Nitros stung from start

SOUTHEAST GLENDALE — The Glendale High football team’s vision of slowing down visiting Burroughs over the course of Friday night’s Pacific League game at Moyse Field never materialized, mainly because the Nitros couldn’t slow the rapid pace at which the Indians put points on the scoreboard in the first quarter.

Burroughs’ 41-3 victory, which kept the Indians perfect in league at 5-0, while dropping to the Nitros to 0-5, was rooted in an early explosion of defensive and offensive scoring that saw the Indians take a 14-0 lead within the first five minutes, a three-score lead by the end of the first quarter and a commanding 34-3 margin into halftime.

“Our goal is to go do what we do and try to score every way that we can, defensively and offensively, special teams,” said Burroughs Coach Keith Knoop, whose team was led by 176 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 13 carries by running back Dalton Williams. “Any team that you play, getting up by two touchdowns quickly is important.”

Glendale quarterback Moises Chavez, who completed 10 of 18 passes for 69 yards, was intercepted on the Nitros’ second play from scrimmage by Kohl Adams at the Glendale 40-yard line.

Adams returned the play to the goal line, where he fumbled into the end zone. The ball was recovered by the Indians’ Andrew McKnight for a touchdown with 1:12 elapsed in the first quarter.

The Nitros (1-8) had to punt after three plays on their next drive, setting up Burroughs to drive 55 yards in four plays, including a 35-yard Williams run and a six-yard scoring pass from Tyler Yanez to Alexander Flemming at the 7:53 mark.

“We’ve been out of games by the end of the first quarter, so our theme was let’s try to get through the first quarter, and by doing that, let’s play minute to minute,” Nitros Coach Alan Eberhart said. “[Our plan was] let’s try to win the first minute, let’s stay in the second minute. They scored in the first minute, so, so much for the game plan.

“It’s hard, especially when a team is struggling, to fall behind right away. When things are going your way, that ball [that Adams fumbled] rolls out the back of the end zone for a touchback.”

Burroughs (6-2) mounted an eight-play 75-yard drive that culminated in four-yard Williams run at the 1:41 mark of the first quarter.

On the Indians’ next possession, Glendale’s Linden Anderson intercepted Yanez on a tipped pass attempt at the Nitros 10-yard line, returning it to the Glendale 34-yard line.

The Nitros’ drive stalled at the Burroughs 47-yard line, but Glendale was able to recover a muffed punt return at the Indians 25-yard line with 9:00 left in the first half.

That turnover led to the Nitros’ lone score of the night, a 44-yard field goal off the foot of Richard Anaya with 6:57 left in the second quarter.

“We’ve just got to keep our heads up and keep fighting through it,” Eberhart said. “It makes it tough when you can’t get breaks, then you kill yourself with interceptions.”