When the California Interscholastic Federation added girls flag football to its list of sponsored sports for the fall 2023 season, the reaction was unexpected.
Will DeBoard, assistant superintendent of the Sac-Joaquin Section, called it “unprecedented” when 76 teams in the section answered the call and fielded teams, including Lodi and Tokay. In the second year of flag football in California, the Sac-Joaquin Section will field about 170 teams, according to George Duenas, athletic director and flag football coach at Lodi High.
Among them, according to Galt athletic director John Van Den Raadt, are Galt and Liberty Ranch, who join three other teams in the Sierra Valley Conference. The section now has six divisions – Lodi remains in DI with the TCAL, Tokay’s move to the SJAA means the Tigers are now D-III and the SVC is DV.
The first year of flag football could not have been more exciting for the TCAL, as teams like Sierra of Manteca and Central Catholic were also in the mix due to a lack of team strength in their leagues. The entire season was a race with four or five teams in contention. In the end, the first TCAL flag football title went to Tracy with a score of 14-2, Tokay and St. Mary’s 13-3 and Lodi 12-4.
And now that players have a season behind them, the game can only get more challenging.
“With the new girls coming in, you can see the difference between the new girls and the girls from last season,” said Tokay coach George Bozovich. “It’s nice that we haven’t lost too many of them, so mentoring them is extremely important.”
Tokay returns Kayleen Tuavao, last year’s TCAL MVP, and quarterback Aria Khan, the TCAL Offensive Player of the Year, who finished the season with 57 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. Tuavao, who played both safety and receiver, had 26 interceptions on defense and 24 catches on offense. Khan even garnered national attention, making Maxpreps.com’s list of 20 flag football players to watch across the country.
Duenas has also taken a big step forward at Lodi.
“It’s still about getting the fundamentals down, but the pace and expectations are a little different,” he said. “Last year it was ‘let’s get as many players playing as possible,’ but this year the girls are crisper, we’re more advanced. It’s like night and day.”
While the team from Lodi lost several regular players to graduation, including quarterback Janie Schallberger and running back Lauren Shinn, 60 girls came to the tryouts, according to Duenas. The Flames have three players vying for the position of starting quarterback.
Lodi slot receiver Emma Fuentes will be the team’s primary offensive leader after playing a key role last season.
And because Duenas is Duenas, the team will of course use a triple option. With a few twists.
“Of course. Come on, man,” he said, laughing. “But we changed a lot, we learned a lot in that playoff game. It’s an unconventional style of play, so I have to be more open to what can be fundamental in football and what trick plays can be. I’m not a trick play guy, but in flag football I have to open my mind and my playbook.”
Tokay also lost some starters, with Jayda Perez and Maliah Gomes being two of the best players. But a strong junior varsity team has promoted some players to key positions, including a talented defense that Bozovich hopes will allow Tuavao to focus more on offense without a drop in the quality of defense.
In the second year things are completely new.
“When we were learning the game as coaches, I watched videos, watched how other countries do it, watched the Olympics,” Bozovich said. “I watch other people’s stuff, but I also maybe add my own boasting to it. And I’m the first to say to someone, ‘That was a good play, maybe I’ll steal it.'”
