Alonso Flag Football Starts New Chapter in Team History

In 2012, the Alonso Ravens flag football team will take on an entirely new face. A four-year run that brought a crop of young, freshman, a star quarterback and back-to-back state finals appearances is now over.

"We're kind of starting from scratch; there will be a lot of learning this year," said senior captain Kaylene Atenza.

A Ravens team that put together a 31-4 record over the last two seasons graduated 13 of its 16 players last summer. Fifth-year head coach Matthew Hernandez even admits the situation.

"It's definitely going to be more of a building year; one where we'll hope to get better as the season goes on," he said.

Hernandez is left with a few veteran core members he will try to form his new team around. Those veterans include: Atenza, senior Alisa Davis, senior Nikki Venus and junior Erin Brizezinski. However, even that group has been diminished. Davis tore her ACL during a soccer match in November and is still trying to rehabilitate for the season.

"I really want to get back out there, I'm not ready for my senior year to end, yet," Davis said.

The Ravens at least have a good defense on their side. Senior veterans and team captains Atenza and Venus lock down the same side of the defense and should prove to be a stingy combination.

"We trust each other," said Venus. "We know that if one of us misses the other one will be there."

Another asset to the team is the prescience of recent graduate Carlee North, now attending Hillsborough Community College. North was the team's starting quarterback for all four of her years at Alonso. Her cool confidence and skilled passing, while unable to actually contribute in games, is an inspiring force on the practice field. North was on hand at tryouts to help deliver passes and evaluate talent.

"It's tough being out here, knowing you can't actually play but I'm still happy to work with the team and help out any way I can," North said.

Hernandez will have more evaluation and experimentation that he is used to in 2012 but at least he will have a large crop of young players to work with.

"This year's turnout we had 65-70 girls tryout," he said. "That's even a little up from the last few years."

Practices have already begun. The Ravens host Chamberlain in their first game of the season on March 20.

For more information check out their website: http://www.ravenflagfootball.com/