Burroughs falters late, loses to North Hollywood

MEMORIAL FIELD — On a night when Burroughs High celebrated by inducting a group into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame, the Indians football team was hoping to do a little celebrating of its own Friday with a nonleague game against North Hollywood.

It appeared Burroughs was well on its way, taking advantage of Huskies miscues early and building a two-touchdown lead by halftime.

But North Hollywood dominated the second half, scoring 19 straight points and punching in the winning touchdown with 2:07 left, leaving the Indians to ponder a 19-14 loss at Memorial Field.

The loss leaves Burroughs (0-2) still searching for its first win of the season after suffering a loss last week to Paraclete, 35-10.

“We should have beaten them, 48-0,” Burroughs Coach Keith Knoop said. “We lose, 19-14, because we couldn’t capitalize on situations, and we get turnovers, and we get penalties and we gave up a big pass play. You’re young and it shows. We are super young. We got 30-something juniors and one sophomore.”

Burroughs’ two quarterbacks, juniors Andrew Williams and Angel Manzanero, were knocked out of the game last week against Paraclete. While Williams is still sidelined with an injured ankle, Manzanero wasn’t cleared to practice until Tuesday.

With Manzanero not taking snaps the entire week, Knoop elected to go with junior wide receiver Oharjee Brown at quarterback.

“I had a guy that hadn’t ever played a varsity game in his life [at quarterback], a receiver and he’s playing quarterback,” Knoop said. “I thought he did a great job tonight.”

Brown was seven of 14 for 67 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

On the ground, senior Israel Montes carried the ball 17 times for 66 yards and scored a touchdown.

The crucial point in the game came late in the fourth quarter with Burroughs clinging to a 14-12 lead. North Hollywood (1-2) had the ball at the Indians’ 4-yard line on fourth down and just inches to go for a first with 3:56 left. Huskies quarterback Cullen Englund kept the ball on a dive up the middle and appeared to be stopped short of the first down. However, the chains were brought out and North Hollywood had the first down by the tip of the ball.

The Burroughs defense then put up a tough stand. Three Huskies running plays still left the offense at the 1-yard line. On a fourth-down play with 2:03 remaining, Englund took the snap, dove forward and broke the goal line for a touchdown at the 1:57 mark.

“On that fourth-down play I was just thinking that I was inches away from winning the game,” Englund said. “I wanted the ball in that situation.”

Englund had a hand in all three North Hollywood touchdowns. Along with two scoring runs of one yard, he also had a 10-yard touchdown pass. He ended the night 10 of 14 for 140 yards and a touchdown.

Burroughs looked good early, as Jonathan Fuentes recovered a fumble on North Hollywood’s first play from scrimmage to start the game. The Indians then drove 24 yards and Montes put the Indians in front after a seven-yard run at the 10:13 mark of the first.

The Indians recovered another fumble in the second quarter, as Jason Hamm came up with the ball. Burroughs embarked on a 49-yard drive that culminated with Brown hooking up with Fuentes on a six-yard scoring strike.

Burroughs went into halftime with a 14-0 lead.

“I thought our defense played [well] all night,” Knoop said. “But we told these guys that North Hollywood is hungry; they are trying to find an identity and they’ve good some good players.”

In the second half, North Hollywood looked like a rejuvenated team. The Huskies scored 19 straight points to take control of the game.

After the final North Hollywood touchdown, Burroughs got the ball back with just under two minutes left. However, with 39 seconds remaining and the ball on their own 37, Brown was intercepted, ending the threat.

Prior to the game, the Hall of Fame inductees were introduced to the crowd in front of the home stands. This year’s class included Brady Riggs, Jayleen Romberger-Budwig, Ron Stillwell and the 1955 Burroughs boys’ basketball team.