Hart Scores 7-6 Victory Over Canyon

In a match that was much less than a football game, Hart High defeated Canyon, 7-6, on Saturday at Redondo High in the quarterfinal round of the L.A. Games.

How much less was this 7-on-7 match-up?

Less about 9,000 screaming fans. Less two guards and two tackles on offense and four linemen on defense. Less helmets and pads.

And less the bragging rights to Santa Clarita Valley for which they’ll play on Sept. 12, when the teams meet in a regular-season opener at College of the Canyons.

Hart quarterback Jimmy Bonds hit tight end David Lee with a 10-yard touchdown pass midway through the first half, then connected with Lee again for the PAT. Canyon quarterback Ken Sollom found Trevor Doyle with a 14-yard scoring throw with about two minutes left in the game, but misfired on the PAT attempt.

“Canyon will have this score posted in their locker room all summer,” Hart Coach Rick Scott said. “I almost wish we’d have lost so I could use it to motivate my guys.”

“The game meant absolutely nothing,” Canyon Coach Harry Welch said. “They beat us last summer, too.”

Hart advances to the L.A. Games semifinals against Muir today at 10:15 a.m. at El Camino College. Muir, which defeated Hart for the Coastal Conference title last season, advanced to the semifinals by beating Granada Hills, 28-13.

Banning meets Carson today at 9 a.m. in a semifinal game. The final will begin at 1:30 p.m.