By Rick Assad
During the course of Thursday night’s final nonleague football game for Burbank High, the Bulldogs employed three ways to find the end zone at Kemp-Kallem Field.
Burbank scored via the pass, the run and on an interception return for a touchdown and in the process routed Fillmore 39-14 before a supportive crowd.
Sophomore quarterback Deshawn Laporte accounted for three touchdowns including two rushing scores in the first quarter that made it 14-7.
Laporte, who connected on 12 of 18 passes for 152 yards and had 70 yards on six carries, also tossed a 37-yard scoring pass to junior wide receiver Elijah Pendleton (120 yards on six receptions) with 5:22 left in the fourth period that stretched the advantage to 33-7.
Burbank’s other signal-caller Daniel Zacaraiz contributed two scoring passes that included a 33-yarder for a 27-7 lead in the second period and a 29-yarder in the fourth quarter while sophomore wide receiver/defensive back Tyler Hudson (40 yards on six catches) chipped in with a 71-yard pick six that made it 21-7 in the second frame.
“I’m feeling great and we for sure could’ve played better but I think we’re just getting started,” said Zacaraiz, a senior who hit seven of 17 passes for 122 yards and one interception.
Burbank did commit too many penalties and those will have to be cleaned up when the team faces Pacific League opponents.
“This was a bittersweet win. I’m glad our players were able to overcome getting themselves into holes that were not necessary [too many penalties]. Extremely disappointed. I thought we would clean that up after the St. Genevieve game, but I was wrong,” Burbank coach Hector Valencia said. “We’re a young team with a lot to work on because once we play a team that will match us, they will capitalize on our mistakes.”
There were several things that Valencia liked about his team.
“The defense played a great game and capitalized on their mistakes. The offense had some moments, and we ran the ball well with [junior] Thomas Adzhemyan (58 yards on 10 rushes) filling in for [senior] Joseph Caballero, who had to sit out this game. Both quarterbacks played well, and the offensive line did a much better job protecting this week.”
The Bulldogs had 60 yards in penalties in the first period and over 85 yards at halftime and finished with more than 100 yards in penalties for the game.
Fillmore took the opening kickoff and began at its 30-yard line and marched to the Bulldog 32 but punted after an incomplete pass.
It took three plays before Burbank scored as Laporte took off and ran 59 yards with 6:55 remaining.
The Flashes (0-4) evened it at 7-7 when sophomore quarterback Nate Perez unloaded a 10-yard scoring toss to senior wide receiver Joey Ocegueda with 5:37 left.
Burbank (2-1) began its second series at its 20-yard line and capped the seven-play march when Laporte carried the ball into the end zone from three yards out with 2:14 on the clock in the first period and led 14-7.
Early in the second quarter the Bulldogs jumped ahead 21-7 on a 71-yard interception return by Hudson off Perez.
Zacaraiz directed a fine 10-play, 66-yard excursion that culminated in his 33-yard toss to junior wide receiver Exodus Freeman (57 yards on three receptions) as the Bulldogs seized control by twenty points and 5:22 remaining before halftime.
Burbank added another tally by Zacaraiz with 1:09 left in the game when he drilled senior wide receiver Max Kelley (41 yards on two catches) with a 29-yard pass that extended the lead to 25 points and ended a 60-yard, six-play march.
Fillmore scored on a 77-yard pass from Perez to sophomore Saul Fraga with 4:06 left in the fourth that narrowed the Burbank advantage to 33-14.
Burbank will open its league schedule at Muir on September 20 with a 7:00 p.m. start.
