Hollywood High Football Falls in Overtime

Leading 14-0 and seemingly in complete control at halftime, it looked as though the Hollywood High varsity football team was on its way to a decisive win Thursday night in its season opener against Monroe in North Hills.

However, bad snaps led to costly turnovers that proved to be the Sheiks' downfall in the latter stages of their 26-20 overtime loss. It was the second year in a row that the teams went into overtime, only last fall Hollywood prevailed 44-36.

The Sheiks got the ball first in overtime, but fumbled on the first play and Monroe recovered. The Vikings fumbled on their first two plays but recovered each time and move the ball to the 4-yard-line.

From there, Ryan Cisneros ran up the middle for the game-winning touchdown that sent the Vikings and their fans into delirium.

Though the result was hard to swallow, co-coaches Jim McElroy and Kevin Keller had a strong message for their players going forward:

"It's all about executing every play," McElroy said. "This hurts right now, but it's going to bring us closer together."

"It's not about how we start [the season], it's about how we finish," Keller added. "Just look at this game. We've got to own the fourth quarter and tonight we didn't."

Jeremi Ross got Hollywood off to a fast start by scampering 42 yards on a quarterback keeper on the game's first play from scrimmage, but the Sheiks turned the ball over on downs four plays later. 

On its next possession, Hollywood's "quarterback connection" hooked up for a 64-yard touchdown, as Kenneth Ribeiro launched a high pass to Ross, who out-jumped his defender, broke a tackle and raced into the end zone. 

"We had one-on-one coverage and the safety was late coming over to help," said Ross, the Sheiks' leading rusher on the night. "Kenny got some air under the ball and I was able to make the catch."

David Garces missed the extra point try after a low snap, keeping the score 6-0.

After John Rodriguez recovered a fumble at Monroe's 37-yard line, the Sheiks needed six plays to increase their lead to 14-0 on a six-yard run by Ronald Clayton and a two-point conversion pass from Ross to Sam Morales with 11:03 left in the second quarter. 

Hollywood seemed poised to break the game open late in the first half after a hurried Salvador Castillo threw the ball right into the arms of defensive end Aron Kaplan at midfield and the sophomore rumbled to Monroe's 24. However, the clock ran out before the Sheiks could put more points on the board. 

"That was a momentum changer when we got into the red zone and couldn't score," McElroy said. "We didn't execute like we should've in that situation and it kept them in the game."

Monroe took the second half kickoff and marched to its first score of the game on Castillo's four-yard quarterback keeper. Freddy Madrid's conversion run pulled the host Vikings within 14-8.

Hollywood answered when Ross faked a handoff, turned the corner on a quarterback option and sprinted 80 yards up the left sideline, but an illegal use of the hands penalty negated the touchdown. Later in the third quarter Ross hurt his left knee while throwing a block and the coaches sat him for the rest of the game, not wanting to risk further injury. 

Castillo's one-yard run tied the game early in the fourth quarter, but on the two-point conversion pass Garces batted the ball away at the last second to keep the score 14-14. 

Hollywood regained the lead when Ribeiro threw short to Morales, who caught the pass in stride and raced 45 yards for a touchdown with 8:33 left. Garces was tackled short of the goal line on the two-point conversion try. 

McElroy credited junior backup quarterback Erick Villar for suggesting the play from the sideline. 

"Erick runs our short passing game, he has knowledge of what we're doing and he recognized that the play would work," McElroy said.

Hollywood's defense was caught off guard when Anjuan Farmer caught a 60-yard touchdown pass from Castillo to tie the game with just over two minutes remaining. 

The Sheiks began the next possession at their 20, but a fumbled snap on the first play led to Clayton being tackled back at the 3-yard line. 

"Mistakes are what killed us," Morales said. "We just have to improve on our snaps and our catching. We can definitely bounce back. This is only the first game and it's a long season."

Hollywood continues nonleague play at Canoga Park next Friday. 

Team 

1

2

3

4

OT

Final

Hollywood

6

8

0

6

0

20

Monroe

0

0

8

12

6

26

Scoring Summary

Hollywood -- Ross 64 pass from Ribeiro (kick failed)

Hollywood -- Clayton 6 run (Morales pass from Ross)

Monroe -- Castillo 4 run (Madrid run)

Monroe -- Castillo 1 run (pass failed)

Hollywood -- Morales 45 pass from Ribeiro (run failed) 

Monroe -- Farmer 60 pass from Castillo (run failed)

Monroe -- Cisneros 4 run 

Records: Hollywood 0-1; Monroe 1-0.