It’s the Last Call for Palos Verdes vs. Temecula Valley : Playoffs: Up-and-down Sea Kings want to finish with CIF Division VIII championship in what could be the school’s final football game.

Palos Verdes High might be shutting down after this school year, but its football team is intent on going out in style.

The Sea Kings (8-5) play at Temecula Valley (10-3) Saturday night at 7:30 in the CIF Division VIII championship game, capping an unusual season.

Palos Verdes Peninsula school board members voted on Tuesday to close Palos Verdes and Miraleste highs and reassign the students to Rolling Hills High.

It has been a tale of three seasons for Palos Verdes.

The Sea Kings had an easy time early, as they started 3-0 with two shutouts.

Then, the roof fell in on Coach Bill Judy’s team. The Sea Kings lost five of six games, including a four-game losing streak in which the team was shut out twice.

But in the regular-season finale, Palos Verdes righted itself with a 45-20 victory over peninsula rival Rolling Hills, barely earning a spot in the playoffs as a third-place team from the Ocean League.

The Sea Kings have been hot since, and find themselves on the verge of winning the second CIF football title in the school’s 30-year history. Palos Verdes captured the 2-A Division title in 1965.

Did the Palos Verdes players seriously believe they would be playing for a championship when the team fell to 4-5 after a 27-8 loss to Redondo Nov. 2?

“Not really,” said George Felactu, the Sea Kings’ top running back.

But Felactu said the Palos Verdes turnaround is not as mysterious as it might appear. A healthy offensive line has provided the “magic” medicine.

“The guys up front have been doing a great job on run blocking and pass blocking,” said Felactu, who has rushed for 374 yards and four touchdowns in 51 carries in three playoff games. “They weren’t all together during the season (because of injury and illness), but they’re definitely doing the job now.”

The Palos Verdes offense got a bit predictable during the regular season, with Felactu being called upon to provide more than his share. However, the rejuvenated offensive line has helped the Sea Kings diversify their attack.

For example, quarterback Tim King has passed for more yards in the postseason than he did in the regular season. Also, junior running back Brian Durbin, who wasn’t an offensive factor most of the season, surprised top-seeded Cabrillo last week with 120 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a 21-7 semifinal victory.

“The (opposition’s) defense can’t just load up on the run anymore,” Felactu said. “That takes the pressure off me a little bit.”

With 132 points in its past four games, Palos Verdes has scored almost as many points as it did in its first nine games (138).

Not surprisingly, Felactu said the plan is “to just try to do the same stuff that we’ve been doing.”

And he said the Sea Kings will benefit from a bittersweet source of inspiration.

“We’ve been talking about how the school will be shutting down,” Felactu said. “We know that this is last time any of us--or anyone at all--will wear a P.V. uniform. We’ll be going out there to give it everything we’ve got. There’s no holding back.”

Temecula Valley, which beat three South Bay teams (Rolling Hills, West Torrance and Morningside) to reach the final, is led by multipurpose running back Ronnie Long, who has scored 20 touchdowns, rushed for 907 yards and caught 32 passes.

Temecula Valley quarterback David Gonzalez has completed 65% for his passes in throwing for 1,719 yards. Gonzalez has also rushed for five touchdowns and 224 yards.

The Temecula Valley defense is headed by linebacker Juan Munoz, who has 98 tackles (53 unassisted) and two interceptions. The Temecula Valley coaching staff gives out a “Broken Helmet Award” each week in honor of the top hit by a defensive player, and Munoz has won the award seven times this year.