Anding can’t save Burroughs

CANYON COUNTRY — Burroughs senior running back Zander Anding was a one-man gang for the Burroughs High football team all Thursday night against Saugus High at Canyon High.

In the nonleague Zero Week game, Anding scored on carries of 72 and 66 yards and added an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 10:32 to play in the fourth quarter.

But one mistake changed the complexion of the game.

Saugus cornerback Scott Hamilton jarred the ball out of Anding’s hands with 2:59 remaining in the fourth quarter. Saugus recovered the ball on the play and scored a late touchdown to defeat the Indians, 31-20.

“He was running tall and the guy put his helmet on the ball,” Burroughs Coach Keith Knoop said. “He typically doesn’t fumble.”

Other than that one play, Anding was outstanding, running the ball 15 times for 278 yards.

Burroughs led, 13-10, going into the fourth quarter, but let Saugus senior quarterback Jared Carbajal take over for the second straight season.

After a so-so first half that saw the Centurions (1-0) enter halftime with an 8-6 lead, Carbajal had runs of 30, 25, 50 and 21 yards in the second half.

The 50-yard run gave Saugus a 16-13 lead in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.

The 21-yard run set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Carbajal with 5:17 to play in the final frame. That gave Saugus a 24-20 lead.

“He’s slippery and compact. We got to him tonight, but he made those plays,” Knoop said of Carbajal. “He single-handedly beat us two years in a row.”

Burroughs (0-1) opened up last season with a 26-20 loss to Saugus.

Carbajal ran the ball 21 times for 149 yards in that game. On Thursday, he ran the ball 23 times for 178 yards.

“When you play a team like yourself, it will come down to round 12. Who has legs in round 12,” Saugus Coach Jason Bornn said.

Knoop said he thinks his team did get tired at the end, and he feels that could have been the difference in the game.

Saugus’ ball control could have been another reason, as the Centurions forced the Indians’ defense to stay on the field for large portions of the game.

Saugus ran the ball 58 times and ran 70 offensive plays, compared to 19 runs by Burroughs and 35 plays.