PUTTING ALEMANY TO THE TEST SAUGUS GAME WILL SHOW IF WARRIORS ARE FOR REAL.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON

Staff Writer

MISSION HILLS - This is what seven straight losing seasons can do for a team: Win consecutive games to start the season and watch the skeptics howl.

Such is the state of things at Alemany of Mission Hills, where a potential turnaround season is being met with raised eyebrows.

Two wins against subpar opponents isn't enough for fans to shake the memory of last year's 4-6 finish or the six losing seasons that preceded it.

Which makes tonight's game against undefeated Saugus all the more intriguing -- for the Warriors and interested observers.

"I'm really excited, and I think we'll do well (tonight)," Alemany quarterback Patrick McKernon said. "All I know is it's like night and day around here compared to last year. You know, all of sudden I can hear people talking about football in the hallways, and you can definitely see a difference in the stands -- it's packed."

McKernon isn't especially concerned about Alemany's status among the area's elite -- or lack thereof. He's too busy throwing touchdown passes and winning games.

For sure, McKernon is a confident leader of a high-powered offense -- that's always the case when passing guru Dean Herrington signs on as coach. Herrington is in his second year at Alemany, and on the surface it looks as if he's got the program back on track.

The first evidence of a turnaround occurred this summer, when the Warriors won three passing tournaments featuring highly regarded opponents.

With returning All-Mission League running back Malcolm Marable and top-flight receivers Nick Cook, Jon Mesa, Leandro Quesada and Chris Gant, it was obvious the pieces were falling in place.

Just before fall practice, Alemany added transfer running back Antonio Bray from Canyon, and suddenly, an offense shaping up as formidable started looking downright scary.

After two blowout wins to start 2007, some people are talking about the Warriors as a league championship threat.

Others are taking a wait-and-see approach.

"Having so much speed really helps," McKernon said. "It makes me look good because everyone with me is someone who can make something happen. It's working out well."

McKernon hasn't been asked to pass as much as he eventually will, because the wins have been one-sided. He has connected on 24of30 passes -- an 80percent completion rate -- for 383 yards, sixtouchdowns and no interceptions. Each of his fourreceivers has the potential to turn in a game-breaking play.

Bray, who returned a kick 90yards for a touchdown against Desert Hot Springs last week, is a almost blur in the open field.

While skeptics remain, some are showing their support. Cook said he couldn't believe it when hundreds of his classmates made the long drive for Alemany's game at Desert Hot Springs.

"Way more support than we thought, especially for an away game," Cook said. "It was a hot night in Palm Springs, too."

So McKernon and his teammates will keep moving forward, keep inching toward respectability for a program that had gone 2-8, 1-8, 2-8, 3-7, 4-6 and 2-8 in the six years preceding Herrington's arrival.

Tonight could be a turning point. It's definitely a major hump to get over.

"We know it's going to be a tough game, so we're just going to do what we do," Cook said.

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Q%A WITH BIRMINGHAM DEFENSIVE LINEMAN MARQUIS JACKSON

Marquis Jackson, one half of Birmingham of Lake Balboa's terrorizing defensive end tandem, along with brother Malik, has a big job tonight.

He must help contain Dayne Crist, considered among the nation's top quarterbacks, when the Patriots play host to Notre Dame, the Daily News' No. 1 team, in a nationally televised showdown on ESPN2. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.

If anyone can upset Notre Dame (2-0) and its coterie of star players, it's Birmingham (2-1), coming off victories over national power LongBeach Poly and respectable Valencia.

Jackson is part of a talented Patriots team that isn't afraid to lay the wood. He has 19 tackles and a team-high four sacks -- brother Malik has 12tackles and three sacks -- and together they hope to put a clamp on Notre Dame's

high-octane offense.

Daily News: So Marquis, have you been seeing Dayne Crist in your sleep?

Marquis Jackson: No, no, not at all. I can't just be worried about Dayne Crist. My job, I can't focus on one player, especially Notre Dame because they've got so many good players.

DN: Well, Dayne Crist isn't your typical quarterback. You would agree with that, right?

MJ: No, he's not typical. No, he's not. But the other thing is, he's a friend of mine. I guess, yes, I am consciously thinking about sacking him, but overall I can't think just about one person.

DN: This is important game. You upset Notre Dame, and suddenly Birmingham is No. 1 again and everyone's favorite team. True?

MJ: Of course. We would love to win this game, and in practice this week we've been getting ready to get at and beat this team. We have a very good chance of beating them. We're practicing hard, so all we need to do is resemble what we look like in practice once we get on the field. If we can do that, we can win.

DN: Can anyone tell you and your brother apart?

MJ: No one can. Most people tell us apart by our numbers. No. 19 for Marquis and No. 15 for Malik.

DN: Well, what's the biggest difference between you and your brother?

MJ: Hmmm. Malik is a more calm person, more calm about things. He'll work things out. I'm more energetic.

DN: Your quarterback, Exavier Johnson, is coming back from a broken hand this week. What have you talked to him about?

MJ: I just told him to keep looking to the future. What happened before, he made a mistake and hit a wall. Things happen, and in the meantime I told him he's got other things to do, like helping Morey (Croson, Birmingham's other quarterback) out. Just because he's been hurt, he can still help the team.

DN: You and your brother are being recruited by major colleges. Would you like to go to the same school together?

MJ: Of course. I would love to. When we're on the same team, I know he has my back and that he'll get the job done, as opposed to relying on someone else I don't know. We're both good players. He's more of a pass rusher, and I'm more of a run stopper, so it works out.

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, 8 boxes

Photo:

(1) Alemany quarterback Patrick McKernon has completed 80 percent of his passes this season.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

(2) no caption (MARGUIS JACKSON)

(3) no caption (Nick Cook)

(4) MALCOOM JONES

(5) DARRELL SCOTT 

Box:(1) TOP 20 TEAMS

(2) Q&A (see text)

(3) JOIN THE DAILY NEWS TEAM

(4) PLAY OF THE WEEK

(5) SOUTHERN SECTION RANKINGS

(6) THE BIG MATCHUP

(7) PEERLESS PROGNOSTICATION

(8) LEAGUE UPDATES