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Tag: Burbank High

  • Baseball Preview: Burroughs, Burbank, Providence, Skilled, Ready To Battle

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    Burroughs readies for another successful season. (Photo courtesy Matt Magallon)

    By Rick Assad

    Spring is almost here and there is a jump in baseball players’ steps and the three local high school teams – Burroughs, Burbank and Providence – are ready to battle for their respective league championships.

    Burroughs is coming off a season in which it went 20-8 and 10-4 in the Pacific League for third place.

    The Bears fell 2-0 in a contest to Ganesha during a CIF Southern Section Division IV opening-round game.

    Burroughs lost to graduation several key members and they are Kyle Smith, who played catcher and pitched, Kenny Montgomery, who also pitched and Chase Robinson, who was extremely versatile and could literally play anywhere on the field.

    Matt Magallon is the Burroughs head coach and expects to have a strong season and has a number of seniors to help lead the way.

    They include Jack Smith at catcher, Thomas Martin, Devin Whittekiend at pitcher, Logan Drossin, Ryan Walsh, Nate Sepulveda, Theo Gara, Jack Guest, Mason Fournier, Zack Guevara and Nathan Bartolo.

    The juniors are Elliott Ross at shortstop, Slater Mersola at second base/third base, Jake Rauenswinder at center field, Logan Manolakis, Teddy Severse and Kayson Montgomery at pitcher.

    On the team is sophomore Connor Cox and freshman Brady Powers.

    Burbank has the talent and desire to compete for the Pacific League banner and beyond. (Photo courtesy Bob Hart)

    Magallon, who won a CIF Southern Section Division V title in 2022, believes the team will make a run for the league crown.

    “This group has earned the right to be excited about the season,” he said. “They’ve worked hard every day, pushed each other to improve and built great chemistry as a team. We’re looking forward to seeing that hard work pay off.”

    A season ago, Burbank went 8-11 and carved out a 6-8 league mark for sixth place.

    Bob Hart has been the Burbank head coach for two decades and wants his club to get better each and every day.

    The Bulldogs saw several players graduate and they include Robert Snyder, who pitched and played first base and Colby Bette, who pitched and played catcher.

    “Our focus is on getting better each day. We don’t really concern ourselves with the rest of the league,” he stated. “We try to take one game at a time. Playing good clean baseball is always our primary goal.” 

    Hart talked about who he thinks will pace the team.

    “Carter, Casey, Ryan and Tomas will be leading the way but Jeremy’s injury is a big hit to our program. Our approach is always the same,” he explained. “Next man up. He will still be a huge part of our team but it won’t be on the field. It’s a big loss for us, but the fight goes on and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

    Burbank has a number of returning players and many are seniors but one key member, Jeremy Lee, who plays first base and is also a pitcher, is out for the season with a shoulder injury.

    Other seniors are Sebastian Aguirre who is an outfielder and pitcher, Tomas Angel at first base and center field, Brandon Hernandez in right field, Ryland Le Clair at first base and pitcher, Andru Machado at second base and the outfield and Julian Recinos at shortstop and pitcher.

    The juniors are Grady Gibbs in right field and Tanner Kramer at catcher and the outfield.

    Providence isn’t in the Prep League and will now battle in the Liberty League. (Photo courtesy Mando Contreras)

    The rest of the juniors are Casey Peters at first base and pitcher, Anthony Sanchez at shortstop and pitcher, Carter Williamson at catcher, the infield and pitcher and Ezekiel Canto at first base, the infield and the outfield.

    Last season, Providence had a 9-12 record and went 3-5 in the Prep League for fourth place and were led by Adrian Contreras, who graduated and played the infield and also pitched.

    This season the Pioneers have ten seniors and should lend leadership on the field and off and the team will compete in the Liberty League.

    The upperclassmen are Luc Rode at shortstop and second base, Nicholas Delger at second base, Asa Langlois at shortstop and second base, Jason Carillo at center field and right field, Hudson West at right field and designated hitter, Arlo Wicke at left field, Dylan Sarkisian at third base and Roman Mastandrea.

    Senior Kiran Kostecka and junior Cade Mackenzie will be starting pitchers and sophomore Nathaniel Palmer will play catcher.

    Junior J.J. DiBianca will play at shortstop and second base and there are several freshmen and they include Nathan Mendoza at catcher, Liam Simpson, Ben Oremland at first base and pitcher and Arem Mardirosian at second base.

    Mando Contreras is Providence’s head coach and likes his club.

    “This year I expect our seniors to take the lead on and off the field. We have 10 of them which is the most I’ve ever had at Providence,” he said. “My guys that have been here for four years understand what we do and what we try to do every year. I’m excited for them to lead.” 

    Contreras believes in his squad and feels confident in what they will be able to achieve.

    “We don’t have any expectations. We do have team goals to win. We have values to be good baseball people and challenges to keep us motivated,” he said. “We preach the acronym ACE. It’s about the type of attitude we bring every day, what kind of concentration we can control on and off the field, and bring all the effort we have, all the time.”

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  • Softball Preview: Burroughs, Burbank, Providence, Expect Successful Seasons

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    Burroughs hopes to win another Pacific League title. (Photo courtesy Doug Nicol)

    By Rick Assad

    It’s that time of year again when the sun is bright and there is not much wind and balls are being struck and pitchers are trying to get batters out.

    Softball is about to commence for three local teams and each has an air of confidence in their ability.

    Burroughs High, Burbank and Providence are stacked with talent and are hopeful of playing well during the nonleague and league schedule.

    The Bears went 21-7 in all games and 8-1 in the Pacific League for first place and lost to Tesoro 10-2 in the CIF Southern Section Division II opening-round game.

    Doug Nicol has coached Burroughs softball for years and feels that the campaign is going to be something special.

    “I am very excited for this season. We have a team that has worked really hard in our offseason strength and conditioning program,” he said. “Our players really improved physically, and the results have shown with a very successful fall season. We also have so many quality kids who have embraced our culture and are high character young ladies.”

    Nicol went on: “We have pushed them really hard this offseason, and they never backed down from the challenge. I think the sky’s the limit with this team. We are very deep at every position,” he stated. “We have a great mix of older experienced players, along with some exciting younger players. We are going to be a fun team to watch.”

    Burbank is ready for the softball season. (Photo courtesy Javier Rojas)

    The goal is to place first in the league, and the Bears are deep and talented.

    “As always, our goal is to win the Pacific League. I think we have a team that has the potential to do that. The Pacific League will be challenging,” Nicol said. “I expect Arcadia, Crescenta Valley and Burbank to all be in the mix because they all have talented teams.”

    Nicol added: “We know that being Pacific League champions will put a target on our back, but we like that and the challenge that presents,” he said. “The girls are all super excited to lock in and get the season started and to make a run towards a championship.”

    Because of graduation, the Bears will be without power-hitter Chloe Centeno and versatile Alyssa Morales, who played the outfield and shortstop.

    Burroughs is still loaded and has six seniors and include outfielder Karlee Earl, second base/shortstop Karisma Mendez, outfielder Hailey Perez, outfielder Eva Acevedo, third baseman Neyla Cervantes and pitcher/outfielder Hailey Franco.

    The six juniors are shortstop Sophie Rangsiyawong, pitcher/first baseman Valentina Reyes, catcher Sabrina Coto, first baseman/outfielder Chloe Zavala, catcher Ali Cortez and first baseman/third baseman Sady Gonzalez.

    The five sophomores are outfielder Amy Reed, first baseman/pitcher Elliott Rendon, outfielder Haven Vickers, second baseman Claire Simon and outfielder/pitcher Kalani Miramontes.

    The two first-year players include second baseman/shortstop Lily Orozco and third baseman Sydney Shugar.

    A season ago, Burbank carved out a 9-15-1 record and 5-4 mark for fourth in league behind the pitching of Maddison Kellogg, who is playing for California Baptist University.

    Javier Rojas is the Burbank head coach and realizes his team will be without the star hurler and several key contributors.

    “We are a new team after losing eight seniors, but we have a good core of juniors that will lead us and a young core with three freshmen and one sophomore who will be our future and who bring a lot of excitement,” he said.

    Rojas still believes in the players he has despite just one senior on the team.

    Providence won three consecutive Prep League championships but are in a new league. (Photo courtesy Manny Travieso)

    “I think with that mixture we will compete with other teams, and the goal is always to make the playoffs,” he said. “Kassandra Kimmer-Davila, Chloe Updike and Kayla McPherson are the girls to look out for,” he said.

    Rojas continued: “Last year Kimmer-Davila did a great job catching Maddie and was second-team, all-league and Updike was honorable mention and led in stolen bases,” he offered. “It’s great to have a center fielder like her. McPherson will lead us in pitching but I’m excited for the whole team.”

    Burbank has a dozen players on the squad and there is one senior, first baseman/second baseman/pitcher McPherson.

