Central Valley’s girls flag football program reached new heights last season.
The Hawks refuse to lower expectations this fall despite losing 13 players to graduation, including all-Western Athletic Conference selections Giana Breshears, Alicia Espinoza, Abigail Krauss, Jocelyn Rivera, Dulce Del Valle and Damaris Cisneros.
“We got high expectations,” head coach Tony Cordova said. “We got a really good team. Talent and ability, I think we’re better than last year. We just have to execute and have the right mindset.”
Approximately 20 Central Valley student-athletes were awarded roster spots on this year’s team, including Angela Alvarado (Sr., WR/LB), Hailee Coppola (Sr., C/LB), Analia Diaz (Sr., LB), Alexyia Garcia (Sr., WR/DB), Valeria Garcia (Sr., LB), Annabelle Gomez (Sr., WR/LB/DB), Julianna Hernandez (Sr., LB), Lesly Hernandez (Sr., WR), Kerry Russell (Sr., LB), Alicia Torres (Sr., WR/C/LB/DB), Divina Velazquez (Sr., LB), Ayleen Apreza (Jr., WR/RB/DB). Jazmyn Dudley (Jr., WR/LB), Vianney Gutierrez (Jr., WR/DB), Victoria Mendoza (Jr., WR/DB/P), Monster Prudhel (Jr., QB/LB), Mekenzie Buenrostro (So. WR/RB/LB/DB), Alexa Palacios (So., WR/RB/LB), Pearl Ramirez (So., QB/WR/DB) and Nelmarie Diaz (Fr., QB/WR/LB).
Torres, Apreza, Prudhel and Buenrostro are returners.
Alvarado, Coppola, Gomez, Russell, Velazquez, Dudley, Gutierrez, Mendoza, Palacios, Ramirez, Analia Diaz, Alexyia Garcia, Valeria Garcia, Julianna Hernandez, Lesly Hernandez and Nelmarie Diaz are newcomers.
Alvarado, Coppola, Gomez, Russell, Velazquez, Dudley, Gutierrez, Ramirez, Analia Diaz, Alexyia Garcia, Valeria Garcia, Julianna Hernandez and Lesly Hernandez all competed at the junior-varsity level in 2025.
Palacios and Mendoza were members of the freshman team.
“We got a lot of big shoes to fill,” Cordova said. “The majority of the (new varsity) players played JV last season. They know the system. They know how to run plays. We don’t have to teach any of that. It makes practice so much easier. They just need to get used to varsity game speed.”
Apreza and Buenrostro were both recognized during the Western Athletic Conference year-end head coaches’ meeting a year ago.
Apreza was named to the WAC First Team.
The standout receiver/running back was the leading vote-getter for offensive players.
She caught 53 passes for 630 yards and 14 touchdowns and ran for 603 yards and two touchdowns on 94 carries on the season.
Apreza had 19 flag pulls, nine interceptions and one sack at safety.
Buenrostro earned WAC honorable-mention recognition while contributing at running back and wide receiver as a freshman.
She caught 19 passes for 104 yards and eight touchdowns.
Buenrostro had seven flag pulls and three interceptions at safety.
Torres had 20 flag pulls and one interception.
Prudhel had 11 flag pulls and two sacks.
Apreza, Prudhel and Ramirez have been named team captains.
“You could see the leadership and work ethic during summer workouts. “They’re good leaders. They encourage other players.”
Prudhel and Diaz are vying for the starting quarterback position.
Prudhel backed up Krauss last season.
Krauss earned second-team all-conference honors.
She passed for 1,733 yards with 28 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
She also rushed for 467 yards on 70 carries.
“Monster is really good at running the offense,” Cordova said. “She’s that steady person you can count on. There’s that trust. Nel makes things happen if nothing’s there. She’s extremely fast. She can throw, too.”
Central Valley experienced a major turnaround in 2025.
The Hawks compiled a 14-10 overall record, finished a program-best third place in the WAC standings (9-5) and qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs for the first time.
Central Valley won one of two games against crosstown-rival Ceres High.
The Hawks made history by earning their first-ever victory against the Bulldogs with a 31-28 road win.
Central Valley improved its all-time, head-to-head record versus Ceres High to 1-4.
The Hawks dropped out of the race for the conference title during the final week of the regular season.
Fifteenth-seeded Central Valley lost 47-6 to second-seeded McClatchy in the first round of the Division-I playoff tournament.
“We were able to accomplish almost all of the goals we set at the beginning of the season,” Cordova said.
Expectations remain high for the 2026 Hawks.
The top three teams in the WAC qualify for playoffs.
Lathrop (18-4, 12-2), Ceres High (16-8, 11-3) and Central Valley secured berths last season.
Beyer (9-9, 7-7), Livingston (10-15, 7-7) and Pacheco (10-10, 7-7) tied for fourth place in the conference standings.
Johansen (2-13, 2-12) and Grace Davis (1-19, 1-13) took seventh and eighth, respectively, in league play.
“The standard is to always make playoffs,” Cordova said. “Our goal is to win league. We’re going to be one of the top teams in the WAC.”
For the first time in program history, the Hawks will host games at Central Valley High School’s newly-opened athletic stadium.
“It’s really exciting,” Cordova said. “It’s hard to believe we have our own field. We have our own announcer for home games. It’s pretty neat.”
