By Will French
The 2025 Girls flag football team is off to a fantastic start to the season, with a 9-4 record, and 5-2 in league. They have had 3 blowout wins above 40 points; 49-0 vs. Mount Diablo, 59-0 vs. Miramonte, and a whopping 82-0 win against Ygnacio Valley. (Seen in photo above). The team morale is high, these girls are making a name for themselves around the Bay Area.
Flag Football has been gaining popularity very fast over the last few years. A quote from Jane Kenny in the article Why Girls’ Flag Football Could Be the Next Best Thing, she quoted that, “When it was officially sanctioned as a high school sport in California, there were about 10,000 participants in the entire state and it’s grown over 300 percent. Starting in 2023, it was introduced as a test in Southern California and high schools around the Bay Area. It started to pick up as a club sport. And since then, it’s been remarkable.” The newly founded sanctioned sport is now even offering scholarships to some schools, like NAIA schools, NCAA Division 3 schools, and even a Division 1 school, Cal Poly.
2 of the 4 captains were interviewed about the season thus far. Junior Holly Smith (WR/C) and Senior Makayla Schlosser (LB/C) have led the Panthers Flag Football team to a great start of the 2025-26 movements, as well as Senior Captain Kaitlyn Nichols (QB/S), and Junior Captain Amelie Issier (WR/LB).
Holly Smith (11) states that, “The reason behind our team’s success is friendships among the team. We have great chemistry and we are all extremely close to each other.” She agrees with her teammate Makayla Schlosser (42), that this team is special, and has bonds like no other. Makayla agrees that, “I think we all work really well together. We all enjoy playing with each other.”
Last year, Benicia’s Flag Football team had a tough season, ending at 12-9, and being 3-7 in league. This year, Coach Tyler had new plans. A quote from him expresses how the team has developed. “I think the girls on the team are really starting to understand and comprehend the game at a high level. They learn the schemes and execute at a high percentage. They are also learning to really enjoy the game which is a key to our success.”
Holly and Makayla both said that he brought in a new offensive plan, as well as new defensive plays. “Our offense and defense is very strong this year, and our team has come together and executed it very well,” (Holly). Makayla states that, “Our defense is much stronger this year. We are shutting down way more teams than we were before.”
Both girls said that refs had been a problem this year, and it was a challenge to stay composed with these horrible calls. Makayla says that the new rules are also a challenge to learn because there are so many of them, as the game is changing drastically. Now, teams have the ability to punt the ball, as well as block during run plays.
Overall, the Girl’s Flag Football team is heading in the right direction for the rest of the season, and will hopefully clinch a spot in the playoffs. Go Panthers!
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