Opposing flag football coaches had a hard time accounting for Watsonville High senior Taylor Alves-Lopez anytime she stepped on the gridiron this past 2026 fall season.
Not only was she blazing fast, but the Wildcat senior used her agility and swift movements to get past three, sometimes up to four, blockers to reach the quarterback.
According to the Monterey Bay Preps website, Alves-Lopez tallied 42 flag pulls and 37 sacks—giving her a total of 108 sacks in three seasons at Watsonville.
Her presence on the field was so impressive that coaches within the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Mission Division named her Defensive Player of the Year.
“Going into this season was going to be interesting because she was known to be such an impactful player,” Watsonville head coach Zach Cook said. “I’m pretty sure the Mission level was also going to be kind of highly concerned with her, which proved to be correct.”
Alves-Lopez, who also does competitive cheer, saw the numbers dwindle in the statistics columns. That’s because opponents quickly found out who she was after terrorizing quarterbacks in the PCAL’s top-tier Gabilan Division in 2025.
Cook mentioned how flag football is all about quarterbacks having good timing with their wide receivers.
And being able to send a pass rusher such as Alves-Lopez can disrupt that rhythm. Just ask King City and Pajaro Valley.
“We’re looking at one and a half to two seconds to get rid of the ball,” Cook said. “She reduces that to almost a second because if you don’t get rid of it, she’s on you.”
Cook said that Alves-Lopez can be highly competitive, which could be both a great and bad thing for athletes.
But one thing the ‘Catz’s four-year skipper noticed is how Alves-Lopez was able to maintain composure, while hitting the reset button when things didn’t go her way.
“She puts high pressure on herself because of that competitiveness,” Cook said. “One of the things that I saw her do really well is being able to kind of reset herself when something wasn’t going right.”
Taylor-Alves, along with teammates senior Dalila Longoria-Giron and sophomore Cecilia Canela each earned All-PCAL First Team Defense honors.
Longoria-Giron finished with 36 flag pulls and five interceptions, while Canela had 26 flag pulls and seven interceptions for Watsonville (15-3), which finished runner-up in the Mission Division with an 8-2 record in league play.
Seniors Analia Vasquez and Perla Rivera received all-league first team honors for Pajaro Valley High (11-7), which placed third in the Mission Division with a 7-3 record in league play.
Pajaro Valley juniors Denisse Magallon and Aliyah Suarez each earned All-PCAL First Team Offense honors. Watsonville junior Aaliyah Arellano and sophomore Yoselin Delgadillo both were also recognized with all-league first team offense honors.
Arellano completed 52 percent (192 for 367) of her pass attempts for 1,873 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The ‘Catz’s starting quarterback also added 113 yards rushing and seven touchdowns on 21 carries.
Arellano’s main target was Delgadillo as she hauled in 82 receptions for 707 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns.
Watsonville freshman Zoe Saldana and junior Isabella Ruiz, and Pajaro Valley senior Jezlynn Calderon and junior Elizabeth Zamora each earned All-PCAL Second Team Offense honors.
As the backup quarterback, Saldana completed 51 percent (95 of 188) of her pass attempts for 872 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Ruiz finished with 126 yards rushing on 26 carries.
Watsonville sophomore Sienna Arredondo and freshman Laisha Zamora-Martinez, along with Pajaro Valley juniors Nadia Renteria and Xitlaly Pozozos each earned All-PCAL Second Team Defense honors.
Arredondo tied for a team-best 12 interceptions, while Zamora-Martinez finished with 26 flag pulls and seven interceptions.
Cook said the best part of these awards is watching the players really appreciate the fruits of their hard labor.
“The ones that earn those honors, they put in work, and that’s kind of like what shows,” Cook said. “I love that. That’s what they kind of brought to the next generation of Wildcatz to kind of see what it takes to get there.”
Mission Division
Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player: Katia Slama (Sr.), King City
Offensive Player of the Year: Shyrah McDonald (Sr.), King City
Defensive Player of the Year: Taylor Alves-Lopez (Sr.), Watsonville
First Team Offense
Katia Slama (Sr.), King City
Shyrah McDonald (Sr.), King City
Mayte Sarabia (Sr.), King City
Aaliyah Arellano (Jr.), Watsonville
Yoselin Delgadillo (So.), Watsonville
Denisse Magallon (Jr.), Pajaro Valley
Aliyah Suarez (Jr.), Pajaro Valley
Michelle Campos(So.), Soledad
