YOUR 2005 Div. VIII and DESERT SKY LEAGUE CHAMPION BURROUGHS BURROS:
The Young Men that Made it Happen!

Thursday, December 15: The City of Ridgecrest Salutes the 2005 Div. VIII Champions (photo by DI photographer Mike Delaney)

On a night when the City of Ridgecrest blocked off Balsam Avenue for a parade, hundreds of proud supporters braved the cold to pay their respects to the Burroughs football coaches and team.

With the BHS marching band and cheerleaders leading the way, floats and classic cars carried the players and coaches to the main stage.

From Nathan Ahle, Sports Editor for the Ridgecrest Daily Independent:
Once the parade stopped, BHS principal Ernie Bell was the master of ceremonies for a celebration that featured several speakers. Ridgecrest Mayor Chip Holloway, Rear Adm. Mark Skinner, Sierra Sands Unified School District Superintendent Joanna Rummer, BHS Athletic Director Don Crouse, and assistant principal Bryan Auld all spoke about the team’s dedication, hard work and success throughout the school year.

A highlight of the year came when California State Assembly Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R - Bakersfield) addressed the team via telephone and announced that a resolution honoring the team’s season would be introduced in the legislature in January.

Following the speeches, a highlight video from last Saturday’s championship game against Palm Springs was shown on a large screen, to the roars of the crowd.

After the video, BHS Head Coach Jeff Steinberg took the stage and credited the players, coaches, parents and residents of Ridgecrest for what he called “a community championship.” Steinberg also announced the all-Desert Sky League and all-CIF-SS Division VIII selections.
For the rest of this story, visit the Ridgecrest Daily Independent

December 10, 2005: Burros Defeat Palm Springs 42-30 for Div. VIII Title

(by Thomas St Myer, The Palm Springs Desert Sun) :

PALM SPRINGS - Kneeled on the Palm Springs sideline, senior Bryan DeLair let the tears flow moments before the clock struck zero Saturday night with the Indians on the wrong side of the scoreboard.

Outmatched by the speed of wide receiver Hayo Carpenter and the power of running back Anthony Williams, the Indians fell to Burroughs 42-30 and lost in the CIF-Southern Section Division VIII final for the second consecutive year.

Last year, almost all of the Palm Springs players broke down in tears after a gut-wrenching 24-17 loss to Serrano. This time, only a few players along with DeLair shed tears. By in large, the players accepted the fact that they lost to a better team.

";We played hard,"; senior quarterback Scott Saunders said. "This game came down to a couple of pivotal plays and they made them."

The Indians fell behind the 8-ball early when Burroughs scored on its opening two possessions in the first quarter. Luis Tejada converted a 38-yard field goal and Carpenter hooked up with David LaFromboise on a 45-yard touchdown pass. Tejada missed the extra point, so the score remained 9-0 with 5:31 left in the quarter.

On its second possession, Palm Springs drove down the field with a chance to cut into the deficit. The Indians drove into the red zone, but the Burroughs defense held firm and Palm Springs ran its kick team out for a 37-yard field goal. On the final play of the quarter, the Indians blew the attempt when on a botched snap, holder Alberto Zatarain scooped up the ball and threw a desperation pass that Burroughs defensive tackle Ron Marker intercepted at the 18 and returned 35 yards to the Palm Springs 47.

Almost two minutes into the quarter, Carpenter returned to the end zone when he hauled in a pass one-handed down the right sideline and sprinted in for a 25-yard score. Tejada tacked on the extra point to put Burroughs up 16-0.

"He's better than we could've expected," Indians senior center Sam Gayer said of Carpenter. (for the full story from the Desert Sun, CLICK HERE)

From Steve Virgen, Staff Writer for the Bakersfield Californian:

PALM SPRINGS -- It took some faith, a little bit of resiliency and a whole lot of Hayo for Burroughs High to win its first Southern Section title in football.

Hayo, as in Rogelio, Carpenter caught six passes for 194 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Burros to a 42-30 victory over Palm Springs in the Division VIII title game Friday night at Palm Springs High.

