By Ernie W. Webb III
BURLINGAME – I often reminisce about the old days while I’m walking the sideline during a Burlingame football game. Notice I didn’t say “good” before days, as many of those memories of Friday Night Lights aren’t exactly great ones.
This Friday, I couldn’t help but think how far the Bearcats have come in the last decade. In the old days, merely beating a team like Waverly seemed like a pipe dream. These days, beating longtime Lyon County League stalwarts soundly, like Burlingame did 54-8 in the opening round of the Eight-Man II playoffs, is par for the course.
“We have high standards here, and we’re proud of that,” said Burlingame coach Jeff Slater, whose team has won 15 postseason games and reached four state semifinals in his 12 seasons. “This has been a fun group to coach. They work hard and give us everything they have.”
The Bearcats (6-3) had little trouble with the Bulldogs (3-6), racing to a 24-0 lead in the first quarter behind three touchdowns from quarterback Danny Cain, who continued a stellar senior season with 196 total yards.
Burlingame forced a three-and-out on Waverly’s first possession, and senior Brock Moon blocked the punt to set up a short field. Cain scored on his team’s second play from scrimmage, sprinting 38 yards on a keeper. Moon hauled in the conversion pass from sophomore Blake Middleton to extend the lead to 8-0 less than four minutes into the game.
The Bearcats got a fourth-down stop on the Bulldogs’ next series, and Burlingame pushed the lead to 14-0 on Cain’s 10-yard jaunt midway through the first quarter. Moon’s conversion on a pass from Cain made it 16-0.
The advantage grew to 22-0 three minutes later after another blocked punt when Middleton caught a swing pass from Cain and rumbled 21 yards for a score. Cain hit Drake Skirvin on the conversion for a 24-0 edge after the opening frame.
“We had the running game working tonight,” Slater said. “The offensive line did a nice job opening things up.”
Waverly cut the deficit to 24-8 early in the second on a 1-yard run by quarterback Dustin Foster, but Burlingame countered with 16 points in less than three minutes to blow the game open.
Cain crossed the goal line from 5 yards out, and Jude Aguilar scored on a 14-yard run. Middleton and Moon added the conversions, and the Bearcats led 40-8 at the half.
“I’m proud of the kids and happy for this senior class,” Slater said. “They deserved to win a home playoff game and to keep playing.”
Burlingame needed less than three minutes to put the game to bed in the second half. First, Cain scored on a 23-yard run at the 9:35 mark of the third period, and Skirvin hauled in the conversion pass. After the Bearcats recovered a squib kick, senior David Noonan roared 31 yards for the game-ending touchdown.
Burlingame won despite committing 12 penalties for 74 yards, including six on one possession in the first half.
“We’ve been working on the penalties in practice, and that will continue to remain a focus,” Slater said. “A lot of the penalties are coming on motion plays designed to get our running game going. The kids know that we cannot afford to do that the further you advance in the playoffs.”
Burlingame’s next task is a daunting one. The Bearcats travel to top-ranked Hanover, a traditional state power and a team that ended Axtell’s 58-game winning streak two weeks ago. Burlingame ended the Wildcats’ season in the playoffs last year.
“We know Hanover is going to be tough, and we respect their program a great deal,” Slater said. “Our goal is to play our best football and compete. I know the kids will play hard.”
Against Waverly, Cain had 147 yards rushing and accounted for five touchdowns (four rushing and one passing). Middleton added 50 total yards, Noonan 31 and Skirvin 28. Foster paced the Bulldogs with 97 yards, including 51 rushing.
BURLINGAME 54. WAVERLY 8
Waverly 0 8 0 X — 8
Burlingame 24 16 14 X — 54
First Quarter
BHS – Cain 38 run (Moon pass from Middleton)
BHS – Cain 10 run (Moon pass from Cain)
BHS – Middleton 21 pass from Cain (Skirvin pass from Cain)
Second Quarter
WHS – Foster 1 run (Stice pass from Foster)
BHS – Cain 15 run (Middleton run)
BHS – Aguilar 14 run (Moon pass from Cain)
Third Quarter
BHS – Cain 23 run (Skirvin pass from Cain)
BHS – Noonan 31 run (End of game)
GAME IN FIGURES
WHS BHS
First downs 4 11
Rushes-Yards 20-87 22-221
Passing 5-13-1 5-11-2
Passing yards 46 49
Total yards 133 270
Punts 1-21 1-25
Fumbles-lost 3-1 0-0
Penalties 6-39 12-74
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Waverly: Foster 10-51, McNabb 6-34, Stice 3-2, C. Ohl 1-0. Burlingame: Cain 16-149, Noonan 1-31, Middleton 4-29, Aguilar 1-14.
RECEIVING – Waverly: Stice 2-21, C. Ohl 2-14, H. Ohl 1-11. Burlingame: Skirvin 4-28, Middleton 1-21.
PASSING – Waverly: Foster 5-13-1 46. Burlingame: Cain 5-11-2 49.