Flag Football is bringing home two state titles this season. For the second year in the row, the team was named the Academic Team Champions. The team had a cumulative GPA of 3.710, almost two points higher than second place Harmony High School, who the Knights also beat 46-0 in the state quarter finals.

‘It’s exciting [to be named as the All Academic team], I like that we’ve done it two years in a row, especially because we have the highest academic [achievers] and most athletic girls and they work so hard in the classroom [for this title],” said Coach Joshua Saunders. “[They] absolutely [deserved this state title]. Since the [IB] GPAs are un-weighted and there is no benefit [from IB athletes], maintaining a 3.71 grade point average [as a team] with over half the students being in IB is impressive.”

Saunders encouraged high academic levels and expected his players to do the same.

“[As a team] everyone encouraged each other, everyone knows that this is something that is important to us. [During the season] if my players don’t get good grades, practice time is taken away,” said Saunders. “The whole team runs for everyone’s grades. If one person has a D or an F, everyone has to run [for that individual], so it’s more peer encouragement then my own.”

***UPDATE*** Flag Football recieved two more awards at Tampa Tribune’s Parade of Athletes. Flag Football Captain Kylee Gorngpratum (’14) was named the Flag Football Athlete of the Year. Fellow Captain Caroline King (’14) was named the Female Athlete of the Year. To read more, click here.