    There are seven juniors on the team and includes outfielder Updike, second baseman/outfielder Alyssa Perez, catcher/outfielder Kimmer-Davila, outfielder Melanie Cendejas, third baseman/outfielder Isabel Villagran, first baseman/third baseman/outfielder Holly Cashman and outfielder Priscilla Sanchez.

    The sophomore is first baseman/third baseman/pitcher Sienna Hale.

    The freshmen are first baseman/outfielder Heather Nielsen, shortstop/third baseman/pitcher Addison Lombardo and second baseman/shortstop/center fielder Cassie Sanchez.

    Providence claimed three consecutive Prep League titles but the Pioneers, who went 12-5 and 9-3 in league for first place, will now be competing in the Liberty League.

    Gone to graduation are some key players most notably Delailah Lopez, who plays for New York University, Gloria Galindo and Mia Allinson, who are also playing at the college level.

    The Pioneers lost to Bishop Montgomery 5-0 in a Division V first-round game.

    Manny Travieso is Providence’s head coach and hopes to still make the playoffs.

    “After an impressive three-year streak of winning the Prep League, Providence is transitioning into the Liberty League. However, it’s important to note that the league does not currently have a softball league, which means that this season we will be competing independently. Despite this change, our determination to qualify for the CIF remains unwavering,” he said. “We understand that the pathway to CIF may be different and more difficult this year, but we are committed to working diligently towards that goal.”

    Travieso, who is also an assistant coach at Vermont State University, believes it will take time, but the Pioneers will be good.

    “This season will serve as our retooling year after losing three players to the college softball world last year. We will continue to compete with the same tenacity as in previous years,” he stated. “Looking ahead, we are optimistic about the next four years for Providence softball as we expect to emerge even stronger.”

    Travieso also addressed the first-year players.

    “We are particularly excited to watch our freshmen develop, shining a spotlight on Kayla Salazar and Brooklyn Freed as they embark on their high school journey knowing they will be wearing a college uniform in just three and a half years,” he said.

    There are two seniors and they are Gigi Aleman and Ariana Benito and two juniors that include Siany Cruz and Siena Hartman.

    “Our junior players continue to grow and improve, and we expect our senior captains, Ariana and Gigi, to have the best years of their softball high school life this season,” Travieso said. “Their leadership and contributions are irreplaceable, and we will miss their guidance next season.”

    There are three sophomores and includes Sofia Carrillo, Madelynn Watts and Stellina Truglio.

    “Our sophomore class has no pressure to prove themselves, but we know our workhorse, Madeline Watts, will aim to surpass her already impressive performance, having been recognized as a member of the All-CIF team last year,” Travieso said.

    The freshmen include Brooklyn Freed, Kayla Salazar, Talia Simpson, Melissa Buckwoski and Rebecca Connery.

    Travieso thinks highly of the whole team.

    “Every member of our team possesses the heart and grit needed to make this unconventional year one to remember,” he said. “We are ready to embrace the challenges ahead and look forward to a memorable season as we keep our tradition in sending our softball players to play college softball at top universities.”

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  • Burbank Boys Volleyball Takes Village Christian Four Sets

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    Burbank lost to visiting Village Christian in four sets, but it was a tough match. (Photo by Rick Assad)

    By Rick Assad

    It was tense, it was tight and it was a fierce and exciting battle when Burbank High hosted Village Christian in a nonleague boys’ volleyball match.

    On Friday afternoon the Crusaders and Bulldogs divided the first two sets, but the visitors took the next two and earned a 25-14, 25-23, 25-16, 25-23 triumph.

    In the second set, Village Christian led 4-2 with a kill from junior outside hitter/middle blocker Danny Franco but a block from Burbank senior Farkhat Taishev evened it at 7-7.

    Burbank junior Michael Becker added a kill that leveled it at 12-12 and a push from Village Christian junior middle blocker Alex Franco tied it 14-14.

    A kill from Burbank junior Brandon Chong tied it at 16-16 and a tapper from Becker knotted it at 18-18.

    The Crusaders (1-1) forged in front 20-19 on a winner from senior outside hitter/opposite hitter Alex Garcia as the Bulldogs (0-2) called a time out.

    A kill from Village Christian junior outside hitter Alex Kazaryan made 22-21 in favor of the visitors but the Bulldogs took four of the next five points including a push from Burbank senior Caiden Kai Abarabar that sliced the Crusaders’ lead to 23-22.

    The Bulldogs powered in front 24-23 on Alex Franco’s hitting error and the set was capped on a hitting miscue by Kazaryan.

    Brandon Villaflor is Burbank’s head coach and even though the Bulldogs lost, he liked what he saw.

    The Bulldogs talk it over before getting on the floor versus the Crusaders. (Photo by Rick Assad)

    “I’m proud of my team today despite the results,” he said. “We stayed aggressive with our offense as well as staying scrappy throughout the match.”

    Villaflor added: “I thought we did a good job of responding to their runs and their attacks,” he said. “We just couldn’t make a run ourselves at times.”

    During the final game it was deadlocked at 4-4 on a kill from Becker and a spike from Burbank senior Tyler Tran made it 7-7.

    Village Christian then went on a 6-2 run and led 13-9 on co-blocks from junior middle blocker Nicholas Vartanian and junior outside hitter/middle blocker Aaron Kim.

    When Alex Franco chimed in with a stuff, the Crusaders led 16-12 and Village Christian junior setter Walton Salazar tossed in a block for a 17-13 lead.

    Vartanian’s kill made it 20-16 but Burbank took five of the next six points and evened it at 21-21 on a kill from Chong.

    Village Christian led 23-21 on a block from Salazar as Burbank asked for time and the Crusaders won two of the next three points including a spike from Kazaryan for the set.

    The initial set was tied at 3-3 on a kill from Kazaryan and knotted at 7-7 on a winner from Taishev.

    Village Christian dashed ahead 14-9 on a tapper from Vartanian and 16-11 on a winner from Danny Franco which saw Burbank request another time out.

    Sophomore setter Sawyer Raub made it 19-11 in favor of the Crusaders and the advantage became 21-13 on a service winner from Kazaryan.

    Village Christian moved in front on back-to-back blocks from Alex Franco that made it 22-14 as Burbank needed another stoppage in play and by Danny Franco that made it 23-14. A push from Danny Franco sealed the game.

    The third set was deadlocked at 3-3 on a push from Becker but the Crusaders led 9-6 on a tapper from Danny Franco.

    It became 12-8 on a winner from Danny Franco and 16-13 on a kill from Kazaryan.

    A service ace from Kazaryan increased the cushion to 20-13 and Danny Franco’s stuff made it 22-15 as Burbank asked for another halt to the action.

    Danny Franco then added consecutive kills that made it 24-16 and 25-16 for the set.

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  • Burbank Girls Basketball Loses To Knight In CIF Playoffs

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    Burbank junior guard Andrea Aparicio scored 12 points versus Knight in a CIF playoff game. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    By Rick Assad

    For one half of Thursday night’s CIF Southern Section Division IV first-round girls’ basketball playoff game for Burbank High versus visiting Knight, it was close.

    That was the good news, but the second half proved problematic for the Bulldogs who fell 56-42 and had their season come to an end.

    Burbank was outscored 30-17 across the second half and shot 28 percent on seven of 25 from the field.

    The Bulldogs were also outrebounded by the Hawks 43-25, and the edge was 20-12 in the second half.

    Burbank took control of the first quarter 14-10 as sophomore forward Manina Tuputupu scored three of her team-high 15 points.

    Tuputupu then added five points in the second period while junior guard Andrea Aparicio, who had a three-pointer in the first quarter, scored four of her 12 points in the same frame as the Bulldogs trailed 26-25 at halftime.

    Burbank converted 10 of 21 for 47.6 percent and made four of six for 66.6 percent from the free-throw line.

    Knight attempted 32 shots from the field and made 11 for 34.3 percent and drilled four of eight for 50 percent from the charity line and also grabbed 23 rebounds compared to Burbank’s 13.

    Alexa Mirzaian is Burbank’s head coach and was proud of how her team played this game and throughout the campaign.

    Ani Khachatryan tallied five points that included a three-pointer for the Bulldogs. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    “It was a great season. I’m super proud of these girls,” she said. “It’s time to debrief and start preparing for next year.”

    The Hawks (15-5) were led offensively by junior guard Kailah Holley with a game-high 23 points with 15 coming in the second half.

    Junior guard Beautiful McBride added 18 points with 12 points being tallied in the opening half for Knight and the pair were tough to handle inside the paint.

    A basket from McBride cut the Burbank advantage to 16-14 with 6:53 left in the second quarter.

    McBride’s hoop with 3:27 left in the same period gave Knight a 22-21 edge.

    Knight, which shot 42.1 percent on 24 of 57, limited Burbank, which made 17 of 46 for 36.9 percent, to five points in the third period and scored 14 points and pulled ahead 40-39 heading to the fourth quarter.

