First off, your sons, both the JV players and Varsity players, are working extremely hard in the weightroom and our off-season program. We can already see results and the players are doing all they can to improve themselves physcially. Thank you for your continued support by getting them here in the morning, supplying them with their needs, and for supporting the things that we do.

Our next parent meeting will be Monday, March 1 in the gum at 730pm. It is critical that you attend and that your son is with you. Please, these meetings are essential to our continued partnership in raising young men who will be better people in the future, so try to make a priority.

The 5 week progress reports should be arriving any day now so be on the lookout for them. As of now, any Varsity player who has a D or F in a class or has below a 2.0 GPA, will need to attend a MANDATORY Study Hall session on M-T-TH-F at 700am in my classroom, D-4. We are in need of parent volunteers to come and supervise the young men in my room as I am running the 630am JV weightraining class. If you can commit to doing one day a week, that would be a HUGE help for us. Basically, you will sit and observe (crack the whip!) the young men to ensure that they are in fact working on their school work instead of sleeping, talking, or not working. Again, this is a great way for you to assist in this process. Several of you will be receiving an email informing you if your son is required to attend these sessions.

On Wednesday, February 24, we will be leaving Saugus HS on school buses at 545pm and returning at 1030pm for a documentary on a football team that overcame the devastation of Hurrican Katrina. It should be a very educational evening and one that the players will enjoy. We will NOT be stopping for food but having them bring a few bucks for snacks at the theater might be a good idea.

Finally, we are in need of BREAD-BREAD-AND MORE BREAD, AS WELL AS JELLY….we have lot of Peanut Butter but need Bread and Jelly as well.

Thank you for your continued support!

Thanks, God Bless, and Go Centurions!!!

In an attempt to keep the lines of communication open, allow you to stay “in the know”, and just simply stay in touch with what your sons are doing, I will be doing a weekly newsletter. This is the first time I have ever embarked on this and I will do my best to send out a weekly update on what is going on.

First and foremost, your sons have come back off of break with a great attitude and have worked hard in the weightroom. On top of that they have attended several meetings during the week at lunch or in the morning that I would like to explain.

We are interested in developing our young men into more than just football players. We want to build Champions for Life. In doing this, we have several things that we are and will be doing throughout the semester to address this goal.

Character Education
On Tuesdays at lunch, all current Juniors (Seniors to be) meet me at lunch to discuss character issues as well as working on leadership training. On Wednesdays at lunch, all current Sophmores meet at lunch with me to discuss character issues, while on Thursdays at lunch, all current Freshman meet with me to do the same. We are working through curriculum provided to us from the Winning With Character Program (http://winningwithcharacter.org/) which we have been using for the past 5 years.

Peak Performance and Mental Toughness Training On Wednesday’s during the class period (Frosh in my 1st period and Varsity in my 7th period), we are working on curriculum provided to us by Dr. Allan Goldberg ( http://www.competitivedge.com/). I have spoken with him and he has provided us with a program to effectively address the mental aspect of participating in sports. Our Frosh players will receive this training on Thursday of both this and next week. After that, it will be on Wednesday’s during 1st period.

Strength Training
For this week and next, our Frosh players (my 1st period class) will be working out on Monday (630am), Wednesday (845am), and Friday (630am). After that, starting on the week of February 1, they will begin lifiting 4 days a week (M-T-TH-F) at 630am.

Our Varsity players (my 7th period class) will be working out M-T-TH-F from 215pm to 415pm.

Mandatory Monthly Parent Meeting
In an attempt to develop and grow our relationship, I will be conducting a monthly parent meeting for the next few months. This meeing will begin at 730pm and last about an hour. It is my goal to communicate as much as possible to you and your sons so that we are all on the same page. This meeting will be for all current players and their parents. Our first one will be next Thursday, January 28, 2010 in the gym.

I hope this has been helpful and I look forward to seeing you next week!

