Burroughs football comes up short against Pasadena
The Burroughs High football team hosted Pasadena in Pacific League action Friday while trying to continue its recent mastery against the Bulldogs.
However, Pasadena didn’t cooperate.
The Bulldogs led throughout, resulting in a 41-21 victory over the host Indians on Friday at Memorial Field.
“We preached all week that we needed to come out punching, and that is what we did,” Pasadena coach Dejuan Shamburger Sr. said. “I’m proud of the kids.”
It was a disheartening loss for Burroughs (5-3, 1-3 in league), which has now lost its last three games after starting 5-0. It’s latest defeat also marks the first time the Indians have lost to Pasadena (5-2, 2-2) in consecutive seasons since Burroughs joined the Pacific League in 2006.
“At the end of the day, it comes down to effort, and that is what we talk about all the time. We struggled,” Burroughs wide receivers coach Erik Hernandez said. “We’ve just got to do better, go harder and do more.”
Pasadena scored first on its second possession, which saw the Bulldogs go 75 yards in eight plays for the touchdown. The drive ended with a direct snap to wide receiver Mekhi Fox, who ran the ball outside for the three-yard score.
The ensuing Indians’ possession ended when Troy Lisath intercepted Burroughs quarterback Nick Garcia in the end zone. The Bulldogs soon converted that into points on a 55-yard run by Jahrique Lowe on the final play of the first quarter to make it 14-0.
The Indians mounted an 80-yard drive that culminated with an eight-yard touchdown pass on fourth down from Garcia to Jon English, who came out of the backfield. It was the second fourth down the hosts converted on the drive, with Garcia gaining four yards on a quarterback sneak deep earlier in the drive.
The Garcia-to-English score was the first of four touchdowns in the final 3:33 of the second quarter. Pasadena quickly answered when Fox once again took the direct snap and this time ran it in from eight yards out, bulldozing an Indian defender at the goal line.
“We normally have a tendency to get down on ourselves when [the other team] scores, but [tonight] they kept playing,” Shamburger said.
Burroughs struck right back 56 seconds later, thanks to Garcia. The senior threw a pass to John Alajijan for a 22-yard touchdown score.
Just two snaps later, Pasadena, ranked No. 7 in the CIF-Southern Section Division XI, answered back when Lowe caught a short pass from quarterback Dante Coronel and turned it into an 80-yard score, streaking down the left sideline to cap the scoring barrage.
Coronel would finish eight of 17 for 225 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers.
After Garcia threw his second interception in the final minute of the half, Indians Brandon Sowers ended the half with a sack to help Pasadena own a 27-14 halftime lead.
Both squads put together long drives in the third quarter, but neither team could capitalize.
The Indians’ first possession of the final stanza ended when Jamir Mitchell snagged a Garcia pass that went straight to him. Pasadena once again turned the miscue into points to extend the lead. The touchdown came when the Indian defender in front of Akil Andrews unsuccessfully blitzed the quarterback, allowing Coronel to connect with his receiver for a 15-yard strike.
The Indians’ next possession also ended when the Bulldogs picked off Garcia for a fourth time. This one was by Romel Veal, his second of the game.
Both teams scored in the final three minutes. Burroughs was first, when Garcia hooked up with Aiden Forrester for a 22-yard touchdown pass. However, this score may have come at a steep price, as Garcia stayed down after the play and did not return. After the game, Garcia had his right arm in a sling.
Garcia finished 18 of 35 for 217 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions.
Pasadena once again answered with a touchdown of its own. Au’dante Bailey broke through and ran for a 44-yard score for the final touchdown. Bailey led all rushers with 103 yards in 15 carries.
“We put some points up a little bit, those are good points, but at the end of the day that doesn’t matter. You’ve got to put a whole act together to get it done,” Hernandez said.
Up next for Burroughs will be the Indians’ final road game of the regular season at Arcadia next Friday.
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