This summer, the Shadow Ridge Flag Football Team went to the Southern Utah University (SUU) tournament and they came home as champions. It was the first time the team had ever gone to SUU, and they competed against six or seven other schools.

LHM Utah Summer Games

Mustangs with their medals.

The players said the weekend was a great chance to grow as a team.

Mariah Steves-Walden,  senior, who’s currently playing as center and corner stated, “My favorite part of the tournament was probably all of the camaraderie between all the players, like the connections we got to build over time.”  

The way every player plays the game is not the same as every person on the field. Learning how to match the other player’s standards is something all players learn at some point. 

Stevens-Walden stated, “Adapting to all the teams out there was one of the most challenging things to achieve, they play very physically, because I know some of them do tackle.” 

Despite facing the challenges with how other athletes play, winning the tournament was very special to her.

Steve-Walden added, “I feel good about winning, who doesn’t love to win? Some of  our biggest competitors were ourselves. Getting used to the way these athletes were playing was challenging because we’ve never played with them before and we had  new editions to the team.”

Ashlyn Mitchell, senior, who plays linebacker, receiver, and center, was concerned because the set of seniors she played with graduated, and the team had a new edition of players.  

“My favorite part was being with my team and the experience,” Mitchell said. 

While Mitchell was enjoying her time with the team, she voices she was having trouble with the new rules. The new rules state that there is to be no contact between players. That means no tackling and being physical with other players.

“The most challenging thing to achieve was learning the new rules while also playing in a tournament. The biggest competition was going against the new rules. This tournament was the first one of its kind, and I’m glad we were able to win it,” Mitchell expressed. 

Jaylani Palmer, senior, who played wide receiver and safety, felt the same way.

LHM Utah Summer Games

Jaylani Palmer running with the ball.

 “I liked improving as a team and learning the new rules,” Palmer said. 

“The most challenging thing was adjusting to all the different types of calls and play styles that our team was doing. It was during the summer, and it kept us in shape and gave us a look at all the new rules in the playbooks. This is our first time ever going to SUU,” Palmer explained.

Palmer also said they played against six or seven different teams, but the most challenging team was Virgin Valley.

 “On the first day we played them we lost to them, but on the second day we came back and we adjusted our type of play and we beat them,” Palmer stated.

Coach Matthew Nighswonger explained, “We had to get used to the new, so it’s a new rule, there’s no blocking. So we had to install some new offensive stuff and it’s more RPO or option kind of football rather than some power, simple action,” stated Nighswonger.

While adjusting their styles of plays, one of the tools that helped for preparation was watching films. 

Nighswonger explains, “We watch a lot of film. I mean, I coach boys, I played football for a lot of years, and I think film is a great tool to learn from. It’s sometimes humbling as a player and even as a coach, because you think you’re doing better than you are, and you see yourself on film, but I think it’s a great learning tool for players and coaches to learn from.”

Beyond preparation, Nighswonger highlighted the team’s overall strengths and weaknesses they are working on.

“Well, we have a lot of great athletes who have played a lot of flag football, and I’m really excited to see them out there and see them doing their stuff out there. I think one thing we’ve got to do as a team is make sure we come together, because there’s going to be some girls who come out to tryouts that haven’t necessarily been around and are going to make the team and are going to be beneficial to the team, and also sometimes during the season, it can be difficult because some players are getting more reps than others and it can be difficult when you’re out here every day. So I think both of the main things I’m worried about for us this year is to get together as a team. That’s the main thing we’ve got to do,” Nighswonger expressed.

And for Nighswonger, success went beyond just winning the games.

Nighswonger states, “Well, I always hope that the girls enjoy their experience. Being young and being involved in athletics is a very short period of everyone’s lives, and so I hope they leave with a positive experience, both from the coaches, to the players, to the school experience.”

In the end, Shadow Ridge proved they could handle anything that came their way, finishing the SUU tournament on top.