The High Schools /Vince Kowalick : Burbank Win Tough for Carson to Digest

Dave Carson awoke Saturday morning with a knot in his stomach the size of a 21-7 loss to Burbank.

“It’s not very easy to put behind me,” the Hart coach said.

Probably everyone at Hart is having trouble stomaching Burbank’s upset of the Indians on Friday night. Burbank’s victory over Hart--and Carson, who coached Burbank from 1983 to ‘87--snapped the Indians’ 22-game winning streak in Foothill League play.

Those at Burbank want to digest this one slooowly.

“This is the biggest win, I think, that Burbank’s ever had,” senior tailback Tarin Cardenaz said.

Even Carson agreed. “I’ve been involved in some big victories in Burbank’s history,” he said. “This one is bigger than any of them.”

Who would have believed the ‘Dogs could do it? Burbank had not defeated Hart in Carson’s 5-year tenure. Yet the fired-up Bulldog defense intercepted 4 passes thrown by Rob Westervelt, the Valley’s leading passer, and returned one for a touchdown.

Burbank’s win also created a race tighter than Carson’s stomach. Burbank, Hart, Burroughs and Schurr all are tied for first with 2-1 records.

“They played very intently the whole game,” Carson said of Burbank. “I’m frustrated that we’re not playing well.”

Westervelt’s 4 interceptions were a season high. Hart also lost a fumble for a season-high 5 turnovers.

Carson’s disappointment was evident even on the Burbank sideline.

“He was bummed,” said linebacker Chad Peltier, who intercepted a pass.

Added Cardenaz: “He was upset, but he took it pretty well. It was kind of like he was disgusted, but he kept it in.”

What’s cooking?: Newbury Park quarterback Wayne Cook finally delivered a thumbs-up performance this season, completing 20 of 35 passes for a career-high 324 yards in a 31-6 Marmonte League rout of Simi Valley.

Cook has spent much of the season recovering from a broken right thumb he received during practice early this season.

“He was going for a fumble,” said Cook’s father, Ken, the Panthers’ coach. “His hand, the ball and somebody’s helmet got there at the same time.”

Said Cook: “I felt great. Everything worked out good, but my thumb still bothers me. It’s still sore. It will probably bother me all the way through basketball season.

“I just hope I can stay in the groove for next week’s game with Thousand Oaks.”

That’s about all Cook can hope for as an admittedly disappointing senior season draws to a close.

“I could have helped this team out more,” said Cook, whose performance helped improve Newbury Park’s record to 2-5-1, 2-2 in league play. “I could have been better than I am now.”

Power play: With 23 seconds to play Friday night, Canoga Park scored a touchdown to pull to within 14-12 of Cleveland. Everybody in the stadium--especially Cleveland linebacker Al Martinez--knew what was coming next: a 2-point conversion attempt.

“I knew they were coming,” Martinez said. “They were doing that play all night and getting 5 yards every time. It was kind of like a Power 5.”

How’s that in layman’s terms?

“A whole bunch of dudes come running at you,” teammate Sean Burwell said.

Translation: A power sweep, which, in this case, was about as delicate as a firing squad at work.

Said Martinez: “A double-team came at me and the fullback tried to kick me out.”

Two rather large Canoga Park players attempted to flatten Martinez. But Martinez stopped running back Jason Mitchell for no gain, preserving the Cavaliers’ West Valley League win.

“We just snuffed it,” Burwell said. “I wasn’t in on the tackle, but I was there.”

Add Cleveland: Burwell’s contribution came on offense. The 6-foot, 180-pound senior played the type of game he had been waiting to play since transferring from Chaminade before the beginning of last season.

Burwell, who has rushed for 817 yards in 102 carries this season, rushed for a career-high 225 yards in 16 carries and scampered 87 yards for a touchdown on the Cavaliers’ first play from scrimmage.

Said Burwell, who rushed for 1,211 yards as a sophomore at Chaminade and just 256 yards last year: “Last year, I don’t know what happened. But I’m much happier this year. I just wish we won by a little more.”

Playoff drive: Look who has a shot at a playoff berth entering the ninth week of the season.

Royal, which defeated Westlake, 14-0, Friday night, is 2-2 in Marmonte League play and tied with Camarillo and Newbury Park for the league’s third and final berth.

The Highlanders, however, play first-place Channel Islands on Friday, then Newbury Park the following week.

“Just being mentioned in November for the playoffs is quite an honor for our program,” first-year Royal Coach Gene Uebelhardt said. “Before, our kids just wondered where they were going to spend Thanksgiving.”

Thanks to quarterback Pat Ledesma, who engineered both Highlander scoring drives, Royal recorded its first league win over a team other than Simi Valley since 1983.

Humble heroes: “We did pretty good,” Monroe receiver Terry London said.

We is London and teammate Curtis Scott. Pretty good is an understatement for how the pair fared in the Vikings’ 56-0 Mid-Valley League massacre of Birmingham.

Scott, the Valley’s leading rusher, rushed for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns. London had punt returns for touchdowns of 50 and 42 yards and ran 51 yards for another score.

“All the touchdowns I had were on reverses,” London said. “I just got a good block and there wasn’t anybody there.”