Every week this flag football season, Prep Sports Report will name an Area Flag Football Player of the Week presented by Grassi Roofing. Visit us each week this season to catch up on all of the latest flag football news.
Only in its third season as an official Georgia High School Association (GHSA) sport, flag football has boomed in popularity in Georgia over the last 24-36 months. In the Savannah area and across the state, female student-athletes have gravitated to flag football in masses and a lot of the best athletes from other sports have thrived on the gridiron as well.
Six states played flag football as an official high school sport in 2021. Along with Georgia, the other states were Arkansas, Arizona, New York, Florida and Nevada.
Back in July, the NFL was a primary sponsor for the first ever multi-sport international competition that included flag football. There is also significant momentum building to include the sport at the 2028 Olympics.
"When we talk about the future of the game of football, it is, no question, flag," said NFL executive Troy Vincent earlier this year to The Associated Press. "When I've been asked about the next 100 years, when you look at football, it’s not professional football, it's flag football. It's the inclusion and the true motto 'football for all.'
“There is a place in flag football for all."
The 2022 GHSA regular season began last week with the first day of games on October 6. You’ve still got plenty of time to catch the action, however. Here’s a primer for our Savannah area teams this season.
WHO PLAYS WHO
Using a modified alignment system different from most of its other sports offerings, the GHSA groups flag football teams into Divisions and Areas as opposed to the traditional Classification and Region system.
Although there are exceptions, schools typically classified as 1A-4A in other sports compete in flag football’s Division I. With 82 teams, Division I is the largest of the three divisions and it includes every one of the teams in our area. The top four seeds from each area will advance to the 32-team State Tournament in late November and early December.
Here’s how teams in this area are grouped.
Division I, Area 1 (11 teams)
North: Beach, Islands, Jenkins, Calvary, Johnson
Division I, Area 2 (10 teams)
North: Effingham, South Effingham, Savannah High, New Hampstead, Savannah Arts, Woodville-Tompkins
South: Savannah Country Day, Savannah Christian, St. Vincent’s, Richmond Hill
TEAMS & PLAYERS TO WATCH
Calvary is considered to be one of the best teams in the area. The Cavs won the 2020 state championship and reached the Final Four in 2021. St. Vincent's did not have a team in 2020, the first season of flag football in the GHSA. Still, the Saints reached the Elite 8 in Year 1 for that program last season.
Hayden Aliotta is the returning SVA quarterback after being named the Area Player of the Year last season as a junior. Her sister Reagan is also a standout senior wide receiver on this year’s squad.
The Cavs will not have the services of their quarterback, Hannah Cail, this season, according to Dennis Knight of The Savannah Morning News. A star basketball player signed to play hoops at Georgia College & State next year, Cail will not be playing flag football this season as she prepares for her senior campaign as a guard on the hardwood.
Richmond Hill and New Hampstead are also expected to be solid teams in 2022. Lucy Tuttle might well be the fastest player in the area as the Richmond Hill quarterback and her fellow senior Kayla Jackson was an All-Area selection last year.
Makayla Gray (WR) and Taylor Anderson (DE) of New Hampstead were each All-Greater Savannah first team members in 2021.
KEY DATES
October 6: First day of regular season
November 19: Last day of regular season
December 5: State semifinals (Atlanta Falcons training facility in Flowery Branch)
December 8: State finals (Center Parc Stadium, formerly Turner Field, in Atlanta)
FOLLOW Travis Jaudon on Twitter/Instagram @JaudonSports. Email him at travisLjaudon@gmail.com.
Photo Credit - Prep Sports Report
Optim Orthopedics supports Benedictine Military School, Calvary Day School, Richmond Hill High School, Savannah Country Day, South Effingham High School, and St. Vincent's athletics. Benedictine Military School's team doctor is Dr. David Sedory. The team doctor for Calvary Day School, South Effingham, and Richmond Hill is Dr. David Palmer. Savannah Country Day and St. Vincent's team doctor is Dr. Thomas Alexander. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game!