Sophia Vargas (Fr.), North Salinas
First Team Defense
Melissa Iglesias (Sr.), King City
Taylor Alves-Lopez (Sr.), Watsonville
Gianna Dow (Sr.), Soledad
Heidi Medina (So.), King City
Dalila Longoria-Giron (Sr.), Watsonville
Cecilia Canela (So.), Watsonville
Cameron Desantiago (Sr.), Soledad
Analia Vasquez (Sr.), Pajaro Valley
Perla Rivera (Sr.), Pajaro Valley
Second Team Offense
Alondra Herrejon (So.), King City
Kat Buckley, Pacific Collegiate School
Isabella Ruiz (Jr.), Watsonville
Jezlynn Calderon (Sr.), Pajaro Valley
Luz Zaragoza (Sr.), Soledad
Nina Gramkowski, PCS
Inaya Feather (Sr.), North Salinas
Elizabeth Zamora (Jr.), Pajaro Valley
Zoe Saldana (Fr.), Watsonville
Second Team Defense
Joscelyn Acevedo (Sr.), King City
Marali Ortiz (Jr.), King City
Sofia Perez (Fr.), King City
Sienna Arredondo (So.), Watsonville
Laisha Zamora-Martinez (Fr.), Watsonville
Nadia Renteria (Jr.), Pajaro Valley
Xitlaly Pozozos (Jr.), Pajaro Valley
Monique Trujillo (Jr.), Soledad
Alyah Ocampo (Sr.), North Salinas
Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship Team
Yamilet Rivas (Sr.), King City
Gemma Sanchez (Sr.), Watsonville
Liliana Zavala (Jr.), Soledad
Sofia Arenas (So.), Pajaro Valley
Jazmine Sanchez (Sr.), North Salinas
Elena Berlin (Jr.), PCS
Elgie Bellizio Sportsmanship team
None
Gabilan Division
Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player: Delilah Herro (Sr.), Carmel
Offensive Player of the Year: Brooklyn Smith (So.), Alisal
Defensive Player of the Year: Adalyn Jefferson (Jr.), Palma
First Team Offense
Kesara Cline (So.), Salinas
Lyla Garcia (So.), Salinas
Jillian Scherpinski (So.), Palma
Carolina Lorca (Jr.), Palma
Emery Jennings (Sr.), Monterey
Brooklyn Smith (So.), Alisal
Delilah Herro (Sr.), Carmel
Ellice Choe (So.), Monterey
Micah Smith (Sr.), Alisal
Second Team Defense
Taylor Ramirez (Sr.), Salinas
Denise Heredia (Sr.), Salinas
Adalyn Jefferson (Jr.), Palma
Jenna Deese (Sr.), Monterey
Lucia Madrigal (Jr.), Salinas
Dalilah Ponce (Sr.), Salinas
Danae Diaz (So.), North County
Nalani Mendoza, Palma
Kathy Tapia (Sr.), Alisal
Second Team Offense
Isabella Hernandez (Jr.), Salinas
Isabella Stepp (Jr.), Salinas
Olivia Cordero (Sr.), North County
Elliote Sparling (Sr.), Hollister
Trinity Pimentel (Jr.), Alisal
Kaila Balbalan (Jr.), Monterey
Aliah Cruz (Jr.), Palma
Annabella Schroeder (So.), Carmel
Brooklyn Yamashita (So.), Monterey
Second Team Defense
Jazlynn Vasquez (Fr.), Salinas
Liza Edeza (So.), Salinas
Ava Greco (So.), Palma
Kylee Williams (Jr.), Monterey
Angelina Lopez Gutierrez (So.), North County
Kathy Tapia (Jr.), Alisal
Aaliyah Ruiz (Jr.), Alisal
Nalani Mendoza (Jr.), North County
Ella Maria (So.), Carmel
Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship Team
Audrey DeCarli (Sr.), Salinas
Ailyee Blair (Sr.), Palma
Kiana Tobias (Jr.), Monterey
Pearl Burttschell (Sr.), Carmel
Katley Tapia (Sr.), Alisal
Regan Arreola (Sr.), North County
Grace Garman (Jr.), Hollister
Talia Moakler (Sr.), St. Francis
Elgie Bellizio Sportsmanship team
Palma
Cypress Division
Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player: Diane Solis (So.), Alvarez
Offensive Player of the Year: Alyssa Hernandez (Sr.), Rancho San Juan
Defensive Player of the Year: Ailyn Salazar (Jr.), Greenfield
First Team Offense
Kayla Greay (So.), Alvarez
Jocelyn Perez (Jr.), Alvarez
Alyssa Hernandez (Sr.), Rancho San Juan
Desiree Hernandez (Jr.), Rancho San Juan
Madison Mercado (Fr.), Greenfield
Natalie Becerra (Fr.), Rancho San Juan
Alma Morales (Fr.), Seaside
Jazlyn Roberts (Sr.), Marina
Diana Ayala (Sr.), Alvarez
First Team Defense
Diane Solis (So.), Alvarez
Eva Castaneda (Sr.), Alvarez
Yoselyn Castanada (Sr.), Rancho San Juan
Cameron Valencia (Sr.), Seaside
Chelsea Cruz (So.), Seaside
Alonda Munoz (Sr.), Marina
Izabella Farias-Maciel (Sr.), Rancho San Juan
Alize Manriquez (So.), Alvarez
Ailyn Salazar (Jr.), Greenfield
Second Team Offense
Matilda Jiminez (Jr.), Alvarez
Jolene Betts (Sr.), Alvarez
Yareli Jiminez-Ramirez (So.), Rancho San Juan
Andrea Ruano (Sr.), Rancho San Juan
Claudia Villa (Jr.), Greenfield
Alice Gutierrez (Fr.), Rancho San Juan
Bella Giron (Jr.), Greenfield
Sofia Espino (So.), Seaside
Johanna Key (So.), Marina
Second Team Defense
Nievely Lozano (Sr.), Alvarez
Samantha Garcia-Diaz (Sr.), Alvarez
Sarahi Maravilla (Sr.), Rancho San Juan
Maryjane Ruiz Gutierrez (Sr.), Seaside
Isabella Calderon (Sr.), Greenfield
Leanna Ramirez (So.), Rancho San Juan
Aaliyah Meza (So.), Alvarez
Jessalyn Pasikala (So.), Seaside
Teresa David (So.), Marina
Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship Team
Ariani Hernandez (Jr.), Rancho San Juan
Aaliyah Meza (So.), Alvarez
Cadence Hicks (Fr.), Marina
Ana Faivailo (So.), Seaside
Isabella Calderon (Sr.), Greenfield
Elgie Bellizio Sportsmanship team
Rancho San Juan
