A year removed from fielding its first-ever girls flag football team, Central Valley High School remains optimistic heading into the 2024 campaign due to experience gained and strides made last season.
“The returning players are the foundation of the team,” Hawks’ head coach Tony Cordova said. “They show the younger girls what to expect and how to prepare and work at practice. It’s pretty exciting to see. Last year, we didn’t have that.”
Central Valley’s roster features 30 players, including Ceredil Beltran (Sr.), Kalaieda Bernal (Sr.), Bella Contreras (Sr.), Brianna Espinoza (Sr.), Angelica Hernandez (Sr.), Destiny Herrera (Sr.), Tarnjot Kaur (Sr.), Katelyn Lopez (Sr.), Lucero Macial (Sr.), Mia Mendoza (Sr.), Navjeet Pattar (Sr.), Rylee Randez (Sr.), Kelly Robles (Sr.), Lily Schmidt (Sr.), Eliana Tamayo (Sr.), Sophia Alvarez (Jr.), Giana Breshears (Jr.), Damaris Cisneros (Jr.), Jocelyn De La Torre (Jr.), Dulce Del Valle (Jr.), Alicia Espinoza (Jr.), Elia Hernandez (Jr.), Madelyn Mastropierro (Jr.), Ruby Medina (Jr.), Jocelyn Rivera (Jr.), Karla Sarabia (Jr.), Angela Alvarado (So.), Virginia Salinas (So.), Alicia Torres (So.) and Ayleen Apreza (Fr.).
Standouts Kalli Hoffman and Itzel Romero were both lost to graduation.
Hoffman earned first-team all-Central California Conference honors.
She rushed for 1,135 yards and six touchdowns and hauled in 45 passes for 485 yards and one TD.
She ranked second in the CCC in both rushing yards and touchdowns.
Hoffman ranked second on the team in pass deflections (13), third in interceptions (5) and fourth in tackles (41).
Romero, a safety, was named Central Valley’s CCC Sportsmanship Award winner. She also garnered honorable-mention recognition.
She ranked first on the team in interceptions (7), sacks (3) and pass deflections (19), and second in tackles (49).
Alexa Cadenas, an honorable-mention quarterback/outside linebacker, is not playing this year.
She threw for 601 yards and four touchdowns.
She ran for 342 yards.
She caught two passes for 18 yards and one TD.
Cadenas was the league’s third-leading tackler.
She ranked first on the team in tackles (84) and sacks (3), third in pass deflections (10), and fourth in interceptions (3).
The Hawks’ top returnees are Alicia Espinoza (outside linebacker/wide receiver), Brianna Espinoza (quarterback), Tarnjot Kaur (running back/wide receiver/defensive back), Dulce Del Valle (linebacker/quarterback), Rylee Randez (linebacker) and Madelyn Mastropierro (linebacker).
Alicia Espinoza was a CCC honorable-mention pick as a sophomore.
She ranked second on the team in tackles (66), and fifth in interceptions (2) and pass deflections (5).
“She basically locks down one side of the field,” Cordova said. “You can’t get anything by her. She pulls flags with ease.”
Older sister Brianna Espinoza completed 17 of 39 passes for 201 yards with no touchdowns and six interceptions.
She caught nine passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns.
She’ll start at QB this year.
“She has a season under her belt. Her vision opened up. She can see the field now. She delivers the ball with accuracy and velocity. That’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
Kaur totaled 480 yards and three touchdowns on 68 receptions.
She had 18 tackles and two pass deflections.
Del Valle passed for 979 yards with 12 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
She had one interception on defense.
Randez collected 39 tackles.
She hauled in four passes for 35 yards and one touchdown.
Mastropierro had 28 tackles and three interceptions.
Central Valley’s top newcomers are Lucero Macial (linebacker), Lily Schmidt (wide receiver), Damaris Cisneros (linebacker), Jocelyn DeLaTorre (defensive back) and Ayleen Apreza (running back/wide receiver).
Macial, Schmidt, Cisneros and DeLaTorre contributed at the junior-varsity level last season.
Cordova has high hopes for Apreza, who was in the eighth grade a year ago.
“She’s going to be the next Kalli. She’s not as fast. But she’s shifty — really light on her feet. She can really move. Amazing to watch.”
The Hawks amassed a 3-20 overall record and finished in seventh place with a 2-12 mark in the CCC standings in 2023.
Central Valley topped Golden Valley by scores of 12-6 and 6-0 in conference play.
The Hawks will compete in a different conference this fall.
Central Valley moved to the Western Athletic Conference as part of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s league realignment plan.
The new-look WAC features a total of eight teams, including Central Valley, Livingston, Ceres High, Pacheco, Lathrop, Beyer, Grace Davis and Johansen.
Los Banos and Mountain House relocated to the CCC and Valley Oak League, respectively.
“A realistic goal is no less than .500,” Cordova said. “But I do think we have a legitimate shot at being one of the top three teams in league. Our goal is to make playoffs.”
