Six Massachusetts teams competing in NFL flag football championships
NEWTON - On the field turf outside of Newton North High School, two flag football teams are going head-to-head. One: an eight and under team made up of nine boys and a girl. The other: six boys. They're sharing practice time before sharing a flight to Florida.
Both teams punched their tickets to Orlando for Pro Bowl weekend. They'll be representing the Patriots (in their respective age range) in the NFL's Flag Football Championships after winning the regional tournament in Taunton last November.
The Newton squads are two of six teams from Massachusetts that earned a spot alongside the top teams from not only around the nation, but from 12 different countries.
That also includes an all-girls 14 and under team from around the North Shore, predominantly Peabody.
"I feel like we'll have a pretty good chance out there because we've been putting in the work," said Phoebe Lafontant. "And I feel like a lot of these teams we've seen at tournaments before."
All of them are trying to bring home a trophy along with rings, and they believe they have what it takes to do so.
"We're a good team," said Jasper Lies, quarterback for the 10-under Newton team. "We think we can compete."
The tournament runs from Thursday until Sunday.