Village Christian, Brache Keep Priorities Straight

Village Christian football Coach Mike Plaisance has listed the priorities.

First, win the game. Then give kicker Ignacio Brache a chance to set a state record.

“Right now our objective is to win the Alpha League title,” Plaisance said.

Village Christian can clinch the title outright with a victory tonight over L.A. Baptist in a league finale at 7:30 p.m. at Alemany High.

Also hanging in the balance are a couple of state kicking records. Brache this season has converted 13 field goals--seven from 50 yards or more--and is within reach of career and season records. Three more field goals would tie the season mark of 16, five more would tie the career mark of 33.

The Crusaders (6-3) are 4-0 in league play. Kilpatrick and L.A. Baptist are each 3-1. If L.A. Baptist (3-6) beats Village Christian, and Kilpatrick (7-2) defeats Marshall Fundamental tonight, there will be a three-way tie for first place. Should that scenario play out, the league representative will draw out of a hat the school which will receive the league’s top spot in the Southern Section Division X playoffs.

But Plaisance vows the hat trick won’t be necessary. “We’re going to win,” he said. “We are not the same ballclub we were at the beginning of the season.”

After posting a shutout over Santa Paula in their opener, the Crusaders lost consecutive games to Morro Bay, Mojave and Orange Lutheran. The Crusaders’ resurgence in league play has been the result of solid defense. Since the Orange Lutheran loss, the Crusader defense has allowed only one touchdown a game.

However, Village Christian will be without running back Jake Funk, who suffered a sprained ankle two weeks ago. Brother Aaron Funk and Enrique Borja must pick up the slack.

L.A. Baptist, the defending Division X champion, has rebounded from a dismal start. The Knights lost their first five games but their recent success centers on running back Chris Ross, who has rushed for 753 yards in 150 carries.