Tag: Sho Fujita

Burbank Football Runs Wild in Win Over Burroughs
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There have been some close games and upsets in the Burbank-Burroughs football series that dates back to 1949.

But that was not the case Thursday night when the teams met at Memorial Field in the regular season finale.

Burbank scored on the first play from scrimmage and were in complete command from start to finish in a 62-14 Pacific League victory.

“Defensively, I like the way they played,” Burbank coach Hector Valencia said. “Offensively we knew we were going to click.”

Burbank’s offense did more than just click. Quarterback Deshawn Laporte completed 24 of 26 passes for 464 yards and seven touchdowns.

“The team executed real well. We came out and played hard and got the W,” Laporte said.

Burbank (8-2, 6-1 in league) needed just 15 seconds to score as Elijah Pendleton took one of Laporte’s baby passes and went 65 yards for the touchdown.

The Bulldogs scored three more times in the first quarter. Pendleton scored his second touchdown on a 20-yard pass.
Exodus Freeman scored on a 37-yard touchdown with 2:58 left in the first quarter and Chase Miles scored on the final play of the quarter, a 17-yard pass from Laporte.

Tyler Hudson scored on a 13-yard screen pass with 2:30 left in the first half to make it 34-0.

Kaylem Valencia intercepted a pass by Burroughs quarterback Brandon Chapparo and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the first half.

Burbank led 42-0 at halftime.

“The way they play at that level is amazing. We need to do that if we want to play at that level,” Burroughs coach Jose Calzadilla said of Burbank.

Burbank received a 75-yard touchdown from Laporte to Miles with 4:46 left in the third quarter.

Burroughs (3-7, 3-4 in league) finally got on the board with 3:30 left in the third period as Chapparo scored on a 4-yard run.

Burbank added another touchdown before the end of the quarter as Tyler Hudson had an incredible run that saw him elude a number of tackles before going 26 yards into the end zone.

Burroughs added a touchdown with 6:41 remaining, as Troy Acosta scored on an 8-yard run.

Chapparo led Burroughs with 76 yards rushing. The Bears also got 59 yards from Sho Fujita.

Burbank will find out its fate for the CIF playoffs on Sunday when pairings will be released.
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Jim Riggio

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October 30, 2025
Burroughs Football Rallies In Second Half Against Hoover

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Burroughs quarterback Brandon Chapparo scored two rushing touchdowns in a 21-10 win over Hoover. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

By Rick Assad

Spotting the hosts a 10-point halftime advantage looked precarious for the Burroughs High football team on Friday evening.

It turned out just fine as the visitors erased that deficit versus Hoover and tallied three second-half touchdowns and in the process secured a 21-10 decision in a Pacific League game.

Burroughs first-year head coach Jose Calzadilla explained what happened during the second half turnaround.

“Our kids were disappointed with their effort in the first half. But some adversity can be a good thing. The ability to overcome that is a lesson every team should learn,” he said. “Our guys did that tonight. I’m proud of them.”

Calzadilla added: “The kids came out in the second half and did what they had to do to win,” he said. “That’s all I could ask for.”

Over the last two games, Burroughs has forced five turnovers and the result is two victories.

Keith Recchia is the defensive coordinator and sees marked improvement.

Bears junior running back Sho Fujita carried the ball 20 times and gained 109 yards in a triumph over the Tornadoes. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

“I felt our guys stepped up, limited their mistakes, and tackled well. Hoover had run five different offenses this year so we were not sure what we were going to see,” he explained. “Having patience on our side benefited us and our guys did a great job adjusting. Getting five turnovers in two games helps build confidence.”

All three Burroughs scores were garnered via the ground attack and was spearheaded by quarterback Brandon Chapparo, who scored one touchdown in the third quarter and one in the fourth period.

Chapparo’s 12-yard scoring run came with 9:08 left and trimmed Hoover’s lead to 10-7.

The score came after senior wide receiver/cornerback Brandan Smith intercepted senior quarterback A.J. Francisco that gave the ball to Burroughs (3-4 and 3-1 in league) at the Hoover 29-yard line.

Four plays moved the ball 17 yards before Chaparro, a junior, who carried the ball 14 times for 88 yards, waltzed into the end zone.

A time-consuming 90-yard, 11-play march saw the Bears run the ball each play as junior running back/cornerback Sho Fujita, who added a game-best 109 yards on 20 carries, had five rushes for 29 yards and Chapparo added three carries for 35 yards including the score for a 21-10 advantage as 6:26 remained.

