NEWS AND NOTES FROM PRESS ROW: Struggling football program making strides despite winless start to the season

By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X

It may not reflect in the wins and losses after two games, but the John Glenn High football team, with a new head coach, more players than last season and a new attitude, can feel a win coming at any time. That victory could come tonight and could be combined with the school’s homecoming as the Eagles host California Military Institute on Friday in the HMG-Community News Game of the Week.

The Eagles lost to Magnolia High by 26 points in the season opener but rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit to take a one-point lead late in the third quarter. Then last week in a 22-18 setback to Savanna High, the Eagles had a 6-0 first quarter lead, a 12-6 halftime advantage and were up 18-14 early in the fourth quarter. Senior quarterback Luis Vergara scored on runs of 15 and two yards while senior running back Okaro Lee added a one-yard touchdown run, his third of the season.

Glenn was driving for a go-ahead touchdown late in the game but was stopped on fourth and goal from the four-yard line. After forcing the Rebels to punt, Glenn got the ball back in Savanna territory. However, a potential first down was nullified because of a holding penalty and in interception with less than a minute to play ended the rally.

The 39 points scored is already 11 points away from the total last season’s team scored in eight games played (another was a forfeit loss) and the 30 players on the roster, 12 of whom are seniors, are more than last season’s squad. So, it’s all baby steps for a program yearning for more happy moments.

CMI, out of Perris, is also winless after setbacks to Redlands East Valley High (63-7) and Santa Rosa Academy (46-14). This is the first meeting between the schools as the Rough Riders put together their first team in 2006, albeit an eight-man squad. It wasn’t until 2009 that CMI went to 11-man status, a season after going 7-3. The program has had six straight losing seasons, the last three as members of the Manzanita League and CMI’s best season was in 2011 when it went 8-3. The school was established in 2003 and has students from fifth grade to 12^th.

Prediction: Glenn 37, CMI 7

Firebaugh High (1-1) @ Artesia High (1-1)-After a 30-point win to begin the season, Artesia took it on the chin last Thursday in a 49-7 loss to Maranatha High. The Minutemen were already leading 42-0 before sophomore quarterback Jorge Velazquez scored from four yards out seconds before halftime. Velazquez would complete five of nine passes for 40 yards and rush eight times for 34 yards as the Pioneers picked up 199 yards of total offense. Senior quarterback Joey Peck threw for 120 yards and missed on one of his seven attempts. Senior linebacker Angel Lagunas, junior linebacker Jonathan Garcia and junior lineman Giovanny Martinez all had six tackles. However, Maranatha quarterback Cooper Berry completed 22 of 27 for 447 yards and six touchdowns.

The Firebaugh football program has been around for less than 20 seasons as the school was founded in 2005, and had its first winning campaign in 2024, going 6-4. This is the first meeting between the schools however the Falcons are winless in four games against 605 League schools.

Firebaugh fell to Hawthorne High 54-7 last Friday with the lone score coming on a 45-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The previous week, the Falcons knocked off Santa Clara High 33-7.

Prediction: Artesia 37, Firebaugh 14

Portola High (1-1) @ Cerritos High (1-1)-Cerritos posted a 35-7 win over city rival Gahr High last Friday, but it wasn’t a crisp, clean game as the Dons were held to one touchdown in the first half and had nine penalties for 105 yards, the second straight games in which they had over 100 yards in penalties. But the defense sacked Gahr senior quarterback Roman Acosta five times and senior Tyler Ky returned a blocked punt eight yards for a score in the third quarter.

Senior quarterback Justin Sagun already has 220 yards in two games with one touchdown while the rushing game has picked up 352 yards from 10 players.

Portola is coming off a 7-0 win over Irvine High last Friday after beginning the season with a 35-0 loss to Long Beach Wilson High. The lone score came from Timothy Grettenberg in the fourth quarter. He led the Bulldogs with 95 yards on 23 carries while Mayan Kim added 62 yards on seven carries. The passing game wasn’t up to par as

Orion Suttle completed five of 13 passes for 35 yards with a pair of interceptions. In two games, Portola has gained 224 yards in total offense.

