Granada Hills sees Kennedy contest as more than a rivalry game

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When Granada Hills lines up against Kennedy on Friday, the Highlanders will have more at stake then just recapturing the Governor’s Cup.

‘This game will be a barometer of how far we have come,’ Highlanders Coach Straun Joseph said.

The circumstances for Friday’s game are similar to last year’s, when Granada Hills had a 3-1 record and Kennedy was 0-4. But Kennedy pulled off a 28-24 upset, and Granada Hills never recovered -- the Highlanders lost four of their last six games, including a 27-7 thumping by Dorsey in the first round of the playoffs.

Granada Hills once again comes in 3-1 and Kennedy is 0-4. Joseph said that the Highlanders have not forgotten or forgiven Kennedy for a tagging incident last year, when portions of the school were defaced.

But Joseph is thinking beyond the rivalry. After Kennedy, the Highlanders have three tough West Valley League games against Cleveland, Taft and Birmingham. This next month will go a long way in deciding the playoff fate of Granada Hills.

‘If it’s possible, I want us to be 6-1 going into the Birmingham game,’ Joseph said. ‘We need to be 6-1 going into that game to have a shot at winning the league. If we are, the confidence will be sky high and then we’ll see what happens. But we need to be humble and businesslike, and take care of what we need to take care of.’

The Highlanders will get an added offensive boost this week when wide receiver Rene Howard becomes eligible to play. Joseph said Howard, a senior who measures 6-1 and weighs 207, was granted a hardship waiver. Howard last played football at Birmingham in his sophomore year.

- Mike Terry