South All-Star Elsie Sargenti collides with the North’s Yareli Garcia during the RSF/GPF Girls Flag Football All-Star Game at Aptos High on Sunday. (Raul Ebio – Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Ella Porter scored twice, but the North All-Stars suffered a 19-12 loss to the South in the second annual RSF/GPF Central Coast Flag Football All-Star Game at Aptos High on Sunday.
The South All-Stars, which featured high school senior standouts from Monterey County, did all of its scoring in the first half.
The North, composed of senior talent from Santa Cruz County, threatened to score in the final minute. A pass intended for wide open receiver Leah Serna on a fourth-and-goal play was out of her reach.
North defensive back Samantha Rebbert had two interceptions and nearly returned one of them for a pick-6, but she was brought down at the 5-yard line, The interception set up Porter’s 5-yard touchdown reception on a pass from quarterback Eliza Stevens, which gave the North a 6-0 lead.
The South produced the next three scores, all on touchdown passes from quarterback Melony Erazo-Chavez.
Mia Rivera made a pair of touchdown catches for the South. Her first scoring reception knotted the score at 6-all.
Ava Staehle put the South ahead for good with her 6-yard touchdown catch.
Porter capped scoring with her 9-yard touchdown run in the second half.
Porter was named the North MVP, and Rivera was named the South MVP.
North All-Star Haily Bettermann rarely left off the field. She had multiple flag pulls on defense, and had a long touchdown run called back after officials ruled that she was ruled out of bounds.
A skills competition was held ahead of the game.
Elsie Sargenti (South) won the 40-yard dash in 5.15 seconds.
Bettermann (North) booted the longest kick, 42 yards on the fly, eight yards longer than the runner-up’s kick.
Maya Ibarra (South) won the longest throw with a 31-yard pass.
The South won the 1-on-1 competition, 3-1.
The passing accuracy competition was cancelled due to time constraints.
