Latest news with #St.Francis
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Experience Italy's 'green heart' with a five-night holiday in Umbria
Many visitors will choose to begin their adventure in Perugia, Umbria's vibrant capital. Wander through the historic Piazza IV Novembre, where the Gothic Cathedral of San Lorenzo and the ornate Fontana Maggiore stand as testaments to the city's rich past. Explore the subterranean Rocca Paolina fortress, a hidden world beneath the city streets, offering a unique glimpse into medieval life. Art enthusiasts will also appreciate the National Gallery of Umbria, housing masterpieces from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. A short drive brings you to Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis. The town's crowning jewel, the Basilica of St. Francis, is adorned with frescoes that narrate the saint's life and legacy. Stroll through flower-lined streets and absorb the tranquil atmosphere that has inspired pilgrims for centuries. Umbria's fertile lands yield culinary treasures and visitors can join local truffle hunter on a quest for these elusive delicacies. After the hunt, you can savour dishes infused with your finds which are paired with regional wines. Family-run wineries are also a popular attraction in this region, such as Castello di Monte Vibiano where thirsty travellers can sample organic wines and learn about traditional olive oil production. Once ably refreshed, nature enthusiasts can then explore Lake Trasimeno in the provence of Perugia, which is Italy's fourth-largest lake and ideal for kayaking and paddleboarding. For thrills and spills, white-water rafting on the Nera River is also an option, navigating rapids that flow through the stunning Marmore Waterfalls, one of Europe's tallest man-made cascades. Visitors can then also discover the medieval allure of towns like Spello, with its panoramic views over the Tiber Valley, and Spoleto, known for its ancient Roman architecture and hilltop fortress. In Orvieto, marvel at the intricate façade of the Gothic cathedral and delve into the city's Etruscan roots through its underground caves. The wheel deal TO fully immerse yourself in Umbria's offerings, consider renting a car from Rome Airport which can be fully organised by Orbis Travels. With rates starting from £50 per car for five nights, you gain the freedom to explore at your own pace, uncovering hidden gems and picturesque landscapes along the way. And as a picturesque base, travellers couldn't ask for a more perfectly-located sanctuary than former Franciscan Monastery Abbazia Collemedio Resort and Spa, which boasts a spectacular outdoor swimming pool, free parking for guests, a truly stunning spa and wellness centre, restaurant, free Wi-Fi, non-smoking rooms and a well-stocked, atmospheric bar area. Travellers who wish to embark upon this unforgettable journey through Umbria can book now at to experience a holiday where every moment is a step into a living tapestry of history, culture and natural beauty. Or telephone 0208 051 0956 Travel notes: Round-trip flights to Rome from Edinburgh From just £399 per person Classic Double or Twin Room Half-Board (Excluding drinks) ACCOMMODATION Abbazia Collemedio Resort and Spa UMBRIA, ITALY SET in the heart of green Umbria, just a few kilometres from world-famous destinations such as Perugia, Todi, Bevagna, Montefalco, and Assisi, Abbazia Collemedio is a charming retreat with a rich history. Once a monastery inhabited by monks, it has been beautifully transformed into a hotel, blending its historic charm with modern comforts. Thanks to its strategic location, Abbazia Collemedio is the perfect base for those wishing to escape the city and explore the medieval hilltop towns of Umbria, along with the region's most renowned cultural and culinary attractions. The property offers 55 comfortable rooms, a cosy and exclusive restaurant, a swimming pool ideal for relaxing on warm sunny days, a tennis court, complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the estate, and a meeting room that can accommodate between 20 and 100 delegates. (Image: .) Spanning 130 square metres, the spa features a relaxation area with herbal teas, a swimming pool with hydromassage, a Finnish shower with chromotherapy, a sauna, and a Turkish bath. A massage room and a range of beauty treatments are also available to enhance your experience. Classic rooms offer 18 square metres of comfortable space with a choice of either a double bed or twin beds. Furnished in a traditional style, the flooring is either parquet or terracotta, and the curtains are in soft pastel tones. These rooms accommodate up to two guests. On request, a limited number of rooms can be equipped with an extra bed or a crib. Some rooms are arranged over two levels. In-room amenities include individually controlled heating and air