The notion that a regular-season loss might be good for Las Lomas-Walnut Creek’s top-ranked flag football team is understood by head coach Tim Kruger, but not so much for the Knights.
“It’s a very competitive group and senior dominated,” said Kruger, whose senior daughter Maggie is a multi-skilled quarterback and a four-sport standout. She’s also one of 11 seniors on a 16-person roster. “We didn’t expect to be in this position or ranking the last two years, but these girls just like to play and compete.”
And win.
At 16-0, the Chronicle’s No. 1 ranked team is the only Metro Area team left undefeated. It also went unbeaten last regular season, but was stunned in the North Coast Section Division 1 playoff semifinals by Granada, 13-7, to finish 25-1.
A 41-1 record over two seasons is nothing to sneeze at. But that lone defeat was one to weep about.
“The game basically came down to three plays,” said Kruger. “It still stings a little but the girls move on pretty quickly.”
That’s because almost all of them are so busy. Kruger estimates three-quarters of the team are multi-sport athletes, who grew up competing against each other as youth. Six play competitive soccer, thus making full-squad practices and even games rare. “There’s lots of scrambling, but we make it work.” Kruger said. “Considering their childhood athletic ties, they’re very tight.”
It shows especially on defense, where the Knights have recorded eight shutouts, including one stretch of six in a row before a 20-7 win at College Park-Pleasant Hill last week. “It felt almost like a loss because we gave up a touchdown,” Kruger laughed.
He gives “110%” of the defensive credit to defensive coordinator Matt Keeperman, whose daughter Violet was All-Metro last season as a junior when she had 13 interceptions. She is also the team’s leading receiver with 60 catches for 748 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Maggie Kruger has completed 189 of 284 passes for 2,103 yards and 46 touchdowns. Also a softball standout, Kruger leads the Knights in rushing with 1,137 yards and 18 touchdowns, and on defense with 60 flag pulls and 10 interceptions. Other top players are junior Hannah Shank (career: 107 catches, 1,156 yards, 18 TDs, 103 flag pulls, 10 interceptions) and senior Lexie Kou (career: 1,175 rushing yards, 15 total touchdowns, 95 flag pulls, 25 sacks).
Las Lomas has two major challenges left in the regular season, both at home, starting Monday against Clayton Valley Charter-Concord (13-3) and Oct. 23 versus fourth-ranked and defending Central Coast Section champion Menlo School-Atherton. CVC features one of the region’s top quarterbacks in Giana Marcantonio (6,033 career passing yards, 100 touchdowns).
Top 5 teams
(all records through Saturday)
The Knights have outscored opponents 479-65 on the season. In a 47-13 win at Mount Diablo-Concord last week, six different players had interceptions: Kruger, Keeperman, Niveah Lindsay-Acevedo, Sophia Ernst, Paige Loeliger and Sarah Murtagh. Next: Monday vs. Clayton Valley Charter (13-3).
2. Amador Valley (17-2, No. 2 last week): Riley Harrington accounted for 231 yards and four touchdowns in a 24-7 win at Redwood-Larkspur (13-4), which is undefeated in Marin County Athletic League play.
Tuesday vs. Foothill-Pleasanton (10-8).
3. Milpitas (17-3, No. 4 last week): In a 38-13 win at 14-4 Santa Clara, senior quarterback Bren David completed 31 of 38 passes for 279 yards and six touchdowns to five different receivers, two hauled in by freshman Jessalyn Nonoy.
Monday vs. Los Gatos (10-1).
4. Menlo School (8-2, No. 5 last week): Scored big wins versus Sacred Heart Cathedral (46-6) and at Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton (33-13). Next: Monday vs. Riordan (8-6).
5. Liberty-Brentwood (20-1, not ranked last week): Junior quarterback Elenoa Malu completed 29 of 37 for 333 yards and three touchdowns, two to freshman Aubriella Amaro and one to Alannah Lopez (10 catches, 109 yards) in a big 32-19 win over defending NCS D1 champion San Ramon Valley-Danville at the Alameda Fight Breast Cancer Showcase. SRV was ranked third last week.
Wednesday vs. Pittsburg.
(all numbers according to MaxPreps.com)
Lesieli Paongo and Elianna Sega (Hayward): Paongo, a sophomore quarterback, has thrown for 3,350 yards and 36 touchdowns and rushed for eight more scores for the 14-2-1 Farmers. Sega is her No. 1 target with 93 catches for 1,724 yards and 23 touchdowns. When junior Sega plays QB, Paongo has also hauled in 11 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns.
Sophie Riese (Los Gatos): The senior receiver and safety, an All-Metro player as a junior, has 85 catches for 1,061 yards and 15 touchdowns in just 11 games after hauling in a Bay Area best 149 for 1,748 and 17 last season. She also has 10 interceptions, giving her 28 for her career.
Mya Rufino Williams (Castro Valley): A junior quarterback and safety for the 17-3 Trojans, Rufino Williams has thrown for 2,744 yards and 43 touchdowns and rushed for 649 yards and nine more scores.
Giavanna Ryan (San Ramon Valley): One of the top recruited junior quarterbacks in Northern California, Ryan has completed 303 of 511 for 3,013 yards and 40 touchdowns against six interceptions. The top softball prospect also has rushed for four scores.
Subscribe
There’s more to San Francisco with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.
This article originally published at High school flag football top 5: Dominant Las Lomas faces major tests.