    Tuputupu’s hoop tied the game at 30-30 with 3:27 left in the third period but McBride’s hoop and free throw with 1:53 left in the third period made it 34-30 in favor of the Hawks.

    In that frame, Holley delivered six points and McBride added four points.

    It was more of the same for the Hawks in the fourth period as Holley dropped nine points that included a three-pointer.

    Sophomore guard Ani Khachatryan had five points for the Bulldogs (19-11) while junior guard Jolene Vartanian and sophomore guard Desirae Henson both had four points and junior guard Anabelle Setaghian added two points.

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  • Burbank Girls Soccer Blanked 3-0 In CIF Southern Section Opening Round

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    Though Burbank lost to Carpinteria in a CIF Southern Section first-round playoff match, the team didn’t give up. (Photo by Rick Assad)

    BY Rick Assad

    Just based on effort and desire, the Burbank High girls’ soccer team played well, but scoring opportunities came and went without success during a CIF Southern Section Division V first-round playoff match versus visiting Carpinteria.

    The Warriors came out and tallied the first goal in the 12th minute on Thursday afternoon at Kemp-Kallem Field and then chimed in with two more for a 3-0 triumph.

    Freshman forward/midfielder Caroline Cooney ripped a 23-yarder for a 1-0 advantage and junior midfielder/defender Kaydance Gardner threw in a 20-yard penalty kick in the 56th minute for a two-goal cushion and the icing on the cake came on a tally in the 78th minute by freshman forward/midfielder Yoselyn Lara.

    Dennis Leon is Burbank’s head coach and thought the match was going to be a tussle.

    “That was a tough one. The girls competed and didn’t quit, but digging out of a 2-0 hole is always a challenge,” he said.

    Leon felt the match was still one that could have gone in favor of the Bulldogs.

    “From my view, the difference was efficiency in key moments. We had stretches of good play, but they capitalized on their chances while we couldn’t convert ours,” he said. “A couple of defensive lapses and second-ball reactions hurt us early, and chasing the game forced us to open up more than we wanted.”

    The match was action-filled but the Bulldogs came up short. (Photo by Rick Assad)

    Lara’s attempt in the initial minute drifted too far right and sophomore midfielder/defender Michelle Cornejo had a kick from 32 yards in the second minute for the warriors.

    Burbank freshman forward Sofia Martinez had a header in the next minute and Cooney added a kick in the eighth minute that was also too far right.

    Senior defender Vivian Huskins contributed a free kick from 45 yards in the 22nd minute for the Warriors (15-1-2) and Carpinteria senior striker Evelyn Lara had a kick in the 24th minute from 30 yards.

    Burbank junior midfielder Jocelyn Morinaga had a 42-yard free kick in the 28th minute and Martinez had a kick from 27 yards in the 29th minute.

    Senior forward Logan Labistour had an attempt in the 33rd minute that sailed left for the Warriors.

    Morinaga delivered a 55-yard free kick in the 36th minute and Morinaga then added a 52-yard free kick in extra time that capped the opening half.

    Yoselyn Lara began the second half with a 15-yard kick in the 44th minute and Gardner added a 35-yard penalty kick in the 47th minute. 

    Carpinteria freshman striker Kenzi Gardner contributed a 32-yard kick in the 48th minute.

    Junior midfielder Sophia Leon broke the spell for the Bulldogs in the 50th minute with a 35-yard free kick.

    Huskins had a free kick in the 61st minute and Cornejo had a boot in the 65th minute from 35 yards.

    Morinaga had a 45-yard kick in the 67th minute that came close to scoring for the Bulldogs (11-11-1).

    Kenzi Gardner had a 47-yard kick in the 69th minute and Huskins had a 46-yard free kick in the 69th minute that also came close to being a goal.

    Morinaga added a 40-yard free kick in the 74th minute and Huskins had a 50-yard blast in the 75th minute.

    Morinaga tossed in a 27-yard kick in extra time and Morinaga finished off the match with another free kick, this time from 52 yards in extra time.

    Leon knew his team would play to the final whistle and was determined to make it a match.

    “I did like our effort and response, though,” he stated. “The work was there – we just need to be sharper in both boxes and cleaner in possession when it matters most.”

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  • Burbank Boys Basketball Tops Burroughs 74-62

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    Burbank and Burroughs battled to the end of a Pacific League game won by the Bulldogs 74-62. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    By Rick Assad

    Burbank High was in good shape as three players scored in double figures including junior guard Jon Ong with a game-best 25 points and in the process decisioned host Burroughs 74- 62 in a Pacific League game on Tuesday evening.

    Junior wing Kaleb Walker added 15 points for the Bulldogs (21-7 and 9-5 in league for fourth place), senior point guard Cris Ong had 12 points and senior small forward Giordan Lewis contributed 11 points in the victory.

    Senior guard Justin Herrera dropped 19 points and handed off one assist and grabbed one rebound for the Bears.

    Senior wing Elliot Lawrence added 13 points with four boards and one assist for Burroughs, senior guard Nico Meza tossed in 12 points and senior wing Ethan Cooper added 11 points with four caroms.

    Burbank converted 28 of 32 shots for 87.5 percent from the free-throw line while Burroughs drilled 17 of 27 for 62.9 percent.

    Steve Eshleman is Burbank’s head coach and was impressed by his club and is looking forward to the playoffs.

    “So proud of the guys,” he said. “We carved out a double-digit lead and held it throughout the second half. Our free-throw shooting was the difference.”

    The Bulldogs made 23 of 46 field goals for 50 percent and the Bears hit 18 of 50 for 36 percent.

    Kaleb Walker poured in 15 points during a win for the Bulldogs over the Bears. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    After a first quarter that saw Burbank lead 17-16 the next frame as Cris Ong accounted for six points and Jon Ong dropped five points.

    In the next frame, the Bulldogs limited the Bears to seven points while the visitors tallied 16 points as Jon Ong tallied 10 points and his team led 33-23 at halftime.

    A 20-point period was next for Burbank as Lewis had eight points and Walker delivered seven points.

    Jon Ong scored 10 points in the fourth quarter while Walker tacked on four points.

    Herrera scored 13 of his points in the second half and Lawrence chimed in with nine of his points across the second 16-minute half.

    Jason Weatherall is in his first season as the Burroughs head coach and was pleased with the effort of his players.

    “It was a slow leak. Three points here, two points there. We just couldn’t stop the leaking,” he said. “Our defense wasn’t as sound as we needed it. They are a good offensive team.”

    Senior guard Cedric Valdez added four points for the Bears, senior Kane Le-Cabico tossed in two points and senior guard Nathan Rodriguez finished with one point.

    Senior small forward Anthony Jawiche had five points for the Bulldogs, junior shooting guard Avo Papikyan added four points and Imani Young-Smith had two points.

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  • Burbank Quarterback Deshawn Laporte Leaves Program

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    Deshawn Laporte had two incredible seasons as Burbank’s quarterback. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    By Rick Assad

    After two wildly successful seasons as Burbank High’s quarterback, Deshawn Laporte has decided to leave the program and will play the position for Quartz Hill in Lancaster.

    It can be argued that Laporte, who threw for 3,900 yards and completed 223 of 331 and 54 touchdowns with six interceptions this past season, is one of the top two or three best quarterbacks in school history and is likely the most athletic.

    What set Laporte, who has committed to play for Delaware State, apart is his innate ability to evade oncoming rushers and still make plays.

    Laporte, who holds the season and career record in passing yards and touchdowns thrown, could move around and still unload his patented sidearm tosses with accuracy or if they weren’t open take off and run with the football as he also accounted for 414 yards rushing on 85 carries with one touchdown.

    Hector Valencia has been the head coach twice and has been Laporte’s coach.

    “I wish him the best of luck at his new school,” he said. “He’s athletic and he’s hard to sack. He could extend plays.”

    Laporte had outstanding players in Elijah Pendleton, Chase Miles, Exodus Freeman and Tyler Hudson as receivers.

    “He did a good job of getting the ball to the playmakers,” Valencia said. “He could run but he was a pass first quarterback.”

    The Bulldogs defeated San Dimas in the opening game of the season but were tagged with a forfeit after using an illegal player.

    The other regular-season setbacks came against Muir 58-28 and in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs to Roosevelt [Eastvale] 14-13.

    This past season, the Bulldogs went 9-3 and had a 6-1 record in the Pacific League for second place behind the Mustangs.

    In his sophomore campaign, the Bulldogs also finished 9-3 and also went 6-1 in league, as Laporte passed for 2,368 yards on 160 for 248 and 28 scoring passes with five picks.

    That season Laporte ran for 525 yards on 51 carries and found the end zone on 11 occasions. 

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  • Rick’s Sports Corner: Chase Miles, Dedicated, Team-Oriented

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    By Rick Assad

    It seemed that from anywhere on the football field, Burbank High’s Chase Miles was going to play an important role on offense and defense.

