CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals facilitated an event that's been a long time coming in the Cincinnati area.
Six local high schools put together girls flag football teams and played a full season, culminating a tournament Monday afternoon.
Mercy McAuley, Notre Dame Academy, Mt. Notre Dame, Seton, Ursuline, and St. Ursula all brought their teams to the Bengals practice facility to play for a championship.
"For all women, I feel like this is very empowering," said Hayden Elmlinger, a sophomore at Mt. Notre Dame. "We should all take this and move forward with this. It's an empowering moment for us."
Mt. Notre Dame (MND) and Mercy McAuley advanced to the championship game, which ended in exciting fashion.
Mercy McAuley led 13-7 in the final minute, but MND had the ball.
On 4th down with 41 seconds left, quarterback Evelyn Schoolfield tossed a touchdown pass to Hayden Elmlinger to tie the game.
MND broke the tie with a successful extra point.
"It was like a big dream ... I'm having an out-of-body experience with myself," said MND head coach Desmon Gault. "I actually turned my back on that game-winning touchdown. I turned my back because I was so nervous."
MND got one final stop on defense to preserve the victory, and celebrated the championship by dumping two coolers of ice water on Gault.
"It's cold!" Gault shouted into our camera, as he ran down the sideline, soaked with near-freezing water.
Bailey Hubbard gave a halftime speech to her MND team, encouraging her teammates to play with the understanding that Monday would be their final time playing together as a team.
"We came out and balled," said Hubbard. "Everyone was hyped on the field. I was like 'This is not real!' It was so much fun."
Elmlinger, who scored the game-winning touchdown, said she's always wanted to play football, but never had the chance.
"When MND presented the opportunity and the Bengals decided to let us have this chance, I ran with it," said Elmlinger. "It was something I always wanted to do."
The Bengals facilitated the event, which gave hundreds of young women the opportunity to play a sport which has historically been played primarily by men.
"As I think about my great grandfather – Hall of Fame coach Paul Brown– He's always been an innovator," said Bengals Director of Strategy & Engagement, Elizabeth Blackburn.
"I'd like our organization to continue channeling that. I think we're helping innovate in bringing more people into the sport of football. That's something I'm really proud of." said Blackburn.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was one of the spectators at the field watching Monday's flag football tournament.
