A VALIANT TURNAROUND ST. GENEVIEVE HEADS INTO PLAYOFFS AFTER FINISHING 0-10 LAST SEASON.

Byline: KEVIN CONNELLY Special to the Daily News

Its football program is nowhere near as storied as that of Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks. Its points-per-game average this season is 40 less than the top scoring teams in the area.

But nobody will take the field tomorrow with more pride than the 27 members of the St.Genevieve of Panorama City football team, which visits Lucerne Valley for the first round of the Southern Section Northeast Division playoffs despite going winless last season.

That's right. The small Catholic school on the edge of the San Fernando Valley has rebounded just one year after the worst season in its 47-year history.

``I'm so proud of all of these kids. They have shown a lot to me this season,'' said first-year St.Genevieve coach Tony White, whose Valiants were held to fewer than 20 points eight times last season while posting an 0-10 record. ``I didn't fully know what to expect coming into a program that was winless the year before, but I was impressed with this team's attitude from Day 1. I didn't have to beg them to come out and practice. We met over the summer as early as 5 a.m., which goes to show how much they have bought in to it.''

White, a three-year starting linebacker at UCLA from 1997-2000, admits there have still been bumps and bruises along the way.

The Valiants (4-6 overall, 3-1 Santa Fe League) opened the season 0-4 before a 29-22 victory over Malibu ended a 15-game losing streak dating to 2004. It was the most points the team had scored in nearly two years.

``That losing streak was tough, it really was,'' said tight end Alexander Inda, a Division I prospect who has drawn interest from Pac-10 schools such as Stanford, Washington, and Washington State. ``But we decided to come in with a positive mentality this year. We worked extremely hard over the summer, and now it's finally starting to show up in the win column.''

Seemingly a longshot to secure a playoff berth as one of the top two teams in the Santa Fe League, St. Genevieve won its final three games to finish second in league behind Salesian of Los Angeles.

The last time the Valiants made the playoffs was in 2004, when a first- round loss to Grace Brethren of Simi Valley began what eventually became the 15-game losing streak.

Win or lose Friday night, Inda insists the St.Genevieve football program is finished talking about losing streaks.

The Valiants seem to have finally turned that corner.

``When you think of Notre Dame High, you think about the football team,'' Inda said. ``I want that to eventually be the case at St. Genevieve. Football is a sport that is really in the public eye, and even though it's just a game, it can mean a lot to the community when the team is winning.''

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Q&A ... WITH JOHN LISTER 

Two years after leading Conejo Valley to the Little League World Series baseball final in Williamsport, Pa., John Lister is proving himself as a big-time football player, too. A 14-year-old sophomore for Thousand Oaks, Lister rushed for a school-record 246 yards and four touchdowns Friday in a victory over Newbury Park, giving the Lancers (7-3) momentum heading into a Northern Divison first-round playoff game against favored Hart (6-4) at 7:30p.m. Friday at College of the Canyons.

< What are some of the Little League experiences that you've carried over into high school?

It just taught me to play at a higher level and with a lot more intensity.

Since then, I've tried to treat every game -- football and baseball -- like it's on the highest stage. Every once in a while, people still talk to me about Conejo Valley Little League and going to Williamsport. They still bring it up, and sometimes I'll even wear my Conejo gear.

I remember your stepdad did a great job chasing down your home-run balls all through the summer. Do you still have them?

Yes, I still have all 10. They're hanging in my room on a plaque.

Have you stayed in touch with your old Conejo teammates?

Most of them, yes. Actually, some are playing here at Thousand Oaks, like Danny Leon and Cody Thomson. Sean McIntyre is at Crespi, and Tim Ginther is at Oaks Christian.

So you rushed for a school-record 246 yards and four TDs last game. I guess that was your night, right?

I just do whatever it takes to help my team win. The offensive line was blocking amazing, so I was barely touched. I did the easy part, and the line did all the tough work. I credit those guys like Jordan Alred, Dejuan Yates, Michael Shramm.

You like football or baseball better?

Right now, I think it's football. I just love contact. That's why I'm acatcher in baseball.

You're playing Hart in the first round of the playoffs Friday, and Hart is 17-0 in first-round games since coach Mike Herrington took over. Can Thousand Oaks break the streak?

I definitely think we can. We have an excellent team, and nobody works harder than us.

You've had your best performances during the second half of this season -- four 100-yard performances over the past five weeks.

It was just a matter of getting used to the pace of the game. I'm comfortable now.