    This was true on numerous occasions as the senior wide receiver had 30 receptions for 587 yards and a second-best 11 touchdowns.

    With Miles on the field, the Bulldogs finished 9-3 and second place in the Pacific League behind Muir.

    Burbank advanced to the second-round of the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs.

    Miles, who played two seasons for the Bulldogs, was named all-league first team and second team, did whatever it took for the team to succeed.

    “What I provided to make the team successful was my leadership and communication on the field,” he said. “I am a very talkative person, and I feel that helped a lot in football as I would communicate all the time on defense and help teammates who didn’t know the plays on offense.”

    Miles, who also played outside linebacker and strong safety, averaged nearly nine tackles per game and was tied for second place in that category and had with three interceptions for second on the team and contributed and six breakups.

    Why did Miles, who wants to play Division I college football, stand out among so many talented players on the Burbank team?

    Chase Miles played offense and defense for Burbank and was a team leader. (Photo courtesy Chase Miles)

    “I think I was able to do so well because I had great teammates around me,” he explained. “No matter if I messed up or made a great play they always had my back which made me up my play too.”

    Getting to this point wasn’t easy and Miles was willing to take whatever steps necessary to make this past campaign a successful one.

    “The journey started all the way from spring ball when we first started practicing for the season in the weight room,” he stated. “There were a couple new faces but everyone still worked hard and wanted to win a championship. Then in summer ball we played high competition every week, playing teams like Sierra Canyon and Cathedral, as we thought this was a great way to better ourselves, and it did.”

    Miles continued on what it took to get better each and every game.

    “Then as the season rolled around we had our scrimmage which was great, as everyone got playing time and performed. Then as the season progressed we faced a couple of setbacks like losing to Muir [58-28], but we kept our heads up and persevered, winning out until the playoffs,” he stated. “In the playoffs against Lancaster it was a hard fought team win [52-43], as it was a really close game and it took the whole team to come out on top.”

    Miles then added: “Against Roosevelt, although it didn’t end how we wanted it to [14-13], everyone played their hearts out and we all came together as a team,” he said. “Overall the season was amazing as we all had one goal in mind and fought hard to accomplish it.”

    Hector Valencia is in his second stint as Burbank’s head coach.

    “Chase has one of the highest football IQs we’ve had the privilege to coach. Always able to correct and help players align properly. He has the respect of all the players because they see his work ethic and see that he is not all talk,” he said. “He truly backs it up in the weight room and is one of the strongest pound for pound players.”

    Being prepared mentally and physically was crucial for Miles who wanted to excel regardless of the opponent.

    “I approached every game the same way. I would start by watching film and dissecting who their best players are and what plays they run the most frequently,” he said. “Then I will identify which plays could give us trouble and how we can play to stop it. On game days, I always come out about an hour early to stretch and prepare for the game.”

    Valencia also noted that Miles was smart and willing to help other players.

    Chase Miles was a threat to score from anywhere on the football field for the Bulldogs. (Photo courtesy Chase Miles)

    “He had a grade-point average above 3.0 and was always at practice and has the ability to play any position on the field,” he said. “On top of that he was one of the hardest hitters we had. He was fun to have on the field because he had an electrifying presence about him.”

    Valencia continued: “He truly goes out of his way to help other players in the program without anyone telling him to do it. He will truly be missed, yes as a player, but more as a person,” he noted.

    Burbank wasn’t a one-man team and that every player pitched in.

    “We were all really in sync because we have all known each other since we were young,” Miles stated. “We used to play against each other constantly and in seven-on-seven we would play together so we had chemistry built up already. It also helps that we train together too.”

    Miles’ prep football career is over but not the lessons reaped.

    “What I learned from high school football is perseverance and always keeping your head up,” he said. “You never know what can happen in football, so no matter the outcome, you have to always be able to bounce back.”

    Miles talked about what playing football means beyond just playing the game.

    “The best thing about high school football is that it prepares you for life,” he said. “It shows you that there are ups and lows and you need to be able to deal with that and come back better.”

    During the most recent season, a few contests resonated strongly with Miles.

    “The games that I feel stand out would be Westwood and Galena, as we played two top 75 schools in the state of Nevada and Arizona and dominated,” he stated.

    The Bulldogs defeated Westwood 41-27 and the following week knocked off Galena 52-9.

    Miles had people in his corner and that meant everything.

    “My mom [Cristal] is the person who helped me become the player that I am,” he said. “Throughout my whole life, she’s always been there to encourage me and help me even when I’m down. In football, she’s always there to help me with anything I need to succeed.”

    As this season has concluded, Miles knows that it was special, and he hopes to make even more at the next level.

    “What I will miss the most are the memories I made,” he said. “Whether at Chaminade or Burbank, I made a ton of memories with my teammates on and off the field.”

    And that cannot be taken away.

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  • Burbank Boys Hoops Handles Host Hoover

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    Blake Finnigan poured in 13 points for Burbank which defeated host Hoover. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    By Rick Assad

    On the same floor that the United States 1984 Olympic men’s basketball team practiced, the Burbank High boys’ team used to hold off host Hoover.

    That gold-medal winning squad was coached by Bob Knight and featured three would-be Hall of Famers – Michael Jordan, Chris Mullin and Patrick Ewing, and the floor also witnessed the Bulldogs outlast the Tornadoes 63-53 in a Pacific League game on Tuesday evening.

    With the victory, Burbank has claimed four straight and will host Crescenta Valley on Thursday and also visit Burroughs on February 3.

    Paced by senior shooting guard/small forward Kaleb Walker’s game-high 22 points and senior forward Blake Finnigan’s 13 points, Burbank used a 22-point second quarter and led 37-28.

    The Tornadoes, who converted 20 of 48 for 41.6 percent, drilled seven three-pointers in the opening half but drained one from three-point range in the second half.

    Steve Eshleman is Burbank’s head coach and expected the game to be somewhat close.

    “We always get a tough game from Hoover. Again, a victory by committee for us. Everybody chipped in,” he said.

    The defense rose to the occasion for the Bulldogs (18-7 and 7-5 in league) as they played in-your-face and challenged Hoover on every possession.

    Avo Papikyan added nine points for the Bulldogs during a 63-53 victory over the Tornadoes. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    “They made seven threes in the first half and only one in the second. Our defensive intensity really picked up in the second half and that ignited our break,” Eshleman pointed out. “Got out to a safe cushion in the fourth and brought it home. It was a great road win for our kids.”

    Junior Alex Patatanyan tallied a team-best 19 points for Hoover with 10 points coming in the second hal.

    Sophomore Ilan Genachte Le Bail added 11 points with nine scored in the opening half on three from three-point range for the Tornadoes.

    Burbank junior point guard Avo Papikyan scored seven of his nine points in the initial frame and Walker tallied four points.

    Patatanyan chimed in with seven points in the first period and also nailed his only three-pointer.

    Burbank started motoring in the second quarter as it made eight of 16 field goals for 50 percent and senior guard Cris Ong tossed in all of his seven points that included a trey.

    Finnigan dropped five points in the frame and included the first of his two three-pointers.

    Finnigan’s hoop with 2:20 remaining in the frame increased Burbank’s lead to 33-26.

    Senior shooting guard/small forward Anthony Jawiche accounted for four of his eight points.

    The Bulldogs, who shot 48.9 percent on 24 of 49, limited the Tornadoes (8-17 and 1-10 in league) to 13 points in the third quarter while scoring 17 as Walker tallied nine points and Jawiche added four points.

    It was physical at times between Burbank and Hoover but in the end the Bulldogs prevailed. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    Hoover outscored Burbank 12-9 in the fourth period and made a charge but ultimately came up short.

    Jawiche’s basket with 5:08 left in the third period made it 44-30 and Walker’s field goal pushed Burbank ahead 52-37 with 1:13 on the clock.

    In that quarter, Walker had seven points and 16 points in the second half.

    Hoover drew within 56-47 and 6:19 left in the fourth quarter on Patatanyan’s basket.  

    Senior forward Giordan Lewis accounted for four points in the first half for the Bulldogs.

    Burbank made 11 of 17 from the free-throw line for 64.7 percent while Hoover hit five of seven for 71.4 percent and also outrebounded the Tornadoes 31-25.

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  • Burbank Wrestling Captures Second Consecutive Rio Hondo League Championship

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    Burbank’s wrestling team honored several members on Senior Night and later the team won the Rio Hondo League title for the second time. (Photo by Rick Assad)

    By Rick Assad

    For the second straight season and in spectacular fashion, the Burbank High wrestling team captured the Rio Hondo League championship on Wednesday night.

    For the record and on Senior Night, the host Bulldogs zipped past the Wildcats 77-4 in the boys division while the girls lost 40-20.

    Some of the seniors included Tyler Huo, who wrestles at 132 pounds, Ronel Hakoupian, who weighs 165 pounds and Thomas Adzhemyan, who hits the mat at 175 pounds. 

