Burbank Bulldogs Break 46-Year Drought with Historic District Championship Win
(SAISD News Release) — Jimmy Carter was president of the United States. “Grease” was the top selling movie. And a gallon of gas cost 65 cents. The year was 1978, the last time the Burbank Bulldogs won a football district championship.
That all changed on Thursday, Nov. 7 when Burbank High School, the pride of the southside, said goodbye to years of losing seasons and hello to its first outright district crown in 46 years. Burbank knocked off Lanier 49-32 at Alamo Stadium in the district finale for 12-5A-II play to win the coveted district title.
If Burbank had lost to Lanier, the Bulldogs could have shared a co-district championship with Jefferson High School, 4-1 in district play. Jefferson plays Edison High School on Friday, Nov. 8 in the district finale. Since the Bulldogs beat Lanier, the team won the district crown outright.
Burbank finished district play undefeated at 6-0 and 8-2 for the season. The Bulldogs, riding a six-game win streak, will enter the UIL state playoffs searching for their first-ever post season win in school history. The school opened in 1937.
“Since 1978 they have been waiting for this,” said second year Burbank head coach Michael Mull. “The kids know it’s not just about them, but it’s about our campus, our community, and our football players and coaches that went on those losing streaks in the past. We are building a culture here. We got to finish the fight to give the community their special moment.”
This is Burbank’s third district title in its school history. The team won the district championship in 1964, 1978 and now, 2024.
“We are putting our school on the map,” said Israel Zapata, the city’s top receiver with 49 catches, 1,064 yards and 13 touchdowns in nine games this season. “We knew as a whole we wanted to do something. We worked our tails off and came out every day with intensity. We strived for greatness. Everyone has come together and it feels just amazing.”
The Bulldogs top leader all season has been quarterback Keven Hernandez. The senior signal caller is one of the top five quarterbacks in the city of San Antonio. Hernandez has thrown for 2,002 yards, passed for 23 touchdowns and ran for 14 scores in nine games this fall. He has been the team’s quarterback for three years and has thrown for a school-record 4,730 yards.
“I do feel a little bit of pressure,” said Hernandez. “But to be honest, my team does take a lot of the pressure off. On the defensive side of the ball, I know they have my back and on offense I know what the players can do with the ball in their hands. I know that we are in good hands.”
Burbank will host the bi-district championship game on Thursday, Nov. 14. The Bulldogs will face the winner of the Pflugerville (6-3) and Connally (4-5) game, the fourth place finisher from District 11-5A-2.
“It feels amazing to win a district title,” said Bulldogs senior defensive lineman Ryan Vasquez, the team’s top disrupter in the trenches. “We are nothing without our community. Knowing that past generations are cheering for us, it is the greatest feeling ever. There is a lot of pride and heart in our community. They have our back, win or lose. So, giving the school and community a district championship is just a great feeling.”
