“We are the OGs!”

That’s how Annaliesa Elor, a player on the newly-formed Pine Bush High School flag football team described herself and her teammates.

Pine Bush played its first-ever flag football game Wednesday, kicking off the inaugural season of girls varsity flag football here in Section IX.

 

It was a 21-19 loss for Pine Bush against Minisink but an exciting game. Pine Bush was down 21-6 at halftime and held Minisink scoreless in the second half. Pine Bush was just two yards short of tying the game.

 

 

“It was a great game for everyone,” said Mike Gillespie, the Pine Bush athletic director. “It was an exciting game for sure. Our girls played great. And what was very encouraging was there were many younger girls watching. That’s great for the future of the sport.”

 

 

Kyle Schneider is the Pine Bush coach. Mr. Schneider, a business teacher at Pine Bush High School, also coaches for the varsity boys’ football team.

“This is very exciting,” said Mr. Schneider, the day before the first game. “This is the first year of flag football being a varsity sport for us and our girls are eager to play.”

There are 13 teams in Section IX. The Jets, Giants and Buffalo Bills contributed to the start-up of the sport, providing equipment and uniforms for the teams throughout the state.

Pine Bush has participated in multi-team scrimmages before the start of the season to get ready. Schneider said a few of his players are on travel teams. For many of the rest, this is their first time.

The players weigh in

Sophomore Christine Omosebi said she is looking forward to the season. She is a travel volleyball player and competes for Pine Bush as well. She is excited to get on the football field.

“I always played it (flag football) in my neighborhood and it’s always been fun,” she said. “Being on the team shows how well we can work together. And it’s cool that we are trying new things in the school.”

Christine is competitive – she is an inside receiver on the team and said she is looking forward to playing. “We’ve been practicing a lot and we are ready for the games to begin.”

This being the inaugural season is not lost on these girls.

“We are going to make history!” said Leticia Watson.

 

Rules of flag football

 

• Teams are 7 v 7
• There are four 20-yard zones and two 10-yard end zones
• Teams have four downs to get to the next zone
• Play begins on the 20-yard line at the beginning of the game, after half-time and after scores
• The game is 50 minutes in length, with two 25-minute halves
• A touchdown is six points
• Extra points can be 1, 2 or 3 points depending on where the play begins- 3-yard line, 10-yard line or 20-yard line
• A play ends when the defense deflags the player with the ball
• A junior size football is used

For all the NYSPHSAA rules for flag football, click here. 

 

Flag football was introduced in 2022 as a pilot program in New York with 51 high schools forming girls flag teams to compete last spring. This allowed for the formation of a girls flag football committee at the state level and the designation of girls flag as an emerging high school sport for the 2023 season.

In 2023, the number of schools participating in high school girls flag football is anticipated to be over 140. This past February, NYSPHSAA (New York State Public High School Athletic Association) voted to recognize girls flag football as an official high school state championship sport starting in spring 2024.