San Pedro, Narbonne flag football teams rise above Marine League feud to put on show
Narbonne and San Pedro’s girls’ flag football teams met at midfield after the officials called both teams to the 50-yard line to start the game.
“Let’s not get caught up in the other stuff,” one referee remarked, seemingly in reference to the boycott of Narbonne’s boys’ team by its Marine League rivals. San Pedro forfeited its Friday contest against Narbonne, a week after Banning did the same.
The girls of San Pedro (18-2) and Narbonne (9-8) ignored the noise, with the Pirates coming back from a 12-point deficit to claim a 13-12 victory. After rumblings that the flag football game also would be canceled, Narbonne coach Sherrelle Holmes and San Pedro coach Vic Tuberosi spoke this week to ensure it would not.
San Pedro joined Banning in forfeiting a game against Narbonne in protest of alleged rule violations involving the Gauchos.
“Vic and I did a great job keeping the focus on the girls and highlighting the special things that flag football has brought,” Holmes said. “I’m glad we didn’t have another distraction because that was clearly a distraction that neither team had nothing to do with. Hopefully, they figure their stuff out, but it has nothing to do with us — what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Last week, four Marine League football coaches — Banning’s Raymond Grajeda, San Pedro’s Corey Walsh, Gardena’s Monty Gilbreath and Carson’s Mike Christensen — alleged in a letter that Narbonne violated league rules. The teams claim they will forfeit games against the Gauchos until City Section Commissioner Vicky Lagos or the L.A. Unified School District takes action against the program.
If Lagos does, it would not be the first time Narbonne faced punishment. In 2019, the City Section reprimanded the Gauchos for fielding an ineligible player after investigating the program.
Coach Malcolm Manuel, a former Banning junior-varsity coach hired by Narbonne in 2021, released a statement Wednesday denying the allegations.
“I want to clarify that we are not involved in any activities that would jeopardize our eligibility, integrity, opportunities for our players, or the values we uphold,” Manuel wrote. “Our athletes have submitted all necessary paperwork, which was thoroughly reviewed and cleared.”
Tuberosi, who is in his second season coaching San Pedro flag football, said he does not want the boys’ and girls’ teams to be in the same drama, emphasizing the camaraderie in flag football so far.
“I don’t want the girls to know football like that,” he said. “At first, when I thought we would have to cancel, I was a little upset and disappointed. I think we should be differentiated from [the boys]. The girls’ game is completely different.”
San Pedro senior Giuliana Sutrin, who made a juggling pick-six to secure the one-point win, said playing Friday showed what San Pedro is about.
“It took the team coming together, realizing that we need to come together, hype each other up on the sideline, on the field,” Sutrin said. “Just be resilient.”
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