Millennium flag football takes on Arizona's 6A challenge

By Richard Smith
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It took a couple weeks to adjust, since nearly every game was now a "big" game.

The first two season of Millennium flag football built to a crescendo when the Tigers would face off with district rival Canyon View. Entering this season, the team moved from 5A to 6A and quickly realized it needed to bring its "A" game every game.

After beating Gilbert Williams Field 28-0 in its opener, 2023 6A semifinalist Mesa Red Mountain (15-0) and quarterfinalist Gilbert Highland (10-7) provided reality checks. Millennium bounced back Oct. 3, scoring twice early in the fourth quarter to knock off 6A runner up Mountain Ridge 23-17 at home.

"A lot of these teams are disciplined. They're faster girls and I told our girls. I kept warning them, 'This is not 5A anymore. We're playing with the big dogs now,'" Millennium coach Jermaine Austin said after the Mountain Ridge game. "Our girls locked in in the second half, but we can't do that. This is not 5A no more and you just can't lollygag. Almost all the teams we play are in the top 10."

To beat the Mountain Lions, Milennium's quarterback locked in on what her opposite number was doing. Senior Breana Saunders ended up serving as a spy on Mountain Ridge junior quarterback Cameron Mailloux.

Austin said the Tigers changed defense in the second half, after often rushing past the elusive Mailloux. Millennium decided to drop back in coverage in the second half.

Saunders began the fourth quarter picking off Mailloux on a throw across the middle and returning it 37 yards for a touchdown. After a successful extra point, the game was tied at 15.

Less than a minute later Saunders did it again, this time scoring on an interception return from 40 yards out.

"I realized they couldn't really throw the ball deep, so I just covered the middle. Their QB ran a lot and she was quick," Saunders said.

One of the few times Mountain Ridge (4-1) threw deep, the Tigers were caught napping.

On the last play of the half, Mailloux hit sophomore Emma Langer in stride and she completed the 65-yad touchdown as time ran out in the first half. The Mountain Lions led 14-10.

"It really woke us up. The one thing I do love about the girls is their head was not down. Earlier when we played against Red Mountain, after a couple of touchdowns, the head went down. We don't need any more of that," Austin said. "They started communicating more and they've started to gel more."

Saunders said the team realizes they are playimg opponents with higher levels of football IQ, and that is sharpening the Tigers mentally as the season goes on.

Veterans like senior Andrea Carmona, senior Hailey Buis junior Jaiya Davis and junior Mackenzie Rubel are back. Saunders said this year's team has better blockers and quicker slots receivers.

"It's definitely more competition and better competition. Tonight was a good way to bounce back from the losses we had earlier in the season," Saunders said.

A handful of new faces are helping.

Freshman Tatiana Melvin is the tallest girl on the team and is improving rapidly, Austin said. Junior Akyra Dale also is playing more, as is junior Jakayla Rosetta - now starting at cornerback.

"These girls I named have never really watched football. So coaches, when we have extra time, we're sitting down and watching film we recorded from our practices," Austin said. "Those three have shown the most improvement."

Saunders said she is looking forward to playing at undefeated Marana on Oct. 28. Austin is more focused on tonight's home game with Mesa Desert Ridge.

Millennium is 2-2 in the regular season, but is gaining momentum at 7-2 overall after going 5-0 in the Make our Mark Flag Football Invitational.

"Once they're up in the clouds, there's no stopping them," Austin said.

Richard Smith
Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps

rsmith@iniusa.org

Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.

An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.

For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.

As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.