Indians, Bulldogs set for CIF competition
The Burroughs High boys’ soccer team finished second in the Pacific League behind a solid Crescenta Valley group.
However, when it came to the CIF Southern Section playoff pairings, the Indians apparently didn’t get much respect for their runner-up finish, as they will have to take to the road for their postseason opener.
Burroughs (9-8-4) will take on host Mayfair at 3 p.m. Thursday in a Division IV first-round match. The Monsoons (16-8-2) placed second in the Suburban League.
“It’s happened to us before,” Burroughs Coach Mike Kodama said about having a road game for the first round of the playoffs after placing second in league. “Our record isn’t all that great, so that might have had something to do with it. You have to play on the road at some time in the playoffs.”
Kodama said he doesn’t know much about Mayfair.
“We’ve played Artesia before from that league, but I don’t know a lot about the other teams,” Kodama said.
The Indians have a prolific goal scorer in Francisco Baez, who tallied 18 in Pacific League play.
The only other area boys’ team to qualify for the postseason is Burbank. It will take on host John Glenn at 3 p.m. Tuesday in a Division IV wild-card match.
The Bulldogs (7-7-2) are the No. 4 team from the Pacific League and the Eagles (10-6-3) placed third in the Suburban League.
“I haven’t even heard about the school before,” Burbank Coach Loi Phan said of Glenn. “We’re probably going to go in there blind. But I’ve heard that’s a pretty tough league.”
Both the Burbank and Burroughs girls’ soccer teams also earned berths into the playoffs. The Bulldogs defeated their rival, 2-1, in overtime Friday in a play-in game to earn the fourth and final automatic spot from the Pacific League. Despite the loss, the Indians petitioned and made the playoffs as an at-large team.
Burbank (11-9-2) earned a home game for its Division II wild-card match at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The Bulldogs will face Rancho Cucamonga (15-8-1), an at-large team from the Baseline League. The winner earns the right to take on host Riverside Poly (18-5-3) — the Big VIII League champion — in a first-round matchup at 3 p.m. Friday.
Burroughs (13-9-2) will hit the road for its Division II wild-card contest at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The Indians till take on Lakewood (9-9-1), the No. 4 squad from the Moore League. The winner advances to Friday’s 3 p.m. first-round match against host Serrano (20-5-1) — the Mojave River League champion.