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Burbank Girls Water Polo Sneaks Past Visiting Glendale, 12-11

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By Rick Assad

Before the Burbank High girls’ water polo team squared off against visiting Glendale in its Pacific League match on Thursday, six seniors were recognized for their contributions in and out of the swimming pool.

Once the clash began, it was evident these two teams were nearly identical, and they were, but in the end the Bulldogs managed to escape with a 12-11 triumph.

Julie Kim paced the Bulldogs with five goals in a 12-11 win over Glendale. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

“Too close for comfort. Especially since it was Senior Day. Their heads weren’t in the game like it usually was,” Burbank coach Melani Aghazarian said. “And I feel like we didn’t  play to our full potential. It didn’t really pick up at all.”

Aghazarian added: “It may have been a win, but I expected more from my girls,” she noted. “I’m proud of them for pushing through. That wasn’t their full potential. They weren’t as focused. Their heads were somewhere else.”

Leading the charge was sophomore Julie Kim, who garnered a team-best five goals including three in the first half as Burbank led 6-5 at the intermission.

Junior Yana Stephanyan chipped in with three second-half goals and senior Sophia Brice and senior Sera Shabhazian each tossed in two goals.

“I think this year we have a lot of chemistry,” Brice said. “Last year we were really close with one another, but this year we were majority seniors so all of our starting lineup is seniors.”

Anasheh Abedian looks to score for the Bulldogs. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Brice continued: “We’ve played together for all four years of high school, so we have a strong bond with one another and we can trust each other,” she pointed out. “And this year we’re running a lot more plays and I feel more confident when I play.”

Brice said that the pre-match festivities maybe made the team perhaps too charged.

“We were very excited and a little nervous,” she said. “So we were just kind of jumpy. And it took us until the second half of the game to really get focused.”

Glendale senior attacker Jamie Fritz was a one-girl wrecking ball after scoring a match-best seven goals that included five in the second half.

“We’re a very young team and we’ve come a long way this season, especially in the last two weeks the amount these girls have grown is phenomenal,” Glendale coach Garrett Fritz said. “But there is definitely some things we still have to learn in terms of maintaining your cool like in an advantage situation. In these situations, you can’t get too over excited.”

Julie Kim tries to control the ball while being guarded by two Nitro defenders. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

The Nitros (4-12 and 0-4 in league) seized a 2-0 advantage when sophomore utility Ashley Hernandez made it 1-0 on a 16-foot toss with 6:03 left and Fritz’s 10-footer with 5:23 left pushed the lead to 2-0.

The Bulldogs evened it at 2-2 on a 10-foot laser from Kim with 4:22 remaining on the clock and Brice’s 12-footer with 31 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Glendale senior attacker/defender Bernice Doronila found the range on a 10-footer, 14 seconds later for a 3-2 lead.

Burbank (6-5 and 2-1 in league) answered with a 12-footer from Kim with one second on the clock that leveled it a 3-3.

The Bulldogs outscored the Nitros 3-2 in the second period as Shabhazian connected on a 10-footer with 5:51 left that made it 4-3 and Kim’s 12-foot tally, 50 seconds later extended Burbank’s advantage to 5-3.

Stubborn, Glendale evened it at 5-5 when Doronila unloaded a 10-footer with 2:59 on the ticker and Fritz added a six-footer, 13 seconds later.

The final tally of the second quarter was an eight-footer from Brice and it proved to be the key goal because each squad scored six goals in the second half.

Fritz’s 10-footer with 6:22 left in the third quarter evened it at 6-6, but Burbank moved ahead 7-6 on a 12-footer from Kim, 18 seconds later.

Glendale tied it at 7-7 on a 16-foot goal from Fritz, only to see the Bulldogs respond with back-to-back goals as Kim scored on a 12-footer with 4:25 showing and Stepanyan’s eight-footer with 3:31 left made it a 9-7 cushion.

Fritz’s 10-footer with 2:59 left sliced the deficit to 9-8, but Shabhazian’s 10-foot laser with 1:56 remaining made it 10-8.

The fourth quarter began with Fritz scoring on an eight-footer and 4:42 left that narrowed Burbank’s lead to 10-9 and Doronila’s six-footer knotted it at 10-10 with 3:34 left.

Burbank scored two of the next three goals as Stepanyan’s eight-footer with 3:13 on the clock broke the deadlock and made it 11-10 and Kim’s 10-footer with 2:27 showing increased the lead to 12-10.

