St. Mary’s Forces Five Interceptions, Defeats Deer Valley 16-7 in Region Matchup

St. Mary’s secured a 16-7 victory over Deer Valley on Thursday evening in a girls varsity flag football matchup at St. Mary’s High School. The Knights controlled much of the 4A Skyline contest behind five defensive interceptions and three successful field goals, holding the Skyhawks scoreless through the first three quarters before overcoming a late fourth-quarter response.

St. Mary’s established its advantage early in the opening quarter when Kimber Milstead (#7) intercepted a pass from Deer Valley quarterback Allison Morris (#12). The Knights capitalized on their defensive momentum as quarterback Sofia Leivian (#17) scored a rushing touchdown. A successful extra-point kick gave St. Mary’s a 7-0 lead with 4:09 remaining in the first quarter.

The Knights continued to build their advantage during the second quarter, relying on their defense and special teams to maintain control. St. Mary’s player #16 converted a field goal to extend the lead to 10-0. Deer Valley attempted to generate offense before halftime, but Sylvia Garcia (#9) intercepted a pass to end the scoring opportunity. St. Mary’s entered halftime holding a 10-point advantage.

Defensive pressure remained a defining factor in the third quarter as the Knights continued forcing turnovers. Aliyah Coronado (#2) intercepted another pass from Morris, giving St. Mary’s an additional opportunity to extend its lead. The Knights capitalized with a second successful field goal from #16, increasing their advantage to 13-0.

St. Mary’s continued disrupting Deer Valley’s passing attack later in the quarter when Sofie Sullivan (#5) recorded another interception. The Knights carried their 13-point lead into the fourth quarter, leaving the Skyhawks searching for their first points of the evening.

Despite the deficit, Deer Valley responded with its strongest offensive moment of the contest during the final quarter. Morris connected with Olivia Martin (#1) for a touchdown reception, putting the Skyhawks on the scoreboard. Camille Hernandez (#10) successfully converted the extra-point kick, reducing the St. Mary’s lead to 13-7 with 5:47 remaining.

The touchdown brought Deer Valley within one possession and created an opportunity for a late comeback. However, St. Mary’s answered through its special teams unit as #16 converted a third field goal, extending the Knights’ advantage to 16-7.

Deer Valley attempted to generate another scoring opportunity in the closing stages, but the St. Mary’s defense delivered one final decisive play. Milstead intercepted the Skyhawks’ final passing attempt, recording her second interception of the evening and securing the victory.

St. Mary’s finished the contest with five interceptions, including two from Milstead and one each from Garcia, Coronado and Sullivan. The defensive performance repeatedly disrupted Deer Valley’s offensive possessions and helped the Knights maintain their advantage throughout the matchup.

Special teams also played a significant role in the victory. St. Mary’s #16 converted three field goals, accounting for nine of the Knights’ 16 points and providing the scoring cushion needed to withstand Deer Valley’s fourth-quarter touchdown.

For Deer Valley, Morris and Martin provided the offensive highlight with their fourth-quarter touchdown connection, while Hernandez completed the scoring sequence with a successful extra-point kick. The Skyhawks continued competing despite trailing by 13 points entering the final quarter.

Following the contest, Deer Valley’s head coach emphasized the importance of learning from the loss and maintaining the team’s approach moving forward.

“Business as usual. We get right back to work, learn from tonight’s game, and shift our focus toward preparing for our next matchup. Our goal remains the same: continue improving and be ready to compete.”

The Knights ultimately secured the 16-7 victory through timely defensive plays, consistent field-goal production and an early offensive touchdown. Deer Valley’s late response narrowed the margin, but St. Mary’s maintained control to finish the 4A Skyline matchup with the win.