Burroughs Can’t Find Cure for Hart Attack

Hart High football Coach Rick Scott, drowsy, stuffy and puzzled over what he had, called in sick Friday.

“I think I had strep throat or tonsillitis or something. I don’t know what it was,” he said.

Whatever, it was nothing that a 20-8 Foothill League victory over Burroughs couldn’t cure Friday night at College of the Canyons.

The emotional battle between league rivals left Hart alone in first place, 2-0 in league and 6-1 overall. Burroughs is now 5-2, 1-1.

“That’s what we needed,” said Scott, who punctuated his point with a clenched fist. “That gives us a good shot to roll in the next three weeks.”

Burroughs, on the other hand, spent Friday night trying unsuccessfully to come up with a cure for the Hart attack.

Little worked.

Hart’s balanced offense and swarming defense was too much.

Take away three fumbles by Hart in the first half and a goal-line stand by Burroughs in the second, and the final score may have been indicative of the way it was played.

“We dominated,” Scott said. “I felt people gave up on us when we lost to Canyon (in the season-opener. But we’re back.

“Tonight, we just made mistakes and left them off the hook. But the best team won.”

Few in attendance would argue.

For the game, Hart rushed for 110 yards and passed for 105. Its defense, which had seven sacks--including three straight to end a Burroughs drive with less than two minutes left--allowed 150.

With 4:26 left Matt Creamer recovered an on-side kick for Burroughs at the Hart 49. Consecutive pass interference calls in the end zone moved the ball to the four yard-line. Then the sack attack hit and Burroughs’ last hope of scoring ended on the 16 with 1:06 left.

Hart dominated the first half and led 14-0, but could have more had three scoring threats inside Burroughs’ 20 not been short-circuited by two fumbles by quarterback Jim Bonds and another by running back Andy Iacenda.

After a scoreless first quarter, Iacenda, who played at Burroughs last season, broke several tackles against his former teammates and ran in from the six-yard line with 7:27 left in the half.

Hart, which had good field position throughout the first half, finally took advantage of it following a 10-yard Burroughs punt that landed on the 31.

Three plays later, Bonds scrambled and threw a short out to Hite, who eluded a defender to complete a 26-yard touchdown reception with six seconds left in the half. The touchdown was Bonds’ 31st and tied him with his brother Tom for the most in a career at Hart.

“We should have been up 28-0 by halftime,” Bonds said. “But we still felt good going in at the half when we scored at the end.”

Hart’s defense allowed just 49 yards and four first downs in the first half.

Hart led 20-0 when linebacker Jeff Trogan recovered a fumble in the end zone with 11:16 left in the game.

On the ensuing kickoff, Burroughs drove 80 yards in five plays, including a Jeff Barrett to Jason Tietel 14-yard touchdown completion.

Barrett scrambled out of the pocket and ran for the two-point conversion.