Pacific League

BURROUGHS VS. MUIR •WHEN : 7 p.m. Friday. •WHERE : Muir High. •RECORDS : The Indians are 2-4, 2-1 in the Pacific League; the Mustangs are 3-3, 3-0. •LAST WEEK : Burroughs defeated Crescenta Valley, 20-16; Muir defeated Glendale, 37-0. •OUTLOOK : The Indians were able to come through with a win last week to keep their hopes of winning a fourth straight league championship alive. However, Burroughs might be facing the toughest league opponent this season in Muir.

PASADENA - If enough wasn't already at stake for the Burroughs High girls' volleyball team heading into Thursday's city rivalry match versus Burbank, a share of the Pacific League lead may just put the contest over the top. That's because the visiting Indians kept themselves in contention for a slice of league ownership after defeating host Pasadena 25-20, 25-16, 19-25, 25-20 in league play Tuesday afternoon. With the win, defending league champion Burroughs (5-3 overall, 5-1 in league)

MEMORIAL FIELD - Hector Valencia's message to the Burbank High football team was clear after its Friday night game with Arcadia. The Bulldogs coach warned his team the rest of the Pacific League would take notice of what happened at Memorial Field, and would likely be gunning for them when they heard how they marched the ball down the field offensively and shut down the Apaches defensively en route to a 41-20 victory to improve to 3-2, 2-0 in...

LA CRESCENTA - It was a battle for second place in the Pacific League when the Crescenta Valley High and Burbank girls' tennis teams met Thursday afternoon. With Arcadia already running away with the league, the Falcons and Bulldogs have been able to distance themselves from the remainder of the other squads in league. The winner Thursday would have the inside track for the league runner-up spot mid-way through the league campaign. Bolstered by a singles sweep, Burbank took a big step in that direction with a 13-5 victory at Crescenta Valley.

BURBANK - While in control by the end of the first half of Thursday night's Pacific League opener, the Burbank High football team wasn't as dominant over the first 24 minutes as its three-touchdown lead might have suggested. A resurgent Hoover squad had been shut out on the scoreboard, but had plenty of positives to build on in the second half. That effort never got going once the third quarter started, however, as the Bulldogs stunned the Tornadoes with three unanswered touchdowns that completely took the Tornadoes out of their game and turned the contest into a one-sided 48-7 affair.

BURBANK HIGH - Nobody had to tell Burbank High girls' tennis Coach Loi Phan and the Bulldogs what they were up against Thursday in a Pacific League showdown with Arcadia. Not only are the Apaches the defending league champion, but they came into the match undefeated and ranked No. 7 in CIF Southern Section Division II and featured the reigning league singles champion. Even though Phan considers this his strongest team in his seven years as coach, the Bulldogs just couldn't keep pace with Arcadia.

 GLENDALE - In the early going of the Pacific League girls' tennis campaign, Arcadia High, Burbank and Crescenta Valley have emerged as the top three teams, as the three are the front-runners in the race for CIF Southern Section playoffs spots. That doesn't leave much postseason wiggle room for the four remaining league squads, with essentially just one guaranteed spot likely up for grabs. Two of those possible bubble teams, Hoover and Burroughs, met Tuesday in a league match.

BURBANK HIGH - Communication, chemistry and consistency are all important elements to winning volleyball, and the Burbank High girls' squad displayed all three in its nonleague victory Tuesday against visiting Canyon. “The way we played together, our communication, and all the chemistry that we have [paid dividends],” Burbank senior Katie Hooper said were the keys to their second win in as many matches this season. Burbank won, 25-18, 22-25, 25-20, 25-22, to stay unbeaten going into Pacific League play, which starts Thursday against host Muir.

One nonleague opponent will resemble possibly its fastest foe in the Pacific League. Another nonleague team will feature athletes who will remind it of another league rival. And a third team will have been playing with shoulder pads and helmets long before Burbank suits up for the first time at practice. The Burbank High football team has loaded its nonleague schedule with tough teams that feature resemblances to league tests. "Some [nonleague] teams are fast, some teams are big. It will definitely get us ready for league," said Burbank Coach Hector Valencia, whose team missed out on the playoffs after finishing 4-6, 3-4 in league last year.

After winning the Pacific League championship outright and advancing to the CIF Southern Section Division III championship match in 2011, the Burroughs High boys' volleyball team had high expectations for the 2012 campaign. The Indians fell a bit short of their goals, as they were eliminated in the semifinal round of the playoffs this season and lost the final match of the regular season, forcing the team to share the Pacific League crown with Claremont. It was the second time in three years the Indians shared the league title with the Wolfpack.