HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS : EASTERN CONFERENCE : H.H. Wilson vs. Los Altos

Not only will the Southern Section Eastern Conference title be on the line, but so will bragging rights for Hacienda Heights for the second time this season as Wilson and Los Altos play Saturday night at 7:30 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.

You can throw away the game films, because these teams know each other well enough already.

The schools not only share the same city, but the Wilson coach, Dave Merrill, used to work for Los Altos. Merrill was an assistant for Los Altos Coach Dwayne DeSpain when the Conquerors won the Southern Section 3-A title in 1972.

“We’re so alike as teams,” DeSpain said. “I think we’ve both got quarterbacks that can throw the football, and we’ve both got very quick and aggressive defenses.

“It’s gonna boil down to the team that makes the least mistakes.”

For Los Altos, the quarterback is also the coach’s son, Darren, who has thrown 21 touchdown passes and only 10 interceptions. DeSpain’s main receivers are flanker Jimmy Snyder and his tight end, 6-5 Steve Peters.

Wilson’s quarterback is Andre Vicario, who DeSpain describes as underrated and who may be the difference in the rematch.

When the teams met in a Sierra League game Oct. 31, Los Altos won, 10-7. Merrill said that Vicario played the game with a sprained ankle, which limited his mobility and Wilson’s play-calling. This time, Vicario is healthy.

Of course, it won’t matter if the Wildcat defense can’t stop Darren DeSpain, whose passing beat them the first time.

“We didn’t do as good a job as we hoped to,” Merrill said. “We need to keep the ball out of Los Altos’ hands. If we can establish a running game, we have a chance to win.”

That is the formula the Wildcats used against top-ranked Ramona a week ago, and it worked as Sterling Jackson ran for 186 yards, including touchdown runs of 37, 1, and 57 in a 41-21 victory.

Jackson has been hot in the playoffs, rushing for 490 yards in Wilson’s three games. “He’s really come on at the end,” Merrill said.

Los Altos also has a strong running game with David Crosby, who has run for more than 1,300 yards, Larry Verdugo, with more than 900 yards, and Milan Jurvocih, who has two 100-yard rushing games in the playoffs.

The teams seem even on defense, and both are healthy, although Wilson does have a couple of minor injuries. Wilson has outscored its three playoff opponents, 106-38, and Los Altos has outscored its three playoff foes, 98-30.

Los Altos, the No. 3 seeded team in the Eastern Conference, is 12-1. Wilson is 9-4. Wilson’s four losses were by a total of 16 points, and each came to a team that eventually made the playoffs. “Their 9-4 record is very deceiving,” Dwayne DeSpain said.

“The rivalry we’ve had has been great,” Dwayne DeSpain said. “I look for a real tight game.

“It’s really like they said, ‘Havoc in the Heights.’ ”