Looking Back: Girls’ cross-country team, track and field standout shine for Burbank in 2018-19
This is the latest in a series looking back on the sports accomplishments of the local high schools during the 2018-19 year. This installment is Burbank High:
It was a group of girls’ athletes who enjoyed a wealth of success for Burbank high during the recently completed school year.
The girls’ cross-country squad powered its way to a Pacific League team championship and track and field athlete Jayla Flowers enjoyed a breakout season that culminated with an appearance in the CIF State Championships.
Getting the success started for the Bulldogs in the fall was the girls’ cross-country team. Coached by Kathryn Nelson and Robert Hammel, the Bulldogs enjoyed an impressive showing among a competitive Pacific League field.
The Bulldogs swept all three meets. In the finals at Crescenta Valley Park, Burbank finished with 32 points by virtue of five top-11 efforts to win its first league crown since splitting with Crescenta Valley and Arcadia in 2014.
It was Burbank’s first outright league crown since winning the Foothill League championship in 1978.
In the finals, the Bulldogs received an impressive effort from Sol Fernandez, who took second in 19 minites,12.5 seconds, while Shalom Mejia clocked 19:36.6 to take third.
The Bulldogs placed fifth in their Division I heat at the CIF prelims and qualified for the CIF finals.
Burbank placed fourth in boys’ cross-country at the league finals to earn a spot in the prelims. The Bulldogs were paced by Andres Leon (eighth, 16:12.4).
In football, Burbank went 7-4 and 6-1 for second place in the Pacific League behind Arcadia to qualify for the Division V playoffs. The Bulldogs fell in the first round to No. 5 Glendora, 56-35
The Bulldogs had their share of impact players on the gridiron.
Senior quarterback Matthew Porras put up impressive numbers. Porras completed 167 of 282 passes for 2,689 yards. He had 38 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. In addition, Porras rushed for 492 yards in 121 carries and three touchdowns to finish with a school record 38 touchdowns.
The senior also set a number of other records, including: a 61% completion percentage; career passing touchdowns with 68; all-purpose yards with 6,378; passing yards in a season; total points in a season; and the single-game touchdown record of seven against Burroughs.
Porras was named an All-Pacific League first-team selection.
Senior Erik Harutyunyan was also an impact player and was named to the All-CIF Southern Section Division V offensive team.
In using a new format this season, the CIF broke down the All-CIF awards in offensive and defensive categories.
Harutyunyan earned All-Pacific League first-team honors on defense. He finished with 36 tackles and four interceptions. On offense, Harutyunyan was a constant threat for the Bulldogs. A favorite target for Porras, the senior had 53 catches for 878 yards and 12 touchdowns and averaged a whopping 16.6 yards a catch.
Harutyunyan was also an All-Pacific League honoree for the boys’ basketball team, helping it to the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
Duncan Smith, a senior tight end, caught 38 passes for 751 yards and 12 touchdowns to earn all-league first-team accolades.
In girls’ volleyball, Burbank (14-16) placed fourth in the Pacific League and was swept by Calabasas in a wild-card match of the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs.
In girls’ tennis, Burbank (8-7) finished fourth in the Pacific League. In the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs, the Bulldogs were defeated by South Torrance, 15-3.
In the league tournament, Kristina Kirakosyan and Johana Faraj advanced to the doubles semifinals. Kirakosyan and Faraj spent the regular season participating in singles before being united in the tournament. Kirakosyan reached the semifinals the season prior in singles and Faraj made her fourth straight doubles semifinals appearance.
In the winter, only the Bulldogs’ boys’ basketball team qualified for the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
Burbank (17-12, 8-6 in league), placed fourth in the Pacific League and lost in the first round of the playoffs to La Cañada, 57-43.
The Bulldogs had an All-CIF Southern Section player in senior Miles D’Agostin, who was a Division II-A second-team selection. D’Agostin averaged 26.3 points a game.
A pair of superb individual efforts highlighted the spring.
Sophomore boys’ golfer JJ Nakao stormed to a fine showing in the Pacific League, winning an individual championship. Backed by seven birdies, including three over the final three holes, Nakao carded a sizzling seven-under-par 65 to place first at Hansen Dam Golf Course in Pacoima.
In track and field, it was another Burbank sophomore who made some noise.
Flowers captured a pair of girls’ league crowns at the Pacific League finals. She had a mark of 16 feet, 9 1/4 inches in the long jump and turned in a 36-2 effort in the triple jump.
Flowers continued her success in a series of meets, advancing to the 101th annual CIF State Track and Field Championships at Buchanan High in Clovis. Flowers became the first athlete in area history to make the state podium in the girls’ triple jump since the event was added to the championship schedule in 1982, improving her own school record of 39-6 on her final attempt to place fifth.
During the track and field season, Bulldogs captured seven Pacific League championships at the league finals at Arcadia High.
Along with Flowers, also winning titles were Victor Goli in the boys’ 3,200 meters (9:26.23), Zion Chavez in the boys’ triple jump (40-7 1/2), Emma Cusumano in the girls’ 300 hurdles (47.51), Sara Tominaga in the girls’ pole vault (9-0) and the boys’ 4x400 relay team of Jack Sapyta, Ian Miller, Kendall Fauntleroy and Bryan David took first in 3:26.86.
In boys’ tennis, Burbank (8-5) placed third in the Pacific League and lost in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs to Santa Ana Foothill, 15-3.
The softball team qualified for the CIF Southern Section playoffs in the spring after placing fourth in the Pacific League. The Bulldogs (11-12-2) were defeated in a Division IV wild-card by Pomona Catholic, 10-2.
Another team to earn a postseason bid came in baseball, as Burbank (10-13-1) lost in the Division IV first round to Mary Star of the Sea, 9-2, after tying for second place in the Pacific League.
After a fourth-place finish in the Pacific League, the Burbank (15-12) boys’ volleyball team was defeated in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs by Cerritos.