Fritz’s 16-foot rainbow with 2:07 showing trimmed the margin to 12-11 and it would be the last goal, as neither team scored the rest of the fourth period.

Burroughs Girls Water Polo Cruises To 10-5 Victory Over Arcadia

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By Rick Assad

Time out of the swimming pool because of the recent holiday break seemingly kept the Burroughs High girls’ water polo team from getting off to a good start in its initial Pacific League match against visiting Arcadia on Tuesday afternoon.

The Indians were able to score a pair of goals in the first quarter, but then erupted for four in the second period and took a 10-5 decision behind a match-best three goals from sophomore Clarissa Robles.

Senior goalie Emanuella Nathan was her usual stellar self, turning back at least a half-dozen shots from the Apaches.

Emanuella Nathan was stellar in goal for the victorious Indians. (© 2020 Ross A. Benson)

Freshman Liv Hernandez also played well for the Apaches in goal.

However, Arcadia’s best player, Cary Gamez, hasn’t been in the lineup for some time after sustaining a concussion in an earlier match.

Junior Angelina Lee and junior Charlotte Jennings were next with two goals apiece for the Indians.

“It’s been a month since our last game and we had to get the holiday jitters out,” Burroughs coach Jacob Cook said. “We played them already in the Burbank Tournament and it was a bigger goal differential. A lot of them were out of town the entire two weeks. Considering everything, I thought they did great.”

Cook then added: “That was a good thing we have a tournament this weekend so it’s a way to get back into it,” he said of Tuesday’s match. “I’m glad we came out with the win.”

The Apaches (6-9 and 0-1 in league) were the first on the scoreboard when Christine Chua scored on a 10-foot lightning bolt with 6:09 on the clock.

Burroughs (10-3 and 1-0 in league) scored the next two goals as junior Bella Mucha found the range on a 10-footer with 4:40 left and Robles unloaded an eight-foot laser with 1:53 remaining.

The Burroughs girls’ water polo team. (© 2020 Ross A. Benson)

The Indians shut out the Apaches in the second frame.

Lee scored on a 12-foot loft with 6:06 on the ticker and Robles’ six-foot bullet with 4:28 left made it 4-1.

With 3:56 remaining, Jennings tossed in a 12-footer to make it 5-1 and thirty seconds later, Jennings tacked on a 10-foot rocket as the Indians led 6-1.

Each team scored two goals in the third quarter with the Indians scoring the first and the last goals.

A five-meter penalty shot with 5:13 left by junior Jane Reyes saw Burroughs march ahead 7-1 and another five-meter penalty toss from Robles extended the advantage to 8-3 with 56 seconds remaining.

In between those two tallies, Chua delivered a six-footer with 4:58 left that cut the lead to 7-2 and Chua’s six-footer with 3:30 showing made it 7-3.

“Both teams are coming off two weeks of vacation. We did indeed have a little bit of a slower start and we weren’t even executing some of the things that we were practicing just yesterday,” Arcadia coach Janice Clark said. “At halftime we really talked about some of those points and I was pleased to see them take it to heart and start to make some of those things happen.”

The Indians are on the offensive against the Apaches. (© 2020 Ross A. Benson)

Clark was happy with how her team responded in the second half.

“I’m pleased with my girls for making those adjustments and starting to pull things back into focus a little bit,” she said.

The fourth frame was similar to the third except this time the Apaches scored the first and last goals.

Alie Cicero drilled in a 10-footer with 6:10 left that made it 8-4 and Cassandra O’Conner’s 10-footer with two seconds left trimmed the lead to 10-5.

A 10-footer from Jennings made it 9-4 with 3:48 remaining and freshman Nancy Baylor unfurled an 18-footer with 1:39 left that pushed the Indians in front 10-4.

Burroughs Girls Water Polo Ends Regular Season With 8-1 Win Against Burbank

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By Rick Assad

 

Under ideal weather conditions and a large crowd, the Burroughs High girls’ water polo team hosted city rival Burbank on Wednesday afternoon.

The Indians started off quickly, were not threatened in any real sense by the Bulldogs and after 28 minutes of action, Burroughs garnered an 8-1 Pacific League triumph.

As usual, the Indians, who own a four-match winning streak after falling to Crescenta Valley, 9-6, on Jan. 8, were led by senior Aleah Orozco, who delivered four goals and two assists, including three tallies at the intermission.

Burroughs seized command 2-0 after the opening quarter and were ahead 4-1 at the half.

