The Burlingame Bearcats are looking to reload after a 6-4 season in 2025 that ended with a Regional-round loss to eventual Division 2 state champion Hanover.
Replacing key pieces from last year’s team will be a major challenge for head coach Jeff Slater. All Lyon County League First Team selections Drake Skirvin, Danny Cain, Brock Moon and Braedyn Burkett graduated, leaving the Bearcats with eight starters to replace.
Burlingame’s top returning player is junior Blake Middleton, who is taking over at quarterback after starting at running back a season ago. Middleton will have a much larger role for the Bearcats, both on and off the field.
Middleton will also be counted on defensively at linebacker. Jude Aguilar is another key returner who figures to play an important role on both sides of the ball. Aguilar caught nine passes and recorded 33 tackles last fall.
Slater expects to have just 18 or 19 players on the roster this season, including only one senior
The Bearcats open the 2026 season on the road September 4 at Northern Heights.
