Defense leads Adelanto into the CIF-SS Div. 6 flag football title game against Bishop Alemany
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Ka’lonie Mack knew exactly what play Artesia was going to run late in the fourth quarter in the second round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 6 flag football playoffs.
“What if I just go take the ball,” Mack remembers saying to herself as Adelanto trailed 7-6.
“They were trying to run the clock down, their QB had rolled out to her right and tried pitching it to the running back, and it didn’t work,” Mack recalls. “Their coach told them to run it again.”
Mack switched from her normal safety position down to linebacker. She kept a low profile, almost hiding behind teammate Lyric Sifontes.
As soon as the ball was snapped, Mack made her move.
“I took it and nothing but green grass ahead of me,” Mack said. “It was just me and the end zone; their players stopped running. So I just remember just looking at the ref, trying to see if he would call the play back or not.”
Touchdown.
“That’s what Ka’lonie does,” said fellow junior Raeyara Cook. “If a ball is in the air and if I don’t get to it, I know Ka’lonie is coming through like Superman to save the day.”
That touchdown gave Adelanto a 12-7 lead and a ticket to the quarterfinals.
In the two games since that game-winning interception, Adelanto’s defense has not allowed a point. The Saints now find themselves days away from competing for the CIF-SS Division 6 championship against Bishop Alemany on Saturday, Nov. 8.
Adelanto is on quite a run entering the championship game.
Since Sept. 15, the Saints have not allowed more than 14 points in a game, going 9-1 since then.
“Our defense is the strength of our team, and we pride ourselves on our defense,” Adelanto head coach Eric Torres said. “It’s something that starts with the fundamentals of playing flag football. Here we are getting ready for the championship game, still sticking to the fundamentals.”
Adelanto ended the regular season with a 7-0 loss to Rialto, which snapped a five-game winning streak that began with a 20-14 victory over Rialto.
In four playoff games, Adelanto’s dominance has continued, outscoring opponents 132-13. Adelanto beat Los Amigos 36-6 on Oct. 21, Artesia on Oct. 25, Loara 32-0 on Oct. 28, and routed Cerritos 52-0 in the semifinals on Nov. 1.
“The last two games, our defense has been crazy thanks to our blitzers,” Mack said. “Thanks to Jurnee (Smith) and Mya (Wilson) putting the pressure on the quarterback. It causes them to mess up their throws, and it just comes down to us getting the ball at its highest point and snagging an interception when we can.”
Meanwhile, Bishop Alemany, located in Mission Hills, enters the championship game with an overall record of 10-11.
On the season, Bishop Alemany has scored 337 points, while allowing 359 points.
Bishop Alemany began the playoffs with a 39-6 victory over the Seed School of Los Angeles County, followed by beating Paramount 12-6, Estancia 19-1,3, and Hillcrest 26-13 in the semifinals.
Kick off is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Fred Kelly Athletic Stadium in Orange.
Leaning on family
The common theme around a recent practice in preparation for the championship game was family.
The Adelanto flag football team is one tight-knit family.
Practice was joyful and full of laughter.
But make no mistake about it, the Saints mean strictly business.
“We may joke around a lot, but when it comes down to being serious, and locking in for a game, it’s easy to flip a switch,” said Cook. “That’s what I love about this team. We don’t argue. We work together. We make a mistake, we fix the mistake as a team. That’s what makes our defense so strong because we work together. If we miss a flag, you will see the next person going for it. We don’t let them get no extra yards because we all communicate.”
The family atmosphere is what’s helped make Alivia Prudholme’s first time participating in any sport a memorable experience.
Prudholme just decided to give flag football a shot, not bringing any sort of athletic ability to the table.
Torres credits the junior as one of the team’s top players.
“It feels great because if I never joined, I would have never been a part of this family,” Prudholme said. “I was someone that just had a couple of friends. But I’m a part of a sisterhood now. I have a whole team of friends now, and it’s made me better as a person. I just love playing flag football and being out here with my friends.”
For Samone Brackenridge, flag football has undoubtedly made her a “happier” person.
Sharing the field with her sisters is an experience she isn’t taking for granted in the days leading up to the championship game.
“This means so much because we are the first ones in history to be here,” Brackenridge said. “Nobody else in the High Desert has done this. Just us. I am so proud of us for being in this position.”
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Adelanto set for the CIF-SS Division 6 flag football championship game
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