JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: THERE'S NO TIME TO CELEBRATE YET.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

ADELANTO - There was no champagne. There wasn't even a celebration.

Subdued JetHawks players ate pizza in the visitor's clubhouse Thursday night after a 6-1 loss to the lowly High Desert Mavericks, snapping their seven-game winning streak.

And by the time the news from Stockton finally broke that the Mudville Nine had defeated the San Bernardino Stampede 4-2 in the bottom of the 11th to clinch the second-half South Division title for the JetHawks, the players were on the bus somewhere between Adelanto and Lancaster.

With nine games left on their regular season schedule, it wasn't as though the JetHawks were hanging on pins and needles waiting for the San Bernardino score.

The JetHawks, winners of the first-half division title, already had clinched the best overall record the previous night with a 4-2 win over the Stampede. The first-half title gives them an bye in the opening round of the divisional playoffs and the right to host the first two games of the divisional championship series.

By having the best overall record in their division, the JetHawks would host a decisive fifth game of the divisional series, if necessary.

With their magic number for winning the second-half division championship reduced to one Wednesday night, the inevitability and insignificance of the game made winning it a virtual nonevent.

After his team's lackluster performance in its game against High Desert, JetHawks manager Mark Parent wasn't exactly in a celebrating mood.

What irked Parent most about Thursday night's loss was what he described as his players' ``nonchalant attitude we had about losing this game.''

``There was no intensity,'' he said.

--Road warriors: The loss at High Desert notwithstanding, the JetHawks, who had lost nine straight road games going into last Thursday night's game at Rancho Cucamonga, have played well through a tough segment of their schedule, which has them playing 18 of their last 20 games away from home.

The JetHawks had won six consecutive road games and seven in a row overall going into Thursday night's game at High Desert.

``I couldn't pinpoint anything to say that made us turn it around,'' utility player Craig Kuzmic said.

``I don't have an answer for it, we're just playing well,'' said pitcher Jeff Heaverlo.

The JetHawks, who were at Lake Elsinore on Friday night and return to High Desert tonight, are playing at different venues for six straight days.

They play their final regular season home game tomorrow, when they host High Desert at Lancaster Municipal Stadium at 2 p.m.

--50 wins in sight: The JetHawks were 43-18 in the second half (83-48 overall) entering Friday night's game at Lake Elsinore, and have a chance to become only the eighth team in California League history to win 50 games in half since the league adopted the split-season format in 1945.

The JetHawks need to win seven of their last nine regular-season games to accomplish that feat.

The last California League team to win 50 games or more in a half was the 1994 Modesto A's. The JetHawks won just 55 games during the entire 1999 season.

--Seeking a century: Juan Silvestre, who had the night off Thursday, long eclipsed the 100 RBI mark. But Kuzmic, who has 95 RBI, and third baseman Bo Robinson, who has 91, are within reach.

Robinson, the Mariners minor-league player of the year last season at Single-A Wisconsin, is looking to put together back-to-back 100 RBI seasons. He had 102 RBI last season while batting .329 with 13 homers.

--Healthy arms: One of the most remarkable aspects of the JetHawks season has been that the team's pitching staff has been nearly injury free.

JetHawks reliever Allan Simpson, who was sidelined from mid-July to early August, is only JetHawks pitcher who has spent time on the disabled list, and no pitcher has missed a start this season due to injury.

``We've been real fortunate this year,'' JetHawks pitching coach Scott Budner said. ``When the manager has a full stack to work with it really makes a difference for the ballclub.''

Budner credits the Mariners' organizational philosophy - which emphasizes a strict stretching regiment as well as monitoring daily activities - for helping keep his staff healthy.

He also noted there's no better way to keep pitchers healthy than to make sure their mechanics are sound.

``It's unfortunate when a guy breaks down, but there's a cause when that happens,'' Budner said. ``(Either) he didn't get himself loosened up properly, or he tried to overdo it too quickly, or his mechanics are horrible.

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(ran in SAC edition only) JetHawks pitcher Neil Longo figures to play a key role in the team's late-season and playoff schedule.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News