IRVINE — San Clemente quarterback Kirra Clavijo was close to perfect for the Tritons in their CIF-SS Division 3 girls flag football semifinal against Beckman on Saturday at Beckman High School.
The Tritons defense made Campbell’s job easier by shutting out the Patriots in the second half as San Clemente, which fielded a team for the first time this season, came away with 38-7 victory.
San Clemente (14-10-1) will play Troy in the first CIF-SS Division 3 championship game Saturday, Nov. 9, at El Modena High School.
Troy defeated Martin Luther King, 34-6, in the other Division 3 semifinal on Saturday.
Clavijo completed 21 of 24 passes for 274 yards and five touchdowns.
Freshman receiver Gigi Nacelli was on the receiving end of four of those scoring passes.
“Kirra played great today,” San Clemente coach Marc Popovich said. “She’s improved so much all year. And she made great reads out there. She definitely understood the scouting report and what we were trying to do. I’m so proud of her.”
Clavijo hit Nacelli for a 1-yard touchdown on the first drive of the game.
The Patriots (11-16) responded with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Kayla Kim to Anisa Mehta.
But the Tritons held the Patriots scoreless for the rest of the game.
San Clemente safety Tenley Hill intercepted a pass at the Tritons 5 and returned it 70 yards, setting up a first and goal.
A personal foul against the Patriots gave San Clemente a first-and-goal from the 1 and Clavijo connected with Nacelli in the end zone on the next play.
“I thought Tenley Hill’s interception on the goal line flipped the game for us,” Popovich said. “And then our offense took it from there.”
The Tritons and Patriots were facing off for the third time this season, after playing each other twice in Sea View League games.
Beckman won both those games by scores 21-6 and 21-13, respectively.
“We beat the teams we were supposed to, and then being able to go ahead and just finish strong and make it into the playoffs,” Beckman coach Pierre Sanjurjo said. “We definitely battled some tough teams throughout the season.
Girls flag football is in its second year as an official CIF-SS sport. With more teams participating this season, girls flag football qualified to have an official postseason with playoff games leading to division championship games.
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