EVERETT — Time was not on Cascade girls flag football’s side.
Trailing Jackson 21-16 at Everett Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, Cascade needed a touchdown on what would be its final drive. Thanks to a couple big gains from sophomore Caylee Krestel, who had ripped off a long touchdown run earlier in the game, Cascade had the ball within 10 yards of the end zone with just 12 seconds left.
When senior Zuly Martinez found out she would be getting the ball next, with the game on the line, she knew she had no other option but to break the scoring plane.
“I was definitely heated in the game,” Martinez said. “My adrenaline was definitely going. We kept asking what the time was, obviously, so I was like, ‘Okay, I need to put one in. I need to put one in.’ And I did.”
Martinez took the handoff and charged through several Jackson arms looking to pull her flags before plunging into the end zone, giving the Bruins (5-6, 3-3 league) a 23-21 lead with just four seconds left. After forcing an incompletion on the next play, a last-ditch effort from the Timberwolves (5-7, 4-3 league), Cascade kept itself in consideration for the District 1/2 4A Tournament, which will whittle 12 teams into five state tournament berths.
Cascade’s Zuly Martinez runs the ball against Jackson during the game on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
The Bruins followed up their win by defeating Monroe 14-7 in their second game of the night, capping a major day for the program. After a 1-5 start to the season, Cascade is 4-1 in its last five games and has started to play as one unit. Coach Gnom Kouthong feels his team has played well throughout the season, but now that the group is working together and playing for each other, it has translated into their recent results.
“Everyone played a part. Everyone contributed,” Kouthong said. “No selfishness, nothing like that. You see a bunch of sisters out there playing as a family, and that led to the success.”
As the season has gone on, the Bruins have focused on attacking the ball more on the defensive side, which directly impacted the early stage of the game. After starting the game with a three-and-out on offense, Cascade quickly got the ball back when Krestel grabbed an interception. A third-down reception from Krestel put the ball on the goal line, where senior Nalani Douangmany-Turner scored with a touchdown reception in the back corner of the end zone to give the Bruins an early 7-0 lead.
Krestel struck again later in the half, shaking off tacklers to extend the lead to 14-0, cutting to the left side and breaking up the middle towards the end zone.
“This was definitely the best game we played as a team,” Krestel said. “(…) We had more communication and (were) building each other up.”
Jackson got on the board minutes later with a short pick-six from senior Annabella De Leon, but the Bruins defense later stepped up to get a safety. The Timberwolves followed up with two touchdowns receptions by freshman Clara Dorgan down the stretch to take the lead, but the defense otherwise held firm and made the necessary stops to set up Martinez for the winning touchdown to end the game, one that was extremely important for the program’s postseason hopes.
“We knew that we had to win to advance (to the district tournament) if we wanted to,” Martinez said. “We knew that Jackson was a strong team, so we came out here. Our whole team put our all (into) practices. We’ve been playing hard, so we just came on the field and had to go harder.”
After seeing the work in practice this week pay off, Kouthong hopes it’s the confidence boost these girls need to build off the ball-hawking defense and promising run-game behind Krestel and Martinez.
“I hope that’s their carrot being dangled,” Kouthong said. “To say, ‘Hey, that defense is going to help us win. I mean, at the same time, that offense, we’ve been struggling all year round to score. I think we hopefully found something that works, and we’ll stick with it and make adjustments as needed.”
Everett’s Mila Kosovich catches the ball in the end zone for a touchdown against Monroe during the game on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett tops Jackson after loss to Monroe
After dropping their opening game 21-14 to the Bearcats (7-4, 5-2 league) on Wednesday, the Seagulls (2-9, 2-4 league) got into a shootout with Jackson right out of the gate in the second match of the night.
Freshman Zuza Jaross ran back a pick-six on Everett’s first defensive possession, but the Timberwolves quickly responded with a deep touchdown pass from senior Eva Torres to Dorgan, who took possession back for Jackson with an interception on the ensuing Seagulls drive before hauling in another touchdown catch, this time a short one from the goal line.
However, the lead didn’t last long, as Everett tied it 14-14 on a catch-and-run up the middle just a few plays later.
“Defense, gotta lock it up,” Seagulls coach Brandon Moore said to his celebrating players on the sideline. “Gotta lock it up.”
Ask, and you shall receive.
On a Jackson third down, Everett senior Katelyn Chaussee managed to secure a deflected ball out of the air, diving to the turf for the interception. On the ensuing Seagulls possession, senior Anna Luscher rushed the ball down to the goal line, and sophomore Mila Kosovich connected with freshman Amiya Tolstedt on a shovel pass to give the Seagulls a 21-14 lead.
“We just lost (in the first game to Monroe), so I knew it was really important that we locked in on defense,” Chaussee said. “I’d never played (over the) middle before. I wasn’t that nervous. I kind of just went in there and knew I was covering the middle, and that since I had height, I knew that I had to be there and I had to just get up there and get the balls. Honestly, I wasn’t thinking that much. I just kind of had mental strength and didn’t let anything get to me. Just don’t hesitate and just go.”
Moore made the decision to switch Chaussee’s position based on her ball skills as a volleyball player, and her height (listed at 5-foot-7 on Hudl), as she mentioned herself. It proved to be the right decision.
Chaussee had another diving interception on a tipped pass later in the first half, only for it to be overturned by officials. It didn’t matter. She recorded another pick moments later, which stood to give Everett the ball back. After hauling in a third interception (that counted) early in the second half, Chaussee and the defense staved off a Timberwolves comeback attempt to win 35-28.
As evidenced by the positioning adjustments, this Everett team is starting to figure itself out. Collecting a wide variety of volleyball, soccer and softball players and teaching many of them to play football for the first time led to expected growing pains, but Chaussee believes the aggression and energy has remained consistent all season.
After struggling offensively in the opening game against Monroe, particularly when it came to catching the ball, pieces started to click into place in time gearing up for the District 1 3A Tournament beginning on Jan. 30. With just four 3A teams in District 1 — Everett, Monroe, Oak Harbor and Ferndale — the Seagulls will vie for one of two state tournament berths.
“We’re building skills, and I think we’re moving in the right direction where we’re going to be playing our best football coming up here,” Moore said. “(…) We will be playing our best football (in the district tournament), and we’re going to make some noise.”
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