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Burbank Leader Top 10 Sports Stories: Bell-Jeff playing its final games

The Bellarmine-Jefferson High football ended up playing what may very well be its final football season.
(Tim Berger/Staff Photographer)
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Chosen by the Burbank Leader sports staff, here are the top 10 sports stories of 2017.

1 Bellarmine-Jefferson High to close down at conclusion of 2017-18 school year: In late October, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles sent out a press release stating Bell-Jeff, which was founded in 1944, would be closing at the conclusion of the 2017-18 school year because of low enrollment.

The school experienced a decline in enrollment for a number of years and that drastically affected the school’s sports programs, like baseball, football and softball programs, which were shut down.

The football team dropped down to the eight-man level three seasons ago after halting its program and canceling games years prior. Bell-Jeff also canceled or curtailed its baseball, softball, girls’ and boys’ soccer and cross-country programs in recent years.

“It’s definitely disheartening to see this happen,” said Jim Couch, who coached multiple sports at Bell-Jeff and also served as athletic director. “Being here 44 years, I’ve seen the school through its heydays and through its lows. I have had the privilege of seeing and coaching some amazing athletes over the years. And a lot of those athletes I have still kept in touch with and that means a lot to me.”

Hope of re-opening the school, though likely with many changes, was also stated in the release, but for now all is known is that the school’s doors will close after the conclusion of this school year and along with that will be a string of final games played for Guards athletics.

The Burbank High boys’ basketball team went on a historic playoff run that led the Bulldogs to a CIF Southern Section championship game and on a deep state playoff run.
(Tim Berger/Staff Photographer )

2 Burbank High boys’ basketball has lengthy playoff run: After placing fourth in the Pacific League, the Bulldogs enjoyed an unprecedented run in the winter.

Burbank advanced to a CIF Southern Section championship game for the first time in 91 years, where it fell in the Division III-AA final to Brentwood on a last-second shot in overtime, 55-54.

The Bulldogs then embarked on the deepest state playoff showing in program history. Burbank, which finished 25-10, saw its season come to an end in the Southern California Regional semifinals against Reedley Immanuel, 58- 57.

Coached by Jamayne Potts, the Bulldogs were paced by All-CIF Southern Section first-team standout Michael Woods, who led Burbank in scoring (14.9) and rebounding (9.4) and averaged 3.1 blocks a game.

“What the team did, they changed the culture of Burbank basketball,” Potts said. “When I was first hired, people would send their [junior varsity] teams to play us. They wouldn’t let us into the Maxpreps Tournament. The respect and culture change they brought this program is everlasting.”

The Bellarmine-Jefferson High girls’ basketball team captured a CIF Southern Section championship after moving up a division and the Guards advanced deep into the state playoffs.
(Raul Roa/Staff Photographer )

3 Bellarmine-Jefferson High girls’ basketball success enjoys league, playoff success: In March, the Guards (23-4) captured the Santa Fe League title with a 10-0 record.

What followed was one of the most successful playoff runs in school history.

The Guards captured the Southern Section Division V-A championship, defeating Chadwick, 56-39. It was only the fourth CIF title (third in girls’ basketball) in school history. Bell-Jeff also went deep into the Division V CIF State playoffs, losing in the Southern California Regional title game against Rolling Hills Prep, 68-56.

Junior Cosette Balmy was named the Southern Section Division V-A Player of the Year. Earning spots on the All-CIF first team were Bell-Jeff juniors Claire Borot and Caitlyn Couch, while sophomore Dalila Rincan was a second-team selection. In addition, Guards Coach Claudia Villa was named the division’s coach of the year.

“This doesn’t feel real, it feels like I’m in a dream,” Borot said after winning the Division V-A title. “I can’t believe that this really happened and that we won it. It just feels amazing to be able to win a title with this team. We have had our ups and downs this season, but we always kept working hard to make this happen.”

New Burbank High football Adam Colman, here being named the Los Angeles Chargers Coach of the Week, led the Bulldogs to their first league title since 2009 and the CIF semifinals.
(Tim Berger/Staff Photographer )

4 Colman takes over Burbank football ahead of CIF semifinal return: Despite losing 23 seniors to graduation and getting a new coach, the Burbank High football team had another banner year.

The year before, Burbank advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division VIII championship game for the first time in program history. But coach Richard Broussard stepped down following the 2016 campaign.

In February, Colman, a Burbank graduate and former player, took over the program and the Bulldogs didn’t miss a beat.

Burbank, which wasn’t picked by many to win a league title, went 7-0 and captured Pacific League crown for the first time since 2009.

Moving up to Division VII, Burbank enjoyed another lengthy run in the playoffs. The Bulldogs defeated Tustin, 55-42, and top-seeded South Hills, 42-30, to advance to their second straight semifinals, losing to Don Lugo, 28-7.

Burbank finished 10-3.

