Harvard-Westlake's Football Team Looks to Continue Winning Ways

Harvard-Westlake’s football team is flying high after totaling 100 points over the past two games, a 49-0 win over Luezinger this past Friday preceded by a 51-14 victory over Fairfax the previous week.

The Wolverines continue tonight at 7 at Sylmar, and a tough game is expected even though Sylmar is 0-2, as the host Spartans have lost to a couple of challenging opponents -- Compton, then high-powered El Camino Real -- so Sylmar should be hungry for redemption.

“We feel good about last week. We played a good game on both sides of the ball, and our special teams controlled the game, so I can’t say anything bad about last week,” Harvard-Westlake coach Vic Eumont said. “We started fast and finished strong. This week, Sylmar is a much better football team. They’ve had two tough games, and they’ve finished strong in the fourth quarter in both even though they didn’t win.

“They’re a very tough team that fights until the end. We expect a big battle.”

Chad Kanoff, a junior quarterback, is off to a great start. He completed 19 of 26 for 267 yards and five touchdowns in the win over Leuzinger. Overall, Kanoff has completed 58.3 percent for 719 yards and 14 touchdowns with one interception.

Kanoff has done a good job spreading the ball around. Clinton Hooks has 11 receptions for 153 yards and five touchdowns, Julian Shabahang had six catches against Leuzinger, giving him 11 for 136 and two touchdowns, and Chris Sebastian has 10 receptions for 191 yards and a touchdown.

Jamias Jones scored twice against Luezinger. In three games, the running back has rushed for 150 yards, caught five passes and scored five touchdowns.

Alex Cadiff, a linebacker, has 32 tackles and three fumble recoveries, one of which he returned 64 yards for a touchdown against Fairfax. Andrew Green, a three-year starter on the defensive line, has 27 tackles and two sacks after totaling 11 tackles and a sack against Leuzinger.

NORTH HOLLYWOOD IS HURTING

North Hollywood is 0-3, but after being outscored by an average of 40 points in the first two losses, the Huskies looked much better last week in a 2-0 loss to Hollywood.

“The defense had found its identity. We were swarming the football,” coach Doug Bledsoe said.”It’s tough to shut a team down defensively and still lose, but we’re getting better.”

Unfortunately, North Hollywood has lots its starting quarterback and starting running back to season-ending injuries, so it’s going to be an uphill climb. Quarterback Cullen Englund broke his collarbone, and running back Valon Holmes fractured his leg.

“Somebody has to step up,” Bledsoe said.

North Hollywood continues tonight at 7 at Belmont, an opponent that is also 0-3. Belmont has been outscored by an average of 31 points.

CAMPBELL HALL FINDS NEW FOOTBALL OPPONENT

Campbell Hall’s football team was forced to scramble when this week’s opponent, Flintridge Prep, decided to forfeit because of a rash of injuries. But the Vikings lucked out when Grace Brethren in Simi Valley, a program that by chance had a bye and was only scheduled to play nine games this season, agreed to fill in. So the teams meet tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Moorpark College.

EIGHT IS ENOUGH

East Valley, an eight-man football program in North Hollywood, is 2-0 heading into a nonleague game Saturday at Ojai Valley, playing its first game of the season. Kickoff is 2 p.m.

H.W. HOOPS STANDOUT COMMITS

Josh Hearlihy, a top returning basketball player for Harvard-Westlake, has committed to Utah. Hearlihy, the son of Harvard-Westlake’s girls basketball coach Melissa Hearlihy, averaged 14.5 points and  5.4 rebounds this past season to help the Wolverines to the Southern Section Division III-A championship and a berth in the CIF State tournament.

PABST HEADED TO GEORGIA TECH

Harvard-Westlake baseball standout Arden Pabst has committed to Georgia Tech. He batted .430 with 30 RBIs this past season, as Harvard-Westlake won the Mission League title and advanced to the Southern Section Division II quarterfinals.

During the summer,  Pabst, a catcher/outfielder, participated in the IBAF World Youth Championship in Mexico, helping the USA 16-under national team win the gold medal.

THEY CALLED IT THE STREAK

In girls volleyball, Harvard-Westlake’s 47-game Mission League winning streak ended Tuesday in a loss to Notre Dame, which improved to 13-0.

The Wolverines (4-7) have been struggling, losing to Notre Dame for the first time since 2004, as the Knights broke a 13-game series losing streak.

Another winning streak ended Tuesday when Campbell Hall’s girls tennis team fell for the first time in 38 matches, losing a close one at University in Irvine by a score of 9-9 (76-66 games).

Campbell Hall was without standout Zoe Katz, who is nursing a wrist injury.

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

All games 7 tonight unless noted

Harvard-Westlake (2-1) at Sylmar (0-2)

North Hollywood (0-3) at Belmont (0-3)

Campbell Hall (3-0) vs. Grace Brethren (2-0) at Moorpark College, 7:30 tonight

East Valley (2-0) at Ojai Valley (0-0), 2 p.m. Saturday