Hart-Ache for Valencia

Sure it might be a rivalry, but Hart High’s 42-25 Foothill League victory over Valencia on Friday night at College of the Canyons proved it is a rivalry based on geography, not competitiveness.

Valencia backers hyped the game as the new Santa Clarita Valley rivalry, replacing the long-standing one between Hart and Canyon.

Fans brought signs, balloons and colored Cougar Stadium, Hart’s home field, in Viking purple and yellow.

But Hart (6-1, 2-0 in league play) was the busy team on the field, forcing four turnovers and piling up the yards on offense.

“There was a lot of hype, but I think Canyon is still the one,” said Hart receiver Jerry Owens, who had four catches for 129 yards and three touchdowns. “Maybe when they’ve been around for 20 to 30 years it will be big.”

The Hart offense looked like, well, the Hart offense.

David Neill completed 19 of 33 passes for 324 yards and four touchdowns. For the second week in a row he did not throw an interception.

Hart turned Valencia’s four turnovers into 14 points. Neill and Owens connected on a 42-yard pass play for a touchdown on a third-and-23 play early in the fourth quarter to build a 42-17 lead.

All week Valencia Coach Brian Stiman had been saying his team probably didn’t have a chance. After the game, he confirmed it.

“We did not play very well,” Stiman said. “Our goal is to make the playoffs and some things are going to have to change for us to do that.”

Valencia (5-2, 1-1) got its running game going in the second quarter. Manuel White, who had 215 yards and two touchdowns in 25 carries, had just 18 yards in the first quarter. He erupted for 144 in the second.

White’s 55-yard run on first down from the Viking 11-yard line helped set up his 16-yard touchdown four plays later. He ran for 60 yards in a 69-yard drive that set up Dan Dokovna’s 28-yard field goal that pulled Valencia to within 28-17 at halftime.

The Hart defense was formidable early, creating turnovers on Valencia’s first two possessions.

Hart turned a fumbled pitchout from Brian Hamilton to R.B. Edmundson on an option play into a touchdown when Neill hit Owens for a 19-yard touchdown and a 14-0 Hart lead.

Valencia recovered the ensuing onside kick and three plays later Hamilton lofted a pass to Mike Swanson, who made a leaping catch over defender Trevor Rich in the end zone.

Hart Coach Mike Herrington, despite the lopsided victory, was impressed with the Vikings.

“They’re for real,” Herrington said. “If the games keep turning out like this then it will be a rivalry.”