We have another spicy crosstown football rivalry now, Pioneer Valley vs. Righetti.

The brief history between PVHS and RHS has been everything a prep football rivalry should be (save the past vandalism incidents, no more of those, please) _ passionate crowds, LARGE crowds, good sportsmanship - and close games.

VEERRY close games. Pioneer Valley edged Righetti in the schools' inaugural game two years ago. Righetti nipped the Panthers in overtime last year.

Crowds queue up at the gate hours before kickoff. Concession stands do a brisk business. A good time is had by all....well, not such a good time for the losing team. But that's part of it.

A lot of the opposing players know each other, and that adds a lot to the rivalry. They've been playing with or against (or both) each other for years, dating back to the days of their youth football.

The match-up this year shapes up as another close one.

Both teams have dynamic receivers. Both teams have intriguing quarterbacks, Righetti's Justin Level who established himself as one of the best in the area last year and Pioneer Valley's athletic 5-foot-6-inch Nick Rucobo.

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Both teams have anchors. Both teams have question marks. There's probably been the usual pre-game Righetti-Pioneer Valley buzz.

In short, it should be a lot of fun. Here's a tip - get to Pioneer Valley early or be prepared to search a long time for a seat - if, indeed, you're able to find one if you're a latecomer.

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There would have been one thing that would have made The Big One tonight even better - junking the automatic touchback rule.

That is, the rule that whenever a return man fields a kickoff so much as one inch behind the goal line, it's a touchback.

They don't have that rule in the pros. Or at the four-year college level. Or at the junior college level.

But they have it at the high school level.

The rule takes an element - a big element - of fun out of the game. Breathtaking length-of-the-field dashes? The return man gambling and losing as, thanks to superb coverage, he gets nailed way inside the 20? You don't see that, thanks to this rule.

Someone should re-think this one.

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How ‘bout that Kevin Craft, huh?

Never saw someone transform from miserable to wunderkind so fast.

I opposed the firing of then-UCLA coach Karl Dorrell when it happened. I thought he deserved more of a chance. I have to admit I was wrong. Let's face it, fellow Bruins fans, what transpired in the second half Monday as quarterback Craft, the THIRD guy who was forced into action thanks to injuries to the two QBs above him, helped UCLA topped then-18th-ranked Tennessee probably wouldn't have happened if Dorrell was still at the helm.

Looks as though Rick Neuheisel was, indeed, the right hiring at the right time.

The echoes have been awakened! OK, it's only September, and UCLA and USC don't clash until December, but you'd best be on watch, Pete Carroll! Better wipe off that sunny smile and put your game face on because here comes the Bruins Ex.....

Oh, uh....right. Forgot. USC manhandled Virginia, and now the Trojans are back on top of the Associated Press poll

Not so fast on the optimism bandwagon, I guess, at least when it comes to USC-UCLA.

DANG, reality checks hurt. Stay tuned, though.

q Kenny Cress is a sports writer for the Times and a die-hard UCLA fan. He can be reached at (805) 739-2237 or at kcress@santamariatimes.com.

Sept. 5, 2008