Burroughs football continues rolling at expense of Hoover

BURBANK — Since losing to highly regarded Calabasas High in its opening game of the season, the Burroughs football team has been on a roll.

Hoover was saddled with the task of trying to slow the Indians down when the teams met Thursday evening in a Pacific League contest.

Behind three passing touchdowns from quarterback Steve Hubbell and three rushing touchdowns by running back Chance Bell, the Indians were able to win their fourth straight game by downing Hoover, 48-6, at Memorial Field.

PHOTOS: Burroughs wins fourth straight over Hoover

“We prepare for every team the same, whether they’re really good or they might not be the same caliber,” said Bell, a senior who rushed eight times for 154 yards and had scoring runs of 18, 43 and three yards. “We look at everyone as if they’re the same level. We just can’t play down to another team’s level.

“We work hard in practice throughout the week and it just carries over to the game. If you can’t execute in practice you’re not going to be able to execute in the game.”

The win improves Burroughs, ranked No. 8 in the CIF Southern Section Southeast Division, to 4-1, 2-0 in the Pacific League.

Hubbell, a senior, continues to prove himself as the Indians’ signal-caller in his first season as a starter. Against Hoover (1-4, 0-1), he completed seven of nine passes for 56 yards and three touchdowns, all in less than two quarters of work. Backup quarterback Andy Amela (two for two for 66 yards) also threw a touchdown on his first attempt, completing a 51-yard scoring strike to Erik Hernandez (three catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns).

Wide receiver Nick Mercado caught four passes for 29 yards and two touchdowns.

“We executed just like we practiced for against them,” Burroughs Coach Keith Knoop said. “We made sure that we got some guys in the game so they could get some playing time. We actually made a depth chart before the game so we could see where we could play some guys.

“But on defense in that second half, we let them move the ball a little more than we would have liked. We had some other guys in there in the second half and we expect them to step and do the job for us.”

The Tornadoes stuck to a ground game on offense, throwing just four times, completing one. The ground attack was led by Maurice Herrera, who carried the ball 20 times for 103 yards. Running back Jessie Martinez had 14 carries for 56 yards.

However, the only points Hoover could muster came from the leg of kicker Johnny Hernandez, who booted two field goals, one from 27 yards as time expired to end the game and another from 44 yards.

“At least we were able to put some points on the board,” Hoover Coach Matt Anderson said. “Johnny did a real good job at making those two field goals. He’s a two-sport athlete and he’s just a great kid.

“But Burroughs is a good team and we were completely outmatched. But we just didn’t move the ball like we should have and we shot ourselves in the foot early.”

Hoover had two fumbles early in the first half — recovered by Taiyo Gibbs and Cole Gurley — that the Indians were able to convert into to two quick scores. Burroughs was unstoppable in the first half, connecting on all six of its possessions. As a result, the Indians went into halftime with a 42-0 advantage.

Hoover had just one drive into Indians’ territory in the opening half, but the drive stalled at the Burroughs 36 as time ran out on the second quarter.

In a second half played with a running clock, Burroughs built a 48-0 lead with 9:06 remaining in the third quarter.