Girls’ Flag Football is the fastest-growing high school sport in Illinois, and HPHS is proud to have its very own team! Played seven on seven in two twenty-minute halves, Flag Football is a dynamic and entertaining sport to watch. Even though the Highland Park High School Girls Flag Football team was just officially established in 2024, it has already created an amazing sense of community and belonging for its members.
The team is led by Head Coach Colleen Boilini and Assistant Coaches Jen Fahey and Sarah Holsen. The Student Manager is Autumn Seward, and the captains are juniors Esmae You and Rylee Sullivan, and seniors Lydia Rowe and Ale Lopez.
You highlights the connection the team has saying, “Flag Football is one of those sports where everyone has to be involved for plays to work and for us to win. Because of that, our team has formed a strong bond.”
You encourages other girls to join, highlighting how Flag Football is for everyone. “If you are fast, you could be a running back, if you have a strong arm, you could be a QB, if you have good football IQ, you could be a great defender”.
She also mentions how some of the best players on the team are even better because of the other sports they play, and how playing Flag Football makes her a better player in her other sports, including basketball and lacrosse. Because Flag Football is a newer sport, it also creates a unique challenge for its players because they are constantly adapting to unfamiliar rules that are still getting refined.
On Friday, September 26th, the Giants faced off against Grayslake North. The Giants started off strong with a touchdown by freshman June Trotter. Touchdowns were then scored by junior Riley Moore and sophomore Dari Velazquez. At halftime, they led 22-0, and had a special celebration where they featured our future girls’ Flag Football players. The young girls ran onto the field to applause from the audience with the HPHS team. A short announcement was given about who the girls are and how they represent the future of the Flag Football team. In the second half, the team proceeded to score two touchdowns, going both times for the 2-point conversion and succeeding. The touchdowns were scored once again by Trotter and You. The final score was 38-0, with 3 running and 2 passing touchdowns.
The team celebrated their senior night and last home game against Maine East on September 30th, honoring seniors Lydia Rowe, Valeria Rodriguez, Kyra Darden, Lucia Seiden, and Ale Lopez. If you didn’t get a chance to see them play this year, make sure to come see the Flag Football team play at Wolters Field next season!