    Jonathon O’Brien is Burbank’s first and only head coach and was ecstatic in the victory.

    “The league title belongs to the whole program, not just the boys (technically just the boys but the girls earned it too),” he said. “By winning it means we’re getting ready for the CIF Southern Section dual companionship on Saturday [January 31] at Simi Valley High School. We’ll be ready.”

    Romney De La Rosa is Burbank’s assistant coach and was also pleased with the outcome.

    “Burbank High School’s wrestling program made a statement last night, in just its fourth year. The program has captured the Ro Hondo League championship for the second consecutive season,” he said. “The night was made even more special as the seniors competed in their final home dual in front of friends and family. It’s a fitting send-off for the group that helped build the program from the ground up.”

    Leading the parade for Bulldogs was senior Jayden De La Rosa, who won at 157 pounds after a second period technical fall with forty-one second left. De La Rosa dominated the action first period.

    Before the season began, De La Rosa was ranked 13th in the state at 150 pounds and is now ranked ninth at that weight.

    De La Rosa, who has been on the team for four years, was also hoping to become the school’s state qualifier.

    “It was a more emotional night than usual, as it marked the final home dual match that I was able to coach my son, Jayden De La Rosa. He is preparing to make his run to the state tournament even more meaningful,” the elder De La Rosa explained. “Now, the Bulldogs prepare to compete next week at the individual Rio Hondo League Championship in Monrovia.”

    At 113 pounds, sophomore Kaiden Takeuthi won on a pin with 1:38 left in the third period.

    Senior Tyler Huo (left) and senior Jayden De La Rosa were given keepsakes for their time on the wrestling team. (Photo by Rick Assad)

    Meanwhile, at 120 pounds, sophomore Erwin Bedrcian pulled off a pin with 1:46 remaining in the first period.

    Sophomore Alex Pereira fell at 126 pounds over three periods. Pereira was the aggressor in the first period but tailed off a little bit in the second period and the third period.

    At 132 pounds, sophomore Arayik Vardanyan proved too good as he grabbed an opening period stoppage via a pin with three seconds left.

    Sophomore Gevork Kabalchuzyan won via forfeit at 144 pounds.

    Junior Sevak Arakelyan was a winner at 150 pounds via first-period pin with forty-seven seconds left in the frame.

    At 175 pounds, junior David Antanseyan won by forfeit while junior Andre Takhmasian emerged victorious via forfeit at 190 pounds.

    Senior Albert Airapetian, at 215 pounds, claimed an opening-period stoppage via a pin with 1:22 remaining.

    At 285 pounds, sophomore Evan Der Galstanian won via first-period pin and 1:10 left on the clock.

    At 106 pounds, freshman Nicholas Rostomyan grabbed a win on a forfeit. 

    The girls were paced by junior Austin Desai, who won at 115 pounds via third-period technical fall.

    Sophomore Erika Sarkisian won by decision at 105 pounds and sophomore Bettina Shamiryan claimed a victory via forfeit at 120 pounds.

    At 145 pounds, freshman Natalie Avadian lost by a first-period pin at 1:22.

    Freshman Zoe Gomez won by forfeit at 110 pounds and freshman Katerina Onofriichuk, at 100 pounds, lost after an opening-period pin and forty-three seconds remaining.

    At 125 pounds, freshman Sinned Arguelles lost via decision after three periods.

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  • Burbank Boys Hoops Downs Burroughs 69-50

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    Anthony Jawiche had 19 points in a 69-50 win over Burroughs. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    By Rick Assad

    There were ebbs and flows and most of them fell in the direction of the host Burbank High boys’ basketball team on Thursday evening when it faced rival Burroughs.

    The Pacific League contest was intense and physical at times and when the four quarters were played, the Bulldogs emerged with a 69-50 victory.

    Burbank (14-5 and 4-3 in league) converted 10 of 15 shots for 66.6 percent in the first quarter while holding Burroughs (7-13 and 2-5 in league) to four of 12 for 33.3 percent and led 24-11.

    In that frame, senior small forward Anthony Jawiche scored 11 of his 19 points and also made two three-pointers.

    On the night, the Bulldogs drilled 28 of 57 from the field for 49.1 percent while the Bears made 17 of 50 for 34 percent.

    On the backboards, Burbank outrebounded Burroughs 44-22 and that was a key difference.

    Junior shooting guard Avo Papikyan added five of his 10 points for the Bulldogs and junior wing Kaleb Walker tossed in four of his 10 points in the initial frame.

    The Bulldogs led 38-18 at the intermission after making seven of 11 for 63.6 percent from the field in the second period.

    Justin Herrera scored a team-best 21 points for the Bears and 15 came in the second half. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    Burbank senior point guard Cris Ong, who tallied a game-best 22 points, scored eight points in the second stanza.

    In the fourth period, Ong tacked on seven points and scored all of his points in the second, third and fourth quarters.

    Tighe Eshelman is one of the Burbank assistant coaches and was beaming with what he witnessed.

    “I really liked our competitiveness tonight,” he stated. “Burroughs came out with some big adjustments in the second half and I think our guys did a great job to weather the storm.”

    The only quarter in which the Bears outscored the Bulldogs was the third when it tallied 20 points to 14 for the hosts as senior point guard Justin Herrera dropped 10 of his team-high 21 points.

    Jason Weatherall is in his first season as the Burroughs head coach and gave credit to the opponent.

    “[Steve] Eshleman and his staff do a great job of getting them to play with pace and make shots,” he said. “The environment was unreal. My guys are tough and never give up. We just didn’t hit enough shots.”

    Senior wing Ethan Cooper finished with eight points as did senior guard Nico Meza for the Bears who made 11 of 23 from the floor in the second half for 47.8 percent.

    Senior small forward Giordan Lewis had four points for the Bulldogs and junior point guard Jon Ong finished with two points and senior wing Blake Finnigan also added two points.

    Senior wing Evan Lanier tossed in five points for Burroughs and senior wing Elliot Lawrence also contributed five points while senior wing Kane Le-Cabico tossed in two points and senior guard Nathan Rodriguez had one point.

    At the free-throw line, Burbank hammered eight of 16 for 50 percent and Burroughs made 10 of 18 for 55.5 percent.

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  • Burroughs Girls Basketball Drills Burbank 76-39

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    Visiting Burroughs took down Burbank 76-39 in a Pacific League game. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    By Rick Assad

    For the entirety of the Pacific League girls’ basketball game between visiting Burroughs High and Burbank on Thursday night, saw the Bears in the face of the hosts.

    What resulted was a 76-39 decision as senior guard Elizabeth Amoroso tallied a game-high 15 points and nailed three from three-point range and junior guard Jessica Mena contributed 14 points.

    Burroughs outscored Burbank in every quarter and shot 58.1 percent on 32 of 55 from the floor.

    Vicky Oganyan is the longtime Burroughs head coach and was confident her team would play well.

    “Our game plan was to play solid defense. Speed up the game and stay disciplined and out of foul trouble,” she explained. “We did that and forced turnovers which helped us with gaining momentum on offense.”

    Burbank (15-6 and  4-3 in league) made 16 of 41 shots for 39 percent and was led by junior guard Andrea Aparicio and sophomore forward Manina Tuputupu as both scored 13 points.

    Sophomore guard Isabella Amayakyan contributed six of her 12 points in the opening frame as the Bears led 18-12 heading to the second period.

    There was lots of action when Burbank hosted Burroughs on Thursday night. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    Alexa Mirzaian is Burbank’s head coach and was hopeful and still confident her team will continue to put in the time to get better.

    “We need to keep working and follow the game plan,” she said. “We need to play hard and compete.”

    Another 18-point frame followed as Mena scored six points and senior center Valentina Morales added four of her eight points as the Bears pulled in front 36-18.

    A bucket from Morales with 4:07 left in the opening period made it 9-4.

    Burroughs (12-7 and 6-1 in league) made 16 of 24 from the floor for 66.6 percent and Burbank drilled eight of 23 for 34.7 percent as Mena tallied six points and made her second three-pointer in the second period.

    Amoroso had eight points in the third period and that included two of her three from three-point range during a 22-point outburst as the Bears led 58-35.

    Amoroso’s basket with 4:59 remaining in the second period made it 26-14 and Mena’s trey with 4:06 left in the same frame increased the lead to 29-14.

    Senior guard Alyssa Pracha scored five of her nine points in the fourth period as the Bears outscored the Bulldogs 18-4.

    Junior center Polina Gorgeiz had eight points for the Bears and senior guard Grace Barton scored six points and all came via the three-point line and her three-point shot and 4:56 left in the third quarter made it 45-23.

    Junior guard Krystal Villalta scored two points and sophomore forward Rielle Waddell also had two points for Burroughs which outrebounded Burbank 35-24 and also made eight three-pointers.

    Sophomore guard Ani Khachatryan finished with six points for the Bulldogs.

