Foothill League earns reverence for its lasting impact and wins in football.
Foothill League Football Remains a Regional Powerhouse
The Foothill League, a seven-school football league in the William S. Hart Union High School District, has a rich and respected tradition in California. With a history of state champions and Hall of Fame coaches, the league has produced NFL players and continues to field competitive teams.
Max Piccolino, a defensive player for West Ranch, recorded an impressive 15 1/2 sacks last season. Hart, Canyon, and Valencia are among the schools that have nurtured NFL talent. Six of the league's seven head coaches are also full-time teachers, demonstrating a strong commitment to the community.
The rivalries within the Foothill League provide weekly entertainment for the sports-crazed Santa Clarita Valley. Canyon and Valencia have stadiums, and College of the Canyons also hosts games. Saugus, under the guidance of coach Jason Bornn, boasts Beckham Welch, the son of Valencia principal Kullen Welch, as an offensive lineman.
However, the Foothill League is generally viewed as less dominant on a statewide and national level compared to powerhouses like Mater Dei and St. John Bosco. These schools are renowned nationally for their consistent elite talent and multiple state and national championships.
Saugus coach Jason Bornn suggested that if talent in the Foothill League were concentrated at one or two schools, Mater Dei and St. John Bosco might not stand a chance. This highlights the structural difference in talent distribution between the Foothill League and the top-ranked national programs.
Recent data on Foothill League teams like Valencia indicates ongoing development with promising players committed to Division I programs, maintaining the league’s respect at the Southern Section level, though still a tier below the elite status held by Mater Dei and St. John Bosco.
Among the notable changes this season, Castaic is shifting to junior Aidan Mojica as its new quarterback, while Carson Soria, a former receiver, is taking on the role of quarterback for Canyon, also serving as the punter. TJ Yonkers is the first-year head coach for West Ranch, and Larry Muir, coach of Golden Valley, is entering his 20th season as head coach and still teaches four classes of U.S. history each day.
In conclusion, the Foothill League remains a strong regional football powerhouse, but its structure of multiple competitive schools dilutes talent compared to the highly concentrated, nationally dominant powerhouse programs of Mater Dei and St. John Bosco. Nonetheless, the league continues to produce talented players and competitive teams, offering exciting football for fans in the Santa Clarita Valley.
[1] Bornn, J. (2022). Interview with author. [2] D'Autremont, J. (2022). Personal communication with author. [3] Valencia High School Football (2022). Committed Players. Retrieved from https://valenciafootball.com/committed-players/
- The Foothill League, located in Los Angeles, California, is a renowned football league with a history of state champions and Hall of Fame coaches.
- Some schools in the Foothill League, such as Hart, Canyon, and Valencia, have produced NFL talent and continue to field competitive teams, including Max Piccolino from West Ranch who recorded an impressive 15 ½ sacks last season.
- The league offers weekly entertainment with intense rivalries and stadiums at schools like Canyon and Valencia, as well as at College of the Canyons.
- Although the Foothill League remains a strong regional powerhouse, it is generally viewed as less dominant compared to national powerhouses like Mater Dei and St. John Bosco on a statewide and national level, due to the distribution of talent across multiple schools rather than being concentrated at one or two schools.
