Fall Notebook /Sean Waters : Kane Returns to Haunt Old Mates

St. Bonaventure High was ready to give Oak Park’s Brian Kane another opportunity to take back his old green and gold Seraph uniform.

Kane, who played last season for St. Bonaventure, rushed 10 times for 125 yards and scored 3 touchdowns to lead Oak Park to a 35-17 victory over his former teammates.

“I told him he could have my uniform if he wanted to come back,” said lineman Brian Bass, who was Kane’s close friend at St. Bonaventure. “We talked between plays about how better we would be if he was on our team. He agreed.”

St. Bonaventure raised Kane before their future tailback moved to Oak Park.

“He was our best junior varsity tailback,” St. Bonaventure Coach Damian Wilkerson said. “We didn’t want him to leave.”

As a sophomore, Kane rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 30 touchdowns for the St. Bonaventure junior varsity, which finished in a 3-way tie for the Tri-Valley League championship. He had 193 yards in 49 carries last season as a varsity reserve.

But Kane’s future uniform had gold and brown on it and St. Bonaventure was left green with envy Friday.

Kane, filling in for the injured Jason Stein, scored on a 42-yard run, an 85-yard kickoff return and a 6-yard pass from quarterback Gary Silverman. The victory ensured Oak Park, 8-1 overall and 3-1 in league play, a Southern Section playoff spot and knocked St. Bonaventure (3-6, 2-2) out of contention.

“I’m glad he had a successful day, but I wish he hadn’t done it against us,” Wilkerson said. “He had a chance to showcase his talents and he took advantage of the opportunity.”

Still, St. Bonaventure players tried to make Kane’s road to the end zone a difficult trip.

“I wanted to stick him hard and make him pay for leaving,” Bass said. “I was upset that he left.”

Catching a few records: Buena’s Jim Collins had 5 catches for 158 yards to set 2 school records in a 34-10 victory over Hueneme.

Collins has 42 receptions for 763 yards, setting records for most receptions in a season and most yards receiving in a career. Collins has 2 more receptions than previous record-holder Dan Swainton, who set the mark in 1968. In the yardage department, Collins also moved ahead of Swainton, who collected 754 yards in 1967 and 1968.

“Nineteen sixty-seven? I was in high school then,” said Buena Coach Rick Scott, who attended Rosemead.

This season, Collins has set school records for most receiving yards in season, most receiving yards in career, most receptions in a game and most receptions in a season.

Kicking a record: Buena’s Ty Hewitt has kicked 9 field goals this season and 11 in his career, setting school records in both categories. Rick Hartensiener held the previous marks of 7 field goals in a season and 9 in career, set in 1984.

Going for another record: Ventura receiver Chris Thomas set a school record for most yards receiving in a season after making 2 catches for 24 yards in a 45-13 loss to Dos Pueblos.

Thomas has 29 catches for 657 yards. Ralph Wilson, now the receiver coach at Ventura, held the previous mark of 647 yards in 1974. Thomas needs 7 catches to break Wilson’s school record of 35 catches in a season.

Interchangeable parts: Santa Paula played without its top 2 receivers and quarterback Rick Carpenter was hampered by assorted injuries to his non-throwing hand, but that didn’t stop the Cardinals’ passing attack Friday.

Carpenter completed 11 of 21 passes for 173 yards and 2 touchdowns as Santa Paula beat Calabasas and assured itself of a berth in the Southern Section playoffs.

Carpenter played with a bone chip in his left thumb and a broken small finger on his left hand. Chris Cole missed the game because of a broken rib and a punctured lung. Doug Hendricks also missed the game because of a wrinkle in his scapula.

“We weren’t totally wiped out,” Coach Mike Tsoutsouvas said. “We just plugged in some new guys. We had some dropped balls, but the kids played well.”

Danny McCarthy, who caught 2 touchdown passes and returned a kickoff 88 yards for a third score, was Santa Paula’s leading receiver with 5 catches for 91 yards.

Too sweet to be true: A playoff berth is at stake, so Scott will be especially hungry for a victory when the Bulldogs play host to Oxnard on Saturday. But not for the reason you might think.

Scott holds a 23-1 record whenever his mother Gwen Scott attends his games.

“She brings chocolate chip cookies to the games and it’s a real motivation tool,” Scott said. “I don’t get the cookies unless I win.”

Last stand: Senior Tim Albrent, who injured his right knee 2 weeks ago, returned to practice Monday and Coach Harvey Kochel said there is 80% chance he will play Friday against Santa Barbara.

“If he could move around, he’ll play quarterback,” Kochel said. “We don’t have anything to lose but pride and that already has been trampled.”

Passing performance: Nordhoff Coach Cliff Farrar prepared for the worst after watching films of his team’s 38-14 loss to Santa Clara, but he was impressed with the performances of Santa Clara quarterback Tim Gutierrez and Matt Young.

Gutierrez completed 23 of 26 passes, including 12 in a row, for 316 yards and 2 touchdowns. Young caught 12 passes--including both touchdowns--for 176 yards.

“That was one of the best offensive performances between a quarterback and receiver I’ve ever seen,” Farrar said. “It would be third down and 14 and we would know Santa Clara was passing. Gutierrez would just wait until Young was open and it would be another touchdown.”

Another threat: While Channel Islands standout John Johnson has been battling injuries throughout the season, Rod Jones has blossomed into an offensive threat.

Jones has carried the ball 43 times for 289 yards, an average of 5.8 yards a carry.

“The playing experience has really helped Rod as runner,” Channel Islands Coach Joel Gershon said. “His timing has improved, he understands where the blocks are coming from and he knows when to wait for hole to open up.”

Even when Johnson is in the backfield, Jones contributes as a starting defensive back.

“Jones also has become a better cornerback,” Gershon said. “Now that John is healthy, I’m not afraid to rest him on certain plays and give Rod the ball more often.”

Tailback wanted: Fillmore lost its second tailback of the season when David Sherrell broke a bone in his left leg.

Anthony Chessani began the season as Fillmore’s top tailback, but sustained pulled ligaments in his left knee and has been limited to punting and kicking extra points.

Waiting game: Ventura’s Nate Hantgin and Santa Clara’s John McGill and Bubba Burrage are being sought by Division I basketball teams, but will wait until after the season before signing letters-of-intent.

The early signing period began Wednesday and will last a week.