Burroughs football throttles Crescenta Valley, takes share of league crown
On a night in which one team’s reign ended, another began.
Thanks to five takeaways from a bruising defense, the Burroughs High football team took apart defending league champion Crescenta Valley, 34-3, at Memorial Field in Pacific League play Friday evening.
The victory clinched a share of the league title for CIF Southern Section Southeast Division fifth-ranked Burroughs (8-1 overall, 6-0 in league). The title is the fifth for the program since it joined the league in 2006, which is tops among the eight league squads.
The crown is also the first for Burroughs since 2011, when the Indians split the championship with Burbank. That possibility exists again as Burroughs “travels” to face the Bulldogs (6-3, 5-1) in next week’s Big Game at Memorial Field.
Before then, however, it was all about Burroughs’ defense Friday.
“This game is about turnovers, field position and scoring in the red zone,” Burroughs Coach Keith Knoop said. “I think we did all those tonight.”
The five turnovers translated into 20 points for Burroughs, which forced takeaways on the Falcons’ final three drives.
Despite all the mistakes, Crescenta Valley had a chance to make a dent in the game as the Falcons marched into the red zone down, 21-3, at the seven-minute mark in the third quarter.
Crescenta Valley had a first-and-goal opportunity at the Burroughs’ six-yard line, but didn’t gain a yard and had a fourth-down pass intercepted by senior Jared Wrobel with 7:11 left in the quarter.
While Burroughs didn’t convert the turnover into points, the squad forced a turnover on downs on Crescenta Valley’s next venture into its territory on a fourth and five from the 32 with 3:45 left in the third.
Again, Burroughs’ offense was stopped and again the defense shut down Crescenta Valley, this time with a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown from Connor Garden with 11:09 left in the fourth.
Even though the extra-point attempt was botched, Burroughs still led comfortably, 27-3.
“I dropped my first chance at an interception earlier in the game and I wasn’t going to do that again,” said Garden, who had his first interception return for a score at any level. “I got my head around on this pass and I knew I had to make it into the end zone.”
On Crescenta Valley’s next possession, the Falcons fumbled and Burroughs took advantage with a four-yard touchdown run from Oscar Perez with 4:54 left in the game to give the home team a 34-3 lead.
Perez was one of a few running backs to take over for starter Chance Bell, who was injured in the first quarter and did not return. Knoop said Bell sat the rest of the game for precautionary reasons and would be evaluated Monday.
It was a half of big plays for Burroughs, which led at the intermission, 21-3.
Perhaps Burroughs’ most explosive play came in response to a Falcons challenge.
After Crescenta Valley sliced its deficit to 14-3 on a 30-yard field goal from Alex Atanackovic at 6:24 in the second quarter, Burroughs stormed back.
Senior Robert Awunganyi returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown to put Burroughs up, 21-3, with 6:07 remaining.
“I was motivated and I wanted to set the record for the longest kickoff return,” Awunganyi said. “You can’t return a ball 100 yards in high school, so I’ll have to settle for 99.”
Burroughs opened with the contest’s first score set up by its defense.
A 10-yard completion on Crescenta Valley’s opening drive turned in favor of Burroughs when the ball was stripped from the Falcons wide receiver and recovered by Burroughs on the opposing 36-yard line.
With a short field, Burroughs scored on six plays, the final being a 14-yard scramble from quarterback Steven Hubbell (four for eight for 69 yards and one touchdown) with 7:57 in the first quarter that gave his team a 7-0 lead.
Two possessions later, Burroughs marched 80 yards on seven plays with Hubbell hitting receiver Erick Hernandez on a 40-yard scoring post play that gave Burroughs a 14-0 advantage with 11:52 in the second quarter.
Crescenta Valley’s best possession of the first half was a 14-play drive that overcame an offensive pass interference and holding call only to stall on a third and eight from the Burroughs 13 on a drop passed in the end zone.
The incompletion was followed by Atanackovic’s field goal.
“I think we had a good plan and we had our chances, but we gave up too many plays,” Crescenta Valley Coach Paul Schilling said. “We give up a kickoff return for a score, an interception return for a score – you can’t win like that.
“Give credit to Burroughs, they were better.”
Evan Nelson completed eight of 15 passes for the Falcons for 105 yards.
Crescenta Valley (6-3, 4-2) will be fighting for its playoff life next week against archrival Arcadia (5-4, 4-2) with the winner taking a guaranteed playoff berth and the loser needing an at-large berth.
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Andrew J. Campa, andrew.campa@latimes.com
Twitter: @campadresports