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Underdog stories never get old, especially when they’re real. And the Two Rivers High School girls’ flag football team just delivered one for the books. In the first season of girls’ flag football across Minnesota, a group of five varsity players pulled off back-to-back playoff wins with no substitutes, earning their place in the state tournament.
Flag football is still new in the state, but Two Rivers wasted no time making its mark, finishing with a 7-3 record, earning the district title, and becoming one of just 12 teams out of 51 to qualify for the state tournament at TCO Performance Center.
Coach Kimber Scott, who led the team in its historic first season, didn’t sugarcoat what it felt like stepping into the unknown.
“Being able to be the first head coach of a brand new program was honestly scary,” she said. “It’s a sport I love to watch and enjoy, but really, what did I know about coaching it?”
Scott didn’t stay unsure for long.
She credits her assistant coach Lamont Weaver, part of the school’s football staff, with developing a rock-solid game plan, especially when the team learned they’d be down to just five players for the playoffs due to graduation conflicts.
“When the ladies told me they wanted to play, it was time to game plan,” said Scott. “We practiced over and over, and on Sunday, those five ladies came out and executed the plan better than we planned it!”
Playoff Pressure
Among those five was junior quarterback Amelie Williams, who said the team arrived at their first playoff game with just three players. Two more raced in as the game was about to start. There was no warm-up. No room for error.
“The Champlin Park game ended up taking about 15 minutes as we mercy ruled them 30-0,” Williams said. “That was exactly what we needed. We still had gas in the tank and got a 30-minute break before the next game.” Their next opponent? St. Louis Park, the number one seed in the division and ranked fourth in the state. But the Two Rivers five weren’t rattled.
“We knew that even with five teammates we were strong enough to win, so we won,” Williams said. “It was one of the most exciting moments in my sports career.”
Teammate Sadie Albrecht agreed.“It was very exhausting to play with no subs, but all five of us played to win and we pushed through the exhaustion play-by-play,” Albrecht said. “It really came down to trusting each other and just giving it all we got.”
Launching Flag Football
The amazing season wouldn’t have been possible without a major push from the Minnesota Vikings. Since 2022, the Vikings have invested more than $1 million into growing girls’ and women’s flag football across the state and region. Their funding has helped reduce financial barriers, cover facility and travel costs, and support coaches and officials.
In 2024, the Vikings piloted a high school girls’ flag program that included 51 schools. In 2025, that became Minnesota’s first full high school league for girls’ flag football. Two Rivers’ season is part of that larger effort, and a glimpse at just how fast the sport is catching on.
“I dreamed of days where I could be involved in a football organization and I’m so glad I got the chance,” Williams said. “I watch the Vikings with my family every Sunday … now my family gets to watch me play on Sundays.”
Football’s Foundation
What set this group apart wasn’t just raw talent, it was adaptability, trust, and grit. With players juggling other sports like softball and track, practices were often late and sometimes lightly attended. Still, the team showed up, learned fast, and leaned on one another.
“We worked with what we had,” Coach Scott said. “The ladies who did show up came out and practiced just as hard as when we had a full team.”
That dedication carried over to the field. The team studied film, switched up strategy mid-season, and slowed down their usual fast tempo in the playoffs to conserve energy.
“We were the underdogs… but we didn’t care,” Williams said. “We hustled the entire game and in that moment nothing else mattered.”
For Coach Scott, it was more than a strong finish. It was the beginning of something lasting. “These ladies left footprints for other generations to follow for years to come,” she said. “They set a foundation for this program.”
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(Photo credit: Sara Blair/ISD 197)
One Response
I enjoyed the article on womens flag football. As a female athlete who was part of the first year of a combined St Paul Academy/ Highland Park Womens Swimming and Diving team in 1990, I appreciate the evolution of womens athletics. Congratulations. Go Warriors.
Thank you for the “free news” and plan to contribute with a onetime donation.
Maria Adams(San Leandro CA)