By Camilla Rodriguez
Dana Hills girls’ flag football team finished the season with a record of 11–16 and will not be advancing to CIF this year. The team played multiple games against other schools in the league throughout the season, ending league play in third place out of five. The Dolphins closed out the season on a high note with a 21–0 victory on Senior Night against Capistrano Valley on October 14th, highlighted by three touchdowns and multiple interceptions. The win was especially meaningful after a challenging series of losses earlier in the month. On October 8th, the Dolphins fell to Tesoro 7–27, followed by another close defeat to Beckman 7–13 on October 7th. Earlier, they were outscored by Mater Dei 19–43 on October 1st but had secured a narrow 20–18 victory over San Clemente just before that. Had the team pulled out one more win in those close matchups, they could have qualified for CIF. Despite the ups and downs, the season marked clear improvement from last year, with greater consistency on both offense and defense and stronger chemistry as the season progressed. Senior Captain Kiera Rodriguez reflected on the team’s growth, saying, “The team this year is much better. We’ve definitely found our strengths together and work on what we need to do the most, and I think the team chemistry is the best it’s ever been. I think we all work great as a team.” Head Coach Cosenza echoed that sentiment, adding, “This season was all about growth and confidence. We had a lot of great players this year and the team gave their best efforts. I’m proud of how much Flag Football really progressed over the years.” Many players had fun throughout the season, and Senior Hailey shared one of her favorite memories: the team’s first-ever initiation tradition, where returning players “kidnap” new varsity members and dress them up for a regular Monday, creating a fun bonding experience. With the season now complete, the Dolphins remain optimistic for what’s ahead. The team is losing six seniors, and they hope the program continues to grow. Coach Cosenza stated, “I hope the team continues to grow. We are losing many seniors this year so next year I hope we come back stronger than before.” The team aims to return even stronger next season and hopes to make a deeper push toward CIF qualification.