Schools

UPDATE: Chatsworth Defeats Panorama in Football Opener

The Chancellors play at Panorama at 7 p.m. in the first game for new coach Andrew Kim, while Sierra Canyon plays host to Bishop on Saturday at El Camino Real High.

Update: Chatsworth High rolls over Panorama, 38-7.

Hoping to ride the momentum after one of its best football seasons, Chatsworth High opens tonight at 7 at Panorama – an opponent the visiting Chancellors eliminated from the playoffs last year on the way to going 11-3 and finishing as the City Section Division II runner-up.

It’s a new era with first-year coach Andrew Kim, who has replaced Jason Camp, and the coach feels good about this year’s team despite heavy graduation losses.

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“We’re ready. We’re excited to go,” Kim said. “We’ve been having a great summer, and we can’t wait to prove ourselves. We have everyone in place, and we’re healthy and we’re fast. We just can’t wait.”

Some of Chatsworth’s top players are running back Eric Waters, receiver Anthony Urquidi and offensive/defensive lineman Kevin Olive.

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Panorama has the advantage of having already played a game, losing 24-21 to South Gate last Friday. Like Chatsworth, the Pythons also are operating with a new coach, as Bob Mesa has taken over for Devon Rose, who guided Panorama to the City quarterfinals last year despite several forfeit losses – including a regular-season triumph over Chatsworth that was later overturned.

Chatsworth has only had a scrimmage as opposed to a game, but on the other hand, Kim has been able to scout and review video of Panorama without the Chancellors being as scrutinized by Mesa.

“I’ve had a good chance to look at the film, and we broke down their offense and defense as best we could,” Kim said. “We should be fine. From what I’ve seen, they have a pretty good running back and good skill-position players and a mobile quarterback. So we have to make sure to contain their skill players. We should do pretty well.”

Matt Woodall and Cristian Gonzalez both ran the ball well against South Gate. Woodall had 128 yards in 11 carries with two touchdowns, and Gonzalez rushed for 128 yards in 19 carries. Overall, Panorama amassed 367 yards, 310 rushing.

Panorama gave up just 216 yards to South Gate – the biggest gain of the night being 18 yards -- so it was a tough-luck loss.

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Sierra Canyon had no problems handling Horizon in the season opener Saturday, winning 58-7 after jumping to a 44-point halftime lead. The Trailblazers continue Saturday at 7 p.m. against visiting Bishop at El Camino Real, and the visiting Broncos figure to command respect after going 13-1 last season and winning the Northeast Division championship.

Sierra Canyon comes from a slightly larger division, having advanced to the East Valley final last season, in a showdown between two of California’s top small-schools programs.

While Sierra Canyon has returned most of its top players, including star quarterback Tyler Stewart, Arizona State-bound receiver/defensive back Julian Brooks and four offensive linemen, Bishop was hit by graduation -- though the Broncos do return quarterback Chance Callahan, who passed for 1,243 yards as a junior and is a proven winner.

“I think we’re really excited for this game because Bishop is kind of an unknown playing their first game of the year – but they’re No. 1 in their division,” Coach Ellinghouse said. “They won a CIF championship last year, and they look very good. They’re a fundamentally sound football team.”

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