FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

Rivalry end: Placentia Valencia Coach Mike Marrujo has already set his schedule for 2002, and when asked if he’s disappointed to see the annual game against Brea Olinda end next season when the schools go into separate leagues, Marrujo said, “Not really.”

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Valencia’s coach of 21 years was shocked to learn that Brea and Valencia have played for 67 consecutive years, the longest streak in Orange County and certainly one of the longest in Southern California. All but four of those games have been played in the Orange League. In the fall, Brea goes into a reconfigured Century League and Valencia into the Empire League.

“I would like to play [Brea] again,” said Marrujo, whose team is 2-6 overall. “We’re down right now, but I think we’re coming back.”

Valencia, a perennial second-division program for nearly 50 years until Marrujo arrived, dominated the series from 1984-96, winning 12 of 13 games. Brea, with its 40-14 victory last week, holds a 45-17-5 all-time advantage.

Brea (7-0, 3-0) plays at Western (6-1, 3-0) tonight with the league title on the line.

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Southern Section quick-hitters: Donnie McCleskey’s touchdown run with 1:49 left gave La Puente Bishop Amat a 24-23 victory over Santa Fe Springs St. Paul as that rivalry lived up to its billing. It was once selected by Sports Illustrated as one of the top 10 high school rivalries in America. Bishop Amat leads the series, 21-14-2.... Rivals Rancho Cucamonga (5-2, 3-0) and No. 19 Alta Loma (3-5, 3-0) play Friday at Chaffey College to basically determine the Almont League champion. Alta Loma’s losses came by forfeit. Rancho Cucamonga, which shared the title with Alta Loma in 1999 and finished second to the Eagles in 2000, has scored 150 points in its last three games.... That’s not the only place rivals are meeting with a title on the line. Orange Lutheran (4-0-2, 1-0) is playing at Cerritos Valley Christian (6-1, 1-0) with the Olympic League at stake....For five consecutive weeks, Westlake Village Oaks Christian (8-0-1) has had three running backs--freshman Aaron Ware, sophomore Johnny Giangregorio and junior Adam Richter--rush for more than 100 yards apiece.