Burroughs goalie Emmanuella Nathan had 11 saves in an 8-1 victory over rival Burbank. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

“When I look back on water polo I think about my team,” said Orozco, who will not play water polo in college, but has applied to a half dozen universities including UCLA, UC Berkeley and Stanford. “We have a really good dynamic. We’ve been kind of unsure into the season, but as it’s progressed, we realize how strong we can become together. We have really high hopes.”

Up next for Burroughs will be the league playoffs followed by the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

The Indians (8-7 and 5-1 in league) then added three goals in the third period and tacked on a solo goal in the fourth frame.

“It wasn’t an easy game. They [Burbank] put up a good fight on defense,” Burroughs coach Jacob Cook said. “They put up a lot of good shots on Emma. I thought both teams played really well.”

The scoring began with 4:34 left in the initial frame when Orozco tossed in a point-blank shot past goalie Suzy Misiryan, who finished with 10 saves.

Orozco then unloaded a three-footer with 1:32 showing on an assist from Camila Panozo as the Indians moved ahead 2-0.

When Orozco let go an 18-footer with some help from Brianna Meneses and 6:19 left in the second quarter, Burroughs’ lead swelled to 3-0.

The Indians capped off their regular season at home against the Bulldogs. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

The Bulldogs (6-14 and 2-4 in league) sliced the deficit to 3-1 when senior Michelle Morlock scored on a 12-footer that buzzed by goalie Emmanuella Nathan with 3:16 left in the opening half.

“We must have had at least 20, 25 shots, but we weren’t hitting them,” Burbank interim coach Zack Card said. “But it could have. It would have been a different game if we had more experience.”

Several of Burbank’s shots either hit the crossbar or the sidebars and others just missed going into the net by a mere foot.

Panozo’s 12-foot loft with a slick pass from Orozco and 19 seconds left gave the Indians a three-goal lead.

When Meneses scored from 14 feet with a handy assist from Jaelynn Bijasa and 4:33 showing in the third quarter, the advantage expanded to 5-1.

Panozo’s 12-foot tally on a long pass from Nathan made it a five-goal lead and 1:20 remaining in the third quarter.

An 18-foot goal from Bijasa and an assist from Orozco with 43 seconds left on the ticker made it 7-1.

Orozco had the only goal in the fourth quarter and it came with 2:17 remaining and was a 10-foot dart.

The Burroughs junior varsity girls’ water polo team is having an incredible season and is undefeated and should bolster next year’s varsity squad which will see 10 players graduating.

This past weekend, the Indians, who are 17-0 including a win over Burbank on Wednesday, captured the Alta Loma Tournament and had victories over Redondo Beach, Chino Hills, Arcadia, Notre Dame and Santiago in the championship match.

Burroughs Girls Water Polo Slides Past Pasadena, 16-2

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By Rick Assad

 

It seems whenever Aleah Orozco puts her mind to scoring goals, she usually succeeds and on some occasions, in a very big way.

On Tuesday afternoon in a Pacific League girls’ water polo match versus visiting Pasadena, Orozco knocked in a match-high 10 goals during a 16-2 triumph as a steady rain pelted the athletes, who seemed oblivious to the extra water.

Amy Berberyan scored a goal and had an assist for the Indians in a win over the Bulldogs. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Orozco scored three goals in the first quarter and two in the second period.

A three-goal effort followed for Orozco in the third quarter and two goals in the fourth frame.

“It’s a league game. Every game counts. It’s another game for our record,” Burroughs coach Jacob Cook said. “It’s a good confidence booster. I thought we played well overall. We played together.”

The Indians (6-7 and 3-1 in league), who own a two-match winning streak after losing at home to Crescenta Valley 9-6 on Jan. 8, bolted out of the starting gate and scored the first three goals before the Bulldogs (3-10 and 1-4 in league) answered.

Burroughs tacked on two more tallies for a 5-1 lead heading to the second quarter. Orozco’s six-footer with an assist from Amy Berberyan and 6:44 left made it 1-0.

With 4:33 left, Orozco’s five-meter penalty shot pushed the Indians ahead 2-0.

The Indians led 5-1 after the first quarter, 9-1 at the half and 12-2 after the third period. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Jaelynn Bijasa’s 12-foot tally with an assist from Orozco and 3:40 remaining extended the Indians’ cushion to 3-0.

