SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis earned a No. 10 seed and will travel to seventh-seeded Antelope for the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II girls' flag football tournament, as the section office announced via MaxPreps. Game time is 6 p.m., with tickets available only via the GoFan website and app.

The Troubadours finished the regular season with a 19-7 overall record and tied for fourth in the Sierra Foothill League with an 8-6 mark. The Titans enter the postseason at 20-7, and tied for third in the Metro League at 5-5.

St. Francis also hits the playoff bracket with the return of sophomore quarterback Lola Fox, who has thrown for 1,872 yards and 24 touchdowns this season. Junior Natalia Zitelli and senior Jade Abalateo, who took over behind center during Fox' injury, have amassed rushing yardage totals of 1,589 and 603, with Zitelli totaling 23 touchdowns. Among the receiving corps, junior Tayli Paeu-Lindgren followed her Co-SFL Offensive Player of the Year season with 98 catches, 1,095 yards and 17 TDs, while also typing Holland Sperber for the team lead of 14 sacks on the defensive side.

In fact, the Troubadours are arguably better known for the defense, with sophomore Monet Zauner leading her team with 32 interceptions, 52 pass breakups and 121 deflaggings. Senior Colleen Medina (12) and Alexa Randall (10) also have double-digit picks for the year, with Piper Bates (96 tackles, seven INTs) and Abbey Pavelchik (70 tackles, seven INTs) contributing heavily toward holding opponents to just 10.9 points per game.

Antelope only has statistics available for its first nine games, during which senior quarterback Izzi Siegler completed 106 of 164 passes for 1,113 yards and 21 TDs against just six interceptions. Junior Semiyah Brown caught 46 passes, including 10 scores. Leading the Titans defensively is a former Troubie softball player: senior Deanna Richardson, who has 42 tackles to complement her 25 receptions and five touchdowns on offense.

This marks St. Francis' second playoff appearance in the three seasons at the SJS has sponsored a flag football championship. The Troubies fell in a 12-vs.-5 game at St. Mary's in the inaugural 2023 tourney. It also marks the program's first matchup with Antelope.

Links to the SJS GoFan channel and playoff bracket are available at GoTroubies.com.