Paraclete Throwing Down New Challenge

The Alpha League has experienced its share of football success in the 1990s.

L.A. Baptist won the Southern Section Division XI title in 1993. Kilpatrick advanced to the final in 1990, when it lost to Montclair Prep, then an Alpha League rival. Village Christian has made three semifinal appearances in eight seasons.

As if those credentials weren’t enough, the league just got a little stronger.

Paraclete, defending Division XI champion, joins the Alpha this year--and the league will drop to Division XII.

“If we didn’t have the strongest league in our division, we might now,” said L.A. Baptist Coach Mark Bates, whose team was seeded first in the Division XI playoffs in 1996 and 1997 but lost in the first round each year.

Paraclete moves from the High Desert League, where it won the last two league titles and left with a 10-game winning streak.

“I think [joining the Alpha] will add even more integrity and make a good league even better,” said Paraclete Coach Steve Hagerty, The Times’ Valley coach of the year last year. “I hope the rest of the league sees it that way.”

It does.

“They bring instant credibility,” Village Christian Coach Mike Plaisance said of Paraclete. “The winning tradition they have is a plus for us, and I like playing teams that will make us better. Paraclete will most definitely do that.”

But the Spirits are much like the rest of the league in one respect. They must fill some gaping holes left by graduation.

All-Valley tight end-defensive lineman Josh Foster has moved on to Colorado. Tailback Dominic Washington, who rushed for 1,805 yards, is playing at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and linebacker Rob McShea, the Division XI defensive player of the year, is at Whittier College.

Hagerty will turn to junior Rob Fockaert, who took over at quarterback in the playoffs and helped Paraclete to its first section title in 30 years.

He will have two quality senior receivers, Tommy Breech and Josh White. Breech caught 32 passes for 648 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

“It’s not going to be a mystery that we’re going to throw the ball downfield,” said Hagerty, who has two returning starters on defense and three on offense. “We won’t completely abandon the running game, but we have to get the ball to several people, not just the guy in the ‘I.’ ”

L.A. Baptist has won 13 consecutive league games, three consecutive league titles and four of five.

But graduation claimed quarterback Peter Dirksen (2,981 yards passing) and receiver Tim Feirfeil (77 catches, 1,748 yards), one of the most prolific combinations in the Southern Section last year. Both are playing at College of the Canyons.

Village Christian, which last season had a roster top-heavy with seniors, might start a freshman at quarterback and a sophomore at running back.

Kilpatrick, a school for juvenile offenders, rarely has even one returning letterman.

“It may take some of us a while to get going,” Kilpatrick Coach Sid Ware said. “But by the fifth game, who knows? Anyone might be able to win this league.”

Anyone, except Marshall, which is 3-34-2 in the last four seasons and has lost 12 of 13 league games.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Alpha League schedules

Games start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted. Dates and sites subject to change. *League games

KILPATRICK

Sept. 11--at Silver Valley

Sept. 18--at Cerritos Valley Christian

Sept. 25--at Ontario Christian

Oct. 2--Montclair Prep at Valley College

Oct. 9--at Oak Park

Oct. 17--*L.A. Baptist at Alemany High

Oct. 24--*at Pasadena Marshall, 2 p.m.

Oct. 31--*vs. Village Christian at Kennedy High, 7 p.m.

Nov. 6--*vs. Paraclete at Antelope Valley College

Nov. 14--*at Avalon, 2 p.m.

Home Site: None.

L.A. BAPTIST

Sept. 12--St. Genevieve

Sept. 18--at Mojave

Sept. 26--Brethren Christian

Oct. 2--at Fillmore

Oct. 9--Santa Paula

Oct. 17--*Kilpatrick

Oct. 23--*Village Christian

Oct. 30--*vs. Paraclete at Antelope Valley College

Nov. 6--Brentwood

Nov. 13--*Pasadena Marshall

Home Site: Alemany High

PARACLETE

Sept. 10--St. Bonaventure, at Ventura High, 7 p.m.

Sept. 18--Serrano

Sept. 25--Tehachapi

Oct. 2--Garces

Oct. 9--at Rosamond

Oct. 16--*Pasadena Marshall

Oct. 23--Montclair Prep at Valley College

Oct. 30--*L.A. Baptist

Nov. 6--*Kilpatrick

Nov. 13--*Village Christian at Kennedy High, 7 p.m.

Home Site: Antelope Valley College

VILLAGE CHRISTIAN

Sept. 12--Santa Paula, 7 p.m.

Sept. 19--Fillmore, 7 p.m.

Sept. 26--Big Bear, 7 p.m.

Oct. 2--at Frazier Mountain

Oct. 10--vs. Flintridge Prep at St. Francis High, 7 p.m.

Oct. 17--at Pasadena Poly, 3:30 p.m.

Oct. 23--*L.A. Baptist at Alemany High

Oct. 31--*Kilpatrick, 7 p.m.

Nov. 7--*at Pasadena Marshall, 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 13--*Paraclete, 7 p.m.

Home Site: Kennedy High