Sheiks Are Ready for Opening Game

After a hot summer's worth of conditioning and preparation, the Hollywood High varsity football team will open its season Thursday night in North Hills when it takes on Monroe at 7 p.m.

The Sheiks needed an interception in overtime to sneak past Monroe 34-26 last fall and senior quarterback Jeremi Ross expects Thursday's meeting to be just as tough.

"It'll be another neck-and-neck game," said Ross, who passed for 1,619 yards and 15 touchdowns in the Sheiks' no-huddle West Coast offense last season. "It's just the first step. We want to win the [City Section Division II] championship."

Time will tell if Hollywood improves on last year's 7-4 record, but Ross looked sharp at Tuesday's practice at the Hollywood Recreation Center. He will split reps at quarterback with another senior, Kenneth Ribeiro, and will also play wide receiver and safety.

"Whatever's best for the team is what I'll do," said Ross, who has drawn interest from numerous colleges, including Oregon State and Portland. "It'll be good to mix it up a little."

Hollywood scrimmaged reigning City Division II champion Fairfax last week and lost decisively, but it was a valuable experience for a squad that graduated 20 seniors and is still adjusting to new coaches Kevin Keller and Jim McElroy. Fairfax moved up to Division I this season.

"They were really good, but it was important for us to get a game in before the season," said junior cornerback Rudy Sanchez, who made five interceptions last year on the junior varsity team, which was 9-1. "I think the defense will be a lot better this season."

Junior wide receiver/tight end Lamin Bangura believes the team has bought in to Keller's philosophy and will play hard and physical. The Sheiks were 4-2 in the Southern League last season and finished in a three-way tie for second place.

"He's great and he's added new stuff to the offense," Bangura said. "The No. 1 goal is to win league. [Reigning champion] Jefferson and Belmont are the teams to beat."  

Ribeiro is confident the two-quarterback system will work to the Sheiks' advantage. He too will play both ways, rotating between linebacker and end on defense.

"We'll be more of a running offense and I was a fullback last season, so I like to run, but I'm looking forward to throwing it too," Ribeiro said. "The coaches are great, they're teaching us right and we're getting all the new plays down."

Junior running back/free safety Ronald Clayton, who moved up to varsity for the last four games last season, has been nursing a high ankle sprain but said he'll be ready to go Thursday night.

"We'll probably start off 75 percent run, 25 percent pass on offense, but we've got a lot of skilled players, a lot of athletes," Clayton said. "Coach Keller works with us, he participates and makes sure we're doing what we should."

Ross wouldn't make any predictions and thinks the Sheiks' success hinges on how well new players step into their roles.

"We've got a lot of work to do," he said. "I'm not sure we're as far along as we were last year--we're a more inexperienced team, we have fewer seniors and we're in a new system."

2011 HOLLYWOOD VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Sept. 1 -- at Monroe, 7 p.m.

Sept. 9 -- at Canoga Park, 7 p.m.

Sept. 16 -- at North Hollywood, 7 p.m.

Sept. 23 -- at Esteban Torres, 7 p.m.

Sept. 30 -- at Los Angeles, 3 p.m.*

Oct. 7 -- vs. Belmont, 7 p.m.*

Oct. 14 -- at Santee, 7 p.m.*

Oct. 28 -- Contreras, 7 p.m.*

Nov. 4 -- at Bernstein, 7 p.m.*

Nov. 10 -- vs. Jefferson, 7 p.m.*

* Southern League game