HIGH SCHOOL NOTEBOOK : Hart’s Bonds Heads Everyone Off at the Pass

Dean Herrington stood on the sideline of the football field Friday night at West Torrance High and watched as he slipped another notch in the Hart High football record book.

Herrington, the offensive coordinator of the Hart sophomore team, had held the school record for most passing yards in a season. He threw for 2,067 yards in 11 games in 1981.

That record was broken two years later by Tom Bonds, who threw for 2,155 yards in leading the Indians to a Coastal Conference championship.

Friday night, Tom’s record fell to his brother, Jim, in a most spectacular fashion.

Jim threw for 217 yards as Hart (9-3-1) beat West Torrance, 22-3, and advanced to the Coastal Conference title game against Muir (12-1) next week. He has 2,252 yards in 13 games this season.

Jim broke the record on a 66-yard screen pass to Chris Hite on a play typical of his season.

Bonds faded back on a half-roll to his right as three West Torrance linemen closed in. At the last second he whirled and threw across the field to a wide-open Hite, who raced down the left sideline for a touchdown.

Herrington, of course, was as happy as anybody.

“Jim is a great kid,” Herrington said. “He’s like a little brother to me. Records are going to fall to great athletes like Jim Bonds.”

Actually, Herrington can be given part of the credit for Bonds’ success. He coached him on the sophomore level.

“As a freshman football player, you could see the greatness even then. As a sophomore he was better and as a junior he’s been even better.”

Herrington said that Bonds’ passing yardage is not what impresses him most.

“I can’t believe his rushing stats,” Herrington said. “For the quarterback of a team that doesn’t run the option to have more than 300 yards rushing is incredible.”

Hart Coach Rick Scott’s favorite number of Bonds’ is the 11 that falls under the category of his class grade.

Better put the new record in pencil.

Sites and times for football championship games next week have been tentatively set for three of the five Valley-area teams.

The lineup:

City 3-A Division: Chatsworth vs. Fairfax, Thursday, 8 p.m. at East Los Angeles College.

Inland Conference: Montclair Prep vs. Tehachapi, Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Tehachapi High.

Desert-Mountain Conference: Harvard vs. Leuzinger, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. at Valley College.

Canyon will play Antelope Valley for the Northwestern title and Hart will meet top-ranked Muir for the Coastal championship. Both Canyon and Hart have home games and want to use College of the Canyons.

A decision on who will get to use the facility on Friday will be made by the principals from the schools Monday morning.

The team that does not use the field on Friday probably will play at the same site Saturday night, but such a date change must be approved by that team’s opponent and the Southern Section.

San Fernando was shut out in the second half of a 28-9 loss to Banning on Friday night.

That should come as no surprise. Banning has allowed only 31 second-half points this season--and just six in the last nine games.

Edison High of Huntington Beach scored seven points in the fourth quarter against the Pilots eight weeks ago. Those are the only fourth-quarter points Banning has allowed.

The Pilots were extra tough all game against San Fernando, limiting Lance Harper, the Tigers’ star running back to 22 yards on 12 carries.

Clarence Bradley led San Fernando’s ground game with 33 yards on nine carries.

The Tigers had to convert on four fourth-down situations during their only touchdown drive against Banning.

The San Fernando Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame honored eight players and two coaches at its awards luncheon Thursday in Granada Hills.

The following players were recognized as the leaders in their categories:

Passer: Jim Bonds, Hart

Receiver: Greg Fowble, Granada Hills

Rusher: Toney Edwards, Palmdale

Scorer: Gary Wellman, Westlake

Punter: Matt Marrs, Quartz Hill

Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Randy Austin and Joe Zacharia, Canyon

Offensive Player of the Year: Scott Ford, Westlake

Canyon Coach Harry Welch and Faith Baptist Coach Harry Morgan were honored for having undefeated seasons.

Canyon (13-0) will be out to win its third consecutive Northwestern championship next week. Faith Baptist was undefeated during the regular season but lost to Templeton in the Eight Man Large Division championship last week.