Pasadena’s Nicole Wallius ended the run after scoring on a six-footer with an assist from Gillian Anderton and 3:10 showing that shaved the lead to 3-1.

“That’s one component of the team that you have to always encourage,” Pasadena coach Sean Phillips said of never giving up.

Phillips then added: “We definitely have a lot of the can-do attitude even though we’re down. We’ve gotta try hard. That’s the best way to get experience. We look at some of these games as building experience. Playing against good players. You can grow as individuals and as a team,” he said.

Camila Panozo’s 10-footer with an assist from goalie Emanuella Nathan, who had a least a dozen saves and 2:25 on ticker, made it 4-1 and the advantage swelled to 5-1 on a point-blank tally from Orozco with 2:06 left.

When Bijasa located the back of the net from 12 feet with assistance from Orozco and 3:59 showing in the second quarter, the Indians marched ahead 6-1.

Orozco’s 10-footer with 3:11 left before the half made it 7-1 and Berberyan’s 16-footer with an assist from Kathryn Vlick pushed Burroughs’ margin to 8-1.

Orozco’s nifty eight-foot backhander with 1:35 showing in the second period saw the Indians slide ahead 9-1.

Burroughs received two consecutive goals from Orozco to begin the third period and included a 10-footer with an assist from Vlick and 5:53 left that made it 10-1 and Orozco’s 12-footer with Vlick’s help and 4:45 left that made it a 10-goal lead.

Pasadena responded with a tally from Amanda Garcia and an assist from Erin Coad and 3:57 left in the third period that sliced the lead to 11-2.

Orozco’s goal with help from Nathan and four seconds remaining on the clock handed the Indians a 12-2 margin heading to the fourth period.

Orozco’s 10-footer with an assist from Vlick and 5:17 left made it 13-2 and Megan Sawyer’s 10-footer with 3:59 on the ticker pushed it to 14-2.

Vlick’s six-footer and an assist from Orozco with 2:24 showing made it 15-2, and fittingly, Orozco closed out the scoring with a six-footer and an assist from Isabel Rosado that made it a 14-goal deficit.

Burbank Girls Water Polo Starts Fast, Wins 11-9 Over Glendale

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By Rick Assad

 

Taking a few weeks off for Christmas vacation was both good and bad for the Burbank High girls’ water polo team.

It was a plus because several players were injured or sick which allowed them to heal and get well.

On the negative side, there could also be rust because of inactivity, but when the Bulldogs faced visiting Glendale on Tuesday afternoon, the team came out and scored five goals in the opening quarter en route to an 11-9 Pacific League win.

“I was nervous just because I knew last year we lost to them by a couple,” Burbank interim coach Zack Card said. “They came out really strong. A lot of our games we came out really beat. Not really focused. They were ball-watching.”

Sera Shahbazian scored three goals for Burbank in an 11-9 win over Glendale. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Burbank (4-6 and 1-1 in league) never trailed and led by senior Michelle Morlock’s five goals, including two in the initial frame.

“It’s important that you keep playing your hardest,” Morlock said. “Everyone knew what they were supposed to do and they did it. And that’s important. You need to be where you’re supposed to be and work as hard as everyone else.”

Morlock’s shot from point-blank range with 6:49 left in the first quarter made it 1-0 and Morlock’s close-range bullet with 3:55 left in the same frame extended the advantage to 3-0.

Morlock’s three-footer with 2:14 remaining on the ticker in the second period gave the Bulldogs a 7-3 lead.

“That’s something we’ve been practicing,” Morlock said of the team’s shot selection. “Knowing where to shoot and when to shoot. It’s about everyone driving and moving and getting to where they need to be.”

Morlock’s tally with 2:52 on the clock in the third period saw the Bulldogs, who finished tied for fifth place in league last season and didn’t make the CIF Southern Section playoffs, march ahead 8-5.

Another close-range shot attempt by Morlock with 6:42 left in the contest pushed Burbank’s lead to 10-5.

Sera Shahbazian notched three goals for the Bulldogs, including two in the opening frame that made it 2-0 on a five-footer with 5:22 left and another from five feet with less than second left for a 5-2 margin.

Shahbazian’s six-footer with 5:40 on the ticker in the fourth quarter then pushed Burbank’s lead to 11-5.

Sophia Brice’s goal from eight feet with 59 seconds left in the first frame made it 4-1 and Brice’s tally on a six-foot loft with 2:13 remaining handed the Bulldogs a 9-5 edge.

