HIGH SCHOOL NOTEBOOK : Only Two Races For Conference Title Near End

A year after finishing 1-9, Mt. Carmel (6-1-1, 5-0) is three points from being undefeated this season and is one of only two football teams that can clinch an outright league title this Friday.

The other is Chula Vista, which, like Mt. Carmel, opened its season with a 7-7 tie.

Mt. Carmel, which tied Carson on Sept. 4, and lost to third-ranked San Pasqual, 28-27, in Week 3, can clinch its first Palomar League championship since 1987 on Friday with a victory at second-place Poway (6-2, 4-1).

Chula Vista (5-1-2, 4-0-1) can wrap up its fifth consecutive Metro Conference title with a victory at Castle Park, which is tied for second at 3-2 with three other teams.

All other league races will not be determined until the final day of the season, Nov. 13.

* San Pasqual (8-0, 5-0) can clinch a tie for the Avocado League championship with a victory over El Camino (7-1, 4-1) Friday, but if El Camino wins, the Wildcats, San Pasqual and Torrey Pines (6-2, 4-1) could wind up in a three-way tie at season’s end.

* The winner of this week’s showdown between Lincoln (3-5, 3-0) and Crawford (5-3, 3-0) will clinch at least a tie for the City Central League banner.

* St. Augustine (7-1, 2-0) is 9-0-1 since the City Harbor League began in 1990, and the Saints figure to win their third consecutive Harbor championship if they can get by Coronado (5-3, 3-0) Friday. In two league games the past two weeks, St. Augustine has set back-to-back school scoring records with 55 and 59 points.

* University City (8-0, 3-0) leads the county in offense (252 points) and defense (22) but still must contend with Kearny (7-1, 2-0) on Nov. 13 for the right to be called City Western League champions.

* Likewise, El Capitan (7-1, 2-0) has outscored its opponents, 251-87, with its lone defeat coming against No. 1 Helix (35-21), but the Grossmont 2-A League title still figures to come down to the final game--El Capitan at Santana (5-3, 2-0)--on Nov. 13.

* Helix (8-0, 2-0) or Monte Vista (5-3, 2-0) can clinch a tie for the Grossmont 3-A League banner with a victory over the other on Friday. The Highlanders, who will host that game, have given up only 39 points this season and 192 in their last 32 games, an average of six per game.

* As expected, the City Eastern League championship will not be decided until Morse (8-0, 2-0) plays Point Loma (4-4, 1-0) on Nov. 13.

* Without Rashaan Salaam (Colorado) and Eric Abrams (Stanford), La Jolla Country Day began 1992 with three losses. Three weeks later, the Torres (3-3, 3-0) can win their third consecutive Coastal League championship with victories over Francis Parker (4-4, 2-1) and Bishop’s (2-4, 1-2). Julian (6-1, 2-1) is also in the hunt.

* Three-time defending 1-A champion Holtville (4-2, 2-0) has the inside track in the Desert League but still must beat Army-Navy and Calipatria the next two weeks to win the league title.

LYNCH DENIED AGAIN

A special committee, called to hear Monday’s second appeal by Torrey Pines in the Ryan Lynch case, upheld a ruling made by San Diego Section Commissioner Kendall Webb last week:

Lynch was not treated unfairly when ejected from a game on Sept. 25 for “kneeing” an opposing player in a violent manner, and a subsequent one-game suspension for the ejection was justified.

And with Webb’s decision now upheld by the appeals committee, Torrey Pines Principal Simeon Greenstein said Lynch will likely sit out Torrey Pines’ game against winless San Marcos on Friday instead of appealing to the State CIF or pressing the matter further in Superior Court.

In regards to the courts, Wednesday’s scheduled hearing has been continued to Nov. 17. If Lynch sits out Friday, the case will likely be dropped.

The appeals committee consisted of USDHS Principal Richard Kelly, Morse Principal Russell Vowinkel and St. Augustine Vice Principal Anthony Sabatino.

SOUTH BAY DROUGHT

Though no such records are kept, Montgomery and Bonita Vista had to at least come close to producing the fewest passing yards--one--in San Diego Section history Friday.

Fittingly, there were more interceptions (three) and sacks (five) than receptions (two) and the one passing yard.

Montgomery’s Chris Weaver did not complete a pass in three attempts and was intercepted once. Bonita Vista’s Wayne Nankill was two of 11 for one yard with two interceptions. Nankill had minus-five yards passing until his final attempt with 1:29 left.

Strange as it may seem, Montgomery’s 7-0 victory resembled more of a typical game in the South Bay Friday night.

With Chula Vista and Sweetwater playing to a 0-0 tie, Hilltop beating Mar Vista, 8-7, and Castle Park routing Southwest, 35-6, Metro Conference teams produced only 63 points Friday, or merely four more than St. Augustine rolled up against Marian.

Two years ago, the St. Augustine-Marian game ended 0-0, and that was the last time two county teams were shut out in the same game.

The last scoreless game involving one county team was Montgomery at San Francisco Riordan, in Week 2 of last season.

TENNIS ANYONE ELSE?

With history as an indicator, look for top-seeded Poway (17-1) and No. 2 Bonita Vista (16-2) to play for the 3-A girls’ team tennis title Saturday at Canyon Hills Tennis Club in Escondido.

Since 1985, when the section went to the current 3-A/2-A format for tennis playoffs, Torrey Pines (four titles), Poway (two) and Bonita Vista (one) are the only schools to have played in a 3-A championship match.

Torrey Pines, the 3-A champion the past two years, is the top-seeded 2-A team with an 18-1 record. Defending champion USDHS (15-1) is seeded second.

The playoffs start today with the 2-A final on Friday and the 3-A on Saturday.

THE FINAL COUNT

Morse tailback Archie Amerson has scored nine touchdowns the past two weeks . . .

Two weeks in a row, St. Augustine’s Craig DaLuz has returned second-half kickoffs for touchdowns of 90 and 95 yards . . .

In girls’ tennis, Grossmont’s Lilli Suciu finished with a 36-0 league record in leading the Foothillers to the Grossmont 3-A League title . . .