Steve Hagerty

Steve Hagerty has every right to blow his own horn. After all, the Paraclete High coach is 3-0 and was selected Valley football coach of the year by The Times after leading the Spirits to the Southern Section Division XI championship last season. But Hagerty's horn-blowing has been limited only to the practice field, where he uses a microphone and a bullhorn-type amplifier, which hangs from his shoulder.

Steve Hagerty, who led Paraclete High to three consecutive Southern Section football titles, has resigned as football and baseball coach at the school. Hagerty informed his team Monday that he has accepted a job as offensive coordinator at J.W. North High in Riverside, where he will teach special education. At J.W. North, he will be reunited with Coach Mark Paredes, who coached Hagerty at Bishop Amat. Hagerty also served as an assistant to Paredes at Bishop Amat.

Steve Hagerty, who led Paraclete High to three consecutive Southern Section football titles, has resigned as football and baseball coach at the school. Hagerty informed his team Monday that he has accepted a job as offensive coordinator at J.W. North High in Riverside, where he will teach special education. At J.W. North, he will be reunited with Coach Mark Paredes, who coached Hagerty at Bishop Amat. Hagerty also served as an assistant to Paredes at Bishop Amat.

It was less than two weeks before Paraclete High's 1998 season opener and his running backs were going through the motions. These Spirits were not only listless, they were spiritless. Steve Hagerty, Paraclete's coach, turned his back to the field in disgust. Although he didn't realize it at the time, he was facing the future. Not far away, a running back on the junior varsity team caught his eye with a powerful block.

It was less than two weeks before Paraclete High's 1998 season opener and his running backs were going through the motions. These Spirits were not only listless, they were spiritless. Steve Hagerty, Paraclete's coach, turned his back to the field in disgust. Although he didn't realize it at the time, he was facing the future. Not far away, a running back on the junior varsity team caught his eye with a powerful block.

Paraclete High Head Coach: Steve Hagerty. Assistants: Jeff Jambretz, Rick McGuire, Barry Pittman, Dan Steen, Bryan Wickoren.

Tommy Breech, an All-Southern Section receiver at Paraclete High, will return to the Spirit lineup tonight for a nonleague game against Montclair Prep. Breech, who was suspended for two games for unspecified reasons, had caught 16 passes for 371 yards and five touchdowns through four games for Paraclete (5-1).

At Palmdale High, the best offense is a good defense. In three weeks, the Falcons have returned three interceptions for touchdowns and registered a safety. Mark Hendricks, Imad Rodriguez and Ty Chiaro each have touchdowns. The 20 points by the defense are more points than have been scored by eight teams in the region--Bell-Jeff, Chaminade, Granada Hills, Lancaster, North Hollywood, Oak Park, St. Genevieve and Verdugo Hills.

Jesse Loa returned the second-half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to break open a close game and Paraclete High shut out Big Bear, 25-0, Saturday in a Southern Section Division X quarterfinal. Paraclete, which was awarded an at-large bid to the playoffs despite finishing fourth in the High Desert League, plays host to Orange Lutheran in the semifinals Saturday night at Antelope Valley College.

Steve Hagerty has every right to blow his own horn. After all, the Paraclete High coach is 3-0 and was selected Valley football coach of the year by The Times after leading the Spirits to the Southern Section Division XI championship last season. But Hagerty's horn-blowing has been limited only to the practice field, where he uses a microphone and a bullhorn-type amplifier, which hangs from his shoulder.

Paraclete High Coach Steve Hagerty was the first to admit that his program was in disorder when he was hired in April. But Thursday night at Ventura High, his Spirits made the right moves in a 10-7 win over St. Bonaventure in a nonleague opener. Andy Ward kicked a 17-yard field goal in the first quarter, grabbed a 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brian Lathrop in the third period, and added an extra point to account for all of Paraclete's scoring.

While other teams in the region scrimmage today, Paraclete High will open its season. The Spirits, who have won consecutive Southern Section titles, play Minneapolis De La Salle tonight in Minnesota. The trip will include a visit to one of the nation's largest shopping malls and a University of Minnesota football game. "It'll be pretty cool," said senior linebacker Robert Watts. Paraclete almost had to go without Rob Fockaert, an All-Southern Section quarterback and the team's cornerstone.