PREVIEW: Dozens more San Diego-area high schools playing flag football this fall; here’s who to watch

Girls flag football

First contest: Saturday

Section finals: Nov. 21-23 (Playoffs will be in four divisions, up from two)

Defending champions: Bonita Vista (Division 1), Classical Academy (Division 2)

Offensive Player of the Year: Laurel Gonzalez (Torrey Pines)

Defensive Player of the Year: Mahilya Wilson (Bonita Vista)

Top teams (in alphabetical order): Bonita Vista, Brawley, Calexico, Cathedral Catholic, Classical Academy, Grossmont, La Costa Canyon, Mater Dei Catholic, Mira Mesa, Olympian, Our Lady of Peace, Morse, San Dieguito Academy, Torrey Pines.

Overview: The CIF introduced flag football as a varsity sport last year and it was a rousing success. The quality of play was beyond expectations. Success breeds success, and the sport has grown from 46 teams to 72 with the North County and East County schools jumping in.

Changes: Games have been lengthened from 20-minute halves to 24-minute halves.

Notable

• San Ysidro hosts a showcase Saturday, beginning with Calexico vs. Grossmont (10 a.m.), Southwest-El Centro vs. Kearny (noon), Central Union vs. Mira Mesa (2 p.m.), Brawley vs. Bonita Vista (4 p.m.) and Imperial vs. San Ysidro (6 p.m.).

• Escondido hosts a tournament on Aug 24 featuring Mt. Carmel, Santana, Carlsbad, Steele Canyon, Sage Creek and Poway. The same day, Hoover will host a tournament featuring Madison, Scripps Ranch, Morse, Mater Dei Catholic, Brawley, Central Union, Holtville, San Diego High and Mission Bay.

• For the first time, the annual Honor Bowl will feature flag games. Grossmont will play host Cathedral Catholic at 5 p.m. on Sept. 6; the next day, Bonita Vista plays Classical Academy at 1 p.m. at Cathedral Catholic. The Honor Bowl also features three top-flight tackle football games.

• Classical Academy led the county in scoring last season, averaging 30 points a game behind freshman QB Ella Moore. The Caimans’ defense allowed an average of just 4.5 points a game.

• San Ysidro returns six all-league players, including WR-DB Kristine Fadriquela and DB-LB Mia Gonzalez.

• Grossmont returns nine of 14 starters, including QB Marissa Farace, who threw for 2,181 yards and 33 TDs; and DB Xairiah Gromus, who had 19 interceptions.

• Bonita Vista returns All-CIF player Jamiya Valenciano; Khamaya Rockett, who had 10 sacks last season; and Layla Schoen, who had 43 catches.

• California is one of just seven states that offers flag football. The others are Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Nevada, Alaska, New York, Arizona and Illinois.

• Flag football for men and women will be an Olympic sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Players to watch

(in alphabetical order)

Nurah Arrellano, Our Lady of Peace

Azul Amador, Central Union (7 receiving TDs, 9 interceptions in 2023)

Jennifer Aguas, Escondido

Justine Batcheller, Classical Academy (All-CIF in ’23)

Ashley Beard, Grossmont (38 tackles in ’23)

Siena Botkin, Grossmont, (4 interceptions in ’23)

Iris Brogan, Mission Bay (All-CIF in ’23)

Alegra Camacho, Mission Bay

Jaylah Conner, Central Union (All-CIF in ’23)

Demi Cornejo, Brawley

Isabelle Cruz, San Ysidro

Paula Cruz, Calexico (1,641 passing yards in ’23)

Yareli Del Rio, San Ysidro

Elly DeGuzman, Classical Academy

Belinda Diaz, Morse

Nia Diaz, Escondido

Lauren Donovan, Classical Academy

Eliana Dorsett, Oceanside

Jaylene Duran, Castle Park

Catie Eberhard, Scripps Ranch

Kristine Fadriquela, San Ysidro (1,112 passing yards in ’23)

Rhiane Fadriquela, San Ysidro (1,000 receiving yards ’23)

Marissa Farace, Grossmont (2,181 yards and 33 TDs in ’23)

Myesha Frank, Hoover

Kaylah Franke, Otay Ranch

Jacqueline Gonzalez, San Ysidro

Mia Gonzalez, San Ysidro

Kaila Gonzalez, Classical Academy

Paola Gonzalez, San Ysidro

Olivia Grant, Hilltop

Xairah Gromus, Grossmont (19 interceptions in ’23)

Emma Gryn, Classical Academy

Naomi Gutierrez, Escondido

Frankie Haley, Mater Dei Catholic

Mary Haynes, Classical Academy

Rita Hazard, Oceanside

Dayanna Hernandez, Mira Mesa

Shairya Hollingsworth, Morse

Jae Jensen, Grossmont

Anna Jimenez, Mater Dei Catholic

Isabel Johnson, Classical Academy

Keilana Johnson, Morse

Kaitlyn Kaye, Oceanside

Paola Longoria, Vincent Memorial (All-CIF in ’23)

Mia Maldonado, San Ysidro

Jessica Manriquez, Vincent Memorial

Liz Martinez, Oceanside

Mia Martin, Otay Ranch

Sam Mather, Scripps Ranch

Leilani Mayne, Calexico

Nayelli McPherson, Oceanside

Kaitlyn Milano, Morse

Courtyln Mitchell, Mission Bay

Ella Moore, Classical Academy (All-CIF in ’23)

Bre Montano, Vincent Memorial (All-CIF, 3,973 yards passing, 54 TDs in ’23)

Ella Moore, Classical Academy (All-CIF in ’23)

Bridget Moreno, Classical Academy

Madelyn Morquecho, Central Union (1,582 yards passing, 24 TDs in ’23)

Hannah Narcy, Oceanside

Kaila-Mei Nelson, Morse

Cassandra Neva, Morse

Chloe Ng, Scripps Ranch (All-CIF in ’23)

Jiselle Nunez, Classical Academy (All-CIF in ’23)

Bryanna Ortiz, San Ysidro (447 rushing yards in ’23)

Lizbeth Ortiz, Calexico (All-CIF in ’23)

Evelyn Estrada Ramirez, San Ysidro

Mia Ramirez, Bonita Vista

Mary Reger, Mission Bay (All-CIF in ’23)

Lana Roche, Castle Park

Khamaya Rockett, Bonita Vista

Saraya Roope, Grossmont

Liliana Sanders, Mira Mesa

Natalie Savary, Scripps Ranch

Marena Schiess, Mater Dei Catholic

Layla Schoen, Bonita Vista

Alyzette Sierra, San Ysidro

Ari Simpson, Grossmont

Hailey Stepenosky, Scripps Ranch

Jenna Stroh, Classical Academy

Vyanna Ta, Mira Mesa (552 rushing yards in ’23)

Sinalei Talaitina, Cathedral Catholic

Gabby Thomas, Grossmont (523 yards of total offense in ’23)

Sydney Tobias, Our Lady of Peace

Azul Trujillo, Vincent Memorial

Jamiya Valenciano, Bonita Vista (All-CIF in ’23)

Atiana Velazquez, Scripps Ranch

Emma Valdivia, Our Lady of Peace

Tayana Venegas, Brawley (1,025 receiving yards, 9 interceptions in ’23)

Vania Victoria, Olympian

Abby White, Escondido

Nylah White, Mira Mesa

Jayden Wilson, Oceanside

Delylah Young, Brawley (956 yards of total offense in ’23)

JOHN MAFFEI

Originally Published: August 16, 2024 at 9:43 a.m.