Weekly Football Previews: Burroughs vs. Pasadena; Burbank vs. Glendale
BURROUGHS VS. PASADENA
•WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
•WHERE: Memorial Field (Burroughs High)
•RECORDS: The Indians are 5-2, 1-2 in the Pacific League; the Bulldogs are 4-2, 1-2
•LAST WEEK: Burroughs had a bye; the Bulldogs defeated Arcadia, 44-10
•OUTLOOK: The Indians look to be well rested for their Pacific League game after having a week off to recuperate and prepare for the Bulldogs, who are riding high after routing the defending league champion last week. After beginning the season 5-0, which included an opening-league win against Glendale, Burroughs has hit a snag, losing two straight in league to Crescenta Valley and Muir. The Indians’ last took the field Oct. 4 and fell to the Mustangs, 35-6. Burroughs has been paced by senior quarterback Nick Garcia. Along with completing 100 of 199 passes for 1,444 yards and 22 touchdowns against six interceptions, Garcia also has 47 carries for 234 yards and five touchdowns. Leading the rushing game is sophomore Jon English (11 carries for 590 yards and four touchdowns) and senior Carson Cardenaz (38 catches for 459 yards and five touchdowns) leads the receiving corps. Pasadena receivers Akil Andrews, a senior, and Mekhi Fox, a sophomore, both scored two touchdowns in last week’s win against Arcadia. Burroughs has two games left in the regular season after Friday, with Pacific League contests against Arcadia and rival Burbank.
•SOMETHING INTERESTING: The Indians are 11-2 against the Bulldogs since joining the Pacific League in 2006, losing only in 2018 and ’07.
BURBANK VS. GLENDALE
•WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
•WHERE: Burbank High
•RECORDS: The Bulldogs are 3-5, 2-2 in the Pacific League; the Nitros are 1-7, 0-4 in the Pacific League
•LAST WEEK: Burbank lost to Muir, 20-15; Crescenta Valley defeated Glendale, 28-0
•OUTLOOK: Burbank should feel right at home hosting the game on it’s on-campus field instead of at Memorial Field at Burroughs High, where its home contests are usually played. It will be a short week for the Bulldogs to prepare for the Pacific League game against the Nitros. Burbank was scheduled to take on Muir on Friday, but the game was postponed because of poor air quality resulting from fires in the area. The game was played Monday. It is the second straight season the Bulldogs and Mustangs had their league game postponed. In 2018, lightning strikes during a Friday contest forced the game to be halted and resumed the following day. The Bulldogs have received a fine effort this season from junior quarterback Aram Araradian. Unfortunately, the signal-caller was knocked out of the game with what appeared to be a shoulder injury in the second quarter against Muir. He did not return. Coming into Monday’s game, Araradian had thrown for 1,885 yards and 13 touchdowns. Glendale is also dealing with a short week of preparation after its contest against Crescenta Valley was moved from Friday to Monday because of poor air quality as well. The Nitros are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak. Glendale opened the season with a nonleague win against Mendez, 11-6, on Aug. 23 and hasn’t been victorious since. Glendale had to forfeit a league game earlier this season against Muir because of low numbers stemming from multiple injuries. Nitros Coach Cary Harris said he will assess the injuries suffered Monday and determine if the Nitros are going to be able to take the field against Burbank.
•SOMETHING INTERESTING: The Nitros haven’t won a Pacific League game since 2014 when they registered a 19-0 victory against rival Hoover and have lost 30 straight in league.