Strong defense, new leadership mark early flag football season for Downey and Warren — The Downey Patriot

WARREN

“We have absolutely phenomenal kids,” Bell said. “They’re great, smart kids. But I do wish on the field sometimes they would flip the switch and become just a dog and get after it. They do make it a joy to coach.”

The Bears started the season with three consecutive losses but rebounded to win three of their next four. Two of those victories came on close endings. In a 13-6 win over Mira Costa, the Bears knocked a pass down to win the game. In the 12-7 win over Fullerton Warren scored with less than a minute to go.

“We are really looking forward to building off of the success we’ve had in the first two years of flag football,” Bell added. “Also, looking forward to the new rules and subsequent new style of play that the rules will create.”

In the first year of competition in Flag Football, Warren and Mayfair finished with identical records (7-1) in league and last year the Bears were undefeated (8-0) league champs.

Warren used a dual quarterback system at the beginning of the year with the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year in junior Isabella Gonzalez and junior Jayleen Martinez.

“We have a lot of returning experience on offense and we are two deep at every position,” Bell said. “We also have two strong running backs in Sofia Aceves (senior) and Helen Soriano (senior).

“Emma Montes (senior), Samantha Tinoco (junior), Jocelyn Escobar (sophomore), Evangeline Zuniga (senior) and Ariannah Gonzalez (sophomore) will all contribute on offense.”

Tinoco is the returning Player of the Year in the Suburban Valley Conference.

The five team captains for the Bears are Aceves, Paulina Urena (senior), Montes, Laurie Fuentes (junior) and Tinoco.

“I think it’s so exciting having all these underclassmen finally being brought up to varsity, because they have so much talent,” Urena said. “The defense keeps getting stronger every year, especially some of the athletes that come from different sports.”

Returning starters on offense are Gonzalez (QB); Aceves (RB); Tinoco (WR) and Soriano RB/WR.

“It’s cool to see how the sport is growing rapidly,” Aceves said. “It’s cool to see a lot of other schools get to join the league and find their love for flag football.”

Newcomer wide receivers on offense are Montes, (returning from injury); Escobar; Ariannah Gonzalez and Zuniga.

“I’m really excited and more nervous because this is going to be my first year coming back since my surgery,” Montes said. “I feel like it’s more pressure too, because it’s my last year, but I get to play with my best friends.”

Returning starters on defense are Tinoco, LB; Montes, DB (started sophomore year) and Fuentes, LB.

Key newcomers on defense are Leila Camonte, Junior, LB; Emily Ponce, SO, DB; Yeya Ron, JR., LB and Lexi Cortez, SR., LB.

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