Despite tougher competition and more teams, the outcome stayed the same: the De La Salle Cavaliers are once again champions of the Saints High School Flag Football League.
On Wednesday at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, De La Salle secured a 7-0 win over Warren Easton to claim their second straight title. The Cavaliers also finished with a perfect 8-0 record.
This season saw major growth in the league, expanding from 10 to 20 teams, with 25 players on each roster. The competition was stiffer, but De La Salle remained dominant.
“It was definitely difficult,” said Cavaliers head coach George Neumiller. “Teams had film on us this time. Some coaches told me, ‘We saw your plays and we’re running them.’ That’s flattering, but it makes the games tougher.”
During the five-week season, each of the four divisions had five teams. Teams played every other team in their division once and one game against a non-division opponent.
De La Salle and Warren Easton (6-2) reached the championship largely thanks to their strong defenses. Before the final, De La Salle had outscored its opponents 111-6, while Easton had a 68-18 edge over its previous seven games. Both teams earned first-round byes in the playoffs.
In the final, neither team gave up many chances. The only score came from a touchdown pass by Cavaliers sophomore quarterback Tamia Cole with 12:20 left in the second half. Senior Rae’l Simons sealed the win with an interception in each half.
Cole described her big moment: “First, I’m reading the defense and looking for who’s open. Then I just try to lead my receiver to the ball.”
Winning back-to-back titles was especially meaningful to Cole. “It feels great to prove people wrong who said they could beat us,” she said. “We’re still number one.”
Coach Neumiller praised Cole’s calm presence. “People keep asking when she’s graduating. She’s only a sophomore. She’s calm, never panics. That’s what you need in a quarterback. She can roll out and still make throws.”
Simons’ interceptions were crucial in keeping Warren Easton scoreless.
“When the ball comes my way, I just focus on catching it,” Simons said. “The extra competition this year made it more fun. This was the best way to finish.”
The league is growing fast, with nine players from the two finalist teams already receiving college scholarship offers to play flag football. That number could rise next season, along with the level of competition.
Coach Neumiller knows what to expect. “This season was much tougher,” he said. “Even when we made mistakes, they stayed calm and stayed focused. They’ve been here before. They know how to win.”
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