Chaparral checks in with victory

Temecula school wins CIF title in front of 7,000 fans

By CRAIG SHULTZ | Posted: Saturday, December 12, 2009 12:10 am

Chaparral High School made sure Vista Murrieta wasn't able to complete its checklist, defeating the Broncos 13-7 Friday night in the championship game of the CIF Southern Section Inland Division.

A sign hanging on a fence in front of the Vista Murrieta bleachers read "city, check; valley, check; CIF" with an empty box for one more checkmark.

And while Vista Murrieta did win the city ---- defeating Murrieta Valley ---- and the valley ---- besting Chaparral, Great Oak, Temecula Valley and Temescal Canyon during a perfect regular season ---- it was the Pumas who claimed the first Southern Section football title in school history. It was the first for the city since Temecula Valley won back-to-back titles in 1990 and 1991.

The cross-valley showdown brought an estimated 7,000 people to Vista Murrieta on a sometimes rainy evening.

Terry Randall and Kent Bonebrake were the first fans to the stadium, getting in line at 4 p.m. in front of gates that were not scheduled to open until 6.

"Three games in a row I've been here at 4," Randall said.

"We want our lucky seats," added Bonebrake, whose daughter is a cheerleader at Vista Murrieta.

Bonebrake said he was looking forward to a second contest with Chaparral.

"That's why it's so special. It's the finals and it's a cross-town rivalry."

Roger Epperson and his daughter, Katie, a senior at Chaparral, were the first ones in line on the visitors' side, arriving at 4:15 just ahead of about two dozen other boosters.

"I wanted to have a good seat," Roger Epperson said.

The Eppersons filed in ahead of a long, snaking line when the gates opened at 5:45, and by 6, the Chaparral side was almost full.

That was good news for the band boosters, who operate the snack bar on the visitors' side of the stadium.

Boosters president Sharon Copening said the group was hoping to gross $3,000. Proceeds help pay for transportation and competition fees.

The snack bar was loaded with 250 hot dogs, 250 hamburgers and 250 bratwursts plus "a ton of candy," she said.

Copening was expecting coffee and hot chocolate to be popular on the chilly evening.

Just as Puma quarterback Mitch Glasmann and running back Jonathon Diaz stand together in the backfield, their mothers were together before the game.

That's nothing unusual, given that the boys have been teammates since they were 6 and the families often spend vacations and holidays together.

"We are excited about the game, but a little sad this is most likely their final high school game together," Lauren Glasmann said as she and Rosalie Diaz were buying some championship game T-shirts.

Their boys were quite confident with Chaparral holding a six-point lead at halftime, chatting with reporters and even asking them for predictions.

There was no more scoring and the Pumas put the game away with three third-down conversions in the final five minutes.

As the game ended, the Chaparral side exploded in cheers as the Pumas finally won a CIF title after losing in the championship game two of the previous three years.

Despite the loss, the season was a triumphant one for Vista Murrieta.

In only its seventh season, the Broncos were playing in their first title game.

That was a little faster than Butch Owens expected. Now the deputy superintendent in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District, Owens was Vista Murrieta's first principal in 2003.

"When you open a brand new school, you try to hire the best coaches," Owens said. "These guys have done beyond my wildest expectations. If I take credit for anything at this school, it's hiring the best staff."

Chaparral's victory has Temecula Valley Unified School District Superintendent Carol Leighty looking forward to a steak.

She bet Murrieta Superintendent Stan Scheer a lunch at BJ's on the outcome.

"I'm going to have a big steak," she said after the game. "And I hear they have some really good expensive desserts."

Call staff writer Craig Shultz at 951-676-4315, ext. 2625.