Looking back at 10 years of the good, bad and ugly in local high

school sports

Jeff Tully

Oh the things that I’ve seen, the great moments I have witnessed and

the talented athletes I have come in contact with.

There is no one more surprised than myself about the fact that I have

been the Sports editor of the Burbank Leader for 10 years. In fact, I

just recently celebrated -- if that is the right word -- my 10-year

anniversity in beautiful Burbank.

In have been told, by people who have lived in the city for a number

of years, that I have the longest tenure of any sports editor in the

101-year history of the Daily Review/Leader.

That is a distinction I covet.

I have grown to admire and respect the city and many individuals who

have made an impact on the local high schools -- Burbank, Burroughs,

Providence and Bellarmine-Jefferson highs.

With affection and a bit of nostalgia, I look back on the people,

teams and events that have made a lasting impression over the past

decade.

THE BEST TEAMS

* The 1993 Burbank boys’ tennis team: With legendary Coach Clyde

Richards at the helm, the Bulldogs defeated Santa Maria Righetti, 10-8,

at McCambridge Park to capture the CIF Southern Section Division III

championship.

The title is one of only two CIF championships won by local teams in

10 years.

Burbank (22-3) was paced by players Doug Young, Vazghen Zaghiyan, Phil

Cano, Brad Warner, Morris Li, Roy Kim, Rick Hart, Jack Liu and Bryan

Arana.

* The 1997 Bell-Jeff girls’ basketball team: Under the direction of

Coach Jim Couch, the Guards defeated Cerritos Valley Christian, 47-45, to

win the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A crown at the Pyramid in Long

Beach.

Jaclyn Johnson -- who played at University of Kansas and for the

WNBA’s Orlando Miracle -- hit a 15-foot jump-shot with one second left to

lift Bell-Jeff to the only championship in school history.

The team also featured key players Cheryl Flores and Felicia Flores.

* The 1994 Burroughs boys’ soccer team: Mike Kodama’s squad just

missed claiming a CIF Southern Section Division III title when it fell to

Bell Gardens, 3-1, in a championship match at Cerritos Gahr High.

The Indians were paced by All-American forward Roberto Perez,

midfielder Jesus Diaz, defender Gret Guenther and goalie Marc Binda.

* The 1991 Bell-Jeff boys’ cross-country team: Couch and star runners

Terence Flynn, Leonard Diaz, Jose Diaz, Mike Morgan and Chris Estrada

helped the Guards to a second-place finish in Division IV at the

CIF-State Cross Country Championships.

* The 2000 Burbank boys’ cross-country team: The surprising Bulldogs

had a great season, finishing sixth in Division II in the CIF-State

Cross-Country Championships.

Under Coach Bob Shaw and assistant Sasha Vujic, and paced by runners

Thomas Harley, Kyle Ivie and Yuri Christoffersen, Burbank finished 21st

of the 101 teams at the meet.

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES

* Falitz sets state record: In 1999, Burroughs boys’ water polo player

Jason Falitz scored 26 goals in a 38-1 Almont League victory against

Burbank.

The feat set a new California record for goals in a match.

* Colon lights up court: In 1993, Burroughs boys’ basketball player

Gabe Colon set a school record by hitting 12 three-pointers and scoring

46 points in an 82-80 Foothill League loss to Hart.

He broke the record of 43 points set in 1965 by future UCLA great Lynn

Shackelford.

* Bassett records no-hitter: In 1994, Burroughs pitcher Mike Bassett

delivered a no-hitter in a 1-0 Foothill League victory against Canyon.

It was the last no-hitter pitched by an Indian hurler, and the first

since Mike Rossiter defeated Burbank, 1-0, in 1991.

* Mena is striking, and perfect: While at Providence, pitcher Robert

Mena had his share of fine performances.

In 1992, he threw a no-hitter and struck out 16 in a 4-2 Liberty

League win against Catalina Island Avalon.

In 1993, he recorded 18 strikeouts in a 9-1 league one-hitter against

L.A. Yeshiva.

* Quintero hits big time: In 1995, Bell-Jeff baseball player David

Quintero collected 12 runs batted in a 23-3 Santa Fe League win against

Pasadena La Salle.

In the game, Quintero was five for six with a home run and a triple

and had seven RBI in one inning.

* Barrett runs wild: In 1995, Burroughs football player Mike Barrett

scored seven touchdowns and 42 points in a game against Valencia.

