Claremont High’s Ava Coronado, 5 left in red, tries to get past La Canada defenders during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 4 postseason tournament at CHS. Claremont won, 34-6. Courier photos/Andrew Alonzo

Claremont High School’s girls flag football team defeated the visiting Spartans of La Canada, 34-6, Tuesday in the first round of the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section Division IV playoff tournament.

Tuesday was not only the program’s debut appearance in a CIF-SS tournament, but its result also marked the Pack’s first win in the postseason, a milestone warmly received by head coach Gentry Robinson.

“Honestly, I’m excited for the girls. Like, I’ve got chills in my body,” Robinson said. “I can almost get emotional cause I’m really excited for those group of girls; they deserve it.”

Coach Robinson was surprised his team made the playoffs, following a late Palomares League slip which saw the team lose its final four games and place third with a 2-4 league record. Overall success, however, saw the team get an at-large bid in the Division IV tournament.

“For us to get this at-large bid, it’s an amazing feeling, and these girls came out here with a chip on their shoulder today, and I’m just proud of them,” Robinson said Tuesday. “It’s amazing because last week we had basically said our last practice, we had wrapped up, and then all of a sudden we got that at-large bid and I was like, ‘Practice on Monday.’”

Following Tuesday’s win, Robinson noted, “Now we’ve got practice for the rest of the week.”

Tuesday’s result moves Claremont to 9-6 overall.

The team heads to Compton High School, 1200 Alondra Blvd., for the second-round game at 5 p.m. Saturday, October 26.

(L-R) Claremont High School’s Zenani Guannu and Summer Ragel embrace after the Pack’s 34-6 win over La Canada Tuesday in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 4 postseason tournament.