Breaking the Huddle: Girls Flag Football’s Rapid Rise
Four-time state champion Southeast Bulloch flag football team wins summer tournament in Savannah
Coming off their fourth straight state crown, the Jackets kicked off their offseason by claiming the Summer Sizzler title in Savannah. Newcomers Camille Johnson and Halle Morton stepped up admirably when key players went down, while Emma Cate Barron showed improved arm strength under center. On defense, Hali Long and Kristiana Tisby solidified their roles as primary rushers, and veterans pulled flags with precision. Head coach Marci Cochran praised her squad’s execution and adaptability after a three-month layoff. This weekend, Southeast Bulloch will test its skills nationally at the Unrivaled Flag Nationals in Canton, Ohio.
Eden Prairie girls flag football wraps up first season as coaches laud growth
In their inaugural campaign, the Eden Prairie Eagles improved steadily despite finishing 1–7 and bowing out 27–20 in the first playoff round. Head coach JD Dixon noted how a team that once trailed by large margins became a contender in every game. Junior QB Jilary Sanchez and sophomore Maleah Holloway connected on all three playoff touchdowns, while Cayden Zaccardi-Ware piled up over 80 yards from scrimmage. Players’ eagerness to add extra practices fueled their midseason surge and closer losses. With no departures since week one, the program expects a bigger roster and stronger showing next spring.
USA TODAY Sports girls flag football Super 25: Inaugural spring national champion crowned
The Alonso Ravens of Tampa earned the first-ever USA TODAY Sports Super 25 crown after a dominant 20–2 run and a 4A state title in Florida. A selection committee highlighted the Ravens’ stout defense and 600-plus-point offense over rivals from New York, Tennessee and Mississippi. Florida schools led the poll with 21 entries, underscoring the state’s flag football depth. The rankings, shaped by NFL FLAG data and season-long performance, point to a rapidly maturing high school landscape. With the NFL’s youth partnership fueling growth, spring flag football looks set for even more national attention.
Whatcom Area Schools Prepare for Inaugural Varsity Girls Flag Football Season
After WIAA’s landmark sanction this spring, Bellingham-area schools are building varsity flag football rosters for 2025–26. Sehome, Bellingham, Squalicum and Ferndale launched pilot schedules this winter and plan full seasons next fall. Athletic directors cite the sport’s speed, low injury risk and growing college landscape as key draws. Northwest Conference matchups and potential Wesco crossover games promise a competitive debut. With Seattle Seahawks grants backing equipment and tournaments, Whatcom County is poised to lead Washington’s varsity flag football expansion.
Girls flag football: South’s Pennington named state’s player-of-the-year
South High’s versatile sophomore Olivia Pennington earned Build the Bridge’s state player of the year award after a standout season on both sides of the ball. As a receiver and free safety, she recorded 751 receiving yards, 17 touchdowns, and an eye-popping 26 interceptions in 19 games. Pennington sealed playoff victories with pick-sixes and bailed out opponents at the goal line three times in the state tournament. Presented her trophy at a Cleveland Browns OTA event, she now eyes the Under Armour All-American Game in January. With college flag programs on the rise, Pennington is already exploring scholarship opportunities.
FlagSnap Daily Blitz
- Montgomery Parks and Montgomery County Recreation relaunched a free, five-week “Under the Lights” flag football series for grades 6–12, offering basic drills, team play and an all-girls division at two evening sites this summer.
- The UIL Legislative Council paused talks to add girls flag football and lacrosse as sanctioned sports, citing tight school budgets but pledging further study.
- Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner confirmed he’d be “definitely interested” in playing Olympic flag football for Team USA at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
- Missouri Southern State University will launch women’s flag football as a club sport this fall, with plans to upgrade to NCAA varsity status by 2026–27.
- Football Ontario set its 2025 Club Flag Provincial Championships for July 19–20 in Cambridge, featuring nine age-based divisions and a pathway to the 2025 national finals in Brampton.
- The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation awarded $5,000 grants to 304 Georgia high schools to start or support girls flag football, expanding local programs and cutting travel barriers.