The middle tally was made possible after a fumble on a pitch from Francisco to junior fullback/outside linebacker Dveen Aghanian as Burroughs received the ball at the Hoover 38.

The key gain on the six-play march was Chapparo’s 11-yard keeper and Fujita delivered four rushes for 14 yards before junior running back/cornerback Carson Shrode, who finished with 38 yards on eight carries, burst into the end zone from 13 yards with 4:06 left in the third quarter for a 14-10 lead.

Brandon Chapparo ran for 88 yards on 14 rushes and two sores as the Bears beat the Tornadoes 21-10. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

“Our run game continues to evolve. We need to find new ways to help our quarterback,” Calzadilla said. “That’s on me. I will handle that.”

Chaparro passed for 115 yards on 11 of 19 attempts but had two interceptions.

Hoover (2-5 and 0-4 in league) took a 3-0 lead on a 28-yard field goal from junior wide receiver/kicker Jack Coopersmith with 4:18 remaining in the initial period.

The 61-yard, eight-play march was assisted by a 46-yard double pass from Francisco to junior wide receiver Angelo Bailey who then drilled junior quarterback/free safety Elliott Nussbaum that placed the ball on the Burroughs 26-yard line.

The Tornadoes moved in front 10-0 with 43 seconds left before halftime as Francisco hit Aghanian with an eight-yard pass that completed a two-play march and was made possible after senior wide receiver/cornerback Arman Asaduriyan picked off Chapparo and returned the errant toss 51 yards.

Recchia said his unit played well.

“We stuck to our game plan. I feel we played great in the first half. They had one big play to start the game that put them in field goal range, but from that moment our defense did a great job limiting opportunities,” he said. “Their touchdown came after a turnover that gave them the ball inside our 10-yard line, which is hard for any team to pull off a stop.”

The next game Burroughs plays will be Muir which is undefeated in league on Thursday with a 7:00 p.m. start time.

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Rick Assad

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October 11, 2025
Burroughs Gets Back to Basics in Win Over Arcadia

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Burroughs football coach Jose Calzadilla knew he had to make some changes for his team, which entered winless before Thursday’s Pacific League road contest at Arcadia High.

Calzadilla didn’t get fancy. He just went back to the basics and his team came away 41-33 victors over the host Apaches.

“We had a handful of things that we wanted to do tonight and we saw some things and we made adjustments over the course of the game, but ultimately we knew we were going to run the ball,’’ said Calzadilla, who earned his first win as varsity head coach. “We knew we were going to go outside. They have some decent size inside. We had to keep them honest, but ultimately we were going to run the ball and take shots when they were available.”

Burroughs (1-4, 1-1 in league) got a fine effort on the ground from junior quarterback Brandon Chapparo and junior running back Sho Fujita.

Fujita carried the ball 33 times for 186 yards and three touchdowns.

Chapparo had 14 carries for 170 yards and a touchdown.

“It feels really good,” Fujita said. “It was a group effort. I couldn’t have done it without the team.”

Fujita scored on a 9-yard-run with 8:54 left in the first quarter to get the Bears on the board.

Arcadia (1-4, 1-1 in league) got on the board later in the quarter as Ethan Long scored on a 5-yard-run with 3:08 left in the quarter. The Apaches hit the goal post on the extra point and it bounced out, leaving Burroughs with a 7-6 advantage.

Fujita had a 4-yard touchdown at the 10:47 mark of the second quarter. Arcadia responded with a 5-yard touchdown run by AJ Pressnall.

Arcadia took its lone lead of the game later in the quarter when Pressnall hooked up with Aiden Reyes on a 74-yard touchdown pass.

Burroughs fought back behind backup Sean Gahman, who alternated with Chapparo throughout most of the contest.

Gahman hooked up with Brendan Smith on a 58-yard touchdown pass with 1:02 left in the third quarter.

The Bears scored a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter as Carson Shrode scored on a 9-yard run in his first carry of the game.

Fujita added a 10-yard touchdown with 1:55 left in the third quarter to put Burroughs up 34-19.

Arcadia cut the deficit to 34-25 with 8:44 left when Pressnall hooked up with Tyler Rangsuebsin on a 26-yard touchdown pass.

But Chapparo kept Burroughs moving. He scored on a 21-yard run with 3:08 left to play to make it 41-25.

Burroughs will host Glendale High next Friday at Memorial Field.

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Jim Riggio

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September 25, 2025
Burroughs Football Remains Winless After Loss To Pasadena

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Burroughs, pictured in an earlier game, faced Pasadena and lost. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

By Rick Assad

For the second game in a row, the Burroughs High football team allowed more than fifty points, played better in the second half and it wasn’t nearly enough.