Both teams were vying for their first championship in football -- Palm Springs had quarterback Scott Saunders making big plays, but it was Carpenter who made the bigger ones.

His final four catches went for touchdowns, including an 82 yarder with 1:42 left that gave Burroughs a 42-23 lead.

"Hayo's made a statement in the last five weeks," Burroughs coach Jeff Steinberg said. "He's said big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games. He's the one who's done that consistently over the past five weeks."

The victory gives Kern County three section football championships, as the Burros join Bakersfield High (Central Section, Division I) and West High (Central Section, Division II), which both won on Friday night.

With 8:03 remaining, Carpenter and quarterback David LaFromboise hooked up for a 24-yard touchdown that seemed to take the life out of Palm Springs.

LaFromboise delivered a perfect strike to Carpenter on a post pattern. The quarterback finished with 244 yards passing and the four touchdowns, going 12-of-20.

The Indians answered the Burros' strike with a 75-yard touchdown drive, but they could not stop Carpenter.

"I'm speechless," a teary-eyed Steinberg said afterward. "These boys have worked so hard for this."

Steinberg had reason to be emotional, as the coach had been widely publicized as a strong candidate for the Bakersfield High coaching job during the offseason. He reportedly turned down that job and stayed with the Burros.

Dec. 2, 2005: Burroughs ends Aztecs' perfect season, heads for the Championship

PALM DESERT - His left ankle wrapped and his face red from tears, Palm Desert High School senior Steven Soto limped across the field with a crutch in his right hand to congratulate the Ridgecrest Burroughs players.

The sight of Soto summed up the fate of the Aztecs on Friday night.

Ahead by seven points at halftime, Palm Desert unraveled in the third quarter and Burroughs took advantage to put the Aztecs away 38-14 in the CIF-SS Division VIII semifinals.

The Burros scored two touchdowns off Aztec turnovers in the third quarter and three overall in the second half to put a halt to the best season in Palm Desert school history.

"The third quarter, those two turnovers were huge," Aztecs coach Pat Blackburn said.

Ahead 14-7 at the start of the third quarter, Palm Desert received the opening kickoff. A minute later, the drive ended when quarterback Thomas DeMarco threw a pass toward James Dockery that Burroughs defensive back Hayo Carpenter stepped in front of and intercepted at the Palm Desert 35-yard line.

"This team was 12-0 for a reason," Carpenter said. "We knew we would have to capitalize on every mistake. That interception sparked us."

The Burros took advantage when running back Anthony Williams broke through the line on fourth down and scored from 28 yards out. Luis Tejeda converted the extra point to tie the score at 14-all.

On the kickoff, the Aztecs lost their No. 2 receiver when Soto injured his ankle. In the first half, Soto burned the Burros defense for five receptions and 73 yards.

"Soto going down really hurt us because then they were able to double on Doc (James Dockery)," Blackburn said.

On the drive, Palm Desert advanced to the Burroughs 38, but the Aztecs failed to convert a fourth-and-2 and turned the ball over on downs with 6:21 remaining in the third.

About three minutes later, Williams returned to the end zone on a 37-yard scamper, and Tejada tacked on the extra point to put the Burros ahead 21-14. Williams scored all three of his touchdowns and ran for 105 of his 147 yards in the second half.

"We really believed if we'd stick to the game plan we'd be all right," Burroughs coach Jeff Steinberg said. "We were able to wear them down a little bit, and we switched some formations to catch them off guard."

On its next possession, Palm Desert handed the ball back to Burros when running back Sean Donahue coughed up the ball at his own 13 and defensive tackle Travis Flores Lee recovered.

Only down by one score, the Palm Desert defense held firm and pushed the Burros all the way back to the 31. But on fourth and a mile, Burroughs delivered the back breaker when Tejada drilled a 49-yard field goal to put the Burros up 24-14 with 2:28 remaining in the third.

Down by two possessions, the Palm Desert players walked off the field with their heads down and never seemed to recover.

Burroughs (10-3) advances to the final and meet the winner of tonight's Palm Springs and Fontana Kaiser game.

