By Rick Assad
It took the Burbank High football team one series in order to set the tone and score its first touchdown.
Five more touchdowns followed and a 42-0 rout of Pasadena was on in a Pacific League match Thursday night at Memorial Field.
Junior quarterback Matthew Porras and Drew Pendleton connected on three scoring passes.
“He stepped up huge,” Burbank coach Adam Colman said of his senior wide receiver and linebacker, who had a game-best 160 yards on five receptions. “You see the raw talent. You can see the work he’s put in. He’s a workaholic and it shows in his play.”
Porras added a fourth touchdown toss and finished with 266 yards on 19 of 23 pass attempts.
Burbank (5-2 and 4-0 in league) jumped out to an early 7-0 lead when Porras located Pendleton with a 32-yard strike and 8:16 left in the opening quarter that capped a 10-play, 78-yard drive.
Burbank’s advantage became 14-0 on a 43-yard pass from Porras to Pendleton with 2:54 on the clock in the same period that ended a 62-yard, three-play march.
“We want to do that every game,” said Pendleton of the early lead that swelled to 21-0 at the intermission. “We had fun tonight. We got the early lead and we were in the driver’s seat and then we do whatever we want.”
That tally was made possible when senior defensive back Kaydon Spens intercepted senior quarterback Randy Santellan (nine of 25 for 106 yards with three interceptions).
Spens had another pick that resulted in a 23-yard touchdown with 6:57 left in the third quarter, but it was called back after a roughing the passer penalty.
Junior defensive back/wide receiver Erik Harutyunyan snared four passes for 23 yards and also contributed an interception.
When Porras unloaded a 27-yard toss to junior tight end Duncan Smith (64 yards on six catches) and 10:55 left in the second quarter, Burbank’s lead became 21-0.
On Pasadena’s first possession of the second half, senior defensive lineman Anthony Lira scooped up a loose football and returned it 43 yards for a score and a 28-0 lead with 9:55 remaining.
The score was set up after senior defensive back Christian Fajardo’s jarring tackle.
Pasadena (1-6 and 1-3 in league) fell behind 35-0 with 7:06 remaining in the third period on a 74-yard pass from Porras to Pendleton, who did most of the work.
Pendleton had an interception and also contributed a pick that resulted in a 28-yard score with 3:56 left in the opening frame, but was nullified on a roughing the passer penalty.
Burbank ended its scoring with a 16-yard scamper from sophomore running back Isaac Glover (39 yards on 10 rushes) as 2:54 remained in the contest.
Junior running back Chadz Vang had 22 yards on five carries and caught three passes for 19 yards.
Senior Darnell Williams chipped in with 12 yards on four rushes after injuring his ankle.
Pasadena was limited to 68 total net yards in the opening half and finished with 169 yards while Burbank had 360 yards.
Senior Andrew Rovira added six extra points, but missed a 52-yard field goal that sailed wide left with 11:05 left in the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs have a showdown next Friday at Glendale’s Moyse Field with a 7 p.m. kickoff when they meet Crescenta Valley, which is also undefeated in league play.
