The Burroughs football had scored just two touchdowns in 11 quarters of football entering the fourth quarter Friday night when the Bears faced host Arroyo of El Monte.
But Burroughs scored two more touchdowns in the final quarter, winning 28-23 after being down by two possessions early in the fourth quarter.
“Big props to Brandon Chapparo. He was not 100 percent, but he showed up to play quarterback tonight,” Burroughs coach Jose Calzadilla said. “He did an amazing job and had two scores for us. I think the offensive line found some of themselves tonight. The defense played really well and got it done when they needed to get it done.”
On the final play of the game, Burroughs chased Arroyo quarterback Oscar Lopez, who attempted to make a game-winning touchdown pass. However, Lopez threw the ball after he had passed the line of scrimmage, which was the 9-yard-line, making the catch invalid and ending the game.
“Our guys started to feel it there at the end. Once our offense showed up, I think that helped the defense a lot knowing that we could move the ball and score,” Calzadilla added.
Arroyo (2-2) took a 23-14 lead with 10:24 to play as Paxton Parps kicked a 38-yard field goal.
But Burroughs (1-3) got a huge play on the ensuing drive, as Sho Fujita scored on a 68-yard touchdown run.
Fujita ran up the middle, but when he saw there was nowhere to, he changed direction.
“I followed my block and I saw that the outside was open and I bounced out and it was green,” said Fujita, who had 216 yards in 23 carries.
His touchdown with 9:22 to play cut the lead to 23-21.
After Burroughs held Arroyo on its next drive, the Bears drove 70 yards in nine plays to score what turned out to be the game winner. Quarterback Brandon Chapparo had a 5-yard touchdown run with 2:43 to play.
It was Chapparo’s second touchdown.
He also scored on a fourth down and goal situation with 1:12 left in the third quarter to help start the rally.
“This win is monumental for us. After going 0-3, we finally got our momentum back with our first win of the season. It was an insane game. I’m really proud of all my guys,” Chapparo said.
Things weren’t looking good early in the third quarter when Chapparo was intercepted by Arroyo’s Jonathan Muncie, who ran 20 yards back for the touchdown. That put Burroughs down 20-7.
Arroyo scored its first touchdown on just its third play on the game as Lopez hooked up with Matt Arciga on a 46-yard touchdown pass.
Burroughs tied things up as Fujita scored on a 1-yard run with 2:48 left in the first quarter. Lopez and Arciga hooked up on a 35-yard touchdown pass with 2:56 left in the first half.
The Bears will now have two weeks to rest up for their first league game. Next week was the planned bye week. Pasadena Unified School District officials announced on Friday that Pasadena High would not play any more varsity football games the rest of the season due to a lack of healthy players.
Burroughs had been scheduled to play at Pasadena on Sept. 25. The Bears will now host South Pasadena on Oct. 2 in Boulder League play.
