Willowbrook hosts ceremony to present Flag Football Team with State Championship rings

To view photo captions, click on the images below.

On Feb. 23, Willowbrook hosted a ceremony to present members of the Flag Football Team with their State Championship rings. To watch the presentation, click on the video above. To view photos from the event, see the images below.

During the event, the Lady Warriors were honored and celebrated for their historic season. District 88 Superintendent Dr. Jean Barbanente congratulated the girls for their outstanding inaugural season and for their legacy of being pioneers and expanding athletic and scholarship opportunities for girls/women. Willowbrook Athletic Director Brandon Murphy shared that the team’s success will have a positive impact for years to come and has created a sense of pride at local, state and national levels.

Each girl was then announced by Ed Sullivan (Willowbrook math teacher and Co-Curricular Coordinator) and received her ring. A brief video also was played to showcase highlights from the team’s inaugural season, including:

• The Warriors finished the regular season unbeaten and outscored their opponents 166-0.
  
  
• The Warriors won the Conference Championship on Oct. 21.
  
  
• The Warriors won the inaugural Chicago Bears Girls Flag State Championship on Oct. 29.
  
  
• The Warriors won the regional tournament on Nov. 13 in Ohio.
  
  
• On Dec. 18, the team was recognized for its historic season during the Bears game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
  
  
• The Warriors competed in the NFL FLAG Championships at Pro Bowl on Feb. 3 and 4 in Nevada.
  
  
• Senior Sarah Ball received the following national awards:
• National Football Foundation Chicago Metro Chapter’s Scholar-Athlete Award, which recognizes students for excellence on the football field, in the classroom and in the community
  
  
• Selected to be on the National Football Foundation's annual Team of Distinction
  
  
• #65 Honor Roll winner, which is an award created in conjunction with the Patrick Mannelly Award to honor high school athletes in the Chicago area who exemplify excellence, integrity, effectiveness, teamwork and balance
  
  
• Featured during the NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” show, where she was named as the NFL FLAG Player of the Week for demonstrating proper playing technique
  
  
• Won two competitions during the NFL FLAG Skills Challenge: the 40-yard dash and the vertical jump

To see another video recapping the year, click on the video below (or go to www.dupage88.net/site/page/15392). To view a list of the 2022-23 Willowbrook Flag Football Team members, go to https://tinyurl.com/224yzm5h.