    Junior guard Rhiley Ocampo had three points, junior forward Jolene Vartanian had two points and junior guard Annabelle Setaghian also had two points for the Bulldogs which canned four from three-point territory.

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  • Burbank Boys Soccer Leads At Half, Defeats Burroughs 3-2

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    Burbank hosted Burroughs and came away with a hard-fought 3-2 victory. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    By Rick Assad

    Two goals within one minute apart in the opening half was the perfect springboard that the Burbank High boys’ soccer team needed to defeat visiting Burroughs on Thursday afternoon at Kemp-Kallem Field.

    The Bulldogs edged the Bears 3-2 in a Pacific League match behind a pair of tallies from junior striker Eric Mkrtchyan and two assists thrown in from junior midfielder/forward Joseph Chavez.

    The goals came in the 38th minute that tied it at 1-1 and in the 39th minute for a 2-1 advantage.

    The Bears (5-7-2 and 1-5-1 in league) led 1-0 on a tally in the 13th minute and also scored in the 77th minute.

    Senior midfielder/forward Raymond Soukiazian also found the back of the net in the 45th minute for the Bulldogs (4-7-3 and 1-3-3 in league) that made it 3-1.

    Soukiazian had a kick in the 67th minute that came very close to being a goal but it hit the top of the bar.

    Johnny Rotunno is Burbank’s head coach and was extremely pleased with the triumph.

    The Bears scored early and led 1-0 but allowed three goals and fell by one tally. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    “This was a strong effort today. We stayed focused after going down 1-0,” he said. “Our team responded with some great goals to secure the win at home.”

    Junior defender Grigor Parian started it off with a kick in the seventh minute for Burbank and the Bulldogs added a kick in the next minute and the ninth minute.

    Senior midfielder/defender Victor Chtryan added a boot for the Bulldogs in the 10th minute for Burbank.

    Teammate sophomore defender Aram Hovanessian had one in the 11th minute and the Bulldogs had another kick in the 11th minute.

    Junior midfielder/forward/defender Haroot Akopyan tossed in a kick in the 14th and 17th minute for Burbank.

    Senior striker Seven Elkin had a kick in the 18th minute for the Bears and Burbank answered with a kick from junior midfielder/forward Samvel Khachatryan chimed in with an attempt in the 20th minute for the Bulldogs.

    Mark Martinez is the Burroughs head coach and was pleased despite the loss.

    “I think we played well for the most part. Unfortunately the score tells a different story,” he said. “They had three or four opportunities (shots on target) and scored three. Our discipline dropped and they managed to score with 10 minutes on the clock.”

    The Bears had three straight kicks and they came in the 24th minute and the 33rd minute by Elkin and by sophomore striker/forward Justin Trigo in the 36th minute. Elkin had a kick in the extra time in the opening half.

    Elkin opened the second half with a kick in the 41st minute and Burbank answered in the 44th minute.

    Sophomore midfielder Ian Major had a long free kick in the 54th minute for the Bears and Elkin had an attempt in the 55th minute.

    Hovanessian had back-to-back kicks and they came in the 56th and 62nd minute and Mkrtchyan had one in the 65th minute.

    Khachatryan had a header in the 68th minute and sophomore goalie Joseph Kaufman had a kick in the 80th minute for the Bears.

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  • Burbank Boys Basketball Wallops Upland 73-33

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    Burbank defeated Upland 73-33 in a nonleague game. (Photo by Rick Assad)

    By Rick Assad

    Employing a smothering defense and a smoldering shooting display proved a perfect recipe for the Burbank High boys’ basketball team on Saturday night.

    Facing a good Upland team that had height and length but was short on shooting played into the hosts’ favor as the Bulldogs routed the Highlanders 73-33 in a nonleague game.

    Burbank scored 20 points or more in the second and third periods and nailed 19 of 28 shots for 67.8 percent in those two frames.

    Burbank drained 10 three-pointers with six treys coming in the second half.

    Three players scored in double figures and were paced by junior shooting guard Avo Papikyan with a game-high 20 points and was followed by senior point guard Cris Ong with 13 points and junior point guard Jon Ong with 12.

    Burbank sank 29 of 52 from the field for 55.2 percent during the game while holding Upland to 11 of 61 for 18 percent.

    The Bulldogs made 14 of 28 for 50 percent in the first half and led 36-17 and the Highlanders shot 25 percent after converting six of 24.

    Burbank dashed in front 16-9 after the first period and then were off to the races.

    Steve Eshleman is Burbank’s head coach and believes this was his team’s finest hour to date.

    “That might be our best offensive game that we have had all year and we shot the ball really well, but really what spurred us was our defensive strength that we had throughout the game,” he said.

    Eshleman also liked another important aspect of the game.

    “We rebounded and got the ball out and when we ran, and then created offense to our defense and getting the ball out and going tonight was probably our best 32 minutes that we put together and that’s great for the kids,” he stated.

    The Bulldogs (10-4) outrebounded Upland (8-9) 44-33 including 19-13 in the second half.

    Imani Smith-Young, a junior small forward, scored all of his seven points in the opening period.

    Papikyan tallied 12 points in the second quarter and that included three of his four from three-point range.

    Cris Ong, after scoring five points that included a trey in the opening frame, added six points in the second period as the Bulldogs converted eight of 14 for 57.1 percent from the floor.

    Ong’s basket with 5:15 remaining in the second period made it 22-9, Papikyan’s three-pointer increased the cushion to 25-9 with 4:52 on the clock and Ong’s bucket saw the Bulldogs pull ahead 29-9 with 3:25 left.

    Senior small forward Anthony Jawiche found his range in the third quarter with nine points and also drilled a three-pointer as Burbank dashed ahead 62-29 heading to the fourth period.

    Jon Ong dropped eight points in the same quarter, Papikyan added five points and Ong’s hoop with 6:35 left saw the Bulldogs march ahead 43-17.

    In the fourth period, Blake Finnigan, a senior wing, scored five of his seven points and added a three-pointer.

    Junior wing Jason Campos canned a three-pointer in the fourth quarter and senior small forward Giordan Lewis dropped two points in the second period for the Bulldogs.

    Senior wing Collin Heard paced the Highlanders with nine points and they all came on three-pointers and Cooper Omness, a senior wing for Upland scored five points.

    Assistant coach Tighe Eshelman is in agreement with his father’s assessment of the team.

    “We’ve been lacking a full 32-minute effort so far this year. We’ve had good wins by getting ahead of people and holding on for dear life,” he said. “Tonight, we really executed the game plan throughout four quarters, which is a great step for us leading back into [Pacific] League play.”

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  • Burbank Girls Soccer Plays Spirited, Still Loses To Muir 3-1

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    Burbank’s Jocelyn Morinaga scored the only goal for the hosts in a match versus Muir. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    By Rick Assad

    Two evenly skilled girls’ soccer teams played with zest and determination at Kemp-Kallem Field on Thursday afternoon when Burbank High hosted Muir in a Pacific League clash.

    The Bulldogs (6-3-1 and 1-2 in league) scored first but the Mustangs (8-1-1 and 3-0 in league), who had 13 shots on goal, tallied three goals across four minutes and prevailed 3-1.

    Junior midfielder Jocelyn Morinaga’s goal from 25 yards in the 38th minute after senior midfielder Emily Taghon’s kick gave Burbank a lead and the bench and fans were inspired.

    Dennis Leon is Burbank’s head coach and was pleased with the effort.

    “We actually started the match well and earned that early goal, but we lost our composure after that,” he said. “Muir capitalized on a few breakdowns in a short stretch, and once they scored, the momentum shifted quickly.” 

    But in the 46th minute, Muir’s Vauna Harboyan nailed a 30-yarder that evened it at 1-1.

    Burbank senior defender Delilah Williams is headed up the field in a 3-1 loss to Muir. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    Lily Trujillo then rifled a 20-yarder in the 50th minute to make it 2-1 and Malia Love scored on a 45-yard kick in the 50th minute that made the deficit two goals.

    Love began the match by getting off a 20-yard attempt in the 12th minute and Love then chimed in the 18th minute with a 23-yard kick.

    In the 23rd minute, Love also unloaded a 27-yard penalty kick that missed too high and sailed over the net.

    Taghon broke the spell with a 20-yarder kick in the 25th minute and Love added a boot from 30 yards in the 26th minute that went wide right.

    On several occasions, the Bulldogs had chances to score but they were ultimately dashed.

    “We did create chances down the left side, but our final ball and decision-making in the box weren’t sharp enough,” Leon said. “We rushed plays, didn’t connect cleanly, and missed opportunities to finish sequences that could’ve changed the game.”

    Leon hopes to correct this for future matches.

    “It’s something we need to be better at – staying organized, composed, and more clinical when chances present themselves,” he added.

    In the 27th minute, junior midfielder Jocelyn Morinaga had a 32-yarder for the Bulldogs, who had nine shots on goal.

