One Goal, Two Schools of Thought

Two stepbrothers, two schools.

One position, shared goals.

Garrett Green and Alex Westmore are best friends and step-siblings who sleep in twin beds in the same bedroom.

Green goes to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame; Westmore attends Los Angeles Baptist.

Both are starting quarterbacks for teams that today will be playing for Southern Section football championships.

Green, a sophomore, runs the option for Notre Dame (11-2), which will play Palmdale (12-1) for the Division III title at noon at the Home Depot Center in Carson.

Westmore, a senior, will try to help L.A. Baptist avenge a lopsided loss to Village Christian earlier this season when the teams meet in the Division XII championship game at Granada Hills Kennedy High at 7:30 p.m.

Bob Westmore and wife Kimber have been married 3 1/2 years. When they started dating, Alex and Garrett almost immediately hit it off.

When they became a family, along with Bob’s daughter Grace, 15, and Kimber’s daughter Amanda, 18, the boys ran pass patterns on the cul-de-sac of their Chatsworth home. Bob marked off 40 yards on the pavement with spray paint, so they could run sprints. Other drills were practiced at a nearby park.

Two years ago, when Alex was a sophomore, he began telling his stepbrother that one day they both would lead their high school teams into section championship games.

Today he will officially become a prophet.

And if things get a little crazy around the house this morning, well, that’s pretty typical, too.

“Really, our biggest problem has been to get them to stop having fun and just be serious,” Kimber said. “We have the bedroom next to Alex and Garrett, and they’re laughing, we hear things banging against the wall. It’s like having a friend over every night.”

Since Garrett took over as Notre Dame’s quarterback in Week 3, the Knights -- another thing the boys have in common: L.A. Baptist is the Knights, too -- are 10-1.

“He makes great decisions, is an accurate thrower, a good runner, a real mature kid for a sophomore -- he’s the first sophomore quarterback we’ve ever had start,” Notre Dame Coach Kevin Rooney said.

Although watching each other’s games often involves video cameras and a viewing party in the living room, Alex did see Garrett’s first start -- a regular-season game against Palmdale -- in person, and watched him lead Notre Dame to a 35-21 victory.

“The ball was rolling,” Alex said. “I knew he would keep the spot the rest of the season. They were running their offense so well, and I knew our team would go [to the championship] too.”

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Household Names

*--* Comparing stepbrothers Alex Westmore of L.A. Baptist and Garrett Green of Notre Dame, who will start at quarterback for their teams in Southern Section championship games today. PASSING Player Att Cp Pct. Yds TD Int Green 115 66 57.4 1,253 10 4 Westmore 246 115 46.7 1,725 24 14

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*--* RUSHING Player Att Yds TD Green 118 850 7 Westmore 25 -4 3

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