A new coaching staff and one of California's top young quarterbacks have
Del Norte (San Diego, Calif.) poised to take another step forward entering the inaugural MaxPreps Flag Football Showdown on Sept. 11-12.
Keith Carden takes over the program after previously serving as Del Norte's softball coach and as an assistant on the football squad.
"The number one thing I'm really big at is the culture of the team," Carden said. "I really want the girls to be in charge because a player-ran team is way better than a coach-ran team. I want them to have ownership so it feels like they have some skin in the game. They control what their effort is. They control what their attitude is. So if you can get a couple good, strong leaders, it really helps that process."
Avery Gaeir will be one of the key two-way players for Del Norte, which will be tested in the inaugural MaxPreps Flag Football Showdown Sept. 11-12. (PHOTO: Rudy Schmoke)
Leading the offense is returning sophomore quarterback
Katelyn Maley, who emerged as a versatile signal caller, throwing for 3,895 yards and 48 touchdowns while adding 238 rushing yards last season.
Maley will have plenty of familiar targets back, including senior
Lauren Holmes, who totaled 904 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, and junior
Jayden Asante, who recorded 571 receiving yards.
Defensively, sophomore
Avery Gaeir returns after leading the team with 60 flag pulls while adding four interceptions.
Carden has a host of multi-sporters on his roster, but he foresees future classes prioritizing flag football as the sport continues to grow.
"We have a lot of two-sport athletes, most of whom are getting recruited
through soccer or basketball, but we have some incoming freshmen who
are like, 'No, flag is my thing,'" Carden said. "Now with all the hype
of flag football being a D-I sport, and it's gonna be in the Olympics
here soon, you can definitely see the switch."
Del Norte finished 13-8 last season before falling in the opening round of the San Diego Section Division II playoffs. The Nighthawks will look to continue their upward trajectory against a national field in Chula Vista.
"The other thing that you'll know that you'll get from us is you're gonna get a complete fight all the way til the end of the game, regardless of what's going on," Carden said. "These girls here are very hungry and are buying in to what we're preaching and what we're doing. Teams are going to have to plan to play us, for sure."
