Football previews: Burbank vs. Crescenta Valley; Burroughs vs. Muir
BURBANK VS. CRESCENTA VALLEY
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Memorial Field
RECORDS: The Bulldogs are 4-1, 1-0 in the Pacific League; the Falcons are 4-0, 1-0
LAST WEEK: Burbank defeated Pasadena, 34-14; Crescenta Valley defeated Burroughs, 48-21
OUTLOOK: Burbank enters the second game of the Pacific League campaign having to go against the hottest team in the league. The Falcons, ranked No. 5 in the CIF Southern Section Southeast Division, are not only first in offense among the league teams, averaging 46.5 points a game, but they are also tops in defense, surrendering an average of just 15 points a contest. The closest margin of victory this season against Crescenta Valley was 23, as it defeated Golden Valley, 48-25, in a nonleague game Sept. 12. The Falcons offense is led by senior quarterback Brian Gadsby, who is having a stellar season. Gadsby has completed 89 of 129 passes for 1,259 yards (325.3 yards a game), 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His primary receiver has been senior Connor Van Ginkel, who has 29 catches for 415 yards and four touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Chase Walker (19 catches for 348) has five touchdowns. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 9 in the division, have been hobbled by injuries this season, as they came away banged up again after last week’s league-opening win against Pasadena. With All-CIF running back James Williams out for the season with an injured knee, senior Tony Toledo has stepped in, carrying the ball 71 times for 334 yards and four touchdowns. In three games, Burbank quarterback Ryan Meredith has completed 53 of 71 passes for 515 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
SOMETHING INTERESTING: This is the home opener for the Bulldogs, who will play just four games at Memorial Field this season
BURROUGHS VS. MUIR
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Muir High
RECORDS: The Indians are 2-2, 0-1 in the Pacific League; Muir is 1-3, 1-0
LAST WEEK: Burroughs lost to Crescenta Valley, 48-21; Muir defeated Glendale, 30-0
OUTLOOK: In their Pacific League opener, the Indians lost last week to the Falcons for the first time since 2008. In contrast, Muir has a longtime stronghold on Burroughs. The last time the Indians beat the Mustangs was 2009, as they held on for a 9-6 victory. Burroughs junior starting quarterback Andy Amela continues to lead the team’s offense, as he was 17 of 27 for 217 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions passing last week. Muir, which has won two straight league championships, has a deceiving record, as its three losses have come against quality programs: Salesian (27-3), Cathedral (12-7) and Hart (40-7). The Mustangs have a solid quarterback in transfer Chase Keough, who played alongside some of the Bulldogs players in the Burbank Vikings Tackle Football program. Keough has completed 27 of 63 passes for 484 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. Muir hasn’t had a great deal of success on the ground this season, tallying just one rushing touchdown.
SOMETHING INTERESTING: Burroughs is last among league teams in points allowed per game, as the Indians surrender an average of 34.7.
Jeff Tully
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Follow Jeff Tully on Twitter: @jefftsports.