SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Seniors Caitlin Hafenstein and Elizabeth Barger each earned first-team distinction to lead a total of five St. Francis players on the inaugural All-Sierra Foothill League honor roll for flag football, the SFL office announced this week.

Senior Sophia Fahey, senior Emma Karamanoukian and junior Reese Lieuwen each earned spots on the second team, helping the Troubadours to a 7-11 overall record, a fourth-place finish in the tough SFL, and a berth in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs.

As an athletics department, St. Francis finishes its last year as a member of the Delta League in 2023-24. However, with none of the Elk Grove schools opting to sponsor flag football this year, SF and Davis competed in the Sierra Foothill League in the sport. The Troubies and Blue Devils will become full-fledged members of the conference for all of its 13 interscholastic sports starting in 2024-25, adding to a roster that already includes Del Oro, Folsom, Granite Bay, Oak Ridge, Rocklin and Whitney.

By rule, St. Francis was eligible for two first-team honorees by virtue of its fourth-place finish. The champion gets four first teamers on the final roll, while the league runner-up and third-place team boasts three. Up to three players from each team then snare second-team accolades. All awards were determined by a vote of the coaches, with second-team picks requiring at least one vote.

League champ Del Oro had both the overall MVP and Offensive MVP in Megan Matthews and Bella Von Seipler, respectively. Rocklin's Skyler Linehan and Granite Bay's Avery Wu shared the Offensive MVP honor with Von Seipler. The Thunder also boasted the Defensive MVP award, which went to safety Livy Maeyama.

The first-team All-SFL honors for Barger and Hafenstein came a week after the Troubie duo appeared on the Sacramento Bee's All-Metro rolls.

The All-SFL first-team honorees earned a commemorative patch and certificate while the second-team selections received a certificate. These were presented to the team on November 8, along with the team awards, which are detailed below:

2023 ST. FRANCIS FALL ALL-SIERRA FOOTHILL LEAGUE & TEAM AWARDS

FLAG FOOTBALL
All-SFL First Team: Elizabeth Barger
All-SFL First Team: Caitlin Hafenstein
All-SFL Second Team: Sophia Fahey
All-SFL Second Team: Emma Karamanoukian
All-SFL Second Team: Reese Lieuwen

Varsity Defensive MVP: Elizabeth Barger
Varsity Offensive MVP: Caitlin Hafenstein
Varsity Most Improved Player: Reese Lieuwen
Varsity Troubadour Spirit Award: Sophia Fahey
JV Offensive MVP: Madison Trafican
JV Defensive MVP: Abi Hall
JV Most Improved Player: Grace Gustorf