They’ll Play It Again and Again

The Division II quarterfinal game between Antelope Valley and Dominguez marked the fourth time the teams met in 13 months.

That budding rivalry figures to continue at least a couple more years.

On Monday, the Southern Section titans will sign a contract for nonleague games during the 1998 and ’99 seasons.

“As long as Brent Newcomb is the coach at Antelope Valley, we’ll keep playing them,” Dominguez Coach Keith Donerson said.

Friday night fever: If only Tony Cuppari could have seen his son, Joey, dancing in the end zone 2 1/2 hours before game time Friday night in Santa Maria, he might have thrown a penalty flag.

Tony is a long-time football official. Joey, a Westlake High wide receiver, had his headphones on and was just imagining what it would be like to score a couple touchdowns against Righetti.

Based on his dance moves, Cuppari showed no effects from a sprained ankle that forced him to miss last week’s playoff game against San Marcos.

Food for thought: Palmdale took its second-round game of the Division II playoffs against Hart very seriously.

So seriously, in fact, that the Falcons considered boycotting Thanksgiving dinner the day before the game.

But their stomachs prevailed and the players agreed to partake in the holiday festivities.

There was a hitch, however.

“They promised they wouldn’t eat too much,” Palmdale Coach Jeff Williams said.

Getting a foothold: It’s no wonder Hart High had a 14-0 lead and had out-gained Palmdale, 119 yards to 42, by halftime on Friday night.

The Indians had a better grip on the situation.

Hart players slipped up less often than the Falcons on a muddy field--and for good reason.

On its sideline, Hart had a one-foot by four-foot board with seven rectangular brushes attached right side up for players to clean their cleats.

And the brushes got plenty of use when Hart players came to the sideline. With a little more than two minutes left in the first quarter, the brushes resembled mud pies.