Central Valley’s girls flag football program could experience its most successful season to date this fall.
“This is the best team we’ve had,” Hawks’ third-year head coach Tony Cordova said.
Approximately 18 players earned roster spots, including Sophia Alvarez (Sr., LB), Giana Breshears (Sr., OL/P/LB), Arely Camarena (Sr., LB), Jazmin Carmona (Sr., C/DB), Damaris Cisneros (Sr., DB), Dulce Del Valle (Sr., RB/LB), Alicia Espinoza (Sr., LB), Elia Hernandez (Sr., LB), Abigail Krauss (Sr., QB/RB/WR), Airieana Martinez (Sr., WR/LB), Ruby Medina (Sr., WR/DB), Layla Nowaya (Jr., WR/LB/DB), Jocelyn Rivera (Sr., WR/RB/LB), Alicia Torres (Jr., WR/DB), Ayleen Apreza (So., WR/RB/DB), Mia Muniz (So., WR/DB), Addisyn Prudhel (So., QB) and Mekenzie Buenrostro (Fr., WR/DB).
Alvarez, Breshears, Cisneros, Espinoza, Martinez, Medina, Rivera, Apreza and Prudhel are returners.
Camarena, Carmona, Del Valle, Hernandez, Krauss, Nowaya, Torres, Muniz and Buenrostro are newcomers.
“We’re pretty excited with the roster,” Cordova said. “We picked a team that was fast. That will benefit us in the long run.”
“We got a good core,” he added. “We only lost two (offensive) starters and one (defensive starter) from last year’s team.”
Espinoza, Cisneros, Martinez and Del Valle have been named team captains.
“All four of them have showed leadership,” Cordova said. “They work hard. They mentor a lot of the new players. They’re always positive.”
Apreza earned first-team all-Western Athletic Conference honors as a freshman.
She also represented the Hawks at the Second Annual Merced County All-Star Game.
Apreza caught 72 passes for 1,032 yards and 13 touchdowns and ran for 376 yards and three scores on 36 carries on the season.
She had 12 tackles, one sack, one interception and two pass deflections while excelling at safety on defense.
Prudhel and Martinez were both selected to the WAC Second Team.
Prudhel missed earning first-team all-league honors by one vote.
She completed 192 of 346 passes for 2,481 yards with 29 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in 12 games.
Martinez totaled 37 tackles, one interception and eight deflections at inside linebacker.
She ranked first on the team in tackles.
Cisneros was an honorable-mention WAC selection.
She was rewarded for her production at safety.
Cisneros led the Hawks in interceptions (5) and pick-sixes (1).
She ranked fourth on the team in tackles (24) and fifth in pass deflections (4).
Central Valley and other flag football programs throughout the state had to modify their offensive playbooks as the Sac-Joaquin Section implemented rule changes for the 2025 season to closer align with National Federation of State High School Associations guidelines.
There are currently 14 states that have sanctioned flag football as a sport. The California Interscholastic Federation, going into year three with flag football, saw a whopping 84 percent increase in participation from 2023 to 2024.
“These are the rules they’re going to run in college and the Olympics,” Cordova said.
Among the biggest gameplay changes included the neutral zone shrinking from 7 yards to 1 yard. But the number of legal pass rushers has increased. Now, all seven defensive players may pressure the quarterback. Only two rushers were previously allowed.
“It’s changed the game so much,” Cordova said. “You have to have a super, mobile quarterback or do some misdirection stuff—direct snaps to the running back and a lot of options. Your quarterback gets about 2 seconds to hold the ball because there are two to three blitzers. It’s changing from a passing to running league.”
Central Valley has improved each year since its inaugural campaign in 2023.
The Hawks amassed an 8-13 overall record and finished in fourth place with a 7-7 mark during their return to the WAC in 2024.
Central Valley won just two league games during its first-ever season.
The top three teams in the WAC will qualify for the playoffs.
“We will be really disappointed if we don’t make the playoffs,” Cordova said. “Our ultimate goal is to win league. We want to hang banners. I think we have a chance.”
The Hawks’ conference schedule includes home-and-away games against the Ceres High Bulldogs, Beyer Patriots, Grace Davis Spartans, Johansen Vikings, Livingston Wolves, Pacheco Panthers and Lathrop Spartans.
Livingston (14-0), Lathrop (12-2) and Ceres High (10-4) placed first, second and third, respectively, in the 2024 WAC standings.
The Hawks have an all-time head-to-head record of 0-3 versus the crosstown-rival Bulldogs.
Central Valley lost 43-20 and 36-12 to Ceres High last season.
The Hawks suffered a 38-12 loss during their first meeting against the Bulldogs.
“We haven’t beat them yet,” Cordova said. “All of the girls are itching to get that first win. We have to, to make it to playoffs.”
Manteca Bulletin Reporter Jonamar Jacinto contributed to this report.