Thanks, God Bless, and Go Centurions!!!

Jason Bornn, M.Ed
Saugus High School
Head Varsity Football Coach
Social Science Teacher
661.297.3900
jbornn@hartdistrict.org
www.saugusfootball.com

“Respect Through Perseverance” -Saugus Football 2010

It only took eight weeks, but the Canyon football team is finally healthy and the result is a two-game win streak and a confident squad.

The Cowboys turned the season around and defeated Saugus 17-10 Friday night at Canyon High.

“We just had a lot of previous injuries and things are finally starting to click,” said Canyon running back Trent Hernandez. “Our defense was also healthy and really stepped up.”

That defense, which had been especially plagued by injuries, played a key role forcing four turnovers, with two coming inside the Canyon 15-yard line.

The first turnover came on Saugus’ first drive when Saugus quarterback Jared Carbajal was intercepted at the Canyon 4-yard line, setting the tone for the game.

“Anytime you turn the ball over as much as we did, it’s tough to win,” said Saugus head coach Jason Bornn. “When you move the ball effectively, you have to capitalize and we didn’t tonight.”

Both teams scored once in the opening half with Saugus (3-7) taking the lead 7-3 thanks to a Tyler Watt touchdown in the second quarter.

In the second half however, the sputtering Cowboys offense came to life as the passing game finally opened up.

“It just took us a while a to get going,” said Canyon head coach Chris Varner. “We saw at halftime some things we thought we could exploit and we were able to in the second half.”

The biggest play of the game came just seconds after a Saugus field goal on its opening drive of the half made it 10-3 Centurions.

Needing a spark, the Cowboys (2-8) jumped on the Saugus defense with an 80-yard touchdown pass from Jonathan Jerozal to Drew
Wolitarsky. It tied the game 10-10.

“That was a big momentum changer,” Jerozal said. “We wanted to score quick and put them back on their heels.”

Jerozal finished 8-of-15 with 181 yards and a touchdown, while Hernandez ran 20 times for 104 yards and a touchdown for the Cowboys.

With 4:34 left in the game, Hernandez found the end zone from 11 yards out to give the Cowboys the 17-10 lead.

Canyon’s defense held on fourth down two more times and the Cowboys had their first win streak of the season.

“From going 0-8 to winning the last two games of the season is a big confidence-builder for not only this year, but heading into next year as well,” Jerozal said.

Valencia clinches at least a share of the Foothill League title with shutout

Not an off night from the star running back. Not a swell of penalties. Not even the defending league champions.

Nothing could keep Valencia from clinching at least a share of the Foothill League championship.

Vikings quarterback Alex Bishop threw for 426 yards and three touchdowns and Valencia hit several big plays to blaze past Saugus 49-0 Friday at Cougar Stadium.

With the Centurions stacking the box to stop running back Steven Manfro, Bishop found seven different receivers and made them pay.

“We take what people give us,” said Valencia head coach Larry Muir. “We have a lot of weapons so we’re not afraid to go to other guys.”

Two of those guys were Zach Tartabull and Brock Vereen, who both had big nights.

Tartabull was barely touched as he returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, and Vereen had a 90-yard catch-and-run touchdown to open the second half.

“Everybody can’t play their best every week, but Manfro was still good,” Vereen said. “If somebody’s lacking, the rest of us are going to pick up for him.”

Valencia’s offense racked up 571 total yards, but the defense was equally dominating.

The Vikings (9-0, 4-0) held the Centurions to just 46 total yards.

Saugus (3-6, 2-2) was in its first game without quarterback Zack Gauthier, who suffered a season-ending injury last week.

Junior Chase Boscia completed just 1-of-9 passes for two yards against Valencia’s swarming defense, and the Centurions tried to run a variation of the Wildcat formation with receiver Manny Padron in the backfield.

Padron led the team with 33 yards rushing.

“We felt we did some good things, but you can’t give up big plays against a team that’s so explosive,” said Saugus head coach Jason Bornn.

