Recent History Shows It’s a Two-Team Race

Ping.

With under a minute to play in the last regular-season football game in 1992, Village Christian’s Tarik Blair returned a kickoff 99 yards to give his team a 21-19 victory over L.A. Baptist and the Alpha League championship.

Pong.

All-State quarterback Zack Hernandez of L.A. Baptist set 21 school records to lead the Knights to an undefeated 1993 season and the Southern Section Division X title.

Ping.

Ignacio Brache, Village Christian’s state-record-tying kicker, kicked three field goals, including a 60-yarder, as the Crusaders defeated L.A. Baptist, 16-3, to win the 1994 league title.

Pong.

L.A. Baptist drove 83 yards with four minutes to play in the 1995 “Bible Bowl” and recaptured the league title with a 21-14 victory over Village Christian.

Ever since Alpha League officials ousted four-time champion Montclair Prep from their league in 1991, L.A. Baptist and Village Christian have been playing pingpong with the championship trophy.

This season the league has a new lineup with Western Christian’s departure to the Christian League. The schedule also looks different, with L.A. Baptist and Village Christian meeting in the first league game instead of the last, as it was the last four season. Southern Section realignment moves the Alpha League from Division X to Division XI.

But with Marshall and Maranatha unimproved from last season and Kilpatrick inexperienced, it will be the same old story as far as the standings are concerned.

“It’s us, L.A. Baptist and Kilpatrick,” Crusader Coach Mike Plaisance said, careful as he is every year to include the Malibu probationary school, which fields a new team every year and is always a threat to surprise.

History indicates that it is Village Christian’s turn to win the league title. Plaisance has said his team will do so and go all the way in Division XI.

But L.A. Baptist Coach Mark Bates doesn’t buy the hype.

“When I read that, I was trying to think of a creative response,” Bates said. “But then my coaches and I remembered that he says that every year.”

The Knights boast a potent offense in their effort to repeat. All-Division X junior quarterback Peter Dirksen and senior all-league running back Chris Ross appear primed for good seasons, as long as the offensive line, with five new starters, comes together.

Transfer Ron Atkins, who led Chatsworth with 435 yards rushing last season, adds breakaway speed to the Knights’ arsenal.

With the kind of offensive weapons Bates has, it’s no wonder L.A. Baptist is ranked No. 1 in the preseason Division XI poll. It does, however, make you wonder about Plaisance’s prediction.

“I wasn’t being arrogant or disrespectful to the other teams in the league, just showing confidence in my team,” Plaisance said of his Aug. 29 comment. “I say why not us, why not now? Some of the players were worried that I put a bull’s-eye on them. Others actually like the idea of being the team to beat.”

But are the Crusaders the team to beat?

Gone are platooning quarterbacks Matt Pike and Chris Coleman, who together led the league in passing yardage and set several school passing records. Also gone is leading receiver Tony Yousif.

Jeff Johnston, who led Village Christian’s junior varsity to an undefeated season last season but has no varsity experience, takes over at quarterback.

Three-year varsity player Aaron Funk returns at tailback to lead a strong running attack.

Junior David Romberger, who broke all of the school junior varsity rushing records last season, is set to make his varsity debut.

The Alpha League’s gold-medal pingpong game between L.A. Baptist and Village Christian is Oct. 19 at Alemany High.

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AT A GLANCE

* THE PROVEN: L.A. Baptist RB Chris Ross rushed for 1,222 yards last year and 802 the year before. Village Christian RB Aaron Funk is beginning his third season at the varsity level. Junior QB Peter Dirksen led L.A. Baptist to a 6-3 record after taking over as the starter for an 0-3 team. Village Christian linebackers Darren Chu and Brian Agnor each had two interceptions last season.

* THE PROMISING: Village Christian sophomore Matt Ryburn worked with former Crusader kicker Ignacio Brache over the summer and recently kicked a 47-yard field goal in practice. Ron Atkins of L.A. Baptist has 4.7-second speed in the 40-yard dash. L.A. Baptist junior Tim Feirfeil was the Knights’ top junior varsity receiver last season.

* FAST FACT: Maranatha’s 1986 co-championship with Western Christian was the last time any current Alpha League team other than L.A. Baptist or Village Christian won the title.