2 Girls Make the Team and History at Garfield

Adela Vidal and Maria Medrano will become the first girls to play for the Garfield High School football team when they suit up for a B football game against Marshall on Sept. 10.

After about a month of rigorous tryouts, Vidal and Medrano broke Garfield’s 68-year-old football gender barrier last week when they were named to play on the offensive and defensive lines. Both will be reserves.

“Adela and Maria will not start,” offensive line coach Frank Galvan said. “They fall somewhere between second and third string on the depth chart.”

A third girl, senior Ana Karina Guerrero, also tried out for the team but could not continue because of personal reasons, Galvan said.

Vidal, an 18-year-old senior who is 5-foot-2 and 158 pounds, has participated in junior varsity softball and cheerleading, and has been a member of Garfield’s drill team.

“I am one of five girls, so my dad is proud because he can tell his friends that his daughter plays football,” Vidal said.

Medrano (5-4, 159 pounds), a 16 year-old junior, has been a member of the girls’ basketball and swim teams.

Team officials said the average Garfield lineman is 5-foot-7 and weighs 170 pounds.