdowns - including 10 over the past two games - but remains two shy of the school single-season record, even though the record holder is listed in Canyon's program as Chris Perry with 27 in 1989. Actually, Canyon's single-season touchdown record belongs to Louis Montano, who scored 32 in 2003. Montano's name is erroneously missing in Canyon's program.

--Now that Valencia (6-2, 2-1) has fallen into second place in the Foothill League football standing following a 17-14 loss to Hart, the Vikings' game against co-leader Canyon (7-1, 3-0) is critical as teams jockey for playoff position.

Hart (7-1, 3-0) is also tied for first and faces Canyon in the regular-season finale Nov. 10.

Finishing in the top two in such a strong league as the Foothill practically assures a home game in the first round of the playoffs, while finishing third probably means a road game against a league champion.

Fourth place may or may not be good enough to make the playoffs as an at-large selection. Saugus (3-5, 1-2), Burroughs (3-5, 0-3) and Burbank (3-5, 0-3) remain in the hunt. Although Saugus has a one-game advantage over the Burbank schools, Burroughs has the best chance among the three to finish .500, and that's the most important criteria for at-large consideration.

--The annual National Bass West team fishing tournament is scheduled for Nov. 12 at Castaic Lake. Information: nationalbasswest.com.

--Coaches and officials are wanted for the winter basketball season at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex. Information: [phone] or scscgym(at)santaclarita.com.