MidValleySports.Com

La Serna QB Frankie Palmer (Aka: Frankie Football) scoring here in the third quarter on a fourth and goal, finishes his prep career undefeated in semifinal action. (Photo by Doug Brown)

(Whittier)- Frankie Palmer’s 3-yard run with 23 seconds left in the fourth quarter gave La Serna a 28-21 victory over Burbank in Friday nights Southeast Division semifinal at Whittier District Field. The win secures the Lancers third consecutive CIF Finals appearance.

For La Serna to advance it took two Palmer scoring runs in the second half.

The first came late in the third quarter on a fourth and goal from the Burbank two. Faking the hand off on a dive play Palmer kept the ball and out raced the Bulldogs defense to the corner of the end zone to tie the score at 21-21.

After Burbank had a field goal go wide left from 28-yards on its next drive, both teams traded punts to open the fourth quarter. The bad part for the Bulldogs in the exchange was a 16-yard boot that gave the Lancers the ball the Burbank 44 with 3:12 to play.

A pair of Bryce Oliver runs moved the ball 18 yards as La Serna soon pounded its way to a first and goal at the three, before Palmer ran right on a keeper and crashed into the end zone with the game winner.

Viewed as an underdog coming into the game, seemed as suspect in an apparent weak Pacific League, and realistically one game away from elimination in a week ten showdown against crosstown rival Burroughs, the Bulldogs built an early lead and the fear of God into a powerful La Serna squad.

After Palmer opened the scoring with a 42-yard touchdown pass, to the end zone, to Matthew Rosales, Burbank responded three plays later when Joseph Pendleton went 45-yards to paydirt and the game was tied.

Following a punt, the Bulldogs took over at their own 48 and this time quarterback Ryan Meredith went to Oharjee Brown. Brown made the catch standing near the sideline at the Lancers 30 then cut back into the field of play and weaved his way through defenders for a 14-7 Burbank lead.

When Kevin Ramos fumbled the ball back to the Bulldogs at midfield Meredith was able to connect with Brown again, this time for 43-yards and first down at the La Serna 16. As first quarter turned to the second, it was soon a first and goal from the four.

Pendleton was stopped after a 1-yard gain. Meredith lost 3-yard on second down. Pendleton on third down pushed back to the Lancers one, but Meredith was stoned by the defense when Burbank HC Hector Valencia bypassed the field goal and went for the touchdown on fourth down.

“Yeah, we definitely left some points on the field,” Valencia said after the game.

Unable to do anything with the ball, La Serna soon punted and Burbank had another shot deep in Lancer territory from the 35, but turned the ball over on downs at the 27.

The Bulldogs defense did not give up another point in the half, but La Serna did get on the board with 2:55 to play before the break. D’Andre Sanchez picked off a Meredith pass and returned it 33-yards for a tying touchdown.

Burbank retook the lead 1:44 into the second half when Meredith again connected with Brown on a 38-yard touchdown pass that Brown caught after being tipped. The play was set up two plays earlier on a 33-yard reception by Dorian Householder.

The Bulldogs held on to the lead, 21-14, until Palmer tied it with 3:03 to play in the third.

***Frankie Palmer went 12 of 22 for 158 yards and a touchdown.

***Bulldog quarterback Ryan Meredith went 11 of 23 for 242 yards, two touchdowns, one interception.

***Burbank wide receiver Oharjee Brown caught 5 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns.

***La Serna rushed for 139 yards as a team.

***Bulldogs running back James Williams rushed for 27 yards on 15 carries.

***La Serna started on the offensive line: LT: Travis Miller. LG: Ivan Morales. C: Aaron Gomez. RG: Marc Palumbo. RT: Enrique Huerta.

***Burbank started on the offensive line: LT: Michael Wong. LG: Mark Salgado. C: Daniel Murphy. RG: Alex Gonzalez. RT: Jordan Meza.

***“You know, it’s not enough to get there. You have to win.”—La Serna HC Margarito Beltran on returning to the finals for the third straight year.

*** “I’m really proud of this group of seniors, they set a foundation for this program to build on. It’s not hypothetical anymore, we can compete at this level.”—Burbank HC Hector Valencia.

***Burbank finishes the season 10-3. The three losses were by a combined 15 points.

***La Serna returns to the Southeast finals with an 11-2 record. They are 33-8 with Frankie Palmer starting at quarterback. They are 9-2 in the playoffs with him.