DOWNEY – In its second year of competition in girls flag football for Warren High School, the Bears have had the best of two worlds at the quarterback position.

The team has flourished at the quarterback position, and this is the tale of two quarterbacks at Warren high.

In the inaugural 2023 season, junior quarterback Anahi Morales led the Bears to a Gateway League title with a 7-1 record and 15-4 overall record. She also won the league MVP.

Morales threw for 1,677 yards and 38 touchdowns.

However, there was a freshman in the wings for Warren named Isabella Gonzalez.

As a freshman, Gonzalez threw nearly 1,000 yards (953) and tossed 19 TDs backing up Morales. Her stats as of this past weeks games are pretty impressive, throwing for 2300 yards and 34 touchdowns and leading her team to a perfect 6-0 record in league.

“Coming into this year, I expected it to be very similar to last year (backing up Morales),” said Gonzalez. “With Anahi getting hurt, at the beginning it was a total breakdown. Our first QB got hurt and like, what are we going to do.

“I think coming into this year I was a little nervous knowing that because I look up to her a lot. She’s a role to me. Watching her having to step down I felt bad for her. But it kind of built momentum for me and play for what she couldn’t do.”

The Bears can win a share of the title with a win on Monday against Norwalk and win the title outright if they win out in the last two games.

For head coach Felipe Aguilar of the second-year team, it’s a good problem to have – two very good signal callers.

With high expectations for this season and Morales at the helm at quarterback, the senior was headed for another stellar season.

However, during the spring of 2023 while playing club football Morales had an ACL injury.

“She got cleared to play in the regular season to start 2024,” added Aguilar.

But she kept on playing and even started the 2024 season before being eventually shut down. After two wins to open the season, Morales played in the first three of four Chargers Tournament games, before sitting out the fourth game.

“Isabella spot played before the fourth tournament game and took the reins and became the starter,” Aguilar said. “What she does is manage the game very well and plays within herself. I knew we had somebody who knew the offense.

“She is the front runner for league MVP.”

For Aguilar of the second-year team, it’s a good problem to have – two very good signal callers.

Aguilar on Morales:

“She is definitely an irreplaceable player as a quarterback with her skill set,” he said. “Losing a player like Anahi is very tough.

“She was last year’s gateway MVP and named a US Army All- American.

“I know after she recovers, she will have an opportunity to play at a higher level and definitely not seen her last days playing football.”

Perhaps a fitting end to Morales’ playing time was a special appearance in a game prior to her surgery.

Morales had asked Aguilar if she could play in part of one more game prior to her surgery in late September.

She did so with no additional damage to her ACL.

Morales is happy to see Gonzalez’ success so far this season after taking over for her.

“I’m so proud of her and she gets the job done.”

Morales was also involved in the pregame coin flips, which made her feel a big part of the team.

“I was so excited to see her play one more time,” said injured junior wide receiver Emma Montes. “I know how much she loves playing. You could see the passion in her eyes. It was also scary, and I just didn’t want her to make it worse.”

Former player Evelyn Prado knew Morales was going to have a successful senior season.

“It’s sad to see,” said Prado of Morales, who played last season. “I thought she was going to have a spectacular senior year. She started off so strong. We knew she was hurt.”

Aguilar on Gonzalez:

“Isabella has had lots of game experience from last season and has taken the reigns and been very successful,” he added. “She is the smartest player on the field which allows me as a play caller to get creative. She is a great leader and is respected by all her teammates by the way she carries herself on and off the field. I am so proud of her growth this season and the sky is the limit for her.”

Q and A with Anahi Morales and Isabella Gonzalez

Anahi Morales:

Q: Why and how did you get interested in flag football?
A: I always loved football. When I found out my school was doing flag football as a sport, I signed up for that class so fast.

Q: What sports, if any, did your brother or sisters play and who influenced you to play flag?
A: My sisters played soccer, and I did as well, but my dad was the one who really influenced me to play flag football cause he knew I had an arm to be a quarterback.

Q: How did you become a quarterback?
A: When I tried out for the team, I told myself that I was going to try out for every position cause flag was obviously a new sport but QB was the main position I really wanted to try out for cause I knew I could throw far and hard.

Q: And what do the boys think of girls playing football?
A: A lot of the boys are really supportive of it and inclusive. It’s nice to know that we can love the same sport despite that it used to only be theirs.”

Q: What other sports do you play at school ?
A: I did play basketball in my freshman and sophomore year.

Q: How disappointed are you that you missed most of your senior year playing both football and now basketball?
A: I’m very disappointed because I cannot play football this year due to my ACL injury. I planned to improve as a player on and off the field. And now, I just got set back almost a year and now I have to work twice as hard to get to where I was at. I get to support my teammates on the sidelines now, but unfortunately have to live with the pain of not playing with them one last time.

Isabella Gonzalez

Q: Why and how did you get interested in flag football?
A: Going into high school, I was looking forward to trying new things and I felt like flag football was a great opportunity for that. It was new to pretty much everyone, and that’s what peaked my interest. Being able to work with teammates and coaches that are all learning this new sport at the same time as you, gave me that fun and rewarding experience to look forward to.”

Q: What sports, if any, did your brother or sisters play and who influenced you to play flag?
A: I come from a family of baseball fans. I have an older brother who played baseball through most of his teen years. But, when my parents saw that first post that flag was going to be a part of the athletics program, they encouraged me to try it out.”

Q: How did you become a quarterback?
A: At the very start of our flag program, I went into this not knowing a thing about football. I was just hoping I’d make it on the team, no matter what my position. However, I figured my experience with throwing a softball could be useful. So, when coach asked who’d be interested in QB, I went for it.

Q: And what do the boys think of girls playing football?
A: I’ve talked to some people about it, and they think it’s awesome.

Q: What other sports do you play at school?
A: At school, I’m also part of Warren’s softball program.

A breakdown of the inaugural Downey-Warren girls flag football game on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at Downey:

1st half

Warren 7, Downey 0

Sofia Aceves (W) TD pass from Isabella Gonzalez; Samantha Tinoco XP

Warren 14, Downey 0

Giselle Rivera (W)TD pass from Isabella Gonzalez; Samantha Tinoco XP

Warren 20, Downey 0

Samantha Tinoco (W) TD pass from Isabella Gonzalez. XP no good.

Warren 20, Downey 7

Jisel Rodriguez (D) TD reception

2nd half

Ayanna Finn TD pass from Isabella Gonzalez, Samantha Tinoco XP

FINAL: Warren 27, Downey 7

Warren defensive notes:

Isabella Ponce 2 interceptions

Nataly Arevalo 1 interception

Warren, which is on a five-game winning streak, also had wins this week over Bellflower, 13-6, and La Mirada, 13-0.

“Our girls came so prepared, so well against Downey,” said Aguilar, of the first Downey-Warren rival game.