Burbank celebrates a moment in the sun with rare win over McClatchy

For the first time all year, a pair of Burbank fans loudly rang cowbells after a game Friday night at Hughes Stadium. Senior quarterback Quantrell Jackson, who scowled through a slog of a loss to River City two weeks ago, had a bright smile on his face. The postgame speech in the end zone was short and sweet.

The Titans were winners Friday, topping winless McClatchy 38-6. With head coach Eddie Elders at home with his new baby, the assistants managed Burbank to rare territory for this season.

“We played a full game,” said defensive coordinator Terence Simien, who is normally the defensive backs coach. “We’ve been preaching that all season. Took us nine games to get there, but I’ll take it.”

There were plenty of times where Burbank looked far from a winless team that forfeited a game last week against Monterey Trail because of low roster numbers. Thank Jackson, in part, for how the Titans looked Friday. The senior quarterback completed 16 of 27 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns while he ran for another. A shifty runner for a 6-foot-4 signal-caller, Jackson is hearing from community colleges that might have a use for a large quarterback with a strong arm.

He had plenty of help. When Tommy Da wasn’t busy with his two interceptions, he was making toe-tapping sideline grabs to move the chains. Running back Curley Washington slipped past defenders all night.

“It’s a great thing,” Jackson said. “It’s senior night for us, so to get a win, it really means a lot.”

It’s not like Burbank doesn’t know how to win. The program used to regularly produce players like Elder, who had a stint in the NFL. McClatchy has played football since the 1930s, but the last playoff team was in 1996. Coach Malcolm Floyd, who spent 12 seasons with the Chargers in the NFL, hopes to end that skid, too.

Despite the rough season, Jackson hasn’t lost his sense of humor. During pregame introductions for the seniors, the announcer loudly told the crowd what the kids plan to do after high school. One of his fellow seniors was going to work as a cook at McDonald’s, the announcer told the crowd. Another was going to work the drive-through. Jackson plans to work as a cashier, the crowd was told.

“We all thought, since it’s our last game as a Titan at home, why not have some fun with it,” Jackson said.

Fun has been in short supply during games for Burbank. During a loss to River City two weeks ago, Jackson was scowling on the sidelines because of myriad problems the Titans were having snapping the ball. It’s a basic thing, but that’s where this young Titans team is at.

“It means a lot to get a win because Burbank has a winning tradition,” Simien said. “We’re not used to losing. At all. For us to go this long without a win was unfamiliar. For us to be able to get a win, it’s big. Especially for the seniors.”

After the game, Burbank walked off with smiles and dreams of knocking off Kennedy next week, McClatchy players were having a very different night. A somber gathering listened to postgame advice.

“There’s quite a few people who didn’t win in high school and they went on to great things,” one speaker told the group.

The players listened intently, some shifting their weight from foot to foot. Yeah, but a win would have been nice.

This story was originally published October 26, 2019 at 7:53 AM.