Final Destination Found for Hart, Canyon Games

Neighboring Santa Clarita Valley schools Canyon and Hart each will play host to championship contests Friday.

Antelope Valley (9-4) meets Canyon (13-0) at Canyon High for the Norwestern Conference title at 7:30 p.m., while Muir (12-1) and Hart meet at the College of the Canyons, also at 7:30 p.m., for the Coast Conference championship.

Initially, Muir had balked at playing at College of the Canyons on Saturday if Canyon played there Friday because Coach Jim Brownfield felt that a rain-soaked field would benefit Hart. Because Canyon will play at its own school, the Hart-Muir game was moved up to Friday, resolving the problem.

Canyon is vying for its third conference title and Hart is going for its second in three years. Antelope Valley won the Nortwestern Conference in 1977 and 1981.

Harvard, which made the playoffs only once in the past 11 years, has advanced to the finals of the Desert-Mountain Conference. Harvard beat Yucaipa, the conference runner-up from 1984; Santa Clara, the team seeded No. 1; and Notre Dame of Riverside to reach the final.

The Saracens now face a rematch with Pioneer League co-champion Leuzinger on Saturday night at Valley College. Kickoff is set for 7:30. Leuzinger (12-1-1) defeated Harvard, 22-10, six weeks ago, but the Saracens haven’t lost since.

Montclair Prep, which won an Eight-Man Conference title in 1976, will go for its first 11-man championship Saturday at Tehachapi (11-2). The Mounties are much larger than the Tehachapi players, but they may hve to brave low temperatures and snow. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

Chatsworth (8-2-1), winner of eight straight games, will face Fairfax (11-0) in the City 3-A final at East Los Angeles College on Thursday beginning at 8 p.m.