By Dick Dornan
BurbankNBeyond Sports Editor
As the season progresses, so does the improvement of the Burroughs football team. Behind a running attack that produced 289 yards on the ground, Burroughs manhandled Hoover, 42-13, Thursday night at Moyse Field in Glendale.
Seeking its first victory against Burroughs since the Indians joined the Pacific League in 2006, Hoover had no answer for the Indians offense in either half. In fact, Burroughs has averaged 53 points per game against Hoover in all seven of its wins scoring 42, 42, 57, 45, 76, 58 and 52 points.
You knew it was a good night at the office when the Indians subs got more playing time than their punter. Burroughs scored on seven of nine possessions in the game and punted only once.
“We are getting better every week,” Burroughs Coach Keith Knoop said. “We knew we could run. Josh (Storer) has always been a great running back but he’s been banged up. He was pumped up and ready to go. He was eager to get back and he ran hard.”
Senior running backs Josh Storer (150 yards on 16 carries) and Israel Montes (115 yards on 13 carries) combined for 265 yards and five touchdowns.
Storer hurt his ankle the Wednesday prior to the Arcadia game back on September 21. His first game back was a major success.
“I missed too many games already,” Storer said. “Our line did most of the work. I just took advantage of the holes they made.
“We are definitely progressing. Every game we are getting better. We are going to play just as hard and not let up. We are going to make it to CIF (playoffs).”
Setting the tone from the very outset, Burroughs drove 64 yards in eight plays culminated by a one-yard touchdown run from Storer.
Hoover (3-5, 1-4) quickly responded behind the powerful running of Jesse Pina. Facing 3rd down and 2 from the 41 yard line, Pina busted through the Indians defense and scored on a 59-yard run to tie the game at seven apiece.
Burroughs (3-5, 3-2) came right back with an 80-yard drive to take a 14-7 lead with 1:46 left in the first quarter. Storer had runs of 12 and 41 yards, respectively, and Montes capped the drive off with a 28-yard touchdown run.
The Indians closed out the half taking advantage of great field position after a short Hoover punt gave them the ball on the Tornadoes 38. Montes was the workhorse as he carried the ball the entire possession and earned all 38 yards and a two-yard touchdown run on 4th and goal.
JBHS entered halftime up 21-7 and receiving the second half kickoff.
Burroughs quarterback Andrew Williams connected on passes of four, 12 and 14 yards and Storer scored his second touchdown of the evening on a 19-yard run. The 69-yard, seven play opening drive of the second half deflated the hopes of Hoover as JBHS increased the lead to 28-7.
Williams completed nine of 11 passes for 90 yards in a consistent effort from start to finish.
Montes added his third touchdown of the game on a four-yard run with 10:01 left.
Hoover finally found some offensive rhythm driving down the field and scoring on a double-handoff with 6:24 remaining to cut the deficit to 35-13.
After a bizarre onside kick by Hoover that first spun sideways then ultimately backwards and into Tornadoes territory, the Indians began their final scoring march on the Hoover 35.
Junior running back and super sub Edward Quintanar got his shining moment under the lights when he scored on a five-yard run with 4:58 left that brought loud cheers from his teammates and the Indians faithful.
Burroughs travels to Pasadena next Friday for its final road game before the “Big Game” against Burbank at Memorial Field on Nov 2.
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