conditioning, an LCD television, a writing desk, a telephone, a safe, a minibar, and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi. All bathrooms are fitted with a shower cubicle and come with a hairdryer and a courtesy set of toiletries. Dine in style THE Abbazia Collemedio Restaurant is an ideal setting, offering a touch of exclusivity, to savour the finest Umbrian and Italian cuisine. The hotel's chef invites you on a culinary journey where traditional pasta dishes are thoughtfully reimagined in line with modern culinary trends, creating a perfect harmony of flavour and innovation. The dining experience is further enhanced by a carefully curated wine list, featuring some of the most exclusive Umbrian and Italian labels. The ambience of the restaurant is both welcoming and refined, with interiors inspired by rustic country charm. Large windows frame breathtaking views, perfect for watching the sunset as it dips behind the hills of Todi. Travellers who wish to embark upon this unforgettable journey through Umbria can book now at
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
St. Francis softball avoids another early NorCal exit with stirring 1st-round win
A year after complete despair brought on by a stunning upset loss in the first round of the Northern California playoffs, the St. Francis softball team experienced the opposite on Tuesday. With her team having been down to its final strike three times, junior outfielder and three-time West Catholic Athletic League MVP Jaime Oakland delivered a run-scoring double to plate May Meltz to tie the score. A few moments later, Peyton Tsao doubled home the winning run to beat Rocklin 3-2 in a Division 1 contest. Last season, following a 4-1 loss to Amador Valley-Pleasanton, the then-undefeated and national No. 1 Lancers tearfully walked off their home field. On Tuesday, they skipped and joyfully celebrated. The third-seeded Lancers (28-3) next travel to No. 2 Del Oro-Loomis (29-2) Thursday in the semifinals. Tuesday's win did end with controversy. Tsao's liner in right-center field appeared to be caught on a diving play. But after huddling, umpires ruled that the ball had bounced. It took nothing away from the emotional win, said St. Francis coach Mike Oakland, who has led the team to a sparkling 209-30 mark since taking over in 2017, including five Central Coast Section titles. The fifth CCS title came Saturday, a wild 9-6, eight-inning win at top seed Willow Glen-San Jose when Hayden Hummel, Tsao, Gabby Rocha and Isabella Sandoval all drove in two runs. Sandoval, Rocha and Hummel are all seniors. 'Our girls have been resilient all year,' Oakland said via text. 'They kept fighting (Tuesday) and found a way to get it done. Rocklin is a very strong team with an elite pitcher. There were no easy innings and we had runners on base most of the game and couldn't get the hit we needed until the end.' More first-round softball: In Division 2, Isabella Rice, Kylee McKinney and Taylor Jennings all blasted home runs to lift No. 4 seed Liberty-Brentwood (24-4) to a 14-3 five-inning home win over Central Catholic-Modesto. The Lions will travel to play top seed Vanden-Fairfield, an 8-6 winner over Foothill-Pleasanton, which got a home run and two RBIs from Alexa Sponsel. … No. 6 seed King's Academy-Sunnyvale (22-7) beat No. 3 Destiny Christian-Sacramento 5-4 behind two hits and two RBIs each from Katia Nesper and Mia Bennette. … In Division 3, Callie Howard threw a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts and Andrea Mansberry and Izzie Kunimune each had two hits and two RBIs as second-seed Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa beat Calaveras 5-1. … In Division 5, seventh-seed Balboa (14-4) broke open a close game with a 15-run fifth inning to win 20-3 at Foresthill (Placer County). The Bucs will have another long bus ride to face host and third-seed King City (19-11). Baseball first-round: In Division 1, Tyler Spangler and Antonio Castro had three hits apiece and Bubba Vargas drove in three runs as host and top seed De La Salle-Concord defeated Del Oro 7-3. The Spartans will next host St. Mary's-Stockton (26-8), a 4-3 winner over Valley Christian. Mississippi State-bound Dax Hardcastle launched a game-ending leadoff homer in the seventh for St. Mary's. Christian Navarez had a home run for Valley Christian (25-8-1). … A bases-loaded walk to Tyler Harrison in the 12th inning gave No. 3 seed Serra a 2-1 win over College Park-Pleasant Hill. Kelley Crawford, Aiden Waters and Davis Minton combined to throw a five-hitter for Serra, which will host No. 7 seed Los Gatos, a 9-8 winner at Franklin-Elk Grove. Brayden Smith drove in three runs with a double and Rowen Smith added a two-run double for Los Gatos (25-5). … In Division 2, sixth-seeded Acalanes-Lafayette (18-10-1) continued its late-season surge with a 9-3 win over No. 3 