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CIF-SS Large Enrollment Division Preview:
Foothill League 2001-02--(Nov. 4, 2001)

FOOTHILL LEAGUE
Burbank
Burroughs/Burbank
Canyon/Canyon Country
Hart
Saugus
Valencia/Valencia

The Foothill League has never achieved the success that many of the other leagues featuring mostly Division I CIF teams has had, and last season was not much different, with no team breaking the 20-win barrier.  We don't know whether this season will be more of the same, or whether one of the teams will have what it takes to really have a breakout year.  Canyon, the defending champs, return one of the best players in the region, Jeremy Haggerty, but the question is whether he'll have enough support around him to really make a difference this season.   Likewise, Valencia is young, Saugus is undersized but tough, and Burroughs, Hart and Burbank all have a long way to go before they can think about a league championship, much less a CIF section title.  Still, this is like the quintessential high school league, where most of the teams are relatively evenly matched, which always makes for exciting games with long-standing rivalries.

What follows is what we know about the teams thus far this season, which means we're looking at old rosters and trying to predict who will be returning and which younger players will be stepping up.  The schedules are accurate as far as we know. We encourage coaches to send us their official rosters (via e-mail, not on the message board, please) and any other information about their teams so we can update the previews and rosters as the season progresses.

Foothill  League Rosters Foothill  League Schedules
Canyon/ Canyon Country--7-3, 16-10 (1st) "Cowboys"

Despite graduating 7 seniors from last year's roster, Canyon returns one of the regions top players and a legitimate D-I prospect in Jeremy Haggerty. Canyon is coming off a season where they won the Foothill League title for the first time in 14 years. Two starters return, Chad Eichten and Jeremy Haggerty. Both have 3 years varsity experience. Also, returners Wayne Bennett and Jeff Davidson should contribute heavily this year. Newcomers, SR. Richard Ratcliff, JR Kyle Waite and JR Chris Butler should put some points. A raw but talented Steve Wilkins a 6'6" 250lbs center from A.V. transfered into Canyon this year and will help with the scoring load. Canyon had a pretty good summer going 21-9, with winning the Canyon and Saugus Summer Slam and finishing 2nd at the Palm Springs Classic. 

Here's the roster for 2001-2002:

Anthony Schlehner 5'-5" Sr. G
Wayne Bennett 5'-11" Sr. G
Thomas Stimac 6'-1" Sr. G
Alex Hyde  6'-1" Sr. G
Jeremy Haggerty 6'-5" Sr. G/F
Chris Butler 6'-2' Jr. G
Chad Eichten 6’-0" Sr. G
Josh Shirley 6'-3" Jr. G/F
Richard Ratcliff 6'-9" Sr. G
Jeff Davidson 5'-9" Sr. G
Adam Russo 6'-1" Sr. G
Kyle Waite 6'-7" Jr. F
Steve Wilken  6'-6" Sr. F

Managers:
Nicole Lepine
Bruce Large
Esteban Lozia
Chad Phillips – Head Coach
Scot Himes – Assistant Coach
Troy Best – Assistant Coach

 

anyon/Canyon Country
Coach: Chad Phillips

N-27/D-1 @ Saugus Tourn
D 4-8 Canyon Tourn
11 @ Chaminade
13 @ Lancaster
18 Quartz Hill
20 TBA
26-30 @ Chaminade Tourn
J 04 @ *Burroughs/B
08 *Saugus
11 @ *Burbank
18 @ *Hart
22 *Valencia/V
25 *Burroughs/B
29 @ *Saugus
F 01 *Burbank
05 @ *Valencia/V
08 *Hart

Valencia/Valencia.--6-4, 15-10 (2nd tie) "Vikings"

