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2004 (7-5)
Malaise and Stagflation
The 2004 season can be summed up with a question about the offense and
a statement about the defense:
- Where was the O-line? (A repeat question from 2002)
- The Wizard of Oz has nothing for the Scarecrow (I'll leave it to the reader to figure that one out).
In January 2004, things looked very promising for Hart. By June, there
was some uncertainty. And then, by September, while the wheels didn't "come off" there certainly were a lot of loose lug nuts.
At the end of the 2003 Championship season, it appeared that Hart would have it's best offensive line ever with three
returning starters, two of whom were all-CIF in 2003 and surefire Division 1 college signees. There were three returning starting
receivers (Surratt, Wolfe and Leight) and a stellar wide receiver (Yudin) coming up from the JV. But, alas, things didn't
work out quite as planned. Joe Bernardi, the starting center, moved to Flagstaff Arizona (where he was an all-state player
and signed a letter of intent to Fresno State). Zack Zimmerman blew out a knee early in the season and did not return (but
did sign a letter of intent to play at Utah State). Without those two players, the offensive line play became an iffy, inconsistent
proposition. The quarterback was sacked often and hit even more frequently and often found himself trying to chase down errant
snaps from center. Despite all the apparent talent at receiver, the passing game was, at best inconsistent.
Defensively,
the team had an uncanny ability to give up a big play at the most inopportune time possible. Mental lapses were a big problem,
regardless of the personnel on the field.
A number of discomfiting "first" or records were set:
- First lost to a City Section team in the Herrington era(Birmingham),
- First league loss since 1990 (Valencia),
- First loss to Valencia (after 10 straight wins),
- First loss to Canyon after 13 straight wins,
- Most losses in a season in the Herrington era (since 1988),
- Biggest margin of defeat in the Herrington era,
- Most interceptions thrown in a season (20), and,
- Most sacks allowed in a season (not sure about the total number on this one).
The only individual records set were the 19 consecutive completions by Tyler Lyon against Burbank and the
single season receiving record by Ryan Wolfe - 93 catches.
While a 7-5 season is hardly the end-of-the-world, it was
disappointing by Hart's standards, especially considering the prospects coming into the season. All-in-all, a lot of hard
lessons were learned by the players.
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Date
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Location
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Opponent
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Score
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09-10-2004
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MHS
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Moorpark
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55-20
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09-17-2004
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COC
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St. Bonaventure
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29-38
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09-24-2004
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WHS
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Westlake
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32-14
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10-01-2004
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COC
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Birmingham
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27-33
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10-08-2004
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Pierce College
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Loyola
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17-16
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10-15-2004
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COC(A)
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Saugus
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41-15
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10-22-2004
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COC
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Burroughs
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41-7
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10-29-2004
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COC
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Valencia
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10-29
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11-04-2004
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COC
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Burbank
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61-13
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11-12-2004
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CHS
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Canyon
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17-21
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11-19-2004
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Citrus College
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Glendora
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35-14
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11-26-2004
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COC
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Mission Viejo
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20-50
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2004 Pre-Season Analysis
2005 (11-3)
Is There a Doctor in the House?
The 2005 Season was one of the more difficult/ surprising/entertaining
seasons in memory. In all the seasons I have followed Hart, I cannot recall seeing more injuries. I doubt if there were more
than two or three starters who were available every game, all game. Then there were the disciplinary dismissals of three starters,
creating an embarrassing morale problem and exacerbating an already difficult situation.
A lot of teams might have
folded. Not Hart. The Indians ended up in the championship game. Hart's three losses all went to the wire, and in the case
of the Canyon contests, were decided in the last few seconds.
Hats off to the coaches and the kids for a great season.
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Date
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Location
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Opponent
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Score
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09-09-2005
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COC
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Moorpark
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7-6
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09-16-2005
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Ventura HS
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St. Bonaventure
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21-33
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09-23-2005
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COC
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Westlake
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38-7
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10-01-2005
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COC
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Birmingham
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23-13
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10-07-2005
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COC
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Loyola
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34-27
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10-14-2005
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COC(H)
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Saugus
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14-7
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10-21-2005
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BHS
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Burroughs
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55-21
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10-28-2005
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NPD High
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Valencia
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17-14
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11-04-2005
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BHS
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Burbank
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28-0
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11-10-2005
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COC
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Canyon
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14-16
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11-18-2005
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COC
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Glendora
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32-27
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11-25-2005
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COC
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Los Osos
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21-19
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12-02-2005
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COC
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Mission Viejo
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24-12
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12-09-2005
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Home Depot Center
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Canyon
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13-21
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2005 Pre-season Analysis
2006 (8-5)
Bi-Polar Disorder?
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
. . . .
After finishing the 2005 season as runner-up and with a
lot of returning starters and/or experienced players, the questions at the beginning of the season were (1) are there enough
linemen to go around and (2) who will catch the ball with four new starting receivers?