The Bulldogs have faced the Dons five times and after four straight wins from 2019-2023, lost a 21-14 affair to the black and gold last season. Portola High opened in 2016 and after going 2-8 in 2018, went 10-2 the next season.

“Portola is very well coached; that’s why I keep that contract,” said Cerritos head coach Demel Franklin. “They’re going to play us hard, tooth and nail and no matter who wins, we’re going to fight to the end. I respect the coach; they won [the CIF-Southern Section Division 11 championship] last year, so they’re the king of the hill and we’re coming in trying to chop them down.”

Prediction: Cerritos 28, Portola 20

La Mirada High (2-0) @ Tesoro High (1-1)-For the first time since 2019, La Mirada has started a season with two straight wins. Now, the Matadores are seeking to go 3-0 for the first time since 2014. La Mirada got past Troy High 24-21 last Friday as junior Cristian Hecker broke a 21-21 game with a 22-yard field goal late in the third quarter. Sophomore quarterback Ace Faagata completed 11 of 16 passes for 128 yards and added 34 rushing yards on four carries as the Matadores compiled 367 yards of total offense. Junior running back Ismael Garcia had 100 yards on 24 carries and scored twice while junior running back Josiah Fregoso added 96 yards on nine touches and scored on a 74-yard run.

La Mirada led 7-0, then trailed 14-7 in the second quarter before tying the game heading into the locker room. The hosts would take a 21-14 lead before the Warriors forced the third tie of the game.

Tesoro was dominated by San Marcos High 45-14 last Friday in north San Diego County. Quarterback Vaughn Stewart completed 50 percent of his passes for 60 yards, threw a touchdown and was picked off once while Nic Brubaker led the ground game with 115 yards on 22 carries.

Tesoro, which defeated La Mirada 38-28 last season, knocked off El Toro High 24-14 two weeks ago. In fact, the Titans have a 3-1 series lead over the Matadors since 2008. The La Mirada win came in the second week of the 2014 season, a 26-23 victory.

Prediction: La Mirada 28, Tesoro 24

Pasadena High (1-1) @ Norwalk High (2-0)-It wouldn’t be a surprise if Norwalk head coach Ruben Guerrero and Gahr head coach Greg Marshall recently chatted about Pasadena, given both teams are in the Mid-Cities League and Gahr faced Pasadena in the CIF-Southern Section Division 13 championship game last season. In two games this season, Norwalk has been doing what it always does-run the ball and score at will. The Lancers breezed past Santa Fe High 35-20 last week as senior running backs Diego Cerritos and Daron Walker gained 168 yards on 24 carries and 160 yards on 16 carries, respectively. Cerritos found the end zone four times and Walker once. Defensively, junior linebacker David Ibarra had 11 tackles, one more than junior linebacker Onosai Faamatau. The previous week, the Lancers smashed Montebello High 55-14.

This will be Norwalk’s first meeting with the Bulldogs, who are coming off a 33-24 loss to San Dimas High last Friday. Quarterback Dutch Burbidge was 16 of 26 for 291 yards and tossed three touchdowns, two of them going to Kyle Robertson (128 yards on six receptions) and the other one to Damari Pitts (106 yards on six catches). Pasadena’s win was against Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary High, 42-3.

Prediction: Norwalk 42, Pasadena 21

Mary Star of the Sea High (1-0) @ Valley Christian High (1-1)-A week after a resounding 41-0 win over Gahr, the Defenders let a 12-6 halftime lead slip away in a 33-19 loss to Calvary Chapel Santa Ana High last Friday, yielding 20 points in the third quarter. Junior quarterback Graham Lunzer, the St. John Bosco High transfer, completed 15 passes for 156 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown pass to senior Cole Hefner in the fourth quarter. Lunzer also gained 57 yards on 15 carries and scored once while senior Oliver Boateng added a two-yard touchdown run in his only touch in the backfield. Hefner led the defensive attack with nine tackles.

