Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

A banner season for flag football

Flag football 4

Heather Cory

From left to right, members of a WASUP youth flag football team, Alex Chumas, 11, Bruce Munger, 12, and Zack Huwitt, 10, jump for the ball during practice at Silvestri Middle School Park on Nov. 11. Their team is one of two WASUP flag football teams that are advancing to the NFL flag football championships in Florida on Saturday.

Youth flag football preps for national tournament

RaeAnn Brems, 12, passes a football to a teammate while running through a drill during WASUP youth flag football practice on Nov. 11 at Silvestri Middle School Park. Brems's team is one of two WASUP youth flag football teams to advance to the NFL flag football championships in Florida on Saturday. Launch slideshow »

With only two weeks to prepare for its first flag football tournament, the Western Athletic Sports Unified Program's 14-and-under girls team had little time to prepare.

The Chargers, an eight-girl team, were thrown together quickly to compete in the NFL Flag Football western regionals on Nov. 2 in San Diego, meaning play-calling was kept simple by coach Joyce Cheverino.

The girls made up for it with their defense, which did not allow a point in three games to cruise to a win.

"Our girls have the ability to want to learn the game, and that is so important," Cheverino said. "They take in every aspect of the game."

The regional win earned the girls a slot in the NFL Flag National Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Fla., on Nov. 22. The girls will be joined by the program's 11-and-under boys team, which went 6-0 at the regionals to qualify.

While the girls stormed through its brackets with defense, the boys were led by a high-powered offense and Thurman White Middle School sixth grader quarterback Tyler Fitterer.

"We know we have the potential to win in Orlando, but we don't know all the teams that will be down there," Fitterer said. "We're just going to try to do our best."

The program, headed by Bill Cheverino and based in Green Valley and Silverado Ranch, is no stranger to success on the national stage. Last year, the 14-and-under boys won the championship in their division and went on to be recognized at an NFL playoff game.

The tournament will feature the top teams across the nation, each of which will represent an NFL team. Games are five-on-five on a 50-yard field and have a heavy emphasis on passing.

Joyce Cheverino, Bill's wife, has coached two girls national champion teams, and was able to have success with the girls team. They have a knack for communicating well on the field, despite the short time they have been playing together, the coach said.

"After about three practices we started gelling and getting everything together," said receiver Breanna Haggerty, a seventh grader at Jack & Terry Mannion Middle School. "Our speed and the way we communicate on offense and defense makes us stand out."

The boys team, which mostly features nine locals, hails from coach Pat Amato's fall league 9-1 championship team. Its only loss was a forfeit while competing at regionals.

Bill Cheverino, who has seen four national champion teams since his program began five years ago, said a lot of luck factors into winning in Orlando.

"It's not always about the most talented team," he said. "We're proud of their accomplishments already."

Sean Ammerman can be reached at 990-2661 or [email protected].

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