Sitting pretty at 6-0 and winning by an average of 37.2 points per game, Niceville flag football looks poised for another playoff berth.
- The Lady Eagles’ past two victories proved they are for real. They blew out both Gulf Breeze and Lincoln — both of whom look like playoff teams early on — and the win over Lincoln was Niceville’s fifth shutout in six games.
Head Coach Adron Robinson attributes the dominant start to the Lady Eagles buying in all the way back in the summer.
“I think it goes back to the summer and the fall,” Robinson said. “All summer, we ran and we conditioned. We don’t get tired on the field, and we play hard.”
Leading the way is quarterback Peyton Carter, who is coming into her own this season. Carter already has 30 touchdowns on the year, and Robinson has been impressed with how she’s grown as a leader.
- “She’s stepped into a leadership role,” Robinson said. “She’s a leader and they follow her, and it’s working out for us.”
Carter has a talented core of skill players around her. Multisport star Layla Hughes has racked up 307 yards and five touchdowns so far, while Avery Cowles and Kate Robinson each have six touchdowns. Eden Shaw and Reagan Sutter have also put up solid numbers this season.
Freshman Jori Brechler has made an early impact as well, already tallying five rushing touchdowns.
“Her toughness and wanting to fit in, but she wants to win just as much as anyone on this team,” Robinson said.
The defense has been just as dominant as the offense. The unit is anchored by Carly King, who has six interceptions and three sacks on the season. Gabby Valdez also has three sacks, and Kaitlyn McCormack and Katherine Newkirk have been forces on that side of the ball as well.
The Lady Eagles’ defense hasn’t given up a single point this year. Gulf Breeze’s only points came off a pick-six.
Robinson said he’s been most impressed by his team’s grit and chemistry.
- “Everybody’s hungry,” Robinson said. “Everybody’s playing as a team.”
Still, Robinson sees room for improvement in the details, particularly extra points.
“We have to get better at extra points, and we’re going to spend some time over spring break working on that,” Robinson said.
While the Lady Eagles have been dominant through six games, the next stretch of the season will be a true measuring stick. Niceville faces Choctaw, Pace, Crestview and Chiles in four consecutive games.
But even with that gauntlet ahead, one thing is clear: Niceville flag football looks like a playoff threat once again.
