W. John Wood Four years back, the Jefferson County Lady Warriors flag football team embarked on its first season with an 0-9 record, finally claiming their initial victory during the tournament to conclude at 1-9. Fast forward to 2024, and Lady Warriors head coach Tim Fiocchi has led his squad to an impressive 13-1 finish, […]
W. John Wood
Four years back, the Jefferson County Lady Warriors flag football team embarked on its first season with an 0-9 record, finally claiming their initial victory during the tournament to conclude at 1-9. Fast forward to 2024, and Lady Warriors head coach Tim Fiocchi has led his squad to an impressive 13-1 finish, securing the Division II Area II Flag Football Championship.
“I take great pride in the dedication these girls have shown and the effort they’ve invested,” Fiocchi remarked. “At the beginning of the program, we struggled with numbers, but now we consistently have 14 to 15 players actively participating and truly putting in significant effort during practices.”
The Lady Warriors initiated voluntary summer workouts, resulting in a noticeable boost in their preseason practice commitment.
“As we began preseason practice, around 50 girls signed up to participate, with about 30 showing up for tryouts, leading us to maintain a roster of approximately 16 players,” Fiocchi explained.
According to flag football regulations, a team can field seven players, so having a total of 16 players provided the Lady Warriors with valuable depth.
There is a longstanding saying in sports that offense wins games, while defense secures championships, a sentiment that Fiocchi wholeheartedly supports.
“Our defense has been the foundation of our team this season, and the momentum generated by our defense has enabled us to create offensive opportunities throughout the year,” Fiocchi stated.
Jefferson County has achieved nine shutouts against their opponents this season.
“Defensively, we’ve excelled at halting the run. Senior Tamya Curry and sophomore Destiny Jordan are leading the team in flag pulls this year,” Fiocchi mentioned.
In addition to shutting down the run, the Lady Warriors have proven to be skilled in pass defense as well. Junior Jaelissa Reeves has tallied eight interceptions, while senior Sha’Niah Pitts has made six interceptions this season.
On the offensive front, senior quarterback Faith Grady has delivered 21 touchdown passes, and Reeves has scored 14 touchdowns, including 12 rushing touchdowns and two interception returns for touchdowns. Junior receiver Shanterria Anderson has achieved 11 receiving touchdowns, supported by junior Ella Brown who has recorded 6 receiving touchdowns.
The special teams unit has also shone, with sophomore Allie Fiocchi leading the area in punting average at 36.7 yards.
“Having finished first in the area, we are set to host the first two rounds of the Division II tournament for our bracket. We will compete against Walnut Grove at Warrior Stadium on Thursday, Dec. 5, with the exact time to be announced,” Fiocchi stated.
