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[Excerpt from a letter to my son]
In the s first Foothill league game of the season, Hart played at Canyon.
Hart kicked off and stopped Canyon cold. Canyon punted and Hart started out at the Indian 45. On Hart's first play from
scrimmage, Hart ran the fumblerooski play. The center snapped the ball and blocked forward, the quarterback deliberately let
the ball drop, the right guard turned to his left, surreptitiously picked up the ball, tucked it into his gut, ambled down
field and then ran for the end zone. Hart sold the play by having Cody Joyce go into motion to the right so it looked like
he would get the ball as a running back (a play Hart has used a lot). Half the Canyon team tackled Joyce while Kevin Riske,
the right guard (Ryan's brother and not usually a starter but much faster than the starter), headed down the sideline and
scored. What made it particularly interesting is that there were two articles in the LA Times and one article in the Daily
News about the fumblerooski play (including a complete diagram in the Times) this week. This was because Notre Dame and St.
Francis were playing and both use the play a lot. Canyon sure wasn't looking for it. Anyway -- Hart 7-0.
Hart scored the next three times the Indians got the ball. It was 21-0 at the end of the first quarter and Canyon had
not yet approached mid-field. Canyon finally scored on a field goal about halfway through the second quarter.
On Canyon's next possession, Seth Schneinle (a defensive end who is not nearly as big as his brother but a lot faster)
really, really smacked the quarterback, possibly the hardest hit I've ever seen. The quarterback lay there for a moment and
a couple of his teammates tried to help him up. He got up, took a step and collapsed. The game was stopped for twenty minutes
while they got an ambulance and paramedics. They taped him to a board with helmet in place, fearing a neck injury. Hope he's
OK [he was].
Hart hit like that all night. Remember the Hart-Dominquez playoff game in 1993? Remember how the Dominquez defensive backs
hit? Well, that's how the Hart kids where hitting all night.
In the third quarter Schniele (I think) flattened the second string quarterback who coughed up the ball and Cody Joyce
returned it for a touchdown. Hart won 41-3.
The other Foothill league teams should be scared, real scared, of that defense. Valencia beat Burbank fairly easily (but
then Burbank has won only 2 games in three years). Burroughs beat Saugus on a last second 65-yard TD pass. Saugus was supposed
to win the league. They may not win a game in league if they keep this up.
Hart plays Valencia next week. Valencia has three big offensive threats in their quarterback, running back and one receiver.
However, they appear to have no defense. The running back probably will go to a division one university. His name is Donovan
Calhoun -- great name for a football player -- sounds like someone who should win a Heisman or something.
By the way Thousand Oaks beat Westlake in a fairly close game. Westlake was ranked first in Division III.
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