The second annual RSF/GPF Central Coast Girls Flag Football All-Star Game was held Jan. 11 at Aptos High School.
Monterey County claimed bragging rights Sunday, topping Santa Cruz County in the second annual RSF/GPF Central Coast Girls Flag Football All-Star Game at Aptos High School.
Alisal High School's Mia Rivera, the South All-Stars wide receiver and safety was the standout player of the night, leading her team to a 19-12 win over the North-All Stars.
Rivera, who scored 106 points on offense and had 14 interceptions on defense for her Alisal squad this season, had an interception that set up her first receiving touchdown to tie the game at 6, and she added another touchdown later to put the South ahead, 19-6.
Rivera was named the Most Valuable Player of the game for the South team.
The MVP of the game for the North team, Aptos High’s Ella Porter, scored both touchdowns for her side’s 12 points, showing off the form that also earned her the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League MVP award. Her second touchdown came on the first play of the fourth quarter, a 9-yard run that featured a couple of dips and twists to avoid would-be tacklers.
That set up an intense final 14 minutes, as each team made big plays on both sides of the ball to keep the outcome in doubt.
The game was put on by the Reggie Stephens and Gino Panelli Foundations, two non-profits that are involved in supporting local youth, high school and college athletes on the Central Coast.
“We all played a part in it, it wasn’t just a one-man show,” said one of the winning coaches, Alisal’s Marisol Rasul. “We all played together, and the girls were just amazing. It was such an amazing experience to coach them.”
“I just want to build our youth up, that’s the biggest thing,” said Marina High School coach Alyssa Dixon, when asked about what the game meant to her. Dixon is also a professional quarterback in the Women’s National Football Conference and will begin playing for the Golden State Storm in March. "I just wanted to show these ladies that they’re more than capable of getting the W.”
Flag football is one of the fastest-growing high school sports in the nation and will debut as an Olympic sport in 2028.
Skills contest winners
A variety of competitions before the game allowed the athletes to show off their skills. Palma High School’s Elsie Sargenti won the 40-yard dash with a time of 5.15 seconds, edging out her South teammate, Salinas’ Jaslyne Coronado, who clocked in at 5.19 seconds.
North Monterey County’s Maya Ibarra won the longest throw competition with a 31-yard heave through the air.
Meanwhile, Soquel High’s Haily Bettermann turned in the most impressive performance of the event with a high, booming kick that traveled 42 yards through the air to easily win the longest kick contest.
Bettermann is also a star soccer player for the Knights. The South finished off the skills competition by winning a 1-on-1 contest by the score of 3-1.
This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Monterey County tops Santa Cruz County in All-Stars flag football game
Category: General Sports
