HIGH SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

Few coaching staffs are closer than Littlerock’s and Quartz Hill’s.

Coach Pat Degnan of Quartz Hill was an assistant on Coach Jim Bauer’s Littlerock staff in 1997 and ’98 and has four former Lobo assistants on his staff.

After Littlerock’s 9-8 victory last season, both staffs had a friendly get-together.

They will have another social meeting after their teams’ Golden League opener at Quartz Hill.

“After the game is over, we’re good friends,” Degnan said. “When the game is on, though, we’ll be at each other’s throats.”

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Saugus and Valencia meet tonight in a Foothill League opener that should determine who will be the prime challenger to nine-time defending champion Hart.

Last season the Centurions and Vikings split two meetings, with Saugus winning in league play and Valencia winning in the playoffs.

Saugus Coach Ron Hilton figures a big key for his team will be limiting the damage caused by receiver Will Broadous of Valencia.

“He does a great job of catching the ball and, when he does, he always seems to be behind everybody,” Hilton said of Broadous, who has 17 catches for 475 yards and six touchdowns.

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Much has been made of the struggles by Hart’s offense and quarterback Kyle Matter.

Matter has thrown for 1,147 yards, 130 off the five-game pace he set last season when he finished with 3,774 yards.

The big difference, however, comes in touchdowns. At this point last season, he had thrown 21 touchdown passes. This season, he has only eight.

Much of that can be attributed to poor protection and inexperienced receivers, areas in which the Indians have recently improved.