LOS ANGELES - No one could have imagined how large the sport of girls flag football would become, and San Pedro High so far in 2024 has already got to showcase what they can do at two of California's larger sporting venues.

In mid-August, the Pirates were chosen to compete in a mini-scrimmage against GALA of Los Angeles during halftime of the Los Angeles Rams-Dallas Cowboys preseason game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, and they scored that scrimmage's only touchdown. On Friday, playing a bigger game on an even bigger stage, the Lady Pirates answered the bell once again in the 2024 Harbor Classic at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Coming through when it mattered most, San Pedro had just enough down the stretch to defeat Banning of Wilmington, 14-7 to wrap up their second straight Marine League championship in just their second year of the program.

This is also the third Battle Of The Harbor victory for the Lady Pirates (19-2 overall, 6-0 league), also winning 37-19 on September 21 in the Los Angeles City Classic Tournament at Narbonne, and 32-19 over the Pilots in the first league duel at San Pedro on September 23.

The first two meetings had Banning (12-6, 5-2) win the opening toss, electing to start on offense first, and score on their opening possession. Here in this battle, the Pilots again started on offense after San Pedro won the toss and confidently deferred to the second half. San Pedro wasn't about to allow history to repeat itself a third time, forcing a turnover on downs after making a fourth-and-goal stop.

On just three plays, San Pedro immediately capitalized when junior quarterback Madison Adrid hit senior WR/LB Stella Malone on a double curl route where the Pilots focused on covering junior WR/S Jayda Sanford. Malone made the grab and cruised into the end zone untouched for a 48-yard touchdown and a 6-0 Pirate advantage after Banning broke up the two-point conversion attempt with 16 minutes to play in the first half.

After forcing Banning to go three plays and out, San Pedro engineered a nine-play, 80-yard drive that culminated with junior quarterback Jenna Ortega's short one-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Fatima Ramirez. Sanford caught Adrid's ensuing two-point conversion toss in the back of the end zone to increase the Pirates' lead to 14-0.

The score remained that way at halftime, and the Pirates' defense bent a bit, but did not break, as they managed to get two straight fourth down stops to start the second half with both Malone and senior WR/DB Giuliana Sutrin intercepting Banning senior quarterback Alina Argueta, but the offense was never able to break through and completely take the game over, giving Argueta & the Pilots some life when she threw a touchdown strike to fellow senior captain Melony Berabe.

Once the Pilots' converted their one-point attempt to cut San Pedro's lead in half with 4:13 to play in the game, two critical first down connections from Ortega to Ramirez on their third play of the drive, and a fourth-down conversion pass from Adrid to junior Ricki Medina, sealed the deal, allowing the Pirates to run out the clock and emerge victorious.

San Pedro will look to cap off a perfect run through the Marine League on Monday at Daniels Field against both Carson and in-city neighbor Port Of Los Angeles.