Cif

The Burbank High football team accomplished something in 2012 it hadn't done the previous season - advancing to the CIF Southern Section Southeast Division playoffs. The Bulldogs also played well in the Pacific League, finishing second behind champion Muir. The fine accomplishments for the Bulldogs continued Monday, as two of their players were named to the All-CIF team. Making the team on offense was sophomore running back James Williams. Senior lineman Steven Kim earned a spot on the defensive squad.

The Burroughs High girls' volleyball team made a surprising postseason showing by advancing to the CIF Southern Section Division II-A quarterfinals. For Bellarmine-Jefferson, it made a predictable trek to the quarterfinals in Division IV-A, as the Guards advanced to the round of eight for the fifth straight season. The teams also had something else in common when the All-CIF awards were released Monday. Both squads had first-team honorees, as Indians junior middle blocker Caitlin Cottrell made the Division II-A squad and Guards senior outside hitter Taryn Nelson garnered a place in Division IV-A.

The Burbank High girls' tennis doubles team of Ashley Basco and Meredy Gharabegi was rewarded with a bye when the players received their draw in Monday's CIF Southern Section Individuals Tournament at Whittier Narrows Tennis Center. However, with a bye in the first round, the Bulldogs duo had to endure a long wait to play its second-round match. “We ended up waiting for four hours to play,” Basco said. “It was painful to have to wait around for that long. We were down at the bottom of the bracket and there weren't enough courts, so we just had to wait around.” Fortunately for Basco, a senior, and Gharabegi, a junior, the wait didn't lead to a poor showing in the second round.

With what it had to deal with throughout the season, some might say it was an accomplishment that the Bellarmine-Jefferson High girls' volleyball team was able to advance to the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A quarterfinals this season. However, the Guards were hoping to go a little farther. Unfortunately for Bell-Jeff, its season ended Saturday in a quarterfinal matchup on the road. The Guards were never in the contest against Laguna Blanca, as they fell, 25-15, 25-18, 25-12.

A season that started with overwhelming promise and descended into disappointment came to a conclusion Saturday at the CIF Southern Section Divisional Prelims at Mt. San Antonio College, as the Burbank High boys' cross-country team finished a spot out of qualifying for the CIF finals. Having began the season ranked fifth in the division, coach Trevor Marca's squad had big aspirations, but the loss of three No. 1 runners ultimately concluded with a CIF-SS prelim ending. The Bulldogs took fifth in their heat, one spot out of qualifying as they finished with 125 points, while fourth-place El Rancho had 84. Burbank's fate was shared by all five local teams, as the Bulldogs' girls' squad, along with both Burroughs teams and Providence's girls' team failed to move on. Burbank was led by Elliot Cho, who took ninth in 15 minutes 44 seconds, while Bernie Corea finished 23rd in 16:12.

MEMORIAL FIELD - It was Norwalk High's potent offensive attack against Burbank's stingy defense when the two met Friday in a CIF Southern Section first-round playoff football game. Entering the contest, the Lancers had the No. 1 offense in the Southeast Division, scoring 39.9 points a game, while the Bulldogs had the top-rated defense, giving up an average of 15.6 points a contest. However, it was apparent early in the contest at Memorial Field that Burbank was going to have trouble containing the Norwalk rushing attack.

ARCADIA  -  In time, Bellarmine-Jefferson High football Coach David Machuca wants his program to enjoy the same success CIF Southern Section first-round playoff opponent and defending Northeast Division champion Rio Hondo Prep has had. And if Friday night's opening-round 57-6 loss to the Kares brought about any positives, it was that Machuca and the Guards will go into the offseason motivated. “They get in the weight room, and that's what we need to do,” Machuca said of the Prep League champion and No. 2-seeded Kares.

BURROUGHS HIGH - Down by five points - and five points away from elimination - in the decisive fifth game of his team's CIF Southern Section Division II-A second round girls' volleyball match at home against Oxnard on Thursday, Burroughs High coach Edwin Real called a timeout. “We can't give up,” Real said, relaying the message he gave to the Indians during that time out. “It's going to be over if we stop playing. We can fold and let the season be over, or we can play hard and come back.

BURBANK HIGH - Burbank High and coach Kristina Garcia didn't know much about Arlington from Riverside prior to the teams' CIF Southern Section Division V opening-round boys' water polo playoff match Wednesday. “We looked around on the Internet and we tried to find information about them, but there just wasn't that much,” Garcia said. “They weren't in the media a lot, so finding out about them was extremely difficult.” With little advanced information, the Bulldogs entered their opener with wide-eyed wonder.