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'Cats are sharpest at Canyon tournament
West Ranch and Canyon each finished 2-1 in a four-team round-robin passing league Thursday evening at Harry Welch Stadium.

	Female Athlete of the Year: Aly Drake Even if Valencia senior Aly Drake didn’t play soccer, she would merit serious consideration as The Signal’s 2008-09 Female Athlete of the Year.
	Hart, Valencia miss finals Hart and Valencia each fell in the semifinals of the 2009 College of the Canyons/Hart 7 on 7 Passing Tournament Wednesday afternoon at Cougar Stadium.
	Co-Newcomer of the Year: Steven Thornton Golden Valley High School’s lack of athletic success has been noted ad nauseam. But that’s not the Golden Valley that Steven Thornton knows. Thornton knows the Golden Valley that won the Foothill League title in boys basketball, the program that advanced to the CIF-Southern Section Division IIIA semifinals, the team that helped set an example for the entire school. He was one of the biggest reasons the team did those things. Blessed with the height ...
	Co-Newcomer of the Year: Carly Mortensen In a year where many thought Valencia softball could be vulnerable entering Foothill League play, the arm of Carly Mortensen proved to be invaluable to the Vikings.
	Athletes of the Year: And the nominees are... Over the last eight months, The Signal sports section has tried to recapture certain elements of the past.
	Foothill in fine form Hart and Valencia dominated pool play to begin the 2009 College of the Canyons/Hart 7 on 7 passing tournament, as both schools went 4-0 Monday afternoon at Cougar Stadium.
	Golf academy makes debut Local golf businessman Ross Bradder, a Santa Clarita Valley resident, has started a youth golf training academy.
	Lopes brothers invited to trials Not one, but two members of the Lopes family have been announced as invitees to USA Baseball teams.
	Locals take part in U.S. Soccer playoffs Three local soccer players participated in this past weekend’s U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy Playoffs.
	West Ranch Year in Review: ’Cats move up the ladder It was a year of firsts for West Ranch athletics. The Wildcats picked up their first playoff wins in baseball and boys tennis, while Jake Bernards became the first athlete in school history to get a full scholarship to a Division I school.
	Valencia Year in Review: Powerhouse programs The talent in Valencia’s athletic program is widespread. The Vikings win in the fall. They win in the winter. They win in the spring. The boys volleyball team seems like it would win in any season. Valencia ran its Foothill League winning streak to 82 matches while winning its ninth straight league title. Aly Drake had quite a senior year, winning the CIF state title in the 800-meter run and leading the girls soccer team ...
	Vikings, Cowboys reach semifinals The Foothill League advanced a trio of teams in the Champions Bracket of the Under the Lights Passing Tournament Saturday at Central Park in Saugus.
	Football under the lights Four Foothill League teams participated Friday at Central Park in the Saugus Under the Lights Passing Tournament with a trio winning their first two games.
	The Master's College Year in Review: That’s entertainment There was a lot to be excited about in 2008-09 at The Master’s College. Whether senior outfielder Eric Blackwell was launching home runs or junior runner Jeff Jackson was paving the way for the new track and field team, the Mustangs were all over the place. The women’s soccer team even advanced to the National Christian College Athletic Association Division I national championship game. Meanwhile, basketball players such as Ryan Zamroz, Jeremy Haggerty, Stacy Nanninga ...
	Saugus Year in Review: Saugus best season ever? Saugus High School may have had its best athletic year ever in 2008-09. It’s hard to argue based off the success of so many teams. First and foremost on that list is the girls cross country team, which won its third straight state title. The Centurions runners also laid claim to being one of the greatest teams in Santa Clarita Valley history. That includes every sport. The argument is that Saugus competed against the best ...
	Santa Clarita Christian Year in Review: Glory on the Gridiron Santa Clarita Christian’s 2008-09 sports season will be remembered most for the underdog fooball team that took home the CIF-Southern Section Division I 8-Man title.
	Hart Year in Review: Battling the bar Hart High School has a rich tradition in athletics, and that tradition has set the bar high for its teams year in and year out.
	Golden Valley Year in Review: The Grizzlies’ step forward Ever since opening in 2004, Golden Valley High School has faced an uphill battle in athletics. Not only was the program trying to get off the ground, it was going up against distinguished programs across the Santa Clarita Valley. General opinion held that Golden Valley couldn't be a winner, that the odds were stacked too tall.
	Canyon Year in Review: Growing Gains What do you call a year like Canyon had in 2008-09? Up and down? A struggle? A growth year? It would definitely be a growth year if some of the youth grows up in a big way in 2009-10. There are candidates. In basketball, Brooke Lemar and Brandon Perry could lead their teams to brighter days. In track and field, a pair of sophomores-to-be in Tiffini Stone and Taylor Thomas, as well as some more ...
	The Standard: Shults is 2009 All-SCV Player of the Year It is said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. Furthermore, to be the standard by which other players are measured solidifies the point of view. Hart catcher Jessica Shults was just that — a measuring stick. When talking about other players around the league, typically the conversation would turn back to Shults as a comparison for greatness and impact. It comes as no surprise. In 2009, Shults annihilated opposing pitchers to the tune ...
	The Speedster: Danny named All-SCV swimmer third year in a row Swimming may look easy, but that is because Hart senior Jordan Danny makes it look that way. Take the 200-yard individual medley for instance. In the event, competitors swim the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle in 50-yard increments. In 2009, Danny was the only Foothill League swimmer to qualify for the CIF-Southern Section Division I finals in the event, a credit to her overall mastery of her craft. Over her last four years, she has ...
	All-CIF teams feature five local first teamers Five Foothill League athletes earned All-CIF first team honors in baseball, softball and boys volleyball this week.
	The Finishers: Nick Korth and Chris Weber led Hart's swimming team Everything slows down. Suddenly the field of eight swimmers shrink to two, as the battle going on between lanes four and five quickly captivates the audience. This was the scene virtually all season long, as Hart seniors Nick Korth and Chris Weber pushed each other and the rest of the Indians, culminating with yet another Foothill League championship. Both the tangible and intangible influence of the duo was felt during the Foothill League Swim Championship ...
	The Guardian: Souisa upheld Valencia’s legacy Valencia had won 72 consecutive matches entering this season, claiming eight straight Foothill League titles in the process.
	Cornerstones: Kimelman, Jansson named All-SCV doubles team of '09 When the Foothill League season opened, youth was the main concern for Valencia boys tennis. Ten undefeated matches later, the young Vikings had proved that age was no impairment on their way to a seventh league title in eight years under head coach Annie Kellogg. They did so largely thanks to No. 1 doubles team of Ronny Kimelman and Anders Jansson. Any doubts about the Vikings’ experience were laid to rest when the team got ...
	Bedrock: Jordan Hovis named All-SCV singles player of the year West Ranch’s boys tennis program has developed as its top player Jordan Hovis has. When Hovis arrived on the Wildcat tennis courts as a freshman, West Ranch did not even have a varsity team yet. Four years later, the Wildcats have established themselves as one of the best programs in the Foothill League and Hovis took home honors as the top player in the league by taking the singles tournament in May. Hovis, whose dedication ...
	Mirrored Talents Golfers Max Homa and J.J. Holen gave us a lot to be indecisive about. Both are excellent golfers, there is no doubt.
	Quick Study Aly Drake runs fast. And she learns fast. When her junior season ended, a CIF state title in the 800-meter run was the furthest thing from her mind.
	The Conqueror Supporters of Daniel Swarbrick wore t-shirts to the CIF State Track and Field Championships that read, "Veni, vidi, vici." Translated from Latin, it means, "I came, I saw, I conquered."