JULISSA ISLAS NAMED USA FOOTBALL & MAXPREPS GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

MARTINEZ, CALIF. — Nov. 20, 2024 — Alhambra High School senior wide receiver and safety Julissa Islas is the USA Football & MaxPreps Girls High School Flag Football Player of the Week for Nov. 11 – Nov. 17. Islas led the Alhambra Bulldogs to a 3-1 record during the week with an appearance in the first North Coast Section flag football championship game.  

Alhambra defeated the California Grizzlies, Granada Matadors, and San Ramon Valley Wolves in one-score playoff game victories before narrowly falling to the Alameda Hornets in the championship game. During the week, Islas caught 30 passes for 341 yards and six touchdowns on offense and contributed seven flag pulls, seven interceptions, three pass break ups and a touchdown on defense.  

Islas finished her senior season leading the 20-7 Bulldogs in statistical categories on both sides of the ball. She amassed 158 receptions for 2,308 yards and 31 touchdowns on offense and 38 interceptions and 27 passes broken up on defense.  

As the Player of the Week, Islas will receive a complimentary invitation to a USA Football Talent ID Camp of her choosing to be further evaluated through USA Football’s National Team Development Program. The development program is part of the premier pathway to USA Football’s U.S. National Teams, which represent our country in international competitions such as World Championships and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Talent ID Camp attendees are eligible to receive invitations to future U.S. National Teams Trials. USA Football recently announced more than a dozen upcoming Talent ID Camps.  

USA Football is the sport’s governing body in the United States and the organization that creates and leads the U.S. National Teams that represent our country in international competitions, including the Olympics. USA Football partnered with MaxPreps to start the Girls High School Flag Football Player of the Week award and continue to bring attention to the exploding popularity of flag football throughout the country.  

USA Football and MaxPreps will announce an award winner each week during the fall and spring high school girls’ flag football seasons based on game statistics entered by coaches into MaxPreps.  

This award celebrates the achievements of the athletes who are helping to drive flag football at the high school level. USA Football research shows more than 1.6 million athletes ages 6-17 played the sport in 2023, representing a 38.2% increase in participation over the past decade. Much of that growth is being driven by girls and women. Participation among girls ages 6-12 increased by approximately 222% from 2014 to 2023.  

Opportunities for girls and women to play flag football competitively for high school and college programs are increasing. Thirteen states sanction girls’ flag football as a varsity sport for current or future seasons. Women’s flag football at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) level features college scholarships and a national championship.   

WR/DB JULISSA ISLAS, ALHAMBRA HIGH SCHOOL (MARTINEZ, CALIF.)  

• Islas caught 30 passes for 341 yards and six touchdowns as Alhambra went 3-1 in the North Coast Section playoffs last week. 

• Islas intercepted three passes and scored two crucial touchdowns in a 14-12 win against San Ramon Valley.  

• Islas made 13 receptions for 91 yards and two touchdowns in a 19-18 win over the California Grizzlies.  

• Islas intercepted two passes as Alhambra came up one score short in a 26-20 championship game loss to Alameda.  

PREVIOUS FLAG FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK WINNERS   

WEEK 1 – DEJA SMITH, ST. MARY’S ACADEMY, INGLEWOOD, CALIF. 

WEEK 2 – KATIA SLAMA, KING CITY HIGH SCHOOL, KING CITY, CALIF. 

WEEK 3 – BREANA SAUNDERS, MILLENNIUM HIGH SCHOOL, GOODYEAR, ARIZ. 

WEEK 4 – BREN DAVID, MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL, MILPITAS, CALIF. 

WEEK 5 – VICTORY BRAGG, SAINT MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL, STOCKTON, CALIF. 

WEEK 6 – SERENITY HICKMAN, COLUMBUS HIGH SCHOOL, COLUMBUS, GA. 

About USA Football: USA Football is the governing body of American football in the United States, the sole U.S. member of the International Federation of American Football, and a recognized sports organization of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Its non-profit mission includes designing and delivering premier educational, development, and competitive programs for American football, including tackle and flag football. USA Football is the only organization that selects and organizes men’s and women’s U.S. National Teams in federation-sanctioned international competition. 

About MaxPreps: MaxPreps is the nation’s leading high school sports destination, offering fans the most comprehensive coverage with the latest scores, statistics, news, rankings, photos, and more. MaxPreps aspires to cover every high school team, game and player by partnering with more than 100,000 coaches throughout the country. A unit of Paramount and a CBSSports.com site, MaxPreps was founded in August 2002 and is headquartered in El Dorado Hills, Calif. For more information about MaxPreps, please visit www.maxpreps.com.