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Glendale High football schedule undergoes pair of changes

The Glendale High football team is undoing a pair of changes to its upcoming 2017 football schedule.
(Raul Roa/Staff Photographer)
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With a season that includes seven Pacific League games, there didn’t seem much room for adjustments for the Glendale High football team.

Yet, the Nitros’ 2017 season schedule of all 7 p.m. games does have a few quirks and one big change.

Last season, Glendale struggled to a 1-9 record and 0-7 mark in the Pacific League. Yet, there’s optimism, particularly with the nonleague portion of the season.

“I’m very happy with the [nonleague] schedule and I think they’ll all be pretty good matchups for us,” Glendale coach George Maiale said. “I’m just trying to do something a little different and put some new life and some new blood into things. That’s the big thing.”

One of Glendale’s closer bids to a victory came in its zero week opener last season in Montebello as the Nitros fell to Cantwell Sacred Heart, 21-13. In that contest, Glendale led, 13-12, heading into the fourth quarter before surrendering nine unanswered points.

Glendale will again open the season with the Cardinals (3-7) in the zero week opener Friday, Aug. 25.

“It was a good game,” Maiale said. “The only thing that I hope is different is that we come out with a victory.”

After that, Glendale embarks on the first of its three Thursday evening contests versus a new opponent on Aug. 31 at Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez Learning Center, which is located in the East Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights.

Mendez finished 2-7 last season.

Mendez takes the spot of La Cañada High, an opponent Glendale had faced every year this century.

“They’re a newer Los Angeles City Section school,” Maiale said of Mendez. “There were scheduling conflicts with us and La Cañada and we messed up and had to get a new game and Mendez was a close school.”

The Mendez game also begins a month-long road trip as Glendale won’t return to Moyse Field until October.

After Mendez, Glendale will enjoy a bye before taking its longest road trip this season to face Acton Vasquez High (6-4) in the nonleague finale Friday, Sept. 15.

Last season, the Nitros snapped an 11-game losing streak with a 35-14 victory at Moyse Field.

“Last year we had a schedule mix-up and a sudden opening and our choices were either Vasquez or Mater Dei, so you know who we chose,” Maiale said. “Vasquez came out to us last year and we’re going to see them this year.”

After Vasquez, Glendale commences its slate of seven consecutive league games with a doozy of an opener at Memorial Field versus league runner-up Burbank on Sept. 21.

Last season, the Bulldogs enjoyed a magical run in finishing second in league, posting a 10-4 record and advancing to the CIF Southern Section Division VIII Championship game, which they lost. The Bulldogs also routed the Nitros, 63-7.

“I think it’s nice to not have Burbank and [Crescenta Valley] back to back as in previous years to start the season,” Maiale said. “It’s going to be a fight for us each week, regardless.”

Following Burbank, Glendale will encounter a very different set of Bulldogs in host Pasadena (2-8) on Sept. 29.

The Nitros fell to Pasadena, 23-18, in a contest in which Glendale scored the game’s final 12 points and had one final possession to tie before turning the ball over on downs.

Glendale finally returns home following the Pasadena contest and will host Burroughs (4-6) on Thursday, Oct. 5. The Nitros surrendered a season-high in points to the Indians in last season’s 64-7 defeat.

Glendale will return for its final trip to Pasadena on Oct. 13 as the squad will take on former league powerhouse Muir (6-5). In 2016, the Nitros put on their best offensive performance in league in a 62-26 defeat.

After the Muir contest, Glendale closes out its regular season with three straight contests at Moyse Field.

On Thursday, Oct. 19, the Nitros will host Arcadia (9-3). Perhaps Glendale suffered its worst loss of the season versus Apaches, 62-0.

The Nitros will be the designated “road” team against reigning league champion Crescenta Valley (9-2) on Oct. 27.

The Falcons have won four straight games versus Glendale, including last season’s 52-0 victory.

Finally, as has been the case for decades, Glendale concludes the regular season with the 89th edition of the “Battle of the Victory Bell” versus archrival Hoover (4-6) at Moyse Field on Nov. 3.

While Glendale owns a 51-35-2 edge in the series, the Tornadoes won two straight after last season’s 49-12 rout.

andrew.campa@latimes.com

Twitter @campadresports

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