Meet Abington's Championship Winning Girls Flag Football Team

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA — "It felt like a normal game."

That's what Abington Girls Flag Football Center Mischa Posner said of the championship game she and her teammates won at the Nova Care Complex in South Philadelphia last week.

Posner and her team of about 14 other players were crowned what is essentially the state champions in the girls flag football league sponsored by the Philadelphia Eagles.

But how did the team bring home the High School Girls Flag Football league title?

It started when Sydney Brice, defensive back and wide receiver who already had flag football experience, came to school counselor Melissa Brizzell, now coach of the team.

"She randomly came up to me last year in the spring time and said, 'a bunch of the girls I play flag with, their high schools are playing, can Abington play next year,'" Brizzell told Patch. "I had no clue really what she was talking about or what was going on."

Brizzell learned of the league hosted by the Eagles, which is only in its second year, but has already seen an exponential growth in participating teams, having jumped from just four last year to 38 this year (that includes both Pennsylvania and New Jersey schools).

A few phone calls later, Abington was on the docket for the 2023 season.

While Brice had experience in the flag football world, her teammates, many of whom play soccer, did not.

Rusher Madison Oldham said she simply didn't want to play at first.

"I didn't even come to the first tryout," she said. "Then the next day I thought, 'why not just tryout."

Posner said some players got recruited by their friends.

But it all seemed to work out in the end, as Brizzell said the team's practices are full of laughter, dancing, and of course flag football.

They nailed down just a few plays, a far cry from the massive playbooks used by the Eagles and other NFL, college, and even high school teams.

"I think when it came to learning plays, it wasn't necessarily hard," Oldham said. "We were actually good at learning the play and applying it."

Brizzell agrees.

"They're a very coachable team," she said.

The biggest hurdle they overcame: actually grabbing the flags, ironically.

Those plays were executed very well, according to the team, and their record.

These gridiron neophytes notched 13 wins this season. And that's out of 13 games.

A perfect season.

Their toughest game was against North Penn in the championship, and it was their first matchup against the team.

"Their quarterback was really accurate," Posner said.

Brice said they were an experienced team and knew what they were doing.

"[Our defense] came out fast, but they adjusted," she said.

"There were a lot of nerves with it being a championship game," Brizzell said.

But like Posner said, it felt like a regular game.

"I think North Penn had it in the first half and we had it in the second half," Brizzell said.

At the championship, the team was able to meet new Eagles players, including safety Sydney Brown and cornerback Kelee Ringo.

They even got to meet Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Milata, who the team said was as warm as he seems off the field, at the Eagles Girls Flag Football Jamboree.

The team hopes to be an inspiration for other female athletes in non-traditional sports, such as football.

"For us, we didn't know how the season was going to go," defensive back Paula Jarmul said. "A lot of people at school probably thought, 'this girls flag football team is probably going to be a joke, they're probably not going to end up winning.' And then we come up with a better record than the boys football team.

"It showed them we can do it," she said. "That there's nothing we can't do."

Brice said being on the team is important to her and her teammates as it shows there are more opportunities for women to shine in sports largely dominated by men, and that it even translates to coaching positions, as well.

"Seeing them be able to be on a team and be appreciated and respected by their peers, and embrace the sport and their role in it, it makes a big difference," she said.

But for these new champions, it all comes down to having fun.

"Even though we won, the saddest part is the season had to come to an end," Marissa Hellyer, running back, said.

But, she said that's exactly what has her excited for next season.

The 2023 team comprises all freshman and sophomores, and all at this point are planning to return for 2024.

"That's why I'm excited for next season, to be able to do that all again," Hellyer said.

Brizzell said no new players will simply walk on, they will undergo tryouts to see if they are fit for the team.

"We're expecting more girls to try out," she said. "We will plan [next year's tryouts] according to what we're going to need and who is going to be a positive addition."

Regardless, the team is looking forward to another stellar season in 2024.

"I'm excited to win again," Posner said with confidence.

As for the league's future, Brizzell said she is planning to speak with an Eagles rep soon about a push to get girls flag football a PIAA sanctioned sport, and even maybe set up an exhibition match with New Jersey's championship team.

"Next year, we're going to be at the Linc," she said. "This is just the beginning with this group of girls. We'll get more than one [championship] while these guys are here."