St. Joseph's dominance in the Michigan Girls High School Flag Football League starts at the youth level.
St. Joseph's youth league now has 102 girls, enough for all-girls teams and divisions. When Lainie Dorow started playing in fifth grade, she was the only girl on her team. Then she was one of four. Now, dozens of younger girls hope to one day lead a team to a state ******* le – or even back-to-back championships, like she did Sunday, June 7.
Dorow went 18-for-32 passing for 223 yards, three touchdowns, two 2-point conversions and one interception. She also returned an interception 33 yards for a score on defense to help the Bears beat Gibraltar Carlson, 28-12 and repeat as state champions at Ford Field.
THE FIRST ******* LE: St. Joseph Bears crowned inaugural Michigan Girls High School flag football champions
"We've got girls at 5, 6 and 7 years old learning how to play quarterback, run routes and defend passes," said coach Matt Koch, who also directs the St. Joe Rocket and Flag Football program. "So our program doesn't start in ninth grade. Really, it starts in kindergarten in some cases, and we're not from a big area. It's been great seeing the kind of role models our girls have been for younger girls who try to emulate them. Girls in Berrien County love football and the opportunity to play."
St. Joseph's youth league now has 102 girls, enough for all-girls teams and divisions. When Lainie Dorow started playing in fifth grade, she was the only girl on her team. Then she was one of four. Now, dozens of younger girls hope to one day lead a team to a state ******* le – or even back-to-back championships, like she did Sunday, June 7.
Dorow went 18-for-32 passing for 223 yards, three touchdowns, two 2-point conversions and one interception. She also returned an interception 33 yards for a score on defense to help the Bears beat Gibraltar Carlson, 28-12 and repeat as state champions at Ford Field.
THE FIRST ******* LE: St. Joseph Bears crowned inaugural Michigan Girls High School flag football champions
"We've got girls at 5, 6 and 7 years old learning how to play quarterback, run routes and defend passes," said coach Matt Koch, who also directs the St. Joe Rocket and Flag Football program. "So our program doesn't start in ninth grade. Really, it starts in kindergarten in some cases, and we're not from a big area. It's been great seeing the kind of role models our girls have been for younger girls who try to emulate them. Girls in Berrien County love football and the opportunity to play."
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