Torrey Pines Falcons advance to CIF flag football title game against Helix

Fans and students at Torrey Pines High School will have another chance to watch their flag football team compete for a state-level title this weekend. After defeating Carlsbad 28-17 on Monday, Nov. 3, the Falcons secured their spot in the San Diego Section Open Division championship game. The match is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday at Olympian High School in Chula Vista.

The victory improved the Falcons' season record to 15-8 and marked their second win against their Avocado League rival this year. Sophomore quarterback Izzie Dieter drove the offense with four touchdown passes. She connected with Lilou Briere and Ollie Chontos to give Torrey Pines an early 14-0 lead. After Carlsbad responded to cut the deficit to 14-7, Dieter found Cambry Wamstad and Claire McEvoy to stretch the advantage to 28-7. The Lancers scored late but failed on two dynamic kickoff plays designed to regain possession, which Torrey Pines stopped on both attempts.

Head coach Ryland Wickman noted the familiarity between the two squads as a factor in the game's competitive nature. "Carlsbad’s a very talented team. They’ve got some very good young talent," Wickman said. He added that Carlsbad adjusted its offensive strategy during the season to utilize its athletes more effectively, leading to the expected quality of play.

This marks the Falcons' fourth consecutive appearance in a section championship game. The program finished as runner-up in its first two years before capturing the Division I title last season. Wickman attributed the team's continued success to the players' willingness to engage with the process year after year. "It’s a testament to the girls and to them buying in each year, understanding the process and, like I said, continuing to buy into it," he said.

Dieter has thrown for at least 50 touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. Wickman observed that her confidence and defensive reading skills have improved, as has her role as a leader. The team's focus was visible the morning after the semifinal win. Wickman offered the players the afternoon off, but the group declined. "They’re the ones putting it on themselves," Wickman said. "I even tried to give them today off, and they told me no. They wanted to practice, finish this and continue to learn and get better."

The Falcons will face the Helix Highlanders, who are coming into the game with an 18-1 record. Helix went 8-0 in league play to win the Grossmont Hills League title. Their offense is led by senior quarterback Vida Sanchez, who accounted for 73 passing and rushing touchdowns and nearly 5,000 yards of offense. Receiver Kaiya Merlo caught 117 passes for 28 touchdowns this season.

Wickman identified Sanchez and Merlo as the primary threats to contain. "Their quarterback is very athletic. They have a good receiver, and they play physical football," he said. The Falcons must control those two players to secure the championship.