Nothing stops girls flag football, and in the sport’s first WIAA sanctioned game, that proved true once again.
On a cold, wet, rainy November night, Liberty High School and Graham-Kapowsin High School played the first official WIAA sanctioned girls flag football game in the state, and Liberty is permanently etched into history as winners, 7-0, over the Eagles on Nov. 25.
“It was really fun. We found out right before the game,” senior Alison Frank said of the history-making matchup.
A season removed from a bomb cyclone impacting their practice time, the Patriots this year had an entire week of practice before their first contest. “This week we had seven days of practice and had girls who know what position they already play, and you look at our defense out there. They are pretty good,” Head Coach Brent Kawaguchi said.
Girls flag football has seen massive growth in the nearly four-year lifespan of the sport in Washington. This year at a school like Liberty, they have a C-Team and a JV team, a program that consists of 55 girls.
“The interest is just overwhelming. It’s just like ‘there’s a lot of people out here,’” Kawaguchi said.
Liberty’s new sideline jackets exclusive for their flag football program. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kawaguchi and Steve Valach pulled double duty of the summer as both football programs were doing off-season training and practices. They went from summer ball with the boys, to a full-on flag camp and tournament at Pacific Lutheran University. It was a tournament that Liberty won over the summer, providing all the good vibes needed for the first sanctioned season.
“There is a noticeable difference between last year and this year, especially with our varsity. But our JV and C team, it was like their first game today and they did okay. These guys (varsity) have been playing and it’s just been amazing. This is a team that won the PLU tournament. It’s the same kids. It’s been awesome,” Kawaguchi said.
This year is also the first time that the WIAA is hosting an official state tournament with the finals taking place at Federal Way Memorial Field on Feb 13-14.
Tegan Peeples goes for the flag pull in the rain against Graham Kapowsin. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Liberty also has some familiar football faces on the sidelines this season. Quarterback Dawson Durham, running back Spencer Bogh and wide receiver/defensive back Tyke Hamilton have been present on the sideline during gamedays. They are the ball boys, part of the chain gang and also assistant coaches.
Hamilton and Durham helped coach the JV team last season to an undefeated season and this year are back once again to help out Kawaguchi and Valach. “They are outstanding coaches, they are coaching our JV and C team. Tyke and Dawson were out here last year and coached an undefeated JV team last year. They are doing a great job. It’s just fun,” Kawaguchi said.
The girls are also very appreciative of the football players contributing and investing in their success on and off the field. “They have been really helpful actually. Tyke is a wide receiver too, so he always gives me tips,” Frank said.
In terms of that first historic game, it was very competitive. Both defenses were strong as the two sides went to halftime scoreless, and it wasn’t until the final minute where Liberty finally found the endzone.
“That’s veterans playing defense. They are flag pullers. We just said ‘do what you do and you pull flags.’ A couple missed pulls on the first, that’s our goal. But we had girls getting it on the second and third pull, so it’s fun (watching the defense),” Kawaguchi said.
Elle Bombacie goes for the reception against Graham-Kapowsin. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Quarterback Kayden Carlisle found senior Alison Frank for the touchdown pass on fourth and goal from the one yard line and scored the game-winner. The Liberty defense struck again with the game-sealing interception from Temri Shafer in the final 30 seconds.
“It was very nerve-racking. I didn’t know it was coming to me. Then coach said ‘Ally, Ally, Ally’, and then it was passed to me,” Frank said.
