Hall of Fame coach Keith Knoop begins his second and final season overseeing the program
The John Burroughs High School girls flag football program will enter its second season under Hall of Fame head coach Keith Knoop.
The Bears finished their inaugural 2025 season with an 11-13 record, narrowly missing the playoffs. After facing a challenging schedule last year, Knoop expects the experience gained by his returning players to help the team improve this fall.
The 2026 season will be Knoop’s final year as the Bears’ head girls flag football coach. He will retire at the conclusion of the fall semester from his positions as a physical education teacher and athletic director. Knoop, who also oversees the school’s physical education department, has served as Burroughs’ athletic director since 2018.
Joining Knoop on the coaching staff are assistants Roger Ghaman, who serves as the junior varsity head coach, Katie Taix and newcomer Avery Morchrie. Karin Knoop will not return to the coaching staff this season.
Several experienced seniors are expected to lead the Bears, including Krrystal Villalta, Geneva Keifer and Kayla Duran. Villalta led the team last season with nine interceptions. Keifer recorded a team-high 13 receiving touchdowns and 16 total touchdowns while averaging 33.4 receiving yards per game. Duran anchored the defense with nine flags pulled for loss, 10 sacks and 20 quarterback hurries.
“I’m very excited about the upcoming season,” Knoop said. “Originally, I was going to retire after last season, but I decided to come back for one more year because I wanted another opportunity to coach these phenomenal athletes and continue being part of the fun.” Knoop acknowledged that the Bears faced several difficult opponents during their inaugural season but believes the team is prepared to take another step forward in 2026.
Burroughs will open the season on the road against Castaic on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 5 p.m. The Bears will begin Rio Pacific Conference play at Temple City on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 5 p.m. Their home opener will be against South Pasadena on Wednesday, September 9th against South Pasadena, at 3:30 p.m. Senior Night, honoring the Class of 2027, will take place Monday, Oct. 12, when the Bears host San Marino at 6 p.m. With an experienced group of returning players and a veteran coach preparing for his final season, the Bears are ready to build upon the foundation they established last year and pursue a spot in the playoffs.
