The Kimball High flag football team sent a loud and clear message to the rest of the Tri-City Athletic League (TCAL) Wednesday night.
The Jaguars (16-1, 2-0 TCAL) have been a force to be reckoned with so far this season, and they firmly showed off their league title aspirations with a dominant 27-0 victory over the defending champions St. Mary’s (9-4, 1-1 TCAL) at Don Nicholson Stadium.
Giving up less than six points per game, the Jags’ defense suffocated the visiting Rams while the offense — led by one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in senior Emma Coronado — took care of business at the other end, just underperforming its season average of 33 points per tilt.
Coronado threw three touchdown passes to three different receivers while adding one on the ground to help her team to its 13th straight win. Seniors Amazjah Wyatt and Anaiya Garcia, and junior Leianna DePerio were the recipients of the scoring tosses.
The Jaguars controlled both sides of the ball and showed to be great value for their No. 32 national and No. 22 California ranking — according to MaxPreps. They will likely rise in both after their red-hot opening week of league play. Kimball knocked off Lincoln 38-8 in its curtain raiser in Stockton on Monday.
“This win feels great. I think we dominated the game from beginning to end,” head coach David Rios Jr. said afterwards.
“We had a game plan to take away some things that they like doing that we saw on film. We also did some things that I noticed on tape to attack them offensively. The girls did a great job executing both. I told them this would be a statement game if we won, and I think what we did tonight sets the tone for TCAL and we’re in the running for the title.”
Rios Jr. said that his team did the things they had schemed “perfectly,” as his Jaguars built a commanding 20-0 lead in the first half while allowing the Rams just two first downs. Kimball got three straight three-and-out stops in the first quarter.
Wyatt opened the scoring for the hosts midway through the first frame with a 27-yard catch-and-run after Coronado found her in stride on a slant route.
Kimball’s defense put a ton of pressure on St. Mary’s quarterback Presley DaCruz, and senior Allison Edgemon ended the quarter with her first of two sacks.
The Jags extended their advantage four minutes into the second period on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Coronado to DePerio. Coronado connected with Garcia for the one-point try to make it 14-0.
Wyatt had an excellent game and was Coronado’s go-to target on several crucial throws. She pulled in two passes on the scoring drive to bring the Jags into the red zone.
Kimball got another stop with under three minutes remaining in the first half and turned it into points almost immediately.
Coronado’s 40-yard-deep shot to Garcia down the left sideline took the hosts all the way to the Rams’ 3. Coronado ran in a keeper from there to make it 20-0 at the break.
Coronado praised her team’s defensive effort after the game. She said they provided the spark they needed and allowed the offense to be patient and take what the game gives them.
“(This win) is an amazing feeling for us. We all felt that tonight,” Coronado added. “Our teamwork, our practices, we work very hard in the film room. We game planned really well for this game, and I think we’re going to get even better in the future.”
While the Jags’ offense may have taken its foot off the gas ever so slightly in the second half, the hosts’ defense certainly did not. Vocally led by senior Kameiyah DePerio, it was evident that Kimball wanted the shutout.
Even when the Rams thought they might’ve found some momentum as Landyn Pitto picked off Coronado with 6:49 to go in the third quarter, the relentless Jags’ D was not in a giving mood.
Garcia returned the favor under two minutes later when she intercepted a pass from Gianna Zumout. The hosts took over on St. Mary’s 26 and put the finishing touches on an outstanding performance.
Coronado lobbed a pass to DePerio, under pressure, for a gain of 18 to get inside the Rams’ 10. On the next play, Coronado threw a gorgeous floater, going left, to Garcia for an 8-yard touchdown grab. Coronado ran in the one-point attempt to set the final score at 27-0.
The Jags’ defense — fittingly — put the exclamation point on the win when senior Nadia Mirghani got another interception with 23 ticks of the clock remaining in the fourth quarter.
Mirgani had dropped a couple of errant St. Mary’s passes earlier in the game, but she read this play like a book to jump ahead of the receiver and snag the ball — much to her teammates’ excitement.
After handing the Rams their first league defeat, the Jaguars will host Lodi (7-1, 1-1 TCAL) on Monday. The Flames lost to St. Mary’s 33-32 earlier this week before beating Tracy (5-3, 1-1 TCAL) 12-0 on Wednesday.
His team’s defensive effort was arguably the most pleasing for Rios Jr. It was a big point of emphasis coming into the season to not leak as many points as they did last year, and with that unit fully locked in, the sky is the limit for this Jags team.
“We already knew what we could do offensively with everyone returning, and especially having a great quarterback,” Rios Jr. said. “I’m really proud of the girls for picking up that side of things and making us as dominant as we knew we could be.
“They’re playing relentless football. They’re making great plays, and that shows how locked in they are. After last season, I think we are right where we need to be and ready to make a push (for the league title). We know what we’re up against and what we need to do.”
Without getting too far ahead of themselves, the Jaguars are deservedly not afraid to dream.
“Our confidence is really high,” Coronado added. “We are all very close and we trust each other. I think that’s the key for a team to go for a title.”