    Love drilled a 25-yarder in the 29th minute. Love also tossed in a 15-yard attempt in the 35th minute.

    Morinaga delivered a 27-yard kick in the 42nd minute.

    Love collected four straight kicks and they came in the 54th minute, the 55th minute, the 56th minute and in the 59th minute. All of the attempts were in the range of 20 to 30 yards. 

    Morinaga had three kicks of her own and they came in the 63rd minute, the 72nd minute and extra time while Taghon also had a kick in extra time. All of the boots were more than twenty yards.

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  • Burbank Wrestlers Defeat Host Hoover 69-9

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    Burbank defeated Hoover 69-9 in a Rio Hondo League match. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    By Rick Assad

    It was super quick as the Rio Hondo League match took an hour for the Burbank High wrestling team to defeat host Hoover 69-9 on Wednesday night and raise its record to a stellar 3-0.

    Of the eight contested matches the Bulldogs captured six and also picked up six forfeited matches.

    Burbank head coach Jonathon O’Brien liked what he saw from the entire team.

    “I was really proud of our entire lineup, including our girls, who made the commitment to make their weight class even though they knew the possibility of wrestling was slim,” he said of the dozen ladies on the squad.

    O’Brien, who has been the coach for four years, was impressed by what he saw from a couple on the team.

    “Roni Manas [at 106 pounds] and Artem Akimov [150 pounds] both earned their first varsity wins of their careers tonight,” he said. “They’ve been working hard for months so it was rewarding to see them get their victory.”

    O’Brien added: “We also were pleased with the [exhibition] performance of [sophomore] Logan Rodriguez [215 pounds], who wrestled at an urgent tempo we felt matched the energy we try to bring to every match,” he said.

    The Bulldogs claimed six of the eight matches versus the Tornadoes and also gained six victories by forfeit. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    Freshman Manas won via a pin late in the first period and at 120 pounds, junior Kevin Krikor was also victorious by a pin in the opening period.

    Junior Akimov won after three tough periods and sowed his grit and toughness.

    At 165, senior Ronel Hakoupian emerged with a triumph via a pin and 1:37 left in the first period.

    At 190 pounds, junior Andre Takhmasian won via pin with just twenty-seven seconds left in the first period.

    At 285 pounds, sophomore Evan Der Galestanian prevailed with a victory by way of a pin as fifty seconds remained in the first period.

    At 113 pounds, sophomore Kaiden Takeuthi won by forfeit, as did sophomore Alex Periera at 126 pounds. At 138 pounds, sophomore Arayik Vardnayan also claimed a win by forfeit.

    At 157 pounds, sophomore Hovhannes Mkoyan won by forfeit and at 215 pounds, senior Albert Airapetian also won by way forfeit. Freshman Martin Aghabaday was a winner by forfeit.

    At 132 pounds, senior Tyler Huo lost across three rugged periods while at 144 pounds, senior Narek Danielian lost via a three-period decision.

    Assistant coach Romney De La Rosa is in agreement with O’Brien.

    “Our entire team performed great tonight. I’m excited to have such a strong group of freshmen who are enthusiastic about wrestling for Burbank,” he said. “What we’re seeing is consistency across the lineup, which is exactly what our coaching staff expects.”

    De La Rosa also shined a light on a couple of wrestlers.

    “Two standout performers came from Artem, who earned his first win in his first varsity start, and Andre, who secured a pin. Andre continues to improve each week,” he said. “We’re very pleased with the progress he’s making, highlighted by his third-place finish at the Newbury Park Invitational last weekend.”

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  • Wrestling Preview: Burbank Ready For Another Big Season

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    Burbank High’s boys’ and girls’ wrestling team are decorated. (Photo courtesy Jonathon O’Brien)

    By Rick Assad

    It’s the fourth season of Burbank High wrestling and during the first three seasons the program has accumulated a considerable amount of hardware and recognition.

    Senior Jayden De La Rosa is currently ranked 13th in the state at 150 pounds and is hoping to be the program’s first-ever state qualifier.

    Junior Sevak Arakeleyan is another Masters/state hopeful at 157 pounds and senior Albert Airapetian is likewise gunning for those accolades at 215 pounds.

    Arakeleyan and Airapetian had several wins and they numbered 28 for Arakeleyan and 26 for Airepetian.

    Jonathon O’Brien is the Burbank head coach and is ably assisted by Romney De La Rosa and Josue Aguilar.

    O’Brien talked about what the goals are this season.

    “The team goal is to repeat as Rio Hondo League champion and CIF Southern Section Division V dual team champs,” he said. “Last season we lost to Pacifica in the quarterfinals by two matches out of 14 and they went on to win the whole thing. Of the 14 wrestlers we had in that lineup last year, 12 have returned.”

    Senior Jayden De La Rosa is ranked 13th in the state at 150 pounds and looks to be the program’s first-ever state qualifier. (Photo courtesy Jonathon O’Brien)

    O’Brien is also pleased that the number of girls in the program have more than doubled since 2024.

    “The most exciting development is that the girls’ team has exploded in size, jumping from five to 12,” he said. “Their fearless leader will be junior Austin Desai, a captain who lost in the blood round of the CIF Southern Section [round that determines if you go to Masters] last year but is poised for a triumphant return this year at the 110-pound weight class.”

    O’Brien then added: “The other returners hoping for Masters glory are sophomore Erika Sarkisian [110 pounds] and sophomore Natali Sarkuhanyan [155 pounds],” he said.

    The rest of the boys’ squad includes freshman Nicholas Rostomyan at 106 pounds and freshman Roni Manas at 106 pounds.

    At 113 pounds, there are sophomore Kaiden Takeuthi and freshman Artur Babayan.

    Junior Kevin Krikor will compete at 120 pounds as will sophomore Erwin Bedrcian and freshman Simon Kirakosian.

    Sophomore Alex Pereira and freshman Christiano Zambrano will wrestle at 126 pounds.

    At 132 pounds, senior Tyler Huo and sophomore Emmanuel Yegaran will see action.

    Sophomore Arayik Vardanyan and sophomore David Ayvazyan will wrestle at 138 pounds while freshmen Daniel Vartanian and freshman Martin Zakianyan will likewise tangle at 138 pounds.

    Junior Arman Martisoyan and sophomore Gevork Kabakchuzyan will wrestle at 144 pounds.

    Junior Artem Akimov, sophomore David Terjnanian and freshman Matthew Chirinian will wrestle at 150 pounds.

    At 157 pounds, sophomore Hovhannes Mkoyan, freshman Enrique Shajanian and freshman Michael Hayrapetyan will compete.

    Junior Austin Desai wrestles at 110 pounds and is the girls’ captain. (Photo courtesy Jonathon O’Brien)

    Senior Ronel Hakoupian and freshman Davit Sargsyan and freshman Armen Simonian will wrestle at 165 pounds.

    At 175 pounds, senior Thomas Adzhemyan, junior David Antanseyan and freshman Martin Aghabadyan will tussle.

    Junior Andre Takhmasian and freshman Calvin Aghanian will wrestle at 190 pounds and at 215 pounds sophomore Logan Rodriguez will be on the front line.

    Sophomore Evan Der Galstanian will see action at 285 pounds.

    These are the girls on the team and include freshman Katerina Onofriichuk at 100 pounds and freshman Nikki Trujillo at 100 pounds.

    Freshman Zoe Gomez will compete at 110 pounds, sophomore Bettina Shamiryan at 115 pounds, freshman Madison Ries at 115 pounds and freshman Sophia Sirakanian at 115 pounds.

    Freshman Sinned Arguelles will wrestle at 125 pounds and sophomore Lili Movesyan will compete at 130 pounds. Freshman Natalie Avadian will wrestle at 145 pounds.

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  • Girls Water Polo Preview: Burroughs, Burbank On Right Track

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    Burroughs is looking forward to having a better season than a year ago. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    By Rick Assad

    It seems the two local girls’ water polo teams, that is Burroughs High and Burbank, are going about getting better the right way and so far are on track.

    Martin Ortega Jennison of the Bears and Mariano Galvez of the Bulldogs are trying to build something that will be sustainable.

    Burroughs will be led by a number of key seniors and they include Derika Berenguer, Lauren Chaparro and Bonnie Kretzmann.

    The other members of the team are Bella Matossian, Tyler Timman, Jazlynn Woods, Molly Gilmore, Gwendolyn Hager, Trinity Hager, Leah Hess, Jocelyn Rios, Althea Weichelt, Giovanna Martinez, June Baelly and Aniana Ad Vincula.

    Last season the Bears were 13-13 in all matches and 7-3 in the Pacific League for third place.

    Martin Ortega Jennison is the Burroughs head coach and is trying to build a complete program.

    “We focus on individual development and with that the team gets better,” he said. “Our goals are to finish in the top four in the league and do well in the playoffs.”

