St. Francis standout Monet Zauner has quickly established herself as one of the most productive defensive playmakers in girls flag football, building an impressive résumé while pursuing her goal of playing at the Division I level.
Zauner plays safety and wide receiver for St. Francis and has only been playing flag football for three years. Despite being relatively new to the sport, she has already developed into a difference-maker on both sides of the ball.
Her biggest impact has come in the secondary.
Last season, Zauner recorded 32 interceptions, a total she says placed her third on the national leaderboard. Her performance earned her First Team All-Sierra Foothill League honors, Second Team All-Sac-Joaquin Section recognition and St. Francis Defensive MVP.
She was also the runner-up for the league’s Defensive MVP award.
Those accomplishments are even more impressive considering how recently Zauner began playing the sport.
“I have been playing for three years, so not too long, but it has become a major part of my life,” Zauner said.
Her success has only raised her expectations for what comes next. Zauner’s ultimate goal is to continue playing flag football at the Division I level, and the résumé she has already built gives her a strong foundation as she works toward that opportunity.
With 32 interceptions in a single season, multiple postseason honors and plenty of time still ahead in her high school career, Zauner has already shown an ability to consistently find the football and make game-changing plays.
Now, she is focused on continuing to develop her game and turning a sport that has become such an important part of her life into an opportunity at the next level.
