Bears looking to put their CIF Southern Section Division five wild card loss to Channel Islands to bed and contend for a Pacific League Championship 

A new era is in full gear for the John Burroughs Lady Bears Girls Soccer program as Robert Sanchez begins his first season as the program’s Head Coach replacing Brady Riggs. Last season, Sanchez served as the head junior varsity coach before being promoted to the top spot this summer. Last season, the Bears finished with a 9-8 overall record and a 9-5 record in Pacific League play, placing them in the top 3 behind League Champion Arcadia and Crescenta Valley. 

Under Sanchez, the coaching will feature Ryan Espinoza (Head Junior Varsity Coach) and Lara Sage (Varsity Assistant Coach) who were holdovers from last year’s staff. Espinoza will succeed Sanchez’s old role as the junior varsity head coach. 

“I’m excited about my first season leading the Burroughs girls soccer program. We have a lot of great players coming back along with a deep group of incoming freshmen that will help on both levels,” said Sanchez. The new coach also praised Sage and Espinoza, who both fit his coaching style. 

The players that will look to help this year’s team will be senior captain Ella Sage (daughter of Lara Sage) with juniors Samantha Sizemore (team’s leading goal scorer and midfielder & defender), Sydney Evans-Armendaris (goalkeeper) along with two key underclassmen in sophomore fullback Geneva Kiefer along with potential rising freshmen Alexandra McMenamin. Armendaris, a transfer from Burbank High, will be sitting out for the first 30 days of the season and will make her Burroughs Debut on Friday, January 3rd against Immaculate Heart. Sophomore goalkeeper Cailin Kerns will make the most of the starts to start the season. 

Important dates on the calendar to pay attention to will be the Bear’s season home opener on Wednesday, November 20th against Marlborough with kickoff scheduled for 3:45 p.m. Pacific League play will start on Tuesday, January 7th against rival Crescenta Valley, while the home finale will take place on Tuesday, January 21st against Muir. Both of those matches will kick off at 3:45 p.m.  The crosstown rivalry match against Burbank will take place on Wednesday, January 29 at Kemp Kallem Field with kick-off scheduled also slated for 3:45 p.m. Stay tuned for coverage of the Burroughs Bears Girls Soccer program all season.