Burbank football trio earns All-CIF accolades
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When Adam Colman was an athlete at Burbank High, he was focused on trying to change the football culture at the school.
“When I was young, even before I got there, Burbank High just didn’t have players who earned All-CIF,” said Colman, a 2011 graduate who took over the football program last year. “I wanted to try and bring a winning culture when I was a player and I try to do the same as a coach.
“Where it was once rare for Burbank to get that kind of recognition, over the past few years, it’s become a yearly thing where we get players who earn All-CIF. It’s a great change.”
Three more Bulldogs were added to that All-CIF Southern Section list when the teams across all 13 divisions were released Monday. Earning sports on the Division VII team were senior linebacker/receiver Drew Pendleton, senior defensive end Anthony Lira and senior safety Christian Fajardo.
Burbank enjoyed another banner year in 2017, advancing to the Division VII semifinals after making the Division VIII championship game in 2016. The Bulldogs won the Pacific League title for the first time since 2009 and went 10-3, 7-0 in league.
“I think the last six or seven years we’ve gotten at least one All-CIF guy, which is pretty cool,” Colman said. “To get three guys this year is really great and great for our program.
“The three guys who got it really deserved it and they worked their tails off all year to be recognized.”
Pendleton proved to be an impact player on both sides of the ball, earning co-Pacific League Player of the Year.
He hauled in 64 receptions for 1,097 yards and nine touchdowns, finishing with 10 total offensive touchdowns. At linebacker, he tallied 113 tackles, three sacks and one interception.
“To get those kind of stats on both sides of the ball is just amazing,” Colman said. “Not many guys can do that with the kind of consistency that Drew did. I can’t remember a kid that I played against or coached against that had that kind of impact both ways.
“If he would have played just linebacker or just receiver, his stats for each would have still gotten him All-CIF.”
Lira was named the league’s co-lineman of the year. He finished with 74 tackles and 10 sacks.
“You look at some of our biggest games and Anthony showed up and he made the big plays, really stopping offenses,” Colman said. “Even in our playoff game that we lost, he came through for us and made some great plays.
“I am proud of him and the way he’s developed as a player. This was one of his goals. I’m so happy for him that he was able to accomplish it.”
Fajardo, whose brother, Forest, earned All-CIF accolades in 2016, had 108 tackles and three sacks.
“He didn’t even play football his first two years at Burbank and to develop into the kind of player he is is pretty amazing,” Colman said. “He played [junior varsity] last year and came up to varsity and just exploded this year.
“He was just everywhere he needed to be. He is one of the hardest workers on the team.”
Twitter: @jefftsports
