Burbank football avoids injury, tip-toes to 27-0 win over short-handed Glendale
BURBANK → Caution was key for the Burbank High and Glendale football teams on Friday in Pacific League play as both squads were competing in their second game within a five-day stretch.
Between sluggishness and a second-half running clock, the host Bulldogs scored 27 second-quarter points to breeze to a 27-0 victory on a rare campus home game.
With the win, Burbank improves to 4-5 and 3-2 in league with a bye upcoming before the “Big Game” season finale against Burroughs (5-3, 1-3) at Memorial Field on Nov. 1.
Glendale falls to 1-8 and 0-5 in league and will finish an 11th straight losing season at Pasadena (5-2, 2-2) next Friday.
“It was a short week too with the Monday game,” said Burbank coach Adam Colman, whose squad lost to Muir, 20-15, on Monday. “It was a strange feel. We asked, ‘How hard do we want to push them in practice?’ How much do we let their bodies rest?’”
Burbank relied heavily on its ground game without starting quarterback Aram Araradian, who missed the game due to an injury suffered in Monday’s game.
Senior running back Isaac Glover carried the offense in limited touches, rushing 10 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns.
Glover broke open a scoreless game with a 39-yard touchdown run on the opening play of Burbank’s first possession of the second quarter as the Bulldogs led, 7-0, at the 10:33 mark.
Glover added a 29-yard touchdown run and a one-yard scoring push at the three-minute mark in the second quarter which, after a blocked extra point, secured Burbank’s 27-0 margin.
Burbank’s only non-Glover score came when back-up quarterback Kuba Raymond connected on a 33-yard touchdown pass to Ben Burnham midway through the second quarter that put Burbank up 21-0.
As for the second half, both coaches agreed to a running clock, which produced only two possessions for Burbank, which settled with 27 points.
Though Glendale lost, it perhaps out-performed expectations for a second consecutive contest after losing to league-leading Crescenta Valley on Monday, 28-0.
Glendale’s 27-point margin of defeat was the best for the Nitros versus Burbank since a 41-21 loss in 2014.
Glendale’s defense also allowed the fewest points to Burbank since the Bulldogs joined the Pacific League in 2006. Glendale hadn’t surrendered as few points to the Bulldogs since a nonleague 20-0 defeat in 2003.
“My guys were playing hard and I’m proud,” Glendale coach Cary Harris said. “They were banged up, depleted and played positions they had never played before. What else can I ask from them?”
Glendale, which suited up about 20 players, turned in its best work in a scoreless first quarter in which it outplayed Burbank.
The Nitros forced two takeaways on a muffed-punt recovery by Cristhian Martinez and an interception from Juan Estrada. Glendale’s defense also forced a turnover on downs against the Bulldogs, who were stopped on their first drive at the Glendale 8.
Glendale had two other first-half highlights, the first coming on a 35-yard pass play from Estrada to Jalen Marcelino late in the first quarter and on a blocked extra point attempt by Keirson Florita before halftime.
Glendale fullback Marc Soriano led his offense with eight carries for 44 yards.