Chico (28-2) as Ando Butner had a two-run homer and Drew Asadorian and Cominic Patiucci each drove in two. … Nick Chow threw a four-hitter and Henry Dommer added a homer and double, lifting St. Francis (21-10) to a 5-0 win over Central Catholic. … In Division 4, pitchers Jackson Flanagan and Reid Plamondon made a two-run first-inning double from Zach Roeder stand up for No. 5 seed Menlo School-Atherton in a 2-0 win at Las Lomas-Walnut Creek. … A Zach Gallegos RBI single capped Santa Clara's 10-9 comeback win over Oakland Tech, which led 7-2 in the third inning. John Depner, Drew Diffenderfer and Jaxton Chao all drove in two runs for the Bruins (28-3). … In Division 5, Nicholas Chiu hit a two-run homer and Jerry Hou and Everett Carvalho each drove in three runs leading sixth-seed Lincoln to a 16-4 win at No. 3 Vacaville Christian. The Mustangs (17-15), who got three hits and three runs by Aidan Castaneda, travel to No. 2 Stevenson-Pebble Beach, a 5-2 winner over Torres. State golf: Led by a 4-under round of 67 by Josh Kim and a 71 from Noah Eisen on Tuesday, De La Salle tied for second in the CIF State Golf Championships at Poppy Hills Country Club. The Spartans and Santa Margarita-Rancho Santa Margarita (Orange County) finished at 362, nine strokes back of champion and host Stevenson (353), which had three players finish under par, led by Luke Brandler (67). The individual champion was St. Francis-La Canada (Los Angeles County) freshman Jaden Soong, who shot a bogey-free round of 62 with seven birdies and an eagle to finish two strokes better than Evan Liu (64), of Torrey Pines (San Diego County). Palo Alto, led Brendan O'Keefe's 70 and Joshua Wang's 71, finished fifth out of six teams at 367.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Prep sports roundup: Eight-run first inning lifts Crespi past Harvard-Westlake
Landon Hodge touches home plate after his two-run home run completed an eight-run first inning for Crespi. (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times) One day after hitting the ball hard but scoring just one run in a loss to Harvard-Westlake, Crespi put together an eight-run first inning on Wednesday en route to a 12-1 win over the Wolverines and move back into a one-game lead in the Mission League baseball race. Eleven players came to the plate in the first inning that featured a two-run home run by Landon Hodge, a three-run double by Gavin Huff and two bases loaded walks. Hodge finished with three hits, Huff finished with two doubles and four RBIs, and Troy Miller added three RBIs. Tyler Walton allowed one run in six innings with no walks. Advertisement Crespi is 19-2 overall and 12-2 in league. Harvard-Westlake is 17-8 and 11-3. The two teams play for the third time this week on Friday at O'Malley Family Field. Loyola 11, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 3: Jack Murray had two hits for the Cubs. St. Francis 7, Sierra Canyon 2: Jordan Lewallen and Dominik Hildago each had three hits for St. Francis. Huntington Beach 3, Edison 0: Jared Grindlinger threw four scoreless innings, brother Trent Gindlinger had two hits and Trevor Goldenetz added two hits, including a triple, for the Oilers. Newport Harbor 4, Marina 3: Gavin Guy had a home run and two singles and three RBIs. Advertisement Los Alamitos 7, Fountain Valley 4: Tyler Smith had a home run in the Sunset League win. Granada HIlls 6, Birmingham 2: After 11 straight West Valley League wins, the Patriots were handed their first defeat. Alex Schmidt finished with three hits, including two doubles. Left-hander Luke Chau limited the Patriots to six hits in 6 2/3 innings. Julina Pineda got the final out with the bases loaded in the seventh. Allen Olmos suffered his first pitching defeat against a City Section opponent. EL Camino Real 3, Chatsworth 0: Luke Howe threw an eight-inning shutout to help El Camino Real move into a tie for first place in the West Valley League. The Royals scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning. Cleveland 2, Taft 1: Joshua Pearlstein struck out 11 in seven innings and went four for four, including a walk-off single in the eighth inning. Advertisement Warren 2, Downey 0: Angel Cervantes threw a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts and one walk. Villa Park 6, Foothill 2 Jack McGuire allowed one hit in five innings and Val Lopez had two hits and two RBIs to help the Spartans move within a half game of first place in the Crestview League. El Modena 2, El Dorado 0: Fauston Aguirre and Matthew Gutierrez combined on the shutout for El Modena. Gutierrez drove in both runs. Gahr 6, Bellflower 0: Noah Irwin struck out nine in the shutout. Long Beach Wilson 5, Long Beach Poly 1: Gram Ludwig had a two-run single during a five-run first inning. Carson 4, San Pedro 0: Joziah Agredano threw six scoreless innings while allowing two hits for the