Valencia was flagged for 17 penalties for 170 yards, many of which came during the third quarter.

“I think there was a level of frustration,” Muir said. “The kids did a great job channeling it. It’s good to see them respond to that. They kept their composure well.”

Saugus didn’t pick up a first down until after halftime, and it came on a helmet-to-helmet hit penalty on the Vikings.

The Centurions gained just three first downs in the game.

Valencia, meanwhile, could not be stopped.

After Tartabull’s kickoff return, Manfro plunged into the end zone from 3 yards out to put Valencia up 14-0.

Toward the end of the first quarter, Bishop found Max Rodriguez for a 58-yard touchdown on a four-way misdirection play that left Rodriguez wide open down the left sideline.

Bishop dumped off a pass to Manfro late in the second quarter, and the running back turned it into a 45-yard touchdown.

Backup quarterback Alex Guerra tossed a 3-yard touchdown to Matt Nyberg to give Valencia a 35-0 lead at halftime.

After Vereen’s touchdown, Manfro capped the scoring early in the fourth quarter with a 5-yard touchdown run.

Manfro finished with just 70 yards rushing on 12 carries but found different ways to be effective. Rodriguez led the Vikings with four catches for 114 yards.

Jon Aguirre had Saugus’ longest reception, a 5-yard catch from Padron, and he also gave the Centurions good field position with his kick returns.

Saugus must beat Canyon next week to finish third in the Foothill League and earn the final automatic playoff spot.

“Our goal and focus is on Canyon,” Bornn said. “They’re a good team for a team that’s 1-8. They’re better than their record.”

If Valencia beats West Ranch next week, it will claim the outright Foothill League championship.

“We’ve got to finish it next week,” Muir said. “We talk about finishing all the time. It’s the final week before the playoffs, so we have to keep the momentum going.”

Just when things were starting to turn around for Saugus football, they go back the other way.

Not only are the Centurions, who have won two straight games after losing five in a row, playing highly touted Valencia tonight at 7:30 at College of the Canyons, but they have also lost their starting quarterback for the season.

Senior Zack Gauthier broke a vertebrae in his back, according to Saugus head coach Jason Bornn.

The Centurions (3-5, 2-1) will now be quarterbacked by junior Chace Boscia, who entered last Friday’s 42-26 Saugus victory over Golden Valley in the third quarter after Gauthier suffered the injury.

“It’s a challenge in that you don’t have somebody that doesn’t have a lot of game-time experience, but we’re still going to do what we do,” Bornn said.

That means, Bornn said, Saugus will not try and get creative.

It’s going to challenge Valencia with the same offense and defense it has been running all season.

Valencia (8-0, 3-0) expects that.

“With their defensive pressure, they do a good job up front. There’s almost seven guys in the box,” said Valencia head coach Larry Muir. “Offensively, obviously they have their shotgun running game.”

But both sides of the ball have been inconsistent for the Centurions.

Blame injuries, for one thing.

All season, Saugus has been battered by injuries and illnesses.

Valencia has had similar issues on the defensive side of the ball, but they looked mighty last Friday in a 56-7 win over Hart.

Muir said he was surprised by the score, but not surprised by how his players played.

“They played a little faster,” Muir said. “Attribute that to the work they’ve put in. They’ve paid the price.”

Muir explained that playing fast meant that the defense wasn’t reacting as much and it was anticipating more.

The result was possibly the best performance by a Foothill League team this season.

Hart running back Jake Stephens scored five touchdowns the week before the Indians’ meeting with Valencia.

Stephens managed just 22 rushing yards against Valencia.

The Vikings also forced usually steady quarterback C.J. Reyes to throw three interceptions.

On offense, Valencia running back Steven Manfro scored five touchdowns for the second week in a row.

Saugus will also have to contend with the accuracy of quarterback Alex Bishop, who is completing 82 percent of his passes. He also hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 1.

