Hart High Hosts First ‘True’ Home Football Game in Decades, Secures 35-9 Win Over Birmingham
By Tim Haddock
Hart High played its first home football game on campus in over 50 years, defeating Birmingham High 35-9. Originally scheduled to play Eisenhower, the game was moved due to nearby wildfires, and Hart's administration quickly organized an impromptu game on their campus. The team overcame a slow start, with standout performances from Parker Maxwell, Zach Rogozik, and Nathaniel Mata, leading Hart to their third consecutive win.
September 22, 2024 - On September 13, 2024, the Hart High football team played Birmingham High at Hart High in the first home football game on campus in over 50 years.
The last time Hart High played a home game at Hart was in 1973.
The school brought in extra stands for a student section in the north end zone. The football field had lights and an overflowing crowd of parents and fans in the stands. The events leading up to the game at Hart include devastating fires, last-minute alterations to the football field and finding a school with the flexibility to play a game on short notice.
Hart was scheduled to play Eisenhower in Rialto, but the school is in San Bernardino County and surrounded by wildfires that have been raging for more than a week. Eisenhower canceled the game, leaving Hart without an opponent for the fourth week of the season. Birmingham High in Lake Balboa was in the same boat. They did not have an opponent and an open date for the fourth week of the high school football season.
The two teams decided to play each other, but finding a suitable field was the next challenge. Hart usually plays its home games at College of the Canyons, but Saugus High was playing Simi Valley at COC on Friday night.
The Hart administration and district decided to turn the Hart home field into an impromptu site for a night football game. The lights were already in place for use. Additional bleachers were brought in for a makeshift student section. Seats were available for the visiting team on the west sideline.
Hart High coach Jake Goossen-Brown talked about putting the game together on the fly and the atmosphere on campus for a true home game.
“I credit my administration for getting this done,” Coach Jake Goossen-Brown told Santa Clarita Weekly. “When I first was hired, I said to the booster club, I said I want a home game at Hart – a true home game.”
The game kicked off on time without a hitch, but it took the Hart High football team a little time to wake up once the game started. Hart won the game, 35 to 9, and won its third game in a row.
Birmingham scored the first points of the game on a safety in the first quarter. Hart was called for intentional grounding in the end zone. Birmingham led 2 to nothing after the first quarter. But Hart scored two touchdowns in the second quarter and took a 14 to 2 lead at halftime. Receiver Parker Maxwell scored both touchdowns and had one called back on a holding call. It could have easily been a much larger lead for Hart at the half. Birmingham scored a touchdown in the third quarter to cut the lead to 14 to 9. Hart scored the next two touchdowns to go up 28 to 9 and start pulling away.
Zach Rogozik and Nathaniel Mata scored rushing touchdowns in the second half. Hart is 3 and 1 after four games. Rogozik talked about what it was like playing a home game on campus for the first time and Hart winning its third game in a row.
“It was unreal,” Rogozik said. “Coming out of the locker room at pre-game and at halftime, it was something different than we ever felt before. Our fans were all around us, surrounding us coming out. And the student section was amazing – just as good as it always is. It was a great time.”
Santa Clarita Weekly
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