CHATTER: TERRIFIC 3 DAYS FOR TAFT.

Byline: Chris Branam Daily News Staff Writer

It was a pretty good weekend for Taft High football.

On Friday, Dec. 11, the Toreadors won their first City Section championship, 41-29 over Banning at the Coliseum. Taft completed a 12-2 season and broke a two-year losing streak in the City final.

The next day, Taft coach Troy Starr clicked on his TV and watched his alma mater, Mount Union (Ohio), win its fourth NCAA Division III title in six years, 44-24 over Rowan. Mount Union has three consecutive championships and a 42-game winning streak.

On Sunday, Tennessee Oilers coach Jeff Fisher, a Taft graduate and member of the school's athletic hall of fame, celebrated on the sideline when the Oilers upset Jacksonville 16-13 to jump into the AFC wild-card race. . . .

Taft isn't just a football school. Former Toreador Gabe Kapler was named the Detroit Tigers' No. 1 prospect by Baseball America. Kapler batted .299 with two homers and 19 RBI in the Arizona Fall League.

Just behind Kapler on the Tigers' list of prospects is Simi Valley's Jeff Weaver, ranked No. 2. Weaver was an All-American at Fresno State.

Former Cal State Northridge All-America catcher Robert Fick, who went to Newbury Park and got a cup of coffee at the end of the season with the Tigers, is ranked No. 5 and considered the organization's best hitter for average. Another local baseball prospect noted by Baseball America: Right-hander Jon Garland (Kennedy), who is ranked No. 8 in the White Sox's system. . . .

Westlake's Kevin Howard is ranked by Baseball America as the 38th-best high school senior for the upcoming season. Howard has committed to Miami. . . .

Campbell Hall is only in its infancy as an 11-man football program, but the Vikings sent one player - Ronnie Polk - to Division I-AA Northern Arizona last year and coach Anthony Harris hopes senior running back Sean Porter can also get a scholarship. Porter, a senior who had 1,143 yards in only seven games, has drawn the interest of Northern Arizona, Portland State and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo. . . .

University of Arizona cross country standout Amy Skieresz, an Agoura graduate, was named the Pacific-10 Conference women's runner of the year for the fourth consecutive time. Skieresz, a seven-time NCAA champion in cross country and track, won her fourth consecutive Pac-10 title this year. She was second in the national finals three times.

Surpassing a legend: Hart quarterback Kyle Boller was the player who attracted the John Elway comparisons this season, but Jason Winn broke Elway's record for touchdowns by a junior (27) at Granada Hills and also threw for more yards (2,740) than Elway did his junior season.

Boller, meanwhile, made recruiting trips to Florida State and Oregon last week. He has two trips left - Colorado and Cal. Bob Boller, Kyle's father, said Florida State was impressive, but West Coast colleges may have an advantage because they are closer. Many times, recruits choose the school which they visit last, so stay tuned.

Tripping: Mike Lynch, a senior All-Mission League tight end at St. Francis, is making recruiting trips to San Diego State, Idaho and Colorado State.