SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sophomore Tayli Paeu-Lindgren hauled in a touchdown pass and a one-point conversion while fellow 10th-grader Natalia Zitelli scampered 60 yards on a backfield pitch with less than seven minutes remaining in regulation, but St. Francis came up short in a 14-13 loss to Rio Linda in the 2024 flag football season opener Tuesday night.
The contest served as one of many area CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Foundation games, each of which serves as a fundraiser for the section's scholarship programs.
Tuesday's game saw the quarterback debuts of two freshmen, Lola Fox and Taylor Mitchell, who split up duties behind center throughout the game. Fox fired the opening score to Paeu-Lindgren just 2:30 into the game. Paeu-Lindgren and junior Nevaeh Gavino each had grabs to start the series, then Mitchell stepped in for the first scoring chance. She fired into the end zone to Paeu-Lindgren, who came up short in grabbing the missile on the left side. Instead, Fox returned to the game hit the towering sophomore in the same spot, who elevated over three Knight defenders for the strike. Fox and Paeu-Lindgren connected again for the conversion to give SF the early 7-0 lead.
The Troubadour defense followed by shutting down Rio Linda in consecutive three-and-out possessions in the first 13 minutes of play, protecting that start. Unfortunately, it was that third St. Francis series that ultimately put the Knights on the board. After freshman receiver Monet Zauner zigged and zagged her way to a first down on a short pass from Mitchell, Rio Linda equalized on a pick six with about six minutes remaining. The Knights converted the one-pointer to equalize at 7-7.
The turnover was the first of three interceptions by Rio Linda, which ended the next Troubie series on a pick, then doing so again on the first SF play from scrimmage after halftime. That third takeaway resulted in an almost five-minute scoring drive for the Knights, who took a 14-7 lead with 16:47 left in the second.
St. Francis answered with a trip to the red zone, highlighted by a fourth-down conversion by Zauner and another first down to Brooklyn Kann, giving the Troubies a full set of downs from the Rio 15. Unfortunately, three straight incomplete passes left SF with a fourth-and-goal. A double pass saw running back Jade Abalateo find receiver Annie Swanson, but the junior wideout was deflagged shy of the Rio 5.
The Knights could not move past midfield, with Zia Smith and Reese Lieuwen coming up with key stops and Charley Viley batting down a third-down conversion. Rio Linda opted to punt, putting SF on its own 20-yard line with 7:44 left in the game.
Fox pitched to Zitelli in the backfield, who rumbled 60 yards up the right sideline for the Troubies' second touchdown. A diving Herbelin hoped to pull in the game-tying conversion but the pass landed out of her reach, keeping the Knights up by one.
St. Francis managed one more chance for the go-ahead with less than five minutes left. Gavino had the first gain on a screen pass, then Zitelli's reception in the flat converted another first down and gave the Troubies a first-and-one on the Rio 21. Fox completed a third straight pass to Abalateo to set up first-and-goal, then Olivia Alvernaz collected her fourth catch of the day to bring St. Francis to the 12-yard-line.
Zitelli ran another pitch in similar fashion to her long touchdown, and advanced to the Rio 5 before getting called for a spinning foul. Instead, SF had to convert on a 2nd-and-15. A Knight defender came up with a big break-up against Alvernaz, then a well-placed Fox pass barely eluded Abalateo in the back of the end zone. This gave Rio Linda possession with 1:14 left, with all but seven ticks eaten away by a couple of running plays. The Knights killed the final seconds on a rollout to preserve their win.
Tuesday's game served as a first under new head coach Quincy Cooper. It also marked the first official athletics event of the school year, following scrimmages and intrasquad action by flag football, volleyball and cross country on the previous Saturday. Troubie flag returns to action on Monday for a home non-league doubleheader against Ponderosa at 4:30 p.m.
