CHANDLER, Ariz. — Thursday afternoon in Chandler saw one of many steps toward the goal of major girls’ flag football a varsity sport in the state of Arizona.
Hamilton hosted Chandler, a huge rivalry in boys’ tackle football known as the “Battle for Arizona Avenue.”
The Huskies topped the Wolves 27-2. Chandler Unified’s six schools will field teams, and they will play each other in an eight-game season.
The sport is currently at the club level, but advocates like Hamilton Head Coach Matt Stone hope this short season proves to the Arizona Interscholastic Association that the sport is ready for sanctioned, varsity status.
“Our hope is that we give them a finished product and say, ‘Here it is.' It’s ready for the big time and 200 schools.”
Stone began his journey at Desert Ridge High School in 2012. He has been trying for a decade to get flag football to be a girls’ varsity sport.
“It’s the most popular sport in this whole country, and it’s not for girls. Think about that,” Stone said.
Chandler USD will go on spring break, but the season will continue after the break and will culminate in a four-team playoff.
Mountain Pointe High School, which is in the Tempe Union High School District, is also fielding a team and plans to play as many games as it can before the end of the season.
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made the State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers also play at the Footprint. Phoenix has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Cactus Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the Waste Management Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall; and Cactus League Spring Training.
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