Janes Reyes is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover St. Mary's Catholic High School for AZPreps365.com

Coming off a four-game losing streak, St. Mary’s flag football was still able to win the Skyline Region Championship and qualify for the state playoffs. 

The road to success was not easy for St. Mary’s. 

Not only did they have to compete against top-ranked teams at the start of the season, but they also had to contend with a new roster. 

Michael Espinoza stepped in as the new head coach for the 2025 season.

“He’s always positive and an excellent coach,” said senior linebacker Itzary Jacobo. “He’s always had a good sense of humor.” 

The Knights only scored a total of one touchdown in their first four games of the season. Espinosa knew this had to change. 

“Our quarterback, who's only a sophomore, Sophia Leivian, has led us to a bunch of drives and consistently protects the ball, moving us down the field,” said Espinoza. 

Espinoza encouraged the team to build confidence, so they can continue putting points on the board and get more interceptions. 

Building a competitive rhythm got easier for the Knights, as their losing streak quickly turned into a winning streak seven-game winning streak. 

The Knights got their first win against Coronado High School, 35-0, on October 7th and kept up the high spirits for the rest of the season. 

St. Mary’s took every game as a learning opportunity and fought through obstacles like having to teach the sport to the 17 new players. 

After winning four games in a row with only one touchdown scored against them, it was time to play Barry Goldwater in the 4A Skyline Region Championship. 

On October 28th, the Knights beat the Bulldogs 39-0.

The Knights finally got into a winning groove, and it continued for the rest of the season up until they played ALA- Queen Qreek. 

It was the last regular-season home game for the Knights, which meant it was senior night. 

The Knights were not able to keep up with their winning streak and lost against the Patriots 6-3. 

The seniors did not let the loss stop them from celebrating their last home game. 

Parents brought candy bags and posters to congratulate the seniors on their accomplishments. 

It was time for the Knights to hit the road and play the Mesquite Wildcats for the first round of the state playoffs. 

The Knights were not able to pull through and lost the game 20-0.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better team to play with,” said running back Nicah Caravero. I am very thankful for the friends I  made and the coaches I met along the way, and I am very proud of the season we had.”