Boy's Basketball onto semifinals

BOYS’ BASKETBALL: Bulldogs come back from 14-point deficit to beat Canyon and get back to semifinal.

By Jeff Tully, Burbank Leader
Published: February 23, 2010

CANYON COUNTRY — It took the Burbank High boys’ basketball team 13 years to get back to the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section playoffs. If the Bulldogs hoped to erase an even longer drought and somehow advance to the semifinals for the first time in more than four decades, they would have to beat a talented Canyon Country Canyon team on the road. Burbank was able to battle back from a poor first-half Tuesday to defeat the Cowboys, 65-59, in a Division IIAA quarterfinal contest.

It is Burbank’s first trip to a CIF final four in 43 years, when it fell to Monrovia.

The Bulldogs (23-7) also tied a school-record for wins in a season.Trailing by as many as 12 points midway through the second quarter, Burbank battled back, cut down on turnovers that plagued it early on and took control of the game.“We have been down in a lot of games this season, and we know how to battle our way back,” said junior Adam Colman, who had 15 points. “We have a lot of seniors on this team and we didn’t want this to be their last game.” The win puts Burbank into a semifinal game at 7 p.m. Friday on the road. It will take on host Compton at a site to be determined. READ FULL STORY

Ron Freeman Bayless BHS 67, 1948 - 2010

It is with a heavy heart to report the death of another one of my classmates. I did not know him in high school, but my thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Obituaries: Ron Freeman Bayless, Nov. 1, 1948— Jan. 28, 2010

Ron Freeman Bayless, 61, formerly of Frazier Park, Calif. died at his home in Joseph, OR.

He was born to Bennie Freeman and Edyth Dennis Bayless in Arcadia, Calif. and grew up and lived in Burbank, attending High School there. He was scouted for pro baseball. He joined the army and served in Germany and Vietnam.

In 1982 he met Bonnie Marler at Universal Studios, where he worked at the time, and they were married August 9, 1987 in San Pedro, Ca on the Buccaneer Queen at a pirate style wedding. The couple moved to Frazier Park, Calif. where they lived until 2004. They retired to Joseph.

Mr. Bayless' work included working as a teamster for Universal Studios as a dispatcher at tours, a captain on movie productions and as a heavy equipment operator until 2002. He also worked for a refrigeration and heating company. He was a member of a duck hunting club in Delano, Calif. known as Machinist and Farmers Duck Club. He was baptized January 23, 2010 at St Mary's Medical Center after suffering from cancer.

He is survived by his wife Bonnie of Joseph; brother, Bernie and his wife Sue; nieces and nephews. Memorial services were held Feb. 2 at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Enterprise. Bollman Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Girl's Soccer plays South Hills

South Hills at Burbank: The Bulldogs (15-4-1) are in the midst of a record-breaking season. The team not only boasted a program-best 12 wins in the Pacific League, but the squad fell just one game short of capturing its first league championship.Burbank fell Friday to Crescenta Valley, 2-0, to finish second in league. Despite dealing with their share of injuries this season, the Bulldogs have been able to thrive under Coach Loi Phan.Led by players Anabell Gonzalez, Natalie Burns, Kaila Eugenio, Jennifer Seip, Ashley Ortiz, Alexandra Amela, Marlene Mejia and goalkeeper Katie Hooper, the Bulldogs are hoping to add to a successful playoff progression that began last season.In 2009, Burbank defeated host Don Lugo, 1-0, to notch the program’s first playoff victory. The team has never been able to advance past the first round, as it lost a year ago to Yucaipa, 4-1.South Hills (10-8-1) enters the playoffs after placing second in the San Antonio League behind champion Walnut.

In Memory Lee Freeman BHS 67,1948-2010

Lee Freeman, Burbank High, Class of 1967 and a band member of the 60's group Strawberry Alarm Clock passed away from cancer on February 14, 2010. Lee was one of my classmates. I did not know him in school. This is from his brother Doug BHS 1966.

Lee left us Sunday morning at 2:30 A.M. He died after a long bout with cancer. He put up a good fight for several years. I don't know of any service that will be held as of yet. Some of his band mates may be having a memorial soon.

For more info on the passing of Lee Freeman check out my fellow classmate Cathy Palmer's, Class of 1967 Blog Click HERE

Strawberry Alarm Clock Tribute to Lee Freeman

Lee's Virtual Cemetery at Find A Grave

BHS Baseball Varsity Fundraiser @ Elephant Bar

Burbank High School Baseball Alumni - Come support the BHS Varsity Team by having lunch or dinner at the Elephant Bar in Burbank on Thursday, February 25th, 2010!

Pick up a flyer at the restaurant, give it your server, and the Elephant Bar will donate 20% of your check to the BHS Baseball Varsity Team. Go Bulldogs!

Title slips by Burbank, 2-0, Girls Soccer

GIRLS’ SOCCER: Crescenta Valley comes on in second half, scoring two goals to knock off host Bulldogs in battle for league crown.

By Grant Gordon, Burbank Leader
Friday, February 12, 2010

BURBANK HIGH — Leading into Friday afternoon’s Pacific League title showdown, Burbank High’s girls’ soccer team needed only a tie to assure the crown would rest upon the Bulldogs’ brow.But Bulldogs Coach Loi Phan assured his team that somebody would win and somebody would lose, meaning he had no intention playing it safe for a stalemate.And at the end of 80 minutes of hard-fought soccer, Phan had prognosticated the truth, and it was an unfortunate prognostication for him at that.On the strength of two second-half goals from Danny Cardenas and Dani Busta, Crescenta Valley repeated as league champion with a 2-0 win over host Burbank.

