Burbank football smothers Arcadia in 31-8 victory
ARCADIA — An ever-tightening race in the Pacific League football standings was squeezed just a little bit more Friday evening.
A three-way tie for second place became a now two-way tussle as Burbank High scored 24 unanswered points and overcame some lackluster offensive play with strong efforts on defense and special teams in a 31-8 victory at Arcadia.
PHOTOS: Burbank vs. Arcadia in Pacific League football
With the triumph, the Bulldogs (5-3 overall, 4-1 in league) remained even in league with victorious Crescenta Valley (6-2, 4-1), while Arcadia (4-4, 3-2) dropped from second place into fourth. All three teams are chasing undefeated Burroughs (7-1, 5-0).
“I am happy with my kids,” Burbank Coach Richard Broussard said. “They’re resilient and they came and played ball. That’s what it’s about.”
Burbank picked up three first downs in the second half, the last taking place when junior running back Nick Warren (17 carries for 60 yards and two touchdowns) punched in a three-yard touchdown with 3:54 left in the contest, which gave the Bulldogs a 31-8
advantage.
Burbank had a short field on the scoring drive thanks to an interception from Warren, who returned the ball to the Apaches’ 16.
The Bulldogs’ only other score of the second half came on a 29-yard field goal from converted soccer player Andrew Hank with 6:01 left in the third quarter that gave the visitors a 24-8 advantage.
On that scoring drive, the Bulldogs totaled minus-five yards, but still cashed in a blocked punt from Arcadia’s Nico Hillier by junior Andrew Reyes and took over the Apaches’ eight.
For most of the second half, Arcadia was the only squad moving the ball behind the fleet feet of Apaches quarterback Hillier.
The senior carried 30 times for 185 yards. In the air, however, Hillier completed only nine of 35 passes for 88 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, while his receivers combined to drop seven passes.
Burbank’s best defensive stand against the scrambling quarterback may have come at the end, as Hillier drove his team Bulldogs’ two with under a minute left.
The Bulldogs defense rose to challenge, though, with a three-yard sack and Arcadia turned the ball over on downs on an incomplete chuck into the end zone with 5.7 seconds left.
Despite the victory, Broussard wasn’t too pleased afterward.
“That’s why we’re here – to try to win a league title,” Broussard said. “We’re not where we need to be. We’re nowhere near where we need to be. We’re just too stagnant and we have to get better.”
Overall, Burbank finished with 194 yards of offense in comparison to 360 for Arcadia.
Burbank scored the game’s first touchdown on a double handoff from Warren to Reyes, who scored form 17 yards to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 2:52 left in the first quarter.
Arcadia answered immediately, driving 72 yards in just over two minutes and scoring on a two-yard swing pass from Hillier to Jahlique Stephens with 35.7 seconds left in the first quarter.
Hillier then punched in a two-point conversion to give the Apaches an 8-7 advantage.
Burbank took the lead for good on a 15-yard touchdown run from Warren to go 14-8 with 5:20 left in the second quarter and added some insurance on an electric 65-yard punt return for a touchdown from Forrest Fajardo with 1:26 left in the first half.
The score put the Bulldogs ahead, 21-8, heading into halftime.
“I saw an open hole and I just ran as fast as I could,” Fajardo said. “My blockers did all the work.”
Fajardo also tallied an interception in the second half for a bruising Bulldogs’ defense that turned in two interceptions and tackled Hillier for no gain or worse 13 times.