Khamauri “KK” Hardy had never played a snap of flag football when she walked into Choctawhatchee High School as a freshman.

• She came from Freeport Middle School, which didn’t have a flag football program at the time. She was a track athlete. Flag football wasn’t on her radar.

“It was a little scary,” Hardy said. “I’d never played flag before, but the seniors and juniors that were there at the time really helped me.”

It didn’t take long for the coaching staff to notice. Hardy started on JV for a few games before Head Coach Jim Bay made the call to bring her up to varsity.

“I was focused on varsity but I’m hearing KK’s name and good and fast she is,” Bay said. “I had a chance to watch her play where she ran a punt return back, caught an interception, scored a defensive touchdown and then scored another touchdown on offense. It was kind of a no-brainer.”

Hardy earned honorable mention all-state honors that freshman year. By her sophomore season, she was first or second team all-state as the Indians reached the state championship game. She and quarterback Diaris Morales were the only two freshmen on that original varsity roster, and four years later, they’re still connected.

• “If you don’t have the chemistry or the trust between a quarterback and a wide receiver, it’s really hard,” Hardy said. “She might not trust you to throw it to you. It’s definitely really important that we have that chemistry, and I have that with Dee.”

That chemistry showed up when it mattered most last week.

Choctaw played three games in three days, starting with a rematch against Niceville on April 9. The Eagles had beaten the Indians 20-12 in March. In a tie game with time running out, Bay called a play designed to get Hardy the ball. Morales scrambled, found Hardy open and delivered the throw.

“When Dee threw it, it was scary,” Hardy said. “Honestly, I did not think I was going to get the ball. But as soon as I saw it, I knew I needed to catch it. I was going to catch it.”

She did and split two defenders and dove into the end zone for the go-ahead score in an 18-12 victory.

• “She would’ve ran through a brick wall to get that touchdown,” Bay said. “Her playmaking and her awareness of knowing where she was on the field and where she had to get to score — that’s what sets her apart.”

The Indians followed up with a 30-6 win at Chiles on Friday and a 26-24 road win at Lincoln on Saturday. Bay said Hardy made diving flag pulls on defense, electric catches and a sharp cutback run against Lincoln throughout the stretch.

Bay calls Hardy the team’s “Swiss Army knife.” She plays wide receiver on offense and moves between safety, corner and linebacker on defense. She’s the fastest player on the roster, and with a young team built around mostly sophomores, her speed and experience have given the Indians a boost they needed down the stretch.

Off the field, Hardy spent time this past fall helping Bay coach a 10U girls rec flag football team through the City of Fort Walton Beach’s recreation program.

• “The girls were amazing,” Hardy said. “Helping them learn flag, having them ask questions — it reminded me of how I was my freshman year. They were eager to learn and to play.”

Bay said that willingness to give back is part of who Hardy is.

“She really took that to heart and was a coach for the 10U team,” Bay said. “The girls love her. She really understands the game and understands that we have to pay it forward and keep growing the sport.”

Hardy said science has been her favorite subject at Choctaw, particularly anatomy, biology and chemistry. She credited her teachers for making those classes enjoyable.

Her biggest influence has been her mom.

“If it honestly wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t play all the sports I have played,” Hardy said. “She has pushed me in so many ways to be better, to trust myself, and to make sure that I’m putting myself in the position I need to be in.”

Hardy signed with Daytona State College in November, where she’ll play flag football and pursue a nursing degree. After visiting the campus and meeting the coaching staff, the fit was clear.

• “The coach liked me,” Hardy said. “Some of the girls that I met were really nice and we just decided that was the best option.”

With the regular season winding down and playoffs ahead, the Indians are the No. 1 seed in their district and hoping to make another run at a state championship. Hardy said the team is locked in.

“We’re putting everything together now,” Hardy said. “Everyone’s energy is really high.”

If a younger player at Choctaw asked her what it takes to compete at this level, Hardy said the answer is simple.

• “It takes confidence,” she said. “You’re going to make mistakes. You just need to shake it off and keep going. You have to believe in yourself, and if you believe in yourself, many things will come.”

Bay said watching Hardy go from a freshman who had never played the sport to a college signee is the kind of thing that makes coaching worth it.

“That’s the ultimate reward for a coach — seeing their players thrive on and off the field,” Bay said. “If I had to take that over a championship ring, I definitely would rather see my kids thrive and be successful. She’s got a plan in life. She’s going to be one of the ones that does it.”