Many times in the 25 years since graduating from high school, I’ve traveled to Burlingame on a Friday night to check in on the alma mater. For most of those 25 years, it was little more than hopeless.
Those trips included the first fall after graduating high school. On a warm night in 1994, the Bearcats hosted Silver Lake in their home opener. Yes, that Silver Lake. Not exactly the greatest scheduling.
Burlingame actually scored first in that game on a long touchdown pass. I can still hear longtime coach C.J. Hamilton screaming at his team from across the field after that play. Predictably, the Eagles scored the next nine touchdowns in a 63-7 rout.
There were plenty of blowouts during the next 20 years, as the Bearcats carved a niche as one of the worst small-school programs in the state from the late 1990s through the late 2000s.
As has been documented, a talented group changed that beginning in 2014. In the years since, Burlingame has transcended from bottom-feeder to one of the top eight-man schools in Kansas. Beginning in 2015, the Bearcats have played in three state semifinals and entered the 2018 season with a 33-3 record in the past three years.
That remarkable run included three straight undefeated regular seasons — 27 wins marked mostly by domination against Lyon County League and district opponents.
Based on Friday night’s opener against Southern Coffey County, that streak and the Bearcats’ place among the top teams in the class will continue in 2018. Despite a plethora of new starters at multiple positions, Burlingame overwhelmed the Titans 58-8.
Familiar faces Montana Giffin and Seth Greenwood, who had solid seasons in 2017, did most of the damage, combining for 473 of the Bearcats’ 509 yards. Greenwood rushed for a career-high 241 yards and four touchdowns, while Giffin rushed for 124 yards, passed for 90 and had a hand in five scores.
Burlingame forced a three-and-out on the first possession and took a 6-0 lead on Giffin’s 1-yard plunge less than six minutes into the game. Giffin connected with Lucas Masters on the two-point conversion for an 8-0 edge.
Giffin pushed the advantage to 14-0 with a 52-yard scamper on a quarterback draw late in the first quarter, and the Bearcats led 22-0 on Greenwood’s 3-yard run early in the second quarter. Giffin broke loose on another long run moments later, cutting to his left, then back to the right on a 60-yard score to give Burlingame a 28-0 lead.
The Titans’ only score came on a trick play when Cooper Harred hit Dawson Leimkuhler on a fullback pass for 35 yards late in the second quarter to cut a 34-point lead to 26.
Burlingame countered with four straight touchdowns in the second half, including a 10-yard run from Giffin, 16-yard run from Greenwood and 18-yard pass from Greenwood to Giffin out of a wildcat formation in the third quarter.
Greenwood ended the game early in the fourth quarter with a 5-yard score.
SCC 0 8 0 0 — 8
BHS 16 18 18 6 — 58
Team SCC BHS
First downs 7 24
Rushes-Yds 13-(-7) 42-401
Passing Yds 157 108
Pass-Att-Int 9-27-2 8-19-0
Fumbles-Lost 4-2 1-0
Penalties 6-38 11-83
Punting None 3-31.3
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING: SCC – Richmond 4-8, Harred 4-(-5), Harvey 5-(-10); BHS – Greenwood 32-241, Giffin 7-124, Ledom 2-32, Turner 1-2.
PASSING: SCC – Harvey 8-26-2 122, Harred 1-1-0 35; BHS – Giffin 7-18-0 90, Greenwood 1-1-0 18.
RECEIVING: SCC – Leimkuhler 5-100, Ohl 4-57; BHS – Greenwood 4-45, Lewis 2-33, Thomas 1-22.