Colts. Advertisement Hart 8, Canyon 0: Zach Rogozik had three hits for the Hawks. West Ranch 9, Golden Valley 1: Hunter Manning struck out 13 with no walks in six innings and Mikey Murr homered for West Ranch, which clinched at least a share of the Foothill League title. Etiwanda 10, Upland 2: The Eagles continued their late-season surge in the Baseline League. Mike Aleman struck out seven in five innings. Chino Hills 4, Rancho Cucamonga 2: Brody Buoncristiani struck out seven with no walks in six innings for Chino Hills. Mira Costa 5, Redondo Union 3: The Mustangs (23-2, 11-0) broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning. Kellan Finn finished with two RBIs. Advertisement Vista Murrieta 13, Murrieta Mesa 5: Taytum Reeves hit two home runs for Vista Murrieta. Softball Granada Hills 15, Chatsworth 0: Jocelyn Jimenez and Zoe Justman each hit home runs for the Highlanders. Orange Lutheran 9, Los Alamitos 2: Kai Minor hit a two-run home run for Orange Lutheran. Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Prep sports roundup: Eight-run first inning lifts Crespi past Harvard-Westlake
One day after hitting the ball hard but scoring just one run in a loss to Harvard-Westlake, Crespi put together an eight-run first inning on Wednesday en route to a 12-1 win over the Wolverines and move back into a one-game lead in the Mission League baseball race. Eleven players came to the plate in the first inning that featured a two-run home run by Landon Hodge, a three-run double by Gavin Huff and two bases loaded walks. Hodge finished with three hits, Huff finished with two doubles and four RBIs, and Troy Miller added three RBIs. Tyler Walton allowed one run in six innings with no walks. Crespi is 19-2 overall and 12-2 in league. Harvard-Westlake is 17-8 and 11-3. The two teams play for the third time this week on Friday at O'Malley Family Field. Loyola 11, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 3: Jack Murray had two hits for the Cubs. St. Francis 7, Sierra Canyon 2: Jordan Lewallen and Dominik Hildago each had three hits for St. Francis. Huntington Beach 3, Edison 0: Jared Grindlinger threw four scoreless innings, brother Trent Gindlinger had two hits and Trevor Goldenetz added two hits, including a triple, for the Oilers. Newport Harbor 4, Marina 3: Gavin Guy had a home run and two singles and three RBIs. Los Alamitos 7, Fountain Valley 4: Tyler Smith had a home run in the Sunset League win. Granada HIlls 6, Birmingham 2: After 11 straight West Valley League wins, the Patriots were handed their first defeat. Alex Schmidt finished with three hits, including two doubles. Left-hander Luke Chau limited the Patriots to six hits in 6 2/3 innings. Julina Pineda got the final out with the bases loaded in the seventh. Allen Olmos suffered his first pitching defeat against a City Section opponent. EL Camino Real 3, Chatsworth 0: Luke Howe threw an eight-inning shutout to help El Camino Real move into a tie for first place in the West Valley League. The Royals scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning. Cleveland 2, Taft 1: Joshua Pearlstein struck out 11 in seven innings and went four for four, including a walk-off single in the eighth inning. Warren 2, Downey 0: Angel Cervantes threw a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts and one walk. Villa Park 6, Foothill 2 Jack McGuire allowed one hit in five innings and Val Lopez had two hits and two RBIs to help the Spartans move within a half game of first place in the Crestview League. El Modena 2, El Dorado 0: Fauston Aguirre and Matthew Gutierrez combined on the shutout for El Modena. Gutierrez drove in both runs. Gahr 6, Bellflower 0: Noah Irwin struck out nine in the shutout. Long Beach Wilson 5, Long Beach Poly 1: Gram Ludwig had a two-run single during a five-run first inning. Carson 4, San Pedro 0: Joziah Agredano threw six scoreless innings while allowing two hits for the Colts. Hart 8, Canyon 0: Zach Rogozik had three hits for the Hawks. West Ranch 9, Golden Valley 1: Hunter Manning struck out 13 with no walks in six innings and Mikey Murr homered for West Ranch, which clinched at least a share of the Foothill League title. Etiwanda 10, Upland 2: The Eagles continued their late-season surge in the Baseline League. Mike Aleman struck out seven in five innings. Chino Hills 4, Rancho Cucamonga 2: Brody Buoncristiani struck out seven with no walks in six innings for Chino Hills. Mira Costa 5, Redondo Union 3: The Mustangs (23-2, 11-0) broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning. Kellan Finn finished with two RBIs. Vista Murrieta 13, Murrieta Mesa 5: Taytum Reeves hit two home runs for Vista Murrieta. Granada Hills 15, Chatsworth 0: Jocelyn Jimenez and Zoe Justman each hit home runs for the Highlanders. Orange Lutheran 9, Los Alamitos 2: Kai Minor hit a two-run home run for Orange Lutheran.
