UNION, NJ — In a town where lacrosse rules during the spring, another sport is coming on.
Girls flag football is here to stay in Summit.
Seniors Audrey Pisarra and Rebecca Harris are two of the pioneers.
They, along with Summit Coach Frank Harpster, represented the Hilltoppers in the annual NJ Jersey Girls Flag Football All-Star Game at Kean University’s Alumni Stadium in Union on Sunday, June 8.
This was the second year Summit had girls flag football. There was a junior varsity and varsity schedule this spring.
Pisarra, who donned No. 10 for the South All-Stars, and Harris, No. 9, and who also served as a South team captain, saw the new sport as an opportunity to be a part of something fresh and exciting.
Pisarra, who will attend Auburn University and major in psychology, played tennis year-round before putting the flags on.
“I was looking to be on a team again,” Pisarra said. “I thought it would be a cool opportunity. It’s been a good time. My tennis partner, Callie Shroff, got it started at Summit.”
Shroff, also a senior Summit, played last year and this year, in the same manner as Pisarra and Harris.
“To play in this all-star game was a lot of fun, a good challenge,” said Harris, who used to play softball and who will attend the University of Chicago.
“Team work and trusting your teammates, you need that and those are some of the things we’ve learned so far with flag football,” Pisarra said.
Harpster, a history teacher at Summit now for four years, is also an assistant varsity and junior varsity football coach at Summit.
“This was totally new to us and coach taught us to have fun with it,” Pisarra said.
“The first year we made sure the kids had an understanding of the sport,” said Harpster, who reported that there were some 30-35 girls that participated. “The second year, this year, was to make an attempt to do more. The kids are very coachable.”
The final score of Sunday’s second North vs. South All-Star Flag Football game at Kean was the North winning 6-0. That was the total opposite, from a scoring aspect, of the first game last year when the North won, 37-12.
Harris, Summit’s quarterback, and Pisarra, an outside linebacker, produced some impressive numbers under the leadership of Harpster.
“Harris had more than 2,500 yards as our quarterback and Pisarra made 102 tackles at outside linebacker,” Harpster said. “They’re both great kids and each showed great leadership ability. It was amazing to have them here at this all-star game.”
Harpster also said a rec program has been started in town.
“We’re doing great and the girls love it,” Harpster said.
Pisarra and Harris were two of eight girls from Union County high schools who played for the South squad. The others were Jasmin McKay of Roselle Catholic High School, No. 1; Amiyah Louis Jiles of Union High School, No. 13; Sanaii Mayers of Elizabeth High School, No. 15; Sache Lashley of Elizabeth High School, No. 21; Amira McNeill of Linden High School, No. 25; and Priscilla Dayon of Westfield High School, No. 29.
“This is a sport continuing to grow,” said Linden coach Al Chiola, who just stepped down as the head football coach at Linden. Chiola coached football at Linden for 18 years, including being the head coach since 2015.
“There are varsity teams now at many nearby schools,” Chiola said. “The plan is for it to be a fully-sanctioned varsity sport by the NJSIAA for the spring of 2027.”
Phil Simms enjoyed the halftime exhibition so much two years ago at the North-South Football Game that he thought it would be a good idea to have a girls all-star flag football game right before the boys’ North-South contest.
Simms was on hand for Sunday’s coin toss for the girls flag football game, wishing all the players good luck. There was also a nice-sized crowd in attendance to watch and cheer for the girls.
Photos by JR Parachini