On Aug. 28, Lady Barons Varsity flag football edged out the San Marcos Knights 20-14 in a nail-biting match at home. This extended the Lady Barons’ winning streak to six, maintaining their undefeated dominance within San Diego. Varsity captain, rusher and senior, Ella Gomez (14), stated that maintaining high energy, being loud and applying pressure were crucial to winning the game, and felt responsible for keeping the team motivated.
“I do not want anyone with their head down,” Gomez said, “As a captain, I [have a responsibility to] keep the girls and myself hyped up and to keep everyone in check”.
The Lady Barons hit the ground running about a minute into the match, scoring their first touchdown with a pass from junior quarterback Mia Ramirez (6) to senior wide receiver Leiani Wilson (3). San Marcos’ first drive was pushed back by two consecutive sacks by Gomez, which forced a punt from the Knights. By the end of the first quarter, Lady Barons were up 6-0. Junior wide receiver and middle linebacker, Layla Schoen (4), points towards their teamwork and athleticism to be the main driving factor for their team’s success.
“Our team chemistry was really on point. We are like a sisterhood, and that is really what the game is about,” Schoen said. “I respect and appreciate everyone’s hard work and dedication that they put into this team.”
The Lady Barons did not stop there, however, grabbing another touchdown on the first drive of the second quarter with a pass from Ramirez to junior and running back Sofia Garay (8), and easily getting the extra point on a pass to junior wide receiver Gabriella Meza (15). The next drive by San Marcos was stopped by an interception by sophomore defensive back and wide receiver, Dariyan Wilson (1). Not even a moment later, Wilson capitalized on a pass from Ramirez and scored a touchdown. Wilson describes her feelings after the plays and says her main motivator is her team’s energy and passion on the field.
“The feeling [during the plays] was great,” Wilson said, “Honestly, I was just glad to be able to play and win with my team.”
The offense on both teams stood stagnant for the rest of the half, with the defense on both sides keeping the game in an endless stalemate. However, San Marcos was able to break through this stalemate with one minute left in the third quarter with their first touchdown and extra point, making the score 20-7. Gomez stated that their mindset was the problem going into the second half of the game.
“We actually got a little too comfortable in the second half,” Gomez said. “It almost got to the point where the intensity became too high where we had to actually realize [that this] would be a challenging match.”
The final quarter was electric, with neither side able to gain yardage. With neither team being able to break through each other’s defense, it seemed like a sure Lady Baron victory. However, with 3 minutes left on the clock, disaster struck, with San Marcos intercepting a pass, running it in for a pick six and an extra point, making the score 20-14. As San Marcos was nearing a potential last-minute win, the momentum suddenly shifted in San Marcos’ favor. Senior rusher and center Sy’ana Trotter (24) reflects on the game and possible ways to improve off this experience.
“Sometimes we play teams that are of a lower caliber than us,” Trotter said. “We drop down to their level, and I think that is something that we can work on.”
The Lady Barons attempted what may have been their final drive of the game, which failed on downs. As the ball was snapped back in the next play, Gomez quickly rushed up to the quarterback, forcing San Marcos to throw the ball to the closest teammate, who was being fiercely guarded by Schoen. As the ball was in the air, Schoen leapt and intercepted San Marcos’ failed pass attempt for the turnover. Schoen described how she felt in that moment, and how that play affected the team’s morale.
“To be honest, I wanted that interception [and] I really wanted to win. It is a fiery feeling, and that is what I do,” Schoen said. “It is momentum changing [and] helps us support [each other].”
The Lady Barons got one final drive to seal the deal. But this momentum was short-lived, as San Marcos resisted their final push on downs and once again, the pressure was on Bonita. As Bonita’s fans cheered for them, chanting “Defense” multiple times, they walked out for one last time in that long night. All the Lady Barons had to do was resist San Marcos’ final drive for 30 seconds, and the game was over.
In the final stretch, the Lady Barons pushed, fought and used luck. The defense was initiated by sophomore defensive back Savannah Bartolome (9), who broke up a pass for the first down. The second down was a QB scramble, gaining five yards. San Marcos threw an incomplete pass on the third down. The final down was a Hail Mary throw by San Marcos, which was intercepted by Wilson. After 4 quarters of heart-stopping action and tribulation, the game was now over as Bonita took their sixth consecutive win of the season. After the game, Trotter reflects on her team’s performance.
“As a team, we are very athletic,” Trotter says, “I know we always have each other’s backs so I knew that we were going to pull through.”
This win pushed the Lady Barons to a 6-0 record, the best in the league. As Bonita dominates, they are always prepared to play the next games and matches to keep representing through their sheer athleticism. Wilson looks forward to the team’s progression and the possibility of extending the streak even further.
“This year we’ve really come together,” Wilson said, “I am ready to do more, ready to go 7-0, 8-0, 9-0, you get the point.”
