This past weekend, Marblehead’s own Mirabel Khan and her teammates competed and won the championship in the 8U Girls Flag Football World Championships at Disney World.
Khan’s team, New England Flag Football League Elite (NEFFL Elite), was undefeated in the tournament. Her father, Shaun, is the head coach of the team and said he was impressed with the whole experience.
“It was very cool. It was at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Teams all around the country stayed at the All-Star hotels, so you had kids playing with other kids the whole time,” Shaun said. “It was a great atmosphere for the kids. It was a perfect spot.”
Shaun also said he was amazed by ESPN’s coverage of the tournament. The games were broadcasted on the ESPN channel, and it “seemed like you were watching an NFL game with all the replays and angles.” There were play-by-play commentators as well.
“The fact they got to be on ESPN and hear their name called was great for them,” Shaun said.
Shaun joked that if he would have known the detail and quality ESPN was going to use, he would’ve worn something better. But overall, it was an experience the group will cherish forever.
“Everyone loved it. The girls were in the pool for half the time we were down there,” Shaun said. “They played three games, then came back and would be in the pool for five hours and then get up the next morning to play again.”
The NEFFL Elite beat the Connecticut Flag Lady Matrix 19-14 in the championship game. Mirabel was the team’s quarterback, but also played receiver.
The two-day event started on Saturday with a round-robin to determine the seeding. The Elite came through the round-robin undefeated, including an overtime win against the Lady Matrix – their first of two encounters.
“We faced them again in the final, and it’s always tough facing a team twice since they know what to expect the second time around,” Shaun said. “The girls were a little concerned about that, but they played great in the final.”
In the championship game, the NEFFL Elite got out to an early start behind a long touchdown run from Jaslynn Lozano to jump ahead 6-0.
The next score came from an Abigail Fay pass to Liliana L’Italien for a one-yard receiving touchdown. That combo connected again on the conversion to put the NEFFL Elite ahead 13-0 with 40 seconds left in the first half.
The NEFFL Elite’s final score came on an outside run by Taylor Jackson, who beat a defender to the outside before turning upfield and into the endzone to make it 19-0.
The Lady Matrix fought hard and added two late touchdowns, but there wasn’t enough time for a third. The NEFFL Elite held on to win 19-14.
The NEFFL Elite roster:
Mirabel Khan
Abigail Fay
Jaslynn Lozano
Liliana L’Italien
Charlotte Murphy
Taylor Jackson
Mihaila Mcfield
Tessa McLain
Trinity Eliasson
