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With flag football’s official debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles rapidly approaching, the sport’s future was on full display this weekend in the heart of football country. At the second annual NFL Flag Championships in Canton, Ohio, hundreds of youth teams battled for supremacy, offering a thrilling glimpse of the next generation of stars who may one day compete for gold on the world’s biggest stage. It was a weekend that showcased incredible skill, speed, and passion for the game’s fastest-growing format. With the sport’s popularity surging, the performances in Canton offered a preview of future talent and a new, exciting market for sports handicappers to analyze.
Texas Fury Texans Get Redemption with Dominant Shutout Win
In the High School Girls division, it was a story of redemption for the Texas Fury, the team representing the Houston Texans. After a heartbreaking loss in the semifinals of the inaugural tournament last year, the Fury left no doubt this time, delivering a dominant defensive performance in a 19-0 shutout of the Bad Rabbits (Dallas Cowboys) in the championship final.
The offense was led by a flawless performance from Game MVP Emery Beckett. The quarterback was a perfect 8-for-8 passing for 102 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with Zahara Hill for two scores and Kelsey Quinn for another. While Beckett carved up the defense, the Fury’s own defense was a brick wall. Kaitlyn Reynolds and Sonya Chalil both recorded crucial interceptions to preserve the shutout and secure the national title that had eluded them a year ago.
Viral Star Brysen Wright Leads Jaguars Elite to Title
The 14-Under Boys division was won by Jaguars Elite (Jacksonville Jaguars), who posted a 13-0 victory over Showtime (Atlanta Falcons), but the story of the tournament was the incredible performance of tournament MVP Brysen Wright. The 14-year-old phenom was a human highlight reel all weekend, scoring 10 touchdowns in seven tournament games. His most spectacular moment was a tumbling, one-handed catch in traffic that went viral on social media, earning praise from NFL superstars like Patrick Mahomes and Bijan Robinson.
Wright wasn’t just an offensive force; he made the game-sealing play on defense, breaking up a fourth-down pass late in the championship to clinch the title. His incredible talent has already made him a star, and he’s a name that will be at the top of every future prospects leaderboard for years to come. The dominant victories by both the Texans and Jaguars affiliates were big wins for their programs and for anyone who backed them, results that would be highlighted on all the top sports picks sites.
The Bigger Picture for Flag Football
The three-day competition in Canton was a massive success, featuring nearly 300 teams representing all 32 NFL clubs across various age divisions. The event also highlighted the sport’s global growth, with eight international teams traveling from as far as Australia, China, and Brazil to compete. This surge in popularity comes at a perfect time, as flag football prepares for its official debut as an Olympic sport in 2028. With the NFL recently announcing that its players will be allowed to participate, the future for the sport has never been brighter. As flag football heads to the Olympics, the odds and scores for the first-ever tournament will be a major point of interest for sports fans worldwide.
