TAMPA, Fla. — Winning is still a thrill at Robinson High School. Even after the girls flag football just won a sixth straight state championship.
“I feel like at this point, they are like just, 'Oh, they won again,'” senior Jaylen Stasio said. “It’s an amazing feeling to be a part of it all four years of high school. I really think that the best memories of high school have been with this year."
Head Coach Joshua Saunders said after a few years where the Knights didn’t win much, they changed strategy and commitment.
“We started doing stuff in the off-season," he said. "We started practicing a little bit more just getting together. Then now they created a team from 2012 and 2013 that didn’t win a state title and created what happened from 2014 on."
What happened is the creation of a dynasty. Maybe the most successful high school team of any kind anywhere in the state.
The Knights had a 55-game win streak at one point. The JV squad hasn’t lost since 2011.
“It feels like such an accomplishment to be a part of," junior Katejion Robinson said. "It also builds stress because I have to keep up the dynasty until next year."
Girls flag football is growing as a sport. Some smaller colleges are even offering scholarships. There is hope it may one day be an NCAA sport.
“If it gets to that NCAA level you are going to see a lot of other athletes gravitate toward flag football because, A. It’s really fun. And B. Everybody really understands because they understand football,” Saunders said.
The Knights put another championship trophy to bed this year and as the seniors say goodbye, the rest of the team will spend the summer getting ready for next season.
