AROUND THE LEAGUES

Alemany may be forced to move Roy Talavera, considered one of the best defensive backs in the Valley, from the defensive to the offensive backfield because of an injury to the team’s starting quarterback.

Nick Napolitan was knocked out of the Indians’ 6-0 loss to Harvard, leaving last week’s game in the fourth quarter with what was believed to be a separated right shoulder. His injury was later diagnosed as a bruise, and the senior may still play Friday against Granada Hills.

Talavera threw two passes against Harvard last week. His first was an 11-yard completion. The second was an interception deep in Harvard territory late in the game with the Indians trailing, 6-0. . . .

Hart High, which lost to cross-town rival Canyon, 42-32, may lose quarterback Jim Bonds for Friday night’s game against Mission Viejo. Bonds, who set a school record by completing 21 of 33 passes for 318 yards against Canyon, bruised his left knee and did not practice Monday or Tuesday. “The doctor is ordering a brace and we’ll see how it goes,” Hart Coach Rick Scott said. “If he’s experiencing any pain at all, he won’t play.”

Junior Darren Renfro, a left-handed defensive back and wide receiver, will start at quarterback if Bonds is unable to play. Last season, Renfro played quarterback on the Hart sophomore team that was 10-0. This summer, while Bonds was attending a football camp, Renfro led Hart to the semifinals of the L.A. Games. Trailing, 28-6, at halftime, Hart did not use a huddle the entire second half against Canyon and rolled up more than 300 yards. . . .

Screaming loud and long at Monday’s practice, Canyon Coach Harry Welch sounded like a man whose team had lost its opener. Of course, Canyon defeated Hart. But Welch wasn’t pleased with a defense that surrendered 450 yards and four touchdown passes. “I wish I knew a nice way to develop the necessary intensity in these young men,” Welch said, “but I haven’t found it.” Canyon tailback Lance Cross, who suffered a back injury in the fourth quarter last Friday, is practicing but not taking part in live drills. Welch said that Cross, who gained 123 yards against Hart, is questionable for this week’s game against La Canada. . . .

Westlake tight end Garret Messner caught three passes in the Warriors 40-18 tap dance on San Marcos last Friday.

No big deal except that’s one more pass than Westlake tight ends caught all last season. Two years ago, they also caught only two.

The on-again off-again career of Sylmar High quarterback Adrian Valdez, a projected starter for the Spartans, ended last Friday after school officials declared him academically ineligible for the third consecutive season. Valdez was retaking a typing class in summer school and needed to receive an A in the course to satisfy City Section requirements. Richards stated last week that Valdez was his starting quarterback, but learned just prior to a scrimmage against Hamilton on Friday that Valdez actually earned a C in the course. “He gave me the impression that he got the A,” Richards said. “I guess with his past I should have been more careful.”

Sylmar will open the season Friday against Verdugo Hills with untested junior Rick Negrete at quarterback. “Negrete looked sharp in a scrimmage last week. After the way he performed, I’m not too upset at all about losing Valdez,” Richards said. . . .

Don’t expect any tears from Simi Valley’s Mark Bustamante even though he apparently has lost the starting quarterback job to newcomer Todd Studer. Studer, a transfer from Redmond, Wash., completed nine of 14 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns in Simi Valley’s 21-3 win over Ventura last Friday. One of those touchdown passes was a 46-yard strike to Bustamante, who was the starting quarterback last season, but shifted to receiver. . . .

Dominic Sandifer is picking up where he left off last season when he booted a school record 52-yard field goal in the the Desert-Mountain Conference championship game against Leuzinger. Sandifer accounted for all of the Saracens’ points in a 6-0 victory over Alemany, with field goals from 47 and 51 yards. “You only need to get down to the 35 yard-line,” said Harvard Coach Gary Thran, who claims Sandifer has converted from as far as 62 yards in practice.

OTHER FALL SPORTS

Royal High’s 11-5, 11-9 victory over Calabasas gave the Highlanders the championship of their own 15-team volleyball tournament Saturday at the Royal gym.

Royal’s Julie Myers was named the most valuable player of the tournament, and Lura Braden was selected to the all-tournament team.

Other selections to the all-tournament team were Kristie Sterbens of Simi Valley, Tami Seay of Buena and teammates Sandi Thomsen and Carolyn Blake of Calabasas.

Greg Frazier and Tom Brewer led Royal to a second-place finish in the Heritage water polo tournament at Irvine High on Saturday.

Frazier, twice named to the the All-Marmonte League team, scored nine goals during the three-day tournament. Brewer, a two-meter man, scored seven goals.

Royal, which has won the past five league championships, lost to San Clemente in the championship match, 11-3.

