Hughes Unfazed by Winless Season

Sure, Hoover High’s football teams have won only 12 games in Dennis Hughes’ eight seasons as coach of the Tornadoes. And he endured this season without a victory.

Disappointed? You bet. Discouraged? No way.

He said he’ll be back for more next year despite a career 12-59-2 record.

“I don’t quit,” said Hughes, who hadn’t gone winless until this year. “I’ve never been a quitter. We all coach to win. You go to the clinics and you get these great ideas and you try to do anything to help your team improve and sometimes it doesn’t work out in the win-loss column, but that’s the way it is.

“The kids give us a good effort. I love these kids. We’ve just got good, nice kids.”

FOOTHILL LEAGUE

At Long Last

Burroughs quarterback Scott Boldvich, when asked last week how he felt about finishing the regular season with no touchdowns after 152 passes, said he didn’t care if he didn’t throw one as long as the Indians won.

With the midnight hour approaching in Burroughs’ season last week, Boldvich threw a touchdown pass. It came in the fourth quarter of a 35-7 loss to Huntington Beach in the first round of the Division II playoffs. Burroughs, which finished 0-10 in 1992, closed out 1993 with a 5-6 record.

*

When Canyon opened the season, many prognosticators picked the Cowboys to win the Foothill League title. Canyon’s season ended last week with a 40-20 blowout by Edison. The Cowboys finished 6-4 and probably deserve credit for doing that well.

“We always hope everything will come together, but this team--from the beginning--carried a lot of baggage,” Coach Harry Welch said.

Starting lineman Mike Pulliam was killed in a car accident before the season, then junior varsity coach Chuck Wade was left paralyzed after a car accident during the season.

Early in the season, Welch filed an assault report against a booster club member. Within three weeks, five players left the team.

Said Welch: “I’m real proud for the kids to handle all that adversity.”

NORTHWEST VALLEY

Blunt’s Final Tally

San Fernando’s season came to a disappointing end after the Tigers blew a 10-point lead and lost to Dorsey, 20-16, in the first round of the City Section 4-A Division playoffs last week.

On an individual note, it was a smashing night for senior Leon Blunt, an All-City option quarterback and the conference MVP in 1992.

In terms of production--he accounted for only 76 yards in combined offense--it was an off night. However, Blunt leaped past several notable individuals in San Fernando’s career statistical categories.

* Blunt now ranks second in career scoring with 208 points, second only to Anthony Davis, who had a whopping 332 points from 1968-70.

* Blunt is second in career total offense with 4,268 yards to Davis’ 5,675.

* Blunt (2,491 yards) is also second to Davis (2,937) in career passing.

Among the former Tiger standouts Blunt leapfrogged Friday night were Kenney Moore, Michael Wynn, Kevin Williams and LaKarlos Townsend.

Blunt also finished ninth in career rushing (1,777 yards), well behind Davis (2,832), Chris Richards (2,567), Williams (2,366), Charles White (2,315), Townsend (2,150) and Moore (1,842), among others.

MARMONTE LEAGUE

Uebelhardt’s Lament

The Southern Section playoffs have not been kind to Royal Coach Gene Uebelhardt.

In his fifth year at the Highlanders’ controls, Uebelhardt is still seeking his first postseason victory.

For the third time in four seasons, the Highlanders were bounced from the playoffs in the first round and finished 6-5.

In 1990, the Highlanders lost to Downey in the first round, 17-10. Royal rolled to an undefeated regular season (10-0) and the league title in ‘91, but was upset in the opening round that season by Rio Mesa, 10-7. Royal failed to qualify for the playoffs in ’92.

“It’s very frustrating, but (1991) was more frustrating because we were league champs,” Uebelhardt said. “We’ve had three tries at it and we keep falling short.

“But we have made it three out of the last four seasons, and that’s something a lot of other teams wish they could say.”

HIGH DESERT LEAGUE

Running Long and Sick

Maybe it was because it was potentially his last high school game. Maybe it was because Desert had a small defensive line.

Or maybe Paraclete’s Mike Kendrick could run a little faster carrying a little less weight.

Between series in Kendrick’s 353-yard rushing performance in the final game of the regular season, he was on the sidelines vomiting. He had flu.

“He was shaking and everything,” Coach Steve Hagerty said.

Paraclete won, 39-12, but failed to qualify for the playoffs.

DELPHIC LEAGUE

The Bigger They Are. . . ?

Faith Baptist established a strong boys’ basketball program several years ago with two appearances in Southern Section championship games in three seasons. Two seasons ago, the Contenders played for the state title at the Arco Arena.

The Contenders, who compete in Division V with schools of similar size, continue to seek better competition in an attempt to build credibility. Next month, for instance, Faith Baptist (enrollment 190) again will play in the Thousand Oaks tournament against public schools with large student populations.

Then again, sometimes the David-and-Goliath angle gets old.

Out of curiosity, Faith Baptist Athletic Director Jeff Brown called Thousand Oaks to see who the Contenders play in the first round Dec. 15. The answer--Crenshaw--left Brown a little weak in the knees.

“Oh, that’s all?” Brown cracked.

Crenshaw is the defending state Division I champion.

Staff writers Steve Elling, Jeff Fletcher, Dana Haddad and Jason H. Reid contributed to this notebook.