A first-year program reaching a state championship game is no small feat, and Memorial's flag football team gave themselves every reason to believe. After navigating a strong run through the Houston Texans bracket — capped by a 19-6 win over Eastwood — the Mustangs found themselves one game away from a state title, facing Rockwall Heath.
Brooklyn McGill was the engine of Memorial's offense all day. Against Eastwood, she opened the scoring with an inside handoff to the end zone, added a short pass reception from Angelina Rao that she turned into a touchdown by eluding multiple defenders, and capped the win with a screen pass that went the distance — shorts and all. Ellie Listongard also made a key contribution, picking off an Eastwood pass in the end zone to preserve the lead after the game was tied at six in the second half. Final: Memorial 19, Eastwood 6, claiming the Houston Texans bracket title.
The state championship against Rockwall Heath started promisingly. Nan Carillo hauled in a juggling five-yard touchdown catch to give Memorial an early 6-0 lead. But the Hawks responded in the second half, with Hailey Harper connecting with Carlisle on a 14-yard hook-up to take a 13-6 lead. With the clock running and Memorial forced to push the pace, Leah Wilson returned an interception for a pick-six, and Rockwall Heath added another to close it out, 25-6.
Despite the loss, the Mustangs' first season left a clear impression. "We only thought they would make it to the bubble and they're like, let's keep pushing," one player said after the game. "We beat every single goal that we made for ourselves." For a program just finding its footing, reaching the state championship game is a foundation worth building on.
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