When it comes to Santa Clara high school football, it’s typically been the Wilcox Chargers who have been the stronger school. However, in this year’s inaugural season of girls’ flag football in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL), it was the Santa Clara Bruins that were by far the more impressive squad.
The Bruins, led by Head Coach Michelle Bumbaca and league MVP Aviana Rangel, shredded their opponents more often than not this season. Santa Clara finished 19-5 overall and went 8-1 in league, (including three wins in three matchups against Wilcox), earning a share of the league title with Los Gatos and Milpitas.
Bumbaca put a strong nucleus of coaches around her in baseball Head Coach Pedro Martinez, who brought with him extensive tackle and flag football coaching experience, basketball Head Coach Deedee Kiyota, who has long gotten the best out of her Bruins basketball squads, and soccer assistant coach John Nunes. The quartet of coaches led a senior-heavy team to an impressive season on the gridiron.
“They did a really great job,” chimed Rangel on the coaching staff. “From the beginning of the season to the end, almost everyone on the team had to learn roles, had to learn how to play, and them being able to teach us everything, come up with a playbook, they did such a great job with all of that.”
It’s certainly easier for coaches to get their players to perform a new sport at a high level when they naturally have a lot of team speed. That’s what coach Martinez noted when speaking with the Voice about the squad’s stellar season.
“We had a lot of athleticism, a lot of team speed with this group,” noted Martinez. “Our star player, our league MVP, Ava Rangel, her older brothers played football here at Santa Clara, so she couldn’t wait to get her chance and show her skills off, and she was just phenomenal for us this season.”
Rangel led the Bruins in total touchdowns with 33, receiving yards per game 69.5, rushing yards per game at 55.1, and on defense, she led the team in tackles with 5.5. The senior, two-way star also stars for the Bruins on the varsity soccer team. Despite all her individual accolades, she was quick to praise numerous teammates for getting the team to the share of the league title.
“On offense, our quarterback Gigi [Gabriella Gonzalez], she did a really good job, especially not having played any club before, she did a great job,” praised Rangel. “She had to learn all the plays and understand everyone’s routes. Also, Sky [Angelinah De Leon], she was insane at catching the ball, coming in clutch all the time. On defense, we had a freshman, [Kalliana Flores], she got three pick sixes in one game against Wilcox; she was crazy, she’s gonna be great for the next four years.”
While Flores had three interceptions for touchdowns against Wilcox, she wasn’t the only one coming up with takeaways on defense, as junior Alexandria Schneider led the team in interceptions with 10 on the season.
Unfortunately, this first season of flag football did not feature any CCS playoffs, but the Bruins will look to repeat as league champions next season and make a deep playoff run when playoffs begin next season.