Welcome to the Santa Clarita Gold Rush!

The 2008 inaugural Santa Clarita Gold Rush will be held Dec. 13-14 in Newhall, home of Region 678 which proudly includes Newhall, Valencia, Stevenson Ranch and surrounding areas.

The proceeds from this great tournament will go towards field and equipment expenses for Region 678 as well as for our scholarship program. We have an outstanding volunteer base and excellent amenities. We feel this will be one of the finest holiday tournaments in Southern California.

Here is what the Gold Rush has to offer:

If you have any questions, please email tournament@ayso678.org.

Why the Gold Rush?

Around this time of year, teams are gearing up for Area Playoffs in search of gold and glory, but the real story of our tournament name is rooted in California's history more than 150 years ago.

On March 9, 1842, six years before gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, a rancher named Jose Francisco de Gracia Lopez was deep in nearby Placerita Canyon (then called Cañon de los Encinos), picking a spot under an ancient oak tree for lunch and a siesta. When he awakened, Lopez dug up some wild onions with his knife and was surprised to discover gold clinging to their roots. This was the first authenticated find in California and started the first gold rush in the state, long before the discovery at Sutter's in 1848.

Today, the oak tree beneath which Lopez took his famous nap - the Oak of the Golden Dream - is a California Historic Landmark, near the Placerita Canyon Nature Center. Take Placerita Canyon Road 1-1/2 miles east of State Route 14 to the park entrance. Park your car in the lot and head downriver.