By Rick Assad
Burbank High’s football team didn’t play a perfect game on Friday night, but it may have seemed that way after trouncing Hoover 61-22 in a Pacific League encounter at Ferguson Field.
The Bulldogs scored nine touchdowns against the Tornadoes including five passing scores by two quarterbacks.
Sophomore signal caller Deshawn Laporte completed 10 of 12 passes for 142 yards and three touchdowns and senior field general/wide receiver Daniel Zacaraiz hit six of eight attempts for 123 yards and two touchdown passes with an interception.
“We were shooting ourselves in the foot in the beginning of the game. On a few plays we had miscommunication between our team, but we overcame our mistakes and started to capitalize as a unit,” Zacaraiz noted. “I loved the way we played, and I know we’re ready for Glendale.”
Laporte (36 yards on two carries) also tallied a rushing touchdown in the first quarter while junior wide receiver Exodus Freeman (32 yards on two receptions) had a running touchdown in the second period.
Senior running back Joseph Caballero (61 yards on six rushes) added a rushing score in the third quarter and junior wide receiver/cornerback Elijah Pendleton (62 yards on four catches) tacked on a running touchdown in the fourth period.
Burbank (5-2 and 3-1 in league) scored in every quarter and made it look easy at times after taking a 14-0 lead into the second frame and pulling ahead 27-7 at halftime.
“I was pretty pleased overall. I think our offense kept their cool throughout the game,” Burbank coach Hector Valencia said. “And our defense allowed some points but did good overall.”
The Bulldogs scored four touchdowns in the third quarter and marched in front 54-14 heading to the fourth period.
A running clock was used midway through the third quarter after Burbank pulled in front by 33 points.
Hoover (0-7 and 0-4 in league) scored solo touchdowns in the second, third and fourth quarters, and played with the third string quarterback, senior Javon Lymon, who is the best all-around player on the team.
It took three plays for the Bulldogs to score their first points as Laporte rambled in from 22 yards and 10:35 left in the opening frame for a 7-0 lead.
The advantage became 14-0 on Burbank’s next possession as Laporte found Pendleton with a 27-yard toss, capping a 39-yard, five-play drive at 6:40 in the same period.
After an interception, the Bulldogs made it 20-0 with 6:10 remaining before halftime as Freeman dashed 52 yards that ended a six-play, 76-yard drive.
The first half scoring barrage ended when Zacaraiz moved Burbank from its 40-yard line and using eight plays as he drilled sophomore wide receiver/outside linebacker Tyler Hudson (52 yards on four catches) with an eight-yard strike as time ran out and saw the visitors lead by twenty points.
Hoover, which committed five turnovers that included three interceptions, had the ball to begin the second half but fumbled deep in its own territory and it took one play for Burbank to forge a 34-7 lead with 11:43 left as Laporte hit Zacaraiz with a 25-yard toss.
“Daniel stepped in at quarterback and did a good job considering he has been playing wide receiver the last couple of weeks,” Valencia said. “There are some things we need to still work on but overall, it’s a good win versus a much-improved team.”
Another one-play drive followed as Caballero scooted 45 yards as 9:57 remained in the third period as it became 41-14.
An interception led to the Bulldogs to make it 47-14 as Laporte delivered a 21-yard pass to Freeman as 6:25 was left in the third quarter, ending a 38-yard, four-play drive.
The final score of the third period was a two-play, 65-yard march as Zacaraiz nailed senior wide receiver/cornerback Max Kelley with a 62-yard throw to make it 54-14.
The night’s offensive barrage saw Pendleton race into the end zone on a one-play, 48-yard burst as 3:57 remained to make it 61-22.
Junior defensive back Chase Miles (26 yards on one reception), senior wide receiver Ezekiel Alvarez and senior wide receiver/cornerback Landon Williams each had one interception for the Bulldogs.
Hoover’s scores came on a 10-yard pass from Lymon to senior wide receiver/defensive back Joel Jauregui with 1:40 left in the second quarter to make it 20-7.
Lymon added an 80-yard scoring pass to senior wide receiver/defensive back Davion Holloway early in the third quarter that cut the lead to 34-14.
Lymon’s eight-yard carry and two-point conversion run at 7:35 of the fourth quarter made it 54-22.
Burbank will next host Glendale at Memorial Field in a league game with a 7 p.m. start time.