Nov. 25, 2005: Burroughs Defeats Sultana 41-27, Gains Semifinals against #1 Seed Palm Desert

(Story by By KRIS REILLY/Staff Writer, Victor Valley Press)

RIDGECREST — Sultana came awfully close to beating Burroughs at its own game. Sultana quarterback Dustin Hoegerl threw for 321 yards and two scores on Friday, but it wasn't enough as the Sultans lost 41-27 to Burroughs in a CIF-Southern Section Division VIII quarterfinal game at Sherman E. Burroughs Stadium.

The Mojave River League champion Sultans (10-2) are known for a power running game, while Desert Sky League winner Burroughs (9-3) likes to throw the ball. The roles were reversed on Friday: The Burros struggled with their passing game early and ended up with 243 yards through the air and 159 on the ground.

The Sultans, on the other hand, were held to just 68 rushing yards while Hoegerl put up 321 through the air. Sultana coach Zane Sweeney said the change in styles was dictated by the Burros' defense, which was stacking the box to stop the run. "They didn't give us much run," Sweeney said. "They were sending six, seven guys every time, so we decided we'd throw the ball."

Though they were forced to get away from what they do best, the Sultans nearly pulled it off: They led by four at the half, and the game was tied with less than 5 minutes to go.

The Sultans led 20-13 late in the third quarter after Hoegerl, also the place-kicker, hit his second field goal of the game.

But Burroughs' passing game came to life on the ensuing drive, as quarterback David LaFromboise hit a wide-open Hayo Carpenter on the right side for a 68-yard touchdown.

Sultana went for it on a fourth-and-1 on its next series, and a gang of Burroughs tacklers stopped tailback Jace Olsen just inches short of the first down. The Burros took over at the Sultana 40 and scored four plays later on an Elias Camacho 1-yard touchdown run, taking a 27-20 lead with 9:33 to play in the game.

Sultana answered on its very next play from scrimmage. Hoegerl fired over the middle to receiver Branden O'Donnell about 15 yards downfield. O'Donnell made the catch and outran the Burroughs secondary for an 80-yard touchdown that tied the game.

Sultana came up with a defensive stop and appeared poised to regain the lead when Hoegerl hit receiver Mike Battisti on the right side. Battisti cut back across the field for 36 yards, but Sultana's momentum was snatched away in an instant.

Battisti was hit from behind by several defenders, and Burroughs' Anthony Williams stripped the ball. Burroughs' Travis Flores Lee recovered.

Burroughs ate up more than 4 minutes with a drive that culminated with Camacho's 2-yard TD run with 3:25 to play.

An intentional grounding call put Sultana in a hole on its next series, and Williams broke up a Hoegerl pass on fourth down, giving the Burros the ball at the Sultana 14. Three plays later, Camacho scored from 6 yards out to give Burroughs a 41-27 advantage.

Battisti returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards, but a long heave by Hoegerl was intercepted by Chris Duff on the next play, effectively ending the Sultana threat. "They had a great season, and that was a great game," Sweeney said. "That's the way it goes; that's football. They capitalized on our mistakes and it was a great game."

To read the complete story from the Victor Valley Press, CLICK HERE
For Photos from the Varsity Breakfast and Game, CLICK HERE

Nov. 18: Burros Beat Colony 49-13; Advance to Quarterfinals This Week

From Nathan Ahle, Sports Editor for the Ridgecrest Daily Independant: The Burroughs football team took the first step toward a lengthy playoff run Friday night, defeating the Colony High School Titans 49-13 in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division VIII football playoffs. The victory moves Burroughs (8-3) into the second round, where they will face the Mojave River League champion Sultana Sultans Friday at Sherman E. Burroughs Stadium. The win also gives Jeff Steinberg and his coaching staff 60 wins since the group took over at Burroughs in 1998, tying Bruce Bernhardi’s mark reached from 1966-78.

Burroughs jumped out in front early, as Hayo Carpenter, the team’s standout wide receiver, put BHS on the board as a cornerback, intercepting a pass from Leo Madrid and returning it 60 yards for the touchdown, giving the Burros a 6-0 just 1:29 into the contest. Carpenter was held back on offense, but received high praise from his coaches for his work on the defensive side of the ball.

