In the heart of the Bay Area, flag football has been quickly emerging as an exciting new sport for high schools. With a blend of speed and strategy, as well as very minimal contact, the sport has been capturing the attention of many athletics departments.
Following this trend, Archbishop Riordan High School proudly unveiled its plans for a brand new flag football team last February.
After months of preparation and a thorough tryout process, the school finally selected its inaugural team. Since then, Riordan’s flag football journey has moved on from its planning stages to active play.
Diving into a rigorous training schedule, the team has been working on developing their skills, and practicing good playing strategies and techniques.
Jay’Sen Morris ’07, flag football coach and athletic director, said,“The team’s progress has been incredible in such a short time. The team almost looks night and day from starting in August. That is a testament to all of the hard work from the athletes.”
In its first season, the team has already started making a name for themselves. Their first home game against the Sequoia Ravens was a historic moment for the school, and they didn’t disappoint. Riordan finished with a victorious score of 32-26, giving the team an exciting start to the season. In that game, quarterback Nicole Hayeems ’27 threw a pass to Kaylin Boman ’28, scoring Riordan’s first ever touchdown. Since then, the girls have gone on to secure a winning streak of 12 straight victories, leaving a strong impression on the league.
Kianna Panaligan ’27, one of the team’s wide receivers, played an important role in the winning touchdown.
Reflecting on the play, she said, “It felt memorable to bring the win for our first ever home game. It didn’t hit me how significant that catch would be for Riordan’s girls’ flag football. Our whole team put hard work and dedication out there, and it showed! It truly was a team effort, I’m very proud of us.”
Looking towards the future, Coach Morris is optimistic about the sport’s growth.
“I didn’t anticipate the sport being this popular on campus in year one. I see us adding a JV team and continuing to improve and grow. There are conversations that the CCS will be adding playoffs for the sport in the near future.”
He concluded, “I would love for us to eventually make the playoffs when that happens.”
