A crowd of more than 600 students, parents, alumni and community members turned out at Beverly Hills High School on Aug. 28 for the Normans' first home football game of the season.
Beverly Hills fell 38-27 to Centennial High School of Compton, but the Normans scored four touchdowns against a team that defeated them 28-0 last season. Eli Strzelecki, Luca Brenner, Luca Goldman and Noah Paul each scored for Beverly Hills.
Four touchdowns, student leadership and renewed community belief mark Coach Jeff Bailey’s home debut. Left to right: Russell Stuart, Loan Sriruksa, Norman Mascot, Dr. Issaic Gates, Dr. Alex Cherniss, Judy Manouchehri
The game marked the home debut of Head Football Coach Jeff Bailey, who joined BHHS earlier this year with more than three decades of coaching experience. Bailey's record as a head coach includes 179 career victories, 18 playoff appearances, 11 league championships and four CIF titles.
When Bailey was introduced to the community in February, he outlined the standard he intended to establish within the program.
A Beverly Hills Police Department patrol vehicle circles the track with lights and sirens activated following a Norman touchdown, as fans cheer from the stands during BHHS' home opener.
"When discipline becomes your standard, winning follows."
Friday's home opener extended beyond the field. BHHS Associated Student Body members helped organize the game-night experience, which included complimentary pizza, ice cream and giveaways. The BHHS marching band and cheerleaders performed throughout the evening, while KBEV students recorded the game and documented the event.
"More than 600 people came together Friday night around one shared purpose: supporting our students," BHUSD Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss said. "Our student-athletes competed with discipline, our students helped create an outstanding event, and the community brought renewed energy to Norman football. That collective effort is an important part of building a strong and lasting program."
The Beverly Hills Fire Department provided on-site medical support, while the Beverly Hills Police Department worked with the BHUSD Command Center on event safety. A Beverly Hills Police Department motorcycle and patrol cruiser added to the celebration after each Norman touchdown, circling the track with emergency lights and sirens activated as the crowd reacted from the stands, adding to the electric atmosphere in the stadium.
A referee signals Beverly Hills High School's first offensive touchdown of the season during the Normans' home opener against Centennial on Aug. 28.
Centennial, led by Head Coach Dwayne Smith, improved to 2-0. Beverly Hills entered the season after going winless in 2025 and will next travel to face Army-Navy Academy at 7 p.m. on Sept. 4.
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