The St. Mary's girls' flag football team repeated as Patriots Girls High School Flag Football champion Thursday at Boston College's Alumni Stadium.
The St. Mary's girls' flag football team repeated as Patriots Girls High School Flag Football champion Thursday at Boston College's Alumni Stadium.Alexa Podalsky
After earning a state title last year, St. Mary’s girls’ flag football team scored a 14-13 win over Leominster to claim the 2025 Patriots Girls’ High School Flag Football Championship Thursday night at Boston College’s Alumni Stadium.
“I really think we’re starting to set a trend,” said St. Mary’s coach Terrell Patterson. “[We’re] definitely making a name for ourselves across the state.”
The Spartans not only made a name for themselves, but also provided a platform for girls’ flag football in Massachusetts.
This year’s championship marks the third hosted by the New England Patriots in an effort to provide girls an opportunity to continue playing flag football into high school.
“A lot of these young ladies have been playing flag football since they were 5, 6, 7 years old,” said former Patriots linebacker Andre Tippett, the team’s executive director of community affairs. “It used to be that they got to middle school, and after that, it was over. They had no opportunity.”
Now, with 15 sanctioned programs, girls’ flag football has become part of a nationwide movement. Massachusetts is one of 17 states with pilot programs, and has developed 51 teams since 2023.
Tippett, who has three daughters and one granddaughter, has a personal connection to the movement and hopes that young girls can continue to gain opportunities, including college scholarships.
“That’s what it’s all about,” he said. “Young men can play tackle football and go to the next level, so why not the young ladies?”
With flag football joining the list of Olympic sports in 2028, Tippett says the sport is beginning to realize its potential. But opportunities have already presented themselves to players of club programs.
Patterson’s daughter, Kaileigh, who is on the 15U US girls’ flag football national team, helped lead her team to victory at Alumni Stadium.
Leominster was denied its second title in the loss to St. Mary’s, but versatile star player Jaliany Santiago will continue to play at the next level after accepting an offer to play at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Ky.
“I feel like it’s long overdue for the girls,” said John O’Brien, whose daughter, Kendra, is a senior at Greater Lowell Tech.
He believed more colleges should offer flag football in an effort to promote women’s sports.
“As women grow older, there’s no stepping stone for them,” O’Brien said. “Basketball [has] come a long way. But even women’s lacrosse, it’s not televised. It’s not recognized as much as it should be.”
As the sport continues to grow in the state, St. Mary’s Sophia Lafontant, the tournament MVP, expressed the hope girls high school flag football would eventually become a varsity sport.
“When people see this, they’ll understand that this should be a real sport, not just a club or activity,” she said.
Alexa Podalsky can be reached at alexa.podalsky@globe.com.