The562’s coverage of Cabrillo Athletics is sponsored by the Cohn Family.
The 2026 season is a breath of fresh air for the Cabrillo flag football team. After an injury-riddled 2025 campaign, the Jaguars are now part of the new Hub City League featuring schools from the Compton Unified School District, giving Cabrillo a new landscape and a chance to rewrite its story this fall.
It’s been hard enough for Cabrillo coach Earl McCullouch Jr. to keep his varsity roster on par with the schools around them given Cabrillo’s lower enrollment, let alone having three of his top athletes sidelined last year with season-ending injuries. Now, he’s optimistic heading into the year with a healthy roster, which includes Cabrillo’s top athlete Kamora Byther.
“That’s the biggest difference right there,” McCullouch Jr. said of having Byther back. ”She can make a play out of anything, and we didn’t have that last year. She’ll get you at least six yards a carry because of her elusiveness. She knows how to dip and spin and she has the speed. If you don’t have speed then you’re in trouble.”
A tri-sport athlete, Byther tore her ACL and meniscus last year, which not only sidelined her for the remainder of the flag football season but also for her soccer and track seasons. After making the full recovery, the senior now gets one last year as a high school athlete, and she’s looking forward to the chance to make up for lost time.
“It was a blessing in disguise,” Byther said. “Since the injury happened during my junior year, I feel like this is my last shot—I have to go big or go home. It feels like a second chance for me and it’s just another reason for me to go show out this season.”
Byther will be a key piece of Cabrillo’s offense at running back, while also giving the Jags another option through the air with her pass-catching ability. The passing game will be led by second-year starter Yarezmin “Nini” Castro, who’s continued to develop heading into her junior season. One of Castro’s top returning targets will be fellow captain Jade Kingsley.
“They both were All-Moore League last season,” McCullouch Jr. said of the two. “Kingsley is an athlete—she’s versatile, and she was my rusher, receiver and safety. She can play around the whole field. Nini, she’s also an athlete, and she’s been able to grow at quarterback and learn how to be effective as a rusher as well.”
Like Castro and Byther, plenty of starters for Cabrillo will be responsible for playing on both sides of the field. Castro and Byther will both be in the second line of defense at safety, while Jessica Gomez and Gloria Ballestero will both play receiver and cornerback. Paris Toliver is another receiver who will play linebacker alongside junior Ana Sebastian.
“We’ve been conditioning a lot because we know we have girls that have to play both ways throughout the season since our numbers aren’t as big as other schools,” McCullouch Jr. said. “We have to condition and get their minds ready for when it’s the fourth quarter and they’re tired. That’s the main thing we’re focusing on right now because we know that injuries can put a damper on our whole season like they did last year.”
McCullouch Jr. was also quick to harp on his special teams units, which he believes are equally as important as his offense and defense. Gomez will handle kicking duties, which he says could be a secret weapon with her ability to flip the field, while he’s also confident in Byther’s ability to make the same impact on the other end as a returner.
The Jaguars are approaching the new Hub City League as business as usual, having already had experience against leaguemates Compton and preseason matchups against teams like Dominguez. Cabrillo will have its first matchup in the new league against the Dons on Aug. 31.
