The Holiday Bowl doubled as a homecoming for University of Nebraska defensive back Anthony West. The former Point Loma High School football standout saw action at cornerback in the fourth quarter and deflected a pass on the final drive of the game to preserve the Huskers’ shutout in the 33-0 win over the University of Arizona. “It means a lot just because it’s home,” West said. “I grew up here and spent all of my life here. It’s special coming back and being able to play in a game like this.” West had numerous friends and family members in attendance for Nebraska’s game against Arizona. He said he divvied out 45 tickets for the game. “A lot of friends and a lot of family were there,” West said. “I had to round up a lot of tickets to make sure I took care of the people that were asking for some.” After starting 10 games at cornerback for the Huskers in 2008, West came into the 2009 season as the incumbent starter. After starting the first five games of the season, he lost his job to sophomore Alfonzo Dennard and has played a reserve role in the secondary while keeping his famed blackshirt practice jersey that denotes first-team status. “It’s been something you got to get used to. Competition in the secondary has been strong,” West said. “You have a lot of good guys back there and you just have to come every day and work hard.” The Holiday Bowl was not West’s first time playing Qualcomm Stadium. He also appeared at the home of the Chargers as a member of the Point Loma’s 2005 football team that lost to St. Augustine in the Division III section finals. “That’s one of the first things I thought about once I knew we were going to the Holiday Bowl — how it’s crazy that I played there in high school,” West said. “It seems like it was just yesterday.” West was one of seven Californians in his recruiting class and one of three San Diegans on the Huskers’ current roster. He said even in his fourth year living in Lincoln that he is still adjusting to the change in climate. “The main thing is that the snow and the wind out there is really bad,” West said. “We just left a blizzard. We got about 10-12 inches of snow in a matter of a half a day.” Besides nice weather, West said what he misses most about Point Loma is friends and family. “[I miss] just being around all my friends, everybody I played with and my family — just being at home,” West said. “It’s a great city, a great part of town and I just miss it.”