Harvard-Westlake Triumphs Over Birmingham in High-Stakes Game

LAKE BALBOA – Birmingham came out firing on all cylinders, riding two long Braylen Morgan runs to grab a quick 7-0 lead. The Patriots had caught Harvard-Westlake off guard by rushing to the line on the touchdown run.

Despite badly failing their first quiz of the night, the Wolverine defense quickly regrouped. “This was the third game this season we got down early,” Harvard-Westlake head coach Dameon Porter said. “If I could give you one word about our team, it’s resilience.”

A football player in a blue uniform carrying the ball is being pursued by several players in white and red uniforms on a field at night.

A football player in a blue uniform with the number 6 runs with the ball during a game on a field surrounded by spectators.

Still, one question lingered: Could the unbeaten Wolverines move the ball? Through the first three possessions, their prolific run game had produced just 10 yards. The offense looked tentative, almost as if they didn’t quite believe.

Through the early part of this season, Harvard-Westlake had every reason to believe. The Wolverines had already avenged two losses from a year ago, beating Venice and Pacific Palisades. Now they were going for the trifecta against a Birmingham team that dismantled them 44-8 last season.

With his offense struggling, Porter played the field-position game and waited for something to break. Late in the first quarter, it did. Facing fourth-and-one from his own 29, Birmingham head coach Jim Rose had Daniel Kakooza fake like he’s running off the field for the punter and then all the Patriots rushed to the line (like on the touchdown).

A football player in a blue jersey is being tackled by two players in white jerseys with red stripes on a grassy field during a game.

But this time the Wolverines were up to the task. Max Ferreira and sophomore Noah Williams dropped Morgan as soon as he took the handoff, handing Harvard-Westlake the turnover it needed.

Newly cleared running back Ashton Oaks-Terrell immediately made Birmingham pay, busting a long run to the 2-yard line. On the next play, Jordan Doi bullied his way into the end zone to tie the game at 7.

A high school football game scene with players in red and white uniforms running on the field, while opponents in blue jerseys attempt to tackle. The game is set at night with spectators in the background.

A high school football game scene featuring players in red and white uniforms, with one player about to score a touchdown as several defenders in blue tackle him on the field.

There was almost a collective “Oh” from the crowd. This wasn’t the Harvard-Westlake team of a year ago. There was new math to consider in the Del Rey League.

Morgan quickly reminded everyone how dangerous Birmingham could be, breaking another long run to the Wolverine 20. But a penalty and a series of negative plays pushed the Patriots backward. And, in what would become a recurring theme, a long field-goal attempt sailed wide right.

Two football players running on the field; one is carrying the ball while the other is in pursuit.

Harvard-Westlake quarterback Aaryan Mehdi-Williams found some rhythm throwing to Ellis Robinson. While that drive ended with a blocked field goal, the Wolverines were toying with a dangerous new balance. “(Patriots) were hellbent on defending the run tonight,” Porter admitted. “That opened up some opportunities in the passing game.”

On the Wolverines’ next possession, Doi broke loose for 62 yards. Moments later, Mehdi-Williams connected with Solomon Moore for a touchdown and they headed into halftime leading a shocked Birmingham 14-7.

A football player wearing a white jersey with red stripes throws a football during a game, with spectators visible in the background.

A football player in a white jersey leaps to catch a pass while another player in a blue jersey attempts to defend. The scene depicts an exciting moment during a high school football game with a crowd in the background.

The Patriots opened the third quarter with Kakooza completing 7 of 8 passes on a seven-minute drive. A holding penalty stalled their momentum and another missed field goal left Birmingham empty-handed. Still, it was only a one-score game.

Exavier “X” Johnson got his opportunity on the next Birmingham possession and immediately found the electric Paul Turner on a short slant. Turner did the rest, breaking multiple tackles en route to earning 31 yards after the catch down to the Wolverine 20.

“X” swept left on a keeper and appeared to score the tying touchdown. But another holding penalty brought it back. Birmingham missed their third field goal.

A football player wearing a blue jersey with the number 10 throws a football while being closely watched by a referee and another player in a white jersey with the number 10.

A football player in a blue jersey with the number 3 is throwing a football during a night game, with a stadium and crowd in the background.

Harvard-Westlake drove the nail in the coffin with their own long drive to start the fourth, capped by Doi’s second touchdown to account for the final 21-7 spread.

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A football player in a white uniform with the number 8 celebrates after scoring a touchdown, holding the football in his hand. Two opposing players in blue uniforms are in the background, with one player on the ground.

Birmingham has plenty of firepower with All-City players on both sides of the ball. Morgan topped 100 yards rushing. Turner caught 10 passes for 113. But the Patriots couldn’t turn production into points.

“They played four quarters and we did not,” Rose said. “We’re gonna practice a lot better this week. We’ll fix it.” The Patriots (1-4) get a chance to right the ship next Friday against unbeaten Cleveland (5-0) in what shapes up as the City Section’s biggest game of the season so far.

A football player wearing a blue and gold uniform runs with the ball, surrounded by teammates and opponents on a grassy field during a game.

A football player wearing a dark uniform is being tackled by two opposing players in white and red uniforms during a game on a well-lit field.

Doi finished with 137 yards rushing and two touchdowns, but Porter saw the victory as a team effort. “Our defense is the strength of our team,” Porter said. “We didn’t get lined up that second play of the game, so they snuck one in on us. But once we were able to get lined up, we were able to control the line of scrimmage a little bit.”

The win kept Harvard-Westlake unbeaten and further cemented a turnaround that has the program reaching heights it hasn’t seen in more than a decade. The 5-0 Wolverines open league play Friday at Salesian.