Tigers Finish As Runners-up At Flag Football Championship
The North Allegheny girls’ flag football team capped the 2024 season at the Girls Flag Football Championship Tournament on Sunday at Carnegie Mellon University’s Gesling Stadium and rolled to the title game before falling to reigning champion Moon, 37-6.
Entering the tournament with an unblemished record, the NA Gold Team posted its third consecutive shutout, and seventh of the season, with a dominant 47-0 opening round win over Sto-Rox. Senior Natalie Rak hauled in an interception to help blank the Vikings. On offense, senior quarterback Kyra Schmidt completed nine passes as sophomore Maddie Williams (2), seniors Ally Ruiz and senior Shauna Maenza, and freshmen Taryn DeWitt and Rosa Varlotta all scored touchdowns. Extra points by Ruiz, Williams and senior Maddie Hartung contributed to the victory.
Mia Fratto high points the football for a reception in the Girls Flag Football Championship Tournament.
In the quarterfinals, Maenza scored a trio of touchdowns to lead the Tigers to a 24-18 win over the Shaler Titans. Senior Mia Fratto added a touchdown along with some acrobatic receptions at receiver. Schmidt picked apart the Titans’ defense with 12 pass completions. On defense, interceptions by Ruiz (2), Rak, Hartung, Williams and Varlotta helped solidify the six-point win.
It was a defensive struggle in the semifinals but North Allegheny once again prevailed with its eighth shutout of the season, blanking Upper St. Clair, 8-0. The lone touchdown of the game came courtesy of a touchdown reception by Maenza. Williams tacked on a two-point conversion as well. Defensively, Rak, Fratto and senior Rylee Johnson all grabbed interceptions to complete the shutout.
Against the reigning champion Moon Tigers, North Allegheny played a hard-fought game in the championship contest but fell by a 37-6 decision. The contest was much closer than the final score indicated as NA started strong with an interception by Williams. Ruiz carried the ball 10 times, which created several scoring opportunities. Unfortunately, North Allegheny was unable to capitalize and scored only one touchdown, a score by Williams. On defense, Maenza posted seven tackles. Along with Williams’ pick in the early going, Hartung and Fratto also hauled in interceptions.
North Allegheny finishes the season with an impressive 13-1 record. Congratulations to head coach Michelle Ruiz and the entire North Allegheny girls’ flag football team for an exceptional season.
(Photos courtesy of the Pittsburgh Steelers).