Burroughs senior Kayla Wrobel earned a spot on the All-CIF first team with 12.1 points and eight rebounds per game this year.
The CIF Southern Section unveiled its first All-CIF lists in more than a year and it included high school athletes from Burbank High, John Burroughs and Providence.
Burroughs had the most athletes of any Burbank school with four, two of them from the girls’ basketball team that went on an impressive postseason run.
Seniors Faith Boulanger and Kayla Wrobel made the All-CIF Division 2AA first team after leading the Bears to the semifinals, where they fell to Cajon High of San Bernardino, 67-59.
In her final season at Burroughs, Boulanger averaged 10.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, two steals and a team-high 1.9 blocks per game this year, placing her on the All-CIF first team for a second consecutive year.
“Faith was a force offensively, breaking the school record for most career points, and defensively being a big presence in the pain rebounding and blocking shots,” said Burroughs basketball coach Vicky Oganyan.
Wrobel led Burroughs with 12.1 points and eight rebounds per contest, helping the Bears finish the season with a record of 14-10.
Faith Boulanger made the All-CIF first team for a second consecutive year. She helped the Bears reach the CIF-SS Division 2AA semifinals.
“Kayla was an outstanding rebounder and defender and blossomed into a great scorer this year, averaging double figures,” Oganyan said.
The Bears’ coach added that the duo “displayed toughness and ability to fight through adversity, understanding that growth requires work ethic and consistency.”
Another Burroughs standout recognized was senior Kade McGovern, who made the All-CIF Division 2 volleyball first team by helping the Bears claim the Pacific League championship and reach the quarterfinals.
“Kade making All-CIF is such a great accomplishment for him and he deserves the recognition,” said JBHS boys’ volleyball coach Joel Brinton. “Due to injury maintenance, he sat out almost the entire league schedule and as such was not in the running for player of the year for league, so it is awesome that he got this recognition for this season as he played his best when we needed him in CIF.”
Gabrielle Morales of the girls’ soccer team made the All-CIF Division 4 first team after helping the Bears reach the quarterfinals with victories over Patriot of Jurupa Valley and Montclair in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
“Gabby was invaluable to our success this year,” said Burroughs girls’ soccer coach Brady Riggs. “Her leadership off the field during the pandemic kept us together as a program. Her inspired play helped us make our deepest run into the playoffs in the history of the program.”
Elmer Reyes was recognized by the CIF-SS after helping the Burbank High boys’ basketball team reach the CIF-SS Division 3AA semifinals.
REYES, AVETISYAN MAKE ALL-CIF TEAM
Two Burbank High School seniors received All-CIF honors after helping the boys’ basketball team reach the CIF-SS Division 3AA semifinals.
Elmer Reyes made the All-CIF first team and teammate Vartan Avetisyan was a second-team selection. Both were essential in the Bulldogs’ postseason run, which included a thrilling double-overtime upset over No. 1-seeded Santa Ana Foothill in the quarterfinals.
“Both are quiet leaders,” said BHS head coach Sid Cooke. “They weren’t very vocal but were very positive. They led by example and that’s what you have to respect.”
Vartan Avetisyan was an All-CIF Division 3AA second team selection after a stellar second half.
Reyes showed his leadership in the offseason with his work ethic and by participating in voluntary workouts. He currently plans to continue playing at Los Angeles Valley College.
“Once I started working with them, he realized that whatever it is I taught them, it was for their betterment. Once there was that trust factor, he played hard all the time. He’s such a nice kid with good grades, too.”
Avetisyan also showed that drive by working his way back into shape after having COVID-19.
“It really hurt him and set him back,” said Cook. “He had trouble breathing and didn’t get his legs and wind until the second half of the season, which was a small half. He sat out a while but he really battled back. Like Elmer, he kept coming to work and showed up on time. He just had such a great attitude.”
THREE PIONEERS RECOGNIZED
Providence also had athletes earning All-CIF honors, two of them from a softball team that had one of its best seasons.
Freshmen Breanna Pelaez and Olyvia Rutter made the All-CIF Division 7 first team after helping the Pioneers reach the semifinals. It was their first playoff appearance since 2017.
Freshmen Breanna Pelaez and Olyvia Rutter made the All-CIF Division 7 first team after helping Providence reach the semifinals in one of the program’s most successful seasons.
Pelaez led the team with a .588 batting average and 35 runs. Rutter was also one of Providence’s top hitters with a .535 average, two home runs and 19 runs batted in. Rutter was the team’s ace with an earned run average of 2.66.
Audrey Sayoc of the girls’ basketball team made the All-CIF Division 4AA first team after helping the Pioneers reach the semifinals. Providence finished second in the Prep League and went on to defeat San Marcos of Santa Barbara, Encino Holy Martyrs Armenian and Moreno Valley before falling to Agoura.
