Campbell Hall's Football Team Ready to Contend for Alpha Title—and More

Loaded with skill-position talent and an overwhelming passion to succeed, Campbell Hall High's football team is off to an impressive start after defeating larger-school Antelope Valley 26-3 in the season opener, and the Vikings won't be satisfied until they win the Alpha League and perhaps make a deep playoff run.

"I have a really good feeling about our team," said Dustin Drai, one of several talented receivers. "We work hard, and if we continue to work hard, we can make it really far in the playoffs."

A small school with an enrollment of 535, Campbell Hall, located on Laurel Canyon just north of Ventura Boulevard, has a large-school mentality when it comes to sports. The basketball and baseball teams are also top notch, along with most of the other boys' and girls' sports.

Campbell Hall had no problem in the opener against Antelope Valley, as R.J. Gordon passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns – two to Drai, who finished with seven receptions for 173 yards, plus five sacks on defense.

The Vikings held Antelope Valley to 119 yards, 11 passing.

Gordon, the son of head coach Russell Gordon, is a junior who is the starting quarterback for the second consecutive year after passing for more than 1,000 yards as a 10^th-grader.

"My dad is definitely harder on me than anyone else on the team," Gordon said.

The elder Gordon was an All-American kicker at Antelope Valley College, but his son prefers to focus only on being the quarterback, not the kicker.

"I could never really kick the ball, but my dad also played quarterback in high school, so he has taught me everything I know," Gordon said. "But I never wanted to be a kicker."

Another key face is multi-purpose back Austin McBroom, who is better known as a top basketball player but came on strong in his first year of football last season by scoring 15 touchdowns, seven on kick returns.

Some of the other standouts are cornerback Ricky Lawson, running back/linebacker Louis Collins, receiver/safety Josh Ross, running back Blade Brady, lineman George Kisselevsky and linebacker Henry Allen.

Since graduating from eight-man football in 1998, Campbell Hall has proved consistently successful but has yet to win a section title, coming closest by finishing as a runner-up in 2005.

"I definitely think we can compete for a league title. We're very young with just seven seniors, but we're a strong football team," coach Gordon said. "We're a good team, and we're going to be good team next year, too."

Despite a top quarterback and lots of outside speed, Campbell Hall continues to pride itself on defense, as defensive coordinator Bill Shine has been with Gordon every season.

The Vikings play again Thursday against Villanova Prep (1-0) of Ojai at North Hollywood High. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

KEY PLAYERS

Dustin Drai, receiver/defensive back, Jr. – At 6-foot-3, he's tough to cover, and Drai made a huge splash in the opener with seven receptions for 173 yards and two touchdowns, plus five sacks.

R.J. Gordon, quarterback, Jr. – The son of coach Russell Gordon, the junior is a returning starter who this season passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns in an opening victory at Antelope Valley.

Ricky Lawson, defensive back, Sr. – Lawson earned his stripes as a junior with 41 tackles, five interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He's one of the Alpha League's top defensive players.

Austin McBroom, running back/receiver, Sr. – McBroom has all the right moves, so he is extremely difficult to tackle in the open field. Coming off an impressive junior season that included 15 TDs, seven on kick returns.

Josh Ross, receiver/safety, Jr. – In the opener, Ross had three receptions for 61 yards and totaled eight tackles. He's a key player on both sides of the football.

CAMPBELL HALL FOOTBALL

Coach: Russell Gordon, seventh year

Nickname: Vikings

School address: 4533 Laurel Canyon Blvd., North Hollywood

League: Alpha

Division: CIF East Valley

Colors: Blue and gold

SCHEDULE

Sept. 3 Antelope Valley W 26-3

Sept. 16 Villanova Prep at North Hollywood HS, 7 p.m.

Sept. 24 Flintridge Prep, 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 1 Downey Calvary Chapel, 7 p.m.

Oct. 8 Paraclete at AV College, 7 p.m.

Oct. 15 Brentwood, 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 22 Sierra Canyon at Granada Hills HS

Oct. 30 Pasadena Marshall, 1 p.m.

Nov. 5 Kilpatrick, 7 p.m.

Nov. 12 Montclair Prep at Pierce College, 7 p.m.