Colony (5-6) appeared to work its way back into the game, scoring on a 23-yard sprint up the middle on its next series by Derrick Smith. After the extra point, Colony led the game 7-6, but would go no further.

The touchdown was particularly frustrating for BHS, since only 10 defenders were on the field.

“They were faster than we thought,” said BHS Defensive Coordinator Chad Stoner. “They pushed us around on that first drive.”

Stoner added that the Burros switched to their “30-front” defense after the Colony touchdown to keep the Titans at bay.

The strategy worked. Colony would not score again on the Burros’ starting defensive unit, and picked up only 109 yards on offense in the first half.

Burroughs took the lead back with 4:45 to go in the quarter, scoring on a one-yard run by Elias Camacho to give the locals a 12-7 lead. However, the passing game set up the touchdown.

Marcus Cramer hauled in a 45-yard pass from David LaFromboise that set up the score.

On Burroughs’ next series, Anthony Williams scored the first of his three touchdowns in the game on a 61-yard run, giving BHS a 19-7 lead near the end of the period. Williams picked up 128 yards on 11 carries in the contest.

The BHS defense kept clamping down. Travis Flores Lee recovered a fumble for Burroughs, which set up a drive that resulted in another touchdown run by Williams, this one from 12 yards away to make the score 25-7 early in the second quarter.

Ben Tankersley kept the scoring machine rolling with a 65-yard reception from LaFromboise, who finished 11-for-25 for 257 yards and two touchdown passes in three quarters of work. The BHS QB was also intercepted once.

Later in the second quarter, Isaac Graham forced a fumble that Millard Lutu recovered, which set up a 12-yard catch by Cramer for another touchdown. After the extra point, Burroughs cruised into the locker room with a 39-7 lead at the break.

In the third quarter, Williams made it a hat trick, scoring his third touchdown with a 44-yard run that made the score 46-7.

Victor Rico closed Burroughs’ scoring in the fourth quarter with a 41-yard field goal with two minutes to play, while Colony added a late touchdown by Omar Bolden in the final minute of play.

After the game, the BHS coaches were pleased with the efforts all around, especially on the offensive line and with the scout team.

“Kevin Cossa fought hard, Ron Marker did an awesome job, and Brian Pate had a good game coming back from injury,” said BHS line coach Chris Schoenen. “He (Pate) makes a big difference.”

“Our scout guys did a good job of preparing us,” said Stoner. “We call them the ‘Omega’ team and the ‘Delta’ team. We actually ran Colony’s offense at them in the second half.”

Stoner also gave credit to Flores Lee, Carpenter, Tankersley, and Zach Haglin for their defensive efforts.

As far as the offense was concerned, the head coach enjoyed the balance.

“Now people get to see that it’s not just Hayo,” said Steinberg. “It’s guys like Cramer, Bryant Lee, and others that are making plays.”

Burroughs will host Sultana Friday, with a tentative game time of 7:30 p.m. Presale tickets will be available at BHS on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the activities office, with prices of $8 for adults and $5 for students and children.

For the entire story and more Burroughs football coverage, go to the Ridgecrest Daily Independent
For Game Photos, CLICK HERE. To View All Photos from the 2005 Burros, go to the ";2005 Photos"; page.

Nov. 10: Burroughs Downs Silverado 43-19, Regains DSL Crown!

With a balanced attack, a dominating Offensive line, and stellar defense, the Burroughs Burros again hold the title of Desert Sky League Champions. As reported by staff writer Tim Haran of the Victor Valley Daily Press:

VICTORVILLE — Silverado knew its best chance to beat Burroughs would require two things: A near-flawless offensive outing and the ability to limit the Burros biggest playmaker.

The results were mixed.

Burroughs scored six touchdowns — three rushing — and capitalized on five Silverado turnovers Thursday to rout the Hawks 43-19 at Ray Moore Stadium and cap a perfect Desert Sky League season.

"You hate to say it but they were a much better team than us tonight," Silverado head coach Carl Posey said. "We knew coming in we had to be mistake-free to have a chance and that really didn't happen."