Injured Bauer Is Out for Playoffs

Kyle Bauer, the little quarterback who could, is out for the season.

The 5-foot-10 senior at Valencia High will miss the playoffs after breaking a finger and dislocating another on his left hand Thursday night against Canyon.

Bauer, who passed for 2,201 yards and 20 touchdowns this season, injured his non-throwing hand while being sacked in the Vikings’ 21-13 victory.

“It’s not the kind of injury you can play with,” Valencia Coach Brian Stiman said. “It’s just not possible with the time restraints we have.”

With his passing and leadership, Bauer had helped ease the loss of running back Manuel White, a freshman at UCLA.

Stiman said Bauer had been playing with a slight break in his throwing hand for a month, but the latest injury is more severe.

“I feel terrible for the young man,” Stiman said. “He set just about every passing record we have here. It’s unfortunate.”

Senior backup Robert Herrick will start for the Vikings (8-2, 4-1 in league play) in the first round of the playoffs on Friday.

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The other quarterback of note in the Santa Clarita Valley will be ready to play this week.

Senior Kyle Matter of Hart (8-2, 5-0) suffered a mild concussion Thursday night in the Indians’ 37-6 victory over Saugus, but was fine on Friday, watching film and lifting weights with the team.

“If [the game] was tight, he probably could have gone in there in the second half,” Coach Mike Herrington said. “He’d have had a heck of a headache the next day, though.”

Matter, who has committed to Stanford, has passed for 2,614 yards and 25 touchdowns.

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Principals of the five Pacific View League schools made a head-scratching decision Thursday, voting Oxnard the league’s No. 1 team for the playoffs, with Hueneme No. 2 and Camarillo No. 3.

The teams tied for first place at 3-1, but Oxnard (4-6) had a worse overall record than Hueneme (7-3) or Camarillo (5-5).

Oxnard’s tough nonleague schedule was apparently the determining factor, with lopsided losses to San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Valencia and Buena weighing heavily in the minds of the principals.

The decision was not unanimous. Nor did it sit well with Hueneme.

“How are the principals going to expect the kids to come to campus and do the right thing when they’re not doing the right thing?” Hueneme Coach Larry Miller said.

Granted, Hueneme lost to Oxnard, 26-12. But Hueneme defeated Camarillo, 40-36, and Camarillo defeated Oxnard, 28-6.

The voting breakdown went as follows: Hueneme, Oxnard and Camarillo each voted itself as the No. 1-seeded team.

Channel Islands voted for Hueneme and Rio Mesa Principal Barry Barowitz voted for Oxnard despite recommendations for Hueneme from Rio Mesa Coach George Contreras and Athletic Director Brian Fitzgerald.

Camarillo was knocked out after the first round of votes and Oxnard was deemed the No. 1 team based on its two-touchdown victory over Hueneme in head-to-head competition.

Said Contreras: “I just don’t know how you can say the best team in our league has a losing record.”

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In recent years, the Northern League has been known for beating up teams from the region in the playoffs.

That started to change last season with Westlake’s victory over San Luis Obispo in the Division IV championship game.

It could be more lopsided this season.

The Northern League took its lumps during the regular season. Thousand Oaks defeated San Luis Obispo, 33-21, Ventura beat Arroyo Grande, 41-28, and Agoura crushed Santa Maria, 42-0.

Translation: The Division IV champion will probably come from the Marmonte or Channel leagues.