On this Friday night, Burroughs fell to Pasadena 54-14 in the Pacific League opener at Memorial Field and like the Bears’ setback to Los Altos eight days ago, had more energy in the second half as they scored both touchdowns across the final 24 minutes.

Sho Fujita was a bright spot as the junior running back had 167 yards on 31 carries for Burroughs (0-4 and 0-1 in league).

Fujita’s two-yard carry with 2:30 left in the third quarter cut the lead to 35-7 that capped an 80-yard, 13-play march.

Jose Calzadilla is Burroughs first-year head coach and likes what he saw in his talented back.

“Sho was great. So proud of him. Stepping up and running the football for us,” he said. “He runs hard and never shies away from contact. He’s evolving as a runner.”

Junior quarterback Sean Ghaman (eight for 21 and 97 yards with three interceptions) delivered a 34-yard scoring pass to senior wide receiver Brendan Smith (39 yards on two receptions) with 7:56 left in the fourth quarter that ended an eight-play, 72-yard drive that sliced the lead to 41-14.

Calzadilla knows that his team is young.

“For us it’s about eliminating mistakes,” he said. “It cost us drives and scoring opportunities. That will be a great measure of this team. How they grow by playing as mistake free as possible.’

Pasadena (2-2 and 1-0 in league) led 8-0 after the opening frame and pulled ahead 28-0 at the intermission.

The Bulldogs pulled in front 35-7 entering the fourth period and capped the night by outscoring the Bears 19-7 in the fourth period.

Pasadena junior quarterback Dutch Burbidge accounted for 288 yards on 18 of 25 with four scoring passes and two rushing touchdowns.

Ron Jones is the Pasadena head coach.

“I liked the fact we won the game. I saw some good things from young players on both offense and defense,” he said. “Still don’t think we are executing as well as we can.”

The Bulldogs made it 6-0 with 4:09 left in the initial frame when Burbidge found senior wide receiver/defensive back Sebastian Clark (21 yards on two catches) with a 12-yard pass that finalized a 73-yard, 10-play drive.

Late in the frame after a punt was blocked and it rolled into the end zone, the visitors led 8-0 on a safety.

Early in the second period, Burbidge added a 16-yard scoring run as it became 14-0.

Roughly four minutes later, the Bulldogs’ advantage ballooned to 20-0 after senior defensive back Michael Ambrose returned an interception 71 yards.

With less than a minute remaining in the second period, Burbidge unloaded a 69-yard scoring strike to senior wide receiver Kyle Robertson (92 yards on three receptions) and Burbidge spotted freshman tight end Delano King for the two-point conversion to make it 28-0.

When Burbidge connected with King (36 yards on two catches) on a 22-yard pass play and 10:26 left in the third quarter the lead became 35-0 that ended a 70-yard march.

Burbidge added his second scoring run of the night as he carried the ball into the end zone from 17 yards as 11:46 remained in the fourth period for a 41-7 edge that capped an 11-play, 70-yard excursion.

With 5:52 left in the game Burbidge added a 35-yard scoring toss to freshman wide receiver/defensive back Damari Pitts (99 yards on six catches) for a 48-14 lead that closed a 46-yard trek.

King’s 97-yard interception return as time ran out made it a forty-point lead.

Burroughs will next play a league game on Thursday night at Arcadia with a 7 p.m. kickoff.

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Rick Assad

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September 20, 2025
Burroughs Football Falls Behind Los Altos, Loses 52-7

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Burroughs, pictured in a previous game, lost to Los Altos. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

By Rick Assad

Only one possession late in the second quarter proved successful for the Burroughs High football team on Thursday night against host Los Altos.

That clearly wasn’t enough as the Bears lost 52-7 for a third straight setback this season.

Junior running back Sho Fujita had a seven-yard run with 47 seconds left that capped an 85-yard, nine-play march that sliced the lead to 45-7.

Burroughs first-year coach Jose Calzadilla believes the season is salvageable.

“This is another example of our young team learning hard lessons. The hope is this will benefit us as we start the [Pacific] League,” he said of his team that is 0-3. “Our offensive line is still not solidified because of injuries. We’re hoping to get that settled this week.”

The Bears have also had trouble tackling in the open field for much of the early season and it’s hoped the problem will be solved.

The Conquerors built a 24-0 advantage after the first quarter and led 45-7 at halftime.

Burroughs’ first possession ended with a punt and was followed by a punt being blocked. Back-to-back punts were next, junior quarterback Brandon Chapparo tossed an interception and then the Bears scored a touchdown.

