All girls flag football team wins championship for 1st time ever against boys team in Massachusetts
For the first time ever, the Massachusetts Nipmuc third- and fourth-grade flag football Super Bowl champion team is made up entirely of girls.
The team made history on Sunday in Marlboro with an electric come-from-behind victory against an all-boys team to claim the championship trophy. The girls were down one point, then after getting a safety with less than a minute left, they won 32 to 31.
"Just to watch them progress, to catch the ball now, to understand plays and to make defensive plays. It's just amazing to watch these girls," said Coach Nader Hamed.
The Nipmuc Flag Football League has been working to grow participation and encourage more girls to get involved, and this season they were finally able to form a full girls' team. But without another all-girls team to play against, the league decided to have them play against the boys' teams.
"These girls right here, they never let up. They just keep going, and it's awesome to see," said league president Michael Curry. "I'm proud of every one of them."
Many of the players started the season as beginners, but quickly grew to become the best team in the league in their very first season.
Standout Bell Phillips scored four touchdowns for her team in the championship game.
"This is a big deal for me, this is my first year ever playing flag football," Phillips said. "So it's really important that I can help all my teammates and that I've made it this far, and to compete with people who've maybe been playing for three years or more. So it means a lot."
People say that it was the grit and determination of this team that fueled their success. The win marks a milestone for the Nipmuc league and they hope to see more and more girls join the league in the future.