Quarterfinals — Is the Mt. Baldy League Cursed?
Oct 30, 2026 · ✍️ Xavier Estrada
One Win From History
Ontario High School’s girls flag football season ended Tuesday night in the CIF quarterfinals with a 33-0 loss on the road at Loma Linda Academy.
The Lady Jaguars came in one win away from history. A victory would have sent Ontario to the semifinals — the first semifinal appearance ever for a Mt. Baldy League girls flag football team. Instead, the night turned into a nightmare, and the league’s quarterfinal wall stands for another year.
A Fast Start for the Lady Jags
Ontario won the coin toss and elected to defer, and the decision paid off early. The Jaguars’ defense held Loma Linda at its own 35 and forced a quick turnover.
Star quarterback Navey Lopez (#9) took over from there. Her quick, slippery rushing moved Ontario down the field and set up 1st-and-goal in a hurry. The drive stalled at the 5 and Ontario turned the ball over, but the Lady Jags had opened the game with real intensity on both sides of the ball.
That strong start didn’t last. The Roadrunners found their footing on offense, and Ontario spent much of the half fighting to keep up. Its defensive leaders answered the call: Lopez and Holly Paez (#10) kept the game tight, and Loma Linda managed just one
touchdown before halftime.
Fighting Back, Then Falling Apart
Ontario came out of the break still searching for the touchdown that would pull it back into the game. Paez and Lopez kept battling on defense, combining for more than 20 flag pulls in the third quarter alone. Loma Linda still broke through for its second touchdown to stretch the lead.
The Jaguars’ offense finally found a spark. Angie Torres (#12) caught fire through the air, piling up 45 receiving yards before the quarter ended, while Lopez added more than 30 rushing yards as Ontario tried to claw its way back.
The comeback never came. In the fourth quarter, the Ontario defense that had held firm for so long gave way, and Loma Linda took full advantage to pull away for the 33-0 final.
A Mt. Baldy League Quarterfinal Curse?
Ontario’s loss raises a question that’s getting harder to ignore: is the Mt. Baldy League cursed in the quarterfinals? No girls flag football team from the league has ever made it past that round.
Year Mt. Baldy Team Opponent Score
2026 Ontario vs Loma Linda 0-33
2026 Chino vs South (Torrance) 13-26
2025 Don Lugo vs Anaheim 0-32
2024 Chaffey vs West Covina 20-42
Four quarterfinal trips, four exits — and three of them by 19 points or more. Regardless of how it ended, this was a great season for the Lady Jaguars.
Hopefully next year, a Mt. Baldy League team finally breaks the curse. The only question is: who will it be?
Article ✍️ by: Xavier Estrada Pictures 📸 by: Javier Estrada For: //Longshots Sports Media
