Sylmar Just in a League of Its Own

Eight years ago this week, 5-foot-6, 150-pound Joey Tushnet rushed for 200 yards to help Reseda High to a 20-6 upset of Sylmar in a Valley Pac-8 Conference game.

That was 55 conference games ago. Sylmar, which plays North Hollywood tonight, hasn’t lost or tied a conference game since.

Included in the streak are 23 shutouts and the Spartans have outscored opponents, 2,178-422.

Sylmar’s streak might even be a state record.

Concord De La Salle has won 54 consecutive league games, according to its athletic director.

But Cal-Hi Sports magazine, which is usually recognized as the authority on such matters, until recently knew nothing of Sylmar’s streak. Cal-Hi has De La Salle with 57 consecutive victories.

So, who really broke the old record of 54 games set by Carpinteria in 1957?

“[Cal-Hi] would know better than us,” said Terry Eidson, De La Salle’s athletic director. “We don’t keep a lot of stats here.”

Salinas Palma is also in the running, but--like the De La Salle situation--the school and Cal-Hi Sports don’t agree on the number of victories. Palma says 54. Cal-Hi says 53.

If De La Salle and Sylmar continue to win, Sylmar will finish at 60 this season, De La Salle with 62 (according to Cal-Hi).

However, there is talk De La Salle might compete as an independent next season, as Santa Ana Mater Dei will do beginning in the fall of 1998.

If that happens, De La Salle’s streak gets put on hold.

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Sylmar Coach Jeff Engilman said halfheartedly.

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Sylmar Streak

A look how the Spartans have fared against Valley Pac-8 opponents during their 55-game conference winning streak:

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Opponent Games Shutouts Points Birmingham 4 3 172-13 Canoga Park 7 3 274-56 Grant 8 4 314-36 Monroe 7 3 268-52 North Hollywood 8 1 291-107 Poly 9 3 441-102 Reseda 3 1 78-13 Van Nuys 9 5 340-43 Totals 55 23 2,178-422

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