Suburban girls high school flag football team becomes first-ever Illinois state champions in sport

PALATINE, Ill. (WLS) -- A suburban high school girls flag football team has become the first-ever Illinois state champions in that sport.

On Monday, the William Fremd High School students were celebrating with their families.

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The Palatine school packed its gymnasium in support of a new chapter of girls sports.

On Saturday, the Vikings won Illinois' first ever "fully sanctioned" flag football state championship.

They will forever be remembered as champions and trailblazers.

Each athlete was recognized one by one in front of their peers Monday, with Queen's power ballad "We are the Champions" playing in the background.

"Coming out of the tunnel was really fun. I didn't even think there was going to be a tunnel. I just love having such a supportive community at school, like, everyone's cheering, like, it's just such a big deal," freshman Asya Poyraz said.

"Our motto at Fremd is 'leave a legacy,' and that we actually did is crazy," junior quarterback Lily Mayer said.

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The impact of their accomplishment is just starting to sink in for a team that only held its first organized practice on Aug. 17.

"Literally two months ago: That was the first time I saw all these girls throw a football, catch a football," coach Becca O'Dette said.

But, you wouldn't know it watching the group play. On Saturday, with history on the line, the girls rose to the occasion, beating Rockford Guilford 24-12.

"On the Friday of leading up to the game, we had a team meeting. We talked about how historic this moment could be, and they really proved to us that anything is possible," Fremd athletic director Hamid Mehreioskouei said.

The next night, the team pulled back into the school with an arrival fit for champs, thanks to an escort from Palatine police.

The team is serving as inspiration to a new generation of girls with their sights set on football.

"I'm so happy that we were able to make a statement for all the other women that are coming to Fremd to, that they can see this, and be 'oh, I should do that, too,'" Poyraz said.

"If only it started sooner because it's so fun to play, and, like, I think it's pretty interesting to watch. So, I think it could become something cool," Mayer said.

Now, Fremd High School will have to make room for an entirely new state championship banner. The AD said the girls state title will be front and center, right next to boys football.