Unfinished business heading into the brand new season

The John Burroughs Bears enter the 2025 season with unfinished business following a 2024 season where they finished with an 18-13 overall record and 6-4 in Pacific League play, which resulted in a top-three finish. The next step for the Bears is to be more involved in the league title picture, if not serious contenders for the top spot. Burroughs secured an appearance in the CIF Southern Section Division four playoffs last season, which saw a five-set thrilling victory in the opening round of the playoffs against Northwood and a four-set loss to Millikan in the second round of the postseason. 

Edwin Real will enter the 2025 season in his 25th season as the Head Coach of the girls’ volleyball program, currently the longest tenured head coach in Burroughs High School Athletics. 

Under Real this fall, the coaching staff will feature Trent Cantrell (junior varsity head coach), Glen Hamanaka (head frosh coach), along with newly added assistant coach Camila Sanchez, who will be assisting Real on the varsity team. Cantrell and Sanchez will replace the recently departed Sabrina Sullivan on the 2025 coaching staff. 

“Given the circumstances with the Burroughs High School roof project, we were lucky to have practiced at Dolores Huerta Middle School throughout the summer, and the girls have worked hard leading up to the start of the 2025 season,” said Real. He also added that the girls have played well in the summer games as a team, which is a reason for optimism heading into the new season. 

The 2025 roster will feature three all-Pacific League returning players in seniors Chloe Pavia (returning All Pacific League first team middle blocker), and the Lay twins in Savannah (returning All Pacific League second team setter) and outside hitter Sienna (last season’s Pacific League’s honorable mention). Juniors Zoe Davis and Emma De Cunzo Steinglass should play a big factor in this team’s pursuit of winning a Pacific League title and making another run in the CIF Southern Section playoffs. De Cunzo Steinglass will be remembered as a playoff hero in the Bears’ five-set victory over Northwood as she recorded the game-winning ace to give Burroughs a round one win in the opening round of the CIF Southern Section Division four playoffs. Sophomores Amelia Walsh and Alexandra Hammeke, who made the varsity team as incoming freshmen last fall, should also play a key role this season in what could be their breakout seasons. 

The Burroughs Bears will kick off the 2025 season on Saturday, August 9th and 16th, with back-to-back weekends at the Molten Classic Tournament at Downey High School. Burroughs will take on Chaminade and Culver City on the first Saturday of the Molten Classic Tournament, with opponents to be determined later for the second Saturday of the tourney. The Bears will play their season home opener against South Hills on Monday, August 18th, at 3:45 PM.

Other key dates on the calendar will be the Pacific League opener against Pasadena on Thursday, 3:45 p.m. at Pasadena High School. Burroughs will play their annual crosstown rivalry showdown against the Burbank Bulldogs on Thursday, September 18th, at Burbank High School, and then again at John Burroughs High School on Tuesday, October 14th, which will include senior night pregame festivities honoring the graduating seniors on the Burroughs Bears varsity team with the opening serve scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Stay tuned for coverage of Burroughs High Girls Volleyball all season long.