Championships in smaller leagues and playoff divisions tend to be underappreciated. Perhaps no one knows this better than Perris Citrus Hill football coach Doug Dubois.

Citrus Hill put together a memorable 2007 in just its third varsity season, going undefeated while capturing both the Mountain Pass League and East Valley Division titles.

Despite those credentials, a couple of questions still linger: Just how good are the Hawks? And have they joined the ranks of the area's elite programs?

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2007 / The Press-Enterprise

Citrus Hill celebrates its 28-6 win over San Jacinto in the East Valley Division championship game, which capped the Hawks' 14-0 season.

Dubois wanted to give his team a chance to answer those questions by putting together a tougher non-league schedule, but he ultimately had no takers. Dubois remains confident the Mountain Pass League's jump from the East Valley to the Eastern Division will present his players that opportunity come playoff time.

Citrus Hill will be squaring off against the likes of Palm Desert, La Quinta, Fontana Kaiser, Victorville Silverado and Phelan Serrano in the postseason.

"We want to branch out and take the next step, and this will present our program with a great new challenge," Dubois said. "Our motto this season is 'New Year ... New Division ... Same Goal.'"

Citrus Hill returns several starters on both sides of the ball, making the Hawks one of the preseason favorites to capture the division crown.

Leading the way on offense is UNLV-bound Caleb Herring, a rare four-year starting quarterback. Junior Deontae Cooper is an emerging standout at running back and will help keep things balanced.

On defense, Greg Smith is back after receiving a fifth year of eligibility from the CIF. Smith has racked up double-digit sacks each of the past two seasons. The entire secondary returns, led by seniors Dennis Fite and Monroe Allen.

"Everybody else just might be playing for second place," San Jacinto coach Bill Powell said. "Citrus Hill really is that good."

One concern Dubois has is the potential for players to rest on their laurels.

"We have a target on our back and we have to stay hungry," he said. "We're in a new division now and we have to keep playing football with the same passion and energy if we want to reach the top."

Reach Eric-Paul Johnson at 951-368-9530 or ejohnson@PE.com