Burroughs girls’ water polo hosts Nipomo in playoff opener
Some noise was made within the Pacific League by the Burroughs High girls’ water polo team.
A second-place finish was had on the strength of some exciting wins by the Indians and they also gave league stalwart Crescenta Valley a bit of a scare in an 8-6 loss in Thursday’s league championship.
Thus, the Indians believe they’re primed to find success in the upcoming CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs where they will open up at home at Burroughs High against Nipomo on Tuesday. All first-round matches are slated for 5 p.m. unless a change is agreed upon.
“I’m extremely excited going into the playoffs,” Burroughs coach Jacob Cook said. “I think Thursday really showed we could put up a fight against a really talented team.”
While Pacific League champion Crescenta Valley is up in the presumably rougher waters of Division III, league runner-up Burroughs (10-5) will host a Nipomo squad that has an 11-8 record following a third-place finish in the Los Padres League.
Ahead of Nipomo, which has won two straight heading into the playoffs, is a very long road trip of more than 300 miles round trip.
“I’m very happy about that home game,” Cook said.
Should Cook’s Indians prevail on Tuesday in the first round of the 32-team tournament, they would face Walnut (Hacienda League No. 2, 12-13) or San Marino (Rio Hondo at-large, 11-10) in Thursday’s second round at a time and place to be determined.
If a win is had by Burroughs, it would bust a six-game postseason losing streak as the Indians, who have made the playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons, last tasted postseason victory in 2012 against Elsinore to open the playoffs.
Burbank (7-13) missed the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
Elsewhere in the playoffs, Crescenta Valley will open Division III play by hosting Corona Santiago on Thursday, Arcadia travels to Placentia Valencia on the other end of the Division VI bracket and Glendale, also in Division VI, faces host San Dimas.
Twitter: @TCNGrantGordon
