HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS : NORTHWESTERN CONFERENCE : Arroyo Grande vs. Burbank Burroughs

Burbank Burroughs High is one victory away from completing a move from Foothill League doormat to Northwestern Conference champion in just two seasons. The Indians, who were 3-7 in 1985, will play Arroyo Grande in the title game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Burroughs.

Last season, Burroughs reached the semifinal round of the playoffs before losing to Temple City, 35-28. This season, under first-year Coach Butch McElwee, Burroughs (12-1) finished second in the Foothill League, losing only to league-champion Newhall Hart, 19-0.

Burroughs coasted to easy wins against Downey Pius X, 35-10, and La Canada, 37-7, in the first two rounds of the playoffs. But the Indians had to come from behind against El Sugundo, rallying for 19 points in the fourth quarter to advance to the title game with a 26-16 win.

The Indians’ defense has been the team’s strong point. Burroughs has allowed an average of 74.7 yards rushing and 167 total yards a game.

Offensively, Burroughs is balanced. Quarterback Jeff Barrett, the school’s career passing leader, has passed for 2,048 yards and 19 touchdowns. Barrett, who has attracted the interest of USC and Syracuse, also has rushed for 62 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Burroughs’ double-threat running attack is led by fullback Wes Bender, who has gained 816 yards and scored 13 touchdowns, and tailback Doug Dragomer, 807 yards and 10 touchdowns.

It appeared that Burroughs was heading for a rematch with Hart before Arroyo Grande (10-2-1), the Northern League champion, upset top-ranked Hart, 15-14.

Trailing, 14-3, with eight minutes to play, the Eagles scored two touchdowns in two minutes. Alfonso Daniels ran 87 yards on a reverse for a touchdown, and quarterback Jamie Martin threw a 48-yard pass to tailback Matt Drake for the game-winner.

“I know a lot of people are saying we backed into it and, ‘They played better than you,’ ” Arroyo Grande Coach Jon Huss said. “But that’s OK. We’re there.”

This marks the first championship game in the school’s 96-year history. Arroyo Grande was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs each of the last two seasons.

“We’ve always approached the season just one game at a time,” Huss said. “I hate to talk in cliches, but we just have kids who don’t give up.”

Arroyo Grande has won 10 of its last 11 games, including 7 in a row. The Eagles’ offense is averaging 349 yards a game. Martin has passed for 2,240 yards and 16 touchdowns. Drake has rushed for 762 yards and 16 touchdowns. Drake, who also plays free safety, has three interceptions in the playoffs.

Arroyo Grande defeated L.A. Verbum Dei, 24-8, Lawndale Leuzinger, 27-20, and Hart.