This year Rancho Cucamonga High School’s first-ever girls’ flag football team will be kicking off history. So far they have started strong with record of 9-1.
Their first league game against Summit High School was on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, with a score of 6-1. On Thursday, Aug. 19 they fought against Roosevelt with a tough loss with a score of 12-14. On Tuesday, Aug. 20, girls flag football defeated Chaffey High School with a score of 30-6.
On Monday, Aug. 26, they defeated Fontana High School with a score of 30-13. On Tuesday, Aug. 27, they beat Montclair High School with an impressive score of 39-0. The most recent game was on Tuesday, Sep. 3, 2024, where they played against Colony High School, winning 21-6.
Junior Averie Siena, a wide receiver and safety player on the team shared her thoughts about a recent game.
“The team had three touchdowns and three extra points when they were successful from the 3-yard line,” Siena said.
The girls’ flag football team’s success is particularly important since the district was informed that flag football would be an official CIF sport last school year. This shift not only marks an important turning point for gender inclusivity in high school sports, but also provides an opportunity for female athletes to showcase their talents on a larger stage.
The team’s achievements are proof of their hard work, dedication, and the growing recognition of flag football as a competitive sport for girls.
“Our girl’s flag football team already has been ranked in the top ten by IE Sports Net, and hopefully girls flag football will be yet another sport RCHS will dominate in,” team captain Isa Alamo said.
According to the CIF Southern Section’s official website, girls flag football has grown from 120 teams in 2023 to 270 teams in 2024. The last time a new sport was offered at RCHS was boys volleyball, which was established in the 2022-2023 school year.
