Burbank football’s rally bid comes up turnover short

BURBANK — Playing from behind the majority of the way against Canyon Country Canyon High proved to be too large a task for the Burbank football team. But not by much.

Burbank scored the final 14 points of the game, but a 21-point deficit in the third quarter proved insurmountable as it lost, 34-27, in the nonleague showdown with the Cowboys on Friday night at Memorial Field.

“We didn’t execute in the first half and had to claw and scratch back,” Bulldogs Coach Richard Broussard said. “Simulating desperation is difficult.”

Broussard took it on himself, saying he needs to do a better job of preparation, particularly in a game-tying final drive scenario.

In that drive, which started at Burbank’s 11-yard line with 4:00 to play, the Bulldogs (1-1) spread the ball around to take it all the way to the Canyon 20, spanning 12 plays.

Joseph Miller carried the ball for consecutive first downs early in the drive. Quarterback Guy Gibbs (10 for 24 for 109 yards) completed three passes to keep the defense guessing. Nicolas Warren, who led the team with 84 yards in 19 carries, also got in on the rushing attack. The game seemed destined for overtime until a crushing interception gave Canyon the ball with an opportunity to drain the clock.

“You have to finish drives,” Broussard said.

Burbank’s offense rarely moved the ball as well, though, as it mustered just 67 yards of total offense in a first half that ultimately proved to be deciding.

Canyon (1-1), on the other hand, took its opening drive for 74 yards on 13 plays, capped off by a Henry Arellano touchdown. The Cowboys started with good field position thanks to a Gibbs interception on Burbank’s first possession.

The Bulldogs didn’t answer until late in the first quarter when their special teams, namely Jake Kelley, recovered a botched fair catch, allowing Burbank’s offense to take the field on Canyon’s 12 yard line. Two plays later, Warren pounded it in from three yards out to tie the game with 36 seconds left to play in the opening frame.

Canyon quickly answered on the first drive of the second quarter, with Arellano finding the end zone again, this time from four yards out. Arellano led all rushers in the game with 110 yards in 29 carries.

The passing game didn’t get going for the Cowboys until later, but quarterback Miles Fallin made sure to catch up. The senior threw for 249 yards on 17-of-26 passing, which included two touchdowns.

Fallin found Brian Stuart with 5:10 remaining in the first half to give Canyon a 20-7 advantage.

Burbank responded with an Andrew Rovira field goal to cut the deficit to 10 going into the break.

As it did in the first and second quarter, Canyon scored on its first possession of the third quarter on Arellano’s third touchdown.

Rovira’s 33-yard clutch field goal brought the Bulldogs to within two possessions again but only three minutes before Fallin and Camden Apsay hooked up for a 23-yard strike. The touchdown gave the Cowboys a 34-13 advantage.

Another heads-up special teams play by Burbank gave its offense the ball deep in Canyon territory. Again, the Bulldogs capitalized, with Darnell Williams getting blockers and taking it to the right side untouched from three yards out to bring Burbank within two scores again at 34-20 with 1:09 to play in the third.

Then midway through the fourth, Gibbs took it in himself from one yard out to cut the deficit in half.

Burbank’s defense forced a punt and gave the Bulldogs an opportunity to send it into overtime but it was not meant.

“I’m proud of them for battling back,” Broussard said.

When asked about the defense he prides the team on, Broussard said: “We didn’t play Burbank defense, clearly.”