Canyon’s Woes Continue--Running Backs Peery, Cross Turn In Their Uniforms

Canyon High running backs Chris Peery and Cam Cross quit this week, giving Coach Harry Welch more to worry about than the team’s 1-2 record.

Cross, a junior tailback, turned in his equipment Tuesday and Peery, a sophomore fullback, quit Wednesday. Welch said the decisions came as a surprise.

“I don’t have an answer to it,” Welch said.

Cross refused to comment, but Peery apparently is already having second thoughts.

“I’m just going to think it over,” Peery said. “Tomorrow I’ll decide if I want to go back. I just didn’t like it anymore. I didn’t like going to practice and I didn’t even like the games.”

Canyon, which was 11-2 last season, has lost two of three games for the first time in Welch’s six years as coach. The Cowboys lost to Thousand Oaks, 13-10, Friday night for the first time since 1972.

Cross (5-9, 165) has rushed for 283 yards this season and Peery (6-1, 200) has rushed for 246. Both players mentioned quitting to teammates Monday at practice.

“We all said, ‘Hey, if you want to go, go,’ ” said tackle Dom Spainhower, a two-year starter. “We just want to get all the bad seeds out.

“I think they were tired of getting yelled at. But that’s to be expected.”

In a meeting after the loss to Thousand Oaks, Welch addressed the team on its performance. He said he told Cross and Peery that they played well.

“I said that they should continue to press on and that we could not tolerate mistakes in the game, like dropped passes and fumbles,” Welch said.

Cross and Peery each fumbled once and each dropped a pass.

“Saturday during films the coach was saying how good Cam was,” Spainhower said.

Welch was faced with a similar situation when Cam’s brother Lance quit during spring practice in 1986. But Lance, also a tailback, returned before the 1986 season and went on to set Canyon career rushing records of 3,297 yards and 42 touchdowns.

Leaving the door open for Lance Cross paid off for Canyon, and Welch said he would welcome the return of Cam Cross and Peery. Peery’s parents, in fact, want Chris to return. Welch met with Peery’s father, George, on Wednesday.

“I don’t believe Chris is going to quit,” George Peery said. “I’m trying to get him to reconsider. If he’s the kid I think he is, I think he’ll listen to me. At this time he has a lot at stake.”

Some of the Canyon players, however, say good riddance.

“In a way I’m glad to see them go,” said Spainhower. “They had a bad attitude. Some days, they’d come to practice and wouldn’t work hard.”

Added senior Mike Lilly: “Yesterday, we had a team meeting about them quitting. We said if anyone wanted to get off the team they better leave now.”

Lilly, who hasn’t carried the ball this season, is the new tailback. The fullback job is open.

Peery, who Welch said is a close friend of Cross, would be just the guy to fill it.