Little Bigger Game 2014

Under a roasting sun more reminiscient of a BHS graduation ceremony than a Fall classic, the Panthers held on to The Paw for another year by beating San Mateo 30-21 in the 87th annual contest.  The annual spectacle was even bigger than usual since the U.S. Marine Corps selected the game as one of a hundred Great American Rivalry games--which of course it is.

In 2004, iHigh, Inc. created the Great American Rivalry Series to celebrate this uniquely American sport and the cultural phenomenon of “Friday Night in America.” The Series has since spotlighted high school football games in nearly 40 states. The Series shines the spotlight on top high school football rivalries across the nation, where long-standing traditions are valued, expectations are sky-high, and fans are committed.

The Panthers jumped out to a 21-0 lead on the strength of a pair of Gindraux brothers' TD passes, but could not pull away from the Bearcats who benefited from some timely BHS fumbles and a long punt return TD.  As usual, the game was only part of the spectacle with cheer squads and the bands from both schools performing at half time.  The game is also being streamed in replay at BAOSN TV.  Big gets bigger every year!

Here is one one touchdown pass, the Marine display and the awarding of The Paw by the principal which will go back in the building until next year.

By the way, the B'game Police were very kind to have announcer John Horgan warn the crowd three times that if they were illegally parked on Oak Grove, they would be towed.  The new bleachers looked great, too.

Comments

[Joe]

Just to finish the 2014 story, here is the summary of Friday's game from the Times:

APTOS -- It will be another Aptos-St. Ignatius matchup in the Central Coast Section Division III final.

Defending champion Aptos, which knocked off St. Ignatius in the 2013 final, advanced with a 29-6 win over Burlingame, which had its season come to an end in the CCS semifinals for the second consecutive year.

"We're knocking on the door," Burlingame coach John Philipopoulos said. "Next year we've got to knock the darn door down."

The Panthers (10-2) had to play its most important game of the year without Griffin Intrieri, the team's 1,000-yard running back. Intrieri injured an ankle last week in Burlingame's 21-7 win over Aragon in the quarterfinals. Fullback Laipeli Palu did all he could to try to make up for Intrieri's absence, carrying 23 times for 138 yards.

"He wouldn't go down," Mariners coach Randy Blankenship said. "He's the best back we faced all year. Big heart. Too bad (Intrieri) wasn't in there."

But Palu, a 215-pound junior, felt little solace in his performance.

"It's the loss that gets to me," Palu said. " I wish I could play another game with Griffin, another game with all the seniors. I love all of them."

[Joe]

The 2018 story has a story-book ending:

The Burlingame football team, in the Central Coast Section Division IV championship game against Peninsula Athletic League rival Carlmont Saturday night in Redwood City, had 189 yards rushing — its lowest total since a 133-yard performance in a 33-12 win over Hillsdale Oct. 12.

But the Panthers threw for 132 yards and three touchdowns, their most since 147-yard effort in a 27-26 win over Half Moon Bay Sept. 21.

Add in another dominant defensive performance and it added up to Burlingame winning its first CCS title since 2004, a 38-0 shellacking of the Scots.

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/sports/local/burlingame-wins-first-ccs-title-since/article_0a0b7932-f6d6-11e8-aecb-c709fd916dce.html

[Joe]

Here's some info from John Horgan about the most unusual Little Big Game ever:

The pandemic has altered the course of our normal lives in so many ways it’s hard to know where to begin to list them all. But another one looms this week. The 93rd Little Big Game will be played at night for the first time in memory.

But this Friday’s 7 p.m. game will mark a major departure in that tradition in a number of ways. For starters, the crowd, typically 3,000 or more, will be severely limited to adhere to the district’s pandemic protocol.

There will be no marching bands, no snack shacks, no large reunion events, no rallies, no dances, none of the typical hoopla that surrounds this hoary contest. In fact, it is actually the pandemic-delayed 2020 version of the Little Big Game that was scheduled to be played last November but wasn’t.

It’s important to point out that the LBG is more than a high school football encounter on the Peninsula. It has become an enduring institution, a community rallying point that goes back generations.

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/columnists/pandemic-has-moved-little-big-game/article_4f3d6048-9cbe-11eb-b435-8b6647913a2f.html#utm_source=smdailyjournal.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fheadlines%2F%3F-dc%3D1618408805&utm_medium=email&utm_content=read%20more

I like that last sentence. It would be great to hear John's announcing on the stadium PA audible all over the southern part of town.

[Just Sayin']

Horgan is mostly a football guy and that's OK. If he really wanted to highlight a big FIRST in Burlingame sports he should have written about the LBG and the traditional Serra vs. Burlingame baseball game that is playing at the same time tomorrow night on the ballfield. We will never see this again. Hell we may not even see it tomorrow. What is the admission policy for the LBG? You can watch the baseball game easier.

[Joe]

Here is a great write-up about a great game. Well done, Panthers. Not many vs. Serra games go this well :-)

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/sports/local/serra-baseball-shoots-down-burlingame-in-extras/article_e82fc31e-9f47-11eb-bbe3-6f3d24213c5c.html#utm_source=smdailyjournal.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fheadlines%2F%3F-dc%3D1618668010&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline

[Joe]

12 in a row....oh, my:

Rivalry games are always accompanied by a warning to throw out both teams’ records.

That may be true, but don’t throw out strength of schedule.

The San Mateo Bearcats entered the 94th Little Big Game undefeated but had yet to play a team anywhere near Burlingame’s caliber, and the gap in competition was evident from the start as the Panthers raced out to a 27-0 lead before the end of the first quarter and went on to win 37-7, extending their winning streak over their longtime rivals to 12.

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/sports/local/burlingame-football-claims-the-paw-in-94th-little-big-game-against-san-mateo/article_0af235a8-407e-11ec-ad04-0b29d86785d1.html?utm_source=smdailyjournal.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fheadlines%2F%3F-dc%3D1636383603&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline