Guards run into tough opponent

BURBANK — The Bellarmine-Jefferson High football team tried to move forward with a new offensive scheme in its season opener last week.

However, when the Guards had trouble moving the ball, and their starting quarterback had problems implementing a new shotgun spread formation, Coach Rolando Aguirre not only scrapped the offense, but he brought in a backup signal-caller.

The question in Bell-Jeff’s second game of the season Friday was whether it would make another attempt at running the new offense?

In a nonleague contest on the road at Citrus Valley in Redlands, the Guards tried to throw the ball, but their opponent was just too tough, as Bell-Jeff fell, 51-24.

“They were a very good, well-coached team,” Aguirre said. “We tried to work out of the gun and it worked for the first half. But they just came on in the second half.”

Bell-Jeff (1-1) jumped out to a 12-0 lead, but trailed, 24-21, to the Blackhawks (2-0) at the half.

Micah Shirley scored two touchdowns for Bell-Jeff, one on a 75-yard pass play and one on a 96-yard run. Kevin Yuenyongsaku and Mario Marquez also scored touchdowns.

“When it was late in the game we did switch back to the double wing,” said Aguirre, whose team defeated Saddleback Valley Christian, 14-7, last week. “But we knew at that point we couldn’t come back.”

Bell-Jeff will be back in action next week. The Guards will host Rossmond in a 7 p.m. nonleague game at Memorial Field.