Herrington Finds a Way to Motivate His Indians

The intensity of the Hart-Canyon rivalry has waned a bit in recent years because of Hart’s dominance.

Entering Friday night’s Foothill League game, Hart had won the last seven meetings. The Indians were heavy favorites, but Hart Coach Mike Herrington was still able to motivate his team.

“There’s a lot at stake here,” Herrington said. “The league title, the league win streak, [Santa Clarita] Valley bragging rights and keeping the Hart mystique alive.”

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Coin-operated: Pacific League athletic directors held a series of coin flips Thursday to determine the order of finish should there be a three-way tie for first or second.

However, league coaches entered Friday not knowing the outcome of those coin flips.

“That has no bearing on tonight at all,” Coach Alan Eberhart of Crescenta Valley said. “You can’t worry about fourth when you’re playing for first.”

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Dueling injuries: Wes Cobos of Thousand Oaks, the most-prolific running back in the region, was helped off the field with a sprained ankle early in the second quarter of the Lancers’ Marmonte League game Friday night against Newbury Park.

Cobos, who entered the game with 1,513 rushing yards, did not return.

Meanwhile, on the Panther sideline, two-way starter Tyler Johnson was hobbling after being kicked in the calf. The receiver and defensive back left the game late in the first quarter and did not return.

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Lights out: A Foothill League game between Saugus and Valencia was stopped for nearly 25 minutes Friday night after three of four banks of lights went out at College of the Canyons.

The lights dimmed at 8:10 p.m. with four minutes 37 seconds left in the second quarter and Valencia leading, 28-14.

After teams and spectators sat in darkness for approximately 10 minutes, the stadium was evacuated by school officials. Once power was restored at almost 8:30 p.m., the crowd filed back in for the rest of the game.