In the first official year of Mamaroneck High School flag football, the Tigers have already conquered Section One and reached the mountaintop. Led by a group of seniors with endless grit and tenacity, Mamaroneck defeated rival and reigning state champion Scarsdale.
Entering the 2026 season, fans and students had high hopes for the Tigers. The idea of Flag Football at MHS was still fresh, but a strong coaching staff and many returning players set the stage for a deep playoff run. The Tigers went on to exceed all expectations by defeating Scarsdale 13-7 in the deciding game.
However, that is not to say that the path was easy. In fact, it was far from that. Coach Anthony Vitti said the team often found itself “wound up being within our own minds. Earlier in the year, we found ourselves mired in mediocrity. At 2-3-1, we were looking at the challenge of climbing out of a hole, with a daunting schedule ahead.” Many teams would have quit right there and chalked up the unsuccessful season to the program’s inexperience and the stiff competition.
Of course, that is not the style of the class of 2026. As they have done time and time again, their leadership allowed the team to reset, refocus, and find a second gear. Senior Captain and Section One Defensive Player of the Year Sarah Sherman understands that this section victory is indicative of the work that the Tigers have put in as much as it is the talent that Mamaroneck possesses. Sherman emphasized that senior leaders “tried to lead by example, through hard work and energy.” This leadership strategy was successful and fostered a community where players won for each other as much as for themselves.
After overcoming their early 2-3-1 losing streak, the Tigers got hot heading into the playoffs. Proud of how far the team had come, the staff surprised players with tickets to the Michael Jackson biopic, which gave the players even more of an opportunity to bond. As a result, some of the 80’s music featured in the film became an unofficial anthem of the team and how far they had come through perseverance and fortitude.
Going into the championship game, nerves were through the roof. However, backed by an energetic sideline and a team full of girls who truly cared about each other, players were able to push through the nerves that may have originally existed. Even though flag football as a program was still new, players weren’t afraid of the moment. Natalie Nannizzi (‘27) commented that “our nerves were only really put to bed when the clock ran out” and that the moment felt “surreal.”
Sarah Sherman believes the championship represented something larger than a single game. The section championship “proved that girls’ flag football is something that should be taken seriously. It also gives younger girls the opportunity to watch us and see that they can be just as successful as we are.” Without the backing from the community and those same younger girls, Nannizzi agrees that the Tigers never would have come so far.
When asked about the season as a whole, each and every player agreed that they could go on and on about what the championship means to them. After a slightly rocky start, Mamaroneck closed the season winning 10 of its final 11 games. According to Coach Vitti, “Beyond just being incredibly talented, they demonstrated that they are a close-knit group who have a general affinity for each other. Talent can win games. Hard work can win championships.” This group of spectacular student-athletes reminded us that anything is possible. After all, on any given Saturday, any tenacious and driven team can go out and beat the reigning state champions in the section championship of the first official year of the program. The story really writes itself.
