Bellarmine-Jefferson football falls to Milken Community in wild shootout

VAN NUYS — Heading into the week, the Bellarmine-Jefferson High football players and coaches were under the impression that Thursday’s nonleague game against Milken Community would be the squad’s final game of the season.

However, despite suffering a 71-48 loss to the Wildcats at Birmingham High to end the regular season with a 2-6 record, Guards Coach Fred Martinez said he team is headed to the CIF Southern Section Division II eight-man playoffs.

“I was pretty surprised myself when I found out,” said Martinez, whose program hasn’t been to the postseason in four seasons when it played on the 11-man level. “They said because of our strength of schedule that we would be able to make the playoffs.

“It is just something that is so great for the school and so deserving for our players who have really helped to turn things around with this program. Making the playoffs is always something special for a team.”

Bell-Jeff’s last foray into the postseason came in 2012 when it fell in the first round of the Northeast Division playoffs to Rio Hondo Prep, 57-6.

“I know the team hasn’t made the playoffs in awhile, so to be able to make it is really great,” Bell-Jeff junior Paulius Kasteckas said. “This is my first time playing football and to still be playing is nice. … I just love this game.”

Despite taking part in his first season of organized football, Kasteckas etched his name in the record books at Bell-Jeff with his play this season. The junior rushed for 264 yards in 34 carries and had touchdowns of 27, 58 and 34 yards against Milken (4-3). Kasteckas has rushed for 1,186 yards this season, putting him No. 2 on the all-time single-single list.

“What Paulius has been able to do this season is just incredible,” Martinez said. “And for him to do what he’s done with this being his first time playing football is amazing.

“He just does whatever we ask of him and he wants to be in on every play.”

Bell-Jeff fell behind early after several miscues in the first quarter led to three Wildcats touchdowns and a 19-0 lead for Milken. Twice the Guards turned over the ball on fourth down deep in their own territory and both times the Wildcats turned those into touchdowns. Bell-Jeff also fumbled and the ball was returned for another score.

Also in the first quarter, the Guards had first and goal on the Milken five-yard line, couldn’t score and turned the ball over on downs once again.

“Mistakes like those occur because we’re young,” said Martinez, whose squad has just one senior. “With a team as young as we are, there are going to be mistakes. But we didn’t give up and we kept battling.”

Bell-Jeff cut the deficit to 19-6 when Paulius scored from 27 yards out with 7:41 left in the second quarter.

Both teams took turns putting the ball in the end zone in what turned out to be a wild second quarter that saw five touchdowns scored in less than a three-minute span and 66 total points tallied in the stanza.

Milken went into halftime with a 57-24 lead.

Paulius’ 34-yard touchdown was the only score of the third quarter, as the Guards cut the lead to 57-34.

Guards freshman quarterback Rameon Witt completed three of four passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns, a 54-yard strike to junior Canaan Williams and a 14-yard score to freshman Desmond Hendricks.

Bell-Jeff junior Ronald Jurok also returned a kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown.

At-large entrants for the eight-man postseason will be released on Sunday with brackets following on Monday.