By Kyle LoJacono
The Freedom flag football team has two district championships in the last four years, and the Patriots are hoping a return to the basics will keep them at the top.
“It’s going to be tough with Alonso and Gaither and some other teams,” said Freedom coach Dennis Derflinger, who started the Patriots program in 2006. “It’s about going back to the basics. We got away from that a little bit the last two years because we had a lot of talent, but sometimes that makes you get away from what really wins games.”
The Patriots (3-0) are in District 12 with such area schools as Gaither, Steinbrenner, Sickles and Wharton. Alonso won the district championship last year.
Freedom was 9-0 in 2006, the first year flag football was offered in Hillsborough County. The Patriots won the district title in 2007 and 2008 and were the runner-up in 2009, but did not advance past the district semifinals for the first time last year.
If Freedom is to regain the district crown, a new member of the school will likely have to make a big impact.
Briahanna Jackson, a senior quarterback and defensive back, transferred from Wiregrass Ranch a month ago.
“I didn’t know they had flag football here until my Shade’ (Williams) told me about it,” Jackson said. “It didn’t take me long to come to practice. The day before my first day of school, I came to practice because I was excited to play.”
Jackson said she played flag football until age 13 while living in Citrus County, but she has already established herself as one of Freedom’s leaders.
“She’s just very athletic,” Derflinger said. “She can run, throw deep, throw accurately. So far what I’ve seen, she makes good decisions with the ball too. She can definitely run this offense.”
Jackson led the Patriots to a victory in their season opener against Leto, a 14-0 win. The senior signal caller scored both touchdowns for her new team.
Jackson’s teammate Katie Cerillo, a senior running back and defensive back, has been on the squad for three years. She has seen the sport grow in the area.
“At first it was very small and even now people don’t know about flag football,” Cerillo said. “Definitely within our district, it’s tough and competitive. We’re hoping to come out on top.”
Derflinger agrees.
“It’s a competitive sport,” Derflinger said. “They take it serious. People think of powder-puff football, and this is nothing like that. It’s more competitive than that.”
Freedom next plays at Brandon on Thursday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m.