Bornn said Saugus has to lock down on Valencia’s receivers and apply some pressure in hopes of flustering Bishop.

Saugus is a clear underdog in this one – a spot the team likes.

“I think from our perspective, our players know there’s not a person in this valley outside of this team that thinks we have a chance,” Bornn said. “The mentality of having our backs against the wall, everybody is doubting whether we can compete, it allows our guys to understand we’ve got to show what we’re capable of doing.”

It’s a tall mountain to climb.

Saugus has scored 150 points this season.

Valencia has scored 154 in its last three games.

On top of everything else, a win gives Valencia at least a share of a Foothill League title.

The Vikings only championship came in 2004.

Saugus celebrated its Senior Night Thursday with a 3-0 victory over Canyon at Saugus High School.

The Centurions won by scores of 25-18, 25-11 and 25-14.

“All of the seniors played great,” said Saugus head coach Zach Ambrose. “Taylor Schubert, our captain, led the team in digs and did her normal job of making sure everyone was doing what they’re supposed to do. She definitely has the intangibles there.”

Schubert finished with 14 digs and 13 kills, and she helped Saugus (22-9, 5-5) take control midway through the first game.

Both teams kept making unforced errors and the game was tight for awhile. But the Centurions eventually settled down and went on a 7-1 run to win the game and seize control of the match.

“We came out and played well at the beginning,” said Canyon head coach Brian Ingino. “Then Saugus stepped it up and passed really well. They won the big rallies which gave them a big emotional edge.”

The other Saugus seniors honored included libero Courtney Ashburn, opposite Victoria Van Puyvelde and middle blocker Kaitlyn Mikesell.

Centurions setter Ashley Guthrie led the team with 33 assists and outside hitter Jaclyn Clark had 14 kills and 13 digs.

Canyon’s Courtney Longshore had eight kills, Khrista Prudencio had seven kills and Christina Guerrero had 24 assists.

The Cowboys finish their season at 3-11 and 2-8 in the Foothill League.

“From where we started to where we are, I’m really happy with the girls,” Ingino said. “The seniors did a great job leading and I’m looking forward to next year.”

Saugus finished fourth in the Foothill League but stands a good chance to earn a CIF-Southern Section playoffs at-large bid.

Saugus beat Golden Valley 42-26 at Canyon High School on Friday night, but the 26 points scored by the Grizzlies were more than they have scored the entire season.

“This is big for our program,” said Golden Valley head coach Andy Campbell. “We know we can compete. The kids are starting to figure it out.”

It was bleak early for the Grizzlies (0-8, 0-3), as Saugus led 28-0 going into halftime.

All four of the Centurions’ touchdowns were scored by running back Chris Wolford.

Saugus (3-5, 2-1) scored on its first possession with a 2-yard run by Wolford that was set up by a 27-yard reception by wide receiver Jon Aguirre. A touchdown pass just two plays earlier was called back due to a holding penalty, but the Centurions set things right.

Wolford’s second touchdown came with just two minutes left in the first quarter, this time with another 2-yard run.

Saugus’ Manny Padron intercepted Golden Valley quarterback Reid Soloman’s pass on the Grizzlies’ 20-yard line and it looked like Saugus would score again before the quarter ended.

But a pair of Saugus penalties and a defensive stand by Golden Valley stopped the Centurions from scoring on the drive.

But the Centurions came back with another Wolford touchdown with 7:36 left in the second quarter. Wolford’s 5-yard run and the ensuing PAT gave the Centurions a 21-0 lead.

Golden Valley’s defense forced a punt on Saugus’ next possession, but quickly gave the back the ball with an interception.

Saugus didn’t keep the ball very long either, as Golden Valley’s Nigel Willis stripped the ball from Centurions quarterback Zack Gauthier and the Grizzlies took over.

The Grizzlies were able to make a move into Saugus territory, but the Centurions’ defense held.

