Paraclete’s Big Effort Is Divine

God might not be a Paraclete High Spirit, but at least the Pope was on their side.

Paraclete High will play for its third consecutive Southern Section football title next week, thanks to a scrappy quarterback, a talented running back, plenty of offensive beef and perhaps a little divine intervention.

It added up to a 47-26 rout of top-seeded Rosamond on Friday night in a Division XII semifinal before an overflow crowd of more than 5,000 at Rosamond.

The Spirits (10-3) will host either Kilpatrick or Riverside Notre Dame next Saturday at Antelope Valley College for the title.

“This is the biggest and most emotional game I’ve ever been in,” said quarterback Rob Fockaert, who is 11-0 in playoff games. “My God.”

Indeed.

Last month, Fr. William Caffrey traveled to Rome, where Pope John Paul II blessed the Spirits’ championship rings from 1997 and ’98.

He may need a return trip.

Sophomore running back Curtis Brown broke through gaping holes left by Paraclete’s offensive line to rush for 254 yards and three touchdowns in 32 carries, giving him 683 yards in three playoff games and a school-record 2,494 this season. He also threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Craig Herrera on the opening drive.

Fockaert passed for only 86 yards, but rushed for a touchdown, intercepted two passes and recovered an on-side kick to open the game.

Rosamond (12-1) led, 12-6, in the second quarter and trailed only 20-12 at the half.

“But they were physically dominating us and we just didn’t have an answer,” Coach Tim Cox of Rosamond said.

That strength eventually wore down the High Desert League champions.

The No. 4-seeded Spirits, who are averaging 46.3 points in the playoffs, gained 250 of their 403 yards in the second half.

They scored two touchdowns in the first six minutes of the third quarter and eventually built a 47-20 lead.

Paraclete’s defense limited the effectiveness of Rosamond quarterback Cory Allred, who had thrown for 2,291 yards. Allred finished 15 of 27 for 191 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

Linebacker Robert Watts of Paraclete also had an interception.

Rosamond outgained the Spirits in the first half, 191-153, but two critical plays went Paraclete’s way, paving the way to a 20-12 halftime lead.

Fockaert was right in the middle of both plays.

On the opening kickoff, he recovered a short kick at the Roadrunner 22, setting up Brown’s 12-yard halfback pass to Craig Herrera for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

With Paraclete leading, 13-12, in the second quarter, Fockaert got his first of two first-half interceptions to set up a three-yard touchdown run by Brown that gave Paraclete a 20-12 lead.