HIGH SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

Saugus began the season with three Kurowskis. Now, the Centurions (3-4, 1-1) are Kurowski-less.

Brothers Matt, a middle linebacker, and Joey, a defensive tackle, are out with back and neck injuries, and cousin Chris, a lineman, quit the team.

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Bill Bolde, longtime teacher, coach and administrator at Saugus, was named assistant principal at rival Canyon earlier this month.

That makes for some tough decisions tonight, when his new school and former school meet in a key Foothill League game.

“I was thinking about taking a Saugus hat and a Canyon hat, cutting them in half, sewing them together and wearing it Friday to represent both schools,” he said.

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Matt Moore, the heir apparent to quarterback Kyle Matter at Hart, is playing well on the other side of the ball this season.

Moore, a junior, has intercepted four passes in the last two weeks and is two shy of the school’s season record of seven, held by Dennis Spasbo and Mike Ford.

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Palmdale (5-1-1, 2-0) was a prohibitive favorite last week against Lancaster (2-5, 0-2), so its slim 17-6 victory might have come as a surprise.

It shouldn’t have. Lancaster has proven tough against spread offenses.

In their opener, the Eagles limited Chaminade (5-2) to minus-four yards rushing and 85 total yards in a 10-6 victory. Palmdale gained 209 yards, well under its 344-yard average.

“We’ve had good luck against spread teams,” Coach Troy Jackson said. “Unfortunately, we have trouble with power-ball teams and that’s what we’re facing the next three weeks.”

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A Frazier Mountain victory over Kern Valley tonight in a High Desert League game would all but ensure the Falcons (5-2, 2-2) their first playoff berth since the program began in 1996.

Frazier Mountain, ranked sixth in Division XII, was 0-9 last season.

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Crescenta Valley (7-0, 2-0) has won two of its last three games against rival Muir (4-3, 2-0), but that doesn’t mean the Falcons believe they have the upper hand.

Before 1997, Muir won 22 consecutive games against Crescenta Valley.

“We’ve done well lately,” Coach Alan Eberhart said. “But I told the guys we’ve still lost 23 of the last 25 years.”

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Quarterback Kyle Bauer of Valencia continues to play with a break in the pinky finger of his right, throwing, hand.

Bauer, who suffered the injury two weeks ago, clearly was hampered last week in a 21-7 loss to rival Hart and passed for only 151 yards.

“He’s a tough kid and never made excuses,” Coach Brian Stiman said of Bauer, seventh among area passers with 1,469 yards. “You could tell it was hurting him, but the pain has been reduced 60 to 70% this week and he’s throwing more comfortably.”

The finger should be healed in three or four weeks, Stiman said.