Bidding a fond Farewell

Bidding a fond farewell

By JEFF TULLY-Burbank Leader
Published: Wednesday, November 12, 2008

It has served as a field of dreams for many football players and coaches for six decades. It has also been a place where more than a few nightmares were realized.Since the 1940s, Memorial Field on the campus of Burroughs High has served as the home venue for the Indians, as well as Burbank High. In recent years, even Bellarmine-Jefferson has called its cozy confines home.Every November, the field is also the site of the ongoing cross-town rivalry contest between the two schools.

The “Big Game’ traditionally draws huge crowds and it’s often the biggest game of the year.When the Indians and Bulldogs players step onto the field for Friday’s rivalry game, they will be the last group to take part in a Big Game contest at the old facility.Following the season, the field is scheduled to be torn down and a new venue erected in its place.It will mark the beginning of a new era, and unfortunately, the end of another.

The Big Game has provided countless thrilling memories and magical moments. Over the years, athletes have played in driving rainstorms, had to battle fierce winds and had to contend with ankle-deep mud.Once, after days of heavy rain, a helicopter was called in to hover low over the field to dry it out.Although the field has seen its share of glory, the old lady has not held up well over the decades. The stadium stands are weathered, the press box is outdated and the field itself is in bad shape.However, before the old girl is laid to rest, she deserves one last salute — a salute to the Big Games over the last 60 years.

It started in 1949, when All-American Paul Cemeron and Pere LiPera — who would later become the Burbank coach — led the Bulldogs to a 12-7 win against Burroughs, which had been converted from a junior high.The Indians got revenge the next year, however, as Louis Elias waded through “Lake Memorial” on a 41-yard carry for the game’s only score, as the Indians won, 6-0.Burroughs was also victorious in 1959, defeating a depleted Burbank squad, 19-0. The Bulldogs had to play with mostly junior varsity players after 19 varsity athletes were suspended for taking part in an egging incident on the Burroughs campus.In one of the biggest upsets of the series, the Indians came into the 1967 game undefeated. However, 173 yards passing by Dale Cirscione and an 85-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Randy Ivie — who took so long running the ball back the fans could have visited the snack stand and still made it back in time — paced Burbank to a 20-19 win.

With a Foothill League championship on the line, Kenny Walker scored two touchdowns and quarterback Leo Orange piloted the Burbank offense in a 14-0 win against the Indians in the 1972 contest.Burroughs got its revenge in the next three games, however, shutting out Burbank three straight years — 6-0 in 1973, 36-0 in 1974 and 40-0 in 1975.George Florez emerged as the star of the 1976 game, as he kicked a 41-yard field goal as time ran out to give Burbank a 17-14 win.Playing for their fourth consecutive Foothill League title, the Indians got a scare in 1980 and had to work for a 25-17 victory. Burroughs was led by the successful running back duo of Edgar Penaranda and Rick Williams.The Indians were driving to win the 1991 game with less than two minutes remaining when Bulldogs Mike Lyneis intercepted a pass at his own 15-yard line to seal a 14-12 win for Burbank.

Things got ugly in the 1995 game when the contest was halted with 3:21 remaining after the two teams were involved in a brawl. Paced by quarterback J.K. Scott and receiver Glenn Adriatico, Burroughs ended up winning the contest, 21-0.In the 50th-year anniversary game in 1998, Burroughs quarterback Joe Kroells passed for 280 yards and four touchdowns and receiver Kyle Cremarosa amassed 223 yards and three touchdowns to lift the Indians to a 26-21 win.

With Burroughs winning the 10 previous Big Games, quarterback Mike McDonald hooked up with Jesse Ayers on an 11-yard touchdown pass with 3:28 to play for the game-winning score in the 2003 game, giving Burbank a 24-18 win.Perhaps more of that Big Game magic will be on display in Friday’s contest, as the locals take part in the 60th meeting.In its 60 years, Memorial Field has definitely seen its share of great moments.

Although it’s time to say good-bye to the facility that has served its teams well for decades, the memories that have been created over the years will always remain.

THE BIG GAME!

Tonight Thursday at 6:00 p.m. kicks off with the Burbank High Freshman game against our crosstown rival Burroughs at Memorial Field. Tomorrow night the Junior Varsity plays at 4:00 p.m. and the Varsity plays at 7:30 p.m. Also the Homecoming Parade will be tomorrow as they leave BHS and march to Memorial Field. This is the last time as next year both BHS and JBHS all their football games will be played outside of Burbank as they add the artifical grass to both schools.

Burbank Veterans Day Ceremony

On Tuesday November 11, 2008 I attended the City of Burbank's Veterans Day Ceremony at MCCambridge Park War Memorial hosted by 1964 Burbank High School grad Mickey DePalo.Kindergartners from St. Robert Bellarmine singing the National Anthem.
The St. Robert Bellermine Kindergartners also sang God Bless America.

They really put their heart and soul into the song and were just the cutest thing.
AH! To be so young!

The Keynote Speaker was a JBHS grad Dr. Michael Gauron, Lt. Col.,USAF

Pat Walmisley sang America the Beautiful.

