So Far, So Good: Bernstein Wins Football Opener

After winning its season opener for the first time in the program’s four-year history, the Bernstein High football team is feeling pretty good.

The Dragons defeated Annenberg 19-13 last Friday at Santee High in Los Angeles, and at this point every victory is a celebration considering Bernstein came in with a total of two wins over its first three seasons.

“We’re making a little history. I love it, and the kids love it, too,” Coach Darrell Divinity said. “We still need to do better, but we’re bigger, older and faster than we were last year. My kids are coming along well. We just have to make sure we stay consistent.”

Idle this week, Bernstein is preparing for another nonleague game next Friday at Torres (0-1), the second in a string of three consecutive road games to begin the season.

“This week is kind of my week to catch up,” Divinity said.

Among the impressive performers in the win over Annenberg was running back Johnny Ortiz. He’s just 5-foot-5 and 135 pounds, but he was the dominant player on the field last Friday, rushing for 121 yards on 16 carries and scoring on a 27-yard run and a 20-yard reception.

“He was the player of the game. He’s a short, small kid, but he is hard to get a hold of, and he is quick,” Divinity said. “He has a good build. He’s not scrawny.”

Annenberg suited just 18 players — the minimum for playing tackle football.

“We kind of out-manned them, but they’re actually a decent team,” Divinity said. “Towards the end, they were getting tired and cramping up and getting injured... but that’s football.”

Some of the other Bernstein standouts were quarterback Brian Lopez, receiver William Mack, offensive lineman Juan Rodriguez, defensive lineman Jesse Gomez and defensive backs Bryan Moran, Piedro Ruggiero and Julio Quintero.

Lopez completed 6 of 12 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns — including a scoring pass to Mack — with no interceptions. Gomez had seven unassisted tackles and also played fullback. Moran played shut-down defense, and Ruggiero had an interception off a tipped pass.

Torres, a freelance first-year program, plays Friday at Fulton Prep in Van Nuys after losing 21-6 to Manual Arts last week in its first game ever. The Los Angeles school was opened to relieve overcrowding at nearby Garfield, a top City football program.

“I’m going to see Torres play tonight, and I know that throughout the years, Garfield has always had a lot of tough players, so I am sure there are some good ones at Torres,” Divinity said. “Garfield has always been a tough, physical group.”