Morgan Walsh hauled in a 24-yard pass play on a fly route on fourth-and-long Monday night during Monday’s Class 2A, District 11 quarterfinal flag football game.
The play would lead to the first touchdown of the game for George Jenkins in an 18-0 victory over Winter Haven. Walsh, the Eagles’ leading receiver, racked up five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
It’s the latest successful game for the junior, a natural continuation of developments after George Jenkins implemented its program a year ago and the Eagles finished with a 6-3 record.
For Walsh and the program, it was all about carrying on the momentum into 2024.
“Whenever we started this season, I feel like the team in general and myself felt like we had a better chance this year and this obviously has been proven with our record,” Walsh said.
George Jenkins is 11-4 so far and Walsh has caught 64 balls for 1,005 yards and 16 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Jennyliz Paris, put up 2,127 yards passing and 21 touchdowns despite an injured knee, while senior running back Maya Williams has 28 carries for 262 yards and senior Alivia Conticello has a team-high 111 tackles.
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This team’s camaraderie is what Walsh has been dreaming about since she was a little kid, watching her brothers play flag football at St. Paul Lutheran Church & School.
“When I saw them play (and) they did a crazy play, or a long throw and touchdown, it made me want to be out there and play, but obviously I never got that chance at St. Paul,” Walsh said.
Walsh is a part of a family of folks who loves football. Not only did her brother play flag football, but her father also played football at schools in his hometown of Chicago.
As a family they watched the Florida Gators, so as she grew up into high school, her love for the game ballooned while competing in track, soccer, and basketball. Walsh was also a basketball player at George Jenkins her freshman and sophomore years, and this past year she was on the soccer team at Jenkins.
While she loved playing these sports, Walsh’s opportunity finally came to fruition, as George Jenkins offered flag football her sophomore year, and of course, she attended the first interest meeting. Her emails to the athletic director asking when there would be flag football were answered.
Now Walsh has worked hard enough to become one of the best players in the county; she can be found working arduously with her father on cone and latter drills, while also participating in route running.
It’s early. But Walsh has thought about playing flag football on the next level. For now, she will continue her working relationship with her peers at George Jenkins.
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