HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW : Burbank Schools Looking Uphill

They come, it seems, from opposite ends of the earth. But their purpose is the same.

First-year coaches Gary Bernardi and Dave Kemp are looking for victories and a way to win in the Foothill League.

But at Burroughs and Burbank highs, that’s a mountain of a task.

The Foothill is a league dominated by the Big Three: Hart, Canyon and Saugus. The Big Three advanced to the playoffs last year; the little two won a total of four games and one league game when Burbank beat Burroughs.

Some say it’s unfair, grouping two schools beset by declining enrollment with three powers in the burgeoning Santa Clarita Valley.

Bernardi, 38, comes to Burroughs after 12 seasons coaching in the Pacific 10 Conference at Arizona and USC. Fired last December, Bernardi took the Burroughs job because he needs a paycheck.

Kemp, 54, has been on the payroll at Burbank for 28 years, coaching successful golf, track and cross-country teams. And after Kemp started a boys’ soccer program in the 1980s, one would figure Kemp had accumulated enough service time to retire.

But now he’s a rookie head coach. And here he is throwing himself to the lions.

What the heck is he doing?

“I’m asking myself the same thing,” Kemp said.

Kemp and Bernardi face a daunting task, especially considering demographic changes in Burbank.

“We’ve had a demographic flip-flop at this school,” Kemp said. “We were 85% white five years ago. Now we’re 60% minority.”

Nothing wrong with that, he said, as long as one can get the newcomers to play football. Kemp said guard Gurdip Pallah (6 feet 3, 245 pounds), who moved here from rural India five years ago, is learning the game and could be one of his best players.

Pallah, however, is considered a rare find.

Bernardi and Kemp are not trying to sell their players on league championships--at least not this season. They’ll just try to be competitive.

Burroughs, which went 0-10 in 1992, has won three games in three years. Of the seniors, 17 played on the junior varsity last season.

“I don’t really understand what the emphasis was there,” Bernardi said, “but we’ll just try and take them one group at a time here.

“I’m not judging them on the past. It’s going to be difficult for me and difficult for them to try and turn this thing around. But we’re going to learn together.”

Bernardi has stocked his coaching staff with aggressive young guys with college experience: Former Burroughs standout quarterback Tom Tunnicliffe (Arizona), Todd Dellutri (USC), Keith Knoop (Glendale College) and Pat Blackburn (Cal State Northridge) lead the staff.

But the playing talent is sparse. Bernardi said his only preseason standouts are offensive lineman Mike Riely (6-4, 285), junior free safety Ken Knoop and kicker Anthony Perico.

Canyon Coach Harry Welch, who has racked up 114 victories in 11 seasons, said his Valley competition has comparable talent.

To which Kemp responds, “For every one big, fast or skilled guy I have, they have three.”

Burbank--a losing team two of the past three years--has some big, fast, skilled players this year, including eight returning starters.

Kemp said Burbank has the league’s most underrated quarterback in Brian Casey (6-3, 175), who runs a 4.8 40-yard dash, throws 60- to 70-yard bombs and “is just coming into his own.”

Tight end Willie Perryman (6-4, 215) was the league’s fastest sprinter until he suffered a broken foot last track season. Dan Cotti (6-5, 260) is a Division I prospect on the line, and Carlos Baker (four interceptions for touchdowns last year) and Vaughn Lucas are explosive in the backfield.

“But if any of them get hurt, we’re out of business,” Kemp said. “Hart, Canyon or Saugus? They just go to the well.”

Kemp knew the disadvantages but took the job anyway.

“I decided long ago, once I undertook something, I give it my best shot,” Kemp said. “I’m enthusiastic. I’m going to work hard. I’m not going to say this is an impossible situation.”

Kemp and Bernardi have not met. They probably won’t meet until they face each other on the field in the last game of the season. But Kemp can already guess their first topic.

Said Kemp, “We’ll probably commiserate.”

Foothill League at a Glance

1992 STANDINGS OVERALL LEAGUE PROJECTED FINISH Hart 11-1 4-0 Hart Saugus 7-3-1 3-1 Canyon Canyon 7-4 2-2 Saugus Burbank 4-6 1-3 Burbank Burroughs 0-10 0-4 Burroughs

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Player School Pos. Ht Wt Class Sean Connelly Canyon QB/DB 6-1 176 Sr. Soren Halladay Hart WR/SS 6-1 180 Sr. Chris Johnson Saugus FB/LB 6-1 1/2 218 Sr. Mike Kocicka Hart QB 6-3 205 Sr. John McLaughlin Hart WR/LB 6-4 220 Sr. Willie Perryman Burbank TE/DE 6-4 215 Sr. Freddy Polito Canyon RB/LB 5-8 181 Sr. David Pratchard Canyon OT/DE 6-5 263 Sr. Mike Riely Burroughs OL 6-4 285 Sr. Ed Williams Canyon RB/DB 5-8 166 Sr.