Indianapolis Star
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Behind Colts' $1 million investment, girls flag football on path to be IHSAA sanctioned sport
INDIANAPOLIS — Since the age of 7, Ava Cousin always considered herself a basketball player. She probably always will. But last fall, at the urging of teammate Wilma Gardner and assistant coach Destiny Starks, she decided to try a new sport last fall: Flag football. 'I didn't think I would be very good,' Cousin said. She was wrong. She learned the wide receiver routes and football lingo, mostly from her father, Patrick, and Lawrence North girls flag football coach Donny Mimms. Almost instantly, Cousin recognized the similarities from her familiar confines on the basketball court to the football field. 'I was actually a really good defensive player in basketball, so I was used to reading what the offensive player was doing coming down the court,' Cousin said. 'I think that translated for me to be able to read the defense (as a receiver) in football.' NFL DRAFT GRADES: Recap all NFL Draft picks, grades and analysis for all 32 teams. Lawrence North, in its inaugural flag football season, went 5-1 and won the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference championship. It was a life-changing experience in multiple ways for Cousin, who attended a talent camp at the University of St. Francis in Fort Wayne and was offered a scholarship. St. Francis is the first Indiana college to offer women's flag football and will begin play in the spring of 2026. 'We've been preaching about (flag football) opening doors for girls and them taking a chance on themselves,' Mimms said. 'Now we have three girls signed to go to St. Francis to play flag football. Two of the girls were on the bench on the basketball team and weren't sure what they were going to do next. To me, it's just about having confidence in your school, your school climate and getting this opportunity to your girls. You don't know what that opportunity is going to be.' Girls flag football is up for vote on Monday at the Indiana High School Athletic Association board of directors meeting to officially become an 'emerging' sport, as girls wrestling and boys volleyball were recently before becoming recognized IHSAA sports in 2024-25. Girls lacrosse, a spring sport, was voted through as an emerging sport in August, starting in 2025-26. There is a lot of momentum, support and financial backing behind girls flag football nationwide, particularly in NFL markets. Locally, the Colts made a $1 million investment from the Irsay family to help support and sustain a goal of 100 teams playing girls flag football in the fall of 2025. In its 'Road to 100' initiative, the Colts will invest up to $10,000 per school to help offset the costs associated with starting a program, including jerseys and a USA Football equipment kit. The current number of schools participating is 59 … and climbing. The standard to become a sanctioned sport is 100 schools. The sport appears to be on a track to get there after eight schools participated in an initial pilot league in 2023, followed by 27 schools participating last fall. 'The ultimate goal is to be sanctioned as a varsity sport,' said Andy Matis, the senior manager of football development for the Colts. 'We're still continuing to recruit every single day and we've seen a lot of growth in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend and the northwest part of the state.' Indiana's growth in girls flag football follows a nationwide trend. According to numbers provided by the National Federation of State High School Associations from August, participation doubled (20,875 to 42,955) in the sport from 2022-23 to 2023-24. There are already 15 states that have fully sanctioned girls flag football, including Washington just last week. The International Olympic Committee announced in 2023 women's and men's flag football would debut as part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. At schools like Ben Davis and Warren Central, interest level is high. The maximum roster size is 25 players, but both schools could support junior varsity teams if there were enough opponents to play. 'You have to keep in mind what is best for the kids,' Ben Davis athletic director Heather McGowan said. 'For us, there are a lot of kids who have never played a sport before. Whether they got cut in middle school for soccer or volleyball or basketball. Now there are new opportunities for kids who want to play and maybe just not talented enough to make another sport. Now, here is a brand-new opportunity for them to come in and learn together at the same pace.' Growing the sport Of the 32 Class 6A football programs in the state, 14 are committed to having girls flag football programs. There are another seven in 5A and 18 in 4A. There are just nine, so far, in Class 3A and lower. But 11 schools have committed that don't even have a football program. Laschelle Hatcher, the girls flag football coach at Ben Davis, said the opportunity to come in on the ground floor of something new and unique has been appealing for her players. 'I've had some girls come in and say they like coming into this because it gives them a chance to be part of a sport but also aren't intimidated because the sport has been around for so long,' Hatcher said. 