“The better team won,” Phan said. “They outplayed us.”Nevertheless, Phan was more than pleased with his team’s league showing, as his program continued its progression.

“I’m proud of our program,” he said. “Each year we’re doing better.”Burbank will enter next week’s CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs as the league’s second-place squad, having gone 15-4-1 and 12-2 in league, with the dozen league wins setting a program standard. READ FULL STORY

My Computer is Down!

Well my computer is down again. It has been down for almost three weeks and is out for repairs at my friends house. So my Burbank High Scool Blog will be a little slow in posting as I cannot scan any photos etc. I will try and add something when I can.

Alma Adel Welker 1921-2010, BHS 1940

Alma Adel Welker (nee King), passed away Jan. 11, 2010, at a hospice facility in Las Vegas. She was born Nov. 15, 1921, in Brookline, Mass., to Harry Walter King, a World War I disabled veteran, and Ethel Wilder Crosier, a World War I widow with a young son.
In 1934, the family moved to California and settled in Burbank, where Alma grew up. She graduated from Burbank High School in 1940 and went on to beauty school.
Alma met Rex Elmo Welker in church and they were married in Yuma, Ariz., on March 28, 1942.
They were later sealed for time and all eternity in Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mesa, Ariz. In the early years of marriage, Alma and Rex loved to square dance and they belonged to a Model-T club, where they would drive their car in many parades. During those activities, they were appropriately dressed in period costumes Alma made.
She belonged to a bowling league, in which she did very well. She was talented, and made beautiful afghans, quilts, etc., which she lovingly shared with family and friends.
Alma and Rex lived many places during their marriage, including Pacoima and Misson Hills, Calif., where they raised their family; Las Vegas, where Rex worked on a secret project for Lockheed; and eventually Pahrump, where they retired. They lived here for 26 years.
She is survived by son Rex Elmo Welker Jr., his wife, Cathy; sister Ethel Millar and husband Lloyd; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 60 years, Rex Elmo Welker Sr., half-brother Stuart George Rowley; son Rodney Keith Welker and wife Sandy; son Roy Lee Welker and wife Karen, and grandson Rex Elmo Welker III.
Rest in peace, Alma.
Services were held Jan. 16 at the LDS church. (01/11/2010)

Making tracks indoors
TRACK AND FIELD: Burbank’s Paul and Dotson will compete in state competition at elite meet in Fresno.
By Jeff Tully, Burbank Leader
Friday, February 5, 2010

BURBANK HIGH — Greg Dotson and McKenzie Paul have run their share of races on various surfaces throughout their running careers at Burbank High.But the two distance runners will get a chance to run in a completely foreign environment, on an unfamiliar track surface, when they take part in their next race.The two have qualified for the Run for the Dream Indoor Track and Field Invitational to be held today at the Save Mart Center in Fresno.Pitting some of the best runners in California, Dotson, a senior, will race in the boys’ 800 meters at approximately 7:30 p.m. and Paul, a junior, will run in the girls’ 800 at 7:45. To read full story click here

Late Goal Sinks Bulldogs

GIRLS’ WATER POLO: Glendale scores in finals seconds to earn 11-10 win against Burbank.
By Gabriel Rizk, Burbank Leader

Published: January 29, 2010

BURBANK HIGH — The Burbank High girls’ water polo team didn’t leave a whole lot of time for Glendale to answer its game-tying tally late in the fourth quarter on Wednesday, but the Bulldogs left just enough for the Nitros to pull out a big win that figures to complicate the Pacific League playoff picture heading into the upcoming league tournament.

Burbank’s Nichole Valencia scored on a deep lob with 20 seconds left to pull even with Glendale, only to see the Nitros’ Desiree Solano Garcia wrest the lead back with three seconds remaining to seal an 11-10 victory.“I had been messing up the whole game and I was frustrated, so I was like, ‘I have to make this last shot with all my force,’” said Solano Garcia, who appeared to have no good angle for a shot with four defenders converging around her in front of the goal, but managed to flip a sidearm shot into the goal anyway. “We were gonna cry if we didn’t win, so we’re really happy. It was a team effort.”

It was a frustrating end for a Bulldogs team (7-11, 1-3 in league) that battled its way back from a three-goal deficit over the final five minutes and came close to taking that momentum into overtime.“We were a little concerned when we scored with 20 seconds to go because we had given them a lot of time,” said Burbank Coach Carlos Pelayo, whose team has league matches left against Burroughs and Hoover. “But give them credit, they ran their play and scored with three seconds left.”

Glendale improved to 2-3 in league with its only remaining regular-season league match set for Wednesday against Hoover.“If we’re gonna make CIF, we had to beat this team — right now, it looks like we’re fighting for that third spot,” Glendale Coach Forest Holbrook said. “This was a back-and-forth game and it’s awesome to see our girls play together and finish the game off with three seconds left.”Kristina Terzyan, who led the Nitros with five goals, scored to give Glendale a 5-1 lead with 1:25 remaining in the first half.

Danielle Reed scored a goal for Burbank on a 6-5 advantage just before the end of the half and the Bulldogs picked up the second half right were they left off. Jordan Card, who scored four goals and had five steals for Burbank, scored on a pass from Natalie Pentkowski to tie the game at 5 with four minutes to go in the third period.Glendale would get the lead back up to 9-6 on a goal by Katren Ter-Oganesyan with four seconds left in the third and led, 10-7, with 5:18 left to play.But the Nitros, already without co-captain Anabel Beiki, lost Ter-Oganesyan to ejection with 4:30 to go and soon saw their lead dwindle to one goal on a Card five-meter shot inside the final minute.Valencia took a pass on the left side from goalkeeper Sarah Tubert (nine saves) and connected on a high lob from long range for the tie.