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Perfect Season, First Crown: Warner Tops Keiser 13-6 for the NAIA Flag Football Invitational Title

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Warner's Maggie Lauber in action during the Royals' championship run at IMG Academy.

Warner University finished the job on a perfect season Saturday at IMG Academy, beating Keiser 13-6 to win the inaugural NAIA Flag Football Invitational championship — the first national crown in program history.

The Royals (24-0) leaned on the defense that carried them all spring to close out a wire-to-wire unbeaten season in Bradenton, Florida. Keiser, which had fought through the losers bracket — including a 47-28 win over Kansas Wesleyan in the bracket final — could manage only one score against Warner’s defense.

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The title caps a breakthrough spring for the young sport at the NAIA level: the Invitational drew the nation’s top programs to IMG Academy, and Warner leaves as the last team standing.

The championship is also a signpost. In June, the NAIA voted to elevate women’s flag football to a full championship sport, meaning next spring’s tournament will crown an official national champion — and Warner will be the team everyone is chasing.

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Alabama Runs Deep: Undefeated Moody, Central and Montgomery Catholic All Sit in the National Top 15

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Moody quarterback Serenity Rutledge (0) runs against Montgomery Catholic during the AHSAA state championship game at Protective Stadium.

If you want to find the center of the high school flag football universe, check Alabama. Three Alabama programs sit in the USA TODAY Super 25 national rankings — and the state’s No. 2 team hasn’t lost in 30 games.

Moody (17-0) is the streak story of the fall. The defending AHSAA Class 1A-5A champions picked up their 30th consecutive win this week, are ranked No. 7 in the Super 25 and No. 8 in the MaxPreps national rankings, and recently outscored three opponents 146-0 in a single week. Sophomore Sophie White put up 472 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns in one doubleheader. The Blue Devils’ title DNA is real: last December at Protective Stadium, quarterback Serenity Rutledge threw three touchdown passes — to Zoey Terry, White and Kennedy Hockman — and Cheyenne Moore returned an interception 48 yards for a score in a 27-18 final win over Montgomery Catholic.

Central of Phenix City (11-2) is Alabama’s No. 1 and the nation’s No. 5, powered by Savannah Sevier, who recently stacked 301 yards, four touchdowns, six flag pulls and four pass breakups in a single week. Montgomery Catholic (12-1), ranked No. 15 nationally, is right back in the hunt behind senior Hayden Fitts, who ran for three touchdowns and threw for another against Spain Park.

With Spain Park, Vestavia Hills, Boaz and Brewbaker Tech also ranked in the state Super 10, Alabama’s playoffs this winter might be the toughest tournament in the country.

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