Cathedral Catholic made history Saturday afternoon, capturing the CIF San Diego Section Division I Flag Football Championship with a thrilling 14-13 victory over No. 2-seeded Scripps Ranch at Olympian High School. The top-seeded Dons (16-7) rallied from a halftime deficit to secure the program’s first-ever flag football championship, finishing the season with an eight-game winning streak.

Trailing 13-7 with less than five minutes remaining, the Dons delivered when it mattered most. With 4:48 on the clock, quarterback Sabrina Jutronich executed an option play, pitching to Mila Petitte, who raced 36 yards down the sideline for the game-tying touchdown. Jutronich then connected with Emma Weeks on the extra-point pass, giving Cathedral a 14-13 lead that the Dons held for the remainder of the game.

“I was really scared; if I didn’t catch it or they caught me, we wouldn’t win,” said Petitte. “I caught it, did a little juke and took off.”

Jutronich knew the moment mattered and trusted her teammate to make the play.

“We were running out of time, and I knew we had to score,” said Jutronich. “I told her on that option play just to stay with me and look for the pitch.”

The championship matchup marked the third meeting between the Western League rivals this season. Scripps Ranch (15-9) won the first contest, 25-12, on September 1, and Cathedral responded with a 31-13 victory in league play a month later. Saturday’s championship served as the deciding game in the season series.

“They got us and then we got them,” said head coach Ryan Wiegand. “I’m an old baseball guy and we always did things in three-game series and the third game is always the toughest.”

Jutronich led the offense, completing 15 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown while adding 24 rushing yards. Emelia Barajas contributed four receptions for 23 yards, while Petitte provided the defining play of the championship game with her 36-yard touchdown run.

Defensively, the Dons delivered a strong performance. Larisa Olivas led the way with eight tackles and flag pulls, followed closely by Khloe Lopez with seven. Maddie Modic added two sacks to help lead the defensive effort.

In addition to the championship victory, Ella Nickels was recognized with the Sportsmanship Award for her outstanding representation of Cathedral Catholic throughout the season.

The Division I championship capped an impressive season for the Dons, who finished the year with eight straight victories. With a 16-7 record and a historic championship performance, Cathedral Catholic flag football has added the school’s first-ever CIF Division I title to its athletics legacy.

Congratulations to Coach Ryan Wiegand and the entire Dons flag football program on an unforgettable season and a historic championship!