By Camila Felsing

With the surge in girls flag football participants over recent years, a 63% increase since 2019, Ponte Vedra High School has organized a team. Having both a varsity and junior varsity roster, the PVHS Sharks are looking strong. Coached by Scott Conroy and Keith Gruver, they are off to a good start with a winning 10-1 record.

The Lady Sharks took on the aggressive Andrew Jackson Tigers in the Tank on February, 28. The Sharks were missing freshman Julia Conroy, a crucial player to the Sharks’ offense, who was out with a mild concussion. The score was tight for the entire game with both teams giving it their all. With one minute and 48 seconds left in the regular-season game, the score was tied six to six. Junior Maddie McDermott, had a crucial stop on fourth down, giving possession to the Sharks with 36 seconds left. Freshman Peyton Gruver had a great run to put the Sharks in a good scoring position. Unfortunately, a turnover with 13 seconds left in the game led them to overtime for three minutes. The sophomore quarterback Izzy Murray threw the game-winning touchdown pass to freshman Jocelyn Hoffman. This put them up 12-6 in overtime. The extra point was complete and led the Sharks to a celebration.

Conroy makes it clear that the sportsmanship aspect of the game is just as important as skill level. When talking about the struggle to beat opponents, she states, “We let ourselves beat each other, which showed that the game isn’t only about talent but about how badly you want to fight for it.” Julia also said this became much clearer from the sideline perspective when she was out with a concussion. She shares, “I was focused on our team energy when I was out.”

With only a few more games left in the regular season, the Sharks are ready to increase their wins and get work done. They will be on the road for their next games, but make sure to come out and support Ponte Vedra’s girls’ flag football team.

Pictured: girls flag football team; Credit: @onethree_photography