2018-19 Bonanza Flag Football Capsule
BONANZA
Head coach: Dion Lee, second season
2017-18 record: 14-6 (9-1 Southwest/first)
Returning letter winners (starters): Fifteen (10)
Top players: QB Cindylou Rasiang (So.), RB Charlene Beck (Jr.), WR Alicia Kestner (Sr.), WR Shayne Dunn (Sr.), WR Ashley Vasquez (Sr.), LB Laura Valle (Sr.), LB Kiara Castro (Sr.), DB Joplyn Merrell (Sr.), DB Briceli Concepcion (Sr.)
Outlook: The Bengals went from a fifth-place team in 2015-16 to third in 2016-17 to first in the Southwest in Lee’s first season last year.
“The team came together during my first year,” Lee said.
They return 10 starters from that team and should be one of the favorites in the Mountain Region after advancing to the Sunset Region semifinals last season.
Second-team all-state honoree Rasiang threw for 4,144 yards and 57 touchdowns last year and again is surrounded by explosive weapons in Beck (1,431 rushing yards, 6 TDs), Kestner (112 catches, 1,079 yards, 12 TDs), Dunn (53 catches, 1,024 yards, 13 TDs) and Vasquez (59 catches, 926 yards, 11 TDs).
Valle (123 tackles), Castro (83 tackles, 7 sacks, 3 interceptions), Merrell (49 tackles, 2 interceptions) and Concepcion (52 tackles, 2 interceptions) return to lead the defense.
“We want to build from last year’s league championship and playoff run to reach the state championship game this year,” Lee said.
