Basketball player Mahlia Jordan averaged 5 rebounds per game last year and earned the Fullerton MVP of the Year award.
Track and field athlete Alexa Lopez finished first in 300 hurdles for varsity in the Freeway League finals. Her speed led the cross country team to the CIF finals.
Softball player Ariel Enriquez hit .318 as a sophomore on varsity, helping to lead the Indians to a Freeway League Championship. Her pure strength and skill aided her team throughout the season.
What happens when you ask the smartest, fastest and strongest female athletes from multiple sports to play on the same team? You get something amazing like the FUHS flag football team that finished third in the Golden Empire League and second in CIF, a particularly impressive end considering 2024 was the first time Fullerton High School fielded a flag football team. This was the inaugural CIF flag football season. Last year, flag football at other schools didn’t have playoffs.
According to senior team captain Olivia Yturriga, bringing together so many diverse and strong athletes was key to their success. “Playing multiple sports has helped the team become better players,” she said.
The inaugural team competed in the Division 4 CIF Championships on Nov. 9 at Fred Kelly Stadium against Santa Monica.
The Tribe arrived at the championship game with a positive attitude, but some players said they did feel the rhythm of their game was a bit thrown off with the absence of their starting rusher senior Alexa Lopez whose family moved away from Fullerton during the post-league season.
Another contributing factor to the Tribe’s 28-6 loss was the fact that some players were not allowed on the field. CIF guidelines require non-starting players to remain in the bleachers with the rest of the fans. After a season filled with energetic support on the sidelines, the team had to adjust to a quieter bench.
The girls were able to score in the first half when sophomore quarterback Ava Flores threw a touchdown to junior Alynna Ortiz. However, in the second quarter Santa Monica’s defense intercepted a few Tribe passes, making it difficult for Fullerton to score. While the girls were disappointed with the loss, they were proud to be CIF runner-ups.
Even though the team displayed its remarkable competitive energy in league and CIF, the players weren’t always a formidable team. They started practice in July, barely able to complete a pass. Many of the girls had never touched a football.
FUHS athletic director Joseph Olivas said it was tough finding a suitable coach. “We were in desperate need of a leader,” said Olivas, who was grateful the school hired longtime flag football referee Frank Ramirez.
Coach Ramirez said one of the first tasks was to make sure the girls “became one” working together. He emphasized that constant bonding and hard work are the foundation to a strong team.
“Having consistent two-hour practices, four days a week, led them to develop team chemistry which led them to be successful,” Ramirez said. “Setting standards for yourself, showing up for practice, and knowing that no position is safe, is essential to becoming a better player.”
While good coaching was a big part of the success, the excitement of being involved in a new school sport contributed to players’ strong season. Athletes who play only one sport for multiple years tend to feel burnt out, and many–set in their ways–fear trying new skills at the risk of looking inexperienced. But playing a different sport can open players up to new experiences, as it allows room for mistakes and opportunities for athletes to try new techniques without fear of judgment. Because there aren’t any unreasonable expectations on the players, flag football acts as an outlet for students to display their athleticism and resilience.
In this unlikely group of athletes, students were able to form bonds with those they otherwise may have never met. These friendships resulted in a desire to win.
Freshman Reagan Matthews said she made a lot of new friends through flag football. “Even though I was on JV for most of the year, the varsity girls were super nice to us,” Matthews said. “I feel as though many sports separate the older and younger players, and we kind of separate into groups, but with flag, the upperclassmen really put in the work to help out with the younger players. The communication between us was really great.”
With the outcome of this season, captain Yturriga expects the team to continue to grow in size and popularity. “I think the sport’s going to take off and become very popular in the next couple years, especially for the freshman class, who are experiencing CIF in their very first season,” Yturriga said.
