Clarksburg High School girls varsity team wins flag football championship

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - The DMV is home to a new state champion in one of Maryland High School Athletic’s newest sports: Flag Football.

Montgomery County joined Frederick, Washington and Baltimore County, Maryland fielding varsity teams.

The Clarksburg High School girls brought home the championship Friday in Baltimore.

FOX 5 spoke with senior captain Logan Edwards and Head Coach Kyle Landefeld Sunday night.

This season and championship were co-sponsored by the Baltimore Ravens and Under Armor.

The championship was played at M&T Bank Stadium one day after the Ravens beat the Bengals.  Landefeld says the Ravens rolled out the red carpet for the team.

Edwards told FOX 5 she was in awe of being able to play in an NFL stadium.

FOX 5 told you about the beginning of the season. Montgomery County fielded 24 teams for this varsity sport. Clarksburg lost its first game in double overtime, then didn’t lose the rest of the year.

Edwards said what a joy it was to play a new sport with a new group, and be crowned champs.

"But we all came into this not knowing anything, so the fact that we learned together and we failed together and we did good together. Just coming together as a team, as a whole. And we had our battles sometimes, but, like, we won states together and we put all that beside us, so I would just say I’m proud of our team for learning something new and doing something big," Edwards said.

Landefeld was a volleyball coach for 30 years, and jumped at the opportunity to do this in the inaugural season.  He says this team truly got better as the year went along, and credits his coaching staff and players for all their hard work.

"This was the opportunity for all the girls who’ve watched their brothers play, they got to go out and got to do it, and not only did they do it, they did it really well and they showed their athleticism, they showed their football IQ and to give them that opportunity is gold. That’s what this is really all about," Landefeld said.

We’re going to hear about flag football a lot more in the coming years.

Maryland will continue it as a varsity sport, and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles will have men’s and women’s competitions.