Esquivel’s Passing Helps Burroughs Defeat San Gabriel for 1st Victory

Three weeks ago, Burroughs High quarterback Marco Esquivel had endured a coaching change while his team was winless. He believed better times were to come.

Esquivel’s optimism was borne out Thursday night as visiting Burroughs emerged with a 27-6 win over San Gabriel in a Foothill League opener at Keppel High in Alhambra.

Esquivel, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior, completed 10 of 21 passes for 178 yards. His 70-yard touchdown pass to Sean McDermott, returning to action after suffering a broken collarbone in the second game, gave Burroughs (1-5) a 7-6 lead in the second quarter.

“We were regrouping and coming together,” Esquivel said of the series of coaching adjustments. Butch McElwee resigned early in the season as Burroughs coach and was replaced by Bob Dunivant for one game. Dunivant, who remained as the assistant, then was replaced by Marty Garrison.

“It was like starting over again,” Esquivel said. “It’s taken time to get comfortable, but everything is going great.”

Burroughs increased its lead to 14-6 on a one-yard sneak by Esquivel with 13 seconds left in the first half.

San Gabriel (0-6) scored 1 minute 31 seconds into the game on a two-yard run by Moses Valverde to take a 6-0 advantage.

Burroughs’ Marco Cecena culminated a 10-play, 65-yard drive with a one-yard run in the third quarter, and Dylan Washausen completed the scoring with a 49-yard interception return midway through the fourth period.