Del Norte’s Sarah Grabinger found out very quickly the difference between a school fielding a girls flag football team for the first time and one that had played before.

“We played Torrey Pines and they’d lost to Bonita Vista in the championship last year,” said Grabinger. “We lost 12-6 in the final few minutes, but it was more our players being nervous playing their first game than anything Torrey Pines did.

“The next game we beat Sage Creek 18-0, and our quarterback felt at ease. In the second game our receivers had learned to trust that if they ran their routes, the ball would be there. Everyone rose to the occasion. 

“With a first-year program, where we only have one player with any previous flag football experience, we’re still teaching them the difference between a zone and man-to-man defense,” Grabinger said. “We looked for agility, speed and athleticism at tryouts but being an instinctive player is something that will take time.”

It’s a challenge virtually all the North County programs face as the San Diego Section has seen an explosion in the number of teams offering flag football.

Most, like Rancho Bernardo and Del Norte, are literally starting from scratch. But some of the programs, like Poway, have the advantage of featuring players who have plenty of experience — and it shows.

Titans coach David Arnold not only has seven players who have experienced flag football through the Friday Night Lights program, but is coaching his daughter, Mackenzie, who has played 14 seasons of the sport as a quarterback.

Think it helps?

Poway captured the inaugural Cougar Kickoff at Escondido, rolling past Sage Creek, Orange Glen and Steele Canyon before downing Santana in the championship, 20-12.

Mackenzie Arnold accounted for 42 points, completing 50 of 67 passes for 693 yards, 10 TDs and one interception in the four games. She rushed for 78 yards and three TDs and added four interceptions on defense, three of which she returned for touchdowns.

In the title game, Poway jumped on top 12-0 and then traded TDs with Santana before running out the clock.

David Arnold, who was one of the founders of the Friday Night Lights program, decided he missed the action and got the Poway coaching position late last spring.

He welcomed almost 50 players to tryouts and decided, along with his two assistant coaches, to have 16 varsity and another 16 junior varsity players.

All 16 varsity players have experience in other sports, with soccer and softball leading the way. 

“We figured with 32 kids in the program, all of them would get meaningful playing time, making it a learning experience,” said David. “In the tournament, eight different players scored. Like the other schools, we’re developing from nothing.

“The thing about Flag Football as opposed to the other sports, is no college scholarships are on the line, it’s a sport where they can play and have some fun.”

Jordan Lemler was named the Offensive Player of the Tournament after scoring 30 points while gaining 196 yards rushing and 230 yards receiving. Ashley Crafton earned Defensive Player of the Tournament honors for her 18 solo “tackles”–grabbing the opponents’ flag.

At the opposite end is Rancho Bernardo, which lost its first game to San Marcos 42-13 but came back to play Escondido tough in a 13-12, last-second setback. The Broncos have a 22-member varsity, only three of whom are seniors, but no JV team although 70 signed up and 50 came to the tryout.

“We have one player who has played on a flag football team,” said coach Courtney Luna de la Fuente.

“We expect growing pains, of course, but we have a lot of speed and I’ve been surprised at how many girls can play quarterback. They’ve all played sports, mostly soccer and softball, and I told them we’ll all learn together.

“We’re finally starting to see the practices flow like they should,” she said. “I’ve coached softball for a long time and I can organize that quickly, but it was all new for flag football. Our AD, Tracy Stowe, used to coach flag and some of the community coaches have helped, too.

“The kids are so excited to be learning different skill sets. One thing I’m sure, by the end of the year, we’ll be very competitive.”