Sports Notebook: Burbank cross-country teams, Providence runner advance to CIF finals
Bits and pieces from the local sports scene.
BULLDOGS CROSS-COUNTRY DOES WELL AT PRELIMS
The Burbank High cross-country teams are still running.
The Bulldogs boys’ and girls’ squads have extended their season by qualifying for the CIF Southern Section finals after moving on from the Division I prelims Friday at the Riverside City Cross-Country Course.
The Burbank boys’ team finished sixth in Division I with a team-total of 301 points, just ahead of Pacific League rival Crescenta Valley (fifth; 281), after placing third in its heat. The Bulldogs were led by Victor Goli, who placed eighth on the three-mile course in 15 minutes, 34.9 seconds. He was followed by Dayne Ellis (15th; 15:40.5), Anthony Chiaravalle (22nd; 15:49.3), Andres Leon (26th; 15:51.9) and Tyler Jenkins (39th; 16:10.0).
The Burbank girls’ placed 13th (426) in Division I after a fifth-place finish in its heat. Megan LaCamera was the first Bulldog over the line in the heat, finishing eighth in 18:10.02. The other scorers were Elin Markarian (10th; 18:15.2), Zoe Zeron (32nd; 19:19.1), Sol Fernandez (34th; 19:10.8) and Mckynzee Kelley (47th; 19:25.2).
The other local team in the prelims, Burroughs High boys, did not qualify for the finals out of Division I. The Indians finished 30th (789) after a 10th-place effort in their heat. Scoring for Burroughs were Robert McGraham (35th; 16:05.3), Mason Ortega (38th; 16:08.5), Trevor Villagran (49th; 16:16.0), Logan Berger (79th; 16:42.4) and Jimmy Nealis (82nd; 16:49.7).
In the boys’ Division V race, two Providence High runners competed as individuals. In his heat, Xander Penaflor placed third in in 16:22.2, qualifying for the finals. Teammate Aidan Urbina was 53rd in his heat in 18:44.3 and didn’t qualify.
The CIF Southern Section finals will take place Saturday at the Riverside City Cross-Country Course.
POSITIVES FROM 2019 FOOTBALL SEASON
There were some positive take-aways from the 2019 football season for Burroughs and Burbank.
Although they didn’t qualify for the CIF Southern Section playoffs, the Indians turned around their season and ended with a winning record.
Under second-year coach Rand Holdren, Burroughs finished with a 6-4 record after going 2-8 in 2018.
The Indians began the season 5-0, winning four nonleague games and coming out triumphant in their Pacific League opener against Glendale. Burroughs also registered a big 29-28 victory against cross-town rival Burbank in the annual “Big Game” rivalry.
Burbank again made the playoffs. However, unlike 2018 when it fell in its opener, the Bulldogs advanced past the first round of the playoffs after defeating Don Lugo, 40-20, despite being hobbled by injuries.
Both teams also have some players who put up big numbers and enjoyed successful seasons.
BASKETBALL TEAMS MAKE CIF WATCH LIST
The boys’ and girls’ high school basketball seasons are about to get underway.
In the past few years, local teams have enjoyed success in league play and in the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
Some Burbank-area teams are ready to continue that success, and a few have been singled out on the Southern Section’s preseason watch list, which was released last week.
Among girls’ teams, Burroughs is mentioned in in Division II-A. Other teams on the division watch list are Cantwell Sacred Heart, Culver City, Dana Hills, El Rancho, Leuzinger, Northview, San Clemente, St. Bonaventure, South Torrance, Summit, Tustin Valley, Walnut, Christian Whittier Christian and Yucaipa.
In girls’ Division III-A, Providence made the list. The other teams to make it in the division are Anaheim, Chadwick, Dominguez, Fountain Valley, Gabrielino, Grace Brethren, Hemet, Hillcrest La Quinta/La Quinta, Linfield Christian, Marina, Pioneer, Rosemead, Royal and Viewpoint.
The only boys’ team to make the list was Providence in Division III-A. The Pioneers are joined in the division by Beaumont, Citrus Hill, Gahr, Glendale, Kaiser, Laguna Beach, Mark Keppel, Newbury Park, Paraclete, Salesian, Servite, Schurr, Sunny Hills, Upland and Ventura.