Miami High flag football team wins at NFL Experience, and teams get a special treat
Four girls flag football teams from Miami-Dade County squared off in the Nike Girls Combine on Friday evening as part of the NFL Experience at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
When it was over, Miami High emerged the winner over three others: Edison, Central and Krop. But talk to any of the girls when it was over, and they were all winners as the Dolphins teamed up with Nike to give them a day they will never forget.
Not only did the girls get to compete on the exhibit’s 60-yard field in front of a fairly sizable crowd, but the on-field games and skills events were only a culmination of what also was a day-long list of events they were able to participate in.
They spent the afternoon in a seminar getting some “life lessons” advice from none other than New England Patriots three-time Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest among others. Lance Bennett, special assistant to Dolphins coach Brian Flores was also part of the advice seminar.
“I can’t believe it, I was just on the phone with my brother telling him I’ve never been a part of anything like this,” Central quarterback Erianece Wilson said. “He [McGinest] just told us to have a strong head and to be strong-minded and to work hard to achieve our goals.”
But the best was yet to come for Wilson and the rest of the girls. Just as the skills event was about to begin (which preceded the two semifinal games and the championship game), a special guest came charging out of the rear tunnel.
In a classic “Beatles moment,” the girls went crazy when Seattle Seahawks quarterback vRussell Wilson jumped into their huddle and started whooping it up. Smartphones came flying out as they tried to get their selfie taken with Wilson who then talked to the girls for a few minutes after they settled down.
“Always reach for your goals,” said Wilson, who was accompanied by his wife, Sierra, also an accomplished athlete who talked as well. “Don’t ever let anybody tell you what you ‘can’t’ do, tell everybody else what you ‘can’ do.”
Wilson then took to the sidelines to served as Miami High’s designated coach for their 19-0 semifinal win over Central before moving on to his next appearance.
“I couldn’t believe it when he came charging out onto the field to jump in the huddle with us,” said Miami High standout Colleen Bucknor, who had a touchdown pass and a pick-six return for a score in the win over Central. “Russell Wilson out there pumping us up really got us all fired up, and it’s so cool that he took the time to do that.”
Bucknor sure was fired up. After she scored twice to lead her team the semifinal win, she then caught the winning 10-yard touchdown pass from Jaynah Rodriguez with 1:40 left in the championship game to snap a 6-6 tie and give the Stingarees a 12-6 win over Krop. The Lightning had shut out Edison 21-0 in the other semifinal.
“Clearly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for these girls today and something I’m sure they will never forget,” said Central head coach Lakatronia Brunson. “To be here with Nike sponsoring everything, they fell like they really are part of the Super Bowl.”
GIRLS’ SOCCER
▪ District 15-6A championship — South Broward 2, Everglades 1: The Bulldogs captured their first district title in 10 years as they overcame an early 1-0 deficit by scoring twice in the last 15 minutes. Olecia Colston scored the first goal to tie it before Briana Sandoval scored the game-winner with five minutes left in regulation. Goalkeeper Emila Hernandez made 15 saves.