Two area schools – Pine Bush and Valley Central – will take part in Section 9’s inaugural girls’ flag football season this spring.

Pine Bush, which is coached by Kyle Schneider, will begin its first season on Saturday, while the Vikings, under coach Isaiah Wilson, will begin their season on April 12 with a road game against the Washingtonville Wizards.

Both teams will compete in a multi-scrimmage at Warwick’s Hudson Sports Complex, and both are aiming to play in the regional championship on June 10 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

While it’s the first year for flag football in Section 9, it’s the second year in the state.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association created a girls’ flag football pilot program, which began last season with teams from Sections 1, 4, 5, 8 and 11 with donations from the New York Jets, New York Giants and Buffalo Bills, along with $100,000 from Nike.

The sport got more support from the NYSPHSAA in February when the Executive Committee recommended minimum standards for the sport, which includes minimum six practices to play, and a maximum of 16 games during the regular season, one game per day, and one scrimmage per day, starting this spring.

The standards are the same as girls’ lacrosse.
The committee also established rules, and voted to conduct a state championship starting in 2024.
The game is played between two teams of seven players each. Five are required to avoid a forfeit. The field is 40 yards wide and 80 yards long. The end zones are 10 yards long each. Each game will be 50 minutes long, divided into two 25-minute halves of running time. However, the clock will stop during the last two minutes of each half and change of possession. Halftime will be five minutes and if there is overtime, there will be a three-minute intermission. There is a two-minute warning at the end of each half.
Each team gets two timeouts per game.

Each play ends when the flag is taken from the runner in possession of the ball.

Schneider expects juniors Jah-esa Stokes, Tia Fisher and sophomores Ketura Rutty and Leticia Watson to be his top players this season. There are 17 girls on the Pine Bush roster.

“I am excited for these girls to showcase their skills and take on a new challenge of representing Pine Bush High school by playing for the first-ever girls’ varsity flag football team. Some girls have experience playing in travel leagues, and some are playing for the first time.”

The Vikings also have championship aspirations, and Wilson said the Vikings are looking to get their weight room numbers to create a culture of hard work and winning.

Key players include quarterback Bianca Ricciuto, wide receiver/safety Kelly Schmidt, running back/linebacker Gianna Vass, center/linebacker Kayla Mainor and wide receiver/defensive back Samantha Setteducato.

“We’ve got a great group of ladies, some with football experience, as well as athletics experience,” Wilson said. “We’re a young group with a lot of potential to learn and develop. Every practice has been competitive and these ladies sure are ready to see some competition.”