By admin 
LANCASTER – Chants of ‘Go big mama!’ rang out from the Quartz Hill sideline Tuesday evening.
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The term of endearment was directed at the team’s stoic, calm captain Samantha Grey during an evening contest against Antelope Valley that saw nine penalties, including seven contact fouls.
Grey, who plays safety and wide receiver for the Royals, fed off the energy and maintained her composure during the physical play. Her two interceptions helped Quartz Hill hold off its Golden League rival for a 12-6 victory.
“I used to be introverted, and I really had to put myself out there,” Grey said. “I talked to all my teammates, and that’s what really helped.”
Quartz Hill team co-captain Yesenia Mitchell and 2025 graduate Brycenn Rosado were two people in Grey’s life who helped her become a more vocal leader.
Grey learned to relax and use her voice to direct teammates.
With her quickness, strength and height (5-foot-9), she could catch passes and force offenses into throwing interceptions.
She was also a key player on the Quartz Hill soccer team that won a CIF state title last season. Grey played center back and helped Quartz Hill win the Division 3 title at the inaugural state finals. The team finished 24-3-3 and defeated Salinas 2-0 to win the state crown.
But being a vocal team leader was something she had to work at.
“They wanted me to be the leader of the team,” Grey said. “Talk to everybody, and Yesenia introduced me to everyone.”
Grey’s ability to read Antelope Valley’s offense was matched by smothering pressure from senior Jaeleah Guerra, who finished with three sacks.
“I was just trying to keep my eyes on the ball, stay forward, read the passes, and I feel like that’s how I get a lot of sacks,” Guerra said. “I always try and read where the ball is going.”
Quartz Hill senior quarterback Jordan Harkins threw two touchdown passes, including a score on a 16-yard fade route to the left corner into the hands of Nour Omar.
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“I always threw with my Dad, but no one really taught me,” Harkins said. “It’s just been through a lot of trial and error. I just got way better.”
Antelope Valley (8-3, 4-3 Golden League) nearly won the game using three different quarterbacks: junior Trinity McIntosh, Aubree Mullings and senior Emaunie Epps.
The plan nearly worked for coach Deon Price.
Mullings threw a 7-yard touchdown to Epps and tied the score 6-6 with 26 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Epps finished with two interceptions but was forced out of the game twice after colliding with Quartz Hill players. One came on her second interception during the third quarter, while the other happened on a run with knees and legs bumping into each other.
Despite going down, Epps missed just one play from each of those collisions and returned to the field and pursued the football.
“She’s a soldier, she’s the leader of our team and just trying to show leadership,” Price said. “I could see her playing flag football in college after her high school days. She’s very smart, seasoned and she works really hard. A lot of girls look up to her.”
Price believes his team had opportunities to capitalize on mistakes made by Quartz Hill. Tipped passes that fell into the hands of Antelope Valley but ultimately fell harmlessly to the turf for incompletions.
He summed up that Antelope Valley had 10 opportunities for interceptions, with Epps being the lone player in black and red who earned two.
“We have a couple of changes defensively that could’ve given us opportunities,” Price said. “A couple of interceptions that we could’ve had and they became deflators. Those types of things we have to take full advantage of because those are easy and right there. And that way it makes it easy on the offense in case they sputter. The defense can’t sputter. Defense has to be on point every day.”
Price explained why he wants his players to envision catching interceptions in their dreams.
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“Even when they are sleeping, they have to play defense,” Price said.
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This story was originally published September 29, 2026 at 10:50 PM.