Burroughs Charlie Hosea (#45) and Dalton Williams (#21) put the squeeze on Kyle Cota
(Burbank)- “Stand in the place where you live…”
The line from the old R.E.M song fit Burroughs and its fourth quarter goal line stand in a critical 14-12 victory over Crescenta Valley Friday night.
With 5:32 remaining in the game and the Indians leading 14-10, CV quarterback Kyle Cota (5-18-121-yds Td) went 42-yards to Mike Bako to give the Falcons a first and goal at the four.
On first down Cota took it 3-yards forward and the Indians Dalton Williams took the 3-yards back when he tackled Harry Pessy for a loss on second down. Cota then carried the ball inside the one to set up fourth and 6-inches.
A field goal was out of the question, timeouts were taken, the Pacific League title on the line with 3:28 to play.
“Stand in the place where you work…”
Cota was stoned at the line of scrimmage by the boys in the Burroughs‘ trench. This included Garrett Schiavello, Steven Escoboza, Justin Mayorga, Austin Allen, and Andrew McKnight.
“We knew what they were going to do by formation,” said Burroughs head coach Keith Knoop. “We knew it was going to be a sneak so we shot the ‘A‘ gaps.”
The Indians ran three plays to push the ball out to the nine before facing a fourth and one. With everyone on the planet knowing CV was going to come after the punt, Michael Solano took the snap ran to his left out of the end zone for the safety.
The Falcons final possession began at the Burroughs 48, but the CV hopes were thwarted when Mayorga sacked Cota on second down for a 6-yard loss and Cota slipped to the grass on fourth down.
“Stand in the place where you live…Now face North…”
The victory improved the Flatlanders to 6-0 in the Pacific and set up a title showdown next week with crosstown rival Burbank.
Burroughs opened things late in the the first quarter on a six-play 57-yard drive, highlighted by Kohl Adams-hurd’s 25-yard catch/run before Williams went in from 6-yards out.
As the game wore on the Indians offense fell into the hands of two performers. One, being Williams who would rush for 154-yards, the other being back up quarterback Derek Cwik.
Cwik, entering mid way in the second quarter when starter Lucas Yanez was knocked from the game with a shoulder injury, directed traffic and managed affairs. On his first snap, however, there was a botched exchange between quarterback and center. CV recovered the ball and Cota broke off a 22-yard run to the Burroughs 33.
After an incomplete pass, Cota launched deep into the end zone where Bako out leaped a defender for the game tying score.
Williams rushed for 154-yards and two scores Friday night
In the fourth quarter Cota, with is legs, drove the Falcons to the Burroughs 13 before Arian Abghari booted a 30-yard field goal to give CV a 10-7 lead with 11:16 remaining in the contest.
The Indians responded with an eight play drive, including seven consecutive rushes by Williams to go back ahead 14-10 when Williams went in from 6-yards.
“We knew they were tired,” said Knoop. “They were gassed and we felt like we were better conditioned, we weren’t worried at all. The team stepped up tonight and Cwik did a phenomenal job tonight.”
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