The inaugural flag football team at Yorktown High School is off to a monumental start. On March 26, 2024, the Huskers battled against Hendrick Hudson in the opening game of their first-ever season, resurging from a 0-13 deficit in the first half to secure a 25-20 victory.
“At the beginning of the game, I think we all were a little nervous to see how our weeks of practice would manifest itself in a real game,” said senior captain Ciara O’Brien.
“Even though we struggled a little bit, we were quick to pick each other back up,” said senior cornerback Kaitlin Meola.
By leaning on each other through the difficulties in the first half, the flag football team put themselves in a good position to make a comeback. All they needed was a spark to ignite their path to victory. That spark came with a touchdown by sophomore Maddy Reilly.
“When we scored our first touchdown, we were ecstatic, coaches included. It was such a special moment for the team and for Yorktown High School, and it helped us gain momentum and really come together as a team,” said Meola.
While this initial touchdown was a turning point in the game, the Huskers knew they had to stay disciplined to come out with a win.
“We continued to score and tighten up our defense, and we held out in the end to win 25-20,” continued Meola.
Led by senior captains Kaitlin Judge, Cori Rosenberg, and Ciara O’Brien, the inaugural flag football team showcased incredible grit and spirit.
“It felt amazing to be part of such an electric team,” said Judge, who is also a quarterback and free safety for the Huskers.
O’Brien echoed similar sentiments when reflecting on the game, grateful that the team’s impressive tenacity and team-first mentality was rewarded with a win.
“I think that already shows one of the most important aspects of this team: we don’t give up. We worked as a family to get our win,” O’Brien asserted.
The impressive outcome in the program’s first game was not just a result of their effort in the game but also the hard work in practice in the weeks leading up to it. Coming together as not just a team, but also a family in such a short amount of time was not an easy feat. As the inaugural team, the players had not all been together before and their experience in flag football was limited to Powderpuff and Physical Education. The players also come from a variety of athletic backgrounds: track, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, and more. They had less than three weeks together to get accustomed to their new sport and become a true family.
“As you might imagine, this is not an easy task to teach people a sport from scratch and not only understand it mentally but acquire the physical skills necessary to play successfully,” said Head Coach Mike Rescigno (a.k.a. House).
The shared enthusiasm for trying something new was key to the formation of the team.
“I know so many girls, myself included, who were excited for Yorktown’s very first flag football team. So many people expressed interest in a new sport and wanted to try it out. The team is especially excited to learn and train with our enthusiastic coaches—House, Cerar, and Nardone—who work every day to help make us even better,” said Meola.
Rescigno has also enjoyed the unfamiliar yet exciting process of bringing a new group of players together into a new sport.
“Selfishly speaking, I’m having a blast, taking on the challenge of teaching the skills of the sport to people who have never done it in their lives,” said Rescigno.
As the former head coach of the boys’ varsity football team at Yorktown, Rescigno has abundant knowledge and experience in football to bring to the table. His partners, Coach Cerar and Coach Nardone, add even more football expertise and infectious enthusiasm to the program. Even with their extensive experience, they have still committed much of their time studying rules, game film, and strategies of flag football—a relatively new frontier—to best serve the team.
“Football is a part of my soul, and I have both a son and daughter who have lived a football life. To know that we are giving girls an equal shake in this great sport makes me feel very proud,” said Rescigno.
Rescigno’s sincerest goal is to “empower [the girls] to be fighters.” He and the rest of the coaching staff are doing everything they can to achieve that goal. Their dedication to the flag football program has not gone unnoticed.
“Our coaches have been phenomenal; they were able to squeeze in every bit of information before our first game,” said Judge.
The coaches have not only devoted themselves to developing flag football players but also to developing people.
“Our coaches have instilled in us what it means to be a part of a family and be a good teammate,” added O’Brien.
Still, Rescigno credits the players for making his job easier.
“The amazing thing is we have a group of girls that are so up to the task. I can see how the girls appreciate this opportunity by the way they practice and interact with each other,” said Rescigno.
Rescigno was impressed by the character and enthusiasm the team showed in their inaugural game.
“Yesterday’s game was an amazing mark in the history of our school. Our girls had a chance to demonstrate to each other that they would never quit on each other, going down by 13 points in the first half. They responded like a true family does and came back to win 25-20. If you were there, the energy was real,” said Rescigno.
The players are grateful simply for the chance to play football.
“Starting flag football at YHS was an incredible opportunity for girls in sports. Giving these athletes a place to play football has been game-changing,” said captain and quarterback Cori Rosenberg.
Furthermore, the opportunity to make a mark on history has fueled the team’s desire to succeed.
“It was amazing knowing that we will be a part of history as we brought home the flag team’s first win, and we’re excited for the rest of the season,” said Meola.
Rescigno has emphasized the historical significance of the inaugural flag football team.
“It has been long overdue that girls be afforded the opportunity to experience the greatest game ever created. Now here we are! To be able to say that I have a hand in the inception of a historic event like this brings me a tremendous amount of pride,” said Rescigno.
Rescigno created the slogan “First Harvest” to unite the team under this important sentiment.
“We have adopted the slogan ‘First Harvest’ because it represents the fact that we are planting the seeds of a brand-new crop here at YHS. It is our hope that we kicked down the door for aspiring girls to play the greatest game ever for many years to come,” said Rescigno.
Bringing greater opportunities to girls is especially dear to Rescigno, as a coach and father of girls.
“We will not sit back, and merely be a part of history… We have to aggressively take it,” said Rescigno to the team before the game.
All the flag football players have shown that ambition, courage, and grit in just trying out for the team.
“I am so proud of these young women on so many levels,” exclaimed Rescigno.
The team is also excited to continue their momentum into the rest of the season.
“[I] can’t wait to finish the season out with them,” said Rosenberg.
The players know they have many eyes on them, but they remain focused on the team and improving every moment they can.
“I know many people are interested in watching us play since this is a new sport, but we are fired up for the rest of the season and to play flag football,” said Meola.
“This is just the beginning, and we will continue to take on the season’s challenges week by week. It was a great win but we are hungry for more,” added O’Brien.
Looking long-term, the team is excited for what’s to come for the program in future seasons.
“I truly believe that this is an amazing group of girls who will continue the legacy of flag football at Yorktown for years to come,” said Judge.
Rescigno is proud of what the girls have done so far and excited for what’s to come from the program and the sport.
“We have struck an amazing balance between exceptional work and pure fun that I can only hope to maintain. Expect to see this sport explode. It is doubling and tripling in size as we speak. The growth is staggering,” said Rescigno.
In the spirit of the Yorktown flag football team, Rescigno has a message for all: “Take what is yours… let nobody stand in your way.”
