Football: Hart is showing signs of a resurgence
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For the first time since 2007, Newhall Hart won a first-round playoff game, which is a clear sign the proud Indians program is headed back in the right direction.
Veteran Coach Mike Herrington has guided Hart to six Southern Section titles since he took over as head coach in 1989.
When the Santa Clarita Valley started opening up new schools, such as Valencia, West Ranch and Golden Valley, Hart lost some of its talent base. But this season, the Indians are 8-3 heading into a quarterfinal game of the Northern Division playoffs against top-seeded Westlake Village Westlake on Friday.
And they have some promising young players beginning to step up. Sophomore quarterback Connor Wingenroth connected with freshman receiver Trent Irwin for a touchdown with 38 seconds remaining on Friday, then completed a two-point conversion pass to sophomore Wes Fitzpatrick to give Hart a 15-14 win over Palos Verdes.
Wingenroth passed for 209 yards. He’s considered a top athlete. Irwin is the first freshman to start on varsity under Herrington, and he has lived up to the preseason hype.
“You wouldn’t even know he was a freshman,” Herrington said.
Add a 10-0 freshman team to the mix, and the Indians figure to be back in the elite status in the coming years.
-- Eric Sondheimer