Sports
Column: Coach Elijah Asante has Hamilton football on the path to success
For more than 60 seconds, Hamilton High football players, dressed in suits and ties, bowed their heads in the middle of the Fairfax football field and stayed silent, some in prayer. They were honoring someone none of them knew — Christian Garcia, a 16-year-old junior varsity football player from South East who died last week after suffering an injury on Aug. 23 in a JV game against Maywood CES.
“The purpose of us doing that is we are family,” coach Elijah Asante told his players in the locker room afterward. “We like to compete, we want to win but when a kid falls from another school, we should feel that, too, and that’s what you were paying tribute to. We always have to show class.”
When coaches are making a difference, it’s not always seen on a scoreboard despite the obsession with winning.
Just seeing Hamilton players walk from their bus carrying helmets and backpacks and looking like they are headed to church because of the way they are dressed in suits and ties sends a clear message in a day and age when shorts and T-shirts are sometimes acceptable to wear at work.
“It’s being professional,” said Hamilton senior Nicholas Jacobo, who had to go with his uncle to buy his first suit and first tie.
In education-based high school sports, what’s happening at Hamilton deserves attention and praise. Asante, who previously coached at L.A. Jordan, Carson, Compton and St. Paul, had been retired since 2018. He agreed to take over the Hamilton program one week before the official start of practice at the end of July.
“I couldn’t say no,” Asante said.
It’s suit and tie for Hamilton players as they arrive for game against Crenshaw at Fairfax.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Asante didn’t even have keys to open school gates or doors that first week. He borrowed some from the athletic director. He went to work starting with basic fundamentals, teaching tackling, stretching, conditioning, discipline, tying a tie. Everything was about developing good habits not just for playing football but for life as an adult.
Asante used to show up at games as the best dressed in a stadium with his suit and tie. His players now look the same until changing into their uniforms. Parents from other teams look surprised when they see Hamilton players in formal attire.
“Oh my God, you guys always wear a suit and tie to games?” a Fairfax parent asked a Hamilton player.
“Yes ma’am,” the player replied.
“I’m bringing my son to Hamilton.”
Hamilton lost its season opener to St. Monica 49-8, then won its next game against Manual Arts 12-6. It somehow was leading Crenshaw 6-0 in the fourth quarter last week after a desperation fourth-down 21-yard touchdown pass from Jacobo to sophomore Jacob Riley.
Crenshaw rallied for a late touchdown and two-point conversion to win 8-6. The Cougars have their own challenges with only 20 players dressed to play. Hamilton, which produced NFL great Warren Moon, and Crenshaw, the school of De’Anthony Thomas, are nowhere near their glory days of the past in City Section football.
And yet, coaches are committed to teaching them about football and life, and maybe it will make a difference.
“Winning doesn’t create our culture,” Asante said. “Our culture creates winning.”
Hamilton has mostly sophomores and juniors. Players are making progress considering they’ve come from the bottom not knowing who would be their coach last summer with no workouts.
“I was thinking we weren’t going to have a coach,” Jacobo said.
Asante returned to teach accountability, responsibility and old-school values. That can lead to winning and championships.
The team could end up in Division II or III and make a title run. The school is also building a new stadium complex expected to be completed next year.
The kids and the coach are certainly dressed for success.
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If the Super Bowl marks the end of the NFL season, WrestleMania is when WWE’s year is over.
There is no offseason in WWE, and when waves of departures hit the company, it hits harder than a Gunther knife-edge chop.
Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Nikki Cross appear during SmackDown at First Horizon Center in Savannah, Ga., on May 23, 2025. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Fightful and BodySlam both reported several superstars who left WWE on Friday ahead of “Friday Night SmackDown.” Some wrestlers confirmed their departures on social media.
Those who left included: Alba Fyre, Aleister Black, Alex Shelley, Andre Chase, Apollo Crews, Bo Dallas, Chris Island, Chris Sabin, Dante Chen, Dexter Lumis, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Kairi Sane, Luca Crusifino, Malik Blade, Nikki Cross, Santos Escobar, Sirena Linton, Trill London, Tyra Mae Steele, Tyriek Igwe, Tyson Dupont, Zelina Vegas and Zoey Stark.
The WWE roster is loaded as it is with several NXT stars getting called up this week.
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Sol Ruca made her presence felt on Raw on Monday when she challenged women’s champion Liv Morgan. The Fatal Influence faction of Jacy Jayne, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley took aim at the women’s tag team division on SmackDown on Friday. Ricky Saints and Blake Monroe also had vignettes for their upcoming appearances.
Meanwhile, former NXT champion Oba Femi has been on main WWE programming for the last few weeks and beat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42.
Kairi Sane enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., on April 13, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Aleister Black and Zelina Vega make their way to the ring during SmackDown at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 3, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE)
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It’s not the end of the road for any of the recent departures. Several former WWE stars have made waves elsewhere. Some have even returned over the course of time.
Pitching coach Gus Rico was having dinner on Thursday when head coach Matt Mowry of Birmingham High complimented him on closer Aidan Martinez recording all seven of his outs on strikeouts.
“I had no idea,” Rico said. “Everything is a blur when I’m calling pitches.”
Martinez is throwing some blurs these days after returning this season following Tommy John surgery in June 2024. He touched 92 mph with his fastball and has been improving each week, getting better command and walking fewer batters. He has 28 strikeouts in 15 innings and three saves.
Birmingham is one game behind El Camino Real in the West Valley League standings going into showdown week, playing El Camino Real on Wednesday at on the road and Friday at home. The Patriots need a sweep to have a chance at their first league title under Mowry, who prefers winning City titles.
With Martinez throwing so well, it would be a good strategy for opposing teams to make sure they are leading going into the last two innings.
“He’s got a bright future,” Rico said.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
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Earlier this month, Michigan defeated UConn in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game.
Shortly after the Wolverines captured the program’s first title since 1989, Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. announced he would enter the NBA Draft.
Despite declaring for the NBA Draft, Johnson has maintained his NCAA eligibility throughout the process. However, he has until May 27 to withdraw if he plans to return for his junior season.
Johnson played for Illinois during the 2024-25 season before transferring to Michigan last offseason.
Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. walks on the court against UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated)
After joining Michigan, Johnson quickly emerged as a key contributor, averaging the second-most points on the team. He also led the Wolverines in rebounding, averaging 7.3 per game.
Michigan head coach Dusty May eventually dubbed Johnson “The Enforcer” and “Junkyard Dog,” a nod to his tenacity on the defensive end. Johnson was named to the Big Ten’s All-Defensive Team.
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But Johnson’s offensive prowess didn’t take a back seat to his defensive strengths. His shooting from beyond the 3-point line showed improvement as the season progressed.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines cuts down the net after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 in the 2026 NCAA national championship game in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Many early NBA projections gave Johnson a first-round grade. It’s unclear how much name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation he would command if he returns to Michigan or transfers elsewhere.
Johnson has been active on social media, interacting with teammates as they consider returning to Michigan for another championship push.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after scoring in the second half against the UConn Huskies during the 2026 NCAA national championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
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Michigan added a key piece this week, with Jalen Reed transferring from LSU, On3 reported. Reed was limited during the 2025-26 season by an Achilles injury.
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