THE ENFORCER

Paul Soto is a nightmare in a football uniform.

Although 6 feet 2 and 250 pounds, Soto has cat-like agility thanks to a background that includes martial arts and wrestling. Few opponents relish the thought of facing the Highland High middle linebacker who prepares for games by listening to Aztec warrior music.

“[It’s] like a man playing against third-graders,” said one rival coach.

Last season, three Antelope Valley offensive linemen quit the team after playing against Soto.

This season, plenty more opponents probably wish they had.

Soto has been the cornerstone of a Bulldog defense that ranks among the region’s best, allowing only 30 points in five Golden League games en route to the school’s first outright league championship.

Highland (7-3) will host Pasadena (3-7) on Friday night in the first round of the Southern Section Division III playoffs.

It’s more than likely that the pregame scene in Highland’s locker room on Friday will include the loud drum beat of Soto’s Aztec warrior tape, which he bought last year after witnessing a reenactment of a sacrifice to the sun god.

“It’s inspiring and gets me focused,” he said. “The Aztecs played this music before a sacrifice, so it was only natural for me because that’s how I view playing against people.”

Coach Lin Parker isn’t complaining.

“That’s a weird tape that nobody understands,” Parker said. “But I wasn’t a big fan of his previous music, hard-driving heavy metal stuff.”

Recently, the only heavy metal has been Soto’s helmet crashing into ball carriers’ chests.

Last week against Antelope Valley, Soto had 15 tackles, his third interception and three forced fumbles in a 16-3 victory.

Soto was unimpressed with his performance.

“I don’t believe I’ve actually played to my full potential,” he said. “I’ve never had a complete game that I’m actually proud of.”

That led to a problem recently, when Soto needed to send game tapes to an interested college.

“He said he needed three tapes,” defensive coordinator Mike Drennan said. “We picked two, then I asked him which other one he wanted, which did he think was his best game? He said, ‘It hasn’t happened yet.’ ”

With or without the third tape, colleges remain interested.

Soto will visit Oregon this weekend and Nevada Las Vegas next week.

A good student whose course load includes advanced placement English, Soto has achieved a qualifying score on the SAT. He plans to major in law or government.

Despite playing one of the region’s toughest schedules, Highland is allowing only 256 yards a game.

Soto and a linebacker corps of Tyrone Brown, Josh Mejia and Roland Ortiz-Eyrich can take much of the credit.

“Soto is a force,” Coach Ray DeShane of Lancaster said. “From tackle to tackle, it’s very difficult to run against them.”

Soto leads the Bulldogs with 103 tackles despite consistently being double- and triple-teamed.

“[Statistics] have never been important to me,” said Soto, a three-year varsity starter who also plays fullback. “I’d rather win.”

That kind of selfless approach is one of the many reasons Soto stands out, his coaches said.

“Paul understands that when he’s getting teamed up on like that, that it’s as good as a tackle to us because it’s going to free up someone else,” Drennan said.

Winning is becoming a habit for Soto.

Last year, he wrestled for the first time and helped Highland claim its seventh consecutive league championship.

Soto also has studied the martial art of Kenpo Shotakan and reached brown-belt status.

But none of that compared to the thrill of winning a football title.

“Just to be a part of Highland winning its first [outright] championship,” he said. “That was a very proud moment.”

Now, Soto is on to bigger goals.

He wants to play football on Nov. 26, his 18th birthday and the date of the section quarterfinals.

The only thing separating Soto from his wish is Pasadena.