On Oct. 29, the Aragon varsity flag football team (6-5 overall) faced off against the Hillsdale Knights (12-6 overall) in a non-conference game. This was Aragon’s last regular season game, and after their last win against Hillsdale in Sept. this season, they were determined to secure another victory.
“It’s our last game of the season … [and] there’s people we know on [Hillsdale’s] team that we want to beat,” said sophomore and safety Makayla Hafoka. “I think we can beat them because last time we didn’t really show our best, and I know we really want this win.”
The match started slowly with both teams’ strong defense, as neither team allowed the other to pass enough to get an early touchdown. Although both Hillsdale and Aragon were consistently getting first downs, it wasn’t enough to secure an upper hand against the other. As both defenses worked relentlessly, the first quarter came to an end with 0-0 on the scoreboard.
In the second quarter, the Dons tightened their defense even more, forcing the Knights into shorter plays and more incomplete passes. Aragon’s offense gradually began to gain momentum, pushing towards the end zone. Senior and wide receiver Daisy Pantoja was able to find a breakthrough and score the first touchdown of the game.
“Having the energy just hypes the team up to play better,” Pantoja said.
Her touchdown shifted the momentum of the game towards Aragon’s favor and Aragon was also able to get the extra point.
Although Hillsdale tried to fight back, Aragon’s defense continued to stay strong. Junior running back and safety Tessa Matthews credited the team’s unity and defense.
“We have a strong bond and a really aggressive defense,” Matthews said. “We [also] worked on plays near the end zone so that we could get touchdowns.”
Soon after, Aragon extended their lead by scoring another touchdown, completely taking control of the game. The Dons’ defense came up strong again, including an interception that nearly led to a touchdown at the end of the first half. After a short halftime reset, both teams were back on the field, ready to fight for the momentum of the second half.
Hillsdale pushed to close the gap, but once again, Aragon’s defense stayed firm. Although both teams had several strong plays, neither team was able to score a touchdown in the third quarter.
In the last quarter, the Dons moved the ball across the field and scored a touchdown early in the quarter. The Dons continued to rely on their communication and chemistry, which is one of the strengths players credited as a major role in their team’s performance this season.
“Our [strength] has been the team bonding,” said sophomore wide receiver and cornerback Kayla Sims. “We’ve had a lot of team dinners together, and the chemistry flows well … so our communication on and off the field is amazing.”
The flag football team believes that their teamwork has grown significantly throughout the season.
“At the start, we were still figuring out positions and how to work together, but now everything flows more smoothly,” said sophomore wide receiver and safety Eva Felix. “We’ve grown a lot as a team, both in communication and strategy.”
In the final moments of the game, Aragon maintained their lead and kept their defense strong, securing a victory against Hillsdale yet again with the final score of 20-0. With the win, the Dons qualified for CCS playoffs this season, and they recently ended their playoff run on Nov. 5 with a 13-12 loss against Saint Francis.