Mary Star of the Sea defeated Eastside High 42-7 last Friday, scoring 21 points in the first quarter and 14 more in the second quarter. Quarterback Tanner Rollins made the most of his nine completed passes, passing for 240 yards and five touchdowns. Dallas Christopher was the recipient of five of those passes for 122 yards and three touchdowns. The defense was just as hot as Rollins was, recording 11 sacks with Aden Sierra getting four and Johnny Rivera three more.

The teams have not met since 2007 when V.C. posted a 24-3 win. It marked the fourth straight win over the Stars in as many seasons.

Prediction: V.C. 28, Mary Star of the Sea 21

Last week’s predictions: 2-4

Season to date: 6-6

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Artesia has not played since Aug. 23 when it went 3-2 in the Montebello Tournament. But the Pioneers (4-4) were slated to visit Firebaugh on Sept. 4 and are not scheduled to play again until hosting Pioneer High on Sept. 12 in the 605 League opener.

Glenn was swept by South El Monte High 25-19, 25-19, 26-24 last Thursday to see its record drop to 1-5 as it will travel to Magnolia on Monday before entertaining Cerritos on Sept. 12 in the 605 League opener.

Gahr fell to Rosary Academy 25-19, 25-10, 25-22 this past Tuesday and after entertaining Santa Fe on Sept. 4, will play Mark Keppel High, Woodcrest Christian High and Walnut High in pool play action of the Whittier Cardinal Classic Tournament on Friday. The Gladiators (5-3) will have at three more playoff matches on Saturday before visiting La Serna High on Tuesday ahead of their Mid-Cities opener on Thursday against Lynwood High.

La Mirada was swept by Cerritos 25-17, 25-12, 25-8 this past Tuesday to fall to 1-8 as it will face Los Altos High, Saugus High and Pasadena in pool play action of the Whittier Cardinal Classic Tournament on Friday, then at least three playoff matches on Saturday. The Matadores will begin Gateway League action on Thursday Norwalk.

Norwalk (3-1), which visited Whitney High on Sept. 4, is the third area team participating in the Whittier Cardinal Classic Tournament and will face Rio Mesa High, Rowland High and Western Christian High in pool play action on Friday with at least three more matches on Saturday in the playoff bracket.

At this point, there doesn’t seem to be any slowing down from Valley Christian, which has won 12 straight matches after an opening-season setback to Etiwanda High. The Defenders survived a five-set match with Scripps Ranch High last Friday, then swept Christian High last Saturday and La Serna this past Tuesday.

V.C. will venture to the Inland Empire on Tuesday to face Ontario Christian High before hosting Olympic League nemesis Village Christian High on Thursday.

GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL

Artesia remains winless in three games as it will host Gahr on Tuesday and Pioneer on Thursday while Cerritos (4-3) will travel to Mark Keppel on Monday and host Bellflower High on Wednesday before going to Glenn on Thursday in the 605 League opener.

Gahr’s six-game winning streak to begin the season was halted by Crean Lutheran High last Friday in an 18-7 loss but rebounded to edge Villa Park High 13-12. The Gladiators will visit Buena Park High on Saturday and host Los Altos on Thursday.

There may not be a Mayor’s Cup for 11-man football between Glenn and Norwalk, but there’s a flag football game between the city rivals and this past Tuesday, the Eagles were shutout by Norwalk 25-0. Glenn (1-5) hosted Santa Fe on Sept. 4 while La Mirada (2-3) welcomes La Habra High Monday before going to Schurr High on Thursday.

Norwalk’s shutout over Glenn pushed the team’s record to 5-3-1 as the Lancers will visit El Rancho High on Saturday before hosting San Gabriel High on Tuesday.