Anjanette McFarlin played Amazing Grace on the Bagpipes.

Burbank High grads Scott Cappiello '59 and his wife Gladys, Jon & Pam Kirkwood 1964

BHS grads Catherine Nicholls 1938, Cathy Coyle 1967 with granddaughter &

Joan Taylor Chandler, Class of 1957.

Georgia Lindsay Atwood BHS 1941

BHS 1941

Georgia Atwood

Atwood, Georgia Lindsay, passed away on November 8, 2008. She was born December 7, 1923, in Crosby, Minnesota. In 1926, she settled in Burbank, California with her parents, George and Victoria Lindsay and her sister Virginia. Georgia attended Burbank schools, graduating from Burbank High School in 1941. She attended Los Angeles City College. While in school, she was a dancer with Fanchon and Marco Studio in Hollywood and was a fashion model for designer Don Loper.

During World War II she served in the WAVES and was assigned to the San Pedro Navy Base. She met her husband, Brad Atwood, in Laguna Beach and they married in 1944. They lived in Burbank where she became a member of Alpha Mu Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi sorority and was active with the Burbank Junior Chamber of Commerce wives. When her family, including three children moved to Laguna Beach in 1963, she joined the Rivera Club and worked in Real Estate.

Her interests included golf, painting, home decorating, reading, music, theater and traveling. She and Brad were happily married for 58 years until his death in 2002. Georgia is survived by her daughter, Gale Atwood, and son-in-law, John Lindgren; son, Todd Atwood, and daughter-in-law, Cathy Atwood, and son Mark Atwood. She leaves nieces Carole Collins, Christine Cross, Barbara Soderling, Pat Barron, Rita Lindsay, and nephews George and Fred Lindsay. In lieu of flowers, scholarship gifts may be made to the Burbank High School Foundation, 818-558-4700 x57808. Pacific View Mortuary

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.

Buddy J. Hunsinger BHS 59 passes away.

Hunsinger, Buddy J. 67, passed away peacefully at his home, October 24, 2008. He was a 1959 graduate of Burbank High School. Born November 22, 1940 in Mount Vernon, Illinois, Buddy was a U.S. Navy Vietnam War veteran and an avid member of Desert Corvette Assoc., Scottsdale Vettes and Rods and Southwest Street Rods. He will be greatly missed by his wife Joan; his daughter Kelly Lynn Moore and her husband Derek; his son Eric and his wife Mary. Graveside service with military honors were held at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona

Burbank Football - Week 8

Burbank High's Jose Rodriguez's intercepts a pass meant for Hoover's Elvis Fuentes. Roger Wilson/The Leader

Burbank Leader
Published Saturday, November 1, 2008

Sports
Burbank breaks out

FOOTBALL: Bulldogs get important Pacific League win by shutting out Hoover, 55-0, at Memorial Field.
By Charles Rich

MEMORIAL FIELD — The Hoover and Burbank high footballs teams were even for one quarter during their Pacific League contest at Burroughs High on Thursday night. After that, Burbank broke the stalemate while scoring at will the rest of the game on offense and defense.

In need of a victory to get back into the playoff picture, Burbank rolled to a 55-0 win.The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Bulldogs (4-4, 2-3 in league). Hoover saw its losing skid swell to 18 by dropping to 0-8, 0-5.Burbank, which entered the game in fifth place in league and one game behind Arcadia, Burroughs and Glendale, got a pair of rushing touchdowns from sophomore running back Ulises Ochoa to get back into the postseason hunt with two games remaining in the regular season.

Linebackers William Ortega and Sam Bethany picked off passes by Hoover quarterback AJ Pule and returned them for touchdowns.“The kids made the adjustments after the first quarter,” Burbank Coach Ted Amorosi said. “They rallied up, and it’s a nice after going through three tough weeks.“We talked about getting over the hump and the seniors led us through some good practices.”Burbank took a 7-0 lead on an eight-yard run by running back Nate Galles with 11:27 left in the second quarter.

Wide receiver Anthony Cervantes then caught a nine-yard pass from quarterback Kevin Hunter to extend the lead to 14-0 with 7:04 left in the first half. Ortega then returned an interception 34 yards to make it 20-0 with 2:34 remaining.Ochoa scored on Burbank’s first possession of the second quarter on a six-yard run to make it 27-0. Hunter then made it 34-0 on a nine-yard run with 8:25 left in the third quarter before Cole Hazlewood hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Adam Colman to extend the lead to 41-0.Ochoa made it 48-0 on a 37-yard run with 2:08 left in the third quarter. Bethany closed out the scoring on a 90-yard interception return with 8:45 remaining in the game.The Tornadoes, who were blanked for the first time this season and recovered a pair of fumbles in Burbank territory, never could mount a rally.

“We knew coming in that we had a chance to move the ball,” said Hoover first-year Coach Chris Long, who saw Pule complete 11 of 47 passes for 120 yards and two interceptions. “We had guys wide open in the first quarter, but we overthrew the wide receivers.“We always have chances, but we just have to learn how to score.”Adam Ochart had five catches for 40 yards for Hoover.Burbank will next compete in another league contest at 7 p.m. next Friday against host Arcadia.