The Aptos High girls flag football team continued their dominance in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League after winning their 15 consecutive game in league play Wednesday.
Senior team captain Ellie Marta had an 18-yard touchdown reception, three tackles and one pass deflection to help navigate the Mariners past Scotts Valley High, 33-0, on a foggy evening at Soquel High School.
With the win, Aptos remains undefeated with a 5-0 record in SCCAL play this 2026 fall campaign. They extended their win streak dating back to last season in which they finished with a 10-0 record.
“It’s just practicing hard,” Aptos senior Summer Michelli said. “If we have something that we realize we didn’t do the best on in a game, just practice that over and over again. Working on both offense and defense is key to success.”
Aptos senior defensive back Val Hernandez led the defense with eight tackles, while senior captain Lauren Galster added five tackles. Junior quarterback Autumn Mata passed for 40 yards and had a 4-yard rushing touchdown.
Junior rusher Mary-Anne MacCarthy had an impactful performance on both sides of the ball with a pick-six, one sack, four tackles and a 14-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Junior Isa Alvarez contributed two tackles, one sack and one pass deflection, while sophomore team captain Ellia Correia caught a 3-yard pass for an extra point attempt, registered one interception and one pass deflection.
Freshman Claudia Burgueno hauled in a 9-yard touchdown reception, while freshman Elianna Garcia added a pair of tackles and hauled in a 3-yard reception on an extra point conversion.
Garcia’s extra point conversion was momentous because now each Mariner player on the varsity roster has been in the end zone at least once this season.
Aptos head coach Denise Russo said in an email that she’s excited to have several four-year players return, but the roster from top to bottom is filled with tons of talent.
Marta is a two-time team captain, All-SCCAL First Team defensive player and the team’s defensive player of the year twice in a row.
“Ellie is a threat on both sides of the ball and we are looking forward to her senior year,” Russo said.
Marta commits to her training year round in the weight room during the off-season and participates at the girls flag football Sunday Sessions with the Reggie Stephens Foundation.
“[Marta’s] reinforcing the work that we do with agility, speed and technique in the weight room, and on the field,” Russo said.
Myla Applebee is a third-year varsity player that earned All-SCCAL First Team defense honors in 2025. The junior two-way player has plenty of speed, which is what makes her hard to catch on offense or avoid on the defense.
Applebee has also been putting in the work like her teammate Marta at the RSF Sunday Sessions.
Mata, who was the backup quarterback in 2025, is another third-year varsity player and pure athlete who has been working year round at RSF.
“Her offseason development and summer work has earned her the starting QB position,” Russo said.
Junior Julia Parello came in as a third-year varsity player, and is another athlete who has an impact on both sides of the ball with great vision and instincts. She recorded five tackles and had 26 yards rushing on two carries Wednesday night.
Correia returns as a two-way player. She earned All-SCCAL First Team offense honors, and was the team’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2025.
“[Correia’s] skill and development has been phenomenal to watch the past few years,” Russo said. “Her speed, vision, agility and kinesthetic awareness, it’s all really coming together for this player.”
Correia, who like most of the others on the defending SCCAL champion Mariners, has been strength training in the weight room during the off-season and attending Sunday Sessions.
“Everybody brings their A game to every game,” said Michelli in reference to being the defending league champion. “But we always like to think that there’s a target on our back so that we can work harder to hopefully win.”
The Mariners were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs following a loss to Hill High.
Michelli said it was a nice introduction to CCS because it was the first time any flag football program had played in the postseason.
“This was just good practice,” she said. “And now we’re gonna come back stronger, hopefully, and try our best.”
Other players slowly making a name for themselves are junior Rosi Resendiz and sophomore Myla Pine. Both players, who were part of last year’s junior varsity team, spent the summer training in the weight room.
The Mariner duo committed to strength training for injury prevention and speed/agility development that has really shown on the field.
“We were able to kind of get a head start in the season,” Hernandez said. “I feel like it helped us be envisioned and ready.”
Russo was also just as excited to have her coaching staff that includes four-year coach Angela Chemlicek and assistant coach Gabby Russo.
Denise Russo aims to change their offense after each season. The Mariners are under the direction of new offensive coordinator Scott Russo, who has a new playbook that plays to the strengths of the players while adjusting to their opponents.
“We have strength and depth at all positions which means teams will have to defend our entire team on every play,” Denise Russo said.
Similar to the offense, Aptos adjusts its defense depending who the opponent is that day. Russo said they’ve taken reps in a variety of formations from one-on-one to a variety of different coverages.
“We prepare to be ready one game at a time,” Russo said. “We have strength in a deep bench of returning players, our speed and our adaptability.”
Next up, Aptos (7-2, 5-0) hosts San Lorenzo Valley (0-5, 0-5) in SCCAL play Friday at 5pm, followed a league match against Santa Cruz on Oct. 7 at 8pm.
