For Burlingame’s 38-7 win over San Mateo on Saturday in the 91st Little Big Game, the Panthers’ ninth straight victory in San Mateo County’s oldest rivalry, here are nine thoughts, fast facts and other observations:
- Lucas Meredith is all that and then some.
The Burlingame sophomore didn’t find the end zone, a rare occasion, but he still picked up 109 yards on 18 carries. For a team that thrives behind star running backs, as has been the case over the last 15 years with players like Ilan Lesov and Griffin Intrieri, to have an outstanding sophomore at the position puts the Panthers in excellent shape for the coming years.
- Burlingame can compete, regardless of roster size.
Before JV callups, the Panthers had suited up a maximum of 28 players, and that number was in the low 20s yesterday with injuries. At times, assistant coaches have had to fill in at practices for full 11-on-11 scenarios. Still, Burlingame went 8-2, with losses against two very solid opponents (Sacred Heart Prep and Live Oak), plus a win over Half Moon Bay and a league title which was earned by beating King’s Academy.
- Taylor Kaufman is more than just a kicker.
The Burlingame sophomore has shown the ability to hit on field goals from beyond 40 yards, but that’s not all he can do. He’s a prolific receiver, with four catches on Saturday for 48 yards, and he’s one of the team’s best defensive backs, with a lunging play to break up a deep pass. Burlingame has always had good kickers, but he may be the best since 2013 graduate Chris Graham, who also played tight end and linebacker and went on to kick at Colorado.
- The Panthers can throw.
Jordan Malashus completed nine of 12 passes for 118 yards and a pair of touchdowns. While Burlingame is still a run-first team, and probably will be as long as John Philipopoulos is coaching, the Panthers have been at their best when they have the ability to throw. Their best teams under Philipopoulos have all had strong quarterback play, from Drew Shiller in the early 2000s to Avery Gindraux and Cameron Kelaita in more recent years. Like Malashus, who’s only a junior, all were multi-year starters.
- San Mateo has reason to be hopeful that the triple option will lead to success.
The Bearcats may have gone just 3-7 and scored just 130 points on the season, but the new system they adopted before this season takes a while to pick up. With quarterback Luke Bergstrom back next year, they’ll have some familiarity. It’s a style that relies heavily on line play, and two more years with Soane Kolokihakaufisi should certainly help in that regard.
- It’s nice to hear something different.
Unlike many of the local high schools, which take a college fight song and repurpose it, Burlingame and San Mateo both have original fight songs, a nice touch for two older schools.
- Burlingame is looking like a refined team at the right time.
Had it not been for turnovers, the Panthers could have beaten a Sacred Heart Prep team that finished second in the Bay Division. With just one yesterday, this looks like a team that can seriously compete in an excellent Division IV field. Yes, the nine penalties were more than in recent weeks, but none were particularly damaging and should be just a one-week issue.
- This won’t usually be a division matchup.
As was the case in 2013, Burlingame wrapped up the PAL Ocean title with this win, it likely won’t usually be a contest between division foes. With the league titles in both the varsity and JV divisions, expect Burlingame to move back up to the Bay Division next year, and with the amount of returning talent the Panthers will have, they may be there for a while.
- This rivalry has become increasingly one-sided.
Burlingame’s current nine-game streak in the series is the longest in Little Big Game history, and the Panthers have won 20 of the last 22 matchups dating back to 1997. In the current nine-game streak, four of those games have finished with a running clock, and yesterday’s was close to becoming a fifth.
Jeff Scheller coaches his team well, but over the past nine years, it’s clear that Burlingame has had the upper hand, usually by a considerable margin. Most of the recent close games in the series have seen San Mateo score on a pass from a wide receiver or half back, which they tried underway but were unable to complete. The gap seems to be in resources, which is surprising considering that the schools draw from nearby areas and offer similar academic excellence, as exhibited by quantitative means such as test scores and college acceptances, as well as by qualitative means such as student satisfaction and opportunities for challenged students to improve. The culture seems to make a bigger difference than anything, as San Mateo seems to place far more emphasis on the arts.
As this storied matchup has become increasingly unbalanced, one is the biggest changes has been in terms of atmosphere. What was once a standing room-only crowd was roughly 75% full on the Burlingame side and less so for San Mateo. Even with some of the old traditions — both bands and cheer squads performing, with the Burlingame cheerleaders doing their traditional kickline, which has become something of a running gag — it seems the fans want a competitive game, and this decade, there just haven’t been many to speak of.
