Southeast Bulloch High School’s girls flag football team—the Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets—recently made history by participating in the inaugural Unrivaled Flag High School Girls National Tournament, held at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Village in Canton, Ohio, June 14–15. This landmark event, hosted by Unrivaled Sports, represented the first national championship exclusively for high school girls. The visit not only signaled the team’s transition from regional dominance in Georgia to national spotlight—it marked a turning point for girls flag football nationwide statesboroherald.com+9griceconnect.com+9wjcl.com+9.
Over the past four seasons, the Yellow Jackets were virtually unbeatable in Georgia, compiling an astonishing record of 82–1 and securing four consecutive state titles in Division 1 of the Georgia High School Association wjcl.com. The team, coached by Marci Cochran, cemented its standing as one of the nation’s elite, leveraging community support, intense training, and a commitment to excellence.
Their journey to Canton was the culmination of behind‑the‑scenes preparation, fundraising, and ambition. Earlier this year, SEB launched a campaign with Helpful Tees to raise funds specifically for travel and participation expenses tied to the national tournament griceconnect.com+4griceconnect.com+4statesboroherald.com+4griceconnect.com. That initiative exceeded expectations: the campaign surpassed its $12,000 goal and was bolstered through both grassroots support and partnerships, including backing from the Atlanta Falcons griceconnect.com. As coach Cochran reflected, “I mean, I asked for a little bit of money, and we got a lot of money… They show up for our games, and it’s really good for women’s sports too” statesboroherald.com+2griceconnect.com+2statesboroherald.com+2.
Beyond the financial front, the team’s performance on the field speaks volumes. In early June, Southeast Bulloch claimed the title at the Summer Sizzler tournament in Savannah, a reputable regional competition involving schools from Georgia and the Carolinas. The team showcased depth and adaptability thanks to contributions from younger players such as Camille Johnson and Halle Morton, and standout performances improved in critical areas—defense, flag pulling, and quarterback play by Emma Cate Barron griceconnect.com+3statesboroherald.com+3wjcl.com+3.
Preparation continued with scattered film sessions, run-throughs of new offensive packages, and improving depth across all positions. Nearly every practice concluded with breaking down game film: “If we’re not practicing, I promise you we’re watching film,” explained edge rusher Kristiana Tisby nflflag.com+7wjcl.com+7statesboroherald.com+7.
When the team arrived in Canton on June 14, anticipation electrified the roster. The two‑day tournament featured eight elite high school girl teams from across the country—including squads from Nevada, New York, Florida, and others griceconnect.com+2wjcl.com+2statesboroherald.com+2. These teams competed in both 5‑on‑5 and 7‑on‑7 formats on ForeverLawn fields. Host Unrivaled Sports triggered high stakes: besides national bragging rights, the top two teams in each division earned bids to the 2026 Youth World Championships statesboroherald.com+3griceconnect.com+3wjcl.com+3.
Southeast Bulloch was part of the 7‑on‑7 Invitational Division. The trot began with round‑robin pool play on Saturday, followed by bracketed championship rounds on Sunday griceconnect.com+4wjcl.com+4youtube.com+4. Player amenities included Under Armour uniforms and gear, stylish goodie bags, and participation in career‑oriented panels with members of the men’s national flag football team—a chance to gain insights into training, mental approach, and the future of the sport statesboroherald.com.
The event drew college scouts and national media, offering athletes a potential pathway to higher-level opportunities wjcl.com. For most SEB players, it was their first time traveling by plane and visiting Canton—marrying athletic ambition with cultural enrichment. Coach Cochran believed the experience served as “as good a culture thing for our kids as anything else” youtube.com+6statesboroherald.com+6griceconnect.com+6. The team visited the Hall of Fame, attended panels, and visited exhibits centered on women in football—a rare celebration of their accomplishments statesboroherald.com+1wfaprofootball.com+1.
Despite the excitement, the competition was fierce. SEB finished with a 1–3 record over the weekend facebook.com+2statesboroherald.com+2m.facebook.com+2. More impressively, the team placed fourth in the tournament—significant at the national stage . While the outcome fell short of ideal, Coach Cochran remained positive, underlining that this tournament was more than wins and losses. It was an opportunity to measure against the nation’s best, to learn, and to improve.
“We played against some of the best teams in the country,” Cochran said. “We have about 1,100 students at our school and most of these teams come from schools with closer to 4,000 kids. I think we held our own… It wasn’t just about the score of the game, as we really learned so much while we were there” statesboroherald.com. Ahead of the next season, the coaching staff plans to harness game footage from the tournament—filming specific offensive and defensive strategies demonstrated by other teams—as a blueprint for incorporating new “packages” into SEB’s playbook .
