BURBANK — It has been a challenging season so far for the Bellarmine-Jefferson High football program, as the Guards continue to struggle with a low turnout of players and a general lack of experience. It began with three canceled games, with one going down as a forfeit, and then, after finally taking the field, a stumble resulting in lopsided defeat against a high-ranking inter-division opponent that was called in the middle of the fourth quarter by first-year coach Lance Fauria.
However, in their home opener Saturday night at Memorial Field, the Guards had an opportunity for the first time to get their feet solidly on the ground, taking on an opponent in Campbell Hall that had also lost games to forfeit and cancellation this season.
In the battle of struggling programs, it was the Vikings who came out on top, 28-0, and garnered their first victory of the campaign, but Bellarmine-Jefferson took steps forward, as this time they competed from the opening kickoff until the final whistle with the clock reading all zeros.