JSerra girls flag football continued its remarkable 2026 season Wednesday night, defeating Edison 39–7 at JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano to win Pool A of the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoffs.
The victory moved the Lions to 26–0 on the season and extended their program winning streak to 54 consecutive games, dating back to last season. JSerra also secured a place in the Open Division semifinals, where the No. 1 seed will face Huntington Beach on Saturday, Oct. 31.
The result adds another dominant performance to a season in which JSerra has continued to set the standard for Southern California girls flag football. The Lions entered the postseason as the top-ranked team and are attempting to defend the Southern Section championship they won in 2025.
JSerra Continues Its Perfect 26–0 Season
JSerra’s 39–7 victory over Edison was the latest step in an undefeated campaign that has produced 26 wins without a loss.
The Lions entered the CIF-SS postseason after establishing themselves as the No. 1 team in the Southern Section computer rankings. Their current MaxPreps profile also lists JSerra at No. 1 in California and the Southern Section.
The undefeated record is especially significant because JSerra is competing in the Open Division, where the postseason field includes several of the strongest programs in Southern California. The Lions’ first two Open Division games also showed how difficult it has been for opponents to slow them down.
JSerra opened pool play on Oct. 21 by defeating Sierra Canyon 41–20. That victory came despite wet conditions and a strong challenge from Sierra Canyon quarterback Makena Cook. JSerra built a 41–0 advantage before allowing its opponent to score late in the game.
The Lions then returned home Wednesday for the matchup with Edison and produced another decisive result.
The latest win also keeps JSerra’s championship defense on course. The program went 28–0 in 2025 and captured its first CIF Southern Section title after defeating Orange Lutheran 25–20 in the Division 1 championship game.
Kate Meier Leads Another Productive Offensive Performance
Sophomore quarterback Kate Meier again provided the engine for the JSerra offense against Edison.
According to the MaxPreps game report, Meier completed 25 of 34 passes for 276 yards and five touchdowns while also rushing nine times for 69 yards and one touchdown. Her performance gave JSerra another major statistical advantage as the Lions controlled the game from the opening stages.
Meier’s development has been a major storyline surrounding JSerra since last season. As a freshman in 2025, she helped lead the Lions through a perfect 28–0 campaign and played a decisive role in the championship victory over Orange Lutheran.
During that championship game, Meier scored the go-ahead touchdown with one minute remaining, scrambling six yards for the score before JSerra’s defense preserved the 25–20 victory with a goal-line stand.
Her 2026 numbers against Edison demonstrate how much responsibility she continues to carry within the JSerra offense. Five touchdown passes and another rushing score accounted for a significant portion of the team’s 39 points.
The performance also reflects a JSerra offensive system that can attack defenses through multiple areas rather than depending on one type of play.
For readers following the broader California high school sports coverage, JSerra’s continued success provides one of the clearest examples of how quickly girls flag football has developed into a major postseason sport in Southern California.
Tessa Russell Adds Three Touchdown Receptions
Sophomore Tessa Russell was another major contributor in the win over Edison.
JSerra’s official athletics report said Russell caught three touchdown passes, while senior Viv Devir added another scoring reception. Russell’s production continued a strong season for one of the Lions’ most important two-way players.
Russell has already established herself as one of JSerra’s leading statistical contributors. MaxPreps lists her as the team’s receiving leader at 88.1 yards per game and credits her with 31 total touchdowns entering the latest update.
Her role also extends beyond receiving. Russell has been used as a defensive player and has been part of a JSerra unit that has consistently pressured opposing offenses throughout the season.
That versatility becomes increasingly valuable as the Lions move deeper into the Open Division bracket. The semifinal stage will bring another opponent with championship-level talent, meaning JSerra will need contributions from its most experienced players on both sides of the ball.
The Defense Sets The Tone Early
While the 39-point offensive performance attracted much of the attention, JSerra’s defense also established control early against Edison.
The Lions took the lead less than two minutes into the game when Meier connected with sophomore Abby Vanderweerd on a 27-yard touchdown pass. Edison then attempted to respond, but senior Stella Day intercepted a pass in the end zone to stop the Chargers’ drive.
