By Rick Assad
History was made on Monday night at Memorial Field as the Burroughs High girls’ flag football team played its first-ever home game and it was a dandy.
Under nearly perfect weather conditions, the Bears routed Lancaster 39-0 in a nonleague game and improved their overall record to 2-1.
The Bears opened the campaign on the road and fell to South Hills 31-6 before rebounding versus host Valencia 18-12.
You could tell which team had the running game and passing attack needed to control the 80-yard field and it was the Bears who were in control from the start.
With four 12-minute quarters and a running clock, the game is quick-paced and it’s clearly an advantage when a team has athletes like the Bears.
Burroughs capitalized on several blunders by Lancaster (1-3) after turning three of the four interceptions into touchdowns and also adding a punt return for a tally.
The Bears scored four touchdowns in the opening 24-minute stanza and led 26-0.
The Eagles had a few decent passing plays and a handful of running plays, but it wasn’t nearly enough as much of the game was played in the visitors’ territory.
The Bears on the other hand had the ball in plus territory for most of the contest which means the field was shorter.
Out of the starting gate, the Bears struck quickly as junior wide receiver/defensive Isabella Estrada picked off Lancaster’s quarterback.
Estrada returned the errant throw 47 yards as the hosts pulled ahead 6-0 with 2:58 left in the opening period.
With just under two minutes left in the initial frame, Burroughs jumped in front 13-0 as senior running back/defensive back Hailey Burns-Franco scored from a yard out on a run.
The score was made possible after senior quarterback/wide receiver/cornerback Alyssa Prachasaisoradej intercepted Lancaster’s quarterback and returned the ball 39 yards.
Senior quarterback/wide receiver/linebacker Karisma Mendez, who is averaging 35.3 yards rushing per contest, added the extra point on a run.
Burroughs was at it again as Prachasaisoradej found junior wide receiver Geneva Kiefer, who is averaging 42 receiving yards per game, with a 12-yard strike and 9:11 remaining in the opening half as it became 19-0. This was Kiefer’s third touchdown of the season.
When junior wide receiver/defensive back Lily Indefenzo, who has scored three touchdowns this campaign, returned a punt 35 yards for a score, the Bears’ advantage swelled to 26-0 as 3:11 remained before intermission. The extra point was successful as a pass from Prachasaisoradej hit the mark.
Burroughs tacked on two touchdowns in the third quarter as junior wide receiver/defensive back Krystal Vilalta also chimed in with an interception and returned the ball 37 yards for a tally as 9:19 was left on the clock.
The score at this point was 33-0 in favor of the Bears as Mendez’s extra point pass to sophomore wide receiver/defensive back Kelsey Vivas was good.
The game’s final score came with 5:30 showing in the third period as Indefenzo had a pick and brought the ball back 36 yards for a touchdown to make it 39-0.
