LITTLEROCK TRIES TO FIND RIGHT DIRECTION.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

PALMDALE - The suffering eventually will have to end for Littlerock.

The Lobos have spent the season living Murphy's Law. They had to forfeit their 14-7 Week 1 victory over Burroughs because they used an ineligible player, and have since experienced heartbreaking losses on a seemingly weekly basis.

Littlerock (0-6, 0-2) will be looking for vindication and a chance to enter the playoff race when it visits Highland at 7 tonight. Disappointment is no stranger to Highland (2-4, 0-2) either. The Bulldogs are coming off a tough 22-14 loss to crosstown rival Palmdale in a game the Bulldogs led 14-3 entering the final seven minutes.

Littlerock's frustrating season includes a 35-31 Week 4 loss to Serrano, in which a 31-6 lead entering the fourth quarter evaporated. Losses to Barstow in Week 3 and Lynwood in Week 5, 12-9 and 28-22, respectively, involved blown leads late in the game as well.

And yet the Lobos go on.

``The thing I'm most proud of is that we haven't given up,'' Littlerock coach Jim Bauer said. ``Considering everything that's happened, it would have been very easy for them to pack it in. I'm really pleased to see that they're handling it as well as they are.

``They don't play like an 0-and-6 team and they don't practice like an 0-and-6 team,'' Bauer said. ``I still look forward to going to practices every day.''

Bauer pointed out that with the exception of his team's 28-10 loss to Palmdale, his team has been in every game until the end. He's hoping it can get over the hump this week.

It will face a tough challenge against Highland's bruising defense and offensive scheme.

The Bulldogs are healthier than they've been in weeks. Tailback Jake Wright, who gained just 8 yards on five carries in the Palmdale game and didn't play the previous week because a toe injury, is expected to start. Flyback Kris Theus, who gained 81 yards on seven carries playing with a bad back, is healthy as well.

Littlerock will look to counter Highland's fly with a run defense - the team's greatest overall strength - led by senior nose guard Jared Berg, a returning all-league selection who has 61 tackles. The team's linebacking corps features senior Alex Jackson (62 tackles) and juniors Juan Wilson (58 tackles) and Herb Dominguez (57 tackles). Senior strong safety Leandro Alejo (51 tackles) also figures prominently in the Lobos defense.

Highland coach Lin Parker is concerned that his team might underestimate its opponent, and has been stressing in practices this week the Lobos are a dangerous team despite their record.

``What frightens me is that the kids at Littlerock always play hard for Jim Bauer,'' he said. ``Just looking at their won-and-loss record, it's tempting to relax, but we can't afford to do that. This will not be an easy game.''

Bauer and Parker know each other well. Both coaches have been at their respective identically designed schools since they opened on the same day in 1989. They co-founded the Southern California High School Football Coaches Association, in which they both remain active, and are close friends.

AT A GLANCE

Littlerock (0-6, 0-2) at Highland (2-4, 0-2)

-- Tonight, 7 o'clock

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AT A GLANCE (see text)