The High Schools : North Hollywood Rolls After Slide

North Hollywood opened the season with 4 consecutive losses, but that fourth defeat might have salvaged the Huskies’ football season.

In a 21-14 loss to Reseda, the Huskies rushed for 209 yards and proved a point to themselves. After 50-0 and 34-6 losses to Reseda the past 2 years, a 7-point defeat seemed like a victory.

“Reseda had just kicked our butts the previous two years and the seniors didn’t want to get beaten like that again,” Coach Fred Grimes said. “That game showed our team what we’re capable of.”

After consecutive victories over Valley Pac-8 Conference rivals Van Nuys and Birmingham, North Hollywood has the inside track for a berth in the City Section 3-A Division playoffs. The Huskies (2-4 overall, 2-2 in league play) are tied for first place in the East Valley League with Sylmar (3-3, 2-2).

Two teams from each 3-A league qualify for the playoffs.

“This is where I expected us to be when the season began,” Grimes said. “But our inexperience really hurt us in the first three games. That lack of experience led to a lot of mental mistakes.”

Of North Hollywood’s 33 players, 15 are sophomores, including 4 who play both ways. Still, the Huskies outgained Notre Dame (267-204 yards), broke even with Monroe (259-259) and held their own against Reseda (209-264), but they lost the 3 games by a combined score of 84-21.

Although North Hollywood’s victories have come against teams with a combined record of 4-8, Grimes expects the Huskies to be playing Sylmar for the league title in the regular-season finale.

No spotlight: When Crespi’s Russell White broke the state career rushing yardage mark last week at St. John Bosco, there were no theatrics. In fact, there was barely a mention made.

Between plays, the public-address announcer informed the crowd that White had bettered the record and the game continued. Crespi officials approached St. John Bosco Coach Bill Friedrich before the game about stopping play and presenting White with the ball, but the plan never materialized.

“When you’re the visitor you don’t have much control over this type of thing,” Crespi Coach Bill Redell said. “They just weren’t able to work it out, for whatever reason.”

The announcement, in fact, was made 2 plays after White had broken the record on a 5-yard run in the third quarter.

Hamburger for the helpers: When Eric Dickerson broke the NFL single-season record for rushing yardage, he bought his offensive line commemorative rings.

White was thinking more along the lines of onion rings.

Asked at halftime Friday what he planned to do for his offensive line after the record fell, White said: “Maybe take them out for a cheeseburger or something.”

He later added: “Maybe I’ll buy ‘em a 6-pack of Sprite.”

Standing Guard: Mike Cesta is a modest hero. “It wasn’t anything,” Cesta says.

Maybe so. But if not for Cesta, Bell-Jeff might have gone winless this season.

Cesta, a senior linebacker, slammed into St. Genevieve’s Roland De La Maza on a fourth-quarter, 2-point conversion attempt, forcing a fumble and preserving the Guards’ 13-12 San Fernando Valley League win Saturday.

“I hit the guy and he fumbled, and the rest of the team came up and made sure nobody picked it up,” Cesta said. “I guess I hit him in the right spot.”

Bell-Jeff (1-6) had scored no more than 6 points in a game all season.

With Chaminade, Notre Dame and Harvard remaining on the schedule, the Guards might have peaked against St. Genevieve.

“Even though it wasn’t the prettiest of wins, it gave us confidence,” Cesta said. “Maybe we can be spoilers.”

History lesson: Joel Gershon, Channel Islands coach, after the Raiders’ 27-22 win over Newbury Park: “I think Newbury Park is the best 1-5 team in the history of high school football.”

Easy, Joel.

King’s ransom: Camarillo receiver Mitch King had only 5 receptions going into Friday night’s game against Roosevelt, but the senior caught 11 passes to set a school record.

The record of 10 was set by Marshall Thompson, Coach Carl Thompson’s son and currently an assistant for the Scorpions.

“I was wondering why Marshall kept telling me to take him out,” Carl Thompson said with a laugh.

Add Camarillo: Sophomore running back Kris Kirksey twisted his knee in the third quarter against Roosevelt and could miss as many as 2 weeks, Thompson said.

Kirksey has rushed for 670 yards and 3 touchdowns in 115 carries and caught 11 passes for 166 yards.

Berry Bowles, a junior transfer from Birmingham who has 9 yards in 5 carries, is scheduled to start Friday against Channel Islands.

Staff writers Tim Brown, Steve Elling, John Ortega and Vince Kowalick contributed to this notebook.