Patil Minassian’s eight-footer with 5:48 left in the second period catapulted the Bulldogs in front 6-3.

Senior Emma Mueller finished with five goals for the Nitros (3-6 and 1-2 in league) and had three consecutive scores in the fourth quarter.

Mueller’s eight-footer with 3:39 left sliced Burbank’s lead to 11-6, a six-footer with 1:32 lowered it to 11-7 and a five-footer with 50 seconds cut it to 11-8.

“In terms of development, I feel like our six on fives are definitely getting better,” Glendale coach Jazzmyne Urquiza said. “What we tend to do as a team is that we’re a second-half team. We do not play well in the first half and then we come back in the second half and sometimes it’s just not enough.”

Junior Bernica Doronila tacked on two goals for the Nitros and they came with 6:16 left in the second quarter, a five-footer that cut it to 5-3, and a tally with 29 seconds left the fourth quarter that drew Glendale to within 11-9.

Junior Jamie Fritz also chipped in with two goals and were knocked home in the first quarter on a 10-footer with 3:24 left that shaved Burbank’s edge to 3-1 and in the third period on a point-blank shot with 5:27 left as the Nitros came within 7-4.

Burbank’s Suzy Misiryan was the goaltender for three quarters and replaced by Jenny Stepanian in the fourth period.

Burroughs, Burbank Girls Water Polo Eye CIF Playoffs

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By Rick Assad

 

Sometimes goals are realized and sometimes they’re not. In the case of the Burroughs High and Burbank girls’ water polo teams, their objective is fairly simple and it’s to qualify for the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

Each team is fairly young, and both have skilled players, so reaching the postseason is a reality. The Bulldogs and Indians will meet on Jan. 23 at Burroughs.

Junior goalie Emmanuella Nathan will be a key for Burroughs. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

The Indians, who were 12-6 last season and 6-2 in the Pacific League for second place, will be led offensively by senior Aleah Orozco and junior goalie Emanuella Nathan.

Coach Jacob Cook is very optimistic about the team after reaching the quarterfinals a season ago.

“I’m looking forward to growing the team and improving as much as possible over the season,” Cook said. “The team is young in experience, but they are hard workers and eager to improve. I don’t know how the rest of the league is looking, but we are looking to progress as far as we can.”

Burbank has six quality players who can score at any moment. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

The team consists of 15 players including 11 seniors and they are Amy Berberyan, Leann Bermudez, Samantha Leano, Megan Sawyer, Brianna Meneses, Bianey Mendoza, Jaelynn Bijasa, Kathryn Vlick, Isabel Rosado and Camila Panozo.

There are four juniors on the squad and they include Madeline Lingad, Chloe Caneday and Mallory Thomas.

The Indians have played a few matches including a 5-4 win over Clairemont of San Diego in which Orozco had a match-best four goals and Berberyan the game-winner, while Nathan finished with 24 saves.

The Bulldogs, who were 7-13 last season, are also quite tender, but eager to learn and are getting better with time, according to interim coach Zack Card, who is filling in for Allyson Young, who gave birth to a bouncing baby girl a few months ago.

The Indians are coming off a season in which they went to the CIF Southern Section playoffs. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

There are 11 players on the team, with six players standing out according to Card.

There are three seniors and they are Patil Minassian, Camila Salas and Michelle Morlock.

“Patil is a very experienced player,” Card said. “She’s a four-year player. Incredible leadership in and out of the pool. A strong two-meter defender and a strong ball handler.”

Card spoke about Salas in glowing terms.

“She’s another four-year athlete. A strong swimmer and great on the counter attack,” Card noted.

The Bulldogs are gunning to finish high in the Pacific League. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Card then addressed Morlock.

“She’s an incredibly gifted athlete,” he pointed out. “A strong swimmer. Her mental awareness. Her water polo IQ. It’s a gift, really. She never gives up and never makes any excuses.”

The other three standout performers are juniors, Sophia Brice, Michelle Morozian and Sera Shahbazian.

Card also praised Brice. “Sophia is a strong counter-attack player with strong fundamentals,” he said.

Card also likes Shahbazian. “She’s just relentless on defense. Always working away from the ball, helping her teammates,” he said.

Card spoke about Morozian and what she brings to the table. “Her ability to play defense is incredible,” he said.

The rest of the squad consists of juniors Angie Chavez, Grace Tomasek, Anasheh Abedian, Gabby Aghajanyan and Ashley Karazi.

