Early Lead Sufficient for West in All-Star Football Game

Ibn Bilal and Michael Anderson reached down and pulled up several choice blades of grass and stuffed them into their uniforms.

It is a pregame ritual the two former Sylmar High stars performed before each game last season when they helped lead the Spartans to the City Section 4-A Division championship. And the pair hoped the gesture would bring them good luck again in Saturday night’s fifth Burbank/East San Fernando Valley vs. Glendale/Foothill All-Star football game at Sylmar High.

“I even took a few (blades of grass) from the end zone, because that’s where I’m going to be tonight,” Bilal said. “I’m going to score three touchdowns.”

Bilal, who was held to nine yards in 10 carries, didn’t make it to the end zone, but his West teammates scored a 13-10 victory nonetheless to even the series at 2-2-1.

The game’s marquee player, Eliel Swinton of Montclair Prep, who will play for Stanford next season, scored the first time he touched the ball on a three-yard fourth-down run late in the first period to put the West ahead, 7-3.

Swinton, who rushed for nearly 6,000 yards for Montclair Prep, carried only eight times for 18 yards, but was named the West’s most valuable player.

The West opened a 13-3 advantage midway through the second period when fullback Stephen Brenes of Burbank--who led all rushers with 70 yards in six carries--dashed 40 yards for a touchdown.

The East closed to within 13-10 just before halftime. Quarterback Shane Gerard of Marshall completed two 27-yard passes to Jaiya Figueras of Glendale to put the ball on the West’s one-yard line, and Paul Lopez scored on the next play. Eric Jaimes of Franklin, who booted a 27-yard field goal in the first period, added the extra point with 46 seconds remaining before intermission.

Gerard completed six of 14 passes for 147 yards. Figueras, the East’s most valuable player, had five catches for 99 yards. Teammate Brett Miller of Crescenta Valley had five catches for 104 yards.