Eastside history will be made in Inglewood this Friday.
The East L.A. Classic, a decades-long football showdown between Roosevelt and Garfield high schools, is set to take place at the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium.
Players, coaches and Los Angeles Unified School District representatives marked the historic matchup at a press conference Monday outside the Inglewood stadium, where the Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl in 2022.
Supt. Alberto Carvalho said the game will be the first one played by LAUSD students at SoFi. Other regional high school matches have been hosted at the stadium, such as Downey Unified School Districts’ Warren and Downey high schools last year.
“For 89 years, this game has been played. It’s a game well-steeped in tradition, in culture, in history, in gamesmanship, but it’s all about Los Angeles. The best of the best will be on this field this Friday night… You’ll bring glory, you’ll bring acclaim, you’ll bring notoriety to your schools regardless of the final tally,” Carvalho told a crowd of players, cheerleaders, band members and coaches.
Posing for photos in front of the moat that surrounds the stadium, players stood proudly displaying their blue and white or red and gold, as they fielded friendly jabs over who would claim bragging rights come Friday.
Noah Hernandez, team captain for Garfield’s football team, said he and his team were proud to represent the Garfield community, its student body, and everyone who understands the legacy of the Eastside school.
“I’m a Rams fan. I remember my dad and I watching the Rams football games, and it was always my dream to be part of games like that. Now, standing here with my teammates and getting the opportunity to play on one of the biggest stages in the country so far, it feels like that dream has become a reality,” Hernandez said.
Ernesto Ceja, Roosevelt’s head coach, said he was honored to lead his team of student athletes in such a professional arena.
“Some of these kids after high school might not ever play football ever again and might not get to experience that college atmosphere, that NFL atmosphere and they are going to experience that on Friday,” Ceja said.
Andrea Avalos, Garfield High School’s student body president, said the game’s tradition speaks to the culture of the Eastside for more than just one night.
“Every year, you hear the same famous words when people talk about the Classic, ‘It’s more than just a football game.’ And it’s true. This rivalry between Garfield and Roosevelt, ironically, has unified our communities more than ever,” Avalos said.
While last year’s East L.A. Classic was held at East L.A. College, the game’s most frequent site, the 2022 face-off drew more than 22,000 fans when it was held at the L.A. Coliseum and included a performance by The Black Eyed Peas.
Will.i.am, who grew up in Boyle Heights, will once again take the stage with The Black Eyed Peas for the halftime show this Friday. Mariachis, color guard, and the drill and cheer teams will be hyping up the crowd during the flag football, junior varsity and varsity games.
Ben Gertner, principal of Roosevelt High School, said he’s been to a few games at SoFi Stadium and is excited for the teams to have the opportunity to play on a professional field with instant replay capability in front of thousands of fans. “It’s going to be an incredible game,” he said.
And for those torn between watching the first game of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees or rooting for the Eastside high school teams playing the Classic, Gertner suggested a way to stay updated with baseball happenings.
“I would never tell people to miss a Dodger game… but this game is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the East L.A. Classic right here at SoFi Stadium. Hopefully [Dodger fans] can keep track of the score on their phone while they’re enjoying the Classic and cheering for our student athletes.”
The East L.A. Classic will take place on Friday, Oct. 25, at SoFi Stadium. JV football will take the field at 3:30 p.m. with girls’ flag football on at 6 ahead of the varsity game, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available online via Ticketmaster.
