Santa Barbara edges DP for City Championship in a flag football thriller

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.- It was a fantastic finish to what has been an outstanding first season of girls flag football as a CIF sport.

The Santa Barbara Dons stopped a two-point conversion with 31 seconds left as they edged Dos Pueblos 14-12 to hand the Chargers their first Channel League loss on the year.

Both teams have one more road game left to close out the season.

After a scoreless first half Santa Barbara took the opening possession of the second half and scored the first points of the game on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Dayzia Mendoza to Alessandra Alcocer Vasquez.

Carolina Esparza who had a long run to set up the touchdown, caught the one-point conversion to put the Dons up 7-0.

But Dos Pueblos answered right back on a 45-yard touchdown pass by Gianna Nichols to freshman Ruby Streatfeild but the conversion failed so the Chargers trailed 7-6.

Santa Barbara got back in the end zone with three minutes left on Mendoza's second touchdown pass of the game, a 7-yard pass to Izzy Garofalo.

Jaz Gordon caught the one-point conversion as the Dons went up 14-6.

DP drove down the field and scored with 31 seconds left as Nichols found Katie Peterson for the touchdown to bring the Chargers within 14-12.

But Santa Barbara defended the two-point conversion well and when the pass fell to the ground the Dons celebrated the hard-fought victory.

Since both teams had each beat San Marcos and Bishop Diego, the Dons can claim the City Championship.

DP still leads the Channel League at 5-1 while the Dons are 4-2.