Watching live local sports is finally coming back as the pandemic-driven closings and rescheduling abates. Rescheduling delays are what put basketball on the sports page in June. And the BHS Panthers have made the most of it by winning the CCS championship in dramatic fashion. The Daily Journal has the story
The seventh time was the charm for Jeff Dowd. In his second stint as head coach of the Burlingame Panthers, the architect of one of the most consistently dominant public school programs in the Bay Area finally earned a section championship on Saturday night as his team downed the previously unbeaten Santa Cruz Cardinals, 43-39, in the CCS Division III Championship Game.
No matter how big or small Dowd’s teams are, no matter whether they’re underclassmen or seniors, defense has been a constant for the Panthers, and it showed up in a big way on Saturday. Second-seeded Burlingame (11-4) held the Cardinals 22 points lower than their season average, only allowing double-digit points in one quarter.
This is quite a feather for Coach Dowd's cap given that the team is mostly underclassmen. With a bevy of juniors returning next season, this run could go on for quite some time. Congrats all around, Panthers. That banner will look sweet in the gym!
.......and now the update about the CCS Champ Panther baseball team.........best Voice post update ever! From the Daily Journal piece
There are generally only two reasons baseball players get dirty. One, because they play hard. Two, because they’re running the bases a lot. The No. 6-seed Panthers (18-9) did both to the max to stun No. 4 Los Altos in claiming their first CCS title since 2010, their third all-time, and the first in (Coach Shawn) Scott’s 11 years at the helm. While starting pitcher Max Alvira went the distance — allowing single runs in the first and third before closing the championship run with goose eggs through the final four frames — the Panthers’ offense was circling the bases with abandon.
And these two Panthers are cut from the Neon Deion Sanders two-sport mold
“We didn’t have the biggest guys, we didn’t have the most skilled team, but we grinded every pitch,” Burlingame junior Lou Martineau said. Martineau has bragging rights over any player involved in Saturday’s game. Having also played Burlingame hoops for a team that captured the CCS Division III boys’ basketball crown June 12, the junior is the only Panther to have started on two CCS champions this season. Junior Sean Richardson, a basketball starter and baseball reserve, also celebrated both titles.
Kudos to Coach Scott and Coach Dowd--this will be a year to remember and that pair of banners will look great in the gym. Click through to the DJ piece to see the dogpile victory photo that is just like this one. The 2021 win even had a similar outfield-infield DP!
Very cool. Awesome for the kids and what must be a great feeling to end the year on after being 1.5yrs of barely walking on campus.
Good luck to the basketball players who play baseball as well. Varsity baseball plays Aragon today @ 4p in the D3 CCS Semi Finals.
Hanging a couple banners this year would be really special for BHS.
Posted by: Barking Dog | June 16, 2021 at 02:41 PM
Going for the second banner on Saturday at Los Altos:
Aragon starting pitcher Ty Barrango had shut down the Burlingame bat through the first four innings and thanks to a pair of Jace Jeremiah solo home runs, was pitching with a 2-0 lead in the semifinals of the Central Coast Section Division III bracket in San Mateo.
In the top of the fifth, however, the Dons opened the door and the Panthers kicked it in. Jonny Suarez’s three-run laser shot to left swung the momentum into the Burlingame dugout, which they carried to an 8-2 win and a spot in Saturday’s championship game.
https://bit.ly/3iMbKpN
Posted by: Joe | June 17, 2021 at 12:42 PM
BHS wins the Division III CCS Championship over Los Altos High School 10-2.
Posted by: KRN- Panther Baseball | June 19, 2021 at 06:56 PM
Very Cool!
Had to win 3 on the road too...
Posted by: Barking Dog | June 20, 2021 at 09:48 AM