Players articulated a mixture of pride, perspective, and hunger. Senior DB Kelsey Johnson emphasized how the team’s defensive prowess has served as a foundation, though improvements on offense have elevated them further wjcl.com. Quarterback Barron, reflecting on their pre‑tournament Sizzler win, affirmed: “We just want to go up to Ohio and win it all… We’re just ready to go and play” wjcl.com+1statesboroherald.com+1.
Community figures also weighed in. Bulloch County Commission Chair David Bennett, among others, issued proclamations praising the team’s back‑to‑back‑to‑back‑to‑back state titles and fundraising success griceconnect.com+1statesboroherald.com+1. The Atlanta Falcons offered assistance to elevate women’s sports locally—a partnership echoed by holding panels and recognition for the athletes griceconnect.com.
In addition to the girls team’s achievements, SEB has had outstanding representation on national platforms. Two of the program’s standout players, Jaci Kitchings and Jaydyn Williams, earned invitations to feature at the Pro Bowl’s flag football showcase in Orlando earlier this year. Their performance was spectacular: USA‑roster victory 28–0, two touchdowns by Kitchings, and a congratulatory visit from NFL stars Justin Jefferson and Bijan Robinson griceconnect.com+1griceconnect.com+1. Their success reflects on the program and raises its broader profile, creating inspiration for future athletes.
Canton’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Village provided a fitting stage. Located on 2333 17th St NW, the site includes ForeverLawn fields, a Hall of Fame museum, and Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium—a venue with a legacy of national and international football events, including hosting the IFAF World Junior Championship in 2009, and serving as the site for the NFL Flag Championships and the Women’s Football Alliance national finals en.wikipedia.org+3visitcanton.com+3nflflag.com+3. Within this football mecca, high‑school girls’ flag football attained a milestone.
The tournament weekend wasn’t just competitive—it was also celebratory. Players participated in experiential events ranging from youth clinics to strategic panels hosted by Pro League and national‑team flag football figures. SEB’s coach said players came away energized and reminded that beyond points and placements, this competition represents a larger vision for the sport and its future nfl.com+8statesboroherald.com+8griceconnect.com+8.
What came out of Canton was a mix of pride and resolve. Finishing fourth in the nation is no small feat, particularly for a school with an enrollment of about 1,100—competing against roster‑rich schools with four times that number griceconnect.com+4statesboroherald.com+4facebook.com+4. The tally: 1‑3 record, tremendous growth, national respect, and a network of connections.
Looking forward, Southeast Bulloch has already targeted its next stage: competing in the Jacksonville Jaguars Nike Girls Flag summer tournament this coming June 28 in Florida wjcl.com+5statesboroherald.com+5griceconnect.com+5. Their summer schedule reflects ambition, training continuity, and a pathway for returning athletes as well as newcomers.
On the horizon for spring 2026 is the prestigious prize of the Youth World Championships—an international event for junior flag football teams wjcl.com. Southeast Bulloch’s seeds of growth, national experience, and unwavering work ethic—with the foundation of youth‑funding campaigns, mentorship from NFL‑supported programs, and structured film‑based learning—position the team well for that international future.
The Canton tournament stands as a defining chapter in Southeast Bulloch’s flag football narrative. For Coach Cochran and her players, Canton was more than a competition—it became a stepping‑stone: to national relevance, to international aspirations, to affirming their identity as one of the nation’s top high‑school programs for girls flag football. The lessons learned on and off the field will chart their course toward continued dominance—on regional, national, and potentially global levels.
In the broader landscape of girls athletics, SEB’s journey amplifies the fast momentum of flag football. With national tournaments at Canton and Pro Bowl showcases, future pipeline structures, and increased visibility, girls flag football is transforming from grassroots to high‑performance. Southeast Bulloch’s program exemplifies that transformation: a community‑driven engine, committed coaching, scholastic-minded athletes, and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence.
The Yellow Jackets have left their mark on Canton. They’ve returned home not just with memories, but with a sharpened blueprint: film study, offensive innovations, national level exposure, and readiness for future challenges. And while Canton provided a culminating moment for the 2024‑25 season, it also serves as a launchpad: sporting new standards, new goals, and a new belief in what’s possible.
For Southeast Bulloch, flag football is more than a sport; it is a catalyst for student growth, for female athletic empowerment, and for community pride. As the Yellow Jackets rightly pursue more victories, the journey ahead will be built on the lessons of Canton: readiness, adaptation, perseverance—and the pursuit of national greatness.
