Two explosive quarters by the Burroughs High boys’ water polo team was more than enough offense as the Indians secured a 24-9 Pacific League drubbing against city rival Burbank on Wednesday.
The host Indians, who are ranked a school-best No. 3 in the latest CIF Southern Section Division V poll, scored nine goals in the opening period and added 10 in the second quarter.
“I thought that it would be like this [one-sided] after the first half,” Burroughs coach Jacob Cook said. “The starters did really great in the first half. They passed the ball really well.”
The Bulldogs (9-13 and 1-5 in league) managed one goal from sophomore Varuzhan Bilbulyan during this time.
Junior David Arakelyan led the way with a match-best nine goals followed by senior Aram Nordanyan and junior Marko Vucetic with five tallies each.
Arakelyan scored five goals in the first period including a tally with 5:14 left to make it 3-0.
At one point, Arakelyan scored three consecutive goals including the last with 1:52 left that made it 7-0.
Vucetic delivered two goals including one at the 6:17 mark that made it 2-0 and 4:01 that put the Indians (19-5 and 5-1 in league) ahead 4-0.
Nordanyan scored two goals in the initial period including one with 6:36 left on the clock that made it 1-0 and another with 1:23 showing for an 8-0 advantage.
Arakelyan tossed in four goals in the second period that included a winner with 5:15 left that made it 12-0.
Arakelyan’s blast with 4:52 left made it 13-0, and his tally with 3:33 showing gave the Indians a 14-0 cushion.
Arakelyan’s attempt with eight seconds on the clock made it 19-1.
Senior Jerry Solano and Vucetic also added a pair of goals each in the quarter.
Solano’s first tally came with 2:18 remaining and made it 16-0 and his rocket with 1:42 showing pushed the advantage to 17-0.
Vucetic’s goal with 6:24 remaining gave the Indians a 10-0 lead and his laser with 34 seconds left made it 18-1.
The Bulldogs outscored the Indians 8-5 during the second half, but at this point many of the Indians’ first stringers were out of the pool.
“I took many of the starters out,” Cook said of the second half. “I don’t think there were many fast-break points.”
Burbank was paced by junior Brandon Wilson with three goals with junior Andrew Senane and sophomore Bilbulyan each tossed in two goals.
Vucetic knocked in two goals in the third quarter while Nordanyan added two goals in the fourth. Junior Eric Aperian tallied one goal in the final period.
