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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills head coach Doug Rogers talks with the Rebels following the Super 7, Class 6A-7A championship game against Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Central defeated the Rebels 25-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Central’s Natalyn Lumpkin (4) intercepts a pass intended for Vestavia Hills’ Christiana Belcher (12) during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ River Riley (19) pulls the flags on Central’s Gerritt Griggs (2) during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
The Vestavia Hills girls flag football team following the Super 7, Class 6A7A championship game against Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Central defeated the Rebels 25-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Holland Warren (24) pulls the flags on Central’s Gerritt Griggs (2) during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ River Riley (19) moves in on coverage of Central’s Gerritt Griggs (2) during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Chloe Leahy (15) catches a pass and turns to run as Central’s Summer Gilley (1) makes the stop during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
The Rebels’ student section cheers during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Alexis Rubin (44) runs the ball during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Molly Mac Sharp (1) covers Central’s Gerritt Griggs (2) during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ River Riley (19) pulls the flags of Central’s Ally Supan (30) during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Callie Davis (32) catches a pass during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Central’s Shabreia Brannon (0) breaks up a pass intended for Vestavia Hills’ Emily Spooner (38) during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ River Riley (19) covers Central’s Ally Supan (30) during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Layne Turner (11) holds out the ball for a first down as Central’s Gerritt Griggs (2) pulls her flag during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills head coach Doug Rogers with the coaches ball during post-game of the Super 7, Class 6A-7A flag football championship at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Central defeated the Rebels 25-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Callie Davis (32) runs the ball during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Julia Rose (66) looks to pass the ball during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Emily Spooner (38) covers Central’s Gerritt Griggs (2) during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ River Riley (19) runs the ball during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
The Vestavia Hills girls flag football team following the Super 7, Class 6A-7A championship game against Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Central defeated the Rebels 25-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Molly Mac Sharp (1) catches the snap during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Christiana Belcher (12) runs the ball during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Chloe Leahy (15) catches a pass during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
The Central-Phenix girls flag football team celebrates following a 25-0 win over Vestavia Hills in the Super 7, Class 6A-7A championship game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
The Central-Phenix girls flag football team celebrates following a 25-0 win over Vestavia Hills in the Super 7, Class 6A-7A championship game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Alexis Rubin (44) runs the ball during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Molly Mac Sharp (1) catches the snap during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Molly Mac Sharp (1) throws a pass as Central’s Ja’Niya Garrett (3) moves to pull her flags during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Central’s Natalyn Lumpkin (4) catches a pass guarded by Vestavia Hills' Madison Blackburn (6) during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Julia Rose (66) passes the ball during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Chloe Leahy (15) runs the ball during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Chloe Leahy (15) catches a pass during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills’ Chloe Leahy (15) runs the ball during the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Central’s Gerritt Griggs (2) celebrates with Central’s Natalyn Lumpkin (4) after a touchdown in the Super 7, Class 6A-7A girls flag football championship game between the Rebels and Central-Phenix City at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
TUSCALOOSA – The Vestavia Hills High School girls flag football team ran into a stout Central-Phenix City on Wednesday afternoon in the Class 6A-7A state championship game, but that does nothing to diminish an outstanding season for the Rebels.
Vestavia Hills fell to Central 25-0 at Bryant-Denny Stadium as part of the Super 7, leaving with a state runner-up plaque in the final year before flag football becomes a fully sanctioned sport in AHSAA competition.
The Rebels went undefeated in varsity action all season, blowing through regular season play. In the playoffs, Vestavia defeated Hoover 27-6 and followed that up with an 18-0 win over Spain Park to reach the quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinals, the Rebels posted a convincing 33-13 win over Homewood, then took down Lee-Huntsville 21-0 in the semifinals.
But on Wednesday, the Red Devils were the superior squad.
“I’m super proud of the girls,” Vestavia Hills head coach Doug Rogers said. “We worked hard to get to this point and we knew this would be difficult. They have a lot of formations and team speed.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Central broke through with a couple touchdowns in the second quarter. Natalyn Lumpkin caught two of her three touchdown receptions on the day, with grabs of 14 and 8 yards to give Central a 13-0 lead at halftime.
Gerritt Griggs, a University of Alabama softball commit playing at her future home, had a standout performance as well. She threw the scoring passes to Lumpkin and ran for an 8-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Lumpkin caught a 61-yard deep shot from Mariah Harrison in the final quarter. The Red Devils outgained the Rebels 237-63 in the contest.
The Rebels made it to the semifinals last year, but made it all the way to the state final this season.
“These young ladies worked their tails off to get here,” Rogers said. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of them to get here. Last year, we got to the final four and felt like we had the best team in the state.”
Julia Rose threw for 62 yards to lead the Vestavia offense. Callie Davis, Savannah Grayson and Layne Turner each caught a pair of passes in the contest. Chloe Leahy had 21 all-purpose yards as well.
On defense, River Riley had six tackles. Holland Warren finished with four tackles, Emily Cooper had three tackles, and Christiana Belcher and Lindsay Green each had a pair of tackles. Molly Mac Sharp also intercepted a pass early in the game.
Belcher began playing flag football in fourth grade, so the sport has been nothing new for her.
“When I heard flag was coming, I was beyond excited,” said Belcher, who also had a 14-yard catch. “It was awesome and to see what it’s become for the younger girls, it’s an amazing opportunity.”
“When the opportunity came, I jumped into it,” Riley added.
Flag football has grown in popularity in the high school ranks over the last few years it has been offered, with the AHSAA splitting competition into two divisions (1A-5A and 6A-7A).
Also playing for the Rebels this season were Lil Sapp, Molly Mitchell, Ari Katigbak, Scarlett Padgett, Madison Blackburn, Emily Owen, Ella Green, Elizabeth Ann Cooper, Aubrey Martinez-Covington, Lindsay Green, Ella Stephens, Riley Newsome, Addison Armstrong, Amelia Davis, Isa Willey, Caroline Nintzel, Gabi Ramirez, Emily Spooner, Emma Harper, Alexis Rubin, Holland Abernathy, Kate Fitzpatrick, Lillian Hill and Bailey Corley.
Rogers was assisted by Debra Broome and Sharman Martin.
When asked what she would tell upcoming girls interested in potentially playing flag, Belcher had a simple answer.
“Do it,” she said.