Burroughs Girls Water Polo Slips Past Clairemont

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By Rick Assad

 

If defense truly wins championships, and it does, then the Burroughs High girls’ water polo team should be fine.

On an afternoon in which the Indians claimed their first win of the season on Tuesday over visiting Clairemont 5-4, in a nonleague match, it was in dramatic fashion.

Clinging to a one-goal lead, Emanuella Nathan blocked two close-range shots in the span of 10 seconds in the waning moments and saved the day.

“I’m very like dialed in,” said Nathan, a junior goalie who had 24 saves. “I’m trying to direct the defense. So that’s my job. I try to look at the ball and look around and to just keep an eye on things. If I see someone open. I’m the chess player.”

Junior goalie Emanuella Nathan had a day to remember after saving 24 shots in a 5-4 win. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Nathan talked about how see approaches her position and what she does when the offensive player is in front of her.

“I look at the ball,” she noted. “They throw me off with their eyes. And I go for it.”

Nathan said that this is one of her strongest efforts. “This is probably one of my best out of his high school so far,” she said. “I had a really good one last year. Definitely one of my best this year.”

The effort did not escape Burroughs coach Jacob Cook. “Emma had a huge game. She was a major help on defense,” he said. “She saved us for sure.”

Cook liked the entire team effort, but a couple stood out. “Aleah [Orozco] had a big game and Amy [Berberyan] had the goal that put us up,” he pointed out.

When it comes to scoring, this is Orozco’s specialty, as the senior knocked home a match-best four.

It was a low-scoring affair between host Burroughs and Clairemont on Tuesday. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

But what turned out to be the game-winner was a 20-foot rainbow with 2:26 left in the fourth quarter turned in by Berberyan that made it 5-4.

The scoring began with 5:46 left in the second quarter when Orozco dropped in a tally for a 1-0 lead.

“I think honestly we became more intense during the last quarter because we thought that it was going to be such a close game,” Orozco said.

The lead stretched to 2-0 on Orozco’s 14-footer with 4:11 on the clock in the second quarter.

“We had a lot of doubt in the beginning considering this is a team from San Diego,” Orozco said. “I guess we came in just giving it our all. Emma brought our team together. She was amazing.”

The Indians picked up their first win of the season behind great defense. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Orozco’s five-meter penalty shot and 1:39 left in the second period lifted the Indians (1-2) to a 3-0 lead.

The edge expanded to 4-1 with 6:37 left in the third frame as Orozco’s 10-footer found the back of the net.

The Chieftans (0-1) sliced the lead to 3-1 when Ella Denny’s close-range attempt found the goal with 1:02 left in the second period.

Clairemont inched closer at 4-2 when Denny’s six-footer found the range as 5:46 remained in the third quarter.

“We put 45 shots on the goal,” Clairemont coach Joey Kienle said. “That goalie was the MVP today. It’s a young team and they’re still learning the game. They’re still learning how to score.”

Denny’s tally from six feet and 5:17 on the clock sliced the lead to 4-3 and Ashlynn Sauerwein’s point-blank attempt with 2:51 left evened it at 4-4.

“We just gotta work on our offense. Our defense was great today. It’s early in the season. That’s why we came here,” Kienle said.

Burbank Girls Water Polo Struggles Against Marymount, Loses 10-4

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By Rick Assad

 

A severe and early deficit faced the Burbank High girls’ water polo team on Monday afternoon at the Burroughs swimming pool.

Like a dragster taking off and then racing down the runway, the Sailors seized control in the first quarter, added to the lead in the second frame and took home a 10-4 decision in a nonleague match.

“That’s something we’re trying to work on this year, is coming out with intensity every quarter,” Marymount coach Nicholas Amstutz said. “We have four mini-games, so we have a fresh start.”

The Bulldogs couldn’t keep up with the Sailors and fell 10-4 in a nonleague match. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Toni Ashby paced Marymount offensively with four goals including three goals in the second period as the Sailors pulled ahead 9-0 at halftime.

Lizzy Reilly had three scores for the Sailors (3-1), knocking in two goals in the second frame.

“We only have three seniors on this team,” Amstutz said of his young squad that led 3-0 after the first quarter. “We have a lot of young talent. We like the three leaders for sure. The three seniors we have are our captains. They’ve been stepping up a lot.”

The Bulldogs (1-1) weren’t about to throw in the towel and rallied for three goals in the third quarter to slice the lead to 9-3.

