`THE RIGHT DIRECTION' RICKY ELLIOTT OF HIGHLAND ABLE TO FIND SOME STABILITY.

Byline: Ramona Shelburne Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Terrence Zenno sees a lot of himself in Ricky Elliott. And not just because the two have known each other since Elliott was in diapers and Zenno taught him to play football on Weidner Street in Pacoima.

``We played light pole to light pole,'' Zenno said. ``We learned to play football on asphalt. There was a street full of kids playing football.''

Zenno is 11 years older than Elliott, who is a starting wide receiver and free safety at Highland, and he's still teaching him to play football.

``Ricky is kind of an inspiration to me,'' said Zenno, now an assistant coach at Highland after a college career at Colorado State. ``He's like a little brother that you can live through and show them how not to make the same mistakes that you made. I'm trying to guide him to the next level where everyone is just as good as you and if you don't work hard, you'll get passed by.

``I'm trying to keep him focused and tell him that he's got all the talent in the world, so he should go to the next level.''

Elliott always has had the talent to play football in college. He runs a 4.5 40-yard dash, has instincts to play defensive back and a toughness honed from years of boxing training with his grandfather, Roger ``Pops'' Elliott.

What's been missing is stability.

Elliott began high school at Palmdale and played with current Falcons' standouts JaVonte Holmes, Justin Shaw, Adrian Jenkins and T.J. McKay on the freshman team that went 10-0.

He transferred to Highland and was a varsity starter at receiver and defensive back as a sophomore as well as a standout basketball player. But for his junior year, he moved with his father to the San Fernando Valley and attended Monroe of North Hills.

That wasn't a good situation for Elliott, so he moved back to Palmdale for his senior year at Highland. He lives with his grandparents Pops and Carmen Elliott, with whom he has lived most of his life.

``He's a real good athlete, and he's come a long way,'' Holmes said of his former teammate, who remains a close friend. ``He has real good hands and is a very good receiver. He's a real threat for Highland. The type of player who can make big plays if you don't tackle him. On defense, he's not afraid to hit people, so you have to watch out for him.

``But this is his senior year, and he's moved around a lot, so this is his time to show what he's really about. If he has a good season and Highland goes deep into the playoffs, because that's when the college scouts come out and watch, he should have no problems getting to college.''

Elliott also senses the urgency of this season in terms of his future in football.

``I'm hoping this season is a breakout year for me,'' Elliott said. ``But I like it here at Highland, it's more like a military camp than a football team because that's how (Highland coach Sam Vaiana) runs it. But that makes me more disciplined, and I like it.''

Zenno sees Elliott's talent and has looked out for him this season so it doesn't go to waste.

``I was a pretty good athlete in high school, but my work ethic kind of sluffed off after that, and I'm trying to teach him not to make the same mistakes I did because at the next level, everyone is as good as you,'' Zenno said. ``... You gotta have football instincts, a lot of kids don't have that, but Ricky is one of the top athletes in the (Antelope Valley), and he has those instincts.''

With Zenno's guidance and the support of Vaiana and Highland principal Patrick Iaccino, Elliott feels he finally has the stability and environment to succeed. He wants to continue his football career in college, but if for some reason that doesn't work out, he has a plan his grandfather will love.

``I've never had it like this before,'' he said. ``With Coach Vaiana and Coach Zenno guiding me, this is the first time I feel like I'm going in the right direction.

``... I want to play football in college and make it to the (NFL), but if football doesn't work out, I'll work on boxing with Pops and become champion of the world one day.''

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Ricky Elliott has moved around during his high school years, but it appears he finally has found a home at Highland.