It took the Burroughs High football team only four plays to score its first touchdown, and would lead by four touchdowns after one quarter.
When it was over, the Indians would eventually pull away for a convincing 48-6 victory over Hoover in a Pacific League game at Memorial Field on Thursday night.
The Tornadoes (1-4 and 0-2 in league) made it somewhat easy for the Indians to pull ahead 14-0 after turning the ball over twice.
The Indians (4-1 and 2-0 in league) had four passing touchdowns and three rushing scores as they cranked out 362 total net yards, including 234 yards on the ground.
“We did exactly what we wanted to do,” Burroughs coach Keith Knoop said. “In a game like this, offensively we wanted to execute and make our blocks. Defensively we wanted to bring in the second unit and give them some valuable playing time. It’s game five and we wanted to give the starters a little rest.”
Senior quarterback Steven Hubbell had three scoring passes, and has 13 touchdown tosses for the season with two interceptions.
Hoover wasn’t able to pick off Hubbell, who finished his evening’s work by connecting on seven of 10 attempts for 62 yards.
The score was so lopsided senior Andy Amela, the backup quarterback, entered late in the second quarter and had a 51-yard toss to senior wide receiver Erick Hernandez (69 yards on three catches) that made it 42-0 and 4:58 left.
That was Amela’s first pass and would have one more in the second half that netted 15 yards to senior wide receiver Robert Awunganyi.
“We wanted to get everyone in the game, and we were trying to figure out how we were going to do that,” Knoop said. “We expect them [second string] to come in and play like the first guys.”
Junior tailback Chance Bell was the game’s top ground-gainer as he sliced and diced his way to 149 yards on eight carries with three touchdowns.
“We prepare every week the same,” said Bell, the Indians’ leading rusher a season ago. “It doesn’t make any difference if the team is good or the team is bad. We want to play at our level and not at the level of our opponent.”
Bell’s 18-yard dash came after a fumble by sophomore running back Maurice Herrera that was recovered by junior linebacker Taiyo Gibbs. The tally gave the Indians a 7-0 lead with 9:31 left in the opening quarter and capped a 53-yard march.
“We practice the way we want to play in the game,” Bell said. “I have good vision, but all the credit goes to the offensive line. They do all the work.”
Hoover’s next series resulted in yet another fumble, this time by junior quarterback Quinton Smith which junior linebacker Nico Frugone pounced on at the Hoover six-yard line.
Hubbell’s six-yard slant pass to senior wide receiver Nick Mercado (40 yards on four receptions) made it 14-0 with 7:32 left in the initial quarter.
After Hoover punted, the Indians took a 21-0 lead as Hubbell hit Hernandez with a 13-yard bullet and 5:25 remaining in the same quarter.
Burroughs’ lead became 28-0 when Bell bolted into the end zone on a 43-yard sprint and 58.4 seconds left in the first quarter. The run capped a four-play, 70-yard march.
Hubbell’s 12-yard strike to Mercado in the right corner of the end zone came with seven minutes remaining before the intermission as the Indians led 35-0. The drive consumed seven plays and covered 63 yards.
Burroughs opened the second half with a 55-yard, four-play excursion that Bell capped with a three-yard romp and 9:12 showing in the third quarter for a 48-0 edge.
Hoover (213 total yards) was finally able to get on the scoreboard with 17.1 seconds left in the third quarter when junior Johnny Hernandez drilled a 46-yard field goal as the Tornadoes drove 55 yards.
On the game’s final possession, Hernandez, a wide receiver, converted a 27-yard field goal with a second left that climaxed a 70-yard march.
Herrera led the way for Hoover with 103 yards on 18 carries, senior fullback Jesse Martinez had 58 yards on 14 carries, and Smith contributed 32 yards on 15 carries.
Burroughs’ next game will be Friday at Memorial Field against the Pasadena Bulldogs.
