It’s No Problem For Holmes

With an inexperienced, injured and ineffective offensive line, Cleveland High’s Emory Holmes had trouble finding the end zone last season as the Cavaliers missed the City Section playoffs.

But helped by a solid effort by his teammates at the Valley Youth Conference all-star football game Friday night, Holmes had no problems, scoring two first-half touchdowns in the West’s 27-14 victory over the East before 3,000 at Birmingham High.

Holmes finished with 43 yards in six carries, five in the first half. He was selected the West most valuable player.

But it was the East which started strong behind quarterback J.K. Scott of Burroughs.

The Washington-bound Scott--one of the few players with Division I scholarships--mixed scrambling ability with an accurate touch early on.

Scott completed three of six passes for 58 yards in the first quarter, the highlight being a 23-yard touchdown pass to Tim Gustafson of Village Christian on the East’s second possession.

The West came right back, driving 72 yards in six plays. Hart quarterback Travis Carroll opened the drive with a 46-yard pass to Jamal Washington of Reseda. Holmes eventually scored on a seven-yard run and a conversion run by Washington tied it at 8-8 late in the first quarter.

Carroll, playing mostly the first quarter, completed five of seven passes for 94 yards.

The West scored again early in the second quarter after driving 77 yards in eight plays, the biggest coming on a 40-yard pass from Chatsworth’s Travis Winn to Tony DeLaTorre of Reseda to the East one. Canyon’s Monte McKeon scored on the next play for a 15-8 lead.

Holmes found the end zone for the second time late in the half, scoring on a 10-yard pass from Winn with 2:28 left in the half.

Washington scored on a 14-yard run midway through the third quarter for a 27-8 lead.

Scott had his erratic moments as well, getting intercepted by Nate McAfee of Hart and Kevin Wang of Calabasas.

Mike Gomez of San Fernando scored on an 11-yard run for the East halfway through the fourth quarter, making it 27-14.

Jaret Harris of Kennedy, playing for the first time since suffering a severely broken leg against Taft last year, gained 67 yards in 11 carries and caught two passes for 21 yards.