Niles West girls’ flag football played their first home game Wednesday, Sept. 4, against the Highland Park Giants. Unfortunately, the Wolves suffered a defeat, with a final score of 34-20. Despite the loss, the team kept their helmets high and made history by being the first flag football team to play at Basrak Stadium.
The game started with a first-touch touchdown by Highland Park, creating tension for the Wolves. However, West was motivated to make a comeback.
“When they scored a touchdown right at the beginning I was shocked, but that made me realize we needed to stop them from scoring more. It made me want to play harder because I knew that it wouldn’t be too hard to catch up if we scored,” junior Ayushi Patel said.
Regardless of being down in the first half, the team paid no attention and came back in the second half by scoring two touchdowns. The play was fueled by their high energy and teamwork.
“In the later parts of the game, we scored more than we did in the first half which brought a lot of happiness for the team. I think we were able to score because all the girls on the team know each other well and we feed off each other’s energy which ultimately helped us even if we didn’t win,” junior Idara Davis said.
2024 marks the inaugural season of girls’ flag football. As the team continues to improve, many West students have attended games, impressed by the level of play and the atmosphere and are eagerly anticipating the future of the sport.
“This is my first time at a flag football game and it was good. I enjoyed it and was impressed by the skills of the girls. It also was inspiring seeing them play so hard and overall the experience was really fun,” senior Isabella Crawford said.
The fall season is just underway, with plenty of time left for growth and development. Head coach Scott Baum has high hopes for the girls and confidence in their abilities. He aims to leave a lasting impression on flag football.
“We [are] super excited to start the season and we are working to get better every day. We have come across some pretty good players and teams and we are using every practice and game to continue to improve. I hope we finish the year with all of our girls and we are playing our best football at the end of the year,” Baum said.
The team plays their next home game against Taft High School on Sept. 12. Come out to the stands to cheer the Wolves on!