Valencia basically starts over, having graduated 11 seniors from last year's roster, a team which went to the Division I-AA playoffs and lost in the first round to eventual quarterfinalist Loyola. According to their coach, the 2001 summer was productive, with the team going 16-5, with wins over Sylmar, CV, Chaminade and others. The team is young but well-disciplined, and has some height and good guard play.  Here's the roster we received (note, we also received the schedule at right, which was not submitted to the CIF-SS):

Mile Morales 5'-11" Sr G
Andrew Bruckner 6'-8" Jr. C
Ryan Zike 6'-5" Sr. F
Brian Mancini 6'-2" Sr. F
Francisco Manzano 5'-11" Sr. G
Jeremy Linebager 6'-2" Sr. F
Bobby Pina 5'-8" Sr. G
Scott Domingo 6'-3" Jr. F
Curtis Dunwoody 6'-0" Jr. G
Josh Hall 6'-2" Sr. G/F
Brendon Morris 6'-2" Jr. F
Brett Bissett 6'-3" Jr. F
Kyle Price 5'-11" Jr. G
Dwan Davi 6'-0" Jr. G

 

Valencia
Coach: Rocket Collins

N 20 @ alemany (scrimmage)
    21 alumni
N 26-D01 @ Pac Shores Tourn
D 04-08 @ Canyon Tourn
11 Lancaster
13 @ Littlerock
14 @ Palmdale
17 Ventura
D26-29 @ Chaminade Tourn
J 04 @ Saugus
  08 @ Burbank
11 Hart
18 Burroughs
22 @ Canyon
25 Saugus
29 Bubank
F 01 @ Hart
05 Canyon
08 @Burroughs

Saugus--6-4, 15-10 (2nd tie) "Centurions"

Saugus graduated 8 seniors, including two starters, but returns one of the more solid guards in the region in Marc Holmquist, a tough defender and good ballhandler.   We haven't seen an official roster for Saugus yet, but based on last year, here is who we expect to see this season:

Marc Holmquist 5'-9" Sr. G
Johnny Borelli 6'-0" Sr. F
Bryan Newcomb 6'-3" Sr. F
Kevin Valle 6'-3" Sr. F
Bryan Wilkomm 6'-4" So. C
Adrian Buencamino 5'-11" Sr. G

 

Saugus
Coach: Jeff Hallman

N-27/D-1 Saugus Tourn
D 5-8 @ Glendora Tourn
12 @ Glendale
17 Highland
21 Crescenta Valley
J 02 @ Carpinteria
04 @ *Valencia/V
08 @ *Burbank
11 *Hart
18 @ *Burroughs/B
22 @ *Canyon/CC
25 *Valencia/V
29 *Burbank
F 01 @ *Hart
05 *Canyon/CC
08 *Burroughs/B

Burroughs/, Burbank--5-5, 10-14 (4th) 

Burroughs didn't make the playoffs last season, missing by one win, but they submitted an application for an at-large berth anyway and hence we have their roster sheet.  Here are the player listed who didn't graduate, and hence who will likely return this season:

Gary Anderson 5'-8" Sr. G
Joey Paysinger 6'-0" So. F
Adam Klein 6'-4" Sr. F
Josephus Ragos 5'-8" Sr. G
Agustin Pozo 6'-1' Sr. F
David Sorkness 6'-5" Sr. C

Burroughs/Burbank
Coach: Art Sullivan

D 3-8 @ Thousand Oaks Tourn
11 @ Hoover
14 Glendale
17 Crescenta Valley
26-29 @ Hart Tourn
J 02 Littlerock
04 *Canyon/CC
08 *Hart
11 @ *Saugus
15 *Burbank
18 @ *Valencia/V
25 @ *Canyon/CC
29 @ *Hart
F 01 *Saugus
05 @ *Burban
k
08 *Valencia/V

Hart--3-7, 12-14 (5th tie) "Indians"

Hart is a football school, right?  A quarterback factory? Well, even though the Indians' football and basketball teams haven't been on the friendliest of terms, they've still been moderately successful in hoops.   Hart entered the D-IAA playoffs as an At-Large team, and lost in the first round to eventual semifinalist Thousand Oaks.  While those two teams won't meet this year in any tournament play, there's a good chance that they could meet again in the playoffs again if the same regionalized matchups take place again in the first round. Hart traditionally participates in the Beverly Hills touranament (held in the "swim-gym") and we hope to get a look at them there.  In the meantime, they will be playing also at the Powerade Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic, probably not at the highest "Gold" bracket, but still it's a very competitive tournament at the other levels (e.g., Silver, Bronze, Platinum). 

