SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior quarterback Emma Karamanoukian threw three first-half touchdown passes and a two-point conversion, then caught another TD on a one-handed grab for the game's final play, as St. Francis posted a season-high points in a 45-7 win over Folsom in Sierra Foothill League flag football action Tuesday afternoon.
The Troubadours improve to 5-10 for the year and to 3-8 in league play.
In all, St. Francis scored six touchdowns, all in the air. Freshman Tayli Paeu-Lindgren hauled in three, Hafenstein had two others, then Karamanoukian – lined up at wideout – grabbed the sixth on a lob into the end zone from Hafenstein. Additionally, Lauren Herbelin snared the game's lone two-point conversion while Annie Swanson grabbed a one-pointer with 1:12 left before halftime.
Defensively, the Troubies picked off five passes: two by Elizabeth Barger plus one each by Lucee Manzano, Charley Viley and Zia Smith. Barger, who also pulled a team-leading four flags, nearly had a third pick when an errant pass from Mia Keller short-hopped her hands as she went diving for it. Barger was also tasked with containing Bulldog sophomore Kinga Major, who had five catches in the first half, including her team's only touchdown.
Paeu-Lindgren's first touchdown came on a deflected pass just 4:30 into the game, then her second happened on the first series after the 21-7 halftime lead. She then made it a hat trick with 4:45 remaining. Quarterback Natalie Vigil ran a draw to midfield, then hit Paeu-Lindgren in the flat on the next play. The SF freshman juked two defenders before running unscathed the rest of the way.
Paeu-Lindgren also came up with a key fourth-down conversion to set up Hafenstein's second TD catch after the two-minute warning. Meanwhile, Hafenstein's speed came up big on the go-ahead score earlier in the first half. After Major's touchdown grab helped Folsom take a 7-6 lead, Hafenstein went some 55 yards – mostly after the catch – to score the go-ahead with 6:40 left. Herbelin grabbed the two-pointer to make it 14-7.
Vigil took over at quarterback in the second half and threw two touchdown passes of her own: the strike to Paeu-Lindgren just 2:25 after the break, then another to Sarah Bashore about four minutes later. The Bashore score extended the score to 33-7, then Paeu-Lindgren's third score stretched the margin to 39-7.
The unusual final touchdown came in part due to Smith's interception in the final minutes of the game. St. Francis now had the ball with a four-possession lead, and allowed Hafenstein to take over behind center. A pitch to Eva Karamanokian resulted in a toss to her twin sister, giving SF a first-and-goal at the Folsom 18. Then Emma Karamanoukian ran a post from the left side, and Hafenstein lofted a high Hail Mary-style ball that the regular Troubie QB1 pulled in with only her left hand.
St. Francis conceded the conversion on the final touchdown to let the clock expire.
The Troubies' previous offensive best came in a 30-24 win at Whitney on September 26. They return to action for their regular-season finale against Davis on Wednesday. This contest also serves as the school's first-ever Homecoming football game, and as Senior Day for 10 grads-to-be: Barger, Hafenstein, the Karamanoukian twins, Vigil, Sophia Fahey, Caroline Phillips, Alesandra Stahl, team manager AJ Castellano, and student assistant coach May Conlin. Game time is 4:30 with the Senior Day ceremony directly preceding it.
