Newcomb Takes High Road

There’s a good reason Antelope Valley High has renewed its rivalry with Bakersfield of the Central Section after a two-year hiatus. Traffic.

“I like traveling up that way,” Antelope Valley Coach Brent Newcomb said as he gestured to the north. “It’s 90 miles and it’s easy. Go the other way and it always seems to take three or four hours.”

Much to Newcomb’s chagrin, Antelope Valley heads 45 miles south next week to play Sylmar.

Cardinal rule: Cardinal Roger Mahoney attended the Chaminade-Crespi football game Friday night, spending a half on each team’s sideline.

Mahoney plans to attend a high school football game each weekend during the season.

In a Hart beat: There is little doubt Jerry Owens will have an impact on Hart’s performance this season, and the All-Southern Section receiver wasted little time proving that in the opener against Quartz Hill on Friday.

Owens took the opening kickoff, raced up the middle and broke to the right sideline before he was brought down 64 yards later at the Quartz Hill 24-yard line.

The Indians scored seven plays later on a six-yard pass play from Kyle Boller to running back Billy Brecht.

Hangover: Coach Jon Mack of St. Bonaventure was disconsolate Friday after watching his team blow a 20-3 lead and lose to Paraclete, 27-26, on Thursday in a nonleague opener.

“I feel like I should be going to a funeral,” Mack said. “We got up, 20-3, and it was like, ha-ha, this game is over.”

There was plenty of blame to go around for the collapse.

Junior quarterback Chris Lombardo, who last season had his first two varsity passes intercepted and returned for touchdowns against Paraclete, had two more picked off.

Mack was pleased the Seraph special teams returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns but agonized when a St. Bonaventure long snap sailed over the head of the punter and led to the winning points.

The Seraphs committed more than 50 yards in penalties and handed the Spirits four first downs on fouls.

End of the bench: Lance Wilson, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound senior tight end expected to start for Hueneme, was declared academically ineligible.

Wilson, who transferred in June from Dudley High in Greensboro, N.C., will not be eligible at Hueneme until February, school officials said.