Crescenta Valley Puts Burbank, Coach on Ice

You will not see it too often, but it could not have been more fitting Thursday night.

After Crescenta Valley High beat Burbank, 28-13, in a nonleague game at Glendale High, the Falcons doused line coach Ned Russell with ice water.

The line coach. Honest.

The Falcons’ offensive and defensive lines dominated, as Crescenta Valley rebounded from last week’s upset loss to Alemany.

“We felt we were a lot quicker (than Burbank),” 6-foot-3 senior lineman Dan Roman said. “After getting beaten last week, we really picked it up in practice.”

The Falcon defensive line was particularly impressive.

That is partly because Coach Alan Eberhart decided this week to have only one defensive lineman--Roman--play both ways. Ron Slagle, who was out with a broken finger, also returned to the starting lineup.

The other factor is Burbank’s beaten-up offensive line. Bulldog linemen Gurdip Pallah and Jason Mazziotti and tight end Willie Perryman were injured.

“We have no offensive line,” Burbank Coach Dave Kemp said. “This is all makeshift. Guys are trying to play offense and defense. We’re just decimated.”

Burbank (1-2) gained 37 yards rushing. Jaime Cabrera gained 45 in five carries.

Crescenta Valley’s offensive line helped the Falcons (2-1) run the ball at will. Erik LaCom, whom Eberhart no longer uses at linebacker so he can be fresh to run the ball, gained 117 yards in 22 carries.

Brendan Jones gained 86 in 10 carries. He ran for two touchdowns and caught a pass for another.

“It was just great blocking,” Jones said. “The line did great.”

The game had a surprise at the outset. Crescenta Valley quarterback Dave Fielder, expected to miss all the nonleague games with a sprained ankle, started.

Eberhart said Fielder shocked the coaching staff by seeming to be near 100% in practice Wednesday, so they gave him a shot.

He didn’t last long.

Fielder took five snaps, fumbling on one. He did not attempt a pass and gained three yards on his only run.

He was replaced by John Watts when he aggravated the injury. Watts completed three of four passes for 74 yards.

The Falcons drove for two second-quarter scores.

The first, an 11-yard run by Jones, finished an 89-yard drive. The second was a 55-yard touchdown pass play from Watts to Jones.

Burbank’s lone score of the first half came on a 35-yard pass play from Brian Casey to Carlos Baker.

Burbank, unable to run, finally moved the ball when Casey began throwing out of a no-huddle offense. He completed 11 of 23 for 172 yards.