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SF shuts out Folsom in regular-season finale

SF shuts out Folsom in regular-season finale

FOLSOM, Calif. – Sophomore Lola Fox threw for seven touchdown passes, including four to Tayli Paeu-Lindgren, while Monet Zauner accounted for four of her team's seven interceptions, as St. Francis shut out Folsom, 47-0, at Prairie City Stadium on the final day of the Sierra Foothill League girls' flag football season Thursday.

The Troubadours improve to 19-7 for the year with an 8-6 record in league play. This also marked the team's ninth victory by shutout, with their last four coming in such fashion: 46-0 against the Bulldogs on Sept. 30, 25-0 at Davis on Oct. 2, 6-0 at home vs. Granite Bay on Oct. 15, plus Thursday's regular-season finale.

The first of Zauner's interceptions came on the second play of the game. She made a leaping snare, then returned it 19 yards to the Folsom 14. Zauner nabbed her second to spoil a Bulldog third-and-goal at the SF 4-yard line late in the second quarter, made it a hat trick on a third-and-15 early in the third frame, then collected a ball initially tipped by Piper Bates after the Troubies failed on downs deep in their own territory. Zauner's four takeaways resulted in 60 return yards, with three leading directly to SF scores.

The other three Troubie picks belonged to Abbey Pavelchik, who wrapped up a deflected pass inside her own 20-yard line; Amelia Zaragoza, who ended a fourth-and-10 conversion attempt under the two-minute mark of the third; and Lucia Vicio, who collected an errant pass immediately after two near picks by Pavelchik with 5:40 left in the contest.

Meanwhile on offense, Fox threw all seven touchdowns in the game. Two went to Paeu-Lindgren in the first quarter for 10 and four yards, respectively. Fox found Jade Abalateo in stride for a 48-yarder with 6:19 left in the second, then delivered a five-yarder to Natalia Zitelli to end the first half.

After a Zitelli run on the first play of the second half gave the Troubies a first-and 15 on their own 25, Fox connected with Paeu-Lindgren for a third strike, this time for 55 yards to boost the SF lead to 34-0. Fox and Paeu-Lindgren teamed up once again to start the fourth quarter after a Folsom defensive holding call turned a short Abalateo run into a first-and-goal on the 20.

Finally, in their last offensive series, the Troubies went to junior Millie Katzeff on back-to-back plays. Katzeff, who had dropped two passes in the previous SF possession, hauled in a 30-yarder from Zitelli to set up her team on the Folsom 7 with :04 on the clock. Fox delivered to Katzeff for the final TD.

Zitelli also scored six one-point conversions – three on the run, and three on passes from Fox. She also completed two passes of her own: a 30-yarder to Annie Swanson that set up the final TD of the first half, then the 30-yarder to Katzeff in the final seconds.

Abalateo also contributed heavily on defense in addition to her seven carries on offense. With several of St. Francis' usual defensive contributors absent, she stepped in four seven total stops, including one for a 2-yard loss at the end of the first quarter. Zauner matched Abalateo at pulling flags, while Bates deflagged four others.

The 47 points is the second-highest offensive output for the Troubadours this season, trailing only the 56 against Cordova back on September 3.

St. Francis junior varsity also won in a shutout, albeit a lower scoring version of 13-0. Chloe Hoertsch threw a touchdown pass to Lily Hosseini early in the contest, then ran in a second near the end. She also found Bridget Beard for a one-point conversion after her own run-in. The Troubie jayvees finish their season with a 13-4-2 record, including 8-4-2 against the SFL.

SF varsity awaits its fate in the Sac-Joaquin Section tournament, the pairings for which will be announced late afternoon on Friday. The Troubies entered Thursday's regular-season finale ranked fifth among Div. II schools by MaxPreps, trailing Kimball, Merced, Atwater and Woodcreek. If selected to host, SF will hold the first-round game at Jesuit on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. kickoff.