HIGH SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

Streaks abounded at the Division XI final Saturday between St. Bonaventure and Nordhoff.

There were the Seraphs, who defeated Nordhoff, 22-15, to complete a 14-0 season.

There was Nordhoff, which had a 10-game winning streak broken.

And there were the five guys in nothing but socks and woolen hats who ran the length of the football field between the first and second quarters at Ventura High, delaying play and sending a ripple of laughter through the stands.

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After throwing The Book at opponents all season, St. Bonaventure started throwing the ball.

With running back Lorenzo Booker struggling to gain yards, St. Bonaventure was forced to pass Saturday, and it nearly cost the Seraphs the game.

Quarterback Michael Spargo had a pass intercepted by John Hill with 3:16 to play and Nordhoff leading 15-14. Hill returned the ball to the St. Bonaventure 49, meaning the Rangers stood a good chance of winning if they could get a first down or get off a decent punt.

“Either one would have done it,” St. Bonaventure Coach Jon Mack said.

But an errant snap on a punt attempt allowed St. Bonaventure to recover the ball at the Nordhoff 16, setting up the game-winning score.

“It was just amazing,” Mack said. “This was so different than ’96 [when we beat Nordhoff in the Division X final]. In ’96 we were exhilarated. With this one, it was more like relief.”

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Hill, the Nordhoff quarterback, finished his high school career with a strong performance.

The two-way standout completed 10 of 19 passes for 171 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions.

He finished the season 91 of 158 passing (57.6%) for 1,495 yards and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions.

Hill, who also plays linebacker, finished as the Rangers’ second-leading tackler.