Belmont High: New Turf, Same Old Woes

Game 2 of the new football season wasn't much better for Belmont High's Sentinels than Game 1.

Birmingham's Patriots polished off the locals 45-0.

The loss came just hours after LAUSD School Board prez Monica Garcia and city council president Eric Garcetti stopped by to help the school dedicate its newly refurbished field.

The $1 million renovation features artificial turf, a new scoreboard and a new track--though entry is still from the parking structure below.

Belmont also dropped a 50-16 loss to cross town rivals John Marshall High last week in the season opener.

While the school boasts alumni like songwriter Mike Stoller, television writer Jack Webb and comedian Mort Stahl, it has a troubled athletic legacy.

Fans Friday blamed the density of nearby public high schools for Belmont's current football problems.

The arrival of the Miguel Contreras Learning Academy and the new Roybal Learning Center within blocks has only made things worse, they said.

There will be a second ceremony at Montgomery Field on September 23 to rename the field in honor of teacher Dentler Erdman.

Sal Castro Middle School--based at the Belmont campus--is named after a former Belmont teacher too.