PIGSKIN PROPHECIES

Here it is championship week, nervous time until the pulsating roar of a crowd signals kickoff of the first title tilt Friday night. The Prophet relishes such spectacles, but, alas, he rarely gets to participate in late-season competitive showdowns of his own. The Prophet knows exactly how the Yankees must have felt. He has defeated his guest opponent 11 times in 13 weeks. Overall, he has commanding 18-game and 38-point edges. Bill Cunerty, former football coach at Saddleback College, will try to make up some ground this week. He has a better chance of shooting par at Mission Viejo Country Club.

GAME OF THE WEEK (5 points)

Southern Section Division I championship, Saturday

Long Beach Poly (13-0) vs. Mater Dei (11-2), Edison Field

THE PROPHET SAYS: A little voice in the back of my turban told me I was a hairbrained idiot last week when I picked Los Alamitos to upset Poly. Or maybe it was just one of The Times’ reporters. Anyway, The Prophet never makes the same mistake twice. Mater Dei is looking good. The Monarchs have the best player in the county, Matt Grootegoed. And undefeated Poly has youth--several of its best players are sophomores--and is cocky. Poly is also real good. Poly, 23-22.

CUNERTY SAYS: Both teams are loaded with talent. I’ve heard pregame orations by Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson, who has that going for him plus a guided missile--Grootegoed--in his arsenal. Mater Dei, 31-28.

THE REST (1 point each)

Southern Section Division VI championship, Friday

Irvine (10-2-1) vs. Newport Harbor (12-0-1), Orange Coast College

THE PROPHET SAYS: Newport Harbor and running back Andre Stewart have been unstoppable in the playoffs. Stewart has averaged just a tick under eight yards per carry and he has 152 more rushing yards than any other player in the county in the last three games. But a week ago, I made a promise to Irvine and The Prophet is a man of his word. Upset special: Irvine, 16-14.

CUNERTY SAYS: Jeff Brinkley and Terry Henigan, two of the really great coaches in the county, were brilliant the first time the teams met this season. This one will be a thriller. Irvine has excelled at stopping great running backs but Newport Harbor has one of the best in the state. Irvine’s Mike Ricci gets my vote as the Doug Flute clone of the year, but the Sailors will squeak by. Newport Harbor, 24-21.

Southern Section Division IX championship, Friday

La Verne Bonita (13-0) vs. Brea Olinda (12-0-1),

Mt. San Antonio College

THE PROPHET SAYS: Brea Olinda’s Kenny Washington has rushed for more than 2,000 yards, but if the Wildcats are to be champions they must figure out how to contain DeAndre Belin, Bonita’s ground-gobbler. Easier said than done. Bonita, 35-28.

CUNERTY SAYS: Jon Looney has quietly put together one of the finest coaching records in the CIF during the last three years at Brea and this team is the best the school has had since the 1960s and the days of my good friend, former Wildcat and Orange Coast College Coach Dick Tucker. This one will be decided by a fourth-quarter run by Washington. Brea Olinda, 35-31.

OTHER TOP GAMES (each 3 points)

* Los Angeles Crenshaw (11-2) vs. Carson (11-2), Coliseum, L.A. City Section championship, Friday: The Prophet: When these teams met in September, Carson committed eight turnovers and Crenshaw won, 18-7. Carson is much improved. So is Crenshaw. Crenshaw, 22-20. Cunerty: Carson, 34-31.

* Gardena (9-3-1) vs. Banning (7-5), Coliseum, L.A. City Section Invitational championship, Friday: The Prophet: Why do they play this game? To decide which school has the 17th-best team in the City Section? Banning, with USC-bound running back Chris Howard, defeated Gardena his season, and the Pilots will do it again. Banning, 28-20. Cunerty: Gardena, 27-21.

* Diamond Bar (13-0) vs. Upland (12-1), Cal State Fullerton, Southern Section Division II championship, Friday: The Prophet: Diamond Bar, the defending champion, breezed through its season until last week, when it squeaked by Lawndale Leuzinger, 21-18. Upland reached the final by upsetting second-seeded Peninsula. Upset special No. 2: Upland, 24-21. Cunerty: Diamond Bar, 42-28.

* Newhall Hart (13-0) vs. Valencia (10-3), College of the Canyons, Southern Section Division III championship, Saturday: The Prophet: Manuel White, Valencia’s outstanding senior running back, rushed for 305 yards and five touchdowns last week. But Hart has a team on the level of Poly or Mater Dei. Hart, 49-28. Cunerty: Hart, 35-21.

* Westlake Village Westlake (12-1) vs. San Luis Obispo (12-1), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Southern Section Division IV championship, Friday: The Prophet: Northern League teams have dominated this division in recent years. The trend continues. San Luis Obispo, 17-14. Cunerty: Westlake, 34-33.

* Rancho Cucamonga (12-1) vs. Menifee Paloma Valley (12-1), Chaffey College, Southern Section Division V champion, Friday: The Prophet: Quarterback Nick Fotia has led Rancho Cucamonga with his passing and rushing during the playoffs. If he stays healthy, the Cougars win. Rancho Cucamonga, 27-23. Cunerty: Paloma Valley, 17-14.

* Covina Charter Oak (13-0) vs. Hacienda Heights Los Altos (12-1), Citrus College, Southern Section Division VII championship, Saturday: The Prophet: This is a highly anticipated rematch. In a Miramonte League game in October, Charter Oak won a 27-24 squeaker. Rematch. Replay. Charter Oak, 27-24. Cunerty: Charter Oak, 29-27.

* Bloomington (10-3) at Barstow (12-1), Southern Section Division VIII championship, Saturday: The Prophet: Same old story. Bloomington, the three-time defending champion, has a potent running back. If Barstow can pass, it has a shot. Bloomington, 35-31. Cunerty: Barstow, 30-21.

* Monrovia (12-1) vs. Paso Robles (11-2), Citrus College, Southern Section Division X championship, Friday: The Prophet: Another rematch--only not from a league game this year. Paso Robles defeated Monrovia for the title last season. The Bearcats will do it again. Paso Robles, 22-15. Cunerty: Monrovia, 21-20.

* Ventura St. Bonaventure (13-0) vs. Ojai Nordhoff (11-2), Ventura HS, Southern Section Division XI championship, Saturday: The Prophet: St. Bonaventure had a Pac-10-bound quarterback transfer out, and the Seraphs have still been dominant. St. Bonaventure, 42-21. Cunerty: St. Bonaventure, 33-12.

* Lancaster Paraclete (10-3) vs. Malibu Kilpatrick (9-4), Antelope Valley College, Southern Section Division XII championship, Saturday: The Prophet: Kilpatrick’s Jermaine Marshall needs 58 yards to break the Southern Section single-season rushing mark of 3,523 yards set by David Dotson of Moreno Valley Valley View in 1991. He’ll get it. And Paraclete will get the title. Paraclete, 28-14. Cunerty: Paraclete, 14-13.

* Pasadena Poly (10-2) vs. Redlands Arrowhead Christian Academy (7-5), South Pasadena HS, Southern Section Division XIII championship, Saturday: The Prophet: Once Poly stuffs Arrowhead Christian’s double wing-T, it’s all downhill. Poly, 21-7. Cunerty: Poly, 32-21.