Flag Football Game Preview: King City Mustangs vs. Santa Cruz Cardinals + How To Watch

The King City Mustangs will face off against the Santa Cruz Cardinals at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Neither King City nor Santa Cruz posted many points in their last games, so it might be the defenses that decide this one.

King City is headed into the contest out to prove that what happened against St. Francis on Wednesday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Mustangs came up short against the Sharks, falling 38-12. The Mustangs were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 26-0.

King City's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Katia Slama, who threw for 146 yards and two TDs, and Shyrah McDonald, who rushed for 67 yards on only five carries. McDonald also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, picking up a sack and making one tackle.

Even if they lost, King City's defensive line still kept up the pressure with three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: McDonald, Joscelyn Acevedo, and Eva Vicencio, who each picked up one sack apiece.

Meanwhile, Santa Cruz put their dominant defense on display in the team's third consecutive shutout on Wednesday. They never let Scotts Valley get on the board and left with a 13-0 victory.

King City has traveled a rocky road recently, having lost four of their last five games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-7 record this season. As for Santa Cruz, the win got them back to even at 3-3.

Everything went King City's way against Santa Cruz in their previous matchup back in September of 2024, as King City made off with a 26-6 victory. Do the Mustangs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Cardinals turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.