San Clemente girls flag football beats Gahr in OT to win CIF-SS title

From ocregister.com

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HUNTINGTON BEACH — San Clemente’s girls flag football team stood about a yard away from redemption in the CIF-SS championships on Saturday. Tritons coach Marc Popovich had no question about who would get the ball for a potential, title-clinching 1-point conversion in overtime.

Giselle Nacelli dove past San Clemente’s postseason demons.

The wide receiver motioned to the left, took a quick pitch and dove into the end zone for a 1-point conversion to lift the Tritons to a dramatic 35-34 victory against Gahr in the Division 2 final at Huntington Beach High.

Nacelli, a 5-foot-10 junior who is committed to Clemson for soccer, launched herself past a defender in the first overtime period to deliver the Tritons (14-9) their first championship.

Nacelli was among the players on the San Clemente team that lost to Troy 33-32 in the Division 3 final in 2024.

“This feels like redemption,” said Popovich, who jumped and hoisted the title plaque in the celebration. “The biggest thing was our girls had confidence in themselves. We played in games like this all year.”

On the conversion, center Ruby Pike snapped the ball to running back Mary Camblin, who pitched the ball forward to Nacelli, who ran around a block by Catalina Sarasua.

The play ended the first overtime final in the three-year history of the section girls flag football playoffs.

“We all knew that if we got down there, that was the play we were going to run,” said Popovich, the Tritons’ former boys basketball coach. “We’re going to give it (Nacelli) and she wasn’t going to be denied.”

Nacelli felt a flood of emotions after being mobbed by her teammates on the field.

“It definitely feels nice to come back and actually win it this time, especially (against) such a good team,” said Nacelli, who rushed for two touchdowns and had an interception. “It was definitely relieving and exciting.”

“All of us have grown so close,” she added. “Winning this with my family is just an amazing feeling.”

Sarasua showed her fight on the touchdown that tied the score 34-34 in overtime. The junior wide receiver made a leaping 4-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Chloe Williams in the back of the end zone with two defenders on her.

Sarasua tumbled to the turf on a play that drew a flag for contact.

“We wanted it super bad,” said Sarasua, who caught two touchdowns. “We wanted to get that redemption.”

Mylia Garcia of Gahr (19-7) caught a 2-yard touchdown from Maliah Gomez on the first possession of overtime for a 34-28 lead. San Clemente rusher Lyla McNeilis broke up the conversion to set the stage for the Tritons’ last possession.

McNeilis, a freshman, recorded a sack earlier in the game.

Nacelli and Sarasua sparked San Clemente’s rally from a 14-6 deficit at halftime.

Nacelli had an interception and long return on Gahr’s first possession of the third quarter. The takeaway set up her 1-yard touchdown run and 2-point conversion as the Tritons tied the score 14-14.

Early in the fourth, Sarasua caught a 45-yard touchdown reception on fourth down as San Clemente trimmed Gahr’s lead to 22-20 with 8:36 left.

On the ensuing possession, Sarasua snagged an interception deep in Gahr territory. About one minute later, Williams tossed a 6-yard touchdown to Camblin, who gave San Clemente a 26-22 lead. Sarasua made a juggling catch for the 2-point conversion for a 28-22 advantage.

Gahr tied the score 28-28 with 2:07 left in the fourth quarter.

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