High school girls flag football booms into second season in California and Sacramento area
Girls can play football, too.
They proved that in spades throughout the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section in 2023, the inaugural season for girls flag football as a sanctioned sport in California. Nearly 70 teams throughout the section competed last fall for two section championships in November. Del Oro and Christian Brothers hoisted the historic blue banners in Year 1 at Cosumnes River College
With several new schools jumping into the fold in 2024, it seems they’re just getting warmed up.
“You’ll see a big jump this year,” said Del Oro head coach Steve Birch, who was named The Bee’s Coach of the Year in 2023.
Sport continues to grow
According to the CIF’s participation census for 2023–24, California flag football saw more than 10,000 student-athletes play the game last year, placing it just outside the top 10 most popular girls sports.
It’s expected to grow in this section, especially within the Elk Grove Unified School District, the most populated district in Northern California. No school within the EGUSD fielded a flag football team in 2023. That changes this fall. Cosumnes Oaks, Elk Grove, Florin, Franklin, Laguna Creek, Monterey Trail, Pleasant Grove, Sheldon and Valley are all expected to flag up in 2024.
Among other notable programs beginning this season is Oak Ridge in El Dorado Hills. The Trojans will be coached by former Oak Ridge tackle football section championship coach Eric Cavaliere. Sacramento Charter High will field its first flag football team. And several schools from Sacramento City Unified School District arrive as well, including McClatchy, Kennedy, West Campus, Hiram Johnson and Burbank.
“If you’re not playing now, I don’t know why,” Birch said. “We can see where players have developed already. But I really feel like, in two years, when these freshmen or sophomores have played for four years, you’re really gonna see the difference.”
Some schools say the sport has been good for the bottom line as well. Del Campo head coach Jay Lottes was informed by his athletic director that last year “was the first time in many years that female sports at Del Campo were in the financial black instead of the red” due to the large gate revenue that flag football brought in.
“People love to come out and watch these girls play,” Lottes said.
Flag teams generally play two games a week. With the Sac-Joaquin Section expanding from 70 teams to more than 120, the postseason will expand from two divisions to four.
New flag rules
A few rules have been modified from a year ago. Here are some of the most notable:
▪ The field is wider.
▪ Last year, players wore three flags. This time, they’ll only wear two, one on each hip.
▪ Two 20-minute halves with a five-minute halftime increases to 24-minute halves with running clocks until the two-minute mark of each half. Junior varsity games will remain with 20-minute halves.
▪ Quarterbacks have seven seconds to release the ball. At the expiration of the passing clock, the officials will whistle the play dead. For a full list of flag football rules, visit the CIF website.
25 players to watch
The Bee compiled its first flag football All-Metro team in 2023 featuring more than 30 players and 50 more honorable mentions. Several honorees return this season.
Here’s a preseason peek at returning players to watch:
Landry Clark, Davis, So.: Stepped into the quarterback role as a freshman for the Blue Devils, who battled one of the toughest schedules in the area.
Izzy Deveraux, Woodcreek, Sr.: Gun-slinging passer and the reigning Bee Offensive Player of the Year who guided the Timberwolves into the Division I championship game riding 23 consecutive wins.
Kaia Diederichs, Colfax, Sr.: The Bee’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year and a star athlete in any sport she plays. Had 34 interceptions in 17 games, leading Colfax to a 14-3 mark and the section semifinals.
Kylee Flores, Granite Bay, Sr.: One of the top defenders out of the Sierra Foothill League in 2023 with 18 interceptions. Flores helped the Grizzlies pitch eight shutouts in 2023.
Kyla Friedrich, Sacramento Adventist, So.: The lone freshman to make an All-Metro team last season. She could pass (1,124 passing yards), run (648 rushing), catch (323 receiving) and take away (nine interceptions) the ball for the small-school Capitals.
Amaya Grant, Woodcreek, Jr.: A knack for the ball on both offense and defense. One of two sophomores to make the Bee’s All-Metro first team.
Aleyah Harmon, Christian Brothers, Sr.: A crucial piece to the Falcons’ Division II section title teamr. Harmon was an All-Metro first-team selection in basketball and flag football last year.
