While coaches don't like to look too far ahead, a second straight Sac-Joaquin Section Div. III championship looms on the near horizon for the Yuba City High baseball team.

A year ago, the Honkers won the title, going 30-1.

Tonight, Yuba City (25-2) opens defense of its championship with a 7 o'clock game against the Rodriguez Mustangs of Fairfield (17-10) at Dan McAuliffe Memorial Park in Sacramento.

If the Honkers win, they advance to a best-of-three series against either Bella Vista, whom the Honkers defeated in last year's finale, 9-4, or Vanden, with the survivor of that going to the title game.

While Jack Johnson, manager of the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox and one of the Honkers' assistant coaches, said he believes this year's team is better than last year's squad, Honkers skipper Jim Stassi said it's tough comparing the two teams.

"If you look at the numbers, this year's team is better," Stassi said, noting the 2008 pitching staff has a better earned run average, and this Honkers' team has a better batting average and has delivered more extra-base hits.

"Also, this year's team is deeper," Stassi said. "We've got two kids at each spot, while last year, we had one at a couple of positions."

But last year's team won the championship, and this year's squad is just starting the chase. Stassi said Rodriguez will provide a good opening-round test.

"They've got a right-handed pitcher, Esteban Guzman, who's a big kid, about 6-3, who throws hard," Stassi said.

Guzman throws in the 86 to 88 mph range, Stassi said, and occasionally tops 90.

Guzman, who is 6-2 with a 3.30 ERA, is the Mustangs' ace. Stassi said he has thrown 62 innings while the next hurler has thrown half as many.

"We've got our work cut out for us," Stassi said.

Just as Rodriguez is expected to throw its fireballer, Yuba City will counter with heat as well.

"We like the way Brandon (Pope) matches up against Rodriguez' batters," Stassi said.

Honkers' coaches scouted the Mustangs last week in a game against a hard thrower from Vanden, and Stassi said Rodriguez "had a hard time catching up to the pitches."

Pope consistently throws in the mid-80s, occasionally topping out at 88.

"Eighty-four miles an hour, at this level, is pretty dominant for high school baseball," Stassi said.

Pope brings a 4-1 record and 0.63 ERA into the contest.

"In his last three games, Brandon has thrown two or three pitches consistently for strikes," Stassi added.

Michael Lowden leads the Honkers' staff with a 9-0 record and 0.974 ERA. Yuba City's staff ERA is impressive at 1.235, with three hurlers boasting an ERA under 1.00. Hunter Graves is the third (0.724).

Two key players for Rodriguez are shortstop Patrick Johnson and catcher Gino Escalante.

Stassi said he heard Johnson, who is second on the team in hitting with a .434 batting average, has a scholarship to the University of Alabama, while Escalante, who leads the team in stolen bases, swiping 15-of-16, has a scholarship to Cal State Fullerton.

As a team, Rodriguez is batting .344. Yuba City has a .388 average.

"I think this is the best hitting team I've ever had," Stassi said.

The offensive punch comes from Max Stassi (.493), Justin Lamb (.481), Billy Nuxoll (.462), James Haymore (.458) and Jake Stassi (.429). Both Max Stassi and Lamb have nine doubles, while Stassi is tied for 13th in the nation in home runs with 12.

Defensively, the Honkers are nails.

"In 27 games, we've committed only 30 errors," coach Stassi said, adding there are no weaknesses on the team.

"This team has really been consistent all year long," Stassi said.

Contact sports reporter Richard Myers at 749-4714 or rmyers@appeal-democrat.com.