By Rick Assad
In the case of Burroughs High, it will be making history and for Providence, it will be the second season that it has a girls’ flag football team.
Longtime Bears’ varsity football coach and current athletic director Keith Knoop will lead the charge of twenty young ladies.
There are nine seniors, and they include Liczy Mercado, who will play wide receiver and defensive back, Celeste Iniguez [wide receiver and linebacker] and Nevaeh Diaz [wide receiver and linebacker].
Also on the team are seniors Alyssa Prachasaisoradej [quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back], Lilit Nazarian [wide receiver and linebacker] and Aurelia Thiel [quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back].
The rest of the seniors are Karisma Mendez [quarterback and wide receiver], Hailey Burns-Franco [running back and defensive back] and Giovanna Martinez [center and linebacker].
There will be eight juniors on the squad and they are Jennifer Aispuro-Reyes [wide receiver and linebacker], Isabella Estrada [wide receiver and defensive back], Lillian Graham [quarterback and defensive back], Geneva Kiefer [wide receiver and defensive back], Sabrina Coto [quarterback and defensive back], Krystal Vilalta [wide receiver and defensive back], Lily Indefenzo [wide receiver and defensive back] and R’ae Boulanger [center and linebacker].
Three sophomores are on the team, and they are Kayla Duran [running back and defensive back], Quinn Daimonji [wide receiver and defensive back] and Kelsey Vivas [wide receiver and defensive back].
Knoop wants the players to enjoy their time on the field and soak up the atmosphere.
“I want them to have fun and get a little better each day. Let our athletes be athletes,” he said. “Right now, it’s about teaching them the little nuances about the game like reading the defender, pulling a flag, and what are the rules.”
When asked what he’s hoping for, his response was this: “Fun is what we are having,” he stated. “I wanted to strike while the iron was hot, and girls’ flag football is hot right now.”
Ana Coronado is the Pioneers coach and her projections are all positive.
There are two seniors on the team and they are Sophia Ramirez and Zoe Tsao.
Five juniors are on the squad, and they are Lola Middleton, Sophia Pacheco, Genevieve Shih, Emma Valera and Nicole Villosis.
Thirteen sophomores are on the team, and they are Isabella Avalos, Aurora Bates, Ari Buitrago, Sofia Carrillo, Shruthl Castro, Viviana Cox, Ava Martinez, Leah Nieto, Samantha Oldenquist, Vivienne Stephenson, Ceci Santiago, Lizzie Rudolph and Stella Perez.
Five freshmen are on the team and they are Brooklyn Freed, Grace Gesek, Kayla Salazar, Katy Tindle and Parker Vazquez.
A season ago, Providence went 1-11 and 1-9 in the Prep League.
“Expectations for this season are to work hard and do our very best,” Coronado said. “For some of our incoming freshman players, this will be their introduction into their high school sport career, so the coaching staff and I would love them to have a wonderful experience.”
Coronado feels the product will be fun to watch and root for.
“I see tremendous potential with this team so far and am truly excited to see the girls play and compete and represent Providence with great pride,” she stated. “Last year we had a small number of players that had never played football before or even watched it. So it was amazing to see the growth and determination that the ladies exhibited in the small number of games we had.”
Coronado added: “We had one graduating senior last year, and all the others are returning for another season and that is so wonderful to see them want to continue to compete and improve in this sport,” she said. “We will definitely have an exciting season this year and I am thankful to have the opportunity to continue girls’ flag football at Providence.”
