Super 10 No. 1 Eastmark leads new AIA flag football frontier as games set to begin

It starts Tuesday, the new frontier for flag football, as the Arizona Interscholastic Association for the first time sanctions the girls game.

Mesa Eastmark, a 5A team, is ranked No. 1 by The Arizona Republic in the Super 10 (6A and 5A combined) and starts the season with a 6 p.m. game at Goodyear Millennium.

On Tuesday night at 5, at Mesa Mountain View, where Phoenix Mountain Pointe will take on the Toros, the AIA is making a big deal out of the season opener with NFL representatives from the Arizona Cardinals.

This is kickoff week for a new season for flag football, which in the past several years played in the spring at the high school club level, such as lacrosse.

'She's going to make some history': Mountain Pointe freshman QB Amaya Moreno ready for flag, tackle football

How will it go? It's hot, very hot still. And most games are set for 5 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. How will this play out at the same time tackle football is in season with lower-level programs playing on Wednesdays and Thursdays and varsity games on Fridays?

Because this is the first year for AIA flag, it's hard to figure who's the favorite. There are different interscholastic rules. All players on the line are eligible to catch passes. The nuances might take some time to get used to. But the club seasons have helped some programs gain an advantage over those who are starting it this year for the first time.

There are a little less than 60 teams playing this year. It is expected to double after this year.

The Firebirds have players from soccer, volleyball, basketball, softball, golf. There are dancers and girls who never played an organized sport. What they all have in common is that they all love to compete.

More: The Arizona Republic's Top 25 girls flag football players to see in 2023 season

"This is our year to win it," said Eastmark coach Nick Garces, who also coaches tackle football as an assistant at Mesa Red Mountain. "Until last spring, none of them had played.

"These girls love this game. It's crazy. When we lost in our playoff game to Xavier (last spring), the girls called each other the next day, trying to put together a little instrasquad srimmage. That's how much they love it."

Quarterback Mai Kalama, who played volleyball in the fall last year, loved her spring flag football experience so much, after passing for more than 2,000 yards and 27 TDs, that she is back this fall for more as one of the leaders.

"We have pretty high expectations for our team," Kalama said. "We're competing for state now."

There will be two AIA championship trophies handed out in the end, one for the 6A winner and one for the 5A champion.

More: The Arizona Republic's girls flag football Super 10 teams heading into historic AIA year

Mesa Mountain View coach Jesus Arzaga, who is the head baseball coach, said he spent June focused on the baseball program and to help incoming freshmen get started.

"I though that beginning to soon for girls flag football would not attract as many girls  because a lot of the girls are in their prime sports during the summer (soccer, basketball, softball etc.), so I have waited," he said in early August. "Our defense will be key as there are a lot of athletic teams offensively throughout the state so keeping offensive scores down will be key."

Mountain View has a challenge right away Tuesday, when Mountain Pointe and much-hyped freshman quarterback Amaya Moreno at the wheel of the offense. Moreno is combining freshman tackle football with varsity flag football. The freshman tackle games are on Wednesday, so Moreno will get three games a week between the two teams.

"She knows what she signed up for and she's going to make some history this year, for sure," Mountain Pointe flag football coach Sergio Ramirez said.

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Super 10 No. 1 Eastmark leads new AIA flag football frontier