school sports
Jeff Tully
Oh the things that I've seen, the great moments I have witnessed and
the talented athletes I have come in contact with.
There is no one more surprised than myself about the fact that I have
been the Sports editor of the Burbank Leader for 10 years. In fact, I
just recently celebrated -- if that is the right word -- my 10-year
anniversity in beautiful Burbank.
In have been told, by people who have lived in the city for a number
of years, that I have the longest tenure of any sports editor in the
101-year history of the Daily Review/Leader.
That is a distinction I covet.
I have grown to admire and respect the city and many individuals who
have made an impact on the local high schools -- Burbank, Burroughs,
Providence and Bellarmine-Jefferson highs.
With affection and a bit of nostalgia, I look back on the people,
teams and events that have made a lasting impression over the past
decade.
THE BEST TEAMS
* The 1993 Burbank boys' tennis team: With legendary Coach Clyde
Richards at the helm, the Bulldogs defeated Santa Maria Righetti, 10-8,
at McCambridge Park to capture the CIF Southern Section Division III
championship.
The title is one of only two CIF championships won by local teams in
10 years.
Burbank (22-3) was paced by players Doug Young, Vazghen Zaghiyan, Phil
Cano, Brad Warner, Morris Li, Roy Kim, Rick Hart, Jack Liu and Bryan
Arana.
* The 1997 Bell-Jeff girls' basketball team: Under the direction of
Coach Jim Couch, the Guards defeated Cerritos Valley Christian, 47-45, to
win the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A crown at the Pyramid in Long
Beach.
Jaclyn Johnson -- who played at University of Kansas and for the
WNBA's Orlando Miracle -- hit a 15-foot jump-shot with one second left to
lift Bell-Jeff to the only championship in school history.
The team also featured key players Cheryl Flores and Felicia Flores.
* The 1994 Burroughs boys' soccer team: Mike Kodama's squad just
missed claiming a CIF Southern Section Division III title when it fell to
Bell Gardens, 3-1, in a championship match at Cerritos Gahr High.
The Indians were paced by All-American forward Roberto Perez,
midfielder Jesus Diaz, defender Gret Guenther and goalie Marc Binda.
* The 1991 Bell-Jeff boys' cross-country team: Couch and star runners
Terence Flynn, Leonard Diaz, Jose Diaz, Mike Morgan and Chris Estrada
helped the Guards to a second-place finish in Division IV at the
CIF-State Cross Country Championships.
* The 2000 Burbank boys' cross-country team: The surprising Bulldogs
