On a glorious day full of sunshine that felt more like spring than winter, Alisal senior Mia Rivera shone brightest at the 2nd Annual RSF/GPF Central Coast Girls Flag Football All-Star Game at Aptos High School on Jan. 11.
The Trojan wide receiver and safety, who lists Stephen Curry as her favorite athlete, put a “night-night” on the North All-Stars in a taut, intense thriller, leading her South All-Stars to a 19-12 win.
Rivera, who scored 106 points on offense and had 14 interceptions on defense during the 2025 fall campaign, recorded one pick and scored a pair of touchdowns. She was named the Most Valuable Player for Team South.
“It always feels good,” Rivera said when asked about her interception and MVP award. “I don’t know, I’m kind of used to it.”
Rivera’s interception set up her first receiving touchdown that tied the game at 6-all. She added another touchdown later in the second half that put the South ahead for good.
A la Curry, her celebrations in the end zone were as stellar as her play, capturing the fun and excitement that this event represents.
Aptos senior Ella Porter scored both touchdowns for the North, earning her MVP honors for her squad. The Mariner standout showed off the form that also earned her the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League MVP award.
Porter’s second touchdown came on the first play of the fourth quarter, a nine-yard run that featured a couple of dips and twists to avoid would-be tacklers. That set up an intense final 14 minutes, as each team made big plays on both sides of the ball to keep the outcome in doubt.
“It was really special,” Porter said. “I really loved getting to play with all these girls that I’ve been playing against for such a long time, and just to be able to play on the same team was really an honor.”
The star-studded contest was organized by both the Reggie Stephens Foundation and Gino Panelli Foundation—two non-profits that support local youth, high school and college athletes on the Central Coast.
Scotts Valley senior Sammy Rebbert got things cooking for the North after recording the first of her two interceptions, returning it to the South’s 5-yard line.
Moments later, Soquel senior Eliza Stevens tossed a short touchdown pass to Porter that put the North ahead, 6-0, seven minutes into the game.
In the second quarter, Rivera evened the score after hauling in a touchdown pass from Rancho San Juan senior Melony Erazo-Chavez from 16 yards out.
Rivera spun the ball in the end zone to celebrate and hit the “Griddy” dance with her teammates surrounding her.
“Shout out to my team,” Rivera said. “We just all like to have fun. Practice, everything has been fun, it’s just been a blast with them.”
Erazo-Chavez tossed a 6-yard touchdown to a wide-open Ava Staehle of Carmel that gave the South its first lead of the game at 12-6.
The South continued to ride on their wave of momentum when Erazo-Chavez and Rivera hooked up once again just before halftime, extending the lead at 19-6 going into the break.
Rebbert snagged her second interception in the third stanza that led to Porter’s 5-yard TD run, cutting the South’s lead at 19-12 early in the fourth quarter.
The North had one final chance to tie or take the lead with one minute remaining in the contest.
But Rivera’s tight coverage on a fourth-and-8 play forced Stevens’ pass attempt to fall incomplete, ending the North’s bid at a comeback win.
“I think we all played a part in it, it wasn’t just a one-man show,” Alisal head coach and Team South coach Marisol Rasul said. “We all played together, and the girls were just amazing. It was such an amazing experience to coach them.”
Apart from the game, a variety of competitions before the game allowed the athletes to show off their skills.
Palma senior Elsie Sargenti won the 40-yard dash with a time of 5.15 seconds, edging out her South teammate, Salinas senior Jaslyne Coronado, who clocked in at 5.19 seconds.
North Monterey County senior Maya Ibarra won the longest throw competition with a 31-yard heave.
Soquel senior Haily Bettermann turned in the most impressive performance of the event with a high, booming kick that traveled 42 yards through the air to easily win the longest kick contest. Bettermann, not surprisingly, is also a star soccer player for the Knights.
The South finished off the skills competition by winning a 1-on-1 contest by the score of 3-1.
“I just want to build our youth up, that’s the biggest thing,” Marina head coach Alyssa Dixon said.
Dixon, who was on the South’s coaching staff, is also a professional quarterback in the Women’s National Football Conference. She will begin playing for the Golden State Storm in March.
“I just wanted to show these ladies that they’re more than capable of getting the W [win],” Dixon said.
