Three Unbeaten Champions Vie for No. 1

Thirteen Southern Section football champions and one City Section titlist were crowned this weekend, but the debate still rages: Who’s the No. 1 team in Southern California?

It’s a rare season when three undefeated teams can justifiably stake a claim to No. 1. Thankfully, no computer geeks from the bowl championship series are going to decide No. 1. It’s going to come down to the opinion of a few influential, incorruptible sportswriters.

First to make a case for No. 1 is the Division V champion, Riverside North (14-0). The Huskies averaged 51 points in their four playoff victories, didn’t have a close game all season and won their final over Norco, 50-7.

“It’s the best team I’ve ever coached,” said Coach Lou Randall, a 31-year veteran in his first year at North. “We have exceptional athletes who are exceptional kids. I’m not a boastful guy, but this team deserves recognition. They responded to any challenge.”

With the Morton twins, Damon and Dion, running back Josh Barnett and a bend-but-don’t-break defense, North’s closest game was a 28-10 victory over Santa Ana Mater Dei on Sept. 26. After that, the starters rarely played in the fourth quarter.

Then there’s Westlake Village Westlake (14-0), the Division IV champion. When it comes to senior ability, the Warriors are No. 1. Defensive ends Michael Stuart and Jimmy Miller committed to USC. Linebacker Greg Newman could end up at Colorado or Arizona State. Quarterback Rudy Carpenter and lineman Steve Gatena will have offers, too.

And Westlake’s 28-6 victory over defending-champion Ventura St. Bonaventure in the division final came against a team that had won 68 of its last 69 games and four consecutive section championships.

“We have talent, there’s no doubt,” Coach Jim Benkert said. “This team is worthy of any ranking they get. This team can compete against any team in the state.”

From a strength of schedule perspective, Westlake owns victory over Division III champion Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Division II champion Newhall Hart. And it will be debated for years to come whether any opponent had two offensive tackles capable of blocking Miller and Stuart or defensive backs tall enough and strong enough to cover the 6-foot-5 Miller and the 6-4 Stuart who are also receivers.

Hacienda Heights Los Altos (14-0), the Division VI champion, made a strong statement Saturday that it deserves to be No. 1 after pulling out a 21-17 victory over previously unbeaten Orange Lutheran (12-1) in the most competitive championship game of the weekend.

“We’d strap it up against anybody,” Los Altos Coach Greg Gano said. “This was the hardest football game I’ve been involved with. It was gut-wrenching.”

Los Altos might have the player of the year in Southern California in defensive end Brigham Harwell, who was credited with two fourth-quarter sacks, giving him 68 1/2 sacks for his career. Harwell’s pass rush enabled Daniel Drayton to make a game-saving interception in the end zone with 40 seconds left.

“Is he a man amongst boys?” Gano said rhetorically.

Los Altos won its 12th section title in school history, and second in a row, with an athletic, aggressive, take-no-prisoners defense.

Finally, there’s Hart, which had the toughest schedule in Southern California, started the season 0-3 and ended it with 11 consecutive victories, including a stunning 25-7 thumping of Mission Viejo, ending the Diablos’ winning streak at 41 games.

Hart pulled off the BCS equivalent of Kansas State upsetting Oklahoma. At this moment, the Indians might be the best team in the Southland, especially with junior Ryan Wolfe back in the lineup after being sidelined because of knee surgery until the start of the playoffs. He caught touchdown passes of 31 and 10 yards Saturday.

With Wolfe at receiver and strong safety, the Indians are a different team and proved it’s not how you start the season but how you finish.

Division I champion Los Angeles Loyola (11-3) can’t be dismissed either. Loyola ended with an eight-game winning streak by beating La Puente Bishop Amat twice and defeating top-25 teams in Mater Dei, Los Alamitos and Long Beach Poly.

“Unbelievable,” Coach Steve Grady said. “There are a lot of great teams out there. We’d certainly show up against anybody. Anybody can beat us, and we can beat them. We’re one of the ones.”

Except who is the No. 1 team?

My vote will go to Westlake, because by Week 14, I don’t think there was a team capable of stopping the Warriors’ dynamic combination of Miller, Stuart, Newman and Carpenter.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Looking out for No. 1

A look at the Southland’s three unbeatens and their qualifications for the area’s final No. 1 ranking:

WESTLAKE

Record: 14-0 League: Marmonte

Outscored opponents: 561-117

Opponents’ record: 99-64-1

Quality victories: 31-7, over No. 15 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame; 25-24, over No. 8 Hart; 24-0, over Div. IV semifinalist Agoura; 28-6, over No. 5 St. Bonaventure in Div. IV finals.

RIVERSIDE NORTH

Record: 14-0 League: Ivy

Outscored opponents: 626-191

Opponents’ record: 91-66-2

Quality victories: 28-7, over Div. VIII champion Fontana Kaiser; 28-10, over No. 20 Mater Dei; 45-15, over No. 17 Corona Centennial in Div. V semifinals; 50-7, over No. 22 Norco in Div. V finals.

LOS ALTOS

Record: 14-0 League: Miramonte

Outscored opponents: 515-156

Opponents’ records: 105-61-1

Quality victories: 22-13, over Div. IX champion La Habra; 23-0, over Div. IX runner-up Western; 42-13, over Div. VII champion South Hills; 35-14, over Div. VI semifinalist Hacienda Heights Wilson; 21-17, over No. 6 Orange Lutheran in Div. VI finals.

*

Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com