Bernstein Football Ready to Returning to Winning Ways After Tough Loss

Considering Bernstein High came into the football season with a total of two wins in the program’s first three seasons, the plan has been to take baby steps in trying to be more successful.

But that does not make losses like a 23-13 defeat at Torres this past Sept. 16 any easier to swallow.

“We made a lot of mistakes, a lot of penalties, probably 100 yards in penalties,” Bernstein coach Darrell Divinity said. “Torres’ coach, Peter Cuevas, prepared his team well, and I missed some opportunities as a coach. We have to play smarter. However, my Dragons are big-time fighters.”

Bernstein (1-1) was limited to 170 yards while turning the football over five times, as the visiting Dragons performed better the previous week in a 19-13 opening win over Anneberg.

After passing for 142 yards and  two touchdowns against Anneberg, Bernstein’s Brian Lopez was 3 of 13 for 47 yards and two interceptions. However, Johnny Ortiz, a junior running back, had another solid outing with 104 yards and a touchdown in 15 carries – his second consecutive 100-yard performance.

Bernstein is the road for the third week in a row tonight for a game at Roybal (0-2) in Los Angeles. Kickoff is 7 p.m., and the visiting Dragons hope to be better prepared and to perform more efficiently.

“I expect a tough game. Roybal will be fired up for us,” Divinity said. “We beat them once before a couple of years ago for one of our only wins in school history, and I think Royal is going to come in thinking they can beat. They’re going to be pumped, and we plan to be pumped, too. It’s going to be tough.”

The key for Bernstein is to focus on fundamentals, Divinity said.

“Basically, our game plan is to play a good solid game defensively and to be error-free on offense and on both sides of the ball,” Divinity said. “We want to play sound football with no penalties because by now the kids know how to play the game. It’s just a matter of mental concentration.

“The bottom line is, we’re not concentrating and not getting it done with off-sides penalties and things like that. But we do understand how to play football, so now it’s time to learn how to win, and that comes with concentration.”

Among those who’ve impressed is defensive back Bryan Moran, who had an interception against Torres and could have had a couple of others, Divinity said.

“Bryan had an outstanding game. They mostly stayed away from him,” Divinity said. “People know about him and don’t pass in his direction. He should have had two or three interceptions. He was our player of the game.

Linebacker Jess Gomez also play well, Divinity said.

Royal is 0-22 all-time, having never won a game since starting up in 2009. But this season, the losses are getting closer. The Titans opened with a 17-14 loss to Contreras, followed by a 15-7 loss last week to Firebaugh.

Also Friday night:

Hollywood (1-2) at Torres (2-1), 7 p.m.

A safety against North Hollywood gave the Sheiks their first victory of the season last week, now they take on the same team that defeated crosstown rival Bernstein the same night.

Torres has outscored its last two opponents 60-19. Hollywood needs to improve on offense, having scored a total of 22 points in its first three games.