Cardinal Newman made it clear Wednesday night time who the highest flag soccer workforce within the North Bay is within the early season.
The Cardinals rolled to a 54-0 win over Analy that ended with a operating clock within the fourth quarter within the first assembly of the season between the highest two-ranked groups within the space.
Analy (6-2, 4-2 North Bay League) was one of many prime groups within the space final season, however the altering of the guard appears to be occurring already.
Cardinal Newman (6-0, 6-0 NBL) is separating itself from the pack of 11 groups that make up the NBL this season. The win on Wednesday saved them unbeaten on the yr and improved their scoring differential to 306-6 to open the season.
They’ve had one recreation up to now determined by fewer than 50 factors, a gritty 6-0 win over Maria Carrillo final week.
This one was nowhere close to as shut.
Junior quarterback Nicole Hayeems handed for six touchdowns — three in every half — and Newman’s protection recorded 4 interceptions, together with two that had been returned for touchdowns.
Sophomore Lynnea Fields returned a choose for a 50-yard rating within the closing seconds of the primary quarter to make it 16-0 after which Juliet Diehl returned an interception 15 yards for one more rating early within the second quarter to make it 30-0.
Newman led 36-0 at halftime and 42-0 after three quarters, triggering a operating clock for the fourth. The Cardinals added two extra scores within the last body, a brief move to Diehl and an 11-yard rating to Clover Chavez, to push the ultimate margin over 50.
Diehl completed the night time with two landing receptions to associate with her pick-six. Nicole DiMarco additionally had two landing receptions of 16 and 9 yards within the first half.
One other nice move to DiMarco for a 2nd TD. Newman rolling, up 22-0 with 7:33 to play in Q2 #PDPreps pic.twitter.com/nwqGML176K
— Gus Morris (@JustGusPD) September 18, 2025
Aside from the 50-yard interception return, sophomore Colbie Piehl had the longest scoring play of the night time, a 35-yard landing reception for the ultimate rating of the primary half.
Newman piling it on, a 35-yard TD strike from Hayeems to Colbie Piehl.
2-min warning until half and it’s 36-0 #PDPreps pic.twitter.com/EVPZcLCmTX
— Gus Morris (@JustGusPD) September 18, 2025
The Cardinals entered the sport because the No. 10 workforce within the North Coast Part MaxPreps rankings ,with Analy the second-best within the NBL at No. 13.
However this consequence proved that the Cardinals may very well be in a category of their very own amongst native groups this yr.
An enormous purpose for that has been the addition of Hayeems and her sister, Naiomi. That is their first yr at Newman after transferring in from Archbishop Riordan in San Francisco. Each performed flag soccer final yr for a Crusaders workforce that went 22-2. Nicole, as a sophomore, was named the Co-MVP of their league.
The Hayeems sisters play enormous roles on each side of the ball. Nicole is as gifted a passer as any soccer participant within the space, together with the boys, and her quickness and footwork make her a nightmare for opposing defenses to attempt to cease.
“I’ve an older brother so rising up I might simply play with him and his associates,” she stated. “However my first yr enjoying flag was final yr, so that is all nonetheless new to me.”
Whereas new, she’s already helped lead Newman out to a dominant begin to simply their second season as a program.
The Cardinals graduated some fairly gifted gamers from final yr’s 9-3 workforce, however they appear even higher this fall.
Whereas nonetheless very early within the yr, the Cardinals already appear to be the workforce to beat within the NBL, which will probably be awarding a pennant to the highest workforce within the league. To date the one workforce that’s been in a position to give the Cardinals a aggressive recreation is Maria Carrillo, and the 2 groups are set to fulfill once more on Oct. 2 in a recreation that might resolve the NBL’s first league winner.
“This yr is far more aggressive in comparison with final yr,” Diehl stated. “It’s actual league, so everyone seems to be far more aggressive, ladies are attempting tougher, and it’s far more enjoyable.”