Wolford scored on a 5-yard run with six seconds left in the half to give Saugus a 28-0 lead.

The second half started like the first, with Saugus scoring halfway into the third quarter on a 9-yard run by Adam Torres, putting the Centurions up 35-0.

Starting on their own 28-yard line, the Grizzlies were able to march up the field with the help of a couple of Saugus penalties.

A pass-interference call and a facemask penalty helped get the ball into Saugus territory.

Golden Valley’s Andrew Avila, subbing in at quarterback for the play, found a hole and ran 45 yards for a touchdown. With Kelsey Gonzalez kicking the PAT, the Grizzlies were on the board, but trailing 35-7.

The Grizzlies scored their second touchdown on a 40-yard run by Jeff Coprich with 7:45 left in the fourth quarter.

Golden Valley was successful on an onside kick and Coprich scored again on a 47-yard run where he broke several tackles.

The PAT failed, but the Grizzlies were making a game of it with a 35-20 score with 7:27 left in the game.

With just 2:22 remaining in the game, Saugus came back for another touchdown on a 2-yard run by Torres, bringing the Saugus lead to 42-20.

Golden Valley wasn’t finished yet and with just 38 seconds left in the game, Soloman connected with Avila for a 45-yard touchdown.

The Grizzlies pressed their luck with a two-point conversion attempt that failed for a final score of 42-26.

“It’s a win, which is what we want,” said Saugus head coach Jason Bornn.

By Joey Gulino
Signal Staff Writer

Too often this season, Saugus hasn’t been able to get out of its own way.

The team has been sloppy and ineffective, nothing like the program that has risen so far the last few years.

Thanks to an epic drive during Friday’s homecoming game – a 19-play, 97-yard march that devoured the fourth quarter and beat West Ranch – the Centurions looked like their old selves.

Homecoming, indeed.

Quarterback Zack Gauthier completed five passes for 68 yards on the final drive, including a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jon Aguirre with 1:13 left, and Saugus rallied to beat upstart West Ranch 26-22 at College of the Canyons.

The victory is the first since week one for Saugus (2-6, 1-1), which played a tough pre-league schedule that led to some trying times.

“It’s been a challenging season so far,” said Saugus head coach Jason Bornn. “You play the schedule you play, and you want to start fresh in league. It was a monkey on our back we shook off tonight.”

West Ranch (4-3, 1-1) was also trying to get a monkey off its back.

The Wildcats had never beaten a Foothill League team other than Golden Valley, but they were in position to do so late in the game.

“If this is a test of character, we passed it,” said West Ranch head coach Sean O’Brien. “We didn’t give up, ever. Give credit to Saugus. Everything I’m saying about us you could say about them.”

With a 22-19 lead, West Ranch quarterback Connor Eichten methodically moved the Wildcats (4-3, 1-1) deep into Saugus territory early in the fourth quarter.

But on fourth-and-1 at the Saugus 3, West Ranch tailback Zak Snell was stuffed at the line of scrimmage and Saugus took over.

“I think the defense competed and battled,” Bornn said. “I’m really proud of the unit.”

Gauthier and the offense took over from there. Running back Chris Wolford, who replaced an injured Tyler Watt in the second half, rushed for a total of 23 yards on the first four plays.

Three plays later, Gauthier hit wide receiver Manny Padron on the right sideline for 15 yards. Gauthier and Padron hooked up four times for 54 yards on the final drive, including a 10-yard pass play on fourth-and-5 at the West Ranch 26.

“Me and Manny have been best friends since freshman year,” Gauthier said. “I know where he’s going to be, where he’s going to cut.”

Aguirre cut left in the end zone on fourth-and-8 at the West Ranch 14, and Gauthier found him for a touchdown that sent the Saugus sideline into bedlam.

Padron picked off Eichten on the ensuing drive, and Saugus ran out the clock.

It was a fitting end, since Padron started the game by scoring Saugus’ first touchdown.

