SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sophomore defensive back Monet Zauner snared second-team distinction while junior receiver Tayli Paeu-Lindgren earned honorable mention, representing St. Francis on MaxPreps' second-annual All-Sac-Joaquin Section awards, as announced by that website this week.
Zauner picked off 32 passes for 533 yards and six "pick six" touchdowns in her second season. She nearly doubled Elizabeth Barger's previous school record of 17 interceptions, and almost tripled her own freshman total of 11 takeaways. Zauner has 11 career interception return TDs. The Troubadour soccer star also contributed heavily on offense, finishing the year with 30 catches for 335 yards and another three scores.
Paeu-Lindgren broke her own St. Francis benchmark with 105 receptions, tallying 1,167 yards and 18 touchdowns in the process – a feat made even more impressive given the absence of primary quarterback Lola Fox for a large portion of the Sierra Foothill League schedule. Also a rebounding and shot-blocking standout on the SF basketball team, Paeu-Lindgren similarly provided key defensive heroics down the stretch of the year: 51 total deflaggings, including 14 sacks and 35 hurries.
St. Francis went 19-8 in 2025, including a 10-game win streak to start the season, and made its second appearance in the CIFSJS postseason.
A total of 50 athletes plus four coaches captured some type of acclaim, including Player of the Year Daisy Throckmorton of McClatchy and Athlete of the Year Gabriella Devlin of Christian Brothers. Merced quarterback Antonia Lejarde earned Junior Player of the Year, the only class year to have a separate award. John Avery (McClatchy), Raymond Bradley (Christian Brothers), Anthony Leal (Hilmar) and Victor Nazario (Merced) each garnered Coach of the Year nods.
MaxPreps release: https://www.maxpreps.com/news/jgoSvcTlgkuxZ1jwoTCIqA/2025-maxpreps-all-sac-joaquin-section-flag-football-team.htm
