Burbank Buries the West for East in All-Star Game

The boys from Burbank walked tall in the Valley on Thursday night.

Gary Lotka, Alfredo Velasco and Dave Carson, the integral personnel of Burbank High’s football team last season, played the lead roles as the East beat the West, 27-13, in the Daily News All-Star Game at Pierce College.

Lotka, the 5-10 quarterback for the Bulldogs, threw two touchdowns in the first half, as the East built a 24-7 lead. He finished 10 of 22 for 179 yards.

Velasco, the place kicker who is heading to UCLA, added three extra points and two field goals.

And Carson, Burbank’s head coach, used his biggest advantage--the offensive line--to the fullest in directing the East to victory.

Carson and co-Coach John Hazelton (Montclair Prep) had an offensive line that averaged 6-3 1/2, 236 per man.

Included on the line were Canyon’s Brent Parkinson, who will attend USC, and St. Francis’ Dave Hallstrom, who is off to UCLA.

“We tried to take advantage of our line,” Carson said.

The East did just that, controlling the line of scrimmage and the clock before a crowd estimated at 4,000. And Alemany’s Bert Jones was the main beneficiary, getting 93 yards on 11 carries.

But the man who got the East on the board was Lotka.

He started slowly, missing on his first four passes and throwing two interceptions.

On the game’s second play, Reseda’s Chris Coleman picked off a Lotka pass at the East 30 and returned it to the 24.

Three plays later, West quarterback Barry Hanks was intercepted by Burroughs’ Kevin Bell at the 10.

Bell returned it to the 33, and the East went 17 yards on two running plays.

But Greg Roberts intercepted a Lotka swing pass intended for Jones and returned it to the East 30.

Five plays later, Hanks was in the end zone, scoring on a 1-yard run with 7:35 left in the first quarter. The key play was a third-and-14 pass from Hanks to James Reaves, good for 29 yards.

It took the East seven plays to tie the game, as Lotka took over. With 4:47 left in the first, Lotka hooked up with Notre Dame’s Rocco Palamara on a 45-yard touchdown.

The East went ahead on the first play of the second quarter. Lotka and Hart’s Mark Setterberg connected on a 39-yard scoring pass.

Lotka completed 7 of 16 for 147 yards in the first half.

Palamara was the main target with five catches for 105 yards.

The East running game took hold midway through the second quarter. The team moved 55 yards on 11 plays, Mike Daniels scoring on a 2-yard run with 5:45 left.

The East got the ball back with less than 30 seconds left at its 33 and drove to the West 20 in four plays. Velasco then hit a 37-yard field goal with one second remaining in the first half.

The West, on its second possession of the third quarter, pulled within 24-13 as Hanks hit Raymond Taylor for a 33-yard touchdown.

The West began its last scoring drive on its 8, following an interception of a Lotka pass by Tim VanJohnson.

The West couldn’t move, but the East’s Mike Davis muffed a punt at the West 44, Paul Kim recovering.

Four plays later, Hanks, after scrambling to avoid a heavy rush, unloaded the 33-yarder to Taylor in the end zone.

The score, with 6:01 remaining in the third, seemed to rejuvenate the West. But that momentum seemed to dissipate when Hanks’ PAT attempt was blocked by Jeff Armstead.

The East answered quickly, driving to its opponent’s 27. And with 2:37 left in the third, Velasco kicked a 44-yard field goal.

“He’s a hell of a kicker,” Carson said of Velasco. “I’m really going to miss him.”

Carson might also miss Jones, though he was out most of his senior season with injuries.

“Bert did a great job,” Carson said. “He’s a great back.”