HIGH SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

Westmark High of Encino, an eight-man program, has earned its first playoff berth in four years of football.

The Lions were 4-3 in the regular season, including a 3-0 mark in Omega League play. The showing earned them a chance to play Price Christian in the first round of the Eight-Man Small Division playoffs at 1 p.m. Saturday at First Lutheran High, and the right to shave Coach Jeff Trovatten’s head during a school assembly earlier this week.

“They had a good time,” Trovatten said. “They got it on tape.”

The Lions completed the regular season with a 40-8 victory over Ventura County Christian last Friday.

Westmark, a school for students with learning disabilities, has benefited from several talented athletes who form the nucleus of a team that moved to the Omega League after competing as an independent last season.

Eight players returned from that squad, including junior quarterback Loren Jackson, and seniors Keven Brooks, the team’s top running back, and Jordan Slater, a center-linebacker. Junior fullback-linebacker Mubarrak Hasan returned after sitting out last year.