The season started with far
too few linemen and no receiver who could consistently catch the ball. By the end of the year, there was an abundance of both.
The best of times: team and individual scoring records tied or broken, a rushing record, some stellar play.
The
worst of times: team records for points allowed in a half and a near record for a season, not to mention the first shutout
in 21 years and the most points allowed in a game in 56 years.
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Date
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Location
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Opponent
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Score
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09-01-2006
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COC
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St. Bonaventure
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0-34
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09-08-2006
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Moorpark HS
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Moorpark
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24-42
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09-15-2006
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Bishop Amat HS
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Bishop Amat
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39-16
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09-21-2006
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Westlake HS
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Westlake
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27-28
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09-29-2006
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COC
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Antelope Valley
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55-6
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10-06-2006
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East LA College
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Loyola
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49-21
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10-13-2006
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COC
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Canyon
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25-41
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10-27-2006
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Valencia HS
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Valencia
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22-15
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11-03-2006
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Canyon HS
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Golden Valley
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63-0
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11-08-2006
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COC (home)
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Saugus
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37-13
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11-17-2006
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COC
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Thousand Oaks
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41-19
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11-24-2006
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COC (afternoon)
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St. Bonaventure
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27-14
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12-02-2006
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Moorpark HS
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Moorpark
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27-56
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2006 Pre-Season Analysis
2006 Records and Fun Facts
2007 (12-1-1)
Bridesmaid Again
The season started with some questions including:
- Four new starting receivers who, collectively had zero catches, zero yards
and zero touchdowns
- A new quarterback
There also were some knowns:
- Delano Howell was going to be a force on offense as a running back and
receiver as well as a returner
- Pat Larimore was a returning stud at middle linebacker and would have
two very solid players on either side of him in Dakota Luster and Dimitri Diamond
We got an indication that things were going to go well in the first 15
seconds of the season when Delano Howell returned the opening kickoff from Moorpark 88 yards for a touchdown.
The pre-league games were a tour de force on both sides of the ball.
The offense started a bit slowly against Moorpark really got the job done the next four weeks. The defense was rock
solid.
Things appeared a little less solid in league with the Indians kicking
a field goal with no time left to beat Canyon which became necessary after Canyon scored three late touchdowns to tie
the game. Hart missed a field goal at the end of the game and ended tieing Valencia and then made one at the end of
the game to beat Saugus. Hart returned to dominate form in the playoffs but ultimately lost to a very powerful St. Bonnie
in the Northern Division Championship. Bonnie won the State Division 3 Championship the next week.
Some records and "firsts"
- Delano Howell set single season and career rushing records and is finished
near the top in every other rushing category with several of the all-time best performances
- The 2007 team was second all-time in total team offense, rushing yards
in a game and points in a half
- First time that a Hart-Canyon contest was decided on a score on the last
play of the game
- First Hart-Valencia tie
- New winning streak against Canyon!
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Date
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Location
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Opponent
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Score
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09-07-2007
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COC
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Moorpark
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28-14
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09-14-2007
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Canyon
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Bishop Amat
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42-11
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09-20-2007
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COC
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Westlake
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41-16
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09-28-2007
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Claremont
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Claremont
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50-10
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10-05-2007
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COC
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Loyola
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21-13
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10-12-2007
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Canyon
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Canyon
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31-28
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10-19-2007
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Valencia
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West Ranch
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36-15
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10-26-2007
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COC
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Valencia
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21-21
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11-02-2006
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COC
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Golden Valley
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49-13
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11-09-2007
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COC (away)
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Saugus
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24-21
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11-16-2007
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COC
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Thousand Oaks
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48-24
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11-23-2007
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Flamson MS
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Paso Robles
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35-7
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11-30-2007
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COC
|
Newbury Park
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37-6
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12-08-2007
|
Home Depot Center
|
St. Bonaventure
|
42-28
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Pre-Season Analysis
Delano Howell's stats game-by-game
2008 (5-6)
Ouch!
Sometimes the sum is greater than the parts. Sometimes some of
the parts are missing. The 2008 season was in the latter group. During the summer passing tournaments, one could
see the parts sometimes did not mesh though there seemed to be a great deal of potential. Then what appeared
to be one of the best receiver groups quickly became one of the more inexperienced when returning slot and part-time defensive
back Spenser Souza moved to quarterback and the other returning slot, Demitri Diamond was injured early in the season.
Things sort of went downhill from there with the offense generating the
lowest point output since 1982 and the defense twice giving up more than 50 points in a game and moving to fourth
on the all-time "points allowed" list." Those two parts added to up to the Indians' first losing record since
1988.
On the positive side, Hart made it's 28 consecutive playoff appearance.
In an aside, the last non-playoff team was quarterbacked by Dean Herrington, way back in 1980 proving that even the very best
-- and Dean was an all-CIF quarterback the next season and a stellar coach ever since -- can have an off year.
Another positive note: lots of returning players for 2009.
Pre-Season Analysis
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