Watching Hurts for Hart’s Owens

Jerry Owens of Hart High attended the Southern Section luncheon Monday held for teams playing in finals this weekend, but he couldn’t help feeling like an outsider.

Owens, regarded as the best receiver in the region, will miss the Indians’ Division III final against St. Paul on Saturday night at College of the Canyons because of a broken leg. The injury occurred in Hart’s regular-season finale against Canyon, but the physical pain has been replaced by the psychic sort.

“It’s really tough,” Owens said. “Our goal was to play in a CIF championship game. We worked hard, and we finally did it. But I’ll be on the sidelines.”

Owens, who finished the season with 63 receptions for 1,374 yards and 16 touchdowns, fantasized about healing miraculously and playing. Then he woke up.

“I was able to put some pressure standing on the leg, but I’m so far from being able to run, there’s no way,” he said.

After the season, Owens may not be running, but he’ll be flying. He has recruiting trips planned to Oregon, Arizona, UCLA, USC and Ohio State.

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For an analysis of the Division VII championship game between Charter Oak and Harvard-Westlake, look no further than Chaminade Coach Ed Croson.

Chaminade defeated Harvard-Westlake in the regular-season finale, 44-30, and lost to Charter Oak two weeks later, 37-13, in a quarterfinal.

“It’ll take the game a while to get going because they both run the ball,” Croson said. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see a close halftime score. Down the stretch, I think Charter Oak will have the answers to the question of how to control the [line of scrimmage] and how to stop [tight end Alex] Holmes.

“Harvard-Westlake’s going to have a tough time. These guys are mean.”

Croson pointed out that the offensive line for Charter Oak averages 278 pounds when it goes to its jumbo formation.

“They’re going to run,” Croson said. “If they throw, it’ll only be about a fifth of the time.”

For Harvard-Westlake to win, “they’re going to have to get the ball to Holmes,” Croson said. “And in between, give the ball to [George] Witter,” who has rushed for 25 touchdowns.

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High School Championship Week

Friday

City Section

Championship playoff

* Taft vs. Banning, 8 p.m. at L.A. Coliseum

Division playoff

* Chatsworth vs. Reseda, 5 p.m. at L.A. Coliseum

Saturday

Southern Section

Division III

* Hart vs. St. Paul, 7:30 p.m. at College of the Canyons

Division VII

* Harvard-Westlake at Charter Oak, 7:30 p.m.

Division XII

* Paraclete vs. Kilpatrick, 7:30 p.m. at Antelope Valley College