STATISTICS WATCH

Russell White of Crespi is tied with Bill Phillips of Newbury Park for the area lead in rushing with 151 yards. But White, just a sophomore, produced his yardage on just four carries for a superb 37.8 average, while Phillips needed 25 tries. White’s 78-yard run was the longest of the week, topping the 73-yard run by Todd Thompson of Westlake. . . . Jim Bonds of Hart threw for 318 yards, a school record, and four touchdowns to lead area quarterbacks. . . . Ken Sollom of Canyon also passed for four touchdowns.

Chris Hite of Hart and Mark Colon of St. Genevieve each caught nine passes. Hite’s catches were good for 112 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Both took a back seat, however, to Canyon’s Chad Zeigler, who grabbed six passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns. Zeigler and Rob Mandel of Westlake each had four touchdowns to take the early lead in scoring. Zeigler’s four touchdowns broke a school record.

Hart (450), Canyon (411) and Westlake (407) gained more than 400 yards in team offense the first week, and Crespi was close at 397. . . . Crespi’s defense held El Rancho to minus 24 yards rushing and a total of 10 yards in the 46-0 shutout. . . . Harvard (51), Thousand Oaks (65), and Calabasas (90) also held their opponents under 100 yards. . . . Every Marmonte League team except Camarillo opened with a victory.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

The final statistics may prove otherwise, but Canyon High wide receiver Chad Zeigler insists he had defense on his mind before the Hart-Canyon football game.

“I was thinking about how our juniors and sophomores on defense would react to the crowd and pressure of the game,” Zeigler said.

Hart’s defenders responded to Zeigler a step too late. The 6-1, 180-pound senior caught six passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns in the 42-32 win last Friday.

Still, Zeigler made his most impressive play as a defensive back. After Hart had driven to the Canyon 22-yard-line in the second quarter, a pitch from Hart quarterback Jim Bonds bounced off fullback Andy Iacenda’s chest into Zeigler’s hands. He raced 78 yards for a fourth touchdown to give Canyon a 21-0 lead.

“Iacenda was looking at me when he bobbled the ball,” Zeigler said. “I knew Chris Hite would be chasing me because he’s so fast. I turned and, luckily, straight-armed him.”

Zeigler, who has started for three years, made his presence known on the game’s first play when he hauled in a 23-yard pass from his cousin, quarterback Ken Sollom. Midway through the second quarter Zeigler beat a Hart defender on a deep pattern, caught Sollom’s bomb at the five and strolled in for a 40-yard score.

Sollom hit Zeigler on a slant pattern for a seven-yard touchdown with 23 seconds left in the first half to give Canyon a 28-6 lead.

Hart dominated most of the second half, and with Canyon clinging to a 35-26 fourth-quarter lead, Zeigler made his most outstanding catch. Well-covered by two Hart defenders, he still snared a 20-yard pass in the end zone.

Canyon Coach Harry Welch is not surprised that Zeigler emerged as the premier player in a game filled with impressive performances.

“Chad is a veteran on a team of mostly inexperienced players,” Welch said. “He expects quite a lot from himself and, against Hart, delivered.”

Also receiving consideration were Canyon quarterback Ken Sollom, who completed 13 of 22 passes for 214 yards and 4 touchdowns; Hart quarterback Jim Bonds (21 of 33 passes for 318 yards and 4 touchdowns); Hart running back Chris Hite (9 catches for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns, 5 carries for 58 yards); Crespi running back Russell White (4 carries for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns); and Harvard kicker Dominic Sandifer (field goals of 51 and 47 yards).

THIS WEEK’S BIG GAMES

Cleveland at Chatsworth: Cleveland defeated Chatsworth, 20-0, last season for its only win. The Chancellors, meanwhile, advanced to the City Section 3-A final.

Alemany at Granada Hills: Many players from Alemany, a private Southern Section 5-A school, live in the attendance area of Granada Hills, a public City Section 4-A school.

Kennedy at Crenshaw: Kennedy’s talented team had better get used to playing in the inner city if it wants to have a chance when the 4-A playoffs begin.

VALLEY TOP 10 Selected by sportswriters of The Times

Last Rk Wk Team League Record 1 1 Canyon Golden 1-0-0 2 4 Crespi Del Rey 1-0-0 3 5 Thousand Oaks Marmonte 1-0-0 4 2 Hart Foothill 0-1-0 5 3 Kennedy Valley 4-A 0-0-0 6 6 San Fernando Valley 4-A 0-0-0 7 7 Granada Hills Valley 4-A 0-0-0 8 8 Cleveland Valley 4-A 0-0-0 9 9 Chatsworth Sunset 0-0-0 10 10 Taft Sunset 0-0-0