Bulldogs energized; it's on in flag football; volleyball showdown; Burries honored; and Savannah Bananas crash Tonight Show

The University of Redlands football team was not in full swagger mood last week. But there was some spring in the step of the Bulldogs after their season-opening 10-7 victory Sept. 6 against visiting eorge Fox University of Newberg, Oregon.

“We feel good,” veteran Bulldogs coach Jim Good said. “It was a game that gave us a good opportunity to learn. There were some execution problems and a lack of discipline at times. Penalties, missed assignments, things like that. Some of that is to be expected in a first game and with a new offensive system.”

Redlands is at NCAA Division III powerhouse Whitworth of Spokane this week, so it knows it must improve.

“We’ll benefit from a week of practice, and we hope things will continue to improve,” Good said.

Good likes the leadership of this year’s team, paced by Sami Abdul Majid, Ben Fitchett, and Laurence Williams.

The defense really came through for Redlands against George Fox. Jaeden Thorn had eight tackles to lead the way.

The week after the opener, the Bulldogs had their media day – a new thing for the storied program. Most Bulldog sports teams have these fun, photo-taking sessions.

I think media days are great. Mike Ditka might roll over in his grave, but it’s not 1965 anymore.

MIXED RESULTS

There were mostly positive results for area high school football teams last weekend. To wit: Cajon defeated Newport Harbor 38-35, Redlands East Valley downed Sonora 42-31, Yucaipa pounded Palm Desert 37-21, Upland topped Citrus Valley 31-17, Redlands defeated San Gorgonio 28-7, and Beaumont subdued Chaminade 27-14. In another game of keen interest, Centennial of Corona surged late to top nationally No. 1-ranked  Mater Dei of Santa Ana 43-36.

FOUR TEAMS VIE FOR FLAG

It’s early in the CBL flag football season but already the contenders are obvious.

Redlands East Valley headed into last weekend at 13-1 overall and 2-0 in the Citrus Belt League, with an important game coming up Tuesday against visiting Cajon (9-2, 1-1).

The Wildcats on Saturday lost three times in the El Toro Tournament at El Toro High in Lake Forest. REV dropped games to JSerra Catholic (19-0), Camarillo (28-21), and Classical Academy (34-32).

Beaumont (13-1, 1-0) picked up a huge 26-20 victory against host Cajon last Tuesday. The Cougars led 26-0 in the second half until Cajon’s Janiya Zamora scored three late touchdowns. Zamora is the niece of former Cajon stars Walter and Demontae Kazee who played in the NFL.

Sophomore quarterback Tessa Martinez excelled for Beaumont against Cajon.

“She’s figuring it out,” Beaumont coach Frank Kingsley said of Martinez. “She can chuck it, and she’s smart and she loves working. Not all kids love to work at it.”

Citrus Valley (3-7, 1-1) is tied for third with Cajon after defeating Yucaipa (6-5, 0-2) 26-13.

TERRIERS VS. COUGARS SET

Citrus Belt League girls volleyball begins with a bang on Tuesday when Redlands visits Beaumont.

Redlands (14-4) is the three-time defending league champion. Beaumont (6-2) is likely the team standing between the Terriers and a fourth consecutive title.

Heading into the weekend, Cajon (7-6), Yucaipa (6-10), REV (6-5) and Citrus Valley (3-7) look like teams searching for playoff berths.

Redlands finished second in the just-completed Freeway Games at Roosevelt High in Eastvale and Corona Santiago.

Earlier in the week, the Terriers defeated Xavier Prep in their final non-league home match. The Redlands victory snapped Xavier Prep’s seven-match winning streak.

Sophomore outside hitter Jaydee Zook had 13 kills and junior outside hitter Kameryn Carpenter and senior opposite Charlee Willis chipped in with eight kills each.

Senior setter Natallia Caravia contributed 20 assists and 10 digs. Senior libero Ava Reyes had 17 digs with Carpenter adding 13. Soph defensive specialist Gianna Corona chipped in with 11 digs. Jocelyn McNairy contributed four kills and a solo block. Freshman Gia Johnson had two block assists.

