A new era: Local teams take the field for a girls flag football game for the first time in the Valley

Local athletes entered a new era Thursday night and hit the turf for the first official prep girls flag football game in the Mat-Su.

Colony-Palmer scored a 14-0 win over Wasilla-Redington at Colony High School.

“It’s been outstanding,” Palmer coach Dustin Wilson said after the win.

Wilson and Amy Fischer are coaching the Colony-Palmer combined team this season, Wilson said he’s excited about the overall response to the new sport, and players from two Valley high schools separated by just a few miles of Bogard Road coming together and playing on the same squad.

“Palmer and Colony had to come together as a team. Usually they dislike each other, but they have been fantastic,” Wilson said.

Wilson said there have been about 20 to 25 players on the team.

“The numbers are growing. Everyday we get new girls. They’re talking with their friends about it. They’re excited to be part of the team,” Wilson said.

Wilson said they also have a variety of multi-sport athletes on the squad.

Wasilla-Redington is led by coaches Todd Whitehurst and Mat Bredberg. They also have about two dozen athletes on the roster. Wasilla-Redington (1-1) opened its season earlier this week with a 28-6 win over South Anchorage in Anchorage. That was the first time a Mat-Su prep team ever participated in an official girls prep flag football game.

On Thursday, Colony-Palmer quarterback connected with receiver Denali Anderson for a pair of touchdowns in the win. Karpow hit Anderson for an 80-yard score with 56 seconds left in the half. Colony-Palmer was facing 4th-and-2, and opted to go for it.

“We just needed 2 yards. I said, Denali, can we get 2 yards? She said, I can get you more than that coach,” Wilson said.

Anderson was right.

Anderson took the short pass on the left side, cut across the middle of the field, and hit the sideline for the score.

Karpow and Anderson combined for a 35-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.

Both teams are hoping to play between eight and 10 games this season. The Valley squads will play Anchorage-area teams also.

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartaz at editor@frontiersman.com.