The Burlingame Panthers (3-0) host the Hillsdale Fighting Knights (3-0) on Thursday, Sept. 17, in a non-league football matchup. Varsity kickoff is 7 p.m.
It will be the 54th all-time meeting between the programs. Burlingame leads the series 28-22-3 and has won eight straight against Hillsdale, according to Burlingame High School Athletics. The Knights' last victory in the rivalry came in 1999.
The Panthers have been dominant through three weeks. Burlingame opened with a 45-0 rout of Piedmont Hills on Aug. 28, then beat Carlmont 41-13 in the Sept. 4 home opener before blanking Arroyo of San Lorenzo 49-0 on Sept. 12. The Panthers have outscored opponents 135-13 this season.
Head coach John Philipopoulos has leaned on a deep rushing attack. Against Carlmont, Burlingame used 12 different ball carriers to pile up 337 yards on the ground, according to The Burlingame B. Senior running back Qasim Abutair led the way with 77 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Senior Fotu Lavulo added 47 yards and two scores. Senior quarterback Mark O'Grady rushed for a touchdown and threw two scoring passes to senior receiver Will Armstrong, who had three catches for 88 yards.
Both teams enter unbeaten. But the Knights' path has been tighter. Hillsdale edged Terra Nova 27-26 in the Aug. 28 opener, then held off South San Francisco 21-20 on Sept. 11, according to MaxPreps. Head coach Mike Parodi's squad is 3-0 overall.
Senior quarterback Branden Kee has led the Hillsdale offense through three games.
JV teams kick off at 4 p.m. Thursday ahead of the varsity game.
