Eastmark, Millennium helped kick off AZ's flag football era with down to the wire battle
August 30, 2023 by Jose Garcia, AZPreps365
Eastmark, a high school in Mesa, travelled west to make history.
Despite losing, the Millennium Tigers also deserve kudos for their performance and what unfolded in Goodyear.
But in the grand scheme, Tuesday was a monumental day for girls in Arizona, which hosted sanctioned high school flag football games for the first time.
“It’s amazing. It’s an unreal feeling,” said Eastmark’s Tayler McComb’s about playing flag and securing the game-clinching interception in her team’s 28-27 win over Millennium. “Might as well just win it all. That’s what it felt like in the moment (after the interception). I think this is the future, with these leagues starting up all over the country. It’s going to help us everywhere. And there’s going to be colleges giving scholarships. I think this will be great.”
What was also great was the Eastmark-Millennium game.
A 5A title preview on the opening day for flag football in AZ? Don’t be surprised if @Millenniumhsaz, @ehs_firebirds meet again down the road. On Tuesday, they played like two of the favorites during the start of AZ’s inaugural flag 🏈 HS season: pic.twitter.com/jFpimHSq3j
— Jose E. Garcia (@AZPreps365Jose) August 30, 2023
The teams, two of the favorites in 5A this year, took turns scoring in an action-packed second half. Millennium junior quarterback Breana Saunders and wide receiver Jennah Grice flashed their talents during a couple of long scoring plays.
Saunders wowed fans with her mobility and while launching throws to Saunders, who often sped by defenders.
But McCombs ultimately helped secure the win for Eastmark. With Millennium up 13-7, McCombs chased down Saunders, leaving Millennium six yards shy of the end zone as the first half ended.
On Millennium’s final drive of the game, with Grice on the sidelines battling leg cramps, McCombs picked off Saunders in the end zone to help clinch the victory. A failed two-point conversion in the second half and not having their best kickers also hurt Millennium’s chances of winning.
The kickers are soccer stars who attended a club soccer event, Millennium coach Jermaine Austin said. But that didn’t overshadow the superb play by both squads.
“These girls played a helluva game today,” Austin said.
“28-27. We’ll see them again. I like their coach over there (Eastmark’s Nick Garces). He’s a good guy. But I think next time it’s going to be a different story.”
There's plenty of talent in this photo. Keep an eye out for the Millennium Tigers during Arizona's inaugural high school flag football season. (Jose Garcia/azpreps365)
