Reseda Season Opener Pits Schaeffer Against Old Nemesis

The location has changed and so have some of the allegiances, but when Reseda and Birmingham highs meet tonight, two old foes will clash again.

Last year, Tom Richards coached Sylmar to a 12-0 win over Reseda, which finished 10-2 and won the City Section 2-A title. It was Reseda’s only shutout loss of the season and marked the third consecutive year that Sylmar had defeated the Regents.

This season, Richards is a co-coach at Birmingham, but he’ll still have a chance to defeat Reseda Coach Joel Schaeffer, his old antagonist. Reseda and Birmingham meet at 8 p.m. at Birmingham in the season opener for both teams.

Citing personal reasons, Richards announced his resignation from Sylmar after the season, but he later turned up at Birmingham.

“I had my crying handkerchief out, too,” Schaeffer quipped, “but he’s back.”

Last season, Reseda defeated Birmingham, 24-7. It was the Regents’ seventh consecutive victory over the Braves. The last time the Regents played at Birmingham, in November, they won the 2-A title, 37-0, over University.

Reseda, which is ranked seventh in The Times Valley poll, and Birmingham are a few miles apart on Victory Boulevard.

“It’s like a yearly battle for neighborhood bragging rights,” Schaeffer said.

In other City season openers, Canoga Park--ranked No. 8 in The Times Valley poll--plays El Camino Real at Pierce College at 8 p.m.

Canoga Park is led by running back Mike Conover, who rushed for 934 yards and caught 21 passes last season for the Sunset League co-champion.

El Camino Real is quarterbacked by three-year starter Carl McFadden, a senior who passed for 1,006 yards last year.

Cleveland, No. 6 in The Times Valley rankings, opens at home against Chatsworth at 8 p.m. Cleveland has the biggest offensive line in the area, led by three-year starter Jason Silverstein (6-4, 250).

Senior Jamie Grossman, who passed for 495 yards last year, will start at quarterback, and junior Mark Mooney will start at tailback.

Chatsworth’s Bryan Addison, who rushed for 428 yards as the starting quarterback last season, has been moved to running back. Senior Ty Powell, the backup quarterback last year and a starter on the baseball team, will be the quarterback.

In other games, Monroe and Grant play a season opener at 4 p.m. at Grant. Monroe is led by senior quarterback Kesa Harding, who passed for 771 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

In Southern Section games at 7:30 p.m., Glendale plays Bell-Jeff at Burroughs High; Murphy plays Village Christian at Kennedy; Harvard plays Hoover at Glendale; and Oak Park plays Western Christian at Charter Oak High.