Last Year's State Champs Face Next Year's Most Promising Team
What do you get when you combine the future and the past? You get a game chalked full of possibilities between the young and promising Saugus Centurions and the perennial powerhouse, the Canyon Cowboys.
The Canyon Cowboys have the post season blues. After last years amazing state championship season the Cowboys haven’t been able to silence their critics, this year and with a senior heavy offensive line their hopes for next year are suspect.
However, tonight they’re not playing for last year and they definitely aren’t playing for next year, despite their surprising (4-4) record Canyon is 2-1 in league which makes them still a viable playoff contender this year. In addition everyone will agree their losses came by way of good teams, including Notre Dame, St. Bonaventure, Chaminade, and Hart.
But it's not the losses that have people dismissing the Cowboys it's their wins. Excluding a romping of the Golden Valley Grizzlies, Canyon has yet to produce a game in which they can fire on all cylinders. And as the past moves to the present, the Cowboys will have to answer Friday night whether they belong in the playoffs or not.
The Saugus Centurions have arguably the brightest future in the league. Well, let's say they have the brightest distant future, because their immediate future holds tough important games against the the Cowboys and notorious Red and Black, Hart Indians. Saugus has only one loss coming by way of a three-point stunner to a respectable Notre Dame team, but has scored 33+ points in every game this season.
The talk is that this year belongs to Delano Howell and the Hart Indians… and that the Saugus Centurions are premature one year, toting the junior 1-2 punch in Desi Rodriguez and Ryan Zirbel. But with the missed game winning field goals of last week, Hart revealed that (although they don't lose) they don't always win. Did I mention Zirbel, who is leading the Foothill League in rushing yards, had 387 yards and 5 touchdowns last week?
Will the young & promising Centurions put another dent in the Cowboys season, or will the Senior leadership of Canyon rise up to the occasion and get some of last years magic back?
It's difficult to say this is a David and Goliath match-up because honestly, who's who? Buckle up! Foothill Football is on center stage Friday night at Canyon High School.
Be sure to tune into KHTS AM 1220 where you can hear this great match-up starting at 6:30pm Friday.