Visiting Coaches Are Right at Home

It will be a Valley homecoming for Arroyo Grande Coach Jon Huss and defensive coordinator Tom Goossen when the Eagles play Notre Dame on Friday night for the Southern Section Division III title at Pierce College.

Huss graduated from Van Nuys High and coached at Notre Dame and Hoover. Goossen graduated from Notre Dame and coached the Knight frosh-soph team in the 1970s. He’s a member of the boxing Goossen clan.

Huss saw Notre Dame play Saturday against Righetti and came away impressed with Knight tailback Justin Fargas.

“He’s the best in the state and maybe the country,� Huss said. “There’s no quit in him whatsoever.�

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Flipped out: Heads-up play by Moorpark Coach Ron Wilford.

Realizing that tails sometimes fails, Wilford called heads during the coin flip to determine whether Moorpark or St. Monica would host the Division X championship game.

For the second week in a row, Wilford’s call was the right one.

The Musketeers, who played at home Friday in a 33-0 victory over Carpinteria, will host St. Monica at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Moorpark broke a 51-game losing streak against Carpinteria.

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Satisfaction: Antelope Valley fell short in its bid to advance to the Division II final for the seventh time in Brent Newcomb’s 20 seasons as coach.

The Antelopes (8-4) lost to third-seeded Ayala, 28-27, when a two-point conversion attempt failed with less than four minutes left.

But this may have been one of the most satisfying seasons for Newcomb, who has won three section titles, compiled a 165-78-1 career record and taken 12 teams to the semifinals.

In a preseason poll, Golden League coaches picked Antelope Valley to finish third. With only five returning starters, Newcomb finished second, then engineered upsets over Valencia and nationally ranked Dominguez in the playoffs.

“This has been one heck of a season,� he said after the loss on Saturday. “The players we had this year were very special.�

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Good as Golden: Palmdale High defensive lineman Matt Leonard has been selected the Golden League player of the year.

Leonard, who took a recruiting trip to Stanford last weekend and still has visits scheduled to Notre Dame, Colorado, Arizona and UCLA, led the Falcons to their first outright league title since 1961.

Palmdale running back was chosen back of the year, and Littlerock linebacker Conrad Castrellon was lineman of the year.

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Falcon sweep: Running back Kenny Pritchett of Crescenta Valley High was selected Pacific League offensive player of the year. He rushed for 1,816 yards and 22 touchdowns, leading the Falcons to their first Pacific title.

Teammate Jesse Busta was selected co-defensive player of the year, and Falcon Nate Barber was co-defensive lineman of the year.

Crescenta Valley’s Alan Eberhart received the coach of the year award.