Flag football’s thrilling first season, filled with unforgettable moments and tough competition, came to an end on Nov. 5 against St. Mary’s.

Recently, flag football has been rapidly gaining popularity throughout Arizona. Many high schools, including this school, are embracing flag football as a new and vibrant sport for young women.  The sport allows female athletes to explore new opportunities and challenge the traditional gender roles associated with football. This school had never offered flag football before 2024. “I received a suggestion from female athletes to add flag football as a sport. After sending out an email to female students, over 75 showed interest, providing evidence to make it a sport,” said Layne Peterson, Assistant Principal of Operations & Resource.

The coaches are incredibly proud of the team for giving their absolute best and their determination to learn the sport. Coach Katelin Gill mentions how good the players are. The entire team had to learn about football terminology as well as how to play the game. It was a new sport for both coaches and players except for senior Lily Rakich, who knew her way around flag football.  Peterson was proud of the girls for how much they improved from their first game to their last game. 

 Their biggest win was against Notre Dame High School 13-7.  Even though the scrimmage game with Notre Dame wasn’t the best, they were able to make a comeback and win in front of a decent crowd. It was a refreshing feeling for the team.  Lanya Robinson, sophomore, had 9 touchdowns for the 6-6 season. When asked how she felt, she said “I felt great about it because . . . we made history for being the first year’s flag football team. Those were the first touchdowns of flag football history.”

The flag football team has done an amazing job for their inaugural season first year. Their most impressive win was 40-0 against Mayer, which was great for a first-year team.