Pitman High’s Lily Dizon isn’t the loudest in any room. The sometimes shy sophomore prefers to let her athletic ability do all the talking for her, whether it’s on the wrestling mats or on the football field. It was certainly the case on Wednesday night when the Pride welcomed Modesto’s Downey High to kick off Central California Athletic League play for flag football.
The 5-foot-4, 110-pounder who was a state wrestling finalist earlier this year was nearly unstoppable against the Knights, racking up 93 receiving yards and 56 rushing yards while catching a pair touchdowns en route to a 27-0 win.
She made an immediate impact, catching a 57-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Elexi Pulido on the very first play of the game. After the Pitman defense held Downey to a three-and-out on the ensuing possession, Dizon capped off a five-play drive with a 1-yard catch to increase the Pride’s lead to 14-0.
Dizon is actually very familiar with the fast-growing sport of competitive flag football. She shared that she played as a middle schooler, and that she jumped at the opportunity to play when she heard that Pitman would be fielding a team for 2024.
“I played before, in middle school. I just thought it would be fun to do in high school. It’s a lot of fun,” she said.
It’s hard to not have fun when your team is 6-0 to start their inaugural season and has outscored opponents 192-50. Earlier in the week, MaxPreps.com ranked Pitman as the ninth-best team in in the state and 11th-best in the nation.
For head coach Matthew Vasconcelos, winning is the standard. He serves as an assistant coach for the Pride’s wrestling team that has produced a handful of state champions and finalists over the past decade, Dizon included.
“In a way, I did expect this. I expected us to be good because of the number of girls we had try-out in the summer. It was around 80. And they are all very coachable. A lot play other sports in other seasons,” he said.
“With Lily, she had played this sport before, so that helps a ton… Her athletic ability completely translates to football. She gives 100% into everything she does. It’s not surprising that she’s dominating out here.”
Pulido, a basketball player, has also adapted to the game very quickly. Her third touchdown pass of the game came midway through the second half when she connected with freshman Isabel Fuentes for a 13-yard touchdown. Fuentes channeled her inner-Randy Moss by reaching over the Downey defender for the grab.
The Pride struck again in the final few seconds of play when a 32-yard catch by senior Carrie Johnson set up a 1-yard score by junior Ashli Mendoza.
“We’ve seen that we can compete and play with everybody,” Vasconcelos said. “I think if we continue to do that, we have a shot to make a deep run. We're going to give ourselves a chance to get in that playoff tournament, maybe (compete for) a section championship. I feel like the talent and the spirit of our girls on our team makes us ready for an opportunity like that. I don't think that's anything they'll shy away from.”
The Pride will be on their home turf again on Monday when they welcome another Modesto team, the 4-5 Enochs Eagles. The game is slated to get underway at 7 p.m.
Bulldogs pound Panthers for first league win
A similar story unfolded up north when Turlock’s inaugural flag football squad began league play against the Modesto Panthers.
The Bulldogs won their first game of CCAL play while improving to 7-2 on the season after blowing out Modesto 44-0. The Panthers shouldn't feel too bad considering the ‘Dogs have predominantly dominated the competition. They have outscored opponents 208-111. Their only losses have been a 7-6 game against league foe Gregori at the Merced Tournament and a 39-26 result against Merced last week.
The Bulldogs will look for their fourth straight win when they travel to Modesto again to take on Downey on Monday at 7 p.m.
Harvest Bowl Redefined
Following their games on Monday, the Pride and Bulldogs will turn their attention towards each other.
On Wednesday night at Joe Debely Stadium, the two teams will meet for the very first time in flag football competition. It will also be the first of three games between the crosstown rivals this season.
“We have our very own version of the Harvest Bowl, which should be fun to be a part of,” Vasconcelos said. “We might need to work with each other to find a name for it or rework the ‘Harvest Bowl’ name, but I expect it to be a really good game. They look like a really good team. Coach (Aaron) King has them ready to roll, but we’re excited for it. It should be a fun game for the girls and the fans to be a part of.”
