Yanez nets award
BURROUGHS HIGH — Tyler Yanez knows what it takes to be competitive.
As a wide receiver for the Burroughs High football team, Yanez helped the Indians win a share of the Pacific League championship last fall.
Yanez, a junior, used some of those same skills this past season to help the Burroughs boys’ volleyball team put together the most successful campaign in school history.
His accomplishments weren’t lost on his peers in CIF Southern Section Division II, as he was named to the All-CIF third team.
Yanez was the only player to earn All-CIF honors this season, and is the first from Burroughs to be recognized for the accomplishment in the four-year history of the program.
“What he does as a setter is exactly what a quarterback [has to do],” Burroughs Coach Joel Brinton said. “He is the one who calls all of our plays and he has to make sure the players are in the right positions. He does such a great job at that for us, and he really runs all of our offense.”
Yanez has come a long way in a short time, as he was just an honorable-mention all-league pick last season.
“That just goes to show you how much he has improved, and how much work he has put in to get better,” Brinton said. “He really proved his worth this season.”
Burroughs was the surprise of the Pacific League this past season. The Indians rebounded from a fourth-place finish in 2009 to become one of the top two squads in the league.
Along with two wins against Crescenta Valley, Burroughs also defeated powerhouse Claremont and earned a share of the league crown.
It was the first league championship for a program under Brinton, who was voted the league’s coach of the year for the second consecutive season.
The Indians also enjoyed other milestones during the campaign. Along with winning the Crescenta Valley Tournament championship — the program’s first tourney title — Burroughs also captured its first postseason contest.
Burroughs (23-8) defeated Hart, 25-21, 25-22, 25-19, to win its first-round CIF Southern Section Division II match.
The team also had an 11-match win streak during the season and won19 of its final 21 matches.
Yanez, a setter, was a key component in that success, as he put together a record-breaking season.
He was voted co-player of the year with Geoff Powell form Claremont. In addition Yanez set school records for assists with 722 assists and blocks with 63. He also had 68 kills and led team with 28 aces.
His accomplishments weren’t lost on his peers in CIF Southern Section Division II, as he was named to the All-CIF third team.