After scoring 24 points, the Maverick football players excitedly rushed the field in victory. But this wasn’t an ordinary football game. There weren’t any boys on the football field. This was the girls turn to rule the gridiron.
The MHS Powderpuff football game occurred on Oct. 26, pitting Senior and Sophomore girls against Juniors and Freshmen in a game of flag football.
The Senior and Sophomore team’s main strategy was to “dominate, nothing else but that,” said Senior Sam Vaccarino. That’s just what they did. The Senior and Sophomore team won 24-8. Junior Maddy Ritten scored the Junior and Freshmen team’s only touchdown.
“Finally we got on the board. At least we scored,” said Ritten. Scoring the touchdown was one of Ritten’s favorite parts of the game.
Most girls that participated in Powderpuff really had a lot of fun. “It was a blast,” Vaccarino said. “It was great being able to cooperate with other grades and meet new people.”
The Senior and Sophomore team was ecstatic upon seeing the final score.
“[The most exciting part of the game was] when the time ended and I saw that the Seniors won,” Vaccarino said.
Powderpuff football was a unique opportunity for girls to display their athletic abilities.
“[It was] great that they let us play again this year. Being a senior, it was one of my things on my bucket list and is now accomplished,” Senior Erin Winn stated.
The traditional Powderpuff football includes the girls playing football and the boys cheerleading. This year, there were no cheerleaders. Tara Johnson, powderpuff coordinator, said that this was a good thing so that the girls could concentrate better. There were 200 girls interested and 70 of them were willing to commit, a good turnout, according to Johnson. “[I] wanted to play football and prove that girls can play [it],” said Maria Dawson.
According to the rulebook given to Powderpuff participants, powderpuff football follows the general rules of flag football. Flag football is designed to be a game of skill, speed, ability and cunning.
It is not meant to be a physical, pushing and pounding game. All players who are members of a team are expected to play. It is of the utmost importance that sportsmanship and fair play be exercised at all times by all involved.
According to the handout given to powderpuff participants, the first powderpuff football game was in 1972, in Wallingford, CT. rival schools Mark T. Sheehan High School and Lyman High School began this sport to incorporate more girls into athletic activities.
Since then, powderpuff football has spread over the nation.
The coaching staff for this year’s powderpuff football included Johnson, Adrianne Hincka and Eric Hincka for the Junior and Freshman team.
David Gilbert and Brett Myers teamed up to coach the Seniors and Sophomores.
Sophomore Brittney Tornow said that they were great coaches, but didn’t come to the first practice because they believed the Tiger game was of greater necessity.
“When they showed up at the game they were good,” Senior Kara Niffin admitted. The officials were teachers Steve Digsby Jr., Mike Madden, and Andrew Calvetti. Johnson also wished a special thanks to Athletic Director, Chris Ceresa for allowing the follow through with Powderpuff.
All these people were important in making Powderpuff run smoothly.
“[It was an] eye opener for me,” Myers stated. “I was questioning it before, [but it was] awesome. It needs to be a sport sanctioned by Michigan.”
Myers, as well as the other coaches, would really like for there to be Powderpuff again next year. “I would do it again in a heartbeat,” Gilbert said.
The kickers for powderpuff this year were Winn for the Senior and Sophomore team, and Junior Paige Smith as the kicker for the Junior and Freshman team.
“[I] liked being the kicker. It was my own thing, my own role [and I] got the job done,” Smith said.
Winn and Smith both play on Milford’s Varsity girls’ soccer team. Being kicker was “stressful watching girls run at you while trying to concentrate on kicking,” Winn stated. “It is a lot different than soccer.” However, there were some unsuccessful field goal attempts, some that were caused by Ritten, who said that blocking Erin Winn’s field goal attempt was another highlight of the game for her.
Milford has had a Powderpuff team before. However, the game was ended in 2005, because of an altercation between two girls.
This year was the first year in eight years that Milford High School had a Powderpuff football team. Johnson put much time into making this year’s powderpuff football into a success.
“[Powderpuff is a] popular sport [that] most girls get into,” said Johnson. Johnson played while she was growing up and recalls that the main subject at her 20-year reunion was the Powderpuff football. To Johnson, it was really worth remembering.
Milford’s Powderpuff was a test to see if everything could work out well and if Milford could have a good experience with Powderpuff football.
Since it proved to be a positive experience, Lakeland may give it a try.
All Lakeland needs are participants and coaching staff who can take hold of the huge time commitment and responsibility.
Lakeland needs an individual who really wants to start Powderpuff football and make it a huge success, like Johnson.
Overall, Powderpuff football was a huge success and many look forward to next year.
“[Powderpuff was an] incredibly successful event,” Johnson said. “Many people wanted it back for years. The girls came out and played real football, without the tackling, 11 versus 11 and did a real good job.”
