Canyon Victory Led by Two Cowboys Back on the Saddle

Canyon High’s football team picked up its first victory of the season last week in rousing fashion, beating Highland, 39-33, after trailing by a touchdown late in the game.

The Cowboys can credit their comeback, in part, to a pair of comeback kids--receiver Steve Lombardi and running back Jeff McKinley.

Lombardi, a senior, gained 79 yards on four receptions. They were his first as a varsity player because he missed last season after suffering a ruptured spleen in Canyon’s final preseason scrimmage.

“It felt good to actually get the ball and be a factor in the game,” said Lombardi, who had given up on football until his parents and Coach Larry Mohr talked him into playing again. “They said, ‘It’s your senior year. Give it a chance and have fun. You might regret it if you don’t play.’ ”

After gaining only 20 yards in 11 carries in a season-opening loss to Valley View, McKinley gained 146 yards with a touchdown in 12 carries against Highland.

McKinley was Canyon’s top running back as a sophomore in 1994. But he ran astray from football after the season, winding up last fall at Bowman Continuation High.

“I was partying all night, hanging out with the wrong crowd and cutting school,” McKinley said. “I made bad choices.”

By the time he showed up last summer in juvenile court for a ruling on an 18-month-old petty theft charge, McKinley already had straightened up. The judge gave him a light sentence--a $50 fine, 40 hours of community service and informal probation.

“When I stop to think what I was doing last year, it makes me more glad that I’m here,” McKinley said.

Flying solo: The game of musical quarterbacks is apparently over at Nordhoff. Last season, the Rangers alternated juniors Jim Musick and Matt Cresto.

Musick and Cresto shared the position since they were freshmen, but this season Cresto has taken all but a few of the snaps and Musick is starting at free safety.

Both players seem to have settled in. The nimble Cresto directs the Rangers’ ground game, a blend of option, Delaware wing-T and power formations.

Musick leads the team with 22 tackles. In a 14-6 victory over Santa Ynez last week, he intercepted a pass and was in on 19 tackles, including two that saved touchdowns.

Home remedy needed: Saugus volleyball Coach Bobbie Estes isn’t homesick. She’s gymsick.

Because of renovations, Estes and her volleyball team have been without a gym for nearly two months.

The remodeling was needed, so the Centurions rented the Valencia High gym for practices.

Only one problem: Foothill League rival Hart, which is also undergoing gym renovations, was practicing there.

Hart was scheduled to practice first. But sometimes Hart practiced too long and sometimes Saugus showed up too early.

So Saugus switched practices to Canyon.

By the way, Saugus is expected to play its first home match on Oct. 10 . . . against Hart.

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Football Top 10

Rankings of Valley-area high schools by sportswriters of The Times

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RK LW Team League) REC. 1 2 Westlake (Marmonte) 2-0 2 4 Thousand Oaks (Marmonte) 2-0 3 3 Antelope Valley (Golden) 2-0 4 1 Hart (Foothill) 1-1 5 5 Newbury Park (Marmonte) 2-0 6 6 Notre Dame (Mission) 2-0 7 7 Taft (Northwest Valley) 2-0 8 NR Oxnard (Channel) 1-0-1 9 NR Palmdale (Golden) 2-0 10 NR Crespi (Del Rey) 1-1

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