Brawley punches ticket to CIF division 3 flag football title game

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - The Brawley Wildcats are changing the game. After a dominant season, the Wildcats kept their momentum rolling Tuesday night, defeating Academy of Our Lady of Peace 34-13 in the Division 3 CIF State Flag Football semifinals at Warne Field to advance to the championship game.

The Pilots, entering as the No. 9 seed, struck first when quarterback Sammy Gehler connected with Kenna Smith up the seam for a long touchdown, giving Academy of Our Lady of Peace an early 6-0 lead. But that would be the Pilots' only highlight of the first half.

Brawley quickly answered as quarterback Jayana Montoya floated a pass to the back of the end zone, finding Demi Cornejo for the Wildcats' first score of the night.

After converting the extra point, Brawley took a 7-6 lead and never looked back.

Montoya continued to dominate, this time hitting Jacey Reeves, who shook off a defender and spun her way into the end zone to extend the Wildcats' advantage to 13-6.

On the next drive, Montoya showed off her mobility, scrambling right and diving for the pylon to make it 21-6.

From there, it was all Brawley. The Wildcats piled on the points en route to a convincing 34-13 victory, earning their spot in the Division 3 CIF Flag Football Championship game.

After the win, senior standout Jacey Reeves reflected on the team's growth and what this season has meant for girls' sports.

"We've really been working as a team, and I'm so proud of us," Reeves said. "All of our hard work is paying off. It's opening up a lot of new opportunities for girls, especially in my class, and that's awesome."

The Wildcats now turn their focus to the Division 3 CIF Flag Football Title Game, where they'll face Mira Mesa on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Escondido.