Sports

Destin flag football’s historic season ends in Elite Eight at Bolles

The Lady Sharks fell 40-13 to Bolles in Jacksonville on Thursday night, capping a season that produced the first two playoff wins in Destin High School history.

Travis Espy

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The Lady Sharks’ Cinderella season has come to an end.

The Destin flag football team fell 40-13 to a strong Bolles squad on Thursday night in the Elite Eight of the FHSAA 1A Girls Flag Football State Championship Tournament.

Bolles jumped out to a 21-6 lead at halftime and never looked back. The Lady Bulldogs’ offense, led by quarterback Kayla Bliss, found consistent success against the Destin defense, while Bolles’ defense did something few opponents have managed in recent weeks: prevent Lady Sharks quarterback Neilya Stewart from taking over the game.

By the fourth quarter, Bolles had cruised into the Final Four.

Bolles will likely face Somerset Academy, which defeated John Carroll Catholic 20-0 on Thursday night, in the Final Four in Tampa next weekend.

For Destin, the loss closes the book on a season that rewrote the school’s record book. The Lady Sharks captured the first two playoff wins — and the deepest postseason run — in Destin High School history.

The program will say goodbye to five seniors: Evie Gherdovich, Bailey Gaffney, Mia Castadaneda, Elena Martin and Sara Oakes.

But the foundation remains. Stewart, Kaylee Kaiser and Andrea Barcelos headline a returning core that will look to build on the standard set this season.

PROMOTION

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