The Pacific League season may have just started. But just one game in, it looks like Muir High is going to be the team to beat.
The host Mustangs handled a solid Burbank High team 35-13 Friday night.
“We got in the red zone a few times. We had some good yards. We dropped the ball on a few opportunities. The kids are young and they make errors,” Valencia said.
Burbank quarterback Deshawn Laporte completed 22 of 39 passes for 298 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Laporte and fellow sophomore Tyler Hudson hooked up on 14 passes. Hudson had one touchdown and 165 yards receiving.
But Muir (2-2) had some stellar performances of its own. Junior tailback Zion McDonald had 20 carries for 211 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
McDonald scored on an 18-yard run with 6:16 left in the first quarter to get Muir on the board.
The Mustangs surprised Burbank by recovering an onsides kick attempt.
McDonald scored on a 55-yard touchdown to put the Bulldogs in a 14-0 hole with 5:49 left in the first quarter.
Burbank (2-2) had some flashes of brilliance. Laporte hooked up with Ezekiel Alvarez on a 30-yard touchdown pass with 3:40 left in the first quarter.
But Muir countered back as quarterback Keyon Mills found Arturo Ayers on a 10-yard touchdown with 6:24 left before halftime.
Mills and Ayers would hook up again once more before halftime, this time on a 43-yard touchdown pass.
Burbank cut the deficit to 28-13 in the third quarter when Laporte hooked up with Tyler Hudson on a 30-yard touchdown pass.
Hudson had 14 receptions for the Bulldogs for 165 yards.
Derek Rowan scored on a 4-yard touchdown reception with 10:01 to play.
“They ran the ball the well. They broke a lot of tackles and our tackling is something we need to work on,” Valencia said of Muir. “But we knew seeing them on film that the (running back) breaks tackles against every team.”
