Simi Valley vs. Burroughs Flag Football Game Recap & Photo Gallery: Pioneers’ Defense Slams the Door Shut in Final Seconds for 13–7 Victory Over the Bears

In a dramatic, down-to-the-wire finish, the Simi Valley Pioneers held on for a thrilling 13–7 win over the Burroughs Bears in a game defined by clutch defense and explosive plays. The Pioneers’ defense came up huge in the final moments, denying the Bears a game-winning score on the last play. With the win, Simi Valley improves to 7–1, while Burroughs drops to 8–2.

First Half – Defense Rules the Day

The action started early when Simi Valley’s Leah Villatoro intercepted a Burroughs pass on the opening drive, setting up her offense with excellent field position. Wasting no time, Sonali Banerjee juked past defenders and raced 25 yards into the end zone to give the Pioneers a 6–0 lead.

Burroughs responded behind quarterback Karisma Mendez, who connected twice with Kelsey Vivas for 20 combined yards and found Kayla Duran and Geneva Kiefer for additional gains. But the Simi Valley defense stood firm, forcing a turnover on downs to end the half with a 6–0 advantage.

Second Half – Villatoro’s Game-Saving Stop

Burroughs’ Sabrina Coto made a statement with her second interception of the game, halting a promising Pioneer drive. But once again, Simi Valley’s defense answered, forcing a quick punt to regain control.

With just four minutes remaining, Pioneer quarterback Teagan Blakemore found Banerjee in stride. She turned on the jets, blazing down the sideline for a 60-yard touchdown that electrified the crowd and extended the lead to 13–0.

Refusing to go quietly, Burroughs answered quickly. Mendez fired a 30-yard touchdown strike to Kiefer, then ran in the extra point herself to make it 13–7 with under two minutes to play.

The Bears’ defense forced one last stop, giving their offense one final shot. With seconds remaining, Mendez hit Kiefer on a short pass that looked destined for the end zone—but Villatoro made a game-saving flag pull to seal the victory for Simi Valley in dramatic fashion.

It was a gritty, hard-fought win powered by defense. With big performances from Banerjee, Villatoro, and Blakemore, the Pioneers walked away with a well-earned 13–7 triumph.