By Rick Assad
Playing with intensity, precision, poise and determination, the Burroughs High girls’ soccer team still failed to score in a Pacific League match against Crescenta Valley.
This doesn’t mean the Bears didn’t have several opportunities to put the ball in the hole, they did, but a goal from 40 yards by junior Adrianna Dominguez in the 52nd minute proved to be the difference as it handed the visiting Falcons a 1-0 decision at Memorial Field on Tuesday afternoon.
Burroughs (5-7-5 and 3-3-3 in league) didn’t get a shot on goal until the 25th minute by senior striker/midfielder/defender Samantha Sizemore, who played a whale of a game as did several others namely junior fullback Geneva Kiefer and senior goalkeeper Sydney Evans, who allowed only one ball to slip past her but otherwise played extremely well.
Robert Sanchez is the Burroughs head coach and had a feeling the match would be close.
“I saw what we expected of that game with respect to style of play. We knew they were going to play a lot of balls through and over the back line,” he explained. “Our defenders were diligent in reading the play and keeping Crescenta Valley from controlling the ball in our defensive third. [Sophomore] Syana [Ford], [sophomore] Margarita [Varela], [junior] Jasmin [Varela], [senior] Catarina [Sandoval] and [junior] Isabella [Estrada] get credit for that.”
Sizemore had a shot in the 33rd minute but it didn’t find the back of the net.
“The rest of the team, including Geneva and Samantha, created a number of chances, but Crescenta Valley’s key center back was too effective at man marking Samantha,” Sanchez said. “It is difficult for anyone to remain focused in the grind of that type of match and also anticipate a sudden 40-yard shot from midfield. I tip my hat to that goal.”
Sizemore added an attempt in the 51st minute and fullback Estrada launched one in the 43rd minute.
Sizemore used her speed and quickness to collect another kick, and this one came in the 58th minute.
Kiefer, who played wide receiver on the inaugural flag football team and is very fast, had a kick in the 60th minute.
Another attempt occurred in the extra by Burroughs midfielder Jasmin Varela.
The Falcons used a strong frontal attack, and they had a kick by sophomore Kaylee Ko in the 20th minute.
Dominguez added an attempt in the 21st minute and senior Scarlett Scott chimed in with a header in the 22nd minute.
One minute later, Dominguez tossed in a kick, but it wasn’t successful.
In the 29th minute, Scott collected another attempt and sophomore Liana Baghdasarian had a kick in the 34th minute for the Falcons.
Ko found time to have a kick in the 35th minute and Crescenta Valley had the final kick of the opening half as neither team scored.
Sophomore Sabrina Lee had a kick in the 41st minute for the Falcons and six minutes later Baghdasarian had an attempt while teammate, junior Zoe Loppnow tossed in a 45-yard free kick in the 49th minute.
Crescenta Valley (13-4-2 and 8-1 in league) had a kick in the 54th minute and Falcon senior Kira Lee had a blast in the 64th minute.
Dominguez had three straight kicks, and they took place in the 66th minute, the 70th minute and then a corner kick in the 78th minute.
“This whole season has been a test of physical and mental stamina, and our players and team are holding up well,” Sanchez stated. “Every loss for us in league has been taken from us with one goal, so I feel that with a little more good fortune, we could have been much close to the top of the table than we are.”
The Bears have done much better in league action with victories versus visiting Hoover 11-0, at Glendale 6-0 and home versus Burbank 6-1.
Burroughs has walked away tied against Pasadena 0-0, at Muir 1-1 and at Pasadena 1-1 and emerged with a 1-0 victory against host Sierra Canyon.
