PARACLETE FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: SOPH LINEMAN KEEPS THE SPIRIT.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Dustin Howard was 10 years old when Paraclete won its first Southern Section title in 1997. The Spirits are now seeking their fifth consecutive sectional title, and Howard, a starting sophomore defensive lineman, is trying to help carry on the team's winning tradition.

He'll have a chance when Paraclete plays Montclair Prep of Van Nuys for the Division XII title at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Valley College.

Howard said he's wanted to play for the Spirits since his mother Diane, who attended Paraclete, started taking him to football games at the school when he was a kid.

He was never allowed to play youth football though, because his mother feared he'd get injured. She promised him he could play football when he got to high school though, and when he arrived at Paraclete last September, he jumped on the opportunity.

``I got to go to all the practices and everything,'' he said. ``It was so much fun.''

Howard has become an important part of a defensive unit that's combined to limit its opponents to six points and 642 total yards through its first three playoff games. Their two most recent opponents have combined for just 49 rushing yards.

Howard is one two sophomores who start on the defensive line. He rotates at strong tackle with senior Alberto Jaramillo. Sophomore Brian Wilson starts at nose guard.

The 6-foot, 215-pound Howard admits going up against bigger and more experienced linemen was intimidating at first, but he's getting used to it.

``At first it's kind of scary, but then once you start playing the game, you get used to how the offensive line hits, and then once you figure out how they hit you can hit them in a way that'll hurt them. Once you learn that, then you can take advantage of them and hopefully get by them.''

--Call-ups: Thirteen players from the junior varsity were added to the varsity roster to experience postseason play.

The call-ups are not expected to play on Saturday night but are practicing with the team.

``It's tough,'' sophomore call-up Zach Harris said of the workouts. ``It's a lot harder than JV, of course, but it's nice to work with (the varsity team) because next year we're going to have to step it up and it's good because right now I'm working with guys who are better than me.''

--Curtis update: Curtis Brown, the area's all-time leading rusher who suffered a sprained right foot Nov. 16 in a 41-0 victory over Don Bosco of Rosemead, will not practice this week, Cortez said.

Brown continues to experience soreness and was to undergo soft-tissue treatment Thursday and today. His status for Saturday has been downgraded from definite to probable.

``We're definitely hoping that he'll give us a good showing in the championship game, but if he can't, then we'll be prepared for that (scenario), too,'' Paraclete coach Jeff Cortez said. ``If we end up losing him, we have the luxury of having guys like Erick Jackson, John Taylor and Nick Hernandez, so we'll have to make do.''

Jackson has rushed for 1,268 yards and 12 touchdowns. Taylor is 54 for 113 passing for 1,022 yards and 12 touchdowns, and Hernandez rushed for 288 yards.