Coach is Jittery For Good Reason

Coach Jon Mack, who guided St. Bonaventure to the Southern Section Division X title last season, obviously has some good instincts.

He admitted that he was nervous before his team’s opener Friday night against Paraclete.

“Game one is so scary . . . What are they going to do on offense? What are they going to do on defense? What new kids do they have?” Mack said.

The answers, in order: A lot, everything right, and some good ones. Paraclete won, 42-16.

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Quick strike: It took Saugus only four plays to score for first-year Coach Ron Hilton. Brandon Hartwell scored on a 46-yard pass from Travis Ivey.

On second thought: Kevin Rooney, Notre Dame’s football coach and athletic director, had a double dose of anxiety before the Knights’ opener Thursday against Alemany.

The coach worried about the team. The athletic director worried about the crowd--which was estimated at more than 4,000 fans--and the Fox Sports West 2 television cameras.

No need to worry. Notre Dame won, 43-15, and everything else went off without a hitch.

Rooney, ever low-key, on Friday expressed regret that he didn’t fully enjoy the experience.

“I didn’t think about [the atmosphere] very much,” he said. “I wish I had.”

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Southern Section: At 1 p.m., St. Genevieve at Chadwick. At 1:30 p.m., Vasquez at Lucerne Valley. At 3 p.m., Coast Union vs. Flintridge Prep at Pasadena Poly. At 7:30 p.m., St. Joseph vs. Santa Clara at Channel Islands High.

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8-man: At 11 a.m., L.A. Lutheran at Liberty Christian. At 1 p.m., Faith Baptist at Shandon, Westmark at Grace Brethren, Lake Mead Academy at Antelope Valley Christian. At 1:30 p.m., Windward at Campbell Hall. At 3 p.m., Baptist Christian vs. Viewpoint at Calabasas High.