Los Altos (3-0) employed a seven-play march that covered 56 yards and ended with a 17-yard scoring pass from senior quarterback Diego Castillo, who accounted for four touchdowns, to senior wide receiver/defensive back Josiah Cortez that made it 7-0 as 9:49 remained.

An onside kick was recovered by the Conquerors at the Bears 35. Four plays were needed to make it 14-0 as Castillo found Cortez on a 12-yard strike as 7:42 was left.

The Bears, shown in an earlier game, trailed 45-7 at halftime against the Conquerors. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

The lead became 17-0 after a drive that began at the Los Altos 40 stalled at the Burroughs nine as senior Daniel Blas nailed a 25-yard field goal with 2:11 left in the initial frame.

Los Altos blocked a punt that was turned into a three-yard burst from junior running back/linebacker Evan Rojas as 10 seconds was left in the opening quarter for a 24-0 lead.

The Conquerors tacked on three touchdowns in the second period as Rojas added a five-yard run and 8:57 left that ended a 65-yard, five-play march for a 31-0 advantage.

The margin ballooned to 38-0 on a 39-yard, seven-play trek when Castillo added an 11-yard scamper and 5:38 left before the intermission.

About two minutes later, the lead became 45-0 on a 22-yard aerial from Castillo to senior wide receiver/defensive back Gavin Flores.

Junior quarterback/linebacker Luke Rodriguez capped the evening by scoring on a 20-yard run that highlighted a 10-play, 59-yard march with 10:05 left in the game that made it a 45-point deficit.

Next Friday at 7:00 p.m., Burroughs hosts Pasadena in the league opener at Memorial Field.

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Rick Assad

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September 12, 2025
Burroughs Football Struggles Versus Santa Monica

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Quarterback Brandon Chapparo had a touchdown pass for Burroughs which lost to Santa Monica 35-9. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

By Rick Assad

It’s only two games into the 2025 football season and for Burroughs High, so far, it’s been tough sledding.

On Friday night in the home opener versus Santa Monica, the Bears managed a safety, a touchdown and an extra point as the hosts lost 35-9 in a nonleague game at Memorial Field.

All of the Bears’ points came in the second half and there were a few bright spots along the way, and they included junior running back Sho Fujita, who carried the ball 23 times for 73 yards and junior quarterback Brandon Chapparo, who passed for 94 yards on 10 of 26.

Junior running back Carson Shrode has been on the shelf but once he returns to action, Burroughs’ offense should be better because he adds a solid one-two punch.

The first points of the season for the Bears came with 3:11 left in the third quarter as Santa Monica reserve signal-caller was tackled in the end zone. The score cut the lead to 32 points.

After receiving the free kick, the Bears (0-2) took over at its 49-yard line and a 19-yard pass from Chapparo to Fujita put the ball at the Santa Monica 33.

Yards were hard to come by for the Bears against the Vikings in a nonleague game won by the visitors. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

On second down and nine, Chapparo ran for 12 yards and four plays later, Chapparo hit sophomore wide receiver Deegan Howell on a seven-yard toss as 11:55 remained in the fourth quarter.

The drive consumed nine plays and covered 51 yards and showed the team is capable of playing well.

Keith Recchia is the Burroughs defensive coordinator and had some nice words for the players who helped the team score.

“I like that our guys who subbed in fought hard,” he stated.

Santa Monica senior quarterback Eliot Bingener (311 yards on 20 of 28 with one interception) threw four touchdown passes including three to senior wide receiver Payton Seals, who finished with a game-best 137 yards on a game-high nine receptions.

The Vikings (2-1) came out and scored with 7:03 left in the first period as Bingener drilled Seals with an 18-yard toss that capped a six-play, 45-yard march for a 7-0 lead.

Bingener also connected with Seals on a 55-yard strike that made it 21-0 as 7:13 remained before the intermission as Santa Monica went 94 yards on four plays.

All of the Bears’ points were scored in the second half but it wasn’t enough. (Photo by Xavier Dubon)

Bingener’s third scoring toss went to Seals and covered five yards as the Vikings led 28-0 as 11.8 seconds were left in the second period.

The Vikings began the drive at their 33-yard line and used seven plays.

The opening half saw Santa Monica, which defeated Kaimuki, which is located in Honolulu, Hawaii, 35-0 on the road but were shut out by Laguna Beach 42-0 had its way over much of the game.

Bingener engineered a five-play, 65-yard excursion after finding sophomore wide receiver Myles Lee on a 45-yard rocket that made it 35-0 with 9:46 on the clock in the third period.

