Schools

Notre Dame Looks to Parlay Good Start in Football Showdown

Local sports: The Knights play at Birmingham tonight in a key showdown between 3-0 teams.

It’s a big night for Notre Dame High football, as the Knights play at City Section power Birmingham in Van Nuys in a matchup of undefeated teams on the upswing, as both are 3-0 after finishing 2-8 last season. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.

“So far, we’re doing a good job. The kids are confident, and they’re battling to the end,” Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney said.

Some of Notre Dame’s top players are quarterback Kelly Hilinski, running back Khalfani Muhammad and receiver/defensive back Kevin Carrasco. Hilinski has completed 54.2 percent for 352 yards and five touchdowns, Muhammad has rushed for 372 yards and two touchdowns in addition to four receptions for 62 yards, and Carrasco has a 42-yard touchdown reception and several key plays defense.

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“Kelly is doing some good things. He’s a big guy, and he has a really good arm, and he’s very bright,” Rooney said. “He has worked hard to become a great quarterback, and he has unlimited potential. He is going to be outstanding.”

Muhammad is one of California’s fastest players—he finished second in the 100 meters at the state track championships this spring.

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“Obviusly, it’s great to have someone like Khalfani who can break a long touchdown on any play, but he’s proving to be a tough runner by breaking tackles, too,” Rooney said. “He can get the four or five yards a crack as well as the big plays, and he provides good pass protection with his blocking, too.”

Carrasco was a one-man gang in a 17-14 overtime win against Valencia two weeks ago, coming with a touchdown reception on fourth-and-15 and stripping a Valencia ball carrier of the football for a game-ending fumble in overtime, as Notre Dame came from 14 points down over the final seven minutes.

“Kevin is a very good player, and he’s been making a lot of plays,” Rooney said. “He is involved in every phase, and he’s very fast. He is going to do a lot of great things for us.”

Birmingham has outscored opponents by an average of nearly 45 points, but the host Patriots have faced lighter competition, as the three opponents Birmingham has defeated—West Adams, Belmont and Grant—have a combined record of 0-8.

Overall, Birmingham has scored eight touchdowns on returns.

“Notre Dame is by far the best team we’ve faced,” Birmingham coach Jim Rose said. “They’re well-coached. We have to play much better than we’ve been playing to beat them. We’re definitely better than we were last year, and we’ve already scored more points than we did all of last year, but Notre Dame is Notre Dame.”

Notre Dame is trying to come back after failing to make the playoffs last season for the first time since 1991.

“Everyone is more excited when you’re winning—the fans, the parents—and I feel like we’re an underdog this year, so we’ve been working hard in the spring and the summer, and it’s all been worth it,” Carrasco said. “We’ve had a great week of practice preparing for Birmingham.”

 

NOTRE DAME VOLLEYBALL OFF TO HOT START

 

Notre Dame’s girls volleyball team is off to a good start. The Knights are 13-0, including a win Tuesday over Mission League rival Harvard-Westlake.


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