Burbank struggled in the first half, but came on strong in the second half against Marymount. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Sera Shahbazian’s tally from eight feet and 3:41 on the clock reduced the deficit to 9-1.

When Michelle Morlock knocked home a winner from close range and 2:13 left on the ticker, Burbank came within 9-2.

It became 9-3 with 1:05 left on the buzzer on Sophia Brice’s five-foot tally.

Shahbazian’s five-footer with 42 seconds remaining in the match trimmed Marymount’s lead to 10-4.

Ashby’s blast from eight feet and 1:13 remaining on the clock in the opening quarter made it 3-0 in favor of Marymount.

When Ashby located the back of the net from 10 feet and 4:26 showing in the second frame, the Sailors glided ahead 7-0 and with 3:20 on the buzzer, Ashby’s 15-footer made it 8-0.

An eight-footer by Ashby with 1:42 showing in the second period supplied the Sailors with a 9-0 advantage.

Reilly’s six-footer with 6:17 on the clock in the second stanza handed Marymount a 5-0 cushion and an eight-footer by Reilly with 5:32 left before the intermission pushed the advantage to 6-0.

After Reilly’s point-blank shot with 3:43 left on the clock in the contest, the Sailors scooted ahead 10-3.

Burroughs Girls Water Polo Reaches CIF Division VI Quarterfinals

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By Rick Assad

 

A pound of confidence has gone a really long way for the Burroughs High girls’ water polo team.

It seems after falling to perennial power Crescenta Valley 8-6 on Feb. 8 in the Pacific League championship, this has empowered the Indians to reach the CIF Southern Section Division VI quarterfinals after sideswiping visiting Walnut 13-5 in the second round on Thursday afternoon.

Gwendolyn Turla scored two goals and added four steals in a CIF Southern Section second-round win over Walnut. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

“That game versus CV just showed the girls that we are a force to be reckoned with,” Burroughs coach Jacob Cook said. “It’s really cool to see their confidence. This is the most confident they’ve been all season. They’re taking it to the next level.”

Behind the overall play of junior utility Aleah Orozco, who had a match-high five goals with four steals and junior attacker Brianna Meneses with three goals, the Indians (12-5) will now play Tustin on Saturday.

“I think honestly, because CV has been a really big rival of ours since forever, that we’ve always come after them and I really think that we came so close to them and that made us more confident,” Orozco said.

Junior Isabella Erickson and sophomore Emmanuella Nathan, the backup, were both outstanding in Thursday’s rout of the Mustangs. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Orozco added: “The confidence somehow turned a lightbulb in our head and caused our offense and defense to get better.”

Senior utility Gwendolyn Turla (four steals) along with senior attacker Bianca Sanchez each dropped in two goals while senior attacker Cameron Flores added one goal.

“Nice balance of having a very good defense and then having scorers all around,” Cook said. “Our defense played a really tight press. They were playing in their face. They’re really confident.”

Burroughs, which lost to Crescenta Valley 11-6 in its first league encounter on Jan. 9, sprinted ahead 3-2 in the first quarter.

Turla’s eight-footer with an assist from junior goalie Isabella Erickson made it 1-0 with 6:01 left on the clock.

Orozco’s 12-footer with an assist from Turla evened it at 2-2 with 3:25 left in the period.

The Indians were sharp-shooters against Walnut, which lost 13-5 on Thursday. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

When Flores found the back of the net on a 10-foot dart with Turla’s assist and 1:34 remaining, the Indians waltzed ahead 3-2.

Burroughs pulled in front 6-3 at halftime after Sanchez unloaded an eight-footer on an assist from Flores with 6:40 on the ticker that made it 4-2.

The Indians’ advantage swelled to 5-2 with 2:33 left in the second period on Turla’s 12-footer with an assist from sophomore goalie Emmanuella Nathan.

When Orozco scored on a five-foot blast with help from Sanchez and five seconds left, the lead ballooned to 6-3.

Sanchez scored on an eight-foot dagger with Turla’s assist that pushed the margin to 7-3 with 6:48 left in the third quarter.

Orozco scored from eight feet with 5:11 on the clock to make it 8-3 and Orozco then added a 10-footer with 4:32 left that made it 9-3 heading into the fourth period.

A tally by Orozco from five feet supplied the Indians a 11-3 edge with 5:51 showing.