'It gives them an even platform to start out at the same time and then grow with it.' Among the larger schools in Central Indiana to start teams are Ben Davis, Cathedral, Lawernce Central, Lawrence North, North Central, Pike, Tech and Warren Central. The advantage for larger schools is more available practice space. But Mimms said it does not even take a full football field — or even half a football field — to get in a practice. 'I notice and recognize the fears, but I think you can work to overcome those barriers,' said Mimms, who added eight of the 25 players on his roster had never played another sport. 'I think once (Lawrence North coach Pat Mallory) saw the momentum we had he'd say, 'We're going to watch film for an hour if you want the field first.' But we'd practice on the softball field. That was our normal spot. I think any school worried about facilities, you just have get along and be creative. Every program should want another program at their school to be successful. If you want to do it, you figure out a way.' In addition to facilities, some athletic directors have voiced concerns about taking away athletes from another sport. The fall sports slate for girls already includes golf, cross-country, soccer, volleyball and Unified flag football. 'A lot of the concerns we've heard are either facilities or the timing in the fall, especially from smaller schools not wanting to pull girls from other sports,' Matis said. 'Especially with the absence of a state title. Our biggest growth is the bigger cities in the state. Where we're hitting our biggest roadblock is in the rural parts of the state because of the travel for them to find seven games.' For the upcoming fall, there is a postseason tournament planned. Teams will be required to play a seven-game regular season to be eligible for the tournament, though they can still participate in the season even if they do not meet that minimum. Teams in the MIC plan to play the same opponent in tackle and flag within the same week. There are also opportunities in flag football for multi-game events in the same day. Ben Davis, one of the original programs to participate in a jamboree the Colts hosted in December of 2022 and part of the first eight-team league in 2023, was the first opponent for the start-up Lawrence North program last fall. Mimms had his team ready. Ben Davis scored in the final minute, winning 20-16. 'I told my girls, 'All that stuff that makes you mad during the day, bring that out here,'' Mimms said. 'I don't think (Ben Davis) thought we'd be prepared like we were. But it was a great game all the way through. They were begging me to play them again.' Ben Davis got upset in the MIC tournament and that rematch did not happen. But Hatcher said she has learned a lot from watching Mimms infuse the Lawrence North program with a competitive edge. He was aggressive about adding other games and finding extra practice time. There are no requirements for the number of practices, though the Colts are recommending between one and four times a week. 'He's done a phenomenal job,' Hatcher said of Mimms. 'His competitiveness is bringing it out in other coaches as well, not just the girls. I would like to learn from him and plan to take it and use it against him.' 'I learned something new every day' Abrielle Alexander, like Cousin, was a basketball player first. She also played goalkeeper in soccer. The Lawrence North junior had no experience with football other than watching games on NFL Sundays with the family. Coming out for the team opened a new world for Alexander, who also played receiver for the Wildcats. 'I always thought receivers ran long routes,' Alexander said. 'Then I learned you can take short routes and run. It was like, 'Nice, I might be tired but I can still run a short route and get long yards off of that.' I learned something new every day. We learned from each other, learn from our mistakes and more about each other.' Mimms believes as the sport continues to grow and trickles down into the younger age groups, schools that offer girls flag football will have an advantage in attracting multi-sport athletes. 'If a girl has been playing flag football growing up or has an interest and your school doesn't offer flag football and another school does, you are going to lose out,' Mimms said. 'Some of these schools aren't looking at the entire picture or planning for the future.' IHSAA commissioner Paul Neidig said at the athletic directors meeting last week at Plainfield there are no emerging sports on the horizon after girls lacrosse and flag football. He said he understands the concerns over finances, facilities and administrative oversight to take on new sports. But he believes the worry over spreading athletes too thin is unfounded. 'The concern is a student may drop playing soccer to go play girls flag football,' Neidig said. '(The schools') experience is that has not been the case. I think the whole thing with boys volleyball is we've seen a whole new group of kids participate and we've certainly seen that in (girls) wrestling. It just opens up additional opportunities.' For Cousin, Alexander and others, doors opened that they did not even know existed before last fall. 'It is only going to get better the more teams there are,' Alexander said. 'The whole experience is really fun. Our team is like a family and we're like sisters.'
