ACALANES

    After a 17-3 record and making it to the NCS championship game last season, and with a large number of productive players returning, there is a lot of optimism at Acalanes, with a 4-1 record, three shutouts and their only loss 2-0 to Granada.  “We have a lot of talent and we were successful last year but that doesn't guarantee success this year. You got to still show up and do it.” said co-head coach Mike Ivankovich.

    Unlike their first year of flag football with a total roster of 17, where the game was essentially new to all of the players, there are only two girls on a roster of 21, freshmen Catherine Hattersley and Eloise Kemp, whose experience is somewhat limited. “Catherine, a lacrosse player, is a tenacious athlete and Eloise is a multi-time MOL MVP in flag football and they’re both learning,” Ivankovich said. “Next year will be the first year we will have had four-year starters in Isabelle Agnost and June Natal.”

    With 19 returning players, the team brings a lot of experience which is essential to the team’s success, according to Ivankovich. “That gives us a huge advantage. Even with all of our experience, this is the first year we’ve had a returning starting quarterback. Having varsity returners who played is a huge advantage so we’ve been able to change our whole offense, being able to run and pass the ball.”

    Quarterback Ines Coyne is coming off a top season, being named to the All-Metro team. “Ines is such an incredible, relentless competitor. She has worked hard on her mechanics and reading defenses, is a devastating runner and is a great leader along with being a dominant defensive player.” Coyne is backed up by Stella Beuchotte and Ashby Raher, both who also play defense.

    Complimenting Coyne in the backfield is fellow All-Metro team player, running back Isabelle Agnost, who brings top track speed to the game. “It’s rare to have a player that has all the physical attributes, mental toughness, and high-level competitiveness and yet with all of these attributes, she is so unselfish,” Ivankovich said.

    Coyne has a solid core of receivers in Avery DeMent, June Natal, Santata Tamayo and Beuchotte. Natal set the tone in the first game win over Piedmont with four touchdown receptions along with an interception.

    “Our defense is going to make us competitive with anyone," Ivankovich said. "We feel like we've been the best defensive program in the Bay Area. We have great players who are athletes and we have sound schemes and coach them really hard. They understand leverage and spacing and being in the right place. We’ve been double rushing and we’ve had games with double digit sacks.”

    The linebacker position has three all-league players in Dement, Beuchotte and Coyne. “Avery does a great job in tracking the ball and rarely misses pulling the flag and Malory DeCredico has been a force as a pass rusher on the line with Stella rushing from the linebacker spot.”

    The captains on the team are seniors Coyne, DeMent, Beuchotte and Tamayo. “I’m really proud of the way that our seniors have been taking the younger players under their wing and mentoring and looking out of for them.”

    Still Ivankovich is taking nothing for granted. “There’s no more blowing people out week after week. All the teams know how to play and they’re getting better athletes. When you combine those things, it’s going to be highly competitive.”

CAMPOLINDO 

    It’s been a slow start for Campolindo through no fault of their own since their opening game opponent canceled and they were limited to having an intersquad scrimmage.

    This is a veteran team with 23 seniors and juniors along with 10 sophomores and freshmen, with four returning players that were all-league last year: Isabelle Maher, Paige Williams, Isabella Verganszky and Lane Massa.

    Head coach Paki Gordo, in his second year at Campolindo, sees a difference in the girls from last year’s 8-9-1 team. “The girls have a different focus. They understood the things they needed to work on in the off season so they came in with a different mindset and more dedication to what they're doing. With their prior experience, they’ve learned the game a lot more with their approach to practice and game preparation. We’re a stronger and faster team that has the knowledge of being in the right places and holding each other accountable.”

    Gordo sees a solid core of leaders among the upper classmen. “There is a large core of our upperclassmen along with some of our quiet leaders and it’s been amazing to see that as well.”

    Maher, who was a dominant figure on offense last season accounting for 93% of the team’s offense, passing for 2139 yards and rushing for 979 yards, is returning at quarterback. “Isabelle has a great arm and is obviously a dual threat as a runner along with being a very tenacious competitor,” Gordo said. “Isabelle saw the opportunities and ran with it but our goal is to keep it more balanced this year with some of our younger players like Sadie Ginestro, MacKinsey Lee, Greta Welcome and Yana Yera-Paez Vare.”

