Burroughs High’s 65-7 win over Glendale on Friday night in a Pacific League football game at Memorial Field was as easy as the score indicated.
The victory also gave longtime Burroughs Coach Keith Knoop his 100th career win, and extended the Indians’ winning streak to seven games.
It’s going to get much tougher over the final two regular-season games that include a clash with city rival Burbank on Nov. 6, but that’s still two weeks down the road.
“Sometimes in games like this, you can’t get your rhythm,” Knoop said. “But we try to keep the same schedule and keep the same format. It helps keep your timing. We have more athletes than they [Glendale] do.”
Junior tailback Chance Bell accounted for four rushing touchdowns, including three in the opening half as the Indians (7-1 and 5-0 in league) led 39-0.
Bell, who finished with 114 yards on nine carries, tallied his first score on a 10-yard run with 1:56 left in the opening quarter as the Indians led 7-0. The drive began at the Burroughs 42-yard line and came to a close seven plays later.
Bell’s second touchdown made it 14-0 with 1:23 left in the same stanza and was a one-yard burst that came after a fumble by junior quarterback/wide receiver Arjuan Ruiz deep inside Glendale (1-7 and 0-5 in league) territory.
Bell tacked on a four-yard run with 1:47 left in the second quarter that made it 32-0 after senior defensive back Devlin Jimenez intercepted Ruiz.
When Bell added a 65-yard sprint on the first play of the second half, the lead became 46-0, and called an end to Bell’s evening.
Senior quarterback Steven Hubbell was efficient as he completed eight of 12 pass attempts for 91 yards.
Hubbell’s 19-yard laser to senior wide receiver Erick Hernandez (34 yards three catches) with 4:37 showing in the second quarter pushed the lead to 20-0, and capped an eight-play, 71-yard march.
“I take every week the same,” said Hubbell, who has 19 touchdown passes and three interceptions. “Glendale doesn’t have the same talent level, but we try to play the same. The good thing is that everyone gets to play and I like to see that. We know Crescenta Valley [Burroughs’ next opponent] is another door that we have to knock down.”
Hubbell also added a 71-yard sprint down the left sideline with 12.9 seconds left before the intermission that gave the Indians (455 total net yards) a 39-0 advantage.
If Burroughs is able to claim the league title, it should get a relatively high seed in the CIF Southern Section Southeast Division playoffs, and a first-round home game.
“We know that we’ll face good teams in the playoffs,” Hubbell said. “We know that we’re going to play a competitive team down the road.”
Senior quarterback Andy Amela played in the second half and hit three of five attempts for 50 yards.
Senior running back Ash Hawkins (three carries for nine yards) had a four-yard scoring romp with 4:02 remaining in the third quarter that bolstered Burroughs’ lead to 53-0. The drive started at the Indians’ 28-yard line and consumed 10 plays.
The fourth quarter was played with a running clock, but the Indians were still able to score as junior running back Sammy Duran (96 yards on six rushes) raced to a 49-yard touchdown that made it 59-0 with 7:45 showing.
Senior wide receiver Robert Awunganyi chimed in with a 99-yard kickoff return and 37.8 showing that made it a 58-point spread, and came before Ruiz’s nine-yard burst with 51.8 seconds left. Ruiz had 92 yards on 25 carries.
Awunganyi also had a 56-yard punt return for a score with 3:10 left in the second quarter for a 26-0 lead over the Nitros (192 total yards).
Burroughs plays the Falcons on Friday at Memorial Field with a 7 p.m. kickoff.
