First published in the Jan. 29, 2022, print issue of the Burbank Leader.
John Burroughs High senior Nancy Baylor scored a game-high nine goals as the Bears crushed intracity rival Burbank, 24-6, in a Pacific League girls’ water polo matchup on Wednesday.
Despite building a 16-5 lead at halftime, Burroughs never let up while finishing on an 11-2 scoring run in the last half and extending its season-best win streak to six games.
“It feels great; I love playing my best in an environment like this,” Baylor said. “I think it’s important that we know each other so well in the pool, and it really translates over into our games. We just get better quarter after quarter.”
Despite already having the victory locked up, Bears seniors Clarissa Robles and Makenna Palamara found the net three times each in the final quarter to bring their totals to seven and six goals, respectively.
“We were ready. We came out prepared and serious about the game — it was a friendly rivalry game,” JBHS head coach Jacob Cook said.
Bears senior Kelly Long and junior teammate Isabella Medina each finished with one goal.
Burroughs led 5-3 and opened the second quarter on a 3-0 scoring run before Burbank’s Julie Kim scored her third and final goal of the match. Kim tied the game twice earlier in the first quarter, but Burroughs gained a lead it would never relinquish after a behind-the-back goal by Baylor made it 3-2 with 3:52 remaining.
“Julie is my star. She is honestly my best player offensively and defensively, her work ethic is insane and she has this tenacity about her that is like — she just works, works, works until she can’t go anymore,” Burbank head coach Melani Aghazarian said. “She worked as hard as she could but it’s not a one-person game and at the end of the day; the girls were just overmatched.”
Parelie Baghdasarianss scored her lone goal in the first quarter, Vana Matevosian scored once in the third quarter and Valentina Angel registered Burbank’s final goal with 44 seconds remaining in the last quarter.
The Bears (5-0 league record, 9-3 overall) finished league play this week after visiting Glendale on Friday, Jan. 28; the result was unavailable by the Leader’s deadline.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs (9-10 overall, 2-4 in league) will visit Hoover High to conclude league action on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 3:30 p.m.
