GRANADA HILLS — An abundance of unknowns overshadowed Granada Hills’ start to the 2024 high school football season.
The Highlanders had to forfeit five games last season after self-reporting academic ineligibilities. Three of their leading rushers are no longer on their roster. They are a younger bunch, with tempered expectations.
Yet, they met that ambiguity head on Thursday night. Jonathan Martin led the Highlanders with 10 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown, and eight different players touched the ball as Granada Hills gained over 300 yards on the ground as it beat visiting Franklin 22-7.
It’s a new season, but running the ball — every play — is still the foundation of the program under head coach Bucky Brooks.
“We play to the strengths of the kids that we have,” Brooks said. “We have runners.”
And plenty of them.
That collective approach wasn’t exclusive to the offense. The Highlanders’ defense held Franklin (0-1) scoreless in the second half. It was an effort highlighted by three fourth-down stops in the final 15 minutes.
“It was big for us to play team ball,” Brooks said.
Prior to Thursday’s game, Brooks preached the importance of unity as the Highlanders are undergoing “a program reset.” He felt that, to be successful in the early parts of this season, coming off of a turmoil-ridden offseason, a younger Highlanders roster would have to lean on one another.
He also knew they had the opportunity to reshape the culture.
“If we can set good examples in terms of how we play, how we handle ourselves, we’re going to have a bunch of kids that want to play that way,” Brooks said. “It’s not about chasing talented players, but making sure we have the right players in the program.”
Within the first half it was clear, there’s a healthy mixture of both.
Jesse Hughes opened the scoring with a 5-yard run up the middle with two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Then, on a third-and-8 in the second quarter, Dean Rosales beat three Franklin defenders to the edge, navigating the sideline like a gymnast balancing on his tippy toes for a 51-yard score. The longest gain of the night gave the Highlanders a 14-7 lead at halftime.
They extended that lead on the first drive of the third quarter. Martin had subsequent 17-yard scampers to cap a 71-yard drive in which six running backs carried the ball.
“I couldn’t have done it without my team,” Martin said. “Especially my offensive line. They blocked very well.”
That is, apart from his touchdown run.
Martin escaped the arms of a Franklin defender who had him wrapped up in the backfield, evading two more to find space on the left and reach the end zone. His score put the Highlanders up 22-7, and at that point the defense shut the door.
Their crucial stops acted as a period to the end of a statement. A strong one, at that. One that says, no matter the changes in personnel, or the questions looming over the program, not much has changed on the field. They’re still as ho-hum, as successful as their run game.
“We certainly can improve,” Brooks said. “But I think this is the team we want to be stylistically: Run the ball well, play good defense, make critical plays when we have to make them.”