* Sallinen vaults to success: At the Foothill League finals in 1994,

Burroughs pole vaulter Esa Sallinen, a foreign exchange student from

Finland, went 16 feet 4 1/4 inches to record one of the best jumps in the

nation that year.

THE COACHES

In 10 years, the coaching merry-go-round at the four schools has been

a dizzying situation. In fact, only five individuals are still coaching

their teams after a decade: Kodama, Couch, Burroughs girls’ volleyball

Coach Linda Murphy, Burroughs boys’ basketball Coach Art Sullivan and

Bell-Jeff girls’ volleyball Coach Hal Krug.

Through the years, I have had the pleasure of working with some

outstanding coaches and administrators.

SCANDALS AND STUPIDITY * Hazelton infects Burbank football: In 1994,

John Hazelton took over the Burbank football program and embarrassed the

school and the city with his antics.

Hazelton not only committed numerous CIF violations -- including

recruiting players to the school -- but he was also involved in the

infamous incident that involved the president of the Burbank Educational

Foundation being accused of having sex with a Bulldog player.

* Player weighs his options: A few years ago, a Bell-Jeff basketball

player was kicked out of the school after an incident in a science class.

The student reportedly brought marijuana to the class and was caught

weighing his contraband on a school scale.

* Parent gets carried away, and taken away: The Burbank-Burroughs

baseball rivalry heated up a few years ago, but the best action didn’t

happen with the players.

During a game, a Burroughs parent jumped over the outfield fence and

attempted to assist his son, who was fighting with a Burbank player. The

man was hauled off in handcuffs by Burbank Police officers.

* Taking a bite out of an opponent: In 1994, a boys’ soccer match

between Bell-Jeff and La Salle turned ugly.

The teams became involved in a bench-clearing fracas. At one point in

the fight, a Guard player was slugged in the head by a La Salle supporter

and a Lancer athlete was bitten.

SAYING GOODBYE

The city has seen its share of deaths, but three stand out above the

others.

* Paul Sutton: Many were deeply affected in 1999 when thelongtime

Providence athletic director and coach died of colon cancer. He was 41.

The popular Sutton was my favorite coach, and just a great all-around

guy. He touched a great deal of people and, like many others, I miss him.

* Letty Cabrera: In 1995 the 18-year-old Bell-Jeff girls’ volleyball

player was killed in a car crash.

The happy, energetic player is still missed and remembered by many in

the Bell-Jeff community. Hers was a life taken way too early.

* Tim Goldrick Jr.: The former Burbank High football player died in

1998 of colon cancer. He was 35.

A strong, physically-fit athlete, Goldrick was popular in the

community and well-liked by thousands.

THE BEST PLAYERS

* My choice for the finest athletes in each sport:

Football -- Willie Perryman (Burbank)

Boys’ basketball -- Ruben Douglas (Bell-Jeff)

Girls’ basketball -- Jaclyn Johnson (Bell-Jeff)

Baseball -- Tommy Perez (Burroughs)

Softball -- Carrie Breedlove (Bell-Jeff)

Boys’ tennis -- Doug Young (Burbank)

Girls’ tennis -- Corrie Simmons (Burbank)

Girls’ water polo -- Sara Vejar (Burroughs)

Boys’ water polo -- Alfonso Tucay (Burroughs)

Girls’ volleyball -- Stephanie Nocum (Bell-Jeff)

Boys’ volleyball -- Bobby Chalermsopone (Providence)

Boys’ soccer -- Roberto Perez (Burroughs)

Girls’ soccer -- Lisa Palermo (Burroughs)

Girls’ golf -- Moah Chang (Burbank)

Boys’ golf --

Girls’ cross-country -- Christa Ayuso (Burbank)

Boys’ cross-country -- Tim Leahy (Burbank)

Boys’ track and field -- Esa Sallinen (Burroughs)

Girls’ track and field -- Carolyn Brown (Burroughs)

Boys’ swimming -- John Won (Burbank)

Girls’ swimming -- April Harned (Burbank) Looking back, the

experiences and outstanding players who have graced the city the last

decade have been both memorableand interesting.

Here’s to another great 10 years -- though I seriously doubt I will be

around for another decade.

* JEFF TULLY is the sports editor of the Burbank Leader. he can be

reached at 843-8700, or by e-mail at jeff.tully@latimes.com.