Flag football: Cardinal Newman completes perfect season with NCS title

Cardinal Newman ended their remarkable season on Thursday night in Concord, closing out an undefeated campaign with a commanding 34-6 win over Acalanes to capture the North Coast Section Division 2 championship. The Cardinals wrapped up their third season as a program with a flawless 24-0 record.

Dominant Defensive and Offensive Performance

The top-seeded Cardinals forced five interceptions, while quarterback Nicole Hayeems delivered five touchdowns during the game. The team finished the season with a total scoring differential of 951-95, showcasing both offensive depth and defensive strength.

Coach Retamoza Reflects on Team’s Growth

“It feels great,” Cardinal Newman head coach Tino Retamoza said of winning the NCS title. “When this first started two years ago, I remember looking around and thinking that we didn’t have many seniors but, man, we had a big sophomore class. We had a lot of sophomores, a lot of soccer players and they’re just stud athletes. They loved it and I loved it, and we just started working on running routes and they really picked up on it. They’re competitors.”

Building Toward Greatness

Sisters Nicole and Naiomi Hayeems, transfers from Archbishop Riordan, gave the team a significant boost this season. After going 9-3 last year and missing the inaugural NCS playoffs, the Cardinals returned stronger. With a challenging 20-game league schedule, they went on to dominate the North Bay League, earning the top seed for the Division 2 playoffs.

Author’s Summary

Cardinal Newman completed an extraordinary 24-0 flag football season, combining talent, teamwork, and strong leadership to secure the NCS Division 2 crown.

The Press Democrat — 2025-11-07