Payton Hyde, Del Oro, Jr.: A first-team All-SFL safety also has a nose for the ball in the end zone offensively. Del Oro coach Steve Birch said she is simply a “football player.”
Savannah Jurgens, Del Campo, Sr.: The defensive linchpin with eight interceptions (three returned for touchdowns) for a 16-2 Cougars team that only allowed 62 points all season. Also has scholarship offers to play soccer.
Skyler Linehan, Rocklin, Jr.: The SFL Co-Offensive Player of the Year and All-Metro first-teamer caught 80 passes in 2023 and tallied 1,172 total yards in 2023.
Alex Maday, Whitney, Sr.: Defenders may think twice before trying to pull flags from the Whitney QB who also doubles as a section Masters champion in wrestling.
Livy Maeyama, Rocklin, Sr.: Toughness personified. Maeyama was the SFL Defensive Player of the Year after playing the final seven games with a face mask due to a broken nose.
Maddy Marquez, Foresthill, Jr.: Went over 100 receiving yards in a game multiple times and averaged seven flag pulls on defense for the small school in Placer County. She played every snap and also never missed a volleyball game while multi-sporting for the Wildfires last fall.
Lillian McDaniel, Granite Bay, Sr.: A Swiss army knife offensively for the Grizzlies, who seek to build off their top-10 finish in The Bee’s final rankings from a year ago. Will also suit up for the boys varsity football team.
Emily Morris, Dixon, Sr.: An All-Metro third-team selection as a sophomore, Morris is a multi-sport standout who was the MVP for the Golden Empire League champion Rams.
Ryan Nair, Woodcreek, Sr.: An All-Metro first-teamer and favorite target for Offensive Player of the Year Izzy Deveraux in Woodcreek’s high-powered offense. Both return in 2024.
Naomi Navarro, Pioneer, Jr.: Compiled 17 interceptions for a Pioneer squad that enters 2024 in the new Monticello Empire League, featuring flag football newcomers River City, Rodriguez, Sacramento, Vacaville, Vanden and Wood.
Amanda Nazworth, Vista del Lago, Jr.: The Eagles’ QB passed for 1,162 yards with 15 TDs last year while also hauling in 20 interceptions for more than 300 return yards on defense.
Robyn Nguyen, Rocklin, Jr.: As a sophomore, Nguyen was one of the section’s top passers last year with 3,099 yards and 40 touchdowns. She has all of her top targets back in 2024.
Delaney Osborne, Del Oro, Sr.: Championship QB who had a hand in both of Del Oro’s touchdowns in the 14-12 section final win against Woodcreek.
Tayli Paeu-Lindgren, St. Francis, So.: A big 6-foot target at wideout who can also be disruptive as a defensive back. St. Francis coaches say she’s motivated to have a breakout year.
Abigail Schrader, Rocklin, Sr.: Rocklin’s top pass catcher from last year nearly eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark while scoring 12 touchdowns as a junior.
Bella Von Seipler, Del Oro, Sr.: An All Metro first-teamer and the SFL’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year for the D-I champion Golden Eagles. She can hoop, too, with a basketball commitment to the University of San Diego.
Sophia Wright, Del Campo, Sr.: A three-sport star, Wright didn’t take over at QB last year until the fifth game of the season and still tossed 42 TD passes in one of the most prolific offenses in the area.
Symone Yong, Roseville, Sr.: Discovered flag football as a junior after playing boys football her freshman and sophomore years at Roseville. Can play four different positions.
Top 15 rankings
(with last year’s records in parentheses)
1. Del Oro (21-2)
2. Woodcreek (23-1)
3. Christian Brothers (17-3)
4. Rocklin (16-7)
5. Del Campo (16-2)
6. Granite Bay (15-9)
7. St. Francis (7-11)
8. Colfax (14-3)
9. Antelope (11-5)
10. Vista del Lago (8-5)
11. West Park (13-8)
12. Whitney (6-10)
13. Davis (7-11)
14. Dixon (13-3)
15. Pioneer (13-4)
▪ First-year programs who could join the conversation soon: Cosumnes Oaks, Elk Grove, Florin, Oak Ridge, Pleasant Grove, Rio Linda, Sacramento, Vacaville, Vanden.
— Nick Pecoraro/nmpecoraro@gmail.com