That play was an 11-yard pass from Gauthier early in the first quarter, and after forcing a West Ranch punt, the Centurions went ahead 12-0 on a 5-yard scamper by Watt.

Both two-point conversion attempts failed.

West Ranch got on the board early in the second quarter. An interception by Matt Bruns set up West Ranch at the Saugus 17, and Eichten found tight end James McGough with a 1-yard jump pass on fourth-and-goal to cut the lead to 12-6.

Late in the second quarter, Brady Stuart kicked a 23-yard field goal, and after West Ranch forced a punt, Eichten hit Chris Kim for a 46-yard touchdown that stunned the Centurions and gave the Wildcats a 15-12 halftime lead.

“It’s very hard to be more precise,” O’Brien said. “We’re going to have to get beaten with this kind of effort.”

Saugus responded with a long drive in the third quarter, a series that was highlighted by Gauthier and Watt grinding out yards on the ground. Gauthier scored from a yard out to put Saugus up 19-15.

A 68-yard pass from Eichten to wideout Josh Guzman on the ensuing possession set up the Wildcats’ final touchdown, a 1-yard run by fullback Trevin Manuel.

“West Ranch has really continued to grow and improve, which is really good for our league,” Bornn said.
Gauthier finished 19-of-28 for 290 yards, while Watt had 16 carries for 61 yards. Padron had seven catches for 74 yards, while James Weiner had seven catches for 89 yards, all in the first half.

Eichten was 14-of-26 for 291 yards and Snell had 21 carries for 74 yards.

Guzman had 92 yards receiving, and Chris Kim had five receptions for 84 yards.

(Photo courtesy of Francisca Rivas (The Signal))

By Joey Gulino

Hart forced three Saugus turnovers in the first half Friday and scored with each possession.

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, those points came in quite handy.

Saugus scored a pair of touchdowns early in the fourth quarter but missed two late field goals, and the Indians staved off the rally to earn a 31-21 victory in the Foothill League opener at Cougar Stadium.

“I thought (the fourth quarter) was indicative of how we can play when we protect the football,” said Saugus head coach Jason Bornn. “Unfortunately, we dug ourselves too deep a hole in the first half.”

On the fourth play from scrimmage, Saugus quarterback Zack Gauthier hit wide receiver Manny Padron on a crossing route for a 55-yard touchdown, giving the Centurions (1-5, 0-1) a 7-0 advantage.

From there, Hart’s defense gritted down.

Gauthier fumbled late in the first quarter and gave Hart (4-2, 1-0) the ball on the 10-yard line, and Indians quarterback C.J. Reyes found running back Jake Stephens for a 5-yard touchdown pass to tie the game three plays later.

After a lengthy Hart drive stalled on the Saugus 9-yard line midway through the second quarter, linebacker John Cornelius quickly intercepted a Gauthier pass.

Reyes went over the top for a 22-yard touchdown pass to receiver Blake Borland to put the Indians in front.

“That was big,” said Hart head coach Mike Herrington. “We took advantage of their turnovers.”

Late in the second quarter, Gauthier fumbled again and Hart defensive end Salvador Areco jumped on the loose ball.

Reyes kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired to give Hart a 17-7 halftime lead.

“That pumped me up like no other,” Areco said of the fumble recovery. “I thought it was going to be an easy win after the first half, but they fought back and we stopped them.”

After the teams traded punts to start the second half, Reyes tossed a jump ball to Borland, who snagged it out of the air and raced 59 yards to the Saugus 4.

Stephens punched it in from there, and he added a 2-yard touchdown run with 14 seconds left in the third quarter to give Hart a 31-7 lead.

The Centurions displayed a sense of urgency from that point on.

“I think we relaxed a little bit, and you can’t relax against them,” Herrington said. “They just kept on fighting.”

