CONSIDER SCORE SETTLED WITH ROUT NOTRE DAME AVENGES 2003 LOSS TO ST. PAUL IN CONVINCING FASHION NOTRE DAME 43, ST. PAUL 14.

Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer

Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks doesn't enter a football season with the primary goal of winning a Southern Section title, not even after taking two in a row. Coach Kevin Rooney wouldn't allow it.

Rooney has coached for 25 years, long enough to know that division titles can't be planned for. So when he gathers his team before the season, Rooney tells his players to take home the Mission League title.

That didn't happen last year. St. Paul of Santa Fe Springs took it away. Worse, Notre Dame gave it away. The Knights blew an 8-point lead in the final two minutes and lost on a last-second field goal.

Regardless of their ultimate success, Notre Dame players remember that night as much as any over the past year. They weren't going to let it happen again.

Notre Dame rushed for 363 yards and never let up in dominating visiting St. Paul 43-14.

``We remember every game we lose, I think,'' Rooney said. ``Our goal every year is to be Mission League champion. Not achieving that last year certainly didn't sit well with everybody. We'd sure like to try to win it this year.''

Notre Dame (7-0, 2-0), ranked No. 1 by the Daily News, proved its worth again. Each time the Knights have played a highly anticipated game this season, they have turned it into a blowout. Notre Dame also beat then-No. 4 Westlake 41-6 and then-No. 2 Valencia 33-3.

``We're really experienced,'' running back Cary Harris said. ``There are a lot of seniors starting both ways. We're a really good team. We rise to the occasion.''

Notre Dame made a statement from the beginning, going 92 yards for a touchdown on its opening possession. Rodney Glass rushed for 66 of those yards, including a 10-yard score.

St. Paul quickly tied the game at 7-7, but Notre Dame answered with 17 points in a row going into halftime. Garrett Green executed a perfect quarterback draw, bursting up the middle and then breaking outside down the left sideline for a 57-yard touchdown with 1:59 to go in the second quarter.

As the players ran into the locker room, captains shouted at their teammates to remember last year and not let up in the second half.

``We definitely came out for the second half fired up,'' Green said. ``We were not going to let them get back into the game like last year.''

The Knights scored on their first drive of the second half to put the game away, as Glass took it in again from 13 yards for a 31-7 advantage. Glass rushed for 100 of his 132 yards on 13 carries in the first quarter. Harris added 111 yards on 17 carries with two touchdowns, and Green almost made it a 100-yard trio with 92 yards on 9 runs.

Forcing St. Paul to pass, Notre Dame had three interceptions by Green, Matthew Estrada and Shane Horton.

St. Paul (4-3, 1-1) was as dangerous a team as Notre Dame has faced this year, despite having two losses coming in. Their defeats coming into Friday were to Div. I powers in Santa Margarita and nationally ranked Long Beach Poly.

At 7-0 and with its toughest regular-season foe now out of the way, the Knights should make a run at a perfect season.

``That would be nice, Glass said. ``We just have to keep with what we're doing and play the way we play.

Matthew Kredell, [phone]

matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

(color) Notre Dame player Drew Abeyta leaps over a big pile of players during Friday night's game.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News