Canyon Again Is No. 1 in Final Poll

Canyon remains king of the Valley.

Coach Harry Welch’s Cowboys, the only team in the Valley area to finish the regular season unbeaten, have been selected No. 1 in The Times’ Valley Top 10 for the second consecutive year.

“I am so very proud of this team,” Welch said. “They responded like champions to pressure imposed by themselves, the community and the media.”

Canyon is the defending Northwest Conference champion and has won 34 straight games over a three-year period. But the Cowboys will take the field Friday night against Serra in the first round of the playoffs without quarterback John Watkins.

The senior, who directed Canyon to wins in each of his 24 starts the past two seasons, broke his left wrist in last week’s 20-0 win over Antelope Valley. “His loss is heavy on my mind,” Welch said.

Junior Ken Sollom will replace Watkins. Sollom started at defensive back the past four games but has seen little action at quarterback.

“Ken has one of the strongest arms in Southern California,” Welch said. “He’ll be a fine quarterback. But it’s asking a little much to expect him to perform this Friday at Watkins’ level.”

Without Watkins, the Cowboys will rely more on running back Lance Cross, according to Welch. Cross, who has gained 1,008 yards this season, accidentally broke Watkins’ wrist after falling on it in the third quarter.

Granada Hills, the only other unbeaten team in the Valley before Friday, fell to San Fernando, 40-12, in a game that decided the Valley 4-A League title.

Thousand Oaks, Hart, Chatsworth and St. Genevieve also are league champions.

Thousand Oaks took the Marmonte title last week by routing Royal, 56-14. Although Simi Valley finished with an identical 5-1 record, the Lancers are champions because they defeated the Pioneers.

Hart captured the Foothill title last week by knocking off previously unbeaten Schurr, 35-19. Although Chatsworth was tied, 14-14, by Monroe, the Chancellors had already clinched the Sunset championship. St. Genevieve, which finished Santa Fe play with a 5-0 record, defeated Chaminade, 35-14.

The Valley Top 10

Selected by sportswriters of The Times

Last Rk Wk Team League Record 1 1 Canyon Golden 10-0 2 3 San Fernando Valley 4-A 7-2-0 3 4 Thousand Oaks Marmonte 7-3-0 4 6 Hart Foothill 6-3-1 5 2 Granada Hills Valley 4-A 8-1-0 6 5 Simi Valley Marmonte 8-2-0 7 7 Newbury Park Marmonte 6-3-1 8 10 Alemany Del Rey 8-2-0 9 NR St. Genevieve Santa Fe 8-2-0 10 NR Rio Mesa Channel 7-2-1