BHS Football - Week 9

Bulldogs remain alive

FOOTBALL: Burbank defeats Arcadia, 29-22, in Pacific League game and could be in the postseason no matter what it does against
By Jeff Tully

MEMORIAL FIELD — It was a game the Burbank High football team had to win.There was no holding back for the Bulldogs in their contest against Arcadia on Friday. The locals went into the Pacific League well aware of the obvious scenario: lose and kiss the postseason good-bye.

Sparked by a touchdown in final two minutes of the game and three interceptions by Cody Cardenaz, Burbank came back to stake a 29-22 victory at Memorial Field.“This was a big game, no doubt,” said Cardenaz, who also scored a touchdown on a 12-yard pass. “We knew we had to win this one It was like a playoff game for us.”The win keeps Burbank (5-4, 3-3 in league) in the hunt for a playoff spot. Even if the Bulldogs lose to cross-town rival Burroughs in next week’s Big Game, they can still make the postseason. However, they would likely have to win a coin flip to do so.“We don’t want to have to leave it up to a coin flip,” Burbank Coach Ted Amorosi said. “We have to win it ourselves next week.”With Burbank trailing, 14-13, the Bulldogs and Apaches (4-5, 3-3) put on a thrilling show late in the fourth quarter.After Arcadia scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion with 3:08 remaining in the game to take a 22-21 lead, Burbank mounted perhaps its most important drive of the season.The Bulldogs got the ball at their own 46-yard line — set up by a nice runback on the ensuing punt by Cardenaz — with 3:00 remaining.

Burbank marched down the field and scored with 1:58 left when Nate Galles found the endzone on a seven-yard run.Galles also scored the two-point conversion on a pass from quarterback Kevin Hunter.“I’m happy with the way we responded, but we still have to clean up some things,” Amorosi said.

Burbank also received a six-yard touchdown run by Jesse Lau and a one-yard run by Leo Rodas.Burbank knocked out UCLA-bound Arcadia running back Todd Golper with just over three minutes left in the first half. He gained just three yards in five carries.“I think when [Golper] left the game, that really changed things for Arcadia,” Amorosi said.