HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL : City Section Roundup

Sylmar 44, Verdugo Hills 7--Despite playing with an injured right ankle, running back Jerome Casey rushed for 144 yards in 11 carries and scored on runs of 19, 11 and 43 yards as Sylmar dominated at home in the season opener for both schools.

Wide receiver Jeff Howard caught 2 passes for 96 yards, one an 85-yard touchdown from backup quarterback Shawn Aleshire late in the game. Verdugo Hills scored its only points when quarterback Louie Rodriguez passed eight yards to wide receiver Paul Koons with 2 1/2 minutes to play.