NJ high school girls flag football returns in 2025 with 27 new teams

The flag football season loosely follows the standard spring schedule in New Jersey with Week 1 of the regular season starting March 31. Super Football Conference teams will play six regular season games with the playoffs starting by May 15.The New York Jets announced the layout and schedule for the 2025 girls flag football season in New Jersey on Wednesday.

When does the season start?

Flag football is entering its second year as a ‘pilot’ program, under the guidance of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.Once approved, the NJSIAA would be able to create an official state tournament starting in 2027 and would classify the sport as strenuous, meaning girls could not play flag and another sport in the spring.Those games will be held June 7 at Clifton. The state final will be hosted by the Jets on June 14.Flag Football Media Day, hosted by the Jets, will be Feb. 24.Who’s new?There are 27 new teams from schools associated with the Super Football Conference, Big Central Conference and NJIC.Super Football Conference (13): American History, Barringer, Bayonne, Belleville, Columbia, Dover, Fair Lawn, Hoboken, Memorial, Collegiate, Paramus Catholic, Pope John, Wallkill ValleyBig Central Conference (9): Clark, Colonia, JP Stevens, Linden, Manville, North Brunswick, Ridge, Roselle Catholic and Watchung HillsNJIC (5): Elmwood Park, Immaculate Conception, Leonia, Paterson Charter, Ridgefield.“We got a list of 30 girls who wanted to play,” Paramus Catholic athletic director Jimmy Cavallo said. “It should be a fun situation.”Cavallo said the Paladins flag program will be guided by former teacher Vaughn Dudley, along with some of the current football coaches.More:Girls flag football division alignments for SFC and NJIC

Who can play?

The state semifinals will feature champions from the SFC North and SFC South divisions, along with the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference and Big Central Conference champions.The NJSIAA expects a proposal to officially sanction flag football to be made this year, with approval pending a vote in the spring of 2026.

The first two years, it was a club sport. Now it is considered a ‘non-strenuous’ sport, meaning girls can participate in flag football and a traditional spring sport like softball, lacrosse or track at the same time.The first champs were Passaic Tech in 2021, and Irvington in 2022.Here’s everything you need to know:

Who is the defending champion?

Typically, girls flag football programs practice before school to allow players to play two sports.Ridgewood defeated Wayne Valley, 26-0, in the 2024 North Jersey state championship game. The Maroons have won back-to-back titles, becoming the first program to repeat as champions.