PRINT: Flag Football Charges Into Regionals With Eyes on States

The Robinson Flag Football team continues to progress and show their talents as they move further into the playoffs

Brielle Hoover, Sport’s Editor

May 15, 2026

Paige Halverson (’26) last pre-game run through when getting introduced

The Robinson Girls Flag Football team is known statewide for excellence and strong performances. This season, they went 16-1 and claimed the district title, showing no signs of slowing down. The team has put in the work to get to where they are, and it has really paid off on the field.

Sarah Williams (’27) running with the ball in the end zone (Photo Ashlin Sullivan)

They had a bye week at the beginning of districts and played Blake High School in the second round, winning 67-0. The Knights faced off against Chamberlain High School in the district finals and took it 47-0. In the Quarterfinals, the Knights played St. Petersburg High School and took it 19-12, allowing them to push further into the state tournament. The Knights won regional semifinals 49-0 against Gateway High School. After that win, they beat Northeast High School on May 7th, taking it 46-0, allowing for them to go to the state semifinals, which will be played on May 15th.

“I am looking forward to playing with this team longer and hopefully winning states,” Captain and Wide Receiver Izzy Harris (’27) said. “I love our team connection and can’t wait to keep going.”

The team’s biggest challenge now is living up to the legacy of past Robinson athletes. Each new group of players is expected to match the intensity and commitment that has made this program so successful. It’s not just about competing anymore- it’s about carrying on a tradition of winning and representing Robinson with pride as they chase another championship.

“Moving further into the playoffs, it’s exciting to see the competition amp up,” Captain and Wide Receiver Sarah Williams (’27) said. “It will definitely test our limits of what we consider the standard of our team to be.”

Along with the team’s district win, Williams set the new record for most catches in program history with 311. She is still continuing to break records as she moves through her junior year, and continues to set the standard of what it means to show up and show out for your team.

This season was hard for the team, as early on, the captain Paige Halverson (’26) went down with an injury. The team has had immense perseverance through it all and kept their spirits high even though one of their key players was injured.

Izzy Harris (‘27) running the ball to score another touch down. (Photo Vivian Tran)

“When Paige got hurt it became about making sure the people that we had all put a little bit more effort in to keep our team consistently better than everyone else.” Williams said

The team needs the support of the school as they push forward, so start showing up and rooting them on as they work their way towards winning the school’s 10th straight state championship. This program is built on excellence, grit, and a championship mindset that shows every time they step on the field. Their speed, chemistry, and determination set them apart as they continue to raise the bar each year, setting a new standard for the future of Robinson High School.

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About the Contributors

Brielle Hoover, Staff Writer

Brielle Hoover is an IB Freshman at Robinson High School and serves as a staff writer for the Knight Writers. This is her first year on the staff. As she begins her journey into newspaper, Hoover hopes to grow as both a photographer and writer. “Coming into high school, I wanted to join newspaper because I want to be a journalist when I’m older, so I thought this would be an amazing opportunity that will prepare me for it,” Hoover said. Outside of newspaper, Hoover enjoys following sports and is especially passionate about hockey. Passionate to the fact that she even loves reading nonfiction hockey books. ”I like reading nonfiction hockey novels because when I get older, I want to work in the hockey field as a commentator or photographer or maybe even a coach,” Hoover said. She also enjoys watching Only Murders in the Building for its mix of comedy, music, mystery and of course Selena Gomez. On a lighter note, she still loves her favorite childhood show, Paw Patrol, which continues to bring her joy. ”I want to stay in newspaper for my whole high school career because I want to become a better writer, so I can be prepared for when I write my college essay,” Hoover said. Three words that Hoover would describe herself with are funny, resilient and joyful. She likes making jokes and cheering people up. Hoover also tries her hardest on everything and is willing to do anything to set herself up for success. She’s excited to be a part of the Knight Writers staff and looks forward to learning new skills, meeting new people and sharing stories that will inspire others. (Profile by Destiny Velazquez)

Ashlin Sullivan, Staff Writer

Ashlin Sullivan is a first-year staff writer starting her first year in journalism. She is excited to get started with all the works of journalism. “Mrs. Webster was like do you want to join journalism?” she said. “And I said yes.” She has shown interest in taking photos for journalism, as well as writing stories that will be in the newspaper. “I want to take photos for a lot of stuff, and I also want to write opinion pieces,” she said. Taking her interests outside of journalism, she has various activities and hobbies that she enjoys taking part in. “I am on the soccer team, and I do like theatre and stuff, as well as acting and things related to that industry,” she said. Sullivan believes her experience will help greatly with her time in journalism. “I think I have a lot of skills photography wise; I have a lot of skills that would be helpful, and I know how to work a camera well,” she said. She aspires to go on to college after her time in the IB and even wants to go for a double major. “I want to go to FSU, and I want to double major in acting and psychology, and maybe even go pre med,” Sullivan said. Even with differing college aspirations, she still chases her likeliness towards acting. “I’ve been doing theatre for a while, I do like commercials sometimes when I can, and I just really enjoy it,” Sullivan said. As she treks through her junior year, she aims to keep up her good grades and expand her voice through the catalyst of journalism. (Profile by Jack Perkins)