Foothill League girls track and field preview: Turnover effects

Three new coaches, three CIF state qualifiers graduated and a couple of athlete transfers. It's fair to say the 2013 version of the Foothill League in girls track and field is far different than the previous year. But that doesn't mean the league will lack talent or excitement. Defending Foothill champion Canyon is proving it's not just a flash in the pan, but the second and third place finishers from last year, Golden Valley ...

Foothill league boys tennis teams play openers

The Valencia Vikings picked up right where they left off last season, defeating the Saugus Centurions 15-3 in Tuesday's Foothill League opener at Valencia High School.

Foothill League boys track and field preview: Separation time

Splitting a Foothill League crown isn't a way to make everyone happy. None of the three teams who split it last year, Canyon, Golden Valley and Hart, were thrilled about it. If one of those teams want to win it outright this year though, it will take some serious retooling. Just about every team in the league lost a major contributor, including three CIF state qualifiers who are all now graduated. Teams ...

Five girls receive All CIF-SS honors from Foothill and Omega leagues

Led by Hart High's Sophie Cortes and Valencia's Taylor Venegas, five athletes from the Santa Clarita Valley earned All CIF-Southern Section honors when the teams were announced on Monday.

Valencia's David Myers and Cameron Braun: Side change

A year ago, the Valencia Vikings boys tennis pairing of Cameron Braun and David Myers walked all over the Foothill League when they went undefeated in league play before capturing a first place trophy at the year-end Foothill League tournament.

2013 Foothill League boys tennis preview: Chasing the same favorite

In recent years, the Valencia Vikings boys tennis team enters the Foothill League season as the clear favorites to capture a title, and all but once in the past 10 seasons have they failed to live up to that billing.

West Ranch's Tanner Skabelund: Only one way

Tanner Skabelund grew up in an environment that demanded a lot. The West Ranch High senior grew up in a devoutly Mormon family, which required him to spend several hours a week with church, volunteer work and various types of training and studying. When it comes to his religion, Skabelund says, there was never any option other than a highly devoted, head-on commitment. It sounds awfully similar to the way the senior has approached his ...

Foothill League 2013 boys volleyball preview: Teams have a lot to live up to

It's hard to figure out which team has more pressure on it. Is it the team with two unprecedented streaks to uphold in Foothill League play? Or is it the team everyone is picking to end those streaks? Valencia, winners of its last 112 league matches and the last 12 league crowns, comes into Thursday's Foothill openers as an underdog. That's according to a poll of the league's coaches, who picked West Ranch as the ...

Hart swim's Matt Johnson: A mind game

From the outside it looks simple. Get to the ready, dive in and swim. But what goes on in the water is much more complex than simply stringing together a series of strokes. And that's what Hart High swimmer Matt Johnson loves about the sport: it's analytical. "I really like to break down my races part by part and analyze how I'm going to swim each section," the 17 year old says. "It's kind ...

Foothill League divers ready for 2013 season

The Canyon Cowboys may be struggling in dual meets, but their diving team is among the best the Foothill League has to offer.

Foothill League girls swim preview: One year reprieve?

The Hart swim team, which has won 30 of the past 31 league titles, looks poised to win it again.

Foothill League boys swim preview: Pressure cooker

The Foothill League title might just be up for grabs this season, after Valencia won the Santa Clarita Valley Invitational earlier this month to put a scare into reigning champion Hart. The Indians return an older, experienced group to the Vikings' youth. But Valencia has skill , and just as importantly depth, as both are eyeing each other heading into the league season. The Indians appear to be the favorite, but anything could happen, ...

Valencia tennis doubles team wins at Spring Smash

The Valencia Vikings doubles team of Chris Pope and Cameron Braun rose to the top at Saturday's Spring Smash at Valencia High School.

Saugus baseball does number on Golden Valley

Lost in a 15-1 pounding of the Golden Valley Grizzlies on Friday at Saugus High School was the pitching of Saugus Centurions pitcher Chris Danielson.

Valencia baseball turns tide on West Ranch

Trailing by two runs in the top of the sixth, the Valencia Vikings baseball team came back in the final two innings to capture an 8-5 victory Friday at West Ranch.

Valencia football's Davis Pitner: Finding his way on the line

Saugus' Charles Dulac: A message of acceptance

Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of stories in which The Signal recognizes high school athletes whose greatest achievements go well beyond the playing field.

Hart's Kailie Kennedy: Listening to those in need

The summer heat on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona is intense.

Golden Valley's Tyshon Thompson: A golden child growing up

Editor's note: This is the second in a series of stories in which The Signal recognizes high school athletes whose greatest achievements go well beyond the playing field.

Canyon's Apsay offered scholarship by Colorado

Canyon senior quarterback Cade Apsay received his second scholarship offer this week and again it was a Pac-12 school.

Canyon's Amoni Henderson: It’s better to laugh than cry

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of stories in which The Signal recognizes high school athletes whose greatest achievements go well beyond the playing field.

Hart football takes center stage at passing tourney

Valencia High School may have been the location of a four-team passing tournament on Wednesday, but Hart seemed to be right at home on the Vikings' football field.

Pete Calzia: Coach com-Pete

In October, Pete Calzia's heart was out of his chest while a doctor was installing a new aortic valve into the longtime teacher and ultra-competitive coach.

Former Golden Valley baseball coach hired at Cleveland High

Scott Drootin, who announced his resignation as head baseball coach at Golden Valley High on May 20, has been hired by Cleveland High in Reseda for the same position.

SCV track and field season ends at state finals

Somehow it was fitting that the last three remaining locals of the high school track and field season were all distance runners from Saugus High School, a perrenial power in distance races.

Three Saugus runners left at CIF state track meet

The intensity of the track and field competition continued to whittle down the list Santa Clarita Valley athletes still alive in the postseason.

Hart's Davis Koppenhaver picks up two collegiate offers

Another member of the Hart High football team has received national attention this week, as wide receiver Davis Koppenhaver received two collegiate offers.

Saugus track's Rodrigo Ornelas: Determined to be the best

Even now, he still thinks about second place.

Around the SCV: Canyon hires new swim coach; Ensing named to prestigious v-ball team

The Canyon High swim team will have a new head coach next season, as the school hired Daniel Neswald to take over for the departed Steve Himes, co-athletic director Scott Arnold confirmed.

Valencia track's Olivia Pear: On a different stage

It was Olivia Pear's goal all along to miss her high school graduation. Last fall, when it came time for seniors at Valencia High to order their caps, gowns and tassels for the ceremony, Pear astutely noticed that her school's graduation date fell on the same night as the CIF-Southern Section Track and Field Masters Meet. Pear decided to purchase the cap and gown anyway. But while 694 of her Valencia classmates walked across the ...