Flag football’s senior night game against Mountain View ended in a sweeping victory as the Trojans beat the Spartans 44-6 on Oct. 27.
The Trojans dominated the entire game until the Spartans scored a touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter. Unphased, the Trojans maintained their lead, with senior Eliana Rodriquez scoring a 50-yard touchdown run, delivering the final blow to the Spartans before the game ended.
Before the game started, each senior walked from the corner of the field to the center with friends and family. They then took a picture and received flowers. The announcer announced their names and recited a short speech each senior had sent in as they walked across the field.
The girls varsity flag football coach Matt Robbins couldn’t believe how many people came, he said.
“I was expecting maybe a couple parents for each senior,” Robbins said. “We had people (seniors) with whole tribes of people walking with them.”
The girls always try their best, team manager and senior Bruno Filho said.
“Seniors on senior night push a lot because we want that victory,” Filho said.
The senior night game was very fun, senior Geneisys Marcos said.
“During the last plays, the seniors were able to play every position and have fun enjoying each other’s company and winning,” Marcos said.
There is usually a large crowd at senior night compared to other games, Marcos added.
“It makes me nervous, but it’s fun when there’s a crowd, too,” Marcos said.
The Trojans will be moving on to the Central Coast Section (CCS), Robbins said.
“This is the first time the sport in our section is having CCS,” Robbins said. “We’re playing in the first-ever CCS for flag football,” he added.
The team moved up to the De Anza league this year, where they faced more challenging teams, Robbins said. However, they still had an amazing season with a 20-6 record, he added.
“We seek out elite teams to play,” Robbins said. “There’s 84 teams in CCS, and right now we’re ranked No. 5 on MaxPreps.”
The team has nine seniors and a total of twenty players, Robbins said.
“It’s a huge portion, but our JV team went undefeated in league,” Robbins added. “The JV team is full of great athletes, so I think the future is bright, but it’s still going to be very sad to have the seniors go.”
The girls are very good, practice hard, and know football well, Robbins said. They know how to make adjustments and read the other team’s plays, he added.
“I think the girls are really bought in. They really have a camaraderie on the team, so the sense of unity on this team is really special,” Robbins said.
The coaches always make sure the team has a lot of activities to do together so the team can bond, Filho said.
“In the game, they all have good chemistry instead of getting mad at each other,” Filho said. “It just becomes support, and it boosts them a lot.”
The girls cheered each other on as both seniors and players who hadn’t been able to play much during the season due to injuries were put in, Robbins said.
“When Jovi (a sophomore who has been injured the whole season) got to play, the group went nuts,” Robbins said. “Everyone’s like ‘Jovi’s playing! Oh my god!’”
The team is very high character and selfless, Robbins said. They rejoice over each other’s success, he added.
“They’ve gone through a lot of adversity with injuries and fought their way back, so I’m really proud of not just their play, but who they are as people,” Robbins said.
