by: Graham Lee, John Hart
The Greenbrier Wolfpack flag football team made local sports history on Tuesday by winning the region’s first state championship in the sport, beating two-time defending state champion Lithia Springs 14-6 in the title game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Junior Maggie Pangle became the star of the game, scoring what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter, after leaving the contest in the first quarter due to an ankle injury.
“It means a lot,” Pangle said. “I’ve built so many bonds with these girls, and a lot of them I consider my best friends. So I’m very thankful to have this opportunity just to experience it with them.”
After the 11 a.m. start Greenbrier, competing in Division II, scored first when junior quarterback Kenzie Horton, who threw for 2,406 yards and 42 touchdowns coming into the game, found sophomore Aaliyah Silver for a touchdown to give the Wolfpack a 6-0 lead. It was Silver’s fifteenth touchdown catch of the season.
“I’m feeling really good,” Silver said after the game. “We really played our best, I think we all put effort towards it in the game, and everybody had a part in our win.”
Lithia Springs answered with a score of its own, and the game remained tied into the fourth quarter.
The Wolfpack did just that with just more than four minutes remaining, when Horton found Pangle for the go-ahead touchdown. It was Pangle’s 15th touchdown catch of the year.
Greenbrier recorded a safety on the game’s final play for the 14-6 final. Organizers say this win puts Greenbrier and the rest of Columbia County on the map.
“I’ll tell you our area has made us a better team,” said Wolfpack head coach Daniel Jordan. “Grovetown, Evans, Lakeside, Harlem–they’re all in Columbia County. Four of those teams ranked in the top 10 this year, and we had to play them all three times. So they made us a better team too, and that shows you the quality.”
“It’s just a really good experience for our girls, our school and our county,” said Columbia County Schools Director of Athletics Chris Hughes. “Flag football is really booming. We have some great talent with our girls in our county – all of our schools play really well. We’re just excited about where it’s going and what these girls have accomplished this year.”
Greenbrier finishes the season 19-1, winning its first state championship in flag football.