GRANITE BAY, Calif. – Senior Elizabeth Barger posted two interceptions while Caitlin Hafenstein and Tayli Paeu-Lindgren each found the end zone in the second half, but St. Francis could not erase a 21-0 deficit in falling to Granite Bay, 21-12, in the varsity end of Tuesday's Sierra Foothill League flag football doubleheader.
The Troubadours move to 4-10 overall with a 2-8 record in the SFL. This also marks the program's first loss in the head-to-head series with the Grizzlies, as SF defeated GB for its inaugural game on September 5 (21-14), then again at Rocklin's Girls of the Gridiron tournament on Sept. 23 (20-13).
Barger picked off passes on consecutive GB series after the two-minute warning in the first half, but St. Francis did not score on either turnover. Instead, the Grizzlies added another touchdown to their 14-0 halftime lead by finding junior Claire Miller for a score, then tacking on the one-point conversion.
But Troubie senior Emma Karamanoukian fired a screen to Hafenstein early in the next series, and the soccer/track star took the ball another 50 yards to paydirt with 15:27, putting SF on the board, 21-6. Karamanoukian later connected with Paeu-Lindgren for a touchdown of close to 30 yards with less than six minutes remaining. However, that proved to be the final scoring by either side, allowing the Grizzlies to seal the win.
The SF junior varsity dropped its second straight shutout, losing to GB by an 18-0 final in the opener. The younger Troubies slip to 3-6 for the season, and 1-5 in SFL games.
St. Francis hosts three total home games to close out the regular season. The jayvees host West Park for a 4:30 p.m. start on Wednesday for both their home opener and season finale. Then the varsity hosts Folsom (Oct. 17) and Davis (Oct. 18) as part of its Homecoming week.