Senior running back Isaiah Fernandez added a four-yard scoring jaunt for the Vikings as 10:47 was left in the second half as the visitors pulled ahead 14-0.

After losing the season opener 49-0 at Hart, Burroughs looks to get in the win column next Thursday with a nonleague game at Los Altos.

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Rick Assad

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September 6, 2025
New Name, Familiar Face Leading Burroughs Football

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The John Burroughs High football program has its fifth head coach since current athletic director Keith Knoop stepped down after the 2015-16 season after having been the head coach since the 1997-98 school year and previously was an assistant going back to the 1993-94 year.

One person who has been part of the Burroughs football program for nearly as long as Knoop is new head coach Jose Calzadilla, who has been an assistant since 1999.

A former Burroughs player himself, Calzadilla now takes over a job he has more than a quarter of century getting ready for.

“Our goal at Burroughs has always been to make practice harder than games,” Calzadilla said recently at the Pacific League’s Media Day. “Anybody can do anything right when you’re fresh. It’s all about doing it when you are fatigued. We’re very fortunate. We have 108 kids in our program, 55 at the varsity level. Our goal is to be as competitive as we can be. This league is tough with some amazing athletes.”

Depth is something that Burroughs will definitely need to use as an advantage.

The quarterback position has been a battle between juniors Brandon Chaparro (5-8, 164) and Sean Ghaman (6-3, 199). Chaparro is more of a running threat and Ghaman is more suited for the passing game. Sophomore Deegan Howell (5-10, 151) offers a third option at the position.

Both should receive help from a solid offensive line that will be coached by longtime Burroughs teacher and coach Mike Reily, who returns to the program after taking a few years off to pursue other interests.

Senior Rizon Williamson (5-10, 278) is the top returner. Other seniors on the offensive line are Juan Carlos Barrera (6-0, 208), Josh Orosco- Diaz (5-11, 265), Hector Manjarrez (6-1, 245), Cedrick Velazquez (6-2, 169), Aaron Figueroa (6-1, 214), and Dominic Saraceno (5-11, 238).

The Bears also have a number of underclassmen who will see time on either the offensive or defensive lines with juniors Cooper Beebe (6-2, 227), Jedidiah Cuevas (5-6, 195), Anthony Larios (5-8, 221), Nilon Boteju (5-9, 180), Ashton Reyes (6-0, 263), Kevin Radillo-Paz, Theodore Severse (6-4, 273), Erick Jacobo (5-9, 277), Jadan Ruffin (6-5, 296), Luke Ryan (5-10, 208), Brian Navarrette (5-10, 194), Matthew Westmoreland (5-10, 242) and Christian Garay-Dang-Mendez (5-10, 208).

Sophomore Hunter Sandoval (6-0, 264) is also in the mix.

At running back Burroughs will have seniors Jamar Saint-Fleur (5-9, 156), Tripton Slouthour (5-9, 177), juniors Carson Shrode (5-10, 163), Sho Fujita (5-6, 140) and sophomores Troy Acosta (5-9, 137) and Christian Mendoza (5-5, 127).

In the wide receiver/defensive back positions, the Bears have a number of people who could fill the holes.

Seniors King Milhouse (6-2, 184), Brendan Smith (5-10, 157), Tyler Lorenc (6-0, 170), Jayden Valle (5-5, 140), Anthony Castro (5-8, 141) and Donovan Ybarra (5-10, 166) lead the group.

Juniors Tony Sanchez (5-10, 146), Brendan Smith (5-10, 157), Suede Richer (5-10, 145), Mikhail Fox (5-9, 160), Gavin Tubbs (5-11, 154), Carter Czekaj (5-7, 143), Joaquin Rodriguez (5-9, 147), Julian Tiangco (5-10, 161), and sophomores Jesus Gutierrez (5-11, 145) and Gavin Tubbs (5-11, 154) offer depth.

Junior Ryder Bowne (6-0, 166) was an all-league pick at linebacker last year and will play exclusively on the defensive side of the ball. Fellow junior Jordan Frenkel (5-10, 195) will also play a number of roles for the Bears.

Seniors Hasan Kahlief (5-11, 180) and Angel Del Real (6-0, 183), juniors Jason White (6-2, 185), Josh Kelly (5-8, 170), Manny Trujillo (5-10, 174) and sophomore Nicolas Taylor (5-11, 171) would also see time at tight end and on defense.

Junior Michael Hernandez (5-10, 135) will be the kicker.

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Jim Riggio

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August 25, 2025