The Wakefield Wolverines have emerged as the inaugural winners of the girls flag football league in the Wake County Public School System.

In the championship match, the Wolverines outperformed Apex with a final score of 31-19.

In the championship game, Johara Walker, the senior quarterback, threw five touchdown passes without any interceptions. Some of these passes were challenging, as they were thrown deep down the field.

After emerging victorious in the championships of their respective areas – Middle Creek and Rolesville – Apex and Wakefield faced each other.

Each team had to compete against the runner-up of their region three times in a double-elimination tournament. They also had to face the top four team multiple times before going up against the other top team and strategize during a 40-minute running clock.

Wakefield and Apex both ended their first season with a 7-2 record.

Wakefield’s defense set the tone for the championship as they gained possession of the ball during Apex’s opening possession.

Following a successful rush by junior standout Emily Degnan of Apex, the Wolverines’ defense prevented the Cougars from advancing any further and caused a turnover on downs.

In the semifinal against Cardinal Gibbons, Apex’s quarterback Leah Hulse sustained an injury that prevented her from playing in the championship game.

Walker connected with sophomore Lyla Bagwell for a 10-yard pass into the end zone, giving the Wolverines a 6-0 lead on their opening drive.

On their next possession, Apex was faced with a fourth-and-10 and attempted a pass that was incomplete, resulting in the ball being returned to Wakefield.

Immediately after Wakefield gained control, Walker connected with junior Sydney Conti on a long post route, resulting in an 80-yard touchdown pass following a touchback.

Degnan successfully caught a deflected ball, resulting in a first down for Apex on their subsequent possession. A couple of plays later, Wakefield was penalized for holding, granting Apex another first down at the 4-yard line.

During the game, second-year student Coco Lavielle passed to senior Luella Herndon, resulting in a touchdown for Wakefield. Later, Conti intercepted the ball, helping to maintain Wakefield’s 12-6 lead with only two minutes remaining in the first half.

During the final seconds of the first half, Walker made a precise pass to Bagwell in the end zone for a critical touchdown, giving the Wolverines a boost before halftime.

At the end of the first half, Wakefield was leading Apex 18-6 due to their impressive performance.

During the initial drive of the second half, Walker successfully completed a long pass to Conti along the right side of the field, resulting in a third down conversion. Wakefield then capitalized on two touchdown drives, with Walker throwing a quick touchdown pass to Brenna Colleran, a sophomore. This put Wakefield in the lead with a score of 24-6 and 17:00 remaining in the championship game.

Attempting to revive Apex, Degnan made a quick run that nearly resulted in a first down. However, a holding penalty on Wakefield granted Apex a fresh set of downs without any cost.

The touchdown conversion attempt by Apex was unsuccessful, allowing Wakefield to gain possession with twelve minutes remaining.

The Wolverines’ subsequent offensive possession was not productive and consumed only a few minutes of game time.

Degnan made an impressive 15-yard run with only seven minutes remaining, executing a 720 degree spin in the process. Apex successfully converted the point after attempt, resulting in a score of 24-13.

Walker quickly connected with Bagwell on a long pass, bringing them to the 6-yard line in a decisive move. Just a few plays later, Conti secured the win with an incredible one-handed touchdown catch.

At the end of the game, Apex gained possession and scored right before time ran out on a pass from first-year student Lucy Shannon to third-year student Yuliya Burdyey.

Source: highschoolot.com