Shirley Earns All CIF Honors!

BURBANK - Half-dozen football players from area schools receive All-CIF accolades.

Talent was abundant last season for the football teams from Burbank, Burroughs and Bellarmine-Jefferson highs.

While all three squads made the postseason, the Indians and Bulldogs were able to share the Pacific League championship.

The talent from the three teams wasn’t lost on their CIF Southern Section peers, as six area players have earned All-CIF awards.

Each school had a first-team honoree, as Burroughs senior running back Dalton Williams, Burbank junior running back Ulises Ochoa and Bell-Jeff junior running back/defensive back Micah Shirley were honored. Williams took Southeast Division honors and Shirley made the Northwest Division team.

Making the second team were Burroughs senior offensive lineman Justin Mayorga, teammate Charlie Hosea, a senior linebacker, and Bulldogs’ junior linebacker Ryan Seidler.

Shirley was an all-around contributor for the Guards.

He was moved from receiver to running back midway through the season and had 87 carries for 1,000 yards on the ground. He also caught 46 passes for 676 yards and scored 25 total touchdowns.

On defense, he had six interceptions as a defensive back.

The Guards (6-5) finished third in the Santa Fe League and lost in the first round of the Northeast playoffs to Boron, 36-25.

Williams proved to be an offensive juggernaut for the Indians. He had 196 carries for 1,529 yards (7.8 yards a carry) and 21 touchdowns.

This yardage total put him fourth on the Indians’ all-time single-season rushing list.

Instrumental in helping Williams gain the yardage was Mayorga, who was an important part of the Burroughs offensive line.

On defense, Hosea paced the Indians. He was dominating, leading the team with 141 tackles. He averaged 12.8 tackles a game.

Burroughs (7-4) captured a share of their second league title in four years. The team fell in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Southeast playoffs to Diamond Ranch, 41-18, which advanced to the division title game.

Pacing the Bulldogs on defense was Seidler, who always seemed to be around the ball. Seidler led the team with 101 tackles.

Ochoa was an offensive force for Burbank. He set the school record for rushing yardage in a season with 1,504, breaking Marcus Hoods’ 2006 mark of 1,268. Along with 179 carries and an 8.4-yards-per-carry average, he also scored 15 touchdowns.

Burbank (9-2) was able to win a share of its first league title in 37 yards.

For the second year in a row, the Bulldogs advanced to the second round of the playoffs. After defeating Alhambra, 21-14, in the first round, Burbank fell to California, 24-21.

Jeff Tully