Tag: Kayla Duran

Enthusiasm is certainly there for the three local girls’ soccer teams as the begin a new season. Burroughs is a returning playoff participant. Burbank and Providence hope to move up into a position to qualify for the postseason.

Burroughs

The Bears have a problem that is a good one to have, too many players who play year-round in club soccer. Last season Burroughs went 9-5-4 overall and 5-1-2 in league.

Second-year head coach Robert Sanchez, who was previously a longtime assistant, said his varsity and junior varsity squads are filled with club players.

“This season we look to build on the dynamics we developed last season by challenging ourselves with competitions against high-performing teams,” Sanchez said. “We plan to challenge for a playoff bid and hope to make a run deep into February; I would not be averse to playing in the month of March.”

Burroughs has just five seniors on this season’s roster. But two of them are players who should play at the next level in striker Samantha Sizemore and goalie Sydney Evans. 

Also returning are senior defenders Nevaeh Diaz and Catarina Sandoval. Midfielder Hailey De Leon is the other returning senior.

Junior midfielders Jasmin Varela, Geneva Kiefer and junior defender Isabella Estrada are the designated team captains.

Burroughs will have six sophomores on the varsity, five of which return. Margarita Varela and Syana Ford are defenders. Maya Pelaez is a returning midfielder and Alexandra McMenanmin, Julia Barton and Kayla Duran are strikers. 

The Bears will also have two freshmen in midfielder Charlotte Pangman and freshman defender Nadia McConnell, who will be the backup goalie.

Burbank

Burbank High showed great strides over the season, losing just 2-0 to Burroughs in the regular season finale. The Bulldogs, who were 6-6-2 overall and 2-5 in league, return nine players to the varsity squad, led by junior captains Sophia Leon and Jocelyn Morinaga and senior Deliliah Williams.

Leon and Morinaga figure to be the key pieces in the midfield.

Williams anchors a veteran defense that has lots of seniors. Julia Smith, Rachel Dias and Valerie Barragan are all returning seniors who will be in the back with Williams.

Seniors Allison Rubio and Emily Taghon are both varsity returners who figure to hold down the other midfield spots.

Junior Karine Gadyan takes over as the starting goalie taking over the graduated Natalia Cortez.

Junior Elle Poris, a returning varsity player, figures to be one of the top options in the attack.

Burbank’s depth gets very young, as seven freshmen are also on the varsity.

Ariana Vishria, Skylar Kramer, Lauren Mallari and Chloe Boyadzhyan are all freshmen defenders who will understudies to the group of seniors.

Freshmen Hailey Kim and Metzli Ortega will get playing time in the midfield.

Freshman Sofia Martinez will compete for playing time in the attack.

“After a challenging 2024–25 campaign, the Burbank High School girls’ soccer team is setting its sights on a major rebound this winter. With a large group of returning players and renewed energy in training, the Bulldogs are confident that this will be a season of progress and results,” Burbank coach Dennis Leon said.

Providence

The Pioneers return 11 players from last season’s team that finished 4-9-1 overall and 0-6 in the difficult Prep League. Providence is back in the Liberty League and that should help things.

Returning is senior goalie Llew Doherty, who is one of two seniors on the team. The other senior is Nicole Ospital, who will help out in the attack.

Junior Gio Garcia-Ribeiro will anchor the defensive line. She will be joined by sophomore Victoria Valenzuela and several rookies in freshmen Kylie Van Barneveld, Evie Boyd, Parker Vasquez and Izabella Berggren-Brooks.

The midfield will feature juniors Natalie Khatchadourian, Paige Fairweather, Valeria Franco and Mikaylah Malong. Sophomore Emmie Wilcox will also competing for playing time along with freshmen Kamila Marroquin-Velasquez, Valentina Villavicencio and Ana Huezo.

In the attack, the Pioneers will have juniors Olivia Sacchetto, Jett Belson, Emma Valera along with freshmen Mila Bary and Jackie Solis.

“We have some excellent players returning this year as well as some excellent incoming freshmen,” first-year coach Brie Childers said. “Our coaching priority is building a culture that fuels everyone to play their best and build a team that relies on each other and supports each other.”