JESSICA (GRANADOS) LOPEZ HONORED

Beaumont High girls volleyball coach Jessica (Granados) Lopez was one of the recent inductees into the Cougars’ inaugural Hall of Fame Class. Lopez starred at Beaumont and Cal State San Bernardino.

“Heck yeah!” said Jadon Williams via Instagram. “So well deserved.”

Other Beaumont Hall of Famers: Brandon Tedrow, Shelese Ruffin,  Amanda Hendy, Kameryn (Hebenton) Kinney, Jonas Lewis, and the 1967 section football title team.

BOBBY BURRIES FETED

One of San Bernardino County’s own, Bobby Burries, has been honored.

Burries was recently named to the California Collegiate Athletic Association Hall of Fame for his spectacular basketball play at Cal State San Bernardino.

Burries was one of the Coyotes’ stars in the early 2000s when they captured six consecutive conference titles. A Pacific High graduate, Burries led the Coyotes to three of those championships. He was named CCAA Player of the Year as a sophomore and senior.

The Coyotes went 75-13 during Burries’ tenure and he was named an All-American three times.

THAT OTHER BURRIES

Bobby Burries son Brayden, of course, is also sensational.

Last season Brayden scored a state Open Division title game record of 44 points to lead Roosevelt High of Eastvale to a stunning 80-60 rout of a loaded Archbishop Riordan of San Francisco team.

Brayden was named a McDonald’s All-American, California’s Mr. Basketball, and signed to play with the University of Arizona.

Besides having Bobby Burries as a dad, Brayden’s mother Hannah played college softball at Tennessee and basketball at Cal State San Bernardino.

FALLON GOES BANANAS

Members of the popular Savannah Bananas baseball team, including Arrowhead Christian Academy grad Robert Anthony Cruz, appeared Wednesday night on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

They danced, they frolicked, and they did Savannah Banana-like things with Cruz front and center.

“That’s bananas!” wrote mamacitasde6 on IG. “Sooo cool!”

Banana Ball is in Seattle Sept. 19-20 as the merriment continues.

CITRUS VALLEY, ACA, PACKINGHOUSE EXCEL

The Citrus Valley High boys runners finished 14th out of 70 teams that competed in the Rosemead Invitational on Saturday, posting 538 points.

The Citrus Valley girls finished 13th in their division with 487 points.

Evan Rout, a junior, finished 16th in the junior class race and 40th overall with a time of 15:35.0. Jonah Duffy, a sophomore, took seventh in the sophomore boys race and 64th overall in 15:47.6.

In the girls' division, with times from all classes merged, freshman Alyssa Castaneda of Citrus Valley placed 12th overall in 18:05.0 for three miles. She was the runner-up in the ninth-grade race. Abrielle Ontiveros, a sophomore, took 18th place in the sophomore race and 74th overall in 19:30.7. Isabelle Castaneda, a junior, was 29th in the junior class race in 20:34.3.

Arrowhead Christian Academy won the boys team title at the Grant Nunnally Invitational on Saturday at the Ben Clark Safety Training Center in Riverside with 60 points. Packinghouse Christian of Redlands took sixth place with 246 points. The ACA girls placed second in the team scoring with 72 points while Packinghouse Christian had 225 points, good for seventh place.

Benjamin Sams, a sophomore at ACA, ran a personal best of 16:46.54 in placing  fourth, just ahead of senior teammate Micah Slagter (17:12.08) in fifth. ACA's Elijah Talamantez, a sophomore, was 10th in 17:56.59. Liam Urista was the top Packinghouse runner, taking 36th place in 19:29.67.

Leah Slagter, a sophomore, finished second in the girls varsity three-mile in 19:05.19 to lead the ACA girls effort. Olivia Shammon, a freshman at ACA, was seventh in 21:26.11. Jaden Bauerfeind of Packinghouse took 22nd in 22:58.61.

Reach John Murphy at berdooman@gmail.com and follow at @PrepDawg2.