Hamilton High is a few days away from playing in its eighth state championship football game in 12 years. In that span the Huskies are 5-2 and very close to chiming in at a perfect 7-0.

One huge reason behind that success, and why Hamilton is bidding for a 5A-I threepeat at University of Phoenix Stadium on Monday afternoon against Desert Ridge, is defense.

In its seven previous title games, Hamilton has not allowed more than 15 points in any game. Their points allowed in order of appearance are 13, 14*, 7, 15, 15, 10 and 0. That asterisk in the 2003 title game with Mountain View was the first one the Huskies won. The record book shows they prevailed 35-28 in triple overtime. But their last three scores and Mountain View's final two tallies were via overtime rules in which  teams have four downs to score from the opponents' 10-yard line. Not  real football. The game ended in regulation tied 14-14, indicative of what kind of game it was.

Those seven title game points allowed total averages out to is 10.6 points per game. The Huskies losses were 13-10 to Red Mountain in 2001 and 15-14 to Brophy in 2005.

So what does the 2010 team have to offer? Well, much the same. How it has arrived at being a solid unit took some time.

"Since I've been here one thing is our defense has always stepped up," Hamilton coach Steve Belles, who took over as coach in 2006 and has three titles to his credit . "Lane Reynolds and our defensive coaches do a great job. The defense has played very well of late. We've given up 23 points (theee games) so far in the playoffs."

The Huskies defense has played at that same stingy level for the last nine or 10 games. Hamilton opened the season with three returning starters meaning they were working in eight others. After a promising performance in the season opener against Las Vegas Bishop Gorman in August, an early September stretch had the coaching staff concerned. Particularly following a 45-28 win over Mountain Ridge on Sept. 16.

"We were real disappointed giving up 21 points in the first half of that game," Belles said. "But ever since that game there has been major improvement. It's as solid a defense as we've had."

Three-year starter and linebacker Tyler Rutt, the team's leading tackler the past two seasons, had some reservations at that juncture. He's more comfortable now with the cohesiveness.

"We saw after that game we had to step up our game or we were going to start losing," Rutt said. "It took more time for guys to know their job. Now we they do and we're clicking."

Reynolds, who has been on staff sicne 2003 and a part of all five of the Huskies' state titles as linebackers coach of defensive coordinator, has been pleased with the progress the defense has made since mid-September. More want to in the hearts of the players has gone a long way in achieving that.

"After the first game we played to the level of the competition," Reynolds said. "We needed more. They've improved a lot since the Mountain Ridge game. The credit goes mostly to them. We made some tweaks along the way."

With Desert Ridge the final stumbling block to a third straight title, Hamilton's defense is charged with slowing or stopping an eye-popping running game. In three playoff games and the regular season finale with a run-first mentality, Desert Ridge is averaging 386 yards rushing a game. The 2010 Hamilton defense, conversely, has allowed fewer yards rushing than any team in Hamilton history -- 908 in 14 games -- heading into Monday. The Huskies also are plus-23 in turnover ratio with 19 interceptions and 17 fumble recoveries.

"Our goal is to hold teams to 150 yards rushing or less," defensive back Cedric Parker said. "That goal is the same for this one. The expectations of coaches is for us to play at the level we have. We need to do it one more time."