SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior Eva Karamanoukian and sophomore Nevaeh Gavino each hauled in touchdown passes while freshman wideout Tayli Paeu-Lindgren scored a 1-point conversion and literally assisted on another, but St. Francis was unable to protect an early 14-6 lead, ultimately falling by a 35-14 final to Whitney in Sierra Foothill League flag football action Tuesday afternoon.
The Troubadours slip to 1-2 for the season and even their SFL record to 1-1.
Defensively, sophomore Annie Swanson broke up a pair of Wildcat passes then intercepted another midway through the second half. Junior Reese Lieuwen recorded the first SF pick of the game, pulling down a grab at midfield that set up the Troubies' second touchdown.
Colleen Medina registered five deflaggings, including a sack against Whitney's Alex Maday. The Troubie sprinter and point guard also chased down a pair of would-be touchdowns just shy of the end zone, although each ended up resulting in Wildcat scores. Sophomore Abbey Pavelchik came up with an interception on a 1-point conversion attempt in the first half.
Overall, St. Francis operated despite missing several senior starters, who were on the school's Kairos retreat this week, allowing for players such as Pavelchik to step up from the JV team for some valuable grid time.
The Troubies executive defensively early on, forcing Whitney to a three-and-out on the first series, with Swanson's PBU spoiling a fourth-and-10 chance on the second. Completions to Jade Abalateo and Natalia Zitelli drove SF into the red zone, then senior quarterback Natalie Vigil found Gavino in the back left corner of the end zone for the first score. Paeu-Lindgren was the initial target on the conversion attempt, but faced heavy pressure from Whitney junior Natalie Takeuchi. Instead, Paeu-Lindgren deflected the ball into the hands of Eva Karamanoukian, who happened to be hovering in front of the end zone at that moment.
Whitney scored on its next possession. Despite the sack by Medina, Maday found Elyse Sutton on a short route, then Sutton shook her Troubie defender to scamper to the end zone. Maday then tried to hit Patty Smith for the equalizing conversion, but Pavelchik leapt more than a foot higher than Smith to snare the attempt, keeping the Troubies up by one with about 6:30 remaining in the first half.
Then on a second-and-20 for Whitney, Lieuwen came up with her interception, giving SF a chance to take over at midfield with 2:45 left. Vigil connected with Gavino again, but Maday deflagged Gavino inches away from the goal line, denying the Troubie sophomore of a second touchdown. Instead, Vigil found a wide-open Karamanoukian on the next play, then hit Paeu-Lindgren for the conversion, putting St. Francis up by a 14-6 margin, which it rode into halftime.
Unfortunately for the Troubies, Whitney dominated the second half on both sides of the ball, scoring 29 unanswered points. Maday hit Madi Allen for a touchdown, a two-pointer and a one-pointer after the break, while also posting an interception on defense. Even Swanson's pick did not pay off for St. Francis, as Sutton intercepted a pass on the first play of the ensuing series.
St. Francis varsity returns to action on Thursday for an SFL game at Folsom. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on the blue turf. In the interim, the Troubie jayvees make their season debut with a 6:30 p.m. visit to Woodcreek on Wednesday.
