All-Area Boys’ Water Polo Player of the Year: Burroughs’ Arakelyan at forefront of history
A group of Burroughs High boys’ water polo players made history.
At the forefront of that talented group was David Arakelyan.
As a junior in 2016, Arakelyan led the way for the Indians as they won the CIF Southern Section Division V championship. It was the program’s first CIF title and only the second team championship in school history.
As a senior this past season, Arakelyan again led the way for Burroughs as the team captured its first Pacific League title and the program’s first crown since 1994.
“With David leading the way, this group that were seniors this year really brought Burroughs boys’ water polo into the spotlight,” Burroughs coach Jacob Cook said. “Getting that CIF title [in 2016] and winning the league this year, the guys put in a lot of work to make that happen. David was really a big part of making that all happen.”
Arakelyan was humbled to have had the opportunity to be able to contribute to the success of the program.
“We have had a great run these past few years and we have been very competitive as a team,” Arakelyan said. “I feel very fortunate to have been able to be a part of this run with a great group of guys.
“What we have accomplished is something we can look back on. When we’re old and sitting around we’ll be able to talk about all the success and the fun that we had.”
A scorer and facilitator, Arakelyan also emerged as a leader for the Indians. He put up impressive numbers and was named the co-Pacific League Player of the Year.
It’s because of those accomplishments that Arakelyan has been voted the 2017 All-Area Boys’ Water Polo Player of the Year by the sports editor and writers of the Glendale News-Press, Burbank Leader and La Cañada Valley Sun.
After winning a CIF title the year prior, capturing a league championship during the 2017 season became a priority for the Indians.
“Our goal was to win the league title and that’s what we really wanted to do,” Arakelyan said.
The Indians won their first four Pacific League matches, notching wins against Arcadia (13-10), Pasadena (18-5), defending champion Hoover (23-12) and Glendale (18-13). But then Burroughs ran into a snag, losing to Crescenta Valley (11-9).
The Indians defeated rival Burbank (27-21) in the final regular season league contest and went into the Pacific League Tournament as the No. 1 seed.
In the tournament semifinals, Arakelyan stepped up to the tune of a team-high seven goals to lead Burroughs to a 17-10 victory against Arcadia.
Taking on Hoover in the title contest, Arakelyan again stepped up, pacing the Indians with three goals and six assists in a 6-5 win.
It was Burroughs’ first league title in 23 years when it was in the Almont League.
“Winning league was a very special moment for our program,” Arakelyan said. “It meant a lot to all of us because Burroughs hadn’t won a league championship for so long. To finally make that happen was such an accomplishment for all of us.
“Really, my goals for the season weren’t how many goals I could score or what I could do myself, but it was really more how far we could go as a team, in league and in CIF.”
Moved up to Division III in the playoffs, the Indians defeated Beckman, 12-11, in the first round before they were eliminated by eventual division runner-up Dos Pueblos, 18-11.
Arakelyan, a utility player who shared the league’s top honor with Crescenta Valley’s David Komjathy, ended the season with 155 goals 40 steals and 30 assists.
“He is not just a scorer, no not at all,” Cook said. “He is just an insane offensive player. He does have a very good shot and he can really shoot it from just about anywhere in the pool. He is also great at seeing where his teammates are and making a great pass.
“But he’s also very aware on defense and he’s so good at anticipating and really seeing plays before they happen. He is just very smart and a great all-around player at both ends of the pool.”
Indians senior teammate Arthur Sefayan said Arakelyan was someone Burroughs could rely on in any situation.
“He was that person who we could look up to,” Sefayan said. “When we were down and we needed someone to score we always knew that he could come through for us. He was always the guy we could look at as a leader.
“What’s great about him is that if he can’t score, he is going to make an opportunity for someone else to score.”
With the last two seasons at Burroughs still fresh in his mind, Arakelyan allows himself some time to reflect on what he and the Indians were able to accomplish, as well as the legacy he and his teammates leave behind.
“The mentality at Burroughs now is a winning mentality,” Arakelyan said. “It was a longtime coming for us the last two years, winning CIF and then winning league. I am honored that I was a part of that and I was able to help put Burroughs on the map.”
