The Wheeling High School flag football team wraps up their 2024-2025 season with hard work in wins and losses. For the first time ever, the Wildcats entered the new sport with the purpose of making history. Coached by Alyssa Lucas, Jessica Stransky, Julia Navarro, and Emilia Molski, and with more than 50 girls on the team, the decision was made to split the team into JV and Varsity. The girls played with intensity, hard work, determination, and an unyielding amount of effort.  

The season started off strong with a scrimmage in order to learn about the sport. Little by little, the girls got the hang of it and continued their hard work. Soon, this effort paid off, with their first ever win against Mather High School, 40-6, making it the first ever flag football win at Wheeling High School. Coach Lucas, head coach of the Flag Football team, was able to get that win against her old school, as an alum of Mather High School. She stated, “We were able to beat them in our house and had the relief of the first win, to show how capable the girls are.” This motivated the Wildcats to keep fighting for more wins. They were able to fight and win against Niles North and Main East. While there were many ups and downs throughout the season, there was no sign of giving up. 

As the season’s end was approaching, the playoffs were the main focus for the Wildcats. The first round of the playoffs was against Grayslake Central High School. With a lot of effort and determination, the Wildcats were able to snag the win with the score of 18-12. This was a big accomplishment for the team and the school as a whole. The next step was the Regional Semifinals against Round Lake. The Wildcats fought hard but were unfortunately unable to get the win.

The girls had an amazing, successful season and were able to make history not only as a school but as a family.