Flag football for girls in New Jersey getting closer to taking the next step

MIDDLETOWN - The growth of high school girls flag football in New Jersey is so big it probably will not be long before it becomes an NJSIAA-sanctioned sport.

"In early talks (with the NJSIAA), it's probably 2-3 years right now,'' Middletown South head boys football coach and Shore Conference Flag Football League organizer Steve Antonucci said. "But, the game has grown so fast, it could happen sooner, than later.''

The Shore Conference is an example of the growth of the sport. The league had 14 teams this season, up from 10 last season and eight from when it began in 2021.

The Shore Conference schools with programs are:

Rumson-Fair Haven, which won the league's championship with a 26-13 win over Middletown South in the championship game Tuesday after it defeated Pinelands 17-6 in the semifinal; Middletown South; Pinelands; Middletown North, which was unbeaten in the regular season before it was defeated 19-18 by Middletown South in the semifinal; Holmdel; Matawan; Keansburg; Henry Hudson; Raritan; Shore Regional; Trinity Hall; Long Branch; St. Rose and Central.

There are also leagues in North Jersey and South Jersey.

"It's shocked me how quickly it's taken off,'' Middletown District Athletic Director Rich Carroll, who oversees the league, said. "We went from struggling getting teams the first year and now we got almost double the teams and we've got people waiting."

SCHOOLS WHO JOIN THE LEAGUE

Antonucci said officials from 5 to 8 schools have expressed an interest in joining the league next season. Among those schools, Antonucci said, are the Brick Township schools, Manasquan and St. John Vianney.

"We need them to make that next step,'' Antonucci said. "What you're seeing here (Tuesday night) and what we've been through as far as the season is concerned, I don't see why you wouldn't (join). We had a lot of interest from a lot of athletic directors in the offseason. Some just didn't pull the trigger on it fast enough.''

One of the current lures of flag football currently being a club sport and non-sanctioned by the NJSIAA is players can participate in another sport as well as flag.

When the NJSIAA does sanction flag football, it will probably remain in the spring and players generally will have to make a choice on whether to play flag, softball, lacrosse or track and field.

"I don't know if that (when it becomes a sanctioned NJSIAA sport) will hurt the numbers for flag football, it might hurt softball and lacrosse,'' Carroll said. "Hopefully, there's enough to go around for everybody. This has become very popular quickly.

"North Jersey, their league's exploded. South Jersey's doing it. In the Southern states, it's like Friday Night Lights.''

REASONS FOR THE GROWTH

It did not take long Tuesday night during first the Rumson-Fair Haven-Pinelands semifinal game and then the championship game to see how how much the players and coaches enjoy the sport and how much they want to win.

There was plenty of competitive spirit on all sides.

"I think a lot of girls were always hoping (flag football) would happen,'' Antonucci said. "Now, that they have the opportunity to do it, it's become a passion for them. You watch them play - they love playing the game.''

Antonucci, who has established himself as one of the legendary head football coaches in the Shore Conference during his 25 seasons at Middletown South, said one of the exciting things about coaching girls - who are new to the game as players - is it results in him emphasizing the basics of the game.

"Because a lot of these girls don't know much about the game so you've got to go back a little bit into your knowledge of the game and you're basically teaching from the ground up, which I find great. It's a challenge in a lot of ways, but it's more rewarding in some respect, too, because they're like sponges. They want to learn,'' he said.

ELLA MASON LEADS RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN

Junior quarterback Ella Mason was outstanding in both of Rumson-Fair Haven's games Tuesday night with both her throwing ability and running ability.

Against Middletown South, she threw touchdown passes to Katie Walls, Taylor Crow and Emily Colucci, ran for a TD pass and threw a 2-point conversion pass to Kate Hennan.

She also threw TD passes to Hennan and Crow and a conversion pass to Colucci against Pinelands. Mason and Hennan had interceptions, which are worth two points, against Pinelands.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Girls flag football NJ: When might it become state-sanctioned?