COC men's basketball: COC ups the tempo

This time, it was the offense that carried College of the Canyons men's basketball. Usually a defensive-minded squad, the Cougars took advantage of an up-tempo affair to beat Los Angeles Valley College 100-81 Saturday at COC. It was the Cougars' second straight Western State Conference win and its highest point total of the season, beating its previous high of 90 against Bakersfield on Dec. 4. In the first three minutes of the game, L.A. Valley ...

Foothill League boys basketball: Drought over at Hart

No team knows more about heartbreak than Hart boys basketball. But this time, it wasn't Hart players hanging their heads at the end of the day. The Indians rallied back from a 14-point second-half deficit to beat West Ranch 60-58 Friday night at West Ranch High, which snapped Hart's 11-game Foothill League losing streak. It was Hart's first league win since Feb. 12, 2009. "For them, yes (it means a lot)," said Hart head coach ...

Prep boys soccer: SCCS left unsatisfied

It was a rough start and a rough finish for Santa Clarita Christian boys soccer. But that's just the kind of day it was for the ailing Cardinals, who drew 2-2 with Pacifica Christian of Santa Monica Thursday at Canyon Country Park. SCCS striker Daniel Stratton said a cold bug is going around on the team, which led to a less-than-full effort from a few players. "Athletes always have that game where we don't ...

Prep girls soccer: Cards keep the heat on

Santa Clarita Christian girls soccer didn't want to get overconfident. Two days after beating rival Milken, SCCS made sure not to look past Pacifica Christian of Santa Monica, winning 4-0 on Thursday at Canyon Country Park. It concluded a undefeated first half of Heritage League play for the Cardinals, which also included the 2-1 victory over Milken on Tuesday. "I think they took the team a little lightly," said SCCS head coach Matt Gale. "But ...

College women's basketball: Slow not in COC’s vocabulary

Enough was enough for College of the Canyons women's basketball. After a slow start, COC started tightening its defense, and the barrage of scoring followed suit. The Cougars wore down a short-handed Bakersfield squad and ran away with an 83-49 win Wednesday night at COC to start 2-0 in Western State Conference play. With just seven players suited up for the game, Bakersfield took advantage of the poor-shooting Cougars to take an 11-5 lead in ...

Foothill League girls basketball: ’Cats get repeat victory

The Valencia and West Ranch girls basketball teams know each other very well. Besides being Foothill League rivals, the two teams already faced off earlier this season in the West Coast Holiday Classic. And in Tuesday night's league opener at West Ranch High School, it was the Wildcats that took advantage of that knowledge to beat the Vikings 64-52. West Ranch did it by honing in on Valencia's top scorers, Lauren Spargo and Faith Anumba, ...

Foothill League boys basketball: Vikes more than one

If Tuesday night's game was any indication, the Foothill League is going to have plenty of drama this year in boys basketball.

Boys soccer preview: The race to prevent 4

Canyon boys soccer head coach Khris Savage couldn't wait to get started on the 2010-11 season.

Prep soccer: Seeking the 10

Less than a year ago, Canyon received what appeared to be a tough break. Its starting midfielder Jordan Markovich sprained his ankle during a CIF-Southern Section Division III playoff game and had to sit out the quarterfinal match. Though still ailing, he came back for the semifinal, only to see his team go down. At the time, it seemed devastating, but it turns out, it may have been a good thing for Canyon soccer. The ...

Prep basketball: Catch you later

Hart struggled to gain separation from St. Bonaventure in the first half, so it did all it could do to compensate.

All-SCV Girls Volleyball: Saugus' Jaclyn Clark, All of the above

In the game of volleyball, there are many different types of players. Whether a player uses her speed, powerful, height or agility, the simple fact is, talent comes in many different forms. But only one possessed the ability to truly take over a match. And that was Saugus outside hitter Jaclyn Clark, The Signal's 2010 Girls Volleyball Player of the Year. At times, it seemed like she was the only one on Saugus' side of ...

Prep basketball: Little finish, but big start

Sometimes, a rough stretch can teach a team an important lesson. Fortunately for Saugus boys basketball, that lesson was learned in a winning effort. The lesson: play for four quarters. A dominant first half was enough for the Centurions to hang on for a 60-53 victory over Grant of Van Nuys Wednesday night in the Hart Holiday Classic at Hart High. It was enough to earn Saugus a berth in the championship game, which will ...

Ardyce Masters: Equality and excellence

A little more than a decade ago, Ray Sanchez stood at a podium, ready to deliver a speech at a banquet honoring the retirement of former Canyon coach and athletic director Ardyce Masters.

Valencia athletics: Getting with the program

It didn't matter which sport it was. Up until about a decade ago, if you wanted to know who the best team in the Santa Clarita Valley was, the smart money would be on Hart. That was true for football, baseball, basketball and a lot of other sports in which the school participated for a lot of the valley's history. Somewhere along the line, a new school began rearing its purple and gold head - ...

Joe Kapp: The old quarterback

It seems like every year the Santa Clarita Valley turns out another handful of talented athletes who move onto the greener pastures of college and professional sports.

COC men's golf wins its sixth state title

College of the Canyons golf head coach Gary Peterson still vividly remembers when his men's golf team won its first state championship 20 years ago.

COC softball knocked out of playoffs

It isn't the kind of repeat College of the Canyons softball was looking for.

Season slips away from COC baseball

Everything seemed to be set up perfectly for College of the Canyons baseball.

COC softball inches closer to state

Once again, College of the Canyons softball is one win away from making the state finals.

Usuals get it done at CIF track and field prelims

Golden Valley, Saugus and Canyon were the three clear frontrunners throughout the Foothill League track and field season.

West Ranch tennis can’t match up

No matter how the lineup was arranged, West Ranch Wildcats boys tennis was going to have a tough time.

Vikes double up in round 1

Valencia boys tennis head coach Annie Kellogg summed it up best by quoting the opposing coach.

CIF volleyball roundup: Foothill one and done

The Foothill League collectively went 0-for-3 in the boys volleyball playoffs this season.

West Ranch volleyball ousted in first round

Valencia Country Club hosts U.S. Open qualifier

Johnny MacArthur just got one step closer to playing in one of the world's biggest golf events.

Valencia's Chad LeDuff: Fitting of the distinction

People used to tell Christy LeDuff that her son had a gift.

Canyon baseball takes out the drama against G.V.

The Canyon Cowboys have been involved in a lot of wild games in recent weeks in Foothill League play.

Max Homa, Valencia graduate, wins Pac-12 individual title

Valencia High graduate Max Homa claims he was stressed out and nervous all week long.

Hart's Myles Franklin named All-State sophomore

Hart High sophomore Myles Franklin was named an All-State sophomore by Cal-Hi Sports.

West Ranch goes 10-0 in Foothill League play

The West Ranch Wildcats completed a season sweep through Foothill League play on Tuesday with a 3-1 win over the Valencia Vikings by scores of 22-25, 25-18, 25-17 and 26-24 at West Ranch High School.