The Burroughs High boys’ water polo team captured its first Pacific League championship this season.
(Tim Berger/Staff Photographer )

5 Burroughs boys’ water polo wins first league title in 23 years: A championship in the Pacific League was a long time coming for the Indians.

In late October, Burroughs, coached by Jacob Cook, held off Hoover, 6-5, in the championship game of the Pacific League Tournament.

It was the program’s first league championship since 1994 when it was a member of the Almont League.

“This means everything to me man, this is insane,” said Cook, whose team won the 2016 CIF Southern Section Division V championship. “We wanted this last year and didn’t get it. This is special and I’m so proud of the guys.”

Burroughs finished 15-13, 7-1 in league and advanced to the second round of the Division III playoffs.

The Indians were led by co-Pacific League Player of the Year and All-Area Boys’ Water Polo Player of the Year David Arakelyan a senior utility, who had 155 goals, 40 steals and 30 assists.

6 Chahal, Virtue advance to state: Two Indians seniors, Jagdeep Chahal and Emily Virtue, were involved in upsets at the Pacific League cross-country finals in early November.

In the boys’ race, Chahal out-kicked defending champion Colin FitzGerald of Crescenta Valley at the finish to capture the title in 14 minutes, 39.6 seconds at Arcadia County Park.

“Going into the race, I really wasn’t thinking about winning it. I thought I might get second or third,” Chahal said. “But I saw the chance and I told myself to take it and go for it. I was feeling extremely good and I thought I could catch him.”

In the girls’ competition, Virtue fell short of winning her third straight individual championship, placing second in 17:11.5 behind Arcadia’s Jasmine He (17:09.9).

Chahal and Virtue advanced through the CIF Southern Section prelims and finals and earned spots in the 31st CIF State Championships at Woodward Park in Fresno in late November.

Making her third straight state meet appearance and becoming the first Indian to do so, Virtue placed seventh in 17:36.1 in the Division I girls’ race to earn her third All-State honor. Chahal placed 15th in 15:32.7 in the Division I boys’ race..

7 Burroughs pole vaulter Valles wins league, advances to state meet: A long season and months of preparation led Christian Valles to the state prelims June 2 at Veterans Memorial Stadium on the campus of Buchanan High in Clovis.

The junior, who was named the All-Area Boys’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year, tied for 17th with a height of 14 feet 4 inches on the first day of the competition.

The field included just four non-seniors among the 22.

A week earlier in the Southern Section Masters Meet at Arcadia High, Valles placed seventh and equaled his personal best with a 15-0 effort. He earned a spot in the Masters Meet by qualifying out of Division I CIF Southern Section Finals at Cerritos College. He was one of four vaulters to tie for fifth overall among the four divisions with a mark of 15-0, which was the qualifying standard. In the Division I prelims he took fifth with a 14-6 mark.

Valles also captured a second-straight Pacific League title in the pole vault.

8 Bellarmine-Jefferson High girls’ basketball doesn’t field team after transfers, school announces closure: After the announcement in late October that Bell-Jeff would be closing after the 2017-18 season, a core of players from Bell-Jeff’s girls’ basketball championship team transferred.

One All-CIF Southern Section player transferred prior to the beginning season and three other returning All-CIF players left the school prior to the winter season.

The Guards won a Santa Fe League championship, a Southern Section Division V-A title and advanced to the Southern California Regional title game during the 2016-17 season.

9 Burroughs boys’ soccer captures league title, advances to CIF quarterfinals: Senior midfielder Jake Lasso-Spell and senior goalkeeper Jordan Morgan, who were named to the All-CIF Southern Section Division III first team, were instrumental in leading the Indians to success.

The two players led Burroughs (19-5-4, 11-2-1 in league) to its first Pacific League championship in three seasons. It was the program’s 10th league crown (five in the Pacific League, five in the Foothill League).

“Those guys worked very hard to have the success that they did and to help us be successful,” Burroughs coach Mike Kodama said. “We have had some pretty good players named to All-CIF over the years and Jake and Jordan are now part of that.”

Burroughs advanced to the Division III quarterfinals for the first time since 2013, notching victories against Westminster (7-1) and Paso Robles (2-0) before losing to Salesian (3-0).

10 Lycee International of Los Angeles snaps St. Monica streak, wins first league title: In late September, the small private school pulled off a major upset.

LILA defeated St. Monica Academy, 25-23, 25-20, 24-26, 25-18, in an International League match. That win snapped St. Monica’s run of 71 consecutive league victories, which was tied for 10th all-time in CIF Southern Section history according to the CIF record book.

In just their second season of CIF competition, the Lions went on to win the school’s first league championship, halting St. Monica’s string of seven straight league titles.

LILA finished the season 10-2.

Honorable Mention: Burbank girls’ tennis advances to CIF quarterfinals; Burroughs’ girls’ volleyball captures league championship; Providence girls’ cross-country runner Carissa Guardado wins league individual crown, advances to CIF final; Burroughs boys’ volleyball wins seventh straight league title.

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