    The team has a solid core of receivers led by Williams (91 receptions), Jeevan Dahliwal (40) and Hernandez (32). Sophomore Maddie Poritzky also made some big receptions last year as well.

    Gordo is also positive about the potential of the underclassmen. “Messina Marchetti and Lizzie Gilbert have shown potential and I’m looking to see what they and the other underclassmen play at a faster level and then figure out a way to get them in the game.” 

    The defense was led by Massa (81 tackles), Verbanszky (28), Ella Heerin (51) and Mia Durden (21). “Lane is a tackle master and knows how to read the game,” Gordo said. “She is very disciplined, making the right calls and taking the right angles. Mia was very good at cornerback and Ella was good in flag pulling and coverage. Addie Moran, a quiet force on defense is currently out with an injury but is expected back soon.”

    The key for the team’s ultimate success to Gordo is simple: “We have to stay healthy and hungry. We need to make sure that we start fast and continue to keep the ball rolling as we go. We also want to limit our physical and mental mistakes and we’re making sure that we tighten up there.”

MIRAMONTE

    With a team that went 3-10 last year, new head coach Robert Kennedy is bringing the same attitude he brought to the Miramonte track team last spring as their head coach, creating an environment where the kids feel safe, having fun and gain confidence as they compete with their opponents. “These girls need to be confident in their skills and ability. I got the announcement that I was going to be the Flag coach two weeks before school started so we missed the whole summer to practice and we’ve had a lot of catching up to do, but I’ve seen the girls change in leaps and bounds.”

    This is a young team with only one senior but nine juniors, eight sophomores and four freshmen. Junior Ava Noga was the only player named to the all-conference teams.

    Kennedy’s philosophy is to have the players make the decisions on the field. “I want to trust our players to make the right decisions because they are eyes and ears on the field where they can develop their confidence to do that. We want our quarterbacks to know what is available and when a play breaks down, knowing what is her check down, and if it’s not there, to start running.”

    The team began the season with a 26-0 win over San Lorenzo. “That showed us is that we have the skills and the ability to play and now we just need a little bit more time to refine our technique, home in on our positions and really dedicate specific plays to key individuals so that they can shine,” said Kennedy. “We’ve got a really fast team and they’re eager to play. It’s my job to give them a North Star so they know exactly where they're going, and take my hands off the steering wheel, allowing them to drive. They listen, and when we give them the reason why, it clicks, and so then they're able to pick up on it.”

    Whitney Mapaye, who played wide receiver last season, is the team’s starting quarterback, backed up by Lizzi Rudd and Sammy Hardy. “Whitney has a good, accurate arm, Lizzi is a returner from last year and Sammy is a softball player that is new to the game but has a very strong arm that even needs to hold back a little,” Kennedy said. "My quarterbacks have to make the critical decisions for us, understanding our plays and schemes and making the decision based on what they’re seeing out there.”

    Kennedy has a number of his track athletes on the team’s roster led by Jada Lu, Amaya Kennedy and Olivia Troy: “Jada is a track hurdler with good hands that is getting more confident, Amaya is a running back and wide receiver and free safety and Olivia is a newcomer that is broadening her skills. I want the girls to create space so they have to run sharp routes which will give our quarterback time to make a play.”

    The defense is led by Melissa Harris, Riyana Harabarakada and Anaia Sighn. “All three are very good flag pullers. Melissa is a wrestler and is very aggressive with the ability to snag the flags as are Riyana and Anaia. The key is to have the girls keep their offensive opponent square in front of them to be able to get to their flag. I want them to be aggressive and feel that the ball is as much theirs as it is the wide receivers.”

    The team’s record is now 1-2 after losing to Dougherty Valley and Hayward but Kennedy is taking the long-term perspective for the team: “As the year develops, I really want our players to understand the basic concepts of the game and have a basic understanding of where they are in space. We're still kind of tiptoeing, going east-west, and I want them to go north-south. As long as they're moving forward we're getting closer and closer to a first down and then a touchdown.”