Runners rise to the top of Santa Clarita sports in 2012

Runners took center stage in the Santa Clarita sports world in 2012. From the Summer Olympics in London to Central Park in Saugus, cross country and track runners were celebrated. Allyson Felix won three gold medals in London. The Saugus girls cross country team won their seventh CIF state championship in a row. Chris Low from College of the Canyons won a state title in track. John Gilbertson from The Master’s College won a national championship in cross country.

But cross country and track and field were not the only sports that athletes from the Santa Clarita Valley excelled. A receiver from Canyon High broke two state football records. A golfer from Valencia High qualified for her third US Women’s Open. The fire captain at Station 76 in Valencia won an IHRA drag racing event.

Here is a look at the top sports stories of the year:

The Rematch: UCLA vs. Stanford

Can the UCLA football team beat Stanford? If Saturday’s outcome is any indication, the Bruins have a lot of work to do if they want to upset the Cardinal on Friday night in the Pac-12 championship game.

UCLA and Stanford will meet for the second time in six days. The venue will be different, in Palo Alto instead of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, but the outcome will be the same if the Bruins can’t make some key adjustments.

Stanford rolled UCLA, 35-17. By the second quarter, the rout was on. Stanford was up 21-10 at halftime and scored two more touchdowns in 13 seconds in the third quarter to pull away.

The Stanford defense scored. The Stanford running attack gave the Bruins fits. UCLA had one scoring drive that actually netted -8 yards, a 48-yard field goal in the second quarter.

UCLA coach Jim Mora was asked after the game what his team needs to do to beat Stanford.

“Once I look at the film, I can better answer that question for you,” Mora said. “There is a lot to learn. I’m not going to get into too many specifics. But I don’t want to give away what we need to do in order to improve.”

Delays at Dodger Stadium and the trade with the Red Sox

Sung to the tune of “Take Me Out To the Ball Game” with apologies to Jack Norworth:

Take me out to the ball game
Except on Vin Scully bobblehead night
Cuz if you run late
(Let’s face it, if you live in LA, who doesn’t run late?)
They’ll make you wait
Outside the gate for an hour
If your son scoots, scoots, scoots away from you
Security will make you stay
For it’s one, two, three innings you’ll miss
At the old ball game.

Suffice it to say, not a good time was had by all at Vin Scully bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium. Not only did the Dodgers lose to the Arizona Diamondbacks, 2-0, but it took nearly an hour to get into the stadium while Vin Scully bobbleheads were passed out at the gates.

Photo: Fans waited for about an hour to get into Dodger Stadium on Vin Scully bobblehead night. (Credit: Tim Haddock)

Marshall Faulk and the Calabasas football team

The Calabasas football team has some problems. The freshman football program was dropped because not enough players showed up for the team. The varsity team has some holes with ineligible players and transfers who haven't been cleared to play yet.
Despite those challenges, Calabasas gave Saugus a run for its money in the high school football season opener for both teams at College of the Canyons in Valencia on Thursday night.
After going down 18-6 at halftime, Calabasas battled back in the second half. The Coyotes shut out Saugus in the final two quarters of the game and had a chance to win the game in the closing minutes.
But the final Calabasas drive ended with a Hail Mary interception on the Saugus goal line as time expired. Saugus won the game, 18-15.
One of the bright spots in the game was the play of Marshall Faulk, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Marshall Faulkm, who played for the St. Louis Rams and Indianapolis Colts.
The younger Faulk caught a 3-yard touchdown pass in the first half. He also rushed three times for 13 yards. Faulk, a bruising fullback, didn't see many touches and played sparingly in the game.
Go to the Ventura County Star for more on the game between Calabasas and Saugus.

Photo: Calabasas running back Marshall Faulk caught a 3-yard touchdown pass against Saugus at College of the Canyons in Valencia on Thursday night. (Credit: Tim Haddock)