If Duncan James is on the defensive line at Sehome in four or five years, and if Clark Hazlett is a quarterback for Squalicum, James says he knows just what he'll do if he sacks his buddy.

"I'll help him up and I'll tell him 'nice try,' " James said.

Clark undoubtedly will say the same thing if he eludes James and throws a touchdown pass.

It's that kind of respect - along with a 10-0 record - that has made the season special for the Bellingham Regulators in the 11-12 division of the North Cascades Youth Football League.

The Regulators will face Sedro-Woolley at 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15, at Mount Vernon High School in the league's Junior Division Super Bowl.

"This could be our first unbeaten team in our six years of the Regulators," said coach Tony Clizbe, who has three titles and one runner-up finish. "This is by far the best team we've had. They not big, but they're really quick and they're really smart. They're easy to coach and they listen."

What also gratifies Clizbe is the Regulators' reputation for sportsmanship.

"I've heard that from other coaches," he said. " 'You have a classy bunch of kids,' I'm told. Our guys will knock you down, but then they'll pick you back up. That's what we try to teach."

"We're not only the best hitters in the league, but we're also the most respectful," wide receiver Coleman Schwab said.

Clizbe and his five assistants also teach wide-open, creative offensive football, if the Regulators' 36-22 victory over the Burlington Gold in last week's semifinals was any indication. It was Bellingham's closest game of the season.

Hazlett unloaded a 35-yard touchdown pass to Schwab in the final second of the first half, giving the Regulators a 36-16 lead on Sunday, Nov. 8, at Mount Vernon.

"We really needed that score," Clizbe said. "Burlington has the best opponent we've faced in their running back, Jae Evans, and they played real well in the second half."

Taylor Rapp's interception in the end zone with a minute remaining denied Burlington both a possible touchdown and an onside kick.

"Cocky, but not too cocky," Hazlett said. "That's what our coaches told us we should be. They wanted us to have a little swagger, but not to be overconfident."

That will be the challenge against Sedro-Woolley (6-3) - a 42-8 loser to the Regulators in the second game of the league season but a 22-6 winner over the previously unbeaten Burlington Blue in the other semifinal. Due to a schedule quirk, Bellingham did not face Burlington Blue during the league season.

"That (not being overly cocky) is definitely our challenge, because Sedro-Woolley has shown they can play," Clizbe said. "We have to keep our kids from being over-confident."

"Coach Tony demands and gets so much out of us," Schwab said. "He works us hard, but he also knows how to make it fun. We've worked very hard for this."

Hazlett said he knows Clizbe's secret to motivating the boys.

"Coach Tony pulls the little kid out of himself," Hazlett said.

It helps that most of his players are intent of improving enough to play at least in high school.

"We all want to play in high school," said Schwab, who is looking forward to being Hazlett's teammate at Squalicum on the C team in a couple of years.

"These kids will definitely make an impact on high school football in Bellingham," said Clizbe, whose squad beat Mount Vernon 40-6 in the first round of the playoffs. His Senior Division team went 7-1, but was eliminated by Burlington 22-8 in the opening round.

The Regulators, who practice three nights a week, have been focused entirely on their team this fall. Before the season began, the NCYFL informed its teams that players would not be allowed to play on middle school football squads, as some players did in the past.

"We all feel this season is an intro to what high school will be like," said James.

"It's a big step up for us," said Schwab of the attention the 28-man team gets from Clizbe and coaches Kevin Washington, Jacob Huntley, Taylor Bean, Aaron Brune and Bob Norvell.

"We take the first 25 players who sign up," Clizbe said, explaining he wants go-getters.

When injuries temporarily sidelined two players, he picked up two from the three-boy waiting list - then added the third boy as well, since he couldn't leave out just one kid.