Uni High Football Kicks Off Sept. 9

When it comes to football, there wasn't much to cheer about the past three seasons at University High, but new head coach Lee Lowe hopes to change that this coming fall.  

The Wildcats enter the 2011 season having lost 24 straight games and 29 of their last 30 dating back to the last game of 2007 when they fell to Garfield 28-23 in the City Section Invitational finals. That was under coach E.C. Robinson, who was succeeded by Dennis Tolbert after a 1-9 record in 2008. Tolbert's teams went 0-19 the last two years. 

University's only win the last three seasons was a 32-30 triumph over Cleveland on October 10, 2008 in Reseda. 

Lowe would like nothing more than to open this season with a victory and the Wildcats' first opponent may be their best chance. They host Animo South Los Angeles at 3 p.m. on campus September 9. Animo is no pushover, however, having reached the Division III championship game last season.

University's toughest nonleague game figures to be in Week 3 against perennial Southern Section power Los Alamitos at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach. In Week 5 the Wildcats host Cleveland to close out their nonleague schedule. 

The Western League has emerged as one of the best in the City over the last several years. University remains in the Division II playoff bracket this season, but the other five teams will all be in Division I. 

University starts league play at home against Palisades, which won seven games last season and reached the semifinals of the Division II playoffs under first-year coach Perry Jones. The Dolphins routed Uni 44-7 last year.

For homecoming the next week the Wildcats face defending City Division II champion Fairfax, which tied Palisades for second in the standings last fall. The Lions beat University 48-7 last year.

The Wildcats end the season with road games at Westchester, Venice and Hamilton--schools that combined to outscore University 129-25 a year ago. Venice was a Division I semifinalist last year and Hamilton won the Division II crown in 2009. 

Players will be allowed to wear helmets starting next week and full pad practice starts August 15. 

2011 UNIHI VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Sept. 9 -- vs. Animo South Los Angeles, 3 p.m.

Sept. 16 -- vs. Panorama, 3 p.m.

Sept. 22 -- vs. Los Alamitos at Veterans Stadium (Long Beach), 7 p.m.

Sept. 30 -- at Eagle Rock, 7 p.m.

Oct. 7 -- vs. Cleveland, 3 p.m.

Oct. 14 -- vs. Palisades, 3 p.m.*

Oct. 21 -- vs. Fairfax (homecoming), TBA*

Oct. 28 -- at Westchester, 7 p.m.*

Nov. 4 -- at Venice, 7 p.m.*

Nov. 10 -- at Hamilton, 2 p.m.*

* Western League game