That sequence represented the type of start that has helped JSerra build its remarkable winning streak.
The Lions have consistently combined pressure on opposing quarterbacks with the ability to turn defensive opportunities into changes in field position. Against Edison, JSerra’s early defensive stop prevented the Chargers from gaining momentum after the opening touchdown.
MaxPreps lists JSerra’s GG Szczuka among the team’s defensive leaders, with 14 sacks and 11 tackles for loss during the current season. Abby Vanderweerd is also averaging 5.5 flag pulls per game, while Russell remains an important contributor on defense.
That depth will be tested again in the semifinals.
Edison Finishes A Competitive Season At 21–8
Edison entered the Open Division postseason with an impressive record of its own.
The Chargers finished the season 21–8 overall and 9–3 in Sunset League play, according to MaxPreps. Edison also entered the playoffs ranked No. 14 in California and had produced 636 points while allowing 316 during the season.
Several Edison players had productive individual seasons. Senior Sadie Olivares led the team with 163 total points and 26 touchdowns, while freshman Lyric Lesu’i contributed 139 points and averaged 52.1 receiving yards per game. Freshman defender Brynn Smith led Edison in flag pulls for loss and sacks.
The 39–7 loss ended Edison’s Open Division run, but it came against a JSerra program that has been operating at an exceptional level for two seasons.
The Chargers had already demonstrated their competitiveness by reaching the Open Division playoff field, and their 21–8 overall record remains a strong mark in the increasingly competitive Southern California girls flag football landscape.
JSerra’s 54-Game Streak Reaches Another Milestone
The victory over Edison extended JSerra’s program winning streak to 54 games, according to the school’s athletics department.
That streak stretches back to the 2025 season, when the Lions went 28–0 and won the CIF-SS Division 1 championship. JSerra’s official postseason record from that championship run included victories over Trabuco Hills, Santa Margarita, Dos Pueblos and Orange Lutheran.
The 2025 championship was particularly significant because JSerra defeated Orange Lutheran three times during the season, including the 25–20 CIF-SS final. The Lions also finished that season ranked No. 1 nationally by MaxPreps.
The current team has continued that standard.
The 26–0 record means JSerra has now won its first 26 games of the 2026 season, putting the Lions four victories away from matching last year’s perfect 28-win total. More importantly, the team has reached the final four of the Open Division with its championship hopes still intact.
Huntington Beach Awaits In The Open Division Semifinal
JSerra’s next test will come Saturday, Oct. 31, when the top-seeded Lions face No. 4 Huntington Beach in the Open Division semifinal.
The other semifinal will feature No. 6 Woodbridge against No. 2 Newport Harbor. The semifinal winners will advance to the CIF Southern Section Open Division championship game, with the Southern Section finals scheduled for Nov. 7 at Huntington Beach High School.
Huntington Beach enters the matchup as one of the remaining teams standing between JSerra and another Southern Section championship appearance.
For JSerra, the challenge is different from simply maintaining an undefeated record. The Lions are now playing with the expectations that come with being the defending champions and the No. 1 seed.
The team has already shown it can handle the pressure. The victory over Edison came with the Lions needing to win Pool A to secure their semifinal position, and they responded with a 32-point margin.
Another Championship Run Is Within Reach
JSerra’s 39–7 victory over Edison has placed the Lions two wins away from another Southern Section championship.
The path has been built on a combination of Meier’s passing production, Russell’s receiving impact, defensive pressure and a roster that has continued to perform despite the weight of an undefeated record.
The numbers tell the larger story. JSerra is 26–0, has won 54 straight games, and has now reached the Open Division semifinals after beating Sierra Canyon and Edison by a combined 80–27 in its first two playoff games.
The semifinal against Huntington Beach will provide a much different test, but the Lions enter it with the same objective that has driven the program since last season: extend the winning streak and remain on course for another CIF-SS championship.
With a perfect season still alive, JSerra has moved from defending last year’s title to chasing another piece of Southern California flag football history.
