Fine accomplishments for Bulldogs

This is the second in a four-part series looking back on the sports accomplishments of the four local high schools over the past school year. This installment is Burbank High:

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League championships were hard to come by during the 2010-11 campaign for the Bulldogs teams. In fact, no Burbank squad was able to claim a Pacific League title.

The football team came closest, staying in contention for a crown late in the season. However, the Bulldogs lost their final game of the regular season to place third. Burbank (7-4) did have a winning season, as it lost in the first round of the Southeast Division playoffs to Santa Fe, 28-14.

Despite the lack of team success, Bulldog athletes did enjoy a wealth of accomplishments as individuals.

Leading the way was senior track and field and cross-country standout McKenzie Paul.

In cross-country, Paul placed 11th in 18 minutes, 44 seconds at the CIF Southern Section finals and was the lone Bulldogs qualifier in the CIF prelims, finishing sixth in her heat with a time of 18:12. In addition, Paul ran to a fourth-place finish (19:19.94) in the Pacific League finals.

In the track and field season, Paul advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division I finals in the 800 meters. She also ran to a league championship in the 1,600 (5:05.54) and the 800 (2:15.30). The crown in the 800 was her third straight.

For her efforts, Paul was named the 2010 Girls' Cross-Country Runner of the Year as well as the 2011 Girls' Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

In football, Ryan Seidler and Ulisies Ochoa were important players in helping Burbank enjoy success.

Seidler, a linebacker, and Ochoa, a running back, were rewarded for their fine efforts during their 2009 junior seasons by being named to the All-CIF Southern Section Southeast Division first team.

As seniors this past season, Seidler and Ochoa stepped up their games, putting up big numbers and breaking school records for the Bulldogs. And for the second year in a row, the two players were honored with All-CIF first-team accolades.

Seidler — the league defensive player of the year — led the league with an impressive 151 tackles and averaged nearly 14 a game. In addition, he caused two fumbles and recovered two more.