Gauthier spread the ball around to three different receivers on Saugus’ next drive. He eventually hit Padron on a comeback route, and the senior stepped around a pair of would-be tacklers and raced down the sideline for a 39-yard touchdown.

Gauthier tacked on a two-point conversion run to cut the score to 31-15 with a little more than 11 minutes left.

After forcing Hart to punt on the next drive, Gauthier hit receiver James Weiner three times for 48 total yards, the final strike leading to a 22-yard touchdown.

Saugus’ conversion failed but the Centurions recovered an onside kick, a possession that culminated in Padron missing a 30-yard field goal attempt.

Reyes was picked off by defensive back Jon Aguirre on the next drive, but Padron missed another field goal attempt, this time from 39 yards out.

Both kicks were sky-high and hard to gauge, but the referees had the best vantage point under the goalposts.

“This is an excellent officiating crew, so if they made the call, then I believe them,” Bornn said.

Reyes completed 17-of-31 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns, while Borland caught five balls for 107 yards and teammate Ty MacArthur caught eight passes for 117 yards.

Stephens led Hart with 70 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 19 carries.

Gauthier went 15-of-28 for 292 yards and three scores, while Weiner led the Cents with seven catches for 132 yards.

Gauthier also led Saugus with 86 yards on 14 carries. Sophomore tailback Tyler Watt had 10 carries for just 29 yards in his second game back from injury.

The sense of urgency begins.

From the pre-league performances and the prognostications, we can gather that tonight’s Hart-Saugus matchup at Cougar Stadium at 7:30 p.m. is a game that can determine an awful lot.

Lose, and you’re likely out of the hunt for a Foothill League title.

Win, you might have, worse-case scenario, the inside track for the league’s No. 2 spot.

“It’s important for both of us,” said Saugus head coach Jason Bornn. “This contest Friday night will say where we’re going to finish at the end of the season.”

Saugus (1-4) came into the season ranked No. 4 in the CIF-Southern Section Northern Division poll. After a 17-7 season-opening win against Pasadena, the wheels have come off.

Saugus has lost four straight games, the most recent being a 50-0 loss to Crespi last Friday.

A lot has been made of Saugus’ pre-league schedule being rough.

After the losses and struggles, the question is: Was it worth it?

“Ask me that question in five weeks,” Bornn said. “You’ll have that answer in five weeks.”

Bornn said the good thing is, Saugus feels its record is now 0-0.

Pre-league performance is a factor in seeding for the postseason, yet getting into the playoffs is the No. 1 goal for both teams. To do that, these teams have to finish in the top three in the Foothill League.

This game could be a good indicator as to if both teams are playoff contenders.

Both sides believe they are better than what they’ve shown thus far.

“I don’t think we’ve played our best at all,” said Hart head coach Mike Herrington. “I think we still have a lot of room to play better on both sides of the ball.”

Hart (3-2) is scoring points, to the tune of 28.2 per game, but the Indians are surrendering roughly the same amount — 27. The Indians are coming off a 28-7 victory over Paraclete on Oct. 2 and a bye last week.

Yet Herrington said he has seen improvement on the defensive side.

He has been particularly proud of the play of linebackers John Cornelius and Christian Blumel, mentioning them a couple of times this season as players who have been keys to the team’s success.

He also singled out Ty MacArthur, who has been a force at safety and wide receiver for the Indians.

Hart proved early on that it could move the ball.

Saugus hasn’t.

Due to a high ankle sprain, sophomore running back Tyler Watt, who much was expected from, missed the team’s first four games.

Other injuries have forced the Centurions to move players around.

The Centurions come into this game as healthy as they’ve been this season.

“It’s an exciting time,” Bornn said. “We got through our rigorous preseason schedule. We’re going to be able to see some guys at positions we thought they’d play when the season started.”

It’s a simple formula, but keys for Saugus are limiting Hart’s offense and putting points on the board.

For Hart, the Indians have struggled on special teams.

Herrington acknowledged that those struggles need to be fixed.