Bellarmine-Jefferson football tones down schedule, joins league
Bellarmine-Jefferson High football and coach Fred Martinez learned a great deal during the 2016 season, the program’s first at the eight-man level.
One of the most valuable lessons learned was not to be overly ambitious when it comes to scheduling. The Guards finished with a 2-7 record as a freelance team, advancing to the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs where they lost in the first round to Trona, 55-0.
“I think that schedule was a bit too tough for us, although we did make it to the playoffs,” Martinez said. “That was too much in our first season in eight-man. We just needed to play teams more on our level.
“This year we’ve toned down our schedule a little. I think the teams that we play this year are more on our level. Across the board with our schedule, I think we are pretty evenly matched with just about everybody. Another great thing is we don’t have to travel great distances for some of our games like last year.”
Bell-Jeff will play a seven-game schedule, with only two of those being home games. The Guards lost two long-distance opponents in San Diego Warner and Lone Pine. Bell-Jeff played at Lone Pine last season and was to travel to Warner this year, but the teams couldn’t agree on a date.
Another change for the 2017 campaign is that Bell-Jeff has joined a league. The Guards will be a member of the four-team Omega League with Thousand Oaks Hillcrest Christian, Lighthouse Christian and Westmark.
“I think it’s great for us to be a part of a league and they’ve welcomed us with open arms,” Martinez said. “They have been really good as far as scheduling and they have made it easy for us.
“It’s just nice for the players to get some all-league recognition and win some awards and we will be able to create some rivalries. ... It’s just a good situation all around for us.”
Bell-Jeff will kick off its season Sept. 9 with a nonleague game against La Verne Calvary Baptist (5-5 in 2016) at Damien High at a time to be determined.
“I think that is a good opener for us,” Martinez said. “We played them close last year and we lost, 35-28. I think this year we should be evenly matched again and I look for an exciting game.”
After a nonleague contest Sept. 15 on the road against Discovery Prep (2-6), the Guards will take on host Flintridge Prep (7-4) on Sept. 22 in a nonleague game.
“The thing about Prep is that they usually have the numbers that a lot of other programs just don’t have,” said Martinez, whose squad lost to the Rebels last season, 71-8. “They always seem to get the kids out.
“You know they are always going to be well-coached and they are going to be tough. It will be a good test for us. This is always a friendly rivalry and the two teams know each other very well and we learn from each other.”
The Guards will play their final nonleague game Sept. 29 at Crossroads Christian (4-4), a team Bell-Jeff defeated in 2016, 52-36.
League play for Bell-Jeff will begin Oct. 6 with a game at Westmark (1-6) and have its first home game Oct. 14 when the Guards host Hillcrest Christian (7-3) at Flintridge Prep.
“Westmark should be an interesting one for us because they are going through some changes,” Martinez said. “They changed coaches and it took them awhile to get going again.
“Hillcrest Christian, along with Flintridge Prep, will be the two toughest games for us.”
Bell-Jeff will end the regular season with a homecoming game Oct. 28 against Lighthouse Christian (0-7) at Burroughs High.
“Because we don’t have the strength of schedule this year like we did last year, we are probably going to gave to finish in one of the top two spots in league to make it to the playoffs,” Martinez said.
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