Kyle sets school rushing record

Alan Eberhart will be happy to see Thomas Kyle in a cap and gown in

June when the Burroughs High football player graduates.

For three years, Eberhart has seen Kyle do his share of damage

against his Crescenta Valley High squad.

Kyle was awesome again on Friday, rushing for a career-high 239

yards and two touchdowns in 15 carries in the Indians’ 25-0 victory

against Crescenta Valley at Memorial Field.

“I’m going to his graduation,” Eberhart joked about Kyle, who has

gained 483 rushing yards in three varsity meetings against the

Falcons. “I’m going to get him a gift.

“He’s a great player. Our defense played a lot better, but our

players are going up against a great player.”

Kyle showed off his brilliance early, as he broke a tackle behind

the line of scrimmage and another at it en route to a 59-yard

first-quarter score. Three touches later, Kyle sprinted past the

Falcons (0-5) again for a 64-yard touchdown that gave the Indians

(3-2) a 13-0 lead.

“All I was doing was following the big men, letting them make the

holes for me and I shot through them,” said Kyle, who also had an

80-yard touchdown called back because of a holding penalty.

The senior’s final carry -- a 39-yard scamper down the left

sideline in the fourth quarter -- broke the Burroughs career rushing

record.

Kyle set a new mark that was established by Mike Perez from

1999-01 when he gained 2,584 yards. Kyle came into the game with

2,356 yards over three seasons and needed 229 to eclipse Perez’s

effort.

“[The record] means the world to me,” Kyle said. “Ever since I

came to Burroughs, that’s the record I wanted to break.”

The Falcons also set another futility mark, as they were shut out

for the first time since a 34-0 first-round loss to Westlake in the

1996 CIF Southern Section playoffs.

Crescenta Valley moved the ball against the Indians, as they

racked up 289 yards of total offense. But it also committed six

turnovers, including tossing four interceptions. Burroughs’ Glenn

Cooper led the way with two interceptions. Kyle also picked off a

pass for the Indians, who had 493 yards of total offense.

The Falcons have committed 19 turnovers this season, including 15

through the air.

“If we don’t turn the ball over, we have a chance, but we did,”

Eberhart said.

Added Burroughs Coach Keith Knoop: “We saw some things they liked

to do on tape, and we flooded those areas and they went to them.”