Jeff Tully BURBANK -- As is the...
Jeff Tully
BURBANK -- As is the case this time every year, as the holidays roll
around, so does the basketball and soccer tournament seasons.
Beginning today, three local tournaments -- two in boys’ basketball and
one in boys’ soccer -- kick off in the city.
In another tournament, the Bellarmine-Jefferson High girls’ basketball
team will be playing in an event in nearby La Crescenta.
The biggest event in terms of teams participating is the 1999
Brandt/Burroughs Boys Soccer Tournament. The tourney begins Thursday and
concludes Dec. 11.
Along with the Indians, the tourney features 23 teams competing in
pool play. Teams will take part in games Thursday, Friday and Saturday,
for the right to move on to the quarterfinal rounds Dec. 10.
Most of the matches will take place at Memorial Field, however, some
will be played at St. Francis High, Jordan Middle School and Gross Park.
Also taking part in the tournament are Crescenta Valley, Hoover,
Glendale, St. Francis, South Pasadena, Kennedy, Newbury Park, Agoura,
Calabasas, Royal, Alemany, Rio Mesa, Saugus, Crespi, La Salle, Servite,
Camarillo, Canyon, Arcadia, Westlake, Harvard-Westlake, Don Bosco and
Valencia highs.
Burroughs opens up Friday with a 7:30 match at Memorial Field against
Agoura. The Indians then face Hoover Friday at 7:30 at Memorial Field.
“This is going to be a tough tournament,” said Burroughs Coach Mike
Kodama.
“Servite is back and they have won the championship the last couple of
years. And Arcadia has won it a couple of times. So there are some very
good teams in this tournament.”
The tournament with the longest history is the 31th annual
Burbank-Hoover Tournament that begins today. Games will take place at
both Burbank and Hoover.
The tournament will be dedicated to longtime Burbank coach and
Co-athletic Director Frank Kallam.
Kallam -- who is retiring at the end of the school year -- will be
honored for his 25 years serving as the tournament’s director.
Kallam is a Hoover High graduate.
Along with the Bulldogs and Tornadoes, the event will also include
Burroughs, Glendale, Crescenta Valley, Venice, Eagle Rock and Belmont
highs.
The Bulldogs open the event tonight with a 7:30 game against Eagle
Rock at Burbank. The Indians will play Belmont at 6 p.m. today at Hoover.
The finals will be Friday at 8 p.m. at Hoover.
Across town, the 11th annual Providence Tip-Off Classic gets underway
Thursday and concludes with the finals Saturday at Providence High.
Along with the host Pioneers, Oakwood, New Roads, Viewpoint, Highland
Hall, Pilibos, L.A. Lutheran and St. Genevieve highs will be in
attendance.
Missing from this year’s event is St. Bonnaventure High. In years
past, the Serphs have made it a habit of playing in the tourney final.
The Pioneers will face St. Genevieve in a first-round game Thursday at
7:30 p.m. at Providence.
For the Bell-Jeff girls’ squad, it has a tough draw in the Crescenta
Valley Tournament, which begins today and takes place at CV High.
Today, the Guards will play North Hollywood at 6 p.m. and will take on
the host Falcons Thursday in a 7:30 p.m. contest. Bell-Jeff will then
face Littlerock Friday at 6 p.m.