 

Hart
Coach: Tom Kelly

N 27 Quartz Hill
D 3-8 @ Beverly Hills Tourn
12 @ Calabasas
17 @ Palmdale
20-22 @ Las Vegas Tourn
26-29 Hart Tourn
J 02 @ Crescenta Valley
04 *Burbank
08 @ *Burroughs/B
11 @ *Valencia/V
18 *Canyon/CC
22 *Saugus
25 @ *Burbank
29 *Burroughs/B
F 01 *Valencia/V
05 @ *Saugus
08 @ *Canyon/CC

Burbank--3-7, 11-14 (5th tie)  "Bulldogs"

Burbank is virtualy stating over, but they've got a couple of good guards (e.g., Trent Cleveland) and a fledgling forward/center (Joe Street) who has some decent varity experience. Whether Ron Quarterman can pull these guys out of a last place finish (remember, even last season, 4 wins was all that separated the league title from last place) is something we just don't know right now, and we do not have an official roster, but only hints of who will return:

Jason Flowers  6'-0" Sr. G
Suren Arzumanian 6'-3" Sr. F
Trent Cleveland 6'-1" Sr. G
Joseph Street 6'-6" So. C

Update 12/01/01:  We received some additional information about Burbank from someone familiar with the team.  Here's what they had to say:

Roster: First 5 Starters
Steven Burton (5'11", PG, Sr.)
Jason Flowers (6'0", G, Sr.)
Trent Cleveland (6'1" G, Sr.)
Suren Arzumanian (6'3", F Sr.)
Joey Street (6'6" C So.)

Dominique Creighead (6'2" G/F, Sr.)
Demetruis Roberts (6'1" G/F, Sr.)
Andrew Rife (6'0" G, Sr.)
John Ballas (6',5" C, Jr.)
Mike Neilson (6,1" F/G Jr.)
Bryan Ayers (6,0" F, Sr.)
Evan Ayers (6,0" F, Sr.)
Alan K. (6,0" F, Sr.)

*This years team should be a good one. As long as they stay focus and come  ready to play each game. We have 4 returning players. So they are really unknown and should shock a lot of people. The starting five played on the ARC Travling Team during the summer at the Adidas Las Vegas Big Time. Burbank has a really good back court. Trenton Cleveland and Jason Flowers makes a very good tag team which is really hard to stop. Steven Burton,the new starting point guard controls the tempo of the game. He drives and dish wells and has a small pull up jumper which he should work on more. On the inside you have Suren Arzumanian and Joey Street. Suren is an defensive player and a hustler. Street plays hard and as time goes along should be a dominant big man. Of the bench you have a few good players like Dominique Crieghead who can play above the rim and Andrew Rife that has a deadly three-point shot. They could do big things this year so look for them

 

Burbank
Coach: Ron Quarterman

N-28/D-1 Burbank Tourn
D 05 Hoover
14 @ Bell-Jeff
17 Calabasas
18-22 @ Bell-Jeff Tourn
26-29 @ Las Vegas, NV Tourn
J 02 @ San Gabriel
04 @ *Hart
08 *Valencia/V
11 *Canyon/CC
15 @ *Burrough/B
18 @ *Saugus
25 *Hart
29 @ *Valencia/V
F 01 @ *Canyon/CC
05 *Burroughs/B
07 *Saugus

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