THE BIG GAME : Spartan Streak Goes on the Line : Football: Chula Vista continues Metro Conference rivalry with Sweetwater tonight.

One of the county’s oldest rivalries is renewed tonight at the county’s newest stadium--sort of.

Chula Vista and Sweetwater, who have battled each other since 1947, will do so for the 46th time tonight at Gail Devers Stadium on the Sweetwater campus in National City. Previously known as Hudgens Field, the stadium was renamed two weeks ago to honor the Sweetwater graduate who went on to Olympic gold this past summer.

Although Sweetwater holds a 30-15 edge in the series, the Red Devils have not won in their past four games with the Spartans, who continue on a streak of 35 Metro Conference games without a defeat.

It appeared that streak would be in jeopardy this season when Chula Vista opened with a 7-7 tie against a still-winless San Marcos team, then got wiped out by a mediocre Vista club, 42-10.

As it turned out, neither loss was an indication of things to come, and when Metro Conference play began, Chula Vista (5-2, 4-0) remembered how to win.

“That’s pretty typical of them,” said Sweetwater Coach Gene Alim. “They start off slow and then come on in league play. It’s a mental thing. The kids build up a very confident attitude when they look at their league record. They know they can win in league, so they do.”

Alim knows how the psychology of a winning streak works. In his first stint at Sweetwater, from 1981 to 1987, Sweetwater at one point won 42 consecutive league games.

It was broken by the Spartans in 1986, by a 15-14 score.

Chula Vista’s streak began the following season, 1987, as it won its final three league games. The loss that predated the streak was inflicted by Sweetwater, 20-0.

Although the Red Devils would like to put the other bookend in place, they feel undermanned in their attempt. Alim carries only 28 players on his roster.

“And that makes it really tough,” Alim said. “Especially when we’re used to suiting up 45 kids.”

Alim, in his second year after returning as head coach, is having difficulty adjusting to a new generation of high school football players--either that or the players are having difficulties with Alim’s penchant for discipline.

At least 12 promising players from last season’s program never showed up for spring drills. Alim decided it was apathy on their part, so when practice opened in August and the 12 returned, Alim did not let them on the field.

Two who did return are running backs Josh Driggs, who leads the Metro Conference with 974 rushing yards in 117 attempts, and Tai Lepule, fifth in the league with 605 yards in 71 rushes.

The Spartans counter with the running trio of Rick Haley (71-409), Jacob Lewis and Michael Peterson, each of whom have at least a five-yard-per-carry average.

One of Chula Vista’s top weapons is place-kicker Kevin Brennan. He leads Metro kickers with 30 points and also gives the Spartans an advantage in field position. Last week Brennan was good on a 29-yard field goal and six extra points, then allowed Mar Vista to return only two of the ensuing kickoffs in a 45-6 victory.