3 Southeast Teams to Play in Championships

Three Southeast area teams--Paramount, St. Paul and Whittier Christian--will try to win Southern Section football championships this weekend.

Paramount, trying for its third consecutive CIF title, will play Capistrano Valley on Saturday night at 7:30 in the Division II final in the Santa Ana Bowl.

Last season, the Pirates defeated the Cougars, 36-35, on a 2-point conversion in overtime in the semifinals. “That was the most exciting football game I’ve ever been part of,” said Paramount Coach Ken Sutch.

The Pirates, who beat El Toro, 19-8, last week, are 13-0 this season and have won 21 games in a row. They will have an additional incentive Saturday night.

“A perfect season is the one thing we haven’t attained,” said Sutch, whose team was 13-1 last season and 12-1 in 1988.

In Division III, St. Paul of Santa Fe Springs (8-3-2) will play Esperanza of Anaheim (13-0) Saturday night at 7:30 at Cerritos College.

St. Paul, which shut out Hawthorne, 31-0, in the semifinals, has won seven games in a row.

The Swordsmen have not won a CIF title since 1981, when Marijon Ancich was coach.

Whittier Christian (12-0) will face Tehachapi (12-1) for the Division IX title Saturday night at 7:30 at Bakersfield College.

Phil Bravo, coach of the Heralds, has a 48-13 record in four years but has yet to win a CIF title. He was an assistant coach on the 1983 and ’84 championship teams.

“We have a willingness to work, great character and a chemistry that you can’t instill through coaching,” Bravo said.

The Heralds are led by quarterback Nick Sanchez, the most valuable player of the Olympic League, who has thrown for 1,400 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Their other top layers are guard Ryan McEntire; fullback Ron Rector; safety David Whitby, who has eight interceptions, and defensive end Carl Martinez.

Whittier Christian reached the finals by defeating Valley Christian, 26-15.