You're the only 14-year-old on the football team, the youngest player. Do you feel like you're one of the guys?

I'm fitting in the best I can. I mean, I don't go to parties with them on Saturday night, but they've taken me in very well.

-- Gerry Gittelson

UNDER THE HELMET

Before the City and Southern sections begin their journeys toward championship glory, here's a look back at some of the area's most exciting regular-season games:

Sept. 8 -- Notre Dame 18, Canyon 17: Notre Dame rallied from a 17- 3halftime deficit to avoid losing consecutive games for the first time since 1997. Dayne Crist hooked up with Mike Stanton on a 30-yard touchdown pass and the game-winning 2-point conversion in the final 90 seconds.

Sept. 15 -- Corona Centennial 29, Crespi 27: Kevin Prince's 9-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Holt with no time remaining rallied the Celts from a 15-point deficit and gave them a chance to send the game into overtime. But Holt was stopped at the goal line on the 2-point conversion try.

Sept. 21 -- Westlake 28, Hart 27: Justin Lilley's interception of Alex Pettee's pass on Hart's 2-point conversion attempt allowed the Warriors to escape with a nonleague victory. Ryan Campbell threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Chris Peterson to give Westlake the lead, before Pettee rallied the Indians on a five-play scoring drive that set up the 2-point try.

Oct. 6 -- Canyon 38, Crespi 35: Chris Chapman's 33-yard field goal with five seconds left helped the Cowboys, who had earlier relinquished a 15-point lead, prevail in the nonleague battle. Crespi scored 22 straight points to open the second half, but a late Celts fumble set up Chapman's kick.

Oct. 6 -- St. Francis 30, Saugus 27: Neil Favor -- who had missed an extra-point attempt and two field-goal tries earlier in the game -- made a 41-yard field goal as time expired for St.Francis, which rallied from a 21-0 deficit.

Oct. 6 -- Reseda 21, Hamilton 20 (ot): Reseda won a battle of City Section unbeatens when Hamilton's extra-point attempt sailed wide right in overtime.

Oct. 13 -- Verdugo Hills 28, Grant 21: The Dons had a few heart-stopping victories -- a 32-29 triumph over Canoga Park and an 18-17 win over Crescenta Valley -- but none seemed as improbable as Verdugo Hills scoring the final 22points in the Sunset Six League showdown of unbeatens.

Oct. 27 -- Westlake 26, Agoura 23 (2 ot): Was the ball loose before Matt Bradley crossed the goal line? Or did the ground cause the fumble? Agoura might have hoped instant replay could be used after Byron Sells recovered a Bradley fumble in the second extra period, keeping Westlake's perfect season alive and contributing to the Chargers missing the playoffs.

Oct. 28 -- L.A. Baptist 33, Kilpatrick 30: The Knights scored 27 unanswered points, the final three on a 35-yard field goal by Tyler Watson with six seconds left. Watson had missed a 50-yard attempt moments earlier, but Kilpatrick was called for a roughing-the-kicker penalty to give L.A. Baptist another opportunity.

Nov. 10 -- Village Christian 44, L.A. Baptist 40: Rex Reinhard's 8-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds remaining rallied Village Christian of Sun Valley from a 33-24 third-quarter deficit to clinch an undefeated Olympic League title. The Crusaders stopped L.A. Baptist on a fourth-down play with less than two minutes remaining, then marched 91yards in nine plays for the winning score.

-- Erik Boal

CAPTION(S):

4 photos, 7 boxes

Photo:

(1) no caption (JOHN LISTER)

(2) St. Genevieve high school football coach Anthony White with some of his core players, from left, James Kelly, George Panama, Manuel Arredondo, Alexander Inda, Javier Galarza, Jaime Perez and Israel Medina. After finishing 0-10 last season, the team is headed for the Southern Section Northeast Division playoffs.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

(3) RYAN CLONEY

Thousand Oaks, Sr., QB

(4) ALEX PETTEE

Hart, Sr., QB

Box:

(1) Q&A ... WITH JOHN LISTER (see text)

- Gerry Gittelson

(2) UNDER THE HELMET (see text)

- Erik Boal

(3) SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

(4) THE BIG MATCHUP

RYAN CLONEY vs. ALEX PETTEE

- Kevin Connelly

(5) LEAGUE UPDATES

- Erik Boal, Ivan Orozco and Gideon Rubin contributed

(6) PEERLESS PROGNOSTICATION

(7) THEY SAID IT