Paraclete finished the season with a 14-12...

Paraclete finished the season with a 14-12 victory over Montclair Prep for its 13th consecutive victory and third Division XII championship in a row. The Spirits also accomplished what only Temple City (1970-73) had been able to do in section history--win a fourth consecutive title.

But first-year Coach Jeff Cortez, who installed a wing-T offense and a 3-4 defense, had to figure out how to rebound from a 51-0 season-opening loss to two-time Division XI champion St. Bonaventure.

“That was baptism by fire,” Cortez said. “As a coaching staff, we had to have faith and continue to be positive.”

Cortez coached at Crespi before replacing Steve Hagerty, who took a job as an assistant at Riverside North.

Cortez brought along former Celt assistant Ray Gerena and hired Paraclete teacher George Esquer, who wasn’t on Hagerty’s staff, and area youth coach Dennis Dininger.

Three Spirit coaches stayed in the program--Kenny Nelsen, Rennie Leach and Ron Sisson.

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It’s hard to believe, but Paraclete can use the words “we held Gary Sonkur to 124 yards rushing.”

Sonkur was held in check during the middle of the game by the Spirits, although he scored on touchdown runs of four yards in the first quarter and 31 yards in the fourth period.

Earlier, Sonkur became Montclair Prep’s leading rusher for a season. After the playoffs, he enters the record books as the No. 6 season rusher in region history with 2,705 yards. He missed cracking the Southern Section Top 10 list by six yards, and finished his career with 5,058 yards.