From Friday, Jan. 13, through Sunday, Jan. 14, over 400 squads from around the United States showed Plant City that flag football is serious business.
A total of 440 teams descended upon the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World that weekend, playing for championship gold in the United States Flag and Touch Football League’s annual National Championships tournament series. Thirty-three teams made it all the way through their brackets, with men, women and children leaving Plant City with trophies in hand and bragging rights for a year.
It was the second time the tournament has come to Plant City, following a successful outing at a then-unfinished Ellis-Methvin Park in 2016. This year’s tournament used 33 fields between Ellis-Methvin Park and the adjacent Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex.
Though the majority of the players and teams did not hail from Plant City, two residents competed in the youth brackets. Anthony and Gemma Stanley, veterans of the Plant City Optimist Club’s local flag football league, helped the Sentinels reach the championship round in the Youth 13-14 Division, where they finished as the runner-up following a 32-7 loss to Ryan Football.
WINNERS
9-man Ineligible
A-flag: Gladiators
B-flag: Nomads
8-man Eligible
A-flag: Extreme Odds
B-flag: AthElites
C-flag: Four Lokos
D-flag: DMV Elite
35 and Older: A.M.C.
7-man Screen
A-flag: Go Getters
B-flag: 76’ers
C-flag: Arsenal
35 and Over: WHAT!
4-on-4 Non-Contact
A-flag: The Crew
B-flag: Get a Grip
C-flag: We Dem Boyz
D-flag: Arsenal
35 and Over: Playmakers
Women’s 8-man Eligible
A-flag:
Black Mambas
B-flag:
TB FootBallHers
Women’s 7-man Screen
Adrenaline
5-on-5 Non-Contact
A-flag: All TDs
B-flag: Canes
C-flag: Marley Boyz
5-on-5 Contact
A-flag: Sik Wit It
B-flag: Thundercats
C-flag: Bang Nation
35 and Over: Queen City Bulls
Youth 5-on-5
13-14 y/o:
Ryan Football
11-12 y/o:
Ryan Football
9-10 y/o:
Ryan Football
7-8 y/o:
Dolphins Orange
5-6 y/o:
Dolphins Orange
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.
