OWINGS, Md. — Lucia Siracusano, a senior quarterback at Northern High School, earned recognition as the High School on SI Maryland Girls Flag Football Player of the Year for the 2025 season. The Owings-based athlete garnered 55.32 percent of votes in the statewide poll, announced December 1, 2025, surpassing competitors from Linganore and Frederick high schools.
Siracusano guided the Patriots to an 11-2 record, including a victory in the inaugural Southern Maryland Athletic Conference girls flag football championship. Northern defeated Calvert 20-13 on October 29, 2025, at Calvert High School in Prince Frederick. The teams entered the matchup with matching 9-1 records, marking a rematch after Northern’s earlier 25-0 win over Calvert on September 30, 2025. In the title game, Siracusano threw two touchdown passes and added a 12-yard rushing score, extending a 20-7 lead midway through the second half. Calvert narrowed the gap to 20-13 with 40 seconds left, but Siracusano knelt twice to secure the win. Teammates Greenfield and Cheyenne Burger each recorded interceptions to stall Calvert drives.
The Patriots’ season began with a 21-0 shutout of La Plata on August 27, 2025, followed by a 28-0 victory over Lackey on September 3, 2025, where Siracusano threw four touchdown passes. Northern later beat St. Charles in the regional quarterfinals, advancing before concluding the year with two losses. Siracusano’s overall performance featured 3,108 passing yards and 40 touchdowns, alongside 550 rushing yards and six scores. She shifted to defense for the final three or four games, recording 10 flag pulls, three interceptions and a pick-six that returned for a touchdown.
Voters placed Makenna Roberts, a sophomore from Linganore, second with 31.48 percent. Linganore captured the 2A-1A state championship on November 8, 2025, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, defeating Calvert in the final after Northern’s elimination. Frederick athletes rounded out the top four: senior Kessey Panou-Kwadjambou with 7.07 percent and junior Da’Myra Wallace with 4.71 percent. Wallace threw for 2,648 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for seven scores. Panou-Kwadjambou anchored the Cadets’ defense with 34 flag pulls and 28 sacks. Frederick reached the 4A-3A semifinals but fell short of the title, won by Clarksburg for the second straight year.
Girls flag football emerged as Maryland’s fastest-growing high school sport in 2025, with 92 teams participating across eight regions: Baltimore City, Calvert, Charles, Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s and Washington counties. The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association sanctioned playoffs for the second year, expanding to separate 4A-3A and 2A-1A classifications. Clarksburg repeated as 4A-3A champions with a perfect 10-0 regular season, while Linganore claimed the lower bracket after a quadruple-overtime county thriller the prior year. Northern competed in the 2A-1A South Region, seeded No. 1 and facing No. 2 Calvert in the semifinals before the championship berth.
Calvert County introduced the sport district-wide in fall 2025, with teams at Calvert, Huntingtown and Southern highs joining SMAC play. Charles County Public Schools launched programs at all seven high schools, including Northern, La Plata and Thomas Stone, fielding varsity squads in grades 9-12. The 10-game regular season format concluded with county championships and state qualifiers. SMAC, comprising Calvert and Charles counties, hosted its first girls title game as part of broader efforts to align with state postseason procedures.
Siracusano’s award caps a breakout year for Northern’s program, launched in 2025 as one of 23 new varsity teams in the region. Earlier, she advanced to quarterfinals in the National Youth Athlete of the Year contest, earning community votes through September 18, 2025. Her dual-threat style—evident in early shutouts and late defensive contributions—highlighted the versatility demanded in flag football, where players often cover multiple roles. Northern’s success built on a foundation of skill sessions held in June 2025, drawing from county resources to build fundamentals.
The sport’s rise traces to 2023, when Frederick County pioneered varsity play, followed by Montgomery and others in 2024. By 2025, participation tripled, supported by partnerships like the Baltimore Ravens’ hosting of state finals at M&T Bank Stadium. Weekly High School on SI polls tracked standouts, with Siracusano earning nods for her championship week, including the St. Charles win. State semifinals on November 6, 2025, featured regional winners like Boonsboro and Wise, underscoring flag football’s competitive depth.
In Southern Maryland, the expansion fosters opportunities amid a population of roughly 500,000 across Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties. Programs emphasize non-contact rules: seven players per side, with plays ending on flag pulls rather than tackles. Quarterbacks cannot advance past the line of scrimmage after receiving snaps, promoting passing strategies. Local leagues like the Southern Maryland Youth Flag Football League provide feeder systems, hosting exhibitions at Commanders’ Northwest Stadium and securing county recognitions.
Siracusano’s totals place her among Maryland’s elite, outpacing nominees like Urbana’s Audrey Newton, who led a 12-1 campaign to the Frederick County title. Calvert’s Amani Welch reached the 2A-1A final, while Wise’s Jada Kelley advanced to semifinals. The poll, open November 17 to December 1, 2025, drew input from fans statewide, reflecting flag football’s grassroots momentum. As the sport eyes national championships—such as the Maxwell Football Club’s inaugural award on March 14, 2026—Maryland’s framework positions it as a leader, with SMAC’s model offering blueprints for sustained growth.
