Burbank Boys Volleyball Sweeps Glendale in Pacific League

Burbank High’s boys volleyball team needed just one hour Friday afternoon to dispatch visiting Glendale, sweeping the Nitros 25-20, 25-15, 25-19 in Pacific League play at home.

The Bulldogs controlled all three sets with disciplined passing, aggressive serving runs, and contributions spread across the roster. Head coach Brandon Villaflor said the performance reflected exactly what his team has been building toward in practice.

“Our goals today was starting off with a better energy, staying disciplined, and remembering our sense of our standards when we’re playing,” Villaflor said. “I thought our match today was awesome. We had all around contributions, which was great to see and seeing how hard our guys work in practice and getting to show it on the court. We were aggressive and had much more serving runs.”

Senior Jun Angel, junior Michael Becker, and junior Brandon Chong were among the standouts. Chong in particular was a consistent force throughout all three sets, producing kills, pushes, and aces at critical moments.

Glendale came into the match at 0-7 overall and 0-6 in league play, and the Nitros have yet to win a single set this season. Friday didn’t offer much relief. The team suited up just seven players, leaving only one athlete on the bench. Playing three full sets with a near-empty roster is a difficult situation for any program, and Glendale showed the strain.

The opening set set the tone quickly. Burbank jumped out to a 4-1 lead on a push from senior Caiden Kai Abarabar, then Becker added back-to-back kills to stretch it to 7-4. Chong’s rocket made it 8-5, and Angel’s service ace pushed the margin to 11-5. Glendale clawed back to within 17-13 before Chong answered with consecutive strikes to rebuild the cushion. Tyler Tran closed the set with a laser for the 25-20 win.

The middle set saw Glendale briefly take the upper hand, with Rein Villarama’s ace tying it at 2-2 and Nigel Starr’s kill giving the Nitros a 7-3 edge. Burbank responded with a Chong-led push, and once the Bulldogs retook control, they didn’t let go. Chong’s ace stretched the lead to 15-9, and the set closed 25-15.

Glendale actually opened the third set with a short burst of momentum, going ahead 3-1 after a Becker hitting error. But Burbank tied it at 7-7 on a Becker kill, then pulled away for good. Junior Finian Cassada contributed a winner to make it 14-10 and followed with an ace to push it to 16-12. Angel extended the lead to 18-12, Becker’s tapper made it 19-15, and senior Noah Lam’s ace pushed it to 21-16. Chong’s spike gave Burbank a 24-17 advantage, and Angel’s shove clinched the set and the match.

Burbank now sits at 3-9 overall and 1-8 in Pacific League play. The record reflects a team still finding its footing in a competitive conference, but Friday showed what the Bulldogs are capable of when their energy and focus align. Senior Farkhat Taishev also contributed key points across the match, a sign of the depth Villaflor has been cultivating.

For Glendale, the road doesn’t get easier. An 0-7 start with a thin roster puts the Nitros in a tough spot for the remainder of league play. Maintaining player health and morale with just seven available athletes will be a challenge their coaching staff has to manage week to week.

For Burbank, the win offers momentum and a reference point. When the Bulldogs play with the kind of sustained aggression and floor coverage they showed Friday, they’re capable of making things uncomfortable for any opponent in the Pacific League.