Foothills Sentry September 2023

Page 15 Foothills Sentry September 2023 Girls Flag Football is now official CIF sport Flag Football inaugural kickoff The long-awaited Girls Flag Football is now an official CIF sport. The new CIF-SS sport will see seven teams in the Crest- view League, with each team of at least seven athletes playing a home-away schedule. The season started Aug. 19, and will end Oct. 28. There won’t be any post-season play until 20% of the section mem- bership fields a team. The state and 10 sections convened, developing the rules of play. In general, game time is two 20-minute halves, with a five-minute halftime. The field is a rectangle, 30-40 yards wide and 50-80 yards long. There are five flags, two on the sides and one center. The flags are 2½ x 14½. No flag guarding is allowed, or there is a 10-yard penalty. There is no blocking on of- fense; the ball can be snapped to any player, and that player be- comes the quarterback, with all players as eligible receivers. A no-run zone is 15 yards to the goal line to avoid a short yard power play. A runner must keep both feet on the ground (no jumping the defender) and no spinning to avoid being de- flagged. Only two defenders can rush, and must avoid contact with the offensive player. Receivers get a free pass, no bump and run, or a 10-yard penalty. There are no kick offs or punts. The game will start on the 20- yard line. If a possession ends in a stall, the opposite team will take possession on the 20-yard line. At the end of the game, there will be a winner; no ties. Foothill High scored two second half touchdowns to shut out El Modena, 12-0, in the first game of the season. Foothill’s Kennedy Lind found Delainey Jorgensen in the end zone for the Knights’ first score. The PAT was no good. El Modena’s next possession began with a false start, moving the ball in the wrong direction for 5 yards, followed by a bad snap for 7 more. Foothill’s Hailee Flower intercepted a Camila Lubin pass and returned it to the El Modena 3-yard line. Kennedy Lind threw CO M M U N I TY S P O RTS B Y CLI FF RO B B I N S AN D CH AD CLI N E a touchdown pass to Anabelle Zamarripa for Foothill’s second score. Vanguard Mackenzie Brehm broke up the PAT attempt. El Modena bounced back into the win column, handing Villa Park a 20-0 loss in their matchup. ElMo quarterback Ashlee Methu threw for three touchdowns (13 completions for 26 attempts), and one interception. Methu found her favorite receivers Mack- enzie Brehm, Madie Gallegos, and Maddie Romo. Romo led El Modena with seven receptions. Meet the girls flag football coaches Rebekah Anderson is the new head girls flag football coach at Canyon High School. Anderson and her assistants bring plenty of experience to the sport. Anderson is an alumni of Canyon, playing volleyball, soccer and softball during her prep years. Anderson continued her education at Biola University, and played soccer and softball all four years. She went on to play three years of semi-pro tackle football. Anderson has been teaching at Canyon for 20 years and coached frosh-soph volleyball and JV softball. Initially, Canyon will field a team of at least 15 players. Ashley Londo is the new Foothill head coach for girls flag football. Londo is a former Foothill athlete, and is in her third year coaching and teaching math and AVID 9. “Teaching and coaching are my greatest passions. I played flag football at the University of Redlands, playing on both offense and defense, as the quarterback and a rusher for three years, I am thrilled that girls flag football is a CIF-approved sport, and I have the opportunity to share my love and passion for the game.” Londo welcomed 30 girls into camp, with a lot of new freshmen and sophomores. Robert Calderon is the new girls flag football head coach at El Modena. Calderon is no stranger to El Modena athletics, entering his 11th year coaching. He brings a wealth of experience, having coached football (assistant football coach), and as the varsity softball team coach. Calderon is a former ElMo athlete; he played football there, and later played football and flag football at Chapman University. Calderon welcomed 30 multi-sport athletes, all looking for a starting spot. He is drawing from the girls soccer, basketball, track and softball teams. Teddy Vo is the new head girls flag football coach at Villa Park High School. He has been conducting two-per-week practices, with 98% multi-sport athletes, plus two incoming freshmen. Vo welcomed 24 athletes into camp. He knows how to get speed from the teams, as he has been coaching track for 10 years at Villa Park. Whitney Foster is the new girls flag football coach at Orange High School. Foster prepped at Mater Dei, earning a scholarship playing basketball, and continuing her athletics and education at UC Riverside. She played four years of collegiate basketball, and was introduced to flag football. “I enjoyed it, so when the opportunity came up to coach at Orange, my brother DeShaun, former UCLA grad and NFL great, influenced me to take the position.” Foster welcomed a mix of 30 multi-sport athletes, and will trim the roster to 15-18. Kat Tighe (right) from Villa Park High deflags El Modena running back Kylie Tafua (14). Mackenzie Brehm (8) from El Modena was on the receiving end of this pass thrown by Ashlee Methu. Anna Taddeo from Foothill turns the corner with Evie Hitchens (5) and Parker Mayes (27) from El Modena in hot pursuit. ElMo quarterback Ashlee Methu completed 13 passes on 26 at- tempts for three touchdowns against Villa Park. El Modena won the inaugural football game, 20-0. Mia Henry from El Modena High breaks up a pass intended for Anna Taddeo of Foothill High.