    Burbank is gunning to be significantly better than last season and should be. (Photo by Rick Assad)

    Ortega Jennison, who also coaches at Occidental College, is eager to see how the season unfolds.

    “We work with the starters but we also try to develop the nonstarters,” he said. “It’s working from the bottom and instead of top down.”

    Ortega Jennison added: “I’m trying to teach more technical skills as a coach and trying to get them ready for club or college,” he said.

    Burbank is looking forward to having a better season after going 5-12 in all matches and 3-6 in league contests a season ago and there is considerable leadership.

    Mariano Galvez is Burbank’s head coach and feels that the upperclassmen are going to be a force.

    “They work together very well,” he proclaimed. “I really think that we have the potential to be in the top four in league.” 

    They include but are not limited to senior Melanie Hayrapetian, goalie Angela Khachikyan, Ellen Ghukasyan and sophomore Stella Mehserdjian.

    “Melanie has been in the program for four years and is strong, fast and an excellent shooter,” he said. “Stella is a softball player and she’s athletic and she can throw and she’s going to mature, and Angie is phenomenal with a 65 percent save rate.”

    Other members of the team are Lina Tahmasian, Khloe Aghakhani, Laura Atshemyan, Tiffany Khudeta, Nicole Ebrahim, Claire Lee, Sophia Parseghian, Mathia Zaynadvand, Ani Zelveyan, Mira Touma, Genesis Urquizo, Manassanian Luang-Aram and backup goalie Mila Spanic.

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  • Burbank Girls Water Polo Struggles Against Mayfield

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    Burbank tried its best to keep pace with Mayfield but lost 17-7 in a nonleague match. (Photo by Rick Assad)

    By Rick Assad

    For one half, the Burbank High girls’ water polo team put up a really good fight against visiting Mayfield High in a nonleague match at the Burroughs pool on Thursday evening with rain pouring down.

    From the intermission until the end of the match, the Cubs outscored the Bulldogs 11-3 and prevailed 17-7.

    Senior Melia Whalen was sensational for Mayfield (3-2) as she found the back of the net 11 times and delivered six goals in the second half.

    Freshman Jordan Ellis chipped in with three goals for the Cubs, who outshot the Bulldogs 33-22.

    Leading the offensive attack for Burbank (0-3), which went scoreless in the fourth quarter, was senior Melanie Hayrapetian with five tallies.

    Hayrapetian had a goal with 5:49 remaining in the first period that evened it at 1-1 and tossed in a goal with twenty-two seconds left in the same frame that tied it at 3-3.

    Hayrapetian’s goal with 5:04 left in the second period gave the Bulldogs a 4-3 lead.

    Hayrapetian had back-to-back tallies in the third quarter that came with 5:40 left that evened it at 6-6 and at 4:55 for a 7-6 lead.

    Lina Tahmasian scored for the Bulldogs with 1:55 left in the first period that evened it at 2-2.

    Ellen Ghukasyan added a goal with 6:03 on the clock in the third frame that trimmed Mayfield’s lead to 6-5.

    Mariano Galvez is Burbank’s head coach and despite the loss, is hopeful for the future.

    “We made little mistakes, but they are easily fixable,” he said. “I think we may have been fatigued in the second half because they [Mayfield] were scoring so quickly.” 

    Whalen came out and scored three goals in the opening period as she drilled a shot with 6:08 for a 1-0 lead.

    With 5:41 on the clock, Whalen made it 2-1 and with 1:27 on the timer, Whalen found the back of the net for a 3-2 advantage.

    In the second period, Whalen added two more goals and they came with 4:50 left that tied it at 4-4 and her goal with fifty-seven seconds left made it 6-4 in favor of the Cubs.

    The third period saw Whalen tally two goals, and they were made with 4:44 left that tied it at 7-7 and 3:49 for an 8-7 lead.

    To begin the fourth period, Whalen struck for four straight goals and came with 6:43 remaining for a 10-7 lead, and with 6:13 left that made it 11-7, and at 5:35 for a 12-7 cushion and at 5:04 for a 13-7 advantage.

    A goal from Ellis with 4:26 left on the clock made it 14-7 and a tally from Ellis with 4:00 remaining left made it 15-7. Ellis found the back of the net with 1:00 on the ticker for a 17-7 lead.

    Senior Sofia Hesling, senior Camila De Cardenas and senior Gabby De Filippo each scored one goal for the Cubs.

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  • Burbank Football Victorious Versus Lancaster In CIF First-Round Game

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    Deshawn Laporte had 321 passing yards, and three touchdown throws in a 52-43 CIF Division VI first-round playoff victory over Lancaster. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    By Rick Assad

    It was up-tempo from the start and it took three hours to compete but every minute was worth it as host Burbank High took on Lancaster which proved a worthy opponent in its CIF Southern Section Division VI opening-round playoff game at Memorial Field.

    Each team scored during the four-quarter affair, and each played with energy and skill and when it concluded, the Bulldogs earned a 52-43 victory on Friday night.

    Burbank will play on the road next Friday at Riverside Roosevelt in a second-round game which knocked off previously unbeaten Crespi 33-24.

    Hector Valencia is Burbank’s head coach and appreciated what he saw during those tense four periods.

    “They had one of the fastest offenses we’ve seen in a while,” he explained. “Their tempo got us off guard and it took us a bit to settle down and start playing at that tempo but once we did the defense held their own.”

    Burbank had six interceptions and sophomore wide receiver/cornerback/safety Diego Plancarte had four and each were a crucial element to the win.

    Elijah Pendleton accounted for 151 receiving yards on eight receptions for the Bulldogs. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    “The interceptions were key,” Valencia added. “We knew that if we got them out of their running game, things would balance out in our favor.”

    The usual suspects were present in the spotlight for the Bulldogs (9-3) as junior quarterback Deshawn Laporte threw three touchdowns and all three went to junior wide receiver Tyler Hudson, who had 10 catches for 143 yards.

    “We played well. We had ups and downs but we all got everything straight and came out with the win,” said Laporte, who completed 20 of 32 attempts for 321 yards and one interception.

    Laporte’s first scoring toss was a 34-yarder and came with 8:52 left in the first quarter and gave the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead.

    Laporte’s second touchdown throw was a 12-yard and occurred with 4:57 remaining in the same frame and made it 14-6.

    Laporte then found Hudson with a 22-yard strike with just under a minute left in the third period for a 45-29 advantage.

    Burbank wide receiver Elijah Pendleton, who had an interception, caught eight passes for 151 yards and also added a 46-yard scoring gallop at 9:00 before halftime as Burbank led 21-14.

    Junior running back/linebacker Troy Wells tacked on a pair of scoring runs for the Bulldogs as the hosts charged ahead 27-21 on his 10-yard run burst with 4:05 on the clock in the second quarter.

    Wells tossed in a one-yard run with 3:19 left on the clock in the third period for a 38-29 lead. Laporte also found senior wide receiver Exodus Freeman (10 yards on one catch) on a two-point conversion pass.

    Diego Plancarte picked off four passes for Burbank which had six overall against Lancaster. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

    “Troy had an outstanding game for us at running back and it helped balance our offense so it was not just the pass they had to stop,” Valencia stated.

    For good measure, senior Ryan Mendoza nailed a 30-yard field goal with 2:09 left before the intermission as Burbank marched ahead 30-21.

    Burbank senior wide receiver Chase Miles had one reception for 17 yards and one interception.

    “From the first, we loved running man blitzes against their offense because we believed their quarterback struggled under pressure,” Miles said. “We sent blitzes to neutralize their running game and force their quarterback to make uncomfortable throws.”

    Miles knew that Burbank would be able to move the ball and score points.

    “Offensively as the game progressed, we liked running the ball more and more as it was hard for their defense to stop it,” he said.

    Junior wide receiver/cornerback Ronald Gordon also chipped in with a fumble recovery for the Bulldogs.

    Lancaster quarterback senior Michael Marsenich tossed three touchdown passes and added a scoring run but was picked off six times.

    Marsenich had a 16-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jaheim Redmond as 10:36 remained in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead for the Eagles (8-3).

    Marsenich then found senior wide receiver Jayson Wilson on a 21-yard rocket late in the first period that evened it as 14-14. Senior running back/safety Jacob Walker added a two-point run and also contributed an interception.

    Marsenich unloaded a 45-yard pass to senior wide receiver Chace Beoranje with 1:28 left in the second frame and sophomore running back Joziah Davis added a two-point run that drew Lancaster within 30-29.

    Marsenich scored on an eight-yard keeper with 7:25 left in the fourth quarter and senior running back Arthur Turner added a two-point run for the Eagles who came within 52-43.

    Lancaster’s sophomore wide receiver Terrance Harper had a 65-yard kickoff return with just under nine minutes left in the second period that evened it at 21-21.

    Turner struck again and this time it was a 55-yard sprint late in the third period that saw Lancaster get within 45-35.

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