‘We’re coming for Metro’: Burbank’s secondary makes statement in win over rival Kennedy
Jamaree Johnson’s football helmet is covered in stickers, which are awarded by Burbank coaches for pass deflections and interceptions. Johnson’s helmet stands out because Burbank’s coaches can be stingy handing out the awards, relative to other teams.
He’ll be adding to his sticker collection soon. Johnson had an interception Friday night as the Titans secondary took a star turn in a 14-12 win over Kennedy. Three different Burbank defenders had interceptions; two were returned for touchdowns but got called back because of illegal blocks. The Titans also recovered a fumble as their defense ruled a Metro League opener.
“We’re the best secondary in the Metro,” Johnson said. “It’s a statement. We’re here. We’re coming for Metro.”
Fittingly, Burbank’s first points came from the defense. The Titans earned a safety early in the first quarter after Kennedy made a goal-line stand to earn the ball inches from the end zone.
Johnson spent the night matched up with Mekhi Callahan-Gray, Kennedy’s top receiver. Callahan-Gray got behind the defense for a 76-yard touchdown score with 5:55 left in the second quarter and a 12-8 Kennedy lead, but that was the last time the Cougars would score.
“The game was fun, fun playing against the best (Callahan-Gray). One on one, nobody does a better job than me. I just like to fly around the ball,” Johnson said.
Immediately after Kennedy’s final touchdown, Burbank’s Quadir Chouteau streaked 80 yards, untouched, on the kickoff return and the Titans had a lead that would last two and a half quarters.
Coach Eddie Elder just shook his head after.
“When we play Kennedy, it’s always a weird game. Oh my gosh,” he said. “We had a plan for their receivers, I know our DBs our pretty talented, so I wanted to bracket their No. 1 receiver. We were trying to make everybody else beat us.”
Nobody could.
Johnson had a second-quarter interception that ended a Kennedy drive in Burbank territory. Trevaun Robinson had an interception in the third quarter near midfield and he scooped up a Kennedy fumble in the fourth quarter. And Meikhi Blackshire had an interception around midfield in the fourth quarter. That last stop got the Titans offense on the field for a 10-play drive that ended at the Kennedy 23-yard line with 23 seconds left, effectively ending the game.
It was a frustrating finish for Kennedy coach Brian Lewis, who watched his defensive line camp out in the Burbank backfield for much of the game. Lewis kept interrupting a postgame interview to talk to players, telling a frustrated running back to let go of his emotion, finishing with a hug and an “I love you.”
“It’s just unfortunate circumstances that these kids are learning little parts of the game that change the game,” Lewis said in a rare quiet moment. “They know they went out there and earned the win and they didn’t get the victory.”
Still, the Kennedy defense had more than a few positives. There was a blocked punt that led to the Cougars starting at the 12-yard line and getting an 18-yard touchdown pass from Elijah Franklin to Antonio Allen. And the Kennedy defense only allowed one scoring drive. Many of the Cougars are young, with just two seniors on that penetrating defensive line. They’ll be back again for another rivalry matchup with Burbank next year.
“A lot of stuff has been stirred up in the past. We want to make it fun for them. Both coaches. So it’s not so much of a battle,” Lewis said. “I want to get the negativity out of stuff. There’s so many bad things out there, but both of these teams played well tonight.”
Elder, the Burbank coach, would agree with that. While the Titans have the upper hand in the longtime series, it’s still a fun atmosphere. Sure, they’re in different neighborhoods. But these schools and the kids on the teams are connected.
“We’re in the middle of Florin (road), they’re on the end of Florin,” Elder said. “They all know each other, so it’s bragging rights. So when I see you around, I can talk about that. It’s never hard feelings with us. We’re gonna compete.”