On October 11, 2024, the Jones College Prep Girls Varsity Flag Football team secured the regional championship title at Hope Academy, solidifying their reputation as a powerhouse team. 

“This season has been amazing for us,” said player Caroline Friesen ‘27. “We worked so hard to get here, and I’m really proud of what we accomplished together.”

Friesen, among others, is a sophomore who rotated between playing JV and Varsity games throughout the season.

“Josie Check, Caroline Friesen, Lucy Dillon and I were on JV and Varsity,” said Peyton McAdams ‘27. “JV didn’t have playoffs or anything, so it’s been nice to make it farther [with Varsity].” 

For McAdams and Friesen, adjusting to playing on a flag football team served as a challenging yet rewarding task.

“I didn’t play last year, so this was pretty much my first time and it’s been really fun,” said McAdams.

The matchup against Hope Academy was highly anticipated, drawing a crowd of enthusiastic fans decked out in school colors. The energy was palpable as both teams took the field. 

“This was a team we never faced before, so we didn’t have much to go off of once we went into the game,” said Friesen. 

On the road towards the big game, the season had been relatively successful for the team despite obstacles that presented themselves along the way. 

“We got off to a good start, got a couple of wins in the bag, then we hit a rough patch while our quarterback was going through some injury recovery,” said Friesen. “But then we got right back to it, and we got to the semifinals in the city playoffs.”

Quarterback Allison Kinnerk’s ‘25 arm injury caused issues for the team. However, this challenge only motivated other players more. 

“Other players during that time when she was out, had to step up and show some leadership, and the group together had to work cohesively and fight. It’s all about that community you built together,” said Friesen. 

Team bonding served as one of the most important parts of building this community, creating relationships that allowed the players to work well together in games and practice. 

“We made sure to spend lots of time to get to know our other players and have good team bonding and team chemistry,” said Friesen. 

Parts of the team chemistry that made this team so strong is the common love for the game itself as well as the people guiding them through the season. 

“The dedication and love of the game from all the players [was a key factor of success], but you can’t forget about our coaches being a huge factor,” said Kinnerk. “They took a good team and worked us into a great one.” 

The team’s coaches involved a lot of preparation for this game, which was not limited  to team bonding. 

“We watched some film, which is where you study your past games, and you point out your mistakes, point out what you did well, and then we translated that onto the field through drills and scrimmaging to try to better our play,” said Friesen. 

The team used these skills to play well in the game, as well as to persevere through complications. 

“The other team did get one interception on us, and that kind of brought our energy down,” said Friesen. 

However, this did not discourage the players for long as they continued to push through and work towards their goal. 

“The defense went out there and stopped the drive where they got the interception. And it’s all about matching energy and really staying focused,” said Friesen. “One mistake doesn’t alter the entire game.” 

With a final score of 14 to 0, the team celebrated and reflected on what that win meant for them. 

“It was a confidence boost and a reminder that we need to keep fighting, no matter if you’re winning or losing by a lot. It gave us that extra push going into the rest of the state finals,” said Friesen. 

As the Girls Flag Football season reaches its end, players are walking away with valuable lessons.

“This season has been really enjoyable for me,” said McAdams. “It’s taught me to try new things because this has definitely been new for me, but this season helped show me the value of dedication and teamwork. I look forward to playing again next year.”