Paraclete Survives Early Season Uproar

LANCASTER —  An ill wind whistled through the High Desert a few months ago, threatening to blow the Paraclete High football team to smithereens.

Tommy Breech, the Spirits’ star player and senior co-captain, was suspended by the school for two games in October because of an off-campus incident that became a front-page story in the local newspaper.

Critics who believed the punishment failed to adequately address the alleged crime flooded the school with calls and letters, creating a potentially divisive atmosphere that Paraclete Coach Steve Hagerty feared could jeopardize his team’s unity.

But instead of allowing outside forces to drive them apart, the Spirits pulled together and are playing their best football of the season heading into the Southern Section Division XII championship game against Kilpatrick at 7:30 tonight at Antelope Valley College.

“A lot of people jumped on the opportunity to crucify us,” Hagerty said. “It has put us on a crusade. We’ve rallied around each other.”

The Spirits have stood firm behind Breech, 17, who faces felony charges for allegedly throwing a chunk of concrete that crashed through a windshield and injured a woman driving on the Antelope Valley Freeway.

Breech, who was 16 at the time of the Sept. 12 incident, entered a plea of denial Friday in juvenile court. A source said the district attorney has filed a motion seeking to have Breech tried as an adult.

Although Breech resigned as Paraclete’s student body president because of the incident, his teammates voted to have him remain a co-captain.

“Our attitude is, let the law handle it, then we’ll respond to what the law does,” Hagerty said.

Breech, a starting wide receiver and strong safety, is tied for the team lead with 14 touchdowns. His all-around play has helped Paraclete (12-1) extend its winning streak to nine games since a 34-6 loss to Bakersfield Garces on Oct. 2. The Spirits have outscored three playoff opponents, 141-69, including a 62-33 pounding of Cathedral last week.

Hagerty says the success has taken him by surprise, considering Paraclete returned only a handful of starters from last season’s Division XI championship team, a rebuilding job that entailed a complete overhaul of both lines.

“I didn’t anticipate being where we are now,” Hagerty said. “We’ve come a long way.”

The road to the final wasn’t smooth, however.

By the fifth week of the season, Paraclete quarterback Rob Fockaert was injured, the starting fullback had quit, and Breech was to begin serving his suspension.

No problem. Paraclete shifted the emphasis of its offense to the running game and easily defeated Rosamond, 35-7, on Oct. 9 in its nonleague finale.

“That was a make-or-break game,” Hagerty said. “We had to really come together.”

Winning without two of their best players gave the Spirits renewed confidence. Fockaert has since returned from a sprained ankle and Breech has contributed mightily to the team, averaging 41 points in its last six games.

The emergence of freshman tailback Curtis Brown, the team’s leading rusher, and versatile sophomore Michael Washington, who starts at receiver and defensive back in addition to returning kicks and punts, has helped create a well-stocked offensive arsenal.

“We give a defense a lot to think about,” Hagerty said. “We’ll take what you give us.”

That formula worked nicely in Paraclete’s 40-14 victory over Kilpatrick on Nov. 6 to decide the Alpha League title. But Hagerty, who has guided the Spirits to a 25-2 record in the last two seasons, doesn’t expect a laugher this time.

“We know their kids really want to get after us,” Hagerty said. “We embarrassed them, and they can take care of that.”