Success

When the Burroughs High linemen arrived for an early morning team meeting earlier this season, they had a surprise waiting for them. The players were greeted with piping-hot breakfast burritos, courtesy of senior running back Joe Wiggan. The night before, the linemen did their job in springing Wiggan for 237 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-31 nonleague win against Harvard-Westlake. "Those boys can eat, so I know buying them breakfast set Joe back a little," Indians Coach Keith Knoop said.

Bellarmine-Jefferson High tailback Jorge Chaidez can't see the future, but has terrific vision. The area's leading rusher, Chaidez is always patient, but ready to explode through the line before quarterback Daniel Radoccia hands him the football. Whenever the junior takes the field, he often plows through defenders and chews up yardage. However, although he might appear to be a one-man wrecking crew, Chaidez is not doing it alone. The running back's father, Jorge Sr., died five years ago, and his memory is never far from the athlete.

Finding a quality left-handed relief pitcher is a rare commodity in major league baseball these days. Thus, former Burroughs High baseball star Mike Magnante has enjoyed success and a fine career as a pitcher for 10 years with four major-league clubs. Late Tuesday, Magnante, 37, was designated for assignment by the Oakland Athletics, just days before he was due to be eligible to receive his major-league pension. Players must have at least 10 years of major-league service to earn a pension.

With the Colony Theatre teetering on the edge of insolvency, many feared its latest production, "Falling For Make Believe," might very well be its last. In a turnabout worthy of Hollywood, the show, which has garnered spectacular reviews - including one by this publication - has become a huge smash. It's last show was scheduled to be this Sunday, but due to demand, Creative Director Barbara Beckley said the show will return to its 270-seat home on June 6 and go as long as it can. Ticket sales for the show, according to officials, have already brought in more than $40,000, topping the sales of the venue's previous hit, "The Morini Strad," which was itself the Colony's biggest blockbuster in three years.

In her first season as coach of the Bellarmine-Jefferson High girls' basketball team, Jaclyn Johnson is in the midst of a new experience with her Guards in the CIF Southern Section playoffs. But when it comes to deep playoff runs, Johnson knows the excitement and exuberance of the postseason. She was a member of a Bell-Jeff team that captured a Division IV-A championship in 1997. In fact, Johnson hit a shot at the buzzer to lift her team to a 47-45 victory against Cerritos Valley Christian.

tullyBell-Jeff girls' cross-country team has found its place and will run in CIF final For most of the season, the Bellarmine-Jefferson High girls' cross-country team suffered with an identity conflict. The Guards didn't know whether they had a good team that just happened to struggle in league, or a mediocre team that experienced moments of success. It was definitely hard on Bell-Jeff having to compete in the tough Sunshine League, as it finished last. "We would finish a league meet and we would be so down because we lost another race," Bell-Jeff Coach Mike Morgan said.

Jeff Tully There is no offseason for Brett Kanda. The boys' golfer from Flintridge Prep spent his junior season as a standout performer for the Rebels, winning the Prep League title and advancing to CIF Southern Section-Toyota Individual Championship. However, after the season ended, things haven't slowed down for Kanda. In fact, the golfer is busier this summer than he was during the high school campaign. But along with the success Kanda is enjoying during his three months away from school, it was his accomplishments at Flintridge Prep this past season that earned him All-Area Golfer of the Year honors, voted on by the writers and editors of the Burbank Leader and News-Press.

Jeff Tully With his right knee heavily taped and leaning on crutches, injured Burbank High running back Tanner Bennett could only watch as the seconds ticked off the scoreboard Friday night at the 55th annual football rivalry game against Burroughs. As the final seconds faded to black, Bennett -- a sophomore -- lifted one crutch, smiled and gave a loud cheer in acknowledgment of the Bulldogs' 24-17 cross-town win at Memorial Field. The win was Burbank's first against its rival since 1992, when the Bulldogs prevailed, 21-17.

MEMORIAL FIELD — Local athletes found the themselves in the heat of competition Saturday at the annual Burbank All-City Meet. Boys and girls’ from the three local middle schools — Jordan, John Muir and Luther — took to the track and infield at Memorial Field for the friendly event. Nearly 300 athletes took part in the meet. “We didn’t have a lot of records set, but we had some great results from the athletes,” said one of the meet’s organizers, Kenny Knoop, of Jordan.

Jeff Tully BURBANK HIGH -- Two years ago, a 13-year-old Moah Chang followed her father to the golf course to watch him play a round. "When I saw him playing I thought that the sport looked fun, so I started playing," said the Burbank High sophomore. That was when Chang, 15, began an obsession with the sport that has brought her success with the first-year Bulldog program. "I play every day now," Chang said in a matter-of-fact way. "It was hard at first learning the sport, but now it's fun," All of Chang's hard work has seemed to have paid off, as she has turned into a talented golfer for the Bulldogs during their inaugural season.