Meneses then scored three goals in the fourth period that included a 12-footer with 6:37 left for a 10-3 lead, a 12-footer on an assist from junior attacker Isabel Rosado with 3:18 remaining for a 12-4 edge and an eight-footer on another assist from Rosado with 2:32 left that made it 13-4.

Senior Kaitlin Garrett knocked in three goals for the Mustangs (13-13) and junior Paris Alvarado chipped in with two.

Garrett’s 10-footer with 4:03 left evened it at 1-1 in the initial frame and Garrett’s 10-footer gave Walnut a 2-1 lead with 3:42 left heading into the second quarter.

Garrett’s eight-footer with an assist from Alvarado and 1:24 left before the half cut the Indians’ lead to 5-3.

Alvarado’s five-meter penalty shot with 5:36 left in the match shaved the advantage to 11-4 and Alvarado’s six-footer with 54 seconds showing made it 13-5.

Burroughs Girls Water Polo Pounds Visiting Nipomo 14-3

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By Rick Assad

For the Burroughs High girls’ water polo team on Tuesday night, it was all about in-your-face defense.

So overwhelming and sure was this applied to visiting Nipomo during a CIF Southern Section Division VI first-round playoff game, it helped the Indians prevail 14-3.

The Indians (11-5 and 6-2 for second place in the Pacific League) will now host Walnut on Thursday at 5 p.m. in a second-round encounter.

“I was confident in my girls after the way they played against CV last week,” Burroughs coach Jacob Cook said. “I was confident in their skill. Confident in their ability and they came out and showed that today.”

Four players scored for Burroughs, which snapped a six-game playoff losing streak, as senior utility Gwendolyn Turla and senior attacker Cameron Flores each tallied four goals.

Junior Amy Berberyan is about to take a shot against Nipomo’s Katrina Snyder in a CIF Southern Section Division VI first-round playoff match. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

“Overall it was a good team effort,” said Turla of the defensive that at times prevented the Titans from even getting off a shot. “Both offense and defense. It really motivates us to try harder.”

The initial goal came with 5:30 left in the first quarter when Turla, with an assist from junior utility Aleah Orozco, unloaded a six-footer.

When Flores dented the back of the net from eight feet and 3:32 remaining in the opening frame, the Indians’ lead became 2-1.

With 57 seconds left in the same stanza, Flores tossed in an eight-footer that made it 3-1.

Burroughs’ first-quarter barrage was capped off with an eight-footer and 21 seconds left from senior setter Bianca Sanchez with an assist from Orozco.

Sanchez’s goal from five feet with 6:16 showing in the second quarter made it 5-1 and with 4:23 left on the clock before halftime, Orozco’s 12-footer with an assist from Turla pushed the lead to 6-1.

For Burroughs, it was all about defense when it faced the visiting Titans, which fell 14-3 on Tuesday. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Turla’s goal from eight feet with an assist from Flores made it 7-1 with 3:48 left in the second period.

Twenty-five seconds later, an eight-foot bullet from Sanchez with help from Orozco made it 8-1 and forced Nipomo (13-8 nd 7-2 for third place in the Los Padres League) to ask for time out.

“They were keeping the press tight,” Cook said of his overwhelming defense. “They were going from steals right off the passes from the goalie. They were playing really well and really on top of it.”

Cook also liked that multiple players found the back of the net. “Really balanced scoring,” he said. “That’s always good. We have threats everywhere.”

Burroughs then glided in front 9-1 after Orozco, with an assist from Sanchez, launched an eight-foot dart and 2:07 left before the break.

The Indians’ lead became 10-1 on a 10-foot laser by Orozco with 1:32 left as Turla added an assist.

Burroughs ended the opening half with a 12-footer from Flores that pushed the lead to 11-2 as Orozco tossed in an assist.

The only goal that the Indians scored in the third quarter came with 2:04 left when Flores found the back of the net for a 12-2 cushion.

Turla added a pair of goals in the fourth quarter and they came with 2:31 showing from eight feet that made it 13-2 and a 10-footer with 21 seconds on the clock for a 14-3 edge.

Junior Isabella Erickson and sophomore Emmanuella Nathan were both stellar in goal for the Indians.

For the visiting Titans, Carly Billinger showed the way after tallying two goals with an assist.

Billinger’s goal from 10 feet with 4:26 left in the first quarter evened it at 1-1 and her tally from five feet with 34 seconds left in the match trimmed Burroughs’ lead to 14-3.

Billinger’s assist